Antitrust and Regulation Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Antitrust and Regulation - Term Paper Example The law is premised on the belief that free trade benefits the economy, businesses and the consumers by forbidding various restrains of trade and monopolization. It falls under four areas namely agreement between competitors, contractual arrangements between sellers and buyers the pursuit or maintenance of monopoly power and mergers (Wilberforce, 98). The law of competition can be dated two centuries ago, the medieval monarchs and the Roman Empire used tariff systems to control prices and support local production. The formal study of competition can be dated in the 18th century with works of Adam Smith when he wrote about the wealth of Nation. Different terms were used to describe the law which include restrictive practices, the law of monopolies, combination acts, and the restraint of trade. The law can be seen to have three main elements which include prohibiting agreements or practices that restricts free trade and competition between business premises, it element focuses mainly on repression of cartels. Second is the banning of abusive behaviors by firms dominating a market or anti competitive practices that may tend to lead to dominance (Bork, 126). Among the practices controlled by this are predatory pricing, tying, and refusal to deal, among others. Lastly there is the supervision of mergers and acquisition of large corporations including joint values. Transactions thought to threaten competitive process can be prohibited all together. Approved subjects to remedies for example an obligation to divest part of the merged business the merged business, that is, to offer license or access to facilities that enable other businesses to continue competing. The contents and practice of competition law varies s from one jurisdiction to another. In many countries the main objective of the law is to protect the interests of thee consumer or safeguarding the consumer welfare, and ensuring that entrepreneurs have an equal opportunity to compete in the market economy. The law is also closely related to the law of deregulation of access to the market, state aids and subsidies, privatization of state assets, and the establishment of independe nt sector regulators. In the past decades the law has been viewed as way to provision of better public services (Whish, 198). According to Robert Bork competition has been found to have created adverse effects when they reduce competition through protecting the inefficient competitor and when the cost of legal intervention is higher then the consumer benefits more. The business practices of market traders' guilds and governments have always been scrutinized and sometimes severe sanctions have been placed. Dating back from the 19th century competition law has been now embraced globally. The largest and the most influential law systems being the United States antitrust law and the European community competition law. National and regional competitions authorities across the world have formed to incorporate international support and enforcement networks (Bork, 127). In microeconomics and strategic management horizontal merger refers to a type of ownership and control. It is used by businesses as a strategy that seeks to sell a type of products in many markets or numerous markets. It is much more common compared to vertical

MGT499 Module 1 Essay Example for Free

MGT499 Module 1 Essay Harley Davidson has been around the United States since 1903 and have always found a way to stay productive and current in this country, they have made huge strides to maintain their quality and trust in their customers. In this day and age even that may not be enough to supplant a company’s financial security and Harley Davidson may have to emphasize more on sales outside the USA. Harley Davidson’s quality mission is that they value the deep emotional connection that is created with their customers through their products, services, and experiences. They are fueled by the brand quality and trust that their customers place in the company to deliver premium quality and the promise of a fulfilling lifetime ownership experience. Harley Davidson exemplifies this commitment by embracing a culture of personal responsibility and stewardship for quality in everything they do. Harley Davidson fulfills these dreams by their corporate value of providing motorcyclists an expanding line of motorcycles and branded products and services to a selected market segment. Harley Davidson’s strategic vision is the delivery of unique motorcycling experiences, as individual as are their customers. The experiences could be as basic as a Sunday morning coffee, or a full moon beach ride. This corporate passion of delivering unique customer experiences is the core of their strategy and the reason for their competitive edge. This corporate passion of delivering to their main stakeholders includes customers and employees. Since the employees of Harley Davidson are motorcyclists themselves, their commitment to delivering an unforgettable motorcycling experience is the reason for the competitive advantage the company enjoys with a distinctive and innovative legendary motorcycling product line. When employees feel like a participant they will have a mutual goal: the long term success of the Company. (Fred, 2008). This is one of the area’s Harley Davidson has placed special emphasis on. With restructuring there assembly lines it became a necessity to know if something was not correct in the process, open communication allowed employees to communicate with leaders to resolve issues quickly, minimizing loss. Employees are also encouraged to participate in Harley Davidson Learning Center for its employees; the center was created after restructuring of the workforce to create semi-autonomous workgroups. The center is dedicated to lifelong learning, but is also used to hone skills, learn new skills and if needed remedial training. Harley Davidson customers are a cult. They are as unique as the motorcycles they ride. The passions of their experiences as bikers have made permanent inroads in the landscape of the United States. They are a part of Americana popular culture. They have inspired rock songs, political frame of references, and have been strategically aligned to a sense of freedom, which is the American symbol. The needs and goals of the employees at Harley Davidson are being met. Open communication at all levels is used as a major key to achieving teamwork and employee participation. When employees feel like a participant they will have a mutual goal: the long term success of the Company. (Fred, 2008). This is one of the area’s Harley Davidson has placed special emphasis on. With restructuring there assembly lines it became a necessity to know if something was not correct in the process, open communication allowed employees to communicate with leaders to resolve issues quickly, minimizing loss. Consumers are actually fulfilling more and more dreams, which is evident by increases in sales. There are many reasons for this, Harley Davidson listens to its consumers and values their input. They also created the Harley Owners Group (HOG) so that the Company can receive feedback from its riders and continue to make their experiences better and better by improving the products. â€Å"They conduct four US national rallies, two touring rallies, and 44 state rallies. † (Fred, 2008). Where they can receive feedback from riders and enjoy some customer bonding as they share in the excitement of riding. Harley Davidson just made major improvements in 4 key areas of their current line of motorcycles, with the input of their riders. Control; Larger engine, brighter lights, and Anti-locking Braking System. Infotainment; color touch screen radio with Bluetooth, GPS, and CB communication all in one unit which can be controlled by voice commands, allowing a rider to keep both hands on the bars. Feel; redesign of Fairings, improved passenger room with back rest and arm rests. Style; Redesigned trunk and saddle bags, with on touch latches, lighter wheels and intuitive hand control switches. â€Å"Weve been one with our riders and dealers for 110 years, and were now doing a much, much better job bringing their insights and needs into great new bikes; and getting the job done 30 percent faster so they can enjoy it all sooner! The worlds best – and best-selling – touring bike just got a whole lot better because of the inspiration of our riders and the talent and dedication of our employees. † (Hoyer, 2013) My recommendation to the executives of Harley Davidson would be to inspire an international campaign of freedom. To launch an international marketing campaign and highlight the individual countries landscapes with passionate riding experiences unique to that country. Since the employees of Harley Davidson are motorcyclists themselves, I would recommend that the corporation employ motorcyclist employees in each of the international companies to work and design a line for each of the individual country markets. The competitive advantage to Harley Davidson has always been about the delivery of unique experiences, the marketing and production campaign in each of the individual countries would succeed if they are able to deliver to that country’s stakeholders an unforgettable motorcycling experience. References: Harley Davidson. (2012) Annual Report 2011. Retrieved from: http://media. corporate-ir. net/media_files/IROL/87/87981/HD. pdf Fred, (2008). A case study of Harley Davidson’s business practice. Infotechdesign. Retrieved from: http://infotechdesign. net/itd/a-case-study-of-harley-davidsons-business-practices. htmlÃ'Ž

