Thursday, April 16, 2020
The Complete Guide to Outsourcing Content Creation
Publishing a consistent stream of rock solid content isnââ¬â¢t easy. Consistently coming up with great content ideas is hard enough, but then you actually have to write the post. Thatââ¬â¢s where outsourcing content creation comes in. And itââ¬â¢s an option that is becoming increasingly popular for marketing teams. But outsourcing your content writing doesnââ¬â¢t mean youââ¬â¢re off the hook entirely. Itââ¬â¢s just a whole lot easier. To help, we put together this guide, which will help you navigate the entire process from hiring, to onboarding, to managing a team of freelance writers. Letââ¬â¢s jump in. Ch. 1 The benefits of outsourcing content creation Ch. 2 Hiring: Tips for hiring your next freelance writer Ch. 3 Onboarding: Setting freelancers up for success Ch. 4 How to manage and motivate freelance writers Free Actionable Bonus: Looking to outsource your content writing? Get the complete guide to finding, vetting, and hiring freelance writers Why Do Companies Outsource Content Creation? There are a number of advantages to working with external content writers, whether itââ¬â¢s through a content writing service or with writers directly. 1. Free Up Time Your time is precious. And the content creation process can take a lot of that time. In addition to writing, it involves research, fact-checking, creating a strong title, formatting correctly, optimizing for search engines, grammar checking, and editing for inconsistencies and readability, to name a few. Hiring a writers can take some of the time pressure off yourself and your employees while you retain full editorial control. Youââ¬â¢ll get the content you need, as well as time to develop strategies to ensure it connects with your target audience and is effective at growing your business. 2. Save Money According to HubSpot, companies using inbound marketing generally experience a 61 percent lower cost per lead than those using traditional methods. Most businesses have a limited content marketing budget and hiring in-house writers can be expensive when you consider hiring costs, annual salary, benefits, paid leave, and equipment. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, the average cost of hiring an in-house writer is $7,221 per month. Outsourcing blog and content writing is more cost effective, as you can hire on an as-need basis at a fraction of the cost. 3. Leverage Industry Experts According to a study by Provoke Insights, 42 percent of companies said they donââ¬â¢t have the expertise to use content marketing effectively. Thatââ¬â¢s because industry expertise and writing skills are two different things. Working with freelance writers allows you to hire industry experts when create technical or thought-leadership pieces. So much knowledge. 4. Deliver Different Content Types By tapping into the expertise of various writers, you can develop content that spans a range of topics and content formats. A good content marketing service will have writers that specialize in certain industries or are experienced in writing specific content formats such as white papers or SEO content. Experimenting with different types of content helps you discover what your customers prefer so you can sharpen up your content marketing strategy and maximize your ROI. 5. Meet Deadlines For external writers, your content is their priority. By not being in your office, they wonââ¬â¢t be pulled off their content duties to work on other tasks. And, any good freelancer will always make sure to meet a deadline. Since youââ¬â¢ll no longer have the responsibility of creating content, you can ensure your content actually gets published on time. Donââ¬â¢t let this be you. Hire professional writers. 6. Scale Your Content Producing quality content is time-consuming. If youââ¬â¢re like most businesses, you canââ¬â¢t afford to neglect other work to devote hours to content marketing. Delegating the content creation to a professional writer doesnââ¬â¢t mean you lose control; it just gives you more time to concentrate on other important business matters. Outsourcing writing also means you can hire multiple writers at the same time with varied experience and expertise. Recommended reading: Scaling Content Creation: How to Scale the Quantity and Quality of Your Content 7. Retain Consistency Keeping consistent quality and tone of your content can be tough. Outsourcing content marketing means you can work with writers who understand writing best practices and adhere to strict quality guidelines. 8. Communicate Effectively Professional writers know how to avoid hype and write in a more conversational tone. This kind of writing is more entertaining and taps into the emotions of readers. It gets to the heart of the message so that readers can quickly find the information theyââ¬â¢re looking for. Good writers can also look at your products and services from an outsiderââ¬â¢s perspective. They can turn business jargon into compelling copy that builds your credibility and increases trust in your business. 