Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Essay on Running Man Postmodern Analysis - 1878 Words

BY: 1. TSANIYATUL HALIYAH (121012104) 2. MUKHAMMAD ABDI (121012105) 3. MOH. ARIEF RADITYA PUTRA (121012130) English Department Faculty of Humanities Universitas Airlangga 2013 Introduction Nowadays, our life provides with all things that easily access in many ways, we can take from television, film, radio, newspapers and the internet. Those lists can be categorized into media tools, which useful to communicate messages to audiences in the world. As we have known, in recent years Korean wave has drawn out our attention through the various of popular culture in its television programs. Korea apparently has succeeded spread its cultural products such†¦show more content†¦The mission is actually familiar game but wrapped differently by the creative team and played amazingly by the casts. For example, we can see frequently the nostalgic games such hide and seek, catching tails, tug of war, jumping rope, guessing riddle, sports, Korean traditional game such dak-ji, etc which are all remark postmodern work as having a mix element of traditional and modern. The games are packed more modern with some improvisation of game sets and properties. Moreover, there are some episodes that show special series which likely to imitate the concept in movies and an event like in Olympic Games. In episodes 38, 91, 140 for example, are considered postmodern since it is parodying the James Bond movie. Those episodes are punned with the cast ’s name Yoo Jae Suk becomes Yoo-mes Bond episodes. In this feature, the mission games, the main character (Jae Suk) and the story are likely imitating James Bond movie, even the gun is replaced with water gun that makes it more ridiculous but extra funny. In Olympic feature, the casts must fight against the guests to win each game similar to Olympic Games. Such special series have progressed with storytelling and movie-like episodes such as ‘The Avengers’ movie for the upcoming filming in episode 150. It has also ever filming about Greek mythology combine with ‘modified’ super power for each God and Goddess, the confusion over time episode such as ‘back to the future’ or time machine that signify the work ofShow MoreRelatedAnalysis of Western Civilizations: Ideas, Politics, and Society867 Words   |  4 PagesIdeas, Politics, and Society†, includes many of the core values of today’s modern society. Rationality, the first va lue listed, is simply being able to use mental analysis to comprehend different, sometimes complex, subjects in a clear way. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rationality) Rationality is extremely important to the effective running of any society. The only alternative to acting and thinking rationally is to act with impulse, or without thinking a situation through. (http://www.importanceofphilosophyRead MoreCreep Song Analysis1328 Words   |  6 Pagesday of age. From the smooth sounds of Jazz, energizing pop, and disruptive Rock; almost everyone can find their own taste of music. A popular song from the 1930’s, Creep by Radiohead, recently got a cover in 2015 by a band called Scott Bradlees Postmodern Jukebox, which change alternative Rock song to Jazz. But through this change of genre of the this song, how does the cogitation of the song change? Scott Bradlee’s version of â€Å"Creep† suggests a sad person who is explaining the things wrong withRead MoreA Study On Dog Anxiety Essay1300 Words   |  6 Pagesof the society work together on the same common grounds and beliefs to achieve stability and regularity. Example: the government providing schooling for the children of families which in time pays taxes on which the state depends on to keep itself running. Conflict perspective- looks at negative aspects of society as a whole (macro), and highlights the conflicted, ever-changing nature of society. Different from functionalist who hold belief that society works together as a unit, conflict theoristsRead MoreAnalysis Of Eliot s Poem The Waste Land 1401 Words   |  6 Pagesthe pessimism, with which Eliot approached his subject, is the poem s epigraph, taken from the â€Å"Satyr Icon.† The Sibyl (a woman with prophetic powers who ages but will never die) looks at the future and proclaims she only wanted to die (Modern/Postmodern English Literature). The Sibyl s predicament mirrors what Eliot sees in his own life. Eliot lives in a culture that has decayed, and withered, but will never expire. Indeed, The Fire Sermon is the section where Eliot makes the degrading effectsRead MoreA Study on Metafictive Devices in the French Lieutenant’s Woman5819 Words   |  24 Pagespublished in 1969 and received universally acknowledged reputation as a masterpiece of postmodern novel. With intricate plot, the novel is regarded as a compelling historiographic metafiction in contemporary British literature. The characteristics of this novel are the metafictive devices employed by the author. Different from the previous studies centered on the idea of role reversal between characters or the analysis of sophisticated plot, this thesis is devoted to the exploring of metafictive devicesRead MoreTed Hughes: The Shadow of Sylvia Plath Essay example2299 Words   |  10 Pagesreaction to Sylvia’s action,† which led to Wevill’s suicide.