Most Important Function Of The International Monetary Fund Finance Essay

Most Important Function Of The International Monetary Fund Finance Essay As Mussa says In official discussions of the role of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), especially at meetings of the IMF Executive Board and of the ministerial-level International Monetary and finance Committee, it is often observed that surveillance is the IMFs most important function.  [1]   Evidence on the importance of this function is what I quote from the literature of Murilo Portugal who points out that: One of the main purposes of the IMF is to promote international cooperation on monetary and financial affairs, being the machinery for consultation and collaboration on these issues. However, of all IMF functions this is the one that is least developed. This function is currently performed by means of exercises of multilateral surveillance of global economic and financial conditions. Two major reports are prepared twice a year for that purpose, the World Economic Outlook and the Global Financial Stability Report. These reports are discussed by the Executive Board and later taken up by the IMFC, both of which make generic exhortations to certain countries or group of countries to pursue policies that are considered appropriate from their own perspective, but that are also required from a global point of view. There is, however, a clear need to enhance the effectivene ss of multilateral surveillance.  [2]   Mr Lars Heikensten said the following on surveillance: The IMFs key instrument for reaching its overall objective should be its preventive activities, which are primarily carried out within the scope of its surveillance function. The IMFs primarily role is not to treat illnesses but to prevent them from breaking out. Much can be done to bolster the IMFs surveillance function, both as regards individual countries but also, to an increasing extent, by way of a stronger regional and global focus. This change in emphasis can, among other things, be motivated by the fact that globalisation and increased integration has resulted in a situation where more and more countries national policies give rise to externalities. A strong multilateral surveillance function could contribute, more clearly than today, to creating a broad international discussion of global imbalances, incorrectly valued exchange rates, etc., which generate risks to stability both in individual countries and in the interna tional financial system as a whole. In this context, it is crucial that the member countries accept and support the role that has been given to the IMF, including taking seriously its advice and recommendations. We are often more keen to underline the importance of the IMFs surveillance function for other countries than we are to be guided by the IMFs analyses of our own countries. This is not beneficial for the IMFs credibility.  [3]   For more several reasons, one of them is that we are now living the globalization era and as I cite from the IMF official website that In todays globalized economy, where the economic and financial policies of one country may spill over to affect many other countries, international cooperation on a global scale to monitor and influence economic developments is essential. With its nearly universal membership of 185  countries, IMF surveillance provides the mechanism for this cooperation. Effective surveillance contributes to a stable international monetary system that sustains sound economic growth through the following mutually-reinforcing processes: multilateral surveillance, or oversight of the world economy; and bilateral surveillance which comprises appraisal of and advice on the policies of each individual member country to promote external and domestic stability (including growth); analysis of cross country spillovers; and sharing of the aggregate experience of 185 members.  [4]   Another reason is that the supervision of fiscal transparency or supervision of monetary and financial transparency goes under, acts and interacts with the function of surveillance which monitors the policies chosen by the governments and the central banks of the member families and the. The Fiscal transparency entails being open to the public about the structure and functions of government that determine fiscal policies and outcomes, and the past, present, and future fiscal activities of government. Such transparency fosters better-informed public debate, as well as greater government accountability and credibility.  [5]   And the transparency of the Monetary and financial policies can be more effective if their objectives, rationale, and methods of implementation are communicated to the public in a clear and timely manner. Such transparency by central banks and financial agencies responsible for supervision and regulation of financial institutions and markets can also foster more informed market expectations, and greater public accountability.  [6]   Another reason is that the IMF will not start the process of lending unless it has the information about the member country that has the need, so the lending process comes after the process of surveillance. When its member countries experience balance of payments (BOP) difficulties, either through capital account or current account crises, the IMF can make loans designed to help them stabilize their international payments situation and adopt policy changes sufficient to reverse their situation and overcome their problems. In some cases, the IMF makes short-term loans to help prevent countries economies from spiraling into financial crisis and to facilitate renewed inflows of private sector capital.  [7]   And even there are a lot of critics on the IMF that it is giving a lot of long term loans which should be the role of the World Bank or other big market lenders as the World Bank has the better experience, competence, the ability and the support from the member countries to perform long term loans. As Dr Rosa emphasised It also argues that the main role of the IMF should increasingly delegate the role of long-term lending for structural purposes to the World Bank.  [8]   And she continues It is the World Bank, however, that has the staff and the technical expertise to develop and cost sectoral strategies together with client countries. The IMF, therefore, should work closely with the World Bank to ensure that the macroeconomic frameworks of client countries reflect the financing needs of their poverty-reduction strategies. Achieving this result will entail much-improved coordination in-country between statistical agencies, line ministries, finance ministries, and central banks and, in Washington, between the IMF and the World Bank.  [9]   Then to add that how important the function of surveillance the IMF Executive board decided to update and enhance this function by approving its new frame work. On a Statement by IMF Managing Director Rodrigo de Rato on IMF Executive Board Decision to Approve New Framework for Surveillance I get this quote: The change we are making is the first major revision in the surveillance framework in some 30 years, and it is the first ever comprehensive policy statement on surveillance. The new decision reflects current best practice in our work of monitoring members exchange rate policies and domestic economic policies. It reaffirms that surveillance should be focused on our core mandate, namely promoting countries external stability. And it gives clear guidance to our members on how they should run their exchange rate policies, on what is acceptable to the international community, and what is not.  [10]   The IMF should use the tools it has of bilateral and multilateral surveillance all the way through to encourage financial stability by making analysis for the day to day work with the members and by making these info available for all financial actors in addition to policy makers and market participants.  [11]   For all of that I think that the most important function of the IMF is surveillance and what it needs is more support from the member countries and from the IMF in implanting its policies for the better function of the economical structures of the countries in the open global economic world of today.

The Tragic Pride of Anowa Essay -- Character Analysis, Anowa, Kofi Ako

The tragic pride of Anowa In life there is place in between adolescents and adulthood where many decisions that are made will ultimately direct the path of life. There are times when a decisions is made it leads to a great life and other times it leads to a destructive path just not for one person but affects everyone around them. In the story of Anowa the main character Anowa is in the place where every decisions she makes leads to a turning point in her life that sets the trap for a great demise. Anowa’s pride leads to her fall and causes those around her great pain. First, Anowa being a strange woman who refuses to get married and when she finally does decide to get married the man whom she picks is not fitting of her mother’s expectations this is the rift that starts the fall of Anowa. In the Global Crossroads World Literature Badua tells Anowa that â€Å"Marriage is like a piece of cloth†¦ and like cloth; its beauty passes with wear and tear† (Iglesias, Mays, and Pierce103). The cloth signifies strength and beauty of a marriage but without the proper consideration and care it will not last. Badua tries to tell her daughter that what may look good today later on may not be so pleasant and may very well rip apart in time ; but because Anowa’s pride she replies to her mother â€Å"I like mine and it is none of your business. I do not care, Mother. Have I not told you that this is to be my marriage and not yours?†(Iglesias, Mays, and Pierce103). Anowa’s determination to follow through with her dec ision seems to be just like many young ladies today who refuse to adhere to the voice of their mother and although the decision they make may be wrong they would rather be stubborn than to admit that the truth of their m... ...ave children, but the whole time he was the reason they could not have children. Instead of leaving well enough alone she says, â€Å"Now I know. So that is it. My husband is woman now and she giggles† (Iglesias, Mays, and Pierce155). Anowa prideful attitude has lead to the death of her husband, herself and the sorrow of her mother and father. She not only killed his manhood but caused him to commit suicide. In conclusion, every decision Anowa made lead to her tragic demise and pride was the ruler of every decision she made. The life of Anowa showed how pride is selfish, stubborn, and disrespect. Anowa could not see how her attitude determined her altitude. Had she learn how to be temperate and showed concern for others she would have not cause herself and other s sorrow and death. Anowa life teaches a valuable lesson that pride will only lead to a destructive path.

Literary Analysis of the Great Gatsby Essay

F. Scott Fitzgerald demonstrates the thematic concern of carelessness in his fictional novel, The Great Gatsby, by using characters such as Jordan, Myrtle, and Daisy. Carelessness is exemplified many times throughout the book; such as on page 26. The narrator says, â€Å"She nodded and moved away from him just as George returned.† This statement describes Myrtle caressing her secret lover, Tom, just before her husband re-enters the room. She is careless as to hide her affection. Another example can be found on page 58, in a conversation between Nick and Jordan in the car. Nick: â€Å"Suppose you met somebody just as careless as yourself.† Jordan: â€Å"I hope I never will.† In this scene, Jordan is driving recklessly, as usual. Nick is confronting her about being careless for the first time. This is not the last time the author shows the thematic concern though: â€Å"Daisy sat back upon the couch. The nurse took a step forward and held out her hand.† During this part of the novel (page 23), Daisy pays no attention to her child. She leaves the nurse to take care of and raise her daughter; hence the term ‘careless’. As proven by the excerpts above, Fitzgerald clearly is attempting to put a subtle emphasis on this trait of life. By creating a chaotic atmosphere in the book, carelessness is obvioiusly going to play a big part in the plot to reach the climax. With quotes like the examples given, Fitzergerald accomplishes his goal of displaying carelessness throughout The Great Gatsby.

finace reform essays

finace reform essays After what would be considered the closet race in presidential history, the US Supreme Court needs to find a way to get the public more involved. Senator John McCain and Russ Feingold are pushing towards a campaign finance reform. Republic John McCain is saying that we must put a stop on "soft" money, and increase "hard" money. The amount "soft" money that are politicians are getting has increased from $105.1 million to $392.9 million since 1994. This reform will stop this money from going in to our political system, so that it will not only be corporations and wealthy individuals that donate money to the campaign. Of course the Republicans and the Democrats can not come up with a decision that they will both agree with. This bill is going threw the senate as we speak, and both Republican Fred Thompson, senator from Tennessee, and Senator Dianne Feinstien, a democrat from California, are going to give there proposed edition of the reform. After the 2000 election both parties a gree that we need to have something done, and right now they are trying to pass the Campaign Finance Reform bill that will put a stop on the "soft" money, and would increase the amount of "hard" money. Republican senator Fred Thompson said that increasing the cap on "hard" money would be the solution to this problem. He would raise "hard" money an individual can give from $1,000 to $2,500 for each election. He would also increase the amount individuals can give to candidates every two years from $50,000 to $100,000. The interest groups or political action committees would be able to donate $7,500 and increase from $5,000. Most republicans agree with this decision because it is a proven fact that republican raise more "hard" money than Democrats, almost 2-1. That is why it is going to be that much harder to get the Democrats to go along with this proposal. So with this raise on hard money senator Fred Thompson is hoping to lure both the republica...

