International Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

International Management - Essay Example With very sophisticated infrastructures, Bahrain is a rapidly developing market in the Middle East. The country has a strong government with futuristic outlooks which has contributed to the shaping of the nation as a highly mature economy (Dew 2002). There are large numbers of development ventures in progress all over the country which renders the opportunity to expand to Bahrain quite pleasing. The country provides various encouragements to the opportunity of expanding to Bahrain (Dew 2002). Because of its strategic position, several multinational companies have expanded to Bahrain like Nomura Investment Banking, American Express, Citicorp, etc (Sohail 2005). The objective of this essay is to analyze the (1) physical and societal factors, (2) competitive factors, (3) objectives, and (4) strategies and means as they relate to the expansion of financial institutions to Bahrain, which in this paper will be the The Hong kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC). HSBC has its main off ice in London, and it is one of the major financial institutions in the world. HSBC, just like other global businesses, are gaining from flourishing business in the Middle East ( However, expansion for HSBC has been beset with difficulties. The company has to deal with external factors, such as those mentioned above, in their pursuit for successful expansion. Physical and Societal Factors The coarse periphery of Bahrain is characterized by a dynamic cultural domain and sophisticated infrastructure. Since 1971, the period it gained its independence from the UK, Bahrain has grown into a wealthy, progressive nation that adopts the union of its culture with its quest for prosperity (Gillespie & Gritzner 2002). Nowadays, the country tries to build a more advanced state which values and merges its time-honored cultural practices (Dew 2002). Gaining knowledge and making sense of this exceptional culture and its related business customs is critical to the success of expansion plan of HSBC t o Bahrain. Some of the factors that the management of HSBC should take into account are the business-related social practices of Bahrainis. For instance, the society of Bahrain is deeply rule-inclined with laws, policies, and other control systems established to lessen the insecurity and put in force the authority of leaders (Dew 2002). This quite rigid hierarchical structure is embodied in the prescribed communication method of the general population of Bahrain. The use of prescribed greetings and distinctions or titles is important (Dew 2002). For instance, when a person enters an office for the first time, s/he should shake hands with the highest ranking officer first using their certain distinctions. This information is vital to the human resources management of HSBC. Competitive Factors The banking sector in Bahrain is considered as one of the most competitive in the Middle East. The government vigorously and explicitly seeks for foreign investments and views them as crucial to the country’s economic success (Laulajainen 2003). Banking and financial organizations in Bahrain are involved in a traditional business environment and trade-oriented culture that prospers from the foreign investments (Chiline 2002). The corporate banking culture in Bahrain welcomes foreign companies eagerly and attracts foreign

Holocaust in the Middle East, and Muslim-Jew Relations Essay

Holocaust in the Middle East, and Muslim-Jew Relations - Essay Example It might seem rather surprising but Jews and Muslims were not so hostile to each other in the earlier centuries, rather they lived peacefully and harmoniously with each other but something transpired in between that vitiated their mutual relations and ties to a point of no return. At a first glance it seems Jews and Muslims are poles apart and there is absolutely nothing in common between them, rather they are so disparate that possibly mutual hatred is the only shared thread that binds them. But, a deeper look at these two religions would, quite surprisingly, bring out certain common strains that indicate these two religions have much similarity with each other. Both these religions have a common origin in Abraham. While Jews consider Muslims as true followers of ‘Seven Laws of Noah’, it might be a revelation to many that Quran refers to the inhabitants of Israel at least forty three times with Exodus of Jews led by Moses being given special importance. Judaism and Islam also share several broad common perspectives about religious outlook and practice and this theological proximity has over the last 1400 years, notwithstanding last ninety or so years’ hostility, woven certain bridges that neither Muslims nor Jews can ignore. Thus it seems more perplexing that these two religious groups that share the same geographical origin have become bitter enemies of one another (Prager and Telushkin). The most common similarities in religious practices between these two religions are circumcision, prohibition of homosexuality and consumption of pork. While Islam prescribes five times a day prayer, Judaism also insists on five times a day prayer that might however be reduced to twice daily under certain specific circumstances. Any honest student of history must admit that while there have been aberrations in the course of centuries, Jews have by and large lived peacefully and prospered under