† These past horrific experiences strongly affected Hughes future relationships and poetry. Hughes withdrew into seclusion following the suicides of his lovers. He â€Å"was an intensely private man in an era when privacy is not much allowed† (Wagner 17). He stayed out of the spotlight, because, at the time, feminists accused Hughes of causing the suicide of Plath and Wevill. Even before these events occurred, Hughes viewed the world as: †¦a battlefieldRead MoreLiterature Review on Consumer Behaviour16053 Words   |  65 Pagesthe world as a rational and ordered place with a clearly defined past, present, and future. The assumption of rationalism is therefore fundamental to the traditional perspective. The opposing, non-positivist paradigm, envelops the interpretive and postmodern perspectives, which have emerged more recently during the period post-1980 to date. The proponents of this emerging perspective argue that positivism overemphasizes the rational view and the ideology of a homogenous social culture and thereby deniesRead MoreThe Marxist Journey in The Wars by Timothy Findley1894 Words   |  8 PagesThe Wars written by Timothy Findley shares a great relation to many of the ideas surrounding postmodern society, thus implementing many of the prominent ideas of the time around politics and societal norms into the plot of the story itself. Findley successfully depicts the plot of the novel taking place i n the early 1900s; a time in which the western world was emerging from an industrial revolution, bringing radically foreign ideas on politics in the world, including the materialization of the MarxistRead MoreEssay about Sci-fI Films2199 Words   |  9 Pagesthe real against the artificial, either in the form of humans versus non-human (androids, cyborgs, synthetics), or the world versus the non-world (cyberspace, inner-space, intentional space)†. I have chosen the films â€Å"The Matrix† and â€Å"Bicentennial Man† An explosion in information access and exchange is fueling the Information Superhighway that was created as a result of the computer revolution. If technology has truly become a god, then cyberspace is definitely its bible. Its scope is endless;Read MoreOrganisational Theory230255 Words   |  922 Pagestheory focuses attention on the human issues in organization ‘There is nothing so practical as a good theory’ How Roethlisberger developed a ‘practical’ organization theory Column 1: The core contributing social sciences Column 2: The techniques for analysis Column 3: The neo-modernist perspective Column 4: Contributions to business and management Four combinations of science, scientific technique and the neo-modernist approach reach different parts of the organization Level 1: Developing the organization

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Population Control. Overpopulation Is Defined As The...

Population Control Overpopulation is defined as the â€Å"condition of having a population so dense as to cause environmental deterioration, an impaired quality of life, or a population crash† (Merriam-Webster). A similar way to think of this is if there are 10 people in a small elevator, it is going to feel congested and cramped. The people will be uncomfortable and they won’t be content with the current situation. This would be an impaired quality of life. If this is related to the environmental term, then an image of a small, isolated village appears. If the village has 5 acre of land surrounding it, and a small population, it will only use a small portion of the land. If the village contains a larger community, the amount of land used will†¦show more content†¦In China, after the one-child policy was implemented, there were not enough babies born in order to replace the workers. If every couple had two children, the replacement rate would be stable enough t o be balanced, which would be a resolution to an ongoing population problem. Babies born in 1900 did not live past the age of 50 compared to the current lifespan, 81-83 years. In parts of East Asia, the average life expectancy was less than 45 years in 1950, while now it sits at more than 74 years. The cause for this increase is the improvements in overall human health that is rapidly spreading around the world, not only at different rates, but also in different directions. One major cause for to enhance health is from decreasing occurrences in parasitic and chronic diseases. There is also better living standards, more nutritious diets, and cleaner drinking water, which reduces infections and prevents death in children by allowing them to survive their most vulnerable years. Babies are still being born, but the people are growing older which decreases the mortality rate further (U.S. Department of Health Human Services). In addition to a decreased mortality rate, there is an increase in the birth rate due to the reduction in infant mortality from modern medi cine. While this doesn’t make the chances zero, it does greatly improve the possibility of an infant surviving. One way Is from preventing birth defects, which is the leading cause of infant mortality in theShow MoreRelatedThe Problem Of Overpopulation And Overpopulation872 Words   |  4 PagesHuman overpopulation. Human population can be defined as the condition whereby, the total count of the human inhabiting a certain area exceeds the carrying capacity of the area Bongaarts, (2011). This brings out an issue of the carrying capacity of the region which alludes to the number of individuals who can inhabit a certain area for a given period. It may also be looked at as the situation whereby the