9. Increase Conversions First impressions count. According to the Nielson Norman Group, the average web user leaves a web page after less than 20 seconds. Professional writers can write persuasive copy that gets your message across quickly and clearly, which ultimately improves your conversion rates. Elevate Your Content Marketing Having an effective content marketing strategy is one of the best ways to stand out in todayââ¬â¢s crowded online marketplace. But creating the quality content needed to support that strategy entirely in-house isnââ¬â¢t easy. As many successful brands have discovered, it makes sense to leverage the expertise of professional freelance writers to help you meet content demand, and ensure youââ¬â¢re publishing well-written, engaging content. Hiring Tips For When You Outsource Content Writing Content marketing is one of the most effective forms of digital marketing, but it involves a lot of work. Who has the time to write daily blog posts, update their website, create social media posts andrun a business? Recommended reading: The Step-by-Step Guide to Finding, Vetting, and Hiring Freelance Writers What to Look For in Freelance Writers If you decide that hiring a freelance writer is the way forward, here are seven key things to consider before choosing someone for your next project: 1. Experience Donââ¬â¢t be afraid to test a candidateââ¬â¢s knowledge. Ask them how much experience they have in writing the kind of content you need. Give them a set of questions to answer to see if they understand what youââ¬â¢re after. Are they familiar with common industry terms and current trends? 2. Previous Work Some writers will already have a sample of their work for you to look at. If they donââ¬â¢t, you can ask for a brief sample. They may charge for this service, but it can be worthwhile because youââ¬â¢ll get an idea of their ability and writing style. 3. Readability An effective piece of content needs to flow well and capture the attention of your audience. When you first look at a piece of content, is it easy to read? Does the writer communicate clearly? If you struggle to read it, your audience will too. 4. Versatility You need to make sure your content writer understands your brandââ¬â¢s tone of voice. Can they write content that suits your style and speaks the language of your target audience? 5. Prices How much does the writer typically charge for their writing? It may be tempting to accept work from the ââ¬Å"cheapestâ⬠writer, but consider the quality of their writing first. While there are many writers that charge a higher fee for their work, this is often reflected in the quality of the final product. When it comes to web content, quality is more important than quantity. 6. Reliability While hiring a freelancer for content helps to keep costs low, you still need writers that are reliable. How long does it take a writer to respond to your questions? How much care have they taken to read your original message? When and how they reply can tell you a lot about their professionalism and reliability. 7. Turnaround If youââ¬â¢re publishing content regularly, you need a writer that can deliver content on time. Obviously, you should give each writer sufficient notice for each project, but you can still ask potential candidates how fast they can turn around content. This will help you avoid future delays in your content schedule. Here are some questions you can use to evaluate writers Onboarding: Setting Freelancers Up for Success The next step is onboarding. While this may seem like a relatively simple step, doing it poorly will create headaches for everyone so itââ¬â¢s worth spending a bit of time to get right. To ensure that your content team is onboarded effectively, you need to familiarize writers with your company, products, services, and business goals. There are various ways to achieve this: Provide each writer with a short manual that clarifies your business, itââ¬â¢s goals, its core values, and its target audience. Give each writera short style guide, outlining industry terms, formatting rules, and headline guidelines. Provide ongoing feedback on every assignment to build each writerââ¬â¢s knowledge. Show your writers company reviews, testimonials, and case studies that explain how your business solves customer problems. By making your needs and expectations clear from the outset, you can avoid long cycles of content revisions in the future. You should also provide a creative brief for each assignment. Some things to include in a creative brief: A working title A summary of the purpose of the content Any calls-to-action that need to be included Links to supporting research, if you have any Keywords you would like included, if applicable A recommended word count A deadline Freelancers often have creative ideas and unique skills that you can tap into. Use their experience to help with developing content ideas. This will give writers more confidence and make them feel a part of your team. Freelancers often have creative ideas and unique skills that you can tap into. Use their experience to help with developing content ideas. This will give writers more confidence and make them feel a part of your team. Click To Tweet You could also share content statistics with your writers. Did a blog post boost website traffic? How many times was an article shared