Earn an Ivy League Degree Online

Earn an Ivy League Degree Online Almost all of the eight ivy league universities offer some form of online courses, certificates, or degree programs. Find out how you can get a top-notch online education from Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, UPenn, or Yale. Brown Brown offers two blended (online plus face-to-face) degree programs. The  IE-Brown Executive MBA program  offers professionals the chance to get a global education over a 15-month period. MBA students work together online and have five week-long sessions in person. The in-person meetings are in Madrid, Spain; Brown University in Providence, United States; and Cape Town, Africa. The Executive Master of Healthcare Leadership degree is an accelerated program for healthcare professionals. The 16-month program requires online students to meet on campus between the start and end of each term – four times total. Brown also offers online pre-college courses for advanced learners in grades 9-12. Subjects such as â€Å"So, You Want to be a Doctor?† and â€Å"Writing for College and Beyond,† prepare students for their upcoming college experience. Columbia Through the Teacher’s College, Columbia offers online certificates in â€Å"Cognition and Technology,† â€Å"Designing Interactive Multimedia Instruction,† and â€Å"Teaching and Learning with Technology.† Students can also enroll in one of two fully online education Masters degrees. The Computing in Education M.A. helps educational professionals prepare to work with technology in schools. The Diabetes Education and Management M.S. prepares health care workers to educate and advocate for improved understanding about diabetes. The Columbia Video Network enables students to earn advanced engineering degrees from home. Virtual students have no residency requirements and have the same access to their professors as traditional students. Degrees available online include M.S. in Computer Science, M.S. in Electrical Engineering, M.S. in Engineering and Management Systems, M.S. in Materials Science, M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, P.D. in Computer Science, P.D. in Electrical Engineering, P.D. in Mechanical Engineering. Students may also take individual online courses in medicine and religion through Columbia’s online programs. Cornell Through the  eCornell program, students can take individual courses and earn certificates completely online. Multi-course certificate programs are available in fields such as Finance and Managerial Accounting, Healthcare, Hospitality and Food Services Management, Human Resources Management, Leadership and Strategic Management, Management Essentials, Marketing, Sales Leadership, Product Leadership and Systems Design, and Plant-Based Nutrition. eCornell courses are designed and taught by Cornell faculty. They have set start and end dates, but are taught asynchronously. Courses and certificates offer students continuing education credits. Dartmouth Dartmouth College has a very limited number of online options. Students can earn The Dartmouth Institute (TDI) Certificate in The Fundamentals of Value-Based Healthcare by completing six online courses. The courses are generally not available for those outside of the certificate program. Health professionals are required to view a limited number of one-hour live streaming sessions, which are usually conducted on Wednesdays. Presenters lecture on topics such as Health Care Finance, Shared Decision Making in Patient-Centered Care, Health Care Informatics, and Understanding the Implications of Variation. Harvard Through the Harvard Extension School, students can take individual online courses, earn certificates, or even earn a degree. The  Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree program allows students to earn an undergraduate degree with the guidance of top-notch professors. Potential students â€Å"earn their way in† by earning a grade of B or higher in three introductory courses. Students must complete four courses on campus, but the rest of the degree can be completed through online options. Degree candidates have access to a variety of Harvard resources including internships, seminars, and research assistance. The Master of Liberal Arts in Extension Studies in the  field of finance or general management degree can be earned by taking 12 courses. Four of these courses must be traditional or blended courses. For distance learning students, blended courses can be taken by traveling to campus for one-weekend session per course. Additional blended Masters programs are available in Psychology, Anthropology, Biology, English, and more. Most require some evening courses on campus. Graduate certificates can be earned fully online and enrollment is open (no application required). Harvard Extension certificates can be earned in the fields of management, sustainability and environmental management, science and information technology, and social sciences. Notable certificates include Business Communication, Cybersecurity, Nonprofit Management, Marketing Management, Green Building and Sustainability, Data Science, Nanotechnology, Legal Studies, and  Software Engineering. Princeton Sorry, online learners. Princeton isn’t offering any courses or degree programs completely online at this time. UPenn While the University of Pennsylvania doesn’t offer any fully online degrees or certificates, the Penn Online Learning Initiative allows students to take  individual courses. Online courses are offered in Arts and Sciences, Executive Education, Nursing, Dentistry, and also English Language Test Preparation. Generally, students interested in these courses will need to apply to the university as a visiting student. Yale Every year, Yale students enroll in virtual courses through Yale Summer Online. Current students or graduates from other colleges are also invited to enroll in these for-credit courses. The course sessions are five-weeks long, and students are required to participate in a weekly live video group meeting with faculty. Some of the class offerings include: Abnormal Psychology, Econometrics and Data Analysis I, Milton, Modern American Drama and Moralities of Everyday Life.

Free Essays on George Friederich Handel

George Friederich Handel was born in Halle, Germany, on February 23, 1685. His father intended him to be a lawyer, and Handel indeed enrolled at the University of Halle as a law student. Luckily, however, he also had been studying with the Halle cathedral organist Wilhelm Zachow, and eventually left Halle in 1703 to begin his musical career in Hamburg as a violinist and harpsichordist. He subsequently traveled to Italy, where he began presenting his operas and cantatas. He then spent a short time in Hanover as Kappelmeister at the court before permanently moving to London in 1712. He continued to write operas, church music, and music for the court. In 1719, King George I appointed Handel "Master of Arts." In 1723, he was appointed a composer to the Chapel Royal, and in 1727 he became a naturalized British citizen. Handel turned his attention to oratorios during a period when operas were becoming less popular. In 1741 Handel received a request for a new work to benefit three Dublin charities. At the time, he had recently suffered a stroke and had bad health, so was his financial condition. During the summer of 1741, Handel was staying at the 1,000-acre Gopsall estate owned by Humphery Jennings, whose grandson Charles Jennens was a friend of Handel's. Charles, a writer, had been the librettist for Handel's Saul. Jennens wrote the Messiah libretto. Handel began composing Messiah in late August and completed it in just over three weeks, writing under a temple on the grounds of Gopsall estate. Messiah is written in three parts. Despite the work's popularity today as a seasonal Christmas production, only the first part concerns Advent and the birth of the savior Jesus Christ. The second part relates the Passion of Christ and ends with the "Hallelujah" chorus celebrating His Resurrection. The third part contemplates the aftermath of the Resurrection and its effect upon the world, ending with the great "Amen" chorus, "Worthy is the Lamb that ... Free Essays on George Friederich Handel Free Essays on George Friederich Handel George Friederich Handel was born in Halle, Germany, on February 23, 1685. His father intended him to be a lawyer, and Handel indeed enrolled at the University of Halle as a law student. Luckily, however, he also had been studying with the Halle cathedral organist Wilhelm Zachow, and eventually left Halle in 1703 to begin his musical career in Hamburg as a violinist and harpsichordist. He subsequently traveled to Italy, where he began presenting his operas and cantatas. He then spent a short time in Hanover as Kappelmeister at the court before permanently moving to London in 1712. He continued to write operas, church music, and music for the court. In 1719, King George I appointed Handel "Master of Arts." In 1723, he was appointed a composer to the Chapel Royal, and in 1727 he became a naturalized British citizen. Handel turned his attention to oratorios during a period when operas were becoming less popular. In 1741 Handel received a request for a new work to benefit three Dublin charities. At the time, he had recently suffered a stroke and had bad health, so was his financial condition. During the summer of 1741, Handel was staying at the 1,000-acre Gopsall estate owned by Humphery Jennings, whose grandson Charles Jennens was a friend of Handel's. Charles, a writer, had been the librettist for Handel's Saul. Jennens wrote the Messiah libretto. Handel began composing Messiah in late August and completed it in just over three weeks, writing under a temple on the grounds of Gopsall estate. Messiah is written in three parts. Despite the work's popularity today as a seasonal Christmas production, only the first part concerns Advent and the birth of the savior Jesus Christ. The second part relates the Passion of Christ and ends with the "Hallelujah" chorus celebrating His Resurrection. The third part contemplates the aftermath of the Resurrection and its effect upon the world, ending with the great "Amen" chorus, "Worthy is the Lamb that ...

Human growth and developement 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Human growth and developement 4 - Essay Example My parents may be loving and supportive but when house rules are broken which includes curfew during weekdays (which is often broken) I am usually grounded. My parents may be smiling when they caught me making excuses but rules are rules and I am still grounded. I understand the reason why they do it and so I gladly accept it. 2. Discuss the ways in which social skills are affected both in the short-term and long-term by child maltreatment. Please feel free to give examples from your own observations in nursing and/or personal experiences. Children who experience maltreatment tend to be abusive with their relationships also. For them, abusive treatment of people is acceptable because they themselves have experienced it. Their emotion are not usually fully developed and they do not respond well to stressful situations. In extreme situations, they are likely to give in and being such, typically labeled as emotionally unstable. Gfroerer, Kelly P.; Kern, Roy M.; Curlette, William L.; White, JoAnna; JonynienÄâ€", Jolita (2011). Parenting  Style and Personality: Perceptions of Mothers, Fathers, and Adolescents.   Journal of Individual Psychology,  

Sir francis drake Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sir francis drake - Essay Example During the period of 1570s Drake single handedly further benefited his nation by making two highly profitable trips to the region of West Indies. During the same time period he even was the commander of two ships that made an expedition in the Caribbean region against his Spanish counterparts. He is even credited for capturing the port of Nombre de Dios and due to this along with the treasure he took away from the Spanish he was credited as a privateer3. During the period of 1577, Drake was made part of a secretive expedition which targeted the Spanish colonies and within a one year time period he lost 4 out of 5 ships that he took along. He was successful in becoming the first ever Englishman to identify Straits of Magellan. During his trip towards the upper side of South America’s western coasts he aggressively countered Spanish ports and became the first person to explore the entire western cost of the region of America as compared to any other European at that time in orde r to identify the route that passed through the Atlantic region. Due to his failure to find a route he made a turn towards the southern region during 1579 and went across passing the Pacific. During his trips he came across various regions and even went through the Cape of Good Hope4. By the period of 1580, he returned back home along with various offerings to benefit the British community. He returned with treasures of the Spanish people as well as a full cargo that contained various spices and he became the first individual belonging to the English community to go around the globe. During the same year he was again made the knight of the Golden Hind as a result of annoying the Spain’s King. 5 years later he was able to steal different cities of Spain and while returning he brought along the colonists of the region of Roanoke Island who had been unsuccessful and this led to the creation of the first colony of the New

The Tragic Sense of Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Tragic Sense of Life - Essay Example makes it move towards faith which readily offers immortality and meaning, a sense of immortality that is vulnerable to doubt, yet, at the same time richly endowed with meaning and hope. It is this mutual contradiction of these two ideas, one ensuing from objectivity and the other from faith is the eventual source of life’s unity. In a broader context, both these ideas, complement and complete each other. It is the sense of annihilation ensuing from a scientific objectivity that moves the humanity towards faith, and the doctrines of faith, though seeming mystical, ambiguous and vague ultimately does have the power to move the men to act in a way that actually makes people think that these doctrines if not true, ought to be true. That death, if it is the eventual destiny of man, is a destiny that is undeserved and unjust. Unamuno boldly declares that â€Å"We think because we live (157).† However, by ‘thinking’ here, Unamuno does not mean what most men consider thinking to be. For truly speaking, in case of most of the individuals, thoughts are nothing, but a pretext for justifying their actions to oneself and others. Nudged to act by their innate, basic and primordial instincts, they present thoughts as a sophisticated veneer to cover up the essential senselessness and vagueness of their actions, or rather to project some sort of a meaning over their actions. Yet, the shallowness of their thoughts is evinced the minute there start to appear chinks in their adopted or professed doctrines, taking a heavy tool of their belief in the very integrity of their actions. By ‘thinking’ Unamuno means that an innate belief, which embraces both the impermanence indicated by logic and the immortality offered by faith and proceeds to act irrespective of the inherent contradiction of these two ideas, confident that the very character of the actions engendered by this belief while resolve this contradiction and endow life with a meaning. Doing so, Unamuno places upside