available renewable resources in a certain area can satisfactorily support the current populationRead MoreOverpopulation Is Not Too Late?1729 Words   |  7 Pagesthe issue of overpopulation, but is it too late for the inevitable events that are to come? With the rise of technology that question has become difficult to answer as new advancements continue to do the unexpected and merely the impossible. For instance topics that are now in discussion include cloning of living organisms, colonization in other planets, and creation of virtual worlds. Overpopulation as defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary is â€Å"The condition of having a population so dense asRead MoreEssay Overpopulation’s Effect on Environment886 Words   |  4 PagesThe increasing world’s population is a global issue and becomes a source of anxiety for many scholars and decision makers around the globe. U.S. Census Bureau estimated that population growth will persist into the 21st century, growing from 6 billion in 1999 to 9 billion by 2044 (2010). In a longer term, it is also projected that human population may keep increasing up to 36.4 billion in 2300 (United Nations, 2003). Population upsurge is considered a centre piece for a range of problems world wouldRead MoreOverpopulation And Its Effects On The World1136 Words   |  5 Pagesthe problem that is growing amongst us. In some places on our planet earth overpopulation is already in effect, and the world’s population continues to increase. So what will happen when the world becomes over populated? Well, no animal species can survive without enough food, water, shelter and certain other resources, human being requirements are no different. However, a world where lives have been affected by overpopulation already exists in third world countries. 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To many of you the answer is yes. If the world’s fertility rate is above 2.1 children per woman then it is something we need to be conscious about. We can look at the history, presentRead MoreOvercrowding Of Prisons And Its Effects On Inmates1389 Words   |  6 PagesOvercrowding in Prisons In the United States, the increasing population within prisons contribute to the stress regarding the security of correctional facilities’ and the negative effects on inmates. Overcrowding can be defined as a space with a concentrated number of objects or people in a space beyond comfort. According to Verne Cox, PhD, â€Å"as a group of prison researchers summarized, in the 1980s [...] crowding in prisons is a major source of administrative problems and adversely affects inmateRead MoreOver Population in the Philippines2405 Words   |  10 PagesOverpopulation in the Philippines 1. Introduction 1.1 Purpose of the study: to discuss and cite ways on how to prevent overpopulation in the Philippines. 1.2 Significance of the study: to make people realize how alarming is overpopulation. 2. Meaning of Overpopulation 3. Overpopulation facts 3.1 Causes of Overpopulation 3.2 Effects of Overpopulation 3.3 Solutions to Overpopulation 4. Manila: A megacity where the living must share with the dead ( Jenny Kleeman’s Article ) 5. Conclusion Read MoreA Crowded Society1811 Words   |  8 Pagesraising consciousness about the issue of overpopulation but is it too late for the inevitable events that are to come? With the rise of technology that question has become difficult to answer as new advancements continue to do the unexpected and merely the impossible. For instance topics that are now the discussion include cloning of living organisms,colonization in other planets, and virtual worlds. Overpopulation is defined as the condition of having a population so dense as to cause environmentalRead MoreAnalysis Of The Primary Reason Of China s Urban Overpopulation1226 Words   |  5 PagesSPEA-V161 Solution paper Hukou System, the Primary Reason of China’s Urban Overpopulation Poverty, a state in which income is insufficient to provide basic necessities, is a worldwide problem that relates to the living conditions of people and the economic growth of a country. Despite the remarkable increase in per capital income and decline in poverty, China still faces many challenges to reduce urban overpopulation and wealth gap caused by state policies such as Hukou System, a household registration

Monday, December 9, 2019

Managing Cost and Financial Plan Cost Accounting

Question: Describe about the Managing Cost and Financial Plan for Cost Accounting. Answer: Introduction A vivid description of the budget as well as the financial plan relating to the case study has been explicitly revealed in the overall report. The report has been accustomed by reflecting several tasks that entails the aspects of preparing budget as well as the respective operation to ensure the financial plan and the budget of the company. According top the sources preparation of the flexible budget along with mere justification of forecasting techniques has been assessed in this respective report. Moreover, the calculation of the respective variance has been ascertained so as to understand the feasibility regarding the budgeted features of the business. The overall importance of the financial management process has been ascertained in order to manage the money in order to determine effectiveness, efficiency, as well as reliability. 