on social media? Stats like these give a boost to any writer. Tips for Managing a Team of Freelance Writers As the importance of publishing well-written content continues to grow, more and more companies are opting to hire freelance writers to help them meet demand and produce high-quality content. But just because youââ¬â¢re working with freelance writers, doesnââ¬â¢t mean youââ¬â¢re completely off the hook. In order to get the best work out of a team of freelance writers, they need to be managed effectively. Effective management means not only being clear about the project details and your expectations, but also includes the people-side of the relationship. How to Manage and Motivate a Team of Freelance Writersâ⬠¦ Effectively managing and motivating your team includes selecting the right writers, setting up a feedback mechanism, and ensuring writers are invested in creating successful content. Here are 7 tips to help you manage your freelance team and keep them motivated. 1. Build a Flexible Writing Team To build an effective content marketing team, select a few writers that have different skill sets. While you donââ¬â¢t have to work with all of them at once, itââ¬â¢s smart to have a relationship with multiple writers that specialize in different topics and content types.This mean if you lose a writer or one doesnââ¬â¢t work out, you have some writers to fall back on. 2. Provide a Content Strategy Template From the outset, give all your writers a clear set of guidelines and expectations regarding content production and communication. Some info you should be sure to include: Company information. Content goals and target audience information. Brand style guide. Typical content topics. Content form, including word counts, formatting, tone, SEO rules, and publication platforms. Deadline rules, including how and when writers should submit content. When equipped with a complete template and style guide, writers donââ¬â¢t have to ask as many questions and are more likely to produce on-brand content. 3. Make Writers Feel More Invested in Your Projects The best way to build lasting relationships with writers is to make them feel a part of your team. They may be freelancers, but theyââ¬â¢re still want to feel valued for their work. There are various ways to make writers feel more invested in your projects: Share content performance metrics and company news. Hold a webinar QA session. Help them develop new skills by letting them tackle new topics. Regularly ask for feedback. Give regular praise for good work. 4. Offer Ongoing Support If you think a writer did a great job, tell them. If you have any criticisms, balance it out with something positive. And let writers know youââ¬â¢re always there if they need any advice. To create a more supportive environment: Donââ¬â¢t set unrealistic deadlines. Allow writers to show some creativity. Provide preliminary research for each project. Donââ¬â¢t micro-manage every project. Donââ¬â¢t overload writers with work. Let writers know the best times to communicate with you. 5. Provide Rewards for Great Work Occasional rewards will boost motivation and encourage good work. It doesnââ¬â¢t have to be monetary. For example, acknowledge writers in company publications, offer extra writing opportunities, or give them a mention on social media. 6. Pay a Fair Price Paying writers an hourly rate often leads to problems further down the line. First, the writer isnââ¬â¢t motivated enough to finish a project. Second, itââ¬â¢s difficult to know beforehand precisely how long a project will take. This can lead to crossed lines and blurred boundaries. Instead, itââ¬â¢s a good idea to negotiate a per-article or per-word fee. While there is a lot of variety in terms of pricing, you should expect to pay about $0.10-0.50 per word for a high-quality article, depending on the subject matter, the type of content, and the writerââ¬â¢s skill and experience. For writers that do extensive research, conduct interviews, or take on in-depth projects like white papers, expect to pay more. 7. Refine the Process Managing a team of freelance writers isnââ¬â¢t just about creating a content schedule and making sure writers stick to deadlines; itââ¬â¢s about building lasting working relationships and helping your writers put out their best work. As with any relationship, consistency is key to getting the most out of people: Paying them fairly and on time. Giving them plenty of notice for new projects. Not overloading writers Being open to feedback and suggestions. If you stick to these guidelines, youââ¬â¢ll attract high-quality freelancers, build a more scalable, efficient content creation process, and be able to meet content demand for years to come. More than Just a Boss The most successful managers are able to get the most out of the talent they hire. It isnââ¬â¢t just about controlling a team; itââ¬â¢s about being a good communicator, collaborator, coach, and motivator. Itââ¬â¢s also about trusting your writers to deliver great content without interfering too much. Managing a team of writers can be challenging, but if you remember these essential tips, you can nurture a productive writing team that you can depend on for years to come.