Marketing Strategy Based on the Apex City of London Hotel Essay

Marketing Strategy Based on the Apex City of London Hotel - Essay Example Apex should also choose between business and tourist traffic in order to build a competitive edge. The prime location will not yield adequate returns with only a 4-star rating, and the management should plan for an upgrade. London is a major financial, tourist, and historical center. The 2012 Olympic Games and its aftermath will open additional market segments. The city also has a very large number of established and competitive lodging and boarding facilities. Hence, the long term prospects of a new hotel such as Apex cannot succeed without creative and systematic segmentation and accurate targeting as well (Payne, 2002). Apex targets both affluent tourist traffic, as well as middle-level business executives. This is apparent from how the rooms have been appointed, the location chosen, and the conference facilities (Welcome, 2007). This kind of blend is a copy of tactics followed in the past by competing 4-star facilities, but it is not an optimal strategy for Apex to follow. The hotel should either focus on tourist traffic, or specialize as a convention center. It will weaken its branding by trying to do both things (Nijssen and Frambach, 2000). It is true that London has potential revenues from both segments, but since Apex is a late entrant in a mature market, it would do better to specialize in any one of the two segments which it has served during its first year. Generic Strategy Apex could have focused on becoming a luxury hotel for top executives and for celebrity visitors to the city. The prime location chosen makes it suitable for such use. This find of focus generic strategy would have offered the management superior returns on investment (Porter, 1991). However, the hotel has chosen to compete on price. The discounts promotions, deals, and special offers, which Apex offers makes it a place of choice in the prime locality where it is situated. This generic strategy may be difficult to sustain in the long run, and it is probably not required given the enormous traffic through London. The hotel has probably lost significant cash flows through its deep discounts. The forthcoming London Olympics will impact this low-price strategy, as the hotel has established a reputation for discounts in travel circles, which it may not be able to withdraw during peak tourist arrivals (Barger & Kirby, 1995). Overall, the company has not tried to maximize returns on its ne w investment, and has probably

African Music Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

African Music - Essay Example Placing African music in an historical and social context, brings to the fore the compiling of notes on the social context of African music; on African history; on the popularization of African music and on the instruments and styles of African music. The following text has been put together and a bibliography and appropriate reference is supplied at the end of the article. Africa covers about 11,714,000 square miles (30,339,000 square kilometers), more than a fifth of the earth’s total land area. The continent is an enormous plateau, most of which is covered by deserts, forests and grasslands. It is this vast mass of land that held the immense treasure of Africa called music. Music has been culturally part of and developed in Africa for thousands of years. Its wide range of styles evidently showed much of the country’s landscape. In northern Africa, music follows Arab traditions that consist mainly of chants and the use of various northern instruments but as shown but African music has also spread southward and influenced the music of peoples in parts of Chad, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Sudan.

Teaching vocabulary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Teaching vocabulary - Essay Example This is because, the LAD as a device which inheres man and helps him learn language, atrophies with age. The acquisition of language also goes hand in hand with the acquisition of vocabulary. Disinterest may also serve as a strong impediment to the acquisition of vocabulary since it is nearly impossible to educate someone on matters he is not interested in. Language-related illnesses and impairment such as Warnicke’s aphasia and global aphasia may be setbacks to the knowledge and acquisition of vocabulary. Those who have suffered global aphasia have great difficulty in understanding words and forming words. In the case of Warnicke’s aphasia, a student may: fail to realise that he is using wrong words; have great difficulty in understanding some words; and not appreciate how words are strung together to form a phrase, clause or a sentence. Again, those with Warnicke’s aphasia have a problem building vocabulary since Warnicke’s aphasia affects the region of the brain’s left hemisphere which is responsible for the understanding of words. Question B There are certain activities which a teacher can expend to solve some of the problems which have mentioned above. When dealing with linguistic barriers which non-native adult speakers use, it is important for me to use both incidental acquisition and direct study. This involves, having proficient and self-motivated students to read a lot of books which are suited for their age. The teacher can then follow incidental acquisition method with vocabulary logs and other techniques which shall also be divulged upon. It is also important to follow up the use of the incidental acquisition model with the provisions of direct study. The use of direct study models will help high-risk students struggling with vocabulary. The strength of direct study helps the student develop his vocabulary by: nurturing an independent reading culture; strengthening the learner’s ability to use context clues ; and strengthening the learner’s context-clues vocabulary acquisition. This measure above will therefore require the teacher to foster a classroom reading programme whereby he can: have the students read in turn; correct the reader’s phonology in case of a wrong pronunciation; have students identify the meaning of a newly encountered vocabulary by using context-cues [so that the student does not rush to the dictionary]; give learners the exact meaning of the newly encountered lexicons with an example of a sentence; and have the students record the same down and use them in a sentence. Again, it will be extremely helpful [of me and to me] to develop a multifaceted approach to vocabulary acquisition. This will entail helping learners to develop the culture of independent reading. As the teacher, I can help develop a recommended reading list, or form a recommended reading list with the school administration. The books in the reading list are those that should challenge t he gifted and the talented, and help slow learners. Thus, the books should be high-interest and low-level. Students will read some of these books independently. For the remaining books, the students can provide feedback by: making oral and written book reports; producing plot summaries; and [if time allows] making performances of key or important scenes. Similarly as an instructor, measures must be made to ensure that students are encouraged to use the different semantic significance of words. This involves, hav

Marketing Strategy Based on the Apex City of London Hotel Essay

Marketing Strategy Based on the Apex City of London Hotel - Essay Example Apex should also choose between business and tourist traffic in order to build a competitive edge. The prime location will not yield adequate returns with only a 4-star rating, and the management should plan for an upgrade. London is a major financial, tourist, and historical center. The 2012 Olympic Games and its aftermath will open additional market segments. The city also has a very large number of established and competitive lodging and boarding facilities. Hence, the long term prospects of a new hotel such as Apex cannot succeed without creative and systematic segmentation and accurate targeting as well (Payne, 2002). Apex targets both affluent tourist traffic, as well as middle-level business executives. This is apparent from how the rooms have been appointed, the location chosen, and the conference facilities (Welcome, 2007). This kind of blend is a copy of tactics followed in the past by competing 4-star facilities, but it is not an optimal strategy for Apex to follow. The hotel should either focus on tourist traffic, or specialize as a convention center. It will weaken its branding by trying to do both things (Nijssen and Frambach, 2000). It is true that London has potential revenues from both segments, but since Apex is a late entrant in a mature market, it would do better to specialize in any one of the two segments which it has served during its first year. Generic Strategy Apex could have focused on becoming a luxury hotel for top executives and for celebrity visitors to the city. The prime location chosen makes it suitable for such use. This find of focus generic strategy would have offered the management superior returns on investment (Porter, 1991). However, the hotel has chosen to compete on price. The discounts promotions, deals, and special offers, which Apex offers makes it a place of choice in the prime locality where it is situated. This generic strategy may be difficult to sustain in the long run, and it is probably not required given the enormous traffic through London. The hotel has probably lost significant cash flows through its deep discounts. The forthcoming London Olympics will impact this low-price strategy, as the hotel has established a reputation for discounts in travel circles, which it may not be able to withdraw during peak tourist arrivals (Barger & Kirby, 1995). Overall, the company has not tried to maximize returns on its ne w investment, and has probably

Teaching vocabulary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Teaching vocabulary - Essay Example This is because, the LAD as a device which inheres man and helps him learn language, atrophies with age. The acquisition of language also goes hand in hand with the acquisition of vocabulary. Disinterest may also serve as a strong impediment to the acquisition of vocabulary since it is nearly impossible to educate someone on matters he is not interested in. Language-related illnesses and impairment such as Warnicke’s aphasia and global aphasia may be setbacks to the knowledge and acquisition of vocabulary. Those who have suffered global aphasia have great difficulty in understanding words and forming words. In the case of Warnicke’s aphasia, a student may: fail to realise that he is using wrong words; have great difficulty in understanding some words; and not appreciate how words are strung together to form a phrase, clause or a sentence. Again, those with Warnicke’s aphasia have a problem building vocabulary since Warnicke’s aphasia affects the region of the brain’s left hemisphere which is responsible for the understanding of words. Question B There are certain activities which a teacher can expend to solve some of the problems which have mentioned above. When dealing with linguistic barriers which non-native adult speakers use, it is important for me to use both incidental acquisition and direct study. This involves, having proficient and self-motivated students to read a lot of books which are suited for their age. The teacher can then follow incidental acquisition method with vocabulary logs and other techniques which shall also be divulged upon. It is also important to follow up the use of the incidental acquisition model with the provisions of direct study. The use of direct study models will help high-risk students struggling with vocabulary. The strength of direct study helps the student develop his vocabulary by: nurturing an independent reading culture; strengthening the learner’s ability to use context clues ; and strengthening the learner’s context-clues vocabulary acquisition. This measure above will therefore require the teacher to foster a classroom reading programme whereby he can: have the students read in turn; correct the reader’s phonology in case of a wrong pronunciation; have students identify the meaning of a newly encountered vocabulary by using context-cues [so that the student does not rush to the dictionary]; give learners the exact meaning of the newly encountered lexicons with an example of a sentence; and have the students record the same down and use them in a sentence. Again, it will be extremely helpful [of me and to me] to develop a multifaceted approach to vocabulary acquisition. This will entail helping learners to develop the culture of independent reading. As the teacher, I can help develop a recommended reading list, or form a recommended reading list with the school administration. The books in the reading list are those that should challenge t he gifted and the talented, and help slow learners. Thus, the books should be high-interest and low-level. Students will read some of these books independently. For the remaining books, the students can provide feedback by: making oral and written book reports; producing plot summaries; and [if time allows] making performances of key or important scenes. Similarly as an instructor, measures must be made to ensure that students are encouraged to use the different semantic significance of words. This involves, hav