2: Two methods supporting the systems as well as resources: Person name and role in the team Details of their role Support or information you need to provide them Systems and resources required by this person to manage the financial processes Matt Hodgson Kurt Washington Cam Payne (Higher level management) Matt: is your main contact for issues and changes to process and budget. Provides support for all members of the caf and ensure systems and processes are in place for effective management Kurt: Manage all financial processes, invoices, payments, banking, and petty cash, accounts receivable and payable related to the manufacturing in conjunction with Hugh and Matt Hodgson. Help with compiling budgets in particular the accuracy of all financial documents Cam: All marketing and promotional events for the caf Monitor budget and expenses associated. Needs to be able to assess the success of promotional activities. All the budgeting techniques have to be provided to maintain the budget. Effective calculations has been entailed to understand the feasibility. Maintenance of cash and its equivalents so as to generate the tax effects for the company. Analysis of the variance has to be maintained so as to ensure the exact profit as well as loss for the company. Information regarding the marking activities performed by the company are required. What will be the specification to enhance the profitability and selling activities has to be assessed. The budgeting tools has been required to operate the cash and its simultaneous expenses. Maintaining every transaction through the help of tablet and personal computers in order to check the operations. Tools for maintaining the cashbook is required. The analysis regarding the petty cash book is required. Ledger balances have to be maintained. Analysis of cash budget has to be ascertained. Application of number of marketing personnel so as to maintain the promotional activities. Event management with advertising the overall application is necessary. Jerry Aitken (Purchasing) Main contact for current pricing all orders to go through Jerry. He needs to communicate immediate changes to stock and issues related to price and supply. There needs to be a good relationship with recordkeeping and flow of information regarding costs. According to this perception, Jerry must require respective devices so as to contact the team. Accessibility of internal portal and mailing system so as to generate the viability of an effective communication. Jerry will have to maintain the respective purchase invoice so as to maintain the viability of stock. So the cost sheet is an essential item to cumulate the observation of respective cost required in the factory. Systems line personal computers or tablets are required to check the stock that have been issued or dispatched from the respective factory. Work team Involved in meeting targets and taking initiatives to manage costs and improve efficiency. Information regarding the total prime cost of the goods has to be entailed. Application of knowing the actual perception of goods to be sold and the products sent to the delivery department as finished goods. Respective accountability regarding the cost structure with accounting sheet is needed. Oder supply management tool should be implemented so as to understand the delivery system. 3. a. After the preparation of the budget, the analysis regarding the actual expenses and the cost has been observed through effective monitoring as well as reporting. The team should forecast the activities that can be entailed in the next financial period. Revising the actual internal budget which will allocate the total exponents so as to enhance the feasibility. Tracking the capital expenditure can be determined as one of the influential impact on the budgeting analysis (Brigham, 2013). The application on the basis of zero based budgeting process has to effectively managed in order to monitor on all the income and expenses. The performance of the first loaded budget has also determined the application of the different consideration to gather the effectiveness of the business. Moreover, the spending made in the last month income budget can be determined as one of the significant process to control the operation. 2: The application of the journal, ledger as well as the trial balance of the company will use to determine the monitoring perspectives. Moreover, the statement of cash flow can be easily entailed to monitor the expenses as well as controlling the cost. 3: A budget variance is the difference between planned and actual performance. Managers monitor variances to make sure that costs do not run out of control, profit targets are kept in mind, and to identify circumstances where the business strategies might need to be reviewed. Budget Variance Formula STEP ONE: Calculate the variances. The formula for this is: VARIANCE = ACTUAL BUDGET STEP TWO: calculating the percentage (%) variance %VARIANCE = ACTUAL BUDGET Then dividing this figure by BUDGET and multiplying by 100 we will get the % variance. The reason why budget variances is important for a manager is because it gives a way for them to keep a plan on track and if things change their easily able to adjust the plan. 4. (a) Monthly budget monitoring cycle is appropriate because the overall cost of sales can be assessed whether it has been decreased or increased. Cash budget can alternatively used so as to consider the approach of monitoring the budget. b) The data can be collected through the respective financial statements of the company as well as the different day books maintained by the company. c) The reason for using the spreadsheets for the budget is because the errors can be edited without any discrepancies and the calculations can be easily done. Moreover, on the contrary, the respective spreadsheet does not contain formatting tools that will easily detect the forecasting abilities and help to assess the financial speculation. 