Friday, March 13, 2020
How To Say ââ¬ËWantââ¬â¢ in Spanish
How To Say ââ¬ËWantââ¬â¢ in Spanish The English verb to want can be translated to Spanish in at least five ways, the most common of them being querer. Using Querer When querer is used to mean to want, is can be used almost exactly the same way as the English verb. You should be aware, however, that querer is also a common way of expressing romantic affection, and Te quiero is a common way of saying I love you. Some examples of querer for want: à ¿Quà © quieres hacer? (What do you want to do?)Solo quiero verte. (I only want to see you.)Siempre quise un viaje al Perà º. (I always wanted a trip to Peru.)Quiero tres tacos y un refresco, por favor. (I want three tacos and a soft drink, please.)No queremos dinero; shopping argentina queremos justicia. (We dont want money. We want justice.)Los manifestantes quieren que el gobierno reduzca los impuestos federales. (The demonstrators want the government to reduce federal taxes.)Hace una semana quisimos las frutas, pero ahora no las queremos. (A week ago we wanted the fruits, but now we dont want them.) Querer typically is followed by one of three grammatical constructions: An infinitive, often translated to English as an infinitive (the verb form beginning with to). Infinitives in the first two examples above are hacer and ver (in verte).One or more nouns. The nouns serving as objects of querer are viaje in the third sentence, tacos and refresco in the fourth, and dinero and justicia in the fifth. Alternatively, a pronoun can be placed before the verb, as in the second half of the final example.The relative pronoun que followed by a clause that uses a verb in the subjunctive mood. Reduzca is in the subjunctive mood in the fifth example. Using Desear for 'Want' Because querer is conjugated irregularly, beginning Spanish students instead often use desear, which is used in the same way as querer. However, desear is used less often and is more formal; in many situations it can sound overly flowery, which is one reason it seems common on Spanish-language greeting cards. Desear can have romantic or sexual overtones in some contexts (it comes from the same origin as the English verb desire), so you should exercise caution when using it to refer to people. Deseo aprender sobre este curso. (I want to learn about this course.)Desean el regreso de las libertades, la llegada de la democracia. (They want the return of liberty, the arrival of democracy.)Deseo que tengas un buen dà a. (I want you to have a great day.) Using Pedir for 'Want' When want refers to asking or requesting, it is often best translated using pedir: à ¿Cunto pide ella por su coche? (How much does she want for her car? Literally, how much is she asking for her car?)Pedimos un empleo de alta calidad. (We want a high-quality employee. Literally, we are asking for a high-quality employee.)Piden 900 pesos por dà a por una sombrilla en la playa. (They want 900 pesos per day for an umbrella on the beach. Literally, they are asking for 900 pesos per day for an umbrella on the beach.) Using Buscar for 'Want' If want could be replaced by look for or seek, you can use buscar. Te buscan en la oficina. (Youre wanted at the office. Literally, theyre looking for you at the office.)Muchos estadounidenses buscan casa en Mà ©xico. (Many Americans want a house in Mexico. Literally, many Americans are looking for a house in Mexico.)Todos ellos buscan trabajos que puedan proveerles la oportunidad de aprender. (They all want jobs that offer them the opportunity to learn. Literally, they all are looking for jobs that offer them the opportunity to learn.) Translating an Older Use of 'Want' Although not common in modern English, want is sometimes used to mean need. In such cases, a verb such as necesitar or a negated use ofà faltar can be used in translation. à ¿Necesitas dinero? (Are you wanting for money?)El Seà ±or es mi pastor, nada me faltar. (The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.) Key Takeaways The most common Spanish verb for to want are querer and desear, which typically are followed by an infinitive, a noun, or que and a verb in the subjunctive mood.When want refers to asking for or requesting something, pedir can be used.When want refers to seeking or looking for something, buscar can be used.