The rest of the play Essay Example for Free

The rest of the play Essay The opening scene of A View from the Bridge contains a lot of clues and preparations for what is to come in the rest of the play. By just reading the title, the reader can tell a lot about what events will occur. The opening stage directions suggest the theme of the play before any characters are introduced, which is very significant. The first few lines of each persons speech hints at the type of character that each person is going to be, and many clues are given away to what is going to happen and why. The set can also give the audience some contextual information- by showing what time period it was in. This hints to what the story may lead to because of the particular things going on at this time in America, and also the idea of the American Dream. The title of the play is very significant. As the first thing you read, you can use it to predict/ sum up what will happen in the play. Obviously, you cannot tell from the title exactly what the plot will be, and what type of characters involved, however you do get an idea of the type of play that it is. The title A View from the Bridge can be interpreted as the idea of somebody watching down on a series of events. As the play is set in America, it is likely that the Bridge is Brooklyn Bridge, so you could see this as Alfieri watching Eddies household from Brooklyn Bridge. This is associated with the theme of Greek Tragedy, in that it gives the idea of someone watching down on what is happening. This shows a definite sense of inevitability and fate- showing that someone can see what is going to happen, but it cannot be avoided because it was meant to happen, suggesting that the characters are isolated and fate will run its course, and those watching from the bridge cannot intercept. Therefore just by looking at the title of the play, you know that it is going to be tragic- usually associated with a death. Another interpretation of the title is that Alfieri is the bridge, in that he is the bridge character between the audience and Eddie and his family, because his character enforces the Greek Tragedy theme, and the general theme of inevitability. His character represents the reality, as he shows the audience what the play is about and prepares them for what is to come. This interpretation also gives a sense of isolation of Eddie, as Alfieri connects to the audience-, which could also show that not only Alfieri, but the whole audience is seeing the View from the Bridge. The opening stage directions are important because this is the first time that the audience will see the set, and will begin to make assumptions or predictions about what is going to happen. They are very long and specific- again showing that everything is in its place, and fate will run its course. The first indication of death in these stage directions is in the second sentence: The front is skeletal entirely- this is very early in the play, straightaway suggesting that the tragedy will be happening soon.