5. Forecast Budgeted units sold Actual Units sold Variance units sold % variance on units sold Budgeted income Actual income Variance income % variance on income Budgeted total costs Actual total op costs Variance Costs % variance on costs Gross Profit Gross Profit Ratio (%) October 900 500 -400 -44.44 $ 9,900 $ 5,550 $-4,350 -43.9 $ 6,660 $ 3,475 $ -3,185 -47.8 $2,075 37.4 November 900 550 -350 -38.89 $ 9,900 $ 6,105 $-3,795 -38.3 $ 6,660 $ 4,070 $ -2,590 -38.9 $2,035 33.3 December 900 950 50 5.56 $ 9,990 $ 10,545 $ 555 5.6 $ 6,660 $ 7,030 $ 370 5.556 $3,515 33.3 January 680 550 -130 -19.12 $ 7,548 $6,105 $-1,443 -19.1 $ 5,032 $ 4,070 $ -962 -19.1 $2,035 33.3 February 680 720 40 5.88 $ 7,548 $7,992 $ 444 5.9 $ 5,032 $ 5,328 $ 296 5.882 $2,664 33.3 March 680 750 70 10.29 $ 7,548 $8,325 $ 777 10.3 $ 5,032 $ 5,550 $ 518 10.29 $2,775 33.3 Units sold Budgeted WS units sold Actual WS units sold Budgeted In house use units Actual In house use units Budgeted units sold total Actual items sold total October 650 460 40 40 500 500 November 650 510 40 40 900 550 December 650 870 50 80 900 950 January 680 510 40 40 680 550 February 600 530 90 60 600 590 6. Yes, it can be said that the overall ideas regarding the management team is better enough to secure the gross profit. Hence, it can be said that the company will surely attain the desired financial outcome so as to enhance the financial speculation of making a gross profit at 37% or more. Implementation of cost cutting techniques has to be maintained in order to control the operation so that the financial stability of the company can be justified. In accordance with the respective variance analysis, the significant consideration regarding this approach has been ascertained from the criteria that can be generated through the activities of cost controlling measurement. This will suffice eh operation of maintaining the perception of business profit in the long run (Kaplan Atkinson, 2015). 4. Documents like stamen of financial position, statement of cash flow and statement of income can segregate the perception of considering the approach of collection as well as collation of the data. Therefore, the perception of financial position helps to understand the current financial stability of the firm. Apart from this, the financial constraints have helped to consider the approach of overall cash flow that helps to monitor the budget. The respective statement of income has felicitated the impact regarding the effective control of performance in order to justify the basic standpoint for revealing the perception of different aptitudes. Thu sthe basic impact of gods and 2. a) GST Calculation Wholesale Cost GST amount Current wholesale cost $11.10 $ 1.11 Proposed wholesale cost $12.77 $ 1.277 Variance $ $1.67 $ 0.167 Goods and Service tax has been rounded at 10% b) It has to be lodged a form naming business activity to the Australian Taxation Office. The number of times the business has been established will generate the perception of lodging the GST bill so as to pay the tax to Australian Taxation Office. 3. a) From the observation it can be said that the maintain the day book will always assure the proprietor to ascertain the overall loss of the project. Therefore the loss has simultaneously checked so as to control the basic calculations as well as the recordings. Thus the petty expenses are ought to be recorded in the petty cash book which will sur4ely suffice the operation to control the business perspectives (Eldenburg Wolcott, 2015). b) Aligning the financial management process will definitely reveal the clarity of key rivers in the business. Moreover, the tools will also help to assess the measurement and also help to monitor the performance of the firm. This will surely lead the profitability of the firm. Conclusion: It can be said from the overall assumption that monitoring the budget is necessary to ascertain better financial growth in the long run. Thus, the perception of maintaining the business is very much necessary in controlling the operation. Thus the enhanced profitability can be achieved from this particular facilities in order to derive the factors of controlling the overall perspectives. References Brealey, R., Myers, S. (2015). FUNDAMENTALSOFCORPO-RATEFINANCE7/e. DRURY, C. M. (2013).Management and cost accounting. Springer. Getz, D. (2014).Event management event tourism(pp. 212-215). New York: Cognizant Communication Corporation. Stock, J. R., Lambert, D. M. (2011).Strategic logistics management(Vol. 4). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Brigham, E. F. (2013).Financial management: theory practice. Atlantic Publishers Distri. Kaplan, R. S., Atkinson, A. A. (2015).Advanced management accounting. PHI Learning. Horngren, C. T., Bhimani, A., Srikant M.. Datar, Foster, G., Horngren, C. T. (2012).Management and cost accounting. Harlow: Financial Times/Prentice Hall. Eldenburg, L., Wolcott, S. K. (2015).Cost management: Measuring, monitoring, and motivating performance. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley.