Comparison of Beer Industry in Italy and Canada

Comparison of Beer Industry in Italy and Canada Introduction Beer is one of the most used beverages in the world next to coffee and tea. The beer industry therefore as we can imagine is one of the biggest industries in the world with many competitors inside of the industry. It is not surprising that many different kinds of beer and a variety of brands can be found in both Italy and Canada, and both of the countries has a long history of development of brewery industry as well. In this article, we are going to compare both of the countries markets, industry condition, cultural differences, political background and so forth, all those information will be taken into consideration, and be processed to make the final decision on which county environment is more suitable and beneficial for us to invest into. Some theories are going to be applied to analyse the cultural dimensions of both countries, such as Hofstedes cultural dimensions, and SWOT analysis, Porters Five Forces Model. Methodology What method do you use to compile your factbook and why? The methods i use to compile my factbook is that i are going to apply some frameworks from respected authors that are most applicable to my chosen industry (beer industry) such as Hofstede, SWOT analysis and Porters five forces. What prime theory and approaches do you draw on and why? Hofstedes Cultural Dimensions Hofstede measures the cultural dimensions differences in different countries. There are five dimensions in this framework, namely the Power Distance Index (PDI), the Individualism-Collectivism, Masculinity-Femininity and Uncertainty Avoidance. Since Hofstede measures cultural dimensions, therefore it will be used in the cultural system page of the paper when the cultural aspects are discussed. SWOT Analysis SWOT is the abbreviation for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. It is an analytical framework to help summarize in a quick and concise way the risks and opportunities for a certain company, for my case the beer industry in two different countries, Canada and Italy. The SWOT analysis looks into internal factors within the company/industry/country (Strengths and Weaknesses) and external factors outside the company/industry/country (Opportunities and Threats). This method will eventually help us to look at the main positive, (strength and opportunities), and the negative, (weaknesses and threats), sides of both countries when comparing. Initially this should help us decide on which country would be most attractive to invest in the beer industry. For this reason, this method will be used at the end of the paper, which will give us an conclusive overview of the both countries. Porters Five Forces Model Porters five forces model argues that there are five forces in an industry to determine the extent and scale of the competition. These five forces affect the industries attractiveness. It is an efficient tool to analyse competition in the industry. In this model, five forces are the threat of substitute products or services, the threat of the entry of new competitors, the intensity of competitive rivalry, the bargaining power of customers, and the bargaining power of suppliers. The industrys attractiveness is the primary and fundamental factor to deciding the profitability, and in any industry, the rule of competition will be reflected in any of the five competitive forces. The purpose of Porters five forces is to show the attractiveness of the beer industry in both Canada and Italy and to help investors decide in which country to enter in the beer industry, besides it could help companies to develop a particular strategy in the industry, and this theory might be used in chapter whic h deals with market / industry conditions. What method of data collection and analysis do you use and why? The methods i use to collect my data are searching my universitys library modules for useful academic articles and using a mix of articles from authors known through literature and the Theory Tutorials for my Comparative Country Studies course. Of course, the reliable information on Internet is also consulted as additional sources, and i have also analyzed the annual report of the company. The beer industry of Italy and Canada In this section, relevant market conditions that apply to the Italian and Canadian beer sector will be explained. The market can be separated according to different factors like size and attractiveness as well. If we divide the market according the different market shares which individual brewery holds, we can see that there are several main player in the beer industry in both of the countries. Italy Italy is famous for its wines, however, it is not well-known for its own beer. Generally speaking, Italy doesnt consume nearly as much beer as its European neighbour, however, there is a growing trend of consumption for beer in Italy, the beer in Italy is not as widespread as in its European neighbours, mainly because there is a historical preference for wine in the country. Italian breweries have undergone a Renaissance in recent years. In fact, only in the past few years, Italy has started having beer drinking and tasting competitions and many related festivals. Normally, this sort of activity is reserved for wine, however, nowadays beer is earning more and more respect from wine-preferred Italians, and even many young Italians prefer to support their countrys beer industry rather than the wine industry now, still, the Italian beer industry has much space to grow and be developed. There are some brands of beer in Italy, one of the oldest and most recognized breweries is Birra Peroni, which was established in 1846 and the headquarter of Peroni is in Rome. Peronis most famous product is a pilsner-style beer. Nastro Azzuro, which is also one of the few Italian beers that marketed all over the world, Nastro Azzuro, is a rather light style beer, many breweries are crafting darker, heavier beers that are rousing interest from new and experienced beer drinkers alike. In addition to those giant breweries, there are many microbreweries in Italy, and they play a important role and have a great portion of the market as well. A microbrewery particularly gains attention from young Italians is Birrificio Baladin, the brewery appeals to young generation through quirky advertisements and sponsoring international music festivals and young Italians think theres room in the global beer market for some of their most outstanding brews. Canada Traditionally, Canadas largest brewing companies were Labatts and Molson. In 1995, Labatts was purchased by an Belgian company which is called Interbrew and it is now a part of Brazilian-Belgian Anheuser-Busch InBev, the worlds largest brewing company and Molson, the other largest beer company, which was merged with US company Coors in 2005 and created a new company called Molson Coors, which is the worlds fifth largest brewing company now. In 2006, with the purchase of Sleeman Breweries, the largest remaining Canadian brewery was purchased by the Japanese owned Sapporo Brewery, Canadas beer production has been mainly under the control of foreign multinationals. By the end of 2006, nearly 90% of beer sales was of product brewed domestically under licence from non-domestic corporations. American beers brewed under licence dominate much of the market. For instance, Budweiser is brewed under licence in Canada by Labatts and Coors Light by Molson. The market in Canada for domestic beer is dominated by Labatt, Molson and Sleeman, all foreign-owned companies. The largest Canadian-owned brewer, Moosehead breweries, only controls about 5.5% of the Canadian market. Country comparison Macro-economic indicators Economy Canada population 33,487,208 (July 2009 est.). Italy population 58,126,212 (July 2009 est.). Economic freedom Canada world rank 6. Economic freedom Italy world rank 87. Finance Financial freedom for Canada: 80.0. Financial freedom in Italy 60.0 Canada investment freedom 75.0. Italy investment freedom 75.0. Canada Economy -GDP (Purchasing Power Parity) $ 1.335 trillion (2010 est.). Country comparison to the world: 15. $1.297 trillion (2009 est.) $1.33 trillion (2008 est.) -GDP Per capita (PPP) $39,600 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 22 $38,700 (2009 est.) $40,000 (2008 est.) -Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1.6% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 41 0.3% (2009 est.) Italy Economy -GDP (PPP) $1.782 trillion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 11 $1.763 trillion (2009 est.) $1.857 trillion (2008 est.) -GDP per capita (PPP) $30,700 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 43 $30,300 (2009 est.) $31,900 (2008 est.) -Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1.4% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 32 0.8% (2009 est.) Historical developments Italy Beer is known and drank in Italy very long time ago, Italians brewed and consumed the blond drink. It said that Roman Emperor Agricola was a fan of beer when he was the governor of Britannia, and in 83 AD Roman Emperor Agricola raised to the imperial throne and came back to Italy, he took three master brewers with him from Glevum of which the ancient name Gloucester and opened the first real pub in Italy. Nowadays beer is especially loved by young people in Italy, which has been seen as an informal drink, compared to the wine which is alway used in much more formal places. Aperitif and wine tasting have now gained back to wine many casual drinkers, however, until a few years ago, young Italians actually drank more beer than wine. Pub-styled bars are still very popular in Italy and they have spread the love for the more exotic brands of beer: many of them serve Japanese, German, Australian and East European beers along with the more known ones brewed in the UK and Belgium. At least one bottle of Birra cinese (Chinese beer) is served on every table of every Chinese restaurant. Canada Beer was first introduced to Canada by European settlers in the seventeenth century, as Canada had an ideal climate for making and storing beer before refrigeration was introduced. The first commercial brewery was built by Jean Talon in Quebec City, in the year 1668. Over a century later a number of commercial brewers thrived, including some that became the staple of the Canadian industry: John Molson founded a brewery in Montreal in 1786, Alexander Keith inHalifax in 1820, Thomas Carling in London in 1840, John Kinder Labatt in 1847, also in London, Susannah Oland in Halifax in 1867, and Eugene OKeefe in Toronto in 1891. The very first patent to be issued by the Canadian government on July 6, 1842, was to one G. Riley for an improved method of brewing ale, beer, porter, and other maltliquors. Prohibition in Canada did not last as long as in the U.S. and was largely over by the mid 1920s (apart from Prince Edward Island, where it ran from 1901 to 1948). Nevertheless, it had a similar effect of leaving very few brewers, and it was only in the late twentieth century that there has been a revival and microbreweries have started. Brewpubs are still illegal in some provinces. Cultural system Hofstedes Cultural Dimensions of Italy and Canada Power Distance Individualism Masculinity Uncertainty Avoidance Italy Higher More collective More masculine Strong Canada Lower More individualistic More feminine Weak Power distance Canada is lower on the Hofstedes power distance index than Italy, Italy falls in the middle on the index overall. Italian seems to expect differences in power between people. Canadas Power Distance (PDI) is relatively low, with an index of 39, compared to a world average of 55. This is indicative of a greater equality between societal levels, including government, organizations, and even within families. This orientation reinforces a cooperative interaction across power levels and creates a more stable cultural environment. Individualism The more collective nature of Italy compared to Canada can be seen in many ways. It is not uncommon for grown children to live with their parents for years. Italian businesses are primarily owned by individuals and families. Business is preferably done with people with which one is familiar. Unacquainted guests will not be invited into an Italian home. Coffee or dinner will be taken with non-family members at a cafe or restaurant. Canada has Individualism (IDV) as the highest ranking (80) Hofstede Dimension, and is indicative of a society with a more individualistic attitude and relatively loose bonds with others. The populace is more self-reliant and looks out for themselves and their close family members. Masculinity Italy is a fairly masculine society and ranks slightly higher on this index than Canada. Many Italian men still treat women with gallantry and value machismo. Although women have entered the workforce, their numbers are still small and few are in upper echelon positions. Italian household are the sole domain of women; Italian women for the most part cook, clean and care for the children. Italians place a prime importance on material possessions. It is very important to look good in Italy. However, like a more feminine culture, Italians also know how to take time to appreciate the good things in life. Italians work in order to live rather than living to work. Ambition is not prevalent in Italian culture. Therefore i assume that beer as a informal beverage, it is more popular under this kind of cultural background rather than more formal cultural background countries. Uncertainty Avoidance Italy avoids uncertainly more strongly than Canada. By and large Italians prefer to do business with people they know. In addition, Italians prefer to know something about an individual before they speak with him/her on the phone. Thus, in business one should send an introductory fax and follow-up with a phone call. Political/Government System Beer or malt liquor, is defined as all fermented liquor brewed in whole or in part from malt for the purposes of the Excise Act, grain or any saccharine matter without any process of distillation, but does not include wine. Italian Alcohol Taxes and Duties Legislative Framework Alcohol Duty Beer (5% ABV or 12ËÅ ¡ Plato) 0.12Â £ per pint Wine (bottle 11.5% ABV) 0.00Â £ per 75 cl As we can see in the table of different rates of duty applies to beer in Italy, which contains following level of duty. Italy is a member of the European Union, therefore it shares the Common External Tariff regime. EU duties are charged by the Italian Customs Agency on the CIF (cost, insurance and freight) value of the product imported into Italy. The Alcohol Act (2001) bans TV and radio advertising of alcoholic products between 4PM and 9PM and prohibits alcohol advertisements from being shown on TV within 15 minutes before or after any childrens programs. The Act also requires a self-regulatory code to be provided jointly by media companies, advertising agencies and advertisers to govern alcohol advertising. For the legal drinking age, there is no minimum age of legal drinking. And the legal purchasing age of alcohol is 16 and 18. South Tyrol prohibits both serving and purchase for people under the age of 18 and to everybody in a state of inebriation. Milan has enforced a ban on those under 16 purchasing alcohol. Heavy fines are given to proprieters and parents if a transaction is completed. Canadian Alcohol Taxes and Duties Legislative Framework Beer Duty Up to 1.2% alcohol $2.591/hectolitre 1.2% to 2.5% alcohol $13.990/hectolitre Over 2.5% alcohol $27.985/hectolitre As we can see in the table of different rates of duty applies to beer, which contains following level of duty: (1) more than 2.5% absolute ethyl alcohol by volume; (2) more than 1.2% but not more than 2.5% absolute ethyl alcohol by volume; and (3) less than 1.2% absolute ethyl alcohol by volume, and for all beer containing more than 2.5% absolute ethyl alcohol by volume, the rate of excise duty is currently $27.985 per hectolitre. However, excise duties are not imposed on beer provided it is brewed by a person for personal or family use or to be given away without charge and is not for sale commercially. Canadian government showed how highly they value beer production and its breweries by lowering the taxes exercised on beer production. This is a benefit to the industry. As one of the leaders of the whole economy of Canada, the beer sector is likely to maintain these tax benefits and other benefits might be offered as well to the beer sector to develop the Canadian beer industry. In Canada, alcohol was taxed pursuant to the Excise Act previously. However, a new regime in Canada for the federal taxation of certain alcohol, including spirits and wines, was introduced in the Excise Act, 2001, which was implemented effective July 1, 2003. Excise duties on beer (and malt liquor) continue to be imposed under the Excise Act. Generally, different excise duty treatment applies to alcohol for non-beverage use. A licence is required authorizing certain alcohol operations under both the Excise Act, 2001, and the Excise Act. For beer, a licence is only required under the Excise Act for the commercial operation as a brewery, for example, the place where beer is manufactured. All brewery licensees are required to post and maintain security with the Canadian government. The amount of security is set at a minimum of $5,000. Generally, beer is subject to an excise duty that is imposed and becomes payable during the production process. The legal drinking and purchasing age in Canada are both 19. However, In some areas such as Ontario, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Northwest Territories, Yukon, and Nunavut, underage drinking under parental supervision is permitted, with some restrictions, on ones own property in the provinces of New Brunswick andOntario and at home in the provinces of Prince Edward Island, British Columbia and Saskatchewan. InBritish Columbia, only children of the supervising parents, not any other minors such as guests, are allowed underage drinking. Consumption of alcohol in another persons home is subject to other laws. Major players The brewing industry had become extremely concentrated in Canada by the 1970s, being dominated by just three major companies, which are Molson, Labatt, and Carling-OKeefe. Canadas largest brewing companies were Labatts and Molson as we mentioned in the previous overview of industry condition of both countries. In 1995, Labatts was purchased by an Belgian company which is called Interbrew which is now part of Brazilian-Belgian Anheuser-Busch InBev, the worlds largest brewing company and Molson, the other largest beer company, which was merged with US company Coors in 2005 and created a new company called Molson Coors, and it is the worlds fifth largest brewing company now. In 2006, the largest remaining Canadian brewery was purchased by the Japanese owned Sapporo Brewery, Canadas beer production has been mainly under the control of foreign multinationals. By the end of 2006, nearly 90% of beer sales was of product brewed domestically under licence from non-domestic corporations. American beers brewed under licence dominate much of the market. For instance, Budweiser is brewed under licence in Canada by Labatts and Coors Light by Molson. The market in Canada for domestic beer is dominated by Labatt, Molson and Sleeman, all foreign-owned companies. The largest Canadian-owned brewer, Moosehead breweries, only controls small portion of the Canadian market. Italy hosts a few breweries, with the largest owned by the best known Italian and foreign brands. Peronis brewery produces the best known Italian beer: la Peroni. Peroni also produces the premium beer Mastro Azzurro and the brands WÃ ¼hrer, and lesser known Raffo. Heineken Italy brews its famous Heineken, but has also acquired the brands Moretti, Ichnusa, Birra Messina and Dreher. Carslberg owns a few brewerys in Northern and Central Italy. In Northern Italy, Forst brews its own branded beer as well as the famed Menabrea. In Friuli Venezia Giulia the latest brand of Italian beer Birra Castello, has been active since 1997. Along with these big players, there are lots of microbreweries small scale breweries that produce small quantities of beer, they also have premium quality. Major finding of comparison and recommendations Making a decision in which country to invest is not so easy, because of all those different variances in both of the counties, some of the variances are strength for Canada, however, some of them are favorable for Italy. In the first place, the tax rates between Canada and Italy differ. In Canada the rates are relatively lower than in Italy due to the fact that the tax level is relatively high in the European context. In addition to this, the Canadian government reduced taxes even more to benefit Canadian brewers. Secondly, when a look is taken at macroeconomic indicators like GDP per capita we see that Canada is a bit more favorable. However, since this differences are so small, both of the countries that we have chosen are developed countries, and GDP per capita which above certain level has a relatively weak influence on the consumption of beer. Therefore, this factor is not likely to have a significant influences on the desicion of investment in the countries. Thirdly, the population above legal drinking age in the markets has been calculated starting from the age at which alcohol consumption is allowed. This would mean that we start counting the population starting from 18 years old in Italy (some area start from 16 years old) and 19 years old in Canada. We find that the relative amount of people able to purchase and consume alcohol in Italy is larger than in Canada, because the whole population is larger in Italy than in Canada, and the population of legal drinking age are also higher in Italy than in Canada, therefore, the potential market in Italy are larger than in Canada. Lastly, when comparing markets according to its players and their market shares we find that Canada has a more concentrated market with high market share large players and many small players. Italy on the other hand has two old players with a high share and one smaller player while the rest of the market consists of really small players. It would therefore be an advantage to invest in the Italian market; trying to gain and increase a market share because of the fact that there are many foreign players already play very important roles in the Canadian market, Molson Coors Brewing company and Anheuser-Busch InBev have a market share of 42,70 and 42,20 percent respectively. Third place is hold by Moosehead Brewing company with a share of 5,90 percent. These three main players hold 90,8 percent of the market in total by volume. Taking all those facts into consideration, i would say that Italy would be the country that we are going to invest in. As we explained above, we analysed both countries SWOT, for Italy, the strength is market size, the weakness is relatively higher tax rate on alcohol, and the opportunities is that there are only two big old players and some extreme small players, gaining or increasing a share is relatively easy, and the market of Italy are more potential, because Italy still on the growing phase of beer industry. Moreover, since the age allowed to drink in Italy starting from the age of 18 and in some areas are even lower to 16, and with more population in Italy, therefore the market is bigger in Italy than in Canada. In addition, nowadays the Italian government highly values the Italian beer industry due to the impact on its economy and therefore taxes are getting lower and lower. And the threats of Italy is that new public policy may harm the beer industry, such as the advertising policy we mentioned before which bans the ads of alcohol in specific period of time on TV. Comparison of Beer Industry in Italy and Canada Comparison of Beer Industry in Italy and Canada Introduction Beer is one of the most used beverages in the world next to coffee and tea. The beer industry therefore as we can imagine is one of the biggest industries in the world with many competitors inside of the industry. It is not surprising that many different kinds of beer and a variety of brands can be found in both Italy and Canada, and both of the countries has a long history of development of brewery industry as well. In this article, we are going to compare both of the countries markets, industry condition, cultural differences, political background and so forth, all those information will be taken into consideration, and be processed to make the final decision on which county environment is more suitable and beneficial for us to invest into. Some theories are going to be applied to analyse the cultural dimensions of both countries, such as Hofstedes cultural dimensions, and SWOT analysis, Porters Five Forces Model. Methodology What method do you use to compile your factbook and why? The methods i use to compile my factbook is that i are going to apply some frameworks from respected authors that are most applicable to my chosen industry (beer industry) such as Hofstede, SWOT analysis and Porters five forces. What prime theory and approaches do you draw on and why? Hofstedes Cultural Dimensions Hofstede measures the cultural dimensions differences in different countries. There are five dimensions in this framework, namely the Power Distance Index (PDI), the Individualism-Collectivism, Masculinity-Femininity and Uncertainty Avoidance. Since Hofstede measures cultural dimensions, therefore it will be used in the cultural system page of the paper when the cultural aspects are discussed. SWOT Analysis SWOT is the abbreviation for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. It is an analytical framework to help summarize in a quick and concise way the risks and opportunities for a certain company, for my case the beer industry in two different countries, Canada and Italy. The SWOT analysis looks into internal factors within the company/industry/country (Strengths and Weaknesses) and external factors outside the company/industry/country (Opportunities and Threats). This method will eventually help us to look at the main positive, (strength and opportunities), and the negative, (weaknesses and threats), sides of both countries when comparing. Initially this should help us decide on which country would be most attractive to invest in the beer industry. For this reason, this method will be used at the end of the paper, which will give us an conclusive overview of the both countries. Porters Five Forces Model Porters five forces model argues that there are five forces in an industry to determine the extent and scale of the competition. These five forces affect the industries attractiveness. It is an efficient tool to analyse competition in the industry. In this model, five forces are the threat of substitute products or services, the threat of the entry of new competitors, the intensity of competitive rivalry, the bargaining power of customers, and the bargaining power of suppliers. The industrys attractiveness is the primary and fundamental factor to deciding the profitability, and in any industry, the rule of competition will be reflected in any of the five competitive forces. The purpose of Porters five forces is to show the attractiveness of the beer industry in both Canada and Italy and to help investors decide in which country to enter in the beer industry, besides it could help companies to develop a particular strategy in the industry, and this theory might be used in chapter whic h deals with market / industry conditions. What method of data collection and analysis do you use and why? The methods i use to collect my data are searching my universitys library modules for useful academic articles and using a mix of articles from authors known through literature and the Theory Tutorials for my Comparative Country Studies course. Of course, the reliable information on Internet is also consulted as additional sources, and i have also analyzed the annual report of the company. The beer industry of Italy and Canada In this section, relevant market conditions that apply to the Italian and Canadian beer sector will be explained. The market can be separated according to different factors like size and attractiveness as well. If we divide the market according the different market shares which individual brewery holds, we can see that there are several main player in the beer industry in both of the countries. Italy Italy is famous for its wines, however, it is not well-known for its own beer. Generally speaking, Italy doesnt consume nearly as much beer as its European neighbour, however, there is a growing trend of consumption for beer in Italy, the beer in Italy is not as widespread as in its European neighbours, mainly because there is a historical preference for wine in the country. Italian breweries have undergone a Renaissance in recent years. In fact, only in the past few years, Italy has started having beer drinking and tasting competitions and many related festivals. Normally, this sort of activity is reserved for wine, however, nowadays beer is earning more and more respect from wine-preferred Italians, and even many young Italians prefer to support their countrys beer industry rather than the wine industry now, still, the Italian beer industry has much space to grow and be developed. There are some brands of beer in Italy, one of the oldest and most recognized breweries is Birra Peroni, which was established in 1846 and the headquarter of Peroni is in Rome. Peronis most famous product is a pilsner-style beer. Nastro Azzuro, which is also one of the few Italian beers that marketed all over the world, Nastro Azzuro, is a rather light style beer, many breweries are crafting darker, heavier beers that are rousing interest from new and experienced beer drinkers alike. In addition to those giant breweries, there are many microbreweries in Italy, and they play a important role and have a great portion of the market as well. A microbrewery particularly gains attention from young Italians is Birrificio Baladin, the brewery appeals to young generation through quirky advertisements and sponsoring international music festivals and young Italians think theres room in the global beer market for some of their most outstanding brews. Canada Traditionally, Canadas largest brewing companies were Labatts and Molson. In 1995, Labatts was purchased by an Belgian company which is called Interbrew and it is now a part of Brazilian-Belgian Anheuser-Busch InBev, the worlds largest brewing company and Molson, the other largest beer company, which was merged with US company Coors in 2005 and created a new company called Molson Coors, which is the worlds fifth largest brewing company now. In 2006, with the purchase of Sleeman Breweries, the largest remaining Canadian brewery was purchased by the Japanese owned Sapporo Brewery, Canadas beer production has been mainly under the control of foreign multinationals. By the end of 2006, nearly 90% of beer sales was of product brewed domestically under licence from non-domestic corporations. American beers brewed under licence dominate much of the market. For instance, Budweiser is brewed under licence in Canada by Labatts and Coors Light by Molson. The market in Canada for domestic beer is dominated by Labatt, Molson and Sleeman, all foreign-owned companies. The largest Canadian-owned brewer, Moosehead breweries, only controls about 5.5% of the Canadian market. Country comparison Macro-economic indicators Economy Canada population 33,487,208 (July 2009 est.). Italy population 58,126,212 (July 2009 est.). Economic freedom Canada world rank 6. Economic freedom Italy world rank 87. Finance Financial freedom for Canada: 80.0. Financial