Monday, December 2, 2019

Marketing Female Fitness Equipment in Saudi Arabia free essay sample

It is now commonplace to find large organisations operating as multinational companies trading in a vast number of nations around the world. Expanding a business from one country into another isn’t just a case of setting up offices and carrying out operations as usual. There can be huge cultural incongruity between nations which can have a huge impact on the way in which a business conducts both itself and its operations in order to be successful. It is essential that any business wishing to expand trade into a new country avoids ethnocentric thinking and is willing to be flexible to the culture of that nation. McDonald’s fast food chain is an excellent example of a business that has adapted and thrived in over 119 countries in 6 continents. It has achieved this by building the business around the culture rather than imposing themselves upon it. Everything from their menu’s, the decor and the price differ hugely among the different culture’s they operate within. We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing Female Fitness Equipment in Saudi Arabia or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page For any exporter (in this analysis, it is home fitness equipment), it is easier to export to some cultures rather than others. If a culture is similar to the exporters own then it will make the process significantly simpler. The challenges arise when attempting to export to a culture that is significantly different from the exporters own. When exporting from any ‘westernised’ countries such as England or America to eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates the cultural differences to be considered are vast and incredibly crucial to their chances of success. Saudi Arabia is currently quite a lucrative and attractive market for investors, it is experiencing high economic growth due to its high domestic oil yield and it’s imports are at an all time high. The collective revenue on imports has increased by 2. 25% from last year and its current gross value has risen from $82,640,000,000 (2008) to $108,300,000,000 (2009), (index mundi 2009). There is currently an obesity problem in Saudi Arabia, particularly among women, with 28. 4% falling into the category of obese, (Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, 2007). This can partly be attributed to the fact that it is very difficult for a woman to exercise without coming under criticism, particularly from religious leaders. Women cannot exercise in the same gyms as men for religious reasons and the only licensed women’s gyms exist only in government run health clinics, although a few unlicensed, illegal female gyms exist. The main point of opposition to women exercising in gyms is because, culturally it is believed that this will lead to vanity and them neglecting their responsibilities to their families. There are a great number of women searching for an answer to their exercise limitations, particularly from the women’s fitness group; Let Her Get Fat (LHGF). This creates a great opportunity to export home fitness equipment to Saudi Arabia. The potential for success is huge as in contrast to other countries, at home is the only place Saudi Arabian women can feasibly workout. Despite the increase in trade to Saudi Arabia there are still many challenges for those wishing to export there. The first challenge that needs to be addressed is the legal restrictions imposed on any foreign entities wishing to trade in Saudi Arabia. Under Saudi law, any person or business that is not 100% Saudi Arabian owned must gain a Saudi Arabian sponsor for their business in order to trade there, (the-Saudi, 2009). Acquiring a sponsor can be a very difficult process, as the sponsor assumes certain legal responsibilities for the business and its operations within Saudi Arabia and can thus be held personally liable for any breach of Saudi business regulations in accordance with the Ministry of Commerce (MOC). This sponsor not only allows the business to acquire a trading visa but also acts as an advisor and intermediary for its operations. The use of intermediaries is a big part of Saudi business culture, although this can tend to push up the price, the intermediary can provide invaluable information on trading culture thus allowing transactions to run much more smoothly. The sponsor / intermediary and the exporter will, of course, agree on a deal to make the sponsor’s responsibility worthwhile, thus sponsors can make very large sums of money if they prove to be effective. Saudi Arabia has one of the largest royal families in the world, and they have huge influence politically and legally and