freedom in Italy 60.0 Canada investment freedom 75.0. Italy investment freedom 75.0. Canada Economy -GDP (Purchasing Power Parity) $ 1.335 trillion (2010 est.). Country comparison to the world: 15. $1.297 trillion (2009 est.) $1.33 trillion (2008 est.) -GDP Per capita (PPP) $39,600 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 22 $38,700 (2009 est.) $40,000 (2008 est.) -Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1.6% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 41 0.3% (2009 est.) Italy Economy -GDP (PPP) $1.782 trillion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 11 $1.763 trillion (2009 est.) $1.857 trillion (2008 est.) -GDP per capita (PPP) $30,700 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 43 $30,300 (2009 est.) $31,900 (2008 est.) -Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1.4% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 32 0.8% (2009 est.) Historical developments Italy Beer is known and drank in Italy very long time ago, Italians brewed and consumed the blond drink. It said that Roman Emperor Agricola was a fan of beer when he was the governor of Britannia, and in 83 AD Roman Emperor Agricola raised to the imperial throne and came back to Italy, he took three master brewers with him from Glevum of which the ancient name Gloucester and opened the first real pub in Italy. Nowadays beer is especially loved by young people in Italy, which has been seen as an informal drink, compared to the wine which is alway used in much more formal places. Aperitif and wine tasting have now gained back to wine many casual drinkers, however, until a few years ago, young Italians actually drank more beer than wine. Pub-styled bars are still very popular in Italy and they have spread the love for the more exotic brands of beer: many of them serve Japanese, German, Australian and East European beers along with the more known ones brewed in the UK and Belgium. At least one bottle of Birra cinese (Chinese beer) is served on every table of every Chinese restaurant. Canada Beer was first introduced to Canada by European settlers in the seventeenth century, as Canada had an ideal climate for making and storing beer before refrigeration was introduced. The first commercial brewery was built by Jean Talon in Quebec City, in the year 1668. Over a century later a number of commercial brewers thrived, including some that became the staple of the Canadian industry: John Molson founded a brewery in Montreal in 1786, Alexander Keith inHalifax in 1820, Thomas Carling in London in 1840, John Kinder Labatt in 1847, also in London, Susannah Oland in Halifax in 1867, and Eugene OKeefe in Toronto in 1891. The very first patent to be issued by the Canadian government on July 6, 1842, was to one G. Riley for an improved method of brewing ale, beer, porter, and other maltliquors. Prohibition in Canada did not last as long as in the U.S. and was largely over by the mid 1920s (apart from Prince Edward Island, where it ran from 1901 to 1948). Nevertheless, it had a similar effect of leaving very few brewers, and it was only in the late twentieth century that there has been a revival and microbreweries have started. Brewpubs are still illegal in some provinces. Cultural system Hofstedes Cultural Dimensions of Italy and Canada Power Distance Individualism Masculinity Uncertainty Avoidance Italy Higher More collective More masculine Strong Canada Lower More individualistic More feminine Weak Power distance Canada is lower on the Hofstedes power distance index than Italy, Italy falls in the middle on the index overall. Italian seems to expect differences in power between people. Canadas Power Distance (PDI) is relatively low, with an index of 39, compared to a world average of 55. This is indicative of a greater equality between societal levels, including government, organizations, and even within families. This orientation reinforces a cooperative interaction across power levels and creates a more stable cultural environment. Individualism The more collective nature of Italy compared to Canada can be seen in many ways. It is not uncommon for grown children to live with their parents for years. Italian businesses are primarily owned by individuals and families. Business is preferably done with people with which one is familiar. Unacquainted guests will not be invited into an Italian home. Coffee or dinner will be taken with non-family members at a cafe or restaurant. Canada has Individualism (IDV) as the highest ranking (80) Hofstede Dimension, and is indicative of a society with a more individualistic attitude and relatively loose bonds with others. The populace is more self-reliant and looks out for themselves and their close family members. Masculinity Italy is a fairly masculine society and ranks slightly higher on this index than Canada. Many Italian men still treat women with gallantry and value machismo. Although women have entered the workforce, their numbers are still small and few are in upper echelon positions. Italian household are the sole domain of women; Italian women for the most part cook, clean and care for the children. Italians place a prime importance on material possessions. It is very important to look good in Italy. However, like a more feminine culture, Italians also know how to take time to appreciate the good things in life. Italians work in order to live rather than living to work. Ambition is not prevalent in Italian culture. Therefore i assume that beer as a informal beverage, it is more popular under this kind of cultural background rather than more formal cultural background countries. Uncertainty Avoidance Italy avoids uncertainly more strongly than Canada. By and large Italians prefer to do business with people they know. In addition, Italians prefer to know something about an individual before they speak with him/her on the phone. Thus, in business one should send an introductory fax and follow-up with a phone call. Political/Government System Beer or malt liquor, is defined as all fermented liquor brewed in whole or in part from malt for the purposes of the Excise Act, grain or any saccharine matter without any process of distillation, but does not include wine. Italian Alcohol Taxes and Duties Legislative Framework Alcohol Duty Beer (5% ABV or 12ËÅ ¡ Plato) 0.12Â £ per pint Wine (bottle 11.5% ABV) 0.00Â £ per 75 cl As we can see in the table of different rates of duty applies to beer in Italy, which contains following level of duty. Italy is a member of the European Union, therefore it shares the Common External Tariff regime. EU duties are charged by the Italian Customs Agency on the CIF (cost, insurance and freight) value of the product imported into Italy. The Alcohol Act (2001) bans TV and radio advertising of alcoholic products between 4PM and 9PM and prohibits alcohol advertisements from being shown on TV within 15 minutes before or after any childrens programs. The Act also requires a self-regulatory code to be provided jointly by media companies, advertising agencies and advertisers to govern alcohol advertising. For the legal drinking age, there is no minimum age of legal drinking. And the legal purchasing age of alcohol is 16 and 18. South Tyrol prohibits both serving and purchase for people under the age of 18 and to everybody in a state of inebriation. Milan has enforced a ban on those under 16 purchasing alcohol. Heavy fines are given to proprieters and parents if a transaction is completed. Canadian Alcohol Taxes and Duties Legislative Framework Beer Duty Up to 1.2% alcohol $2.591/hectolitre 1.2% to 2.5% alcohol $13.990/hectolitre Over 2.5% alcohol $27.985/hectolitre As we can see in the table of different rates of duty applies to beer, which contains following level of duty: (1) more than 2.5% absolute ethyl alcohol by volume; (2) more than 1.2% but not more than 2.5% absolute ethyl alcohol by volume; and (3) less than 1.2% absolute ethyl alcohol by volume, and for all beer containing more than 2.5% absolute ethyl alcohol by volume, the rate of excise duty is currently $27.985 per hectolitre. However, excise duties are not imposed on beer provided it is brewed by a person for personal or family use or to be given away without charge and is not for sale commercially. Canadian government showed how highly they value beer production and its breweries by lowering the taxes exercised on beer production. This is a benefit to the industry. As one of the leaders of the whole economy of Canada, the beer sector is likely to maintain these tax benefits and other benefits might be offered as well to the beer sector to develop the Canadian beer industry. In Canada, alcohol was taxed pursuant to the Excise Act previously. However, a new regime in Canada for the federal taxation of certain alcohol, including spirits and wines, was introduced in the Excise Act, 2001, which was implemented effective July 1, 2003. Excise duties on beer (and malt liquor) continue to be imposed under the Excise Act. Generally, different excise duty treatment applies to alcohol for non-beverage use. A licence is required authorizing certain alcohol operations under both the Excise Act, 2001, and the Excise Act. For beer, a licence is only required under the Excise Act for the commercial operation as a brewery, for example, the place where beer is manufactured. All brewery licensees are required to post and maintain security with the Canadian government. The amount of security is set at a minimum of $5,000. Generally, beer is subject to an excise duty that is imposed and becomes payable during the production process. The legal drinking and purchasing age in Canada are both 19. However, In some areas such as Ontario, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Northwest Territories, Yukon, and Nunavut, underage drinking under parental supervision is permitted, with some restrictions, on ones own property in the provinces of New Brunswick andOntario and at home in the provinces of Prince Edward Island, British Columbia and Saskatchewan. InBritish Columbia, only children of the supervising parents, not any other minors such as guests, are allowed underage drinking. Consumption of alcohol in another persons home is subject to other laws. Major players The brewing industry had become extremely concentrated in Canada by the 1970s, being dominated by just three major companies, which are Molson, Labatt, and Carling-OKeefe. Canadas largest brewing companies were Labatts and Molson as we mentioned in the previous overview of industry condition of both countries. In 1995, Labatts was purchased by an Belgian company which is called Interbrew which is now part of Brazilian-Belgian Anheuser-Busch InBev, the worlds largest brewing company and Molson, the other largest beer company, which was merged with US company Coors in 2005 and created a new company called Molson Coors, and it is the worlds fifth largest brewing company now. In 2006, the largest remaining Canadian brewery was purchased by the Japanese owned Sapporo Brewery, Canadas beer production has been mainly under the control of foreign multinationals. By the end of 2006, nearly 90% of beer sales was of product brewed domestically under licence from non-domestic corporations. American beers brewed under licence dominate much of the market. For instance, Budweiser is brewed under licence in Canada by Labatts and Coors Light by Molson. The market in Canada for domestic beer is dominated by Labatt, Molson and Sleeman, all foreign-owned companies. The largest Canadian-owned brewer, Moosehead breweries, only controls small portion of the Canadian market. Italy hosts a few breweries, with the largest owned by the best known Italian and foreign brands. Peronis brewery produces the best known Italian beer: la Peroni. Peroni also produces the premium beer Mastro Azzurro and the brands WÃ ¼hrer, and lesser known Raffo. Heineken Italy brews its famous Heineken, but has also acquired the brands Moretti, Ichnusa, Birra Messina and Dreher. Carslberg owns a few brewerys in Northern and Central Italy. In Northern Italy, Forst brews its own branded beer as well as the famed Menabrea. In Friuli Venezia Giulia the latest brand of Italian beer Birra Castello, has been active since 1997. Along with these big players, there are lots of microbreweries small scale breweries that produce small quantities of beer, they also have premium quality. Major finding of comparison and recommendations Making a decision in which country to invest is not so easy, because of all those different variances in both of the counties, some of the variances are strength for Canada, however, some of them are favorable for Italy. In the first place, the tax rates between Canada and Italy differ. In Canada the rates are relatively lower than in Italy due to the fact that the tax level is relatively high in the European context. In addition to this, the Canadian government reduced taxes even more to benefit Canadian brewers. Secondly, when a look is taken at macroeconomic indicators like GDP per capita we see that Canada is a bit more favorable. However, since this differences are so small, both of the countries that we have chosen are developed countries, and GDP per capita which above certain level has a relatively weak influence on the consumption of beer. Therefore, this factor is not likely to have a significant influences on the desicion of investment in the countries. Thirdly, the population above legal drinking age in the markets has been calculated starting from the age at which alcohol consumption is allowed. This would mean that we start counting the population starting from 18 years old in Italy (some area start from 16 years old) and 19 years old in Canada. We find that the relative amount of people able to purchase and consume alcohol in Italy is larger than in Canada, because the whole population is larger in Italy than in Canada, and the population of legal drinking age are also higher in Italy than in Canada, therefore, the potential market in Italy are larger than in Canada. Lastly, when comparing markets according to its players and their market shares we find that Canada has a more concentrated market with high market share large players and many small players. Italy on the other hand has two old players with a high share and one smaller player while the rest of the market consists of really small players. It would therefore be an advantage to invest in the Italian market; trying to gain and increase a market share because of the fact that there are many foreign players already play very important roles in the Canadian market, Molson Coors Brewing company and Anheuser-Busch InBev have a market share of 42,70 and 42,20 percent respectively. Third place is hold by Moosehead Brewing company with a share of 5,90 percent. These three main players hold 90,8 percent of the market in total by volume. Taking all those facts into consideration, i would say that Italy would be the country that we are going to invest in. As we explained above, we analysed both countries SWOT, for Italy, the strength is market size, the weakness is relatively higher tax rate on alcohol, and the opportunities is that there are only two big old players and some extreme small players, gaining or increasing a share is relatively easy, and the market of Italy are more potential, because Italy still on the growing phase of beer industry. Moreover, since the age allowed to drink in Italy starting from the age of 18 and in some areas are even lower to 16, and with more population in Italy, therefore the market is bigger in Italy than in Canada. In addition, nowadays the Italian government highly values the Italian beer industry due to the impact on its economy and therefore taxes are getting lower and lower. And the threats of Italy is that new public policy may harm the beer industry, such as the advertising policy we mentioned before which bans the ads of alcohol in specific period of time on TV.