thus are very poplar targets of exporters to act as intermediaries. There are currently over 5000 Saudi Arabian princes (Datarabia, 2009), so it is not difficult to find a royal sponsor for lucrative business opportunities. To facilitate exports to Saudi Arabia there are even companies that will match up foreign business’s with a Saudi Arabian sponsor such as: www. princevisa. com. It is possible to trade with Saudi Arabia without a sponsor, however, it must happen off shore and it is very difficult to sustain a strong business relationship this way. Religion is a huge issue in Saudi Arabia with an estimated 89% of Saudi’s following Sunni Islam and 5% following Shi’a Islam, (state. ov, 2009). It is probably the biggest cultural difference to be considered. In England religion and it’s practices are very rarely considered when conducting business operations, in Saudi Arabia it is crucial that the Islamic religion and practices are respected and adhered to. When conducting face to face business (which is more highly apprecia ted than communicating through email or phone) in Saudi Arabia men should wear a business suit (as in western business), and a tie with the shirt buttoned up to the collar. In Muslim cultures women are considered as inferior and that men are, â€Å"a degree above women†, (answering Islam, 2008). For this reason it is extremely rare for a woman to be involved in business transactions. However, in the case of women’s attire, â€Å"a look of baggy concealment should be the goal†, (Geert Hofstede, 2005). No business will take place on a Friday as it is a Muslim day of rest, and thus contact to discuss matters of business should always be avoided on this day. It is also common for meetings to be interrupted to allow time for prayer, it is crucial that this custom is observed respectfully. Some may wish to attend a mosque for this or they may just pray somewhere private, such as their office. All visitors to Saudi Arabia are bound by both the religious and standard laws of that country. Clerics hold an immense amount of power and influence and religious police also exist with the power to imprison and hand out capital punishments. Although visitors are not expected to pray or wear traditional Islamic clothing they are expected to act in accordance with its rules. Perhaps the most specific cultural problem when exporting home fitness equipment to Saudi Arabia is that of marketing. Although this product is for both men and women, it is the males in this culture that are the gate keepers and that would be the buyers, thus the marketing must be aimed at males. Any images used in the marketing project would need to picture males using the equipment, and dressed in acceptable attire, under religious laws. The key to marketing the project to men, for the use of women, is to stress the point that it allows the women to lead a healthy lifestyle without removing them from their responsibilities at home. Like any culture there are many points of business etiquette that exist in Saudi Arabian culture. Firstly the left hand is reserved for hygiene purposes and thus is considered unclean, therefore the right hand should always be offered when shaking hands, and only the right hand should be used when touching food. Pointing or giving the thumbs up sign are considered offensive gestures and should be avoided, as should showing the soles of the feet and crossing the legs when sitting. It is also more common in Middle Eastern culture for the customers to give gifts to the suppliers, a role reversal of western culture. It is also common in western business to continue informal business talks and to facilitate business relationships by going to bars and clubs and drinking alcohol. Alcohol is illegal in Saudi Arabia and consuming it or bringing it in to the country can carry serious penalties. The same is true of pornographic images and pork. It is also considered better to avoid talking about religion or women, even to enquire about a family member’s well-being. The cultural differences that exist between England and Saudi Arabia are huge but business can still take place as long as its conducted by those who are open minded. The key is to be flexible and willing to adapt in order to accommodate. The liberal culture of England and the highly conservative culture of Saudi Arabia clash massively, but if the conservative cultural views of the country are respected by English exporters, especially in terms of religion, then a strong export link can be established. References Al-Othaimeen, A. (2007). Obesity: an emerging problem in Saudi Arabia. Analysis of data from the National Nutrition Survey. Available: http://www. emro. who. int/Publications/EMHJ/1302/article22. htm.