Tuesday, February 25, 2020
Religion and Theology - Christian Denomination Essay
Religion and Theology - Christian Denomination - Essay Example The Seventh-day Adventist Church originated in the Millerite Movement 1832-1844 in which the Second Coming of Jesus Christ is proclaimed to occur. William Miller, a Baptist minister heralded the Great Awakening which spiritually revived Christendom in North America. After the crushing Great Disappointment, when Christ does not appear and a significant Millerite following falls away, ââ¬Å"many nevertheless remained Adventists since they believed the second coming is still imminentâ⬠. A remnant of Protestant Christians perseveres in studying the Bible and meeting for regular Sabbath services. In 1860 at Battle Creek, Michigan, they give themselves the denominational name, Seventh-day Adventists, to signify their distinguishing beliefs: the seventh day Sabbath and the soon, second return of Christ. In the organizational framework comes into place when local congregations expand into conferences which are incorporated as the General Conference of Seventh day Adventists in 1863. Ot her notable early Adventists are Joseph Bates, James White, Uriah Smith, Hiram Edson and J.N Andrews. The current membership of Seventh-day Adventists worldwide stands at 12 million (Seventh-day Adventist General Conference Session 2005; Rhodes 27) Christian Denomination: The Seventh-day Adventists The authority of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is hinged on the Bible as the rule of standard and is resident structurally in the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. The spiritual authority of the Seventh day Adventist Church resides in the Bible which is regarded as ââ¬Å"the infallible revelation of (Godââ¬â¢s) willâ⬠(General Conference of Seventh day Adventists 9). However, as far as organizational structure is concerned, the General Conference is the highest authority as ââ¬Å"all subordinate organizations and institutions will recognize the General Conference as the highest authority under God among Seventh-day Adventistsâ⬠(General Conference 2005). All SDA subsidiary conferences, missions and institutions operate under the aegis of the General Conference. Spearheaded by a President elected every quinquennium, and located in Silver Spring, Maryland, the General Conference orchestrates the international functions of the Church. Another noteworthy authority of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is Ellen G. White, (1827-1915) one who relayed to the early church with messages from God. Based on the belief of the spirit of prophecy, Seventh-day Adventists endorse Ellen G. Whiteââ¬â¢s writings as inspirational, prophetic and truth. Ellen G. White was a prolific author and visionary that composed more than forty books, entered about 50,000 articles and letters (White). Her writings are mentioned as Spirit of Prophecy books. The General Conference advocates the ââ¬Å"promoting, the purchase and reading of Spirit of Prophecy books for personal and spiritual development and nurtureâ⬠(General Conference 2005). Whiteââ¬â¢s literary expositions of counsel on a wide range of subjects such as health, education, family, prophecy and church organization are undisputed as a Church authority and ââ¬Å"her writings â⬠¦considered by church members to be authoritativeâ⬠(Rhodes 2005). Worship within the Seventh day Adventist church belongs to the God and Creator of heaven and earth. It takes place in the daily life of every believer and culminates in the observation of the seventh-day Sabbath. Seventh day Adventist believers realize that ââ¬Å"the Sabbath worship service is the most important of all meetings of the
Sunday, February 9, 2020
The future of the human evolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
The future of the human evolution - Essay Example In his book, Darwin of the eighties, sought to explain the evolution of man as a process of natural selection. Darwin proposes four components of natural selection. First, he argues that characters within a population exhibit variations in appearance and conduct. This may be in terms of height, skin color or even body size. Darwin also talks about heritable traits, which are passed on from parents to offspring as opposed to traits powered by environmental conditions. His third component concerns population growth, which at times leads to mortality in cases where the resources cannot support the high population. The fourth component is derived from the third, in which Darwin argues that individuals with desirable traits will always survive in such an environment and give rise the next generation. This is known as natural selection, in which individuals struggle to survive and nature favors the strong. Based on this theory, human beings then have a high chance of evolving, powered by t he advancement in technological innovations, which will enable them survive. Variations among individuals within a population are occasioned by genetic differences. Genes are the materials through which traits are inherited from parents to offspring. ... Not all mutations are detrimental: a mutation in the brain of the Australopithecus enabled him to develop a larger brain and evolve into a hominid. Technological knowhow, however, has been seen to interfere with natural selection. Today, medics have come up with medicine to prolong the lives of mutants, thus encouraging the survival of weaklings which ultimately affects future generations. This means that individuals with desirable traits might mate with mutants and bring forth changes in the human race. This will lead to evolution, which will be occasioned by mutation. Consequently, future generations of human beings might not be able to survive. This not withstanding, not all mutations are negative. Some mutations may be advantageous to the human race. This perception has led to medical practitioners trying to come up with genetically modified human beings known as clones. These clones are designed to have all the positive attributes of their original humans and thus be more suitab ly adapted to live on earth. Human migration might also affect future evolution in terms of gene flow, which is a process of interbreeding between different populations of a given species (Mayr pp.55). When a person migrates from his original place of birth to go to another country, he is bound to start a family with the local people. This leads to the emergence of a new breed of people carrying the genes of both parents. An example of this is the era of the trans-Atlantic trade in which, many able bodied African men were shipped off to the United States to work as slaves. They later married the local women and gave rise to the African Americans. The latter were seen to have inherited most of
Thursday, January 30, 2020
The Right of Children and Young Person Essay Example for Free
The Right of Children and Young Person Essay This was aimed at understanding children better and for the Filipino teacher to be more aware of the childrenââ¬â¢s rights. The code contained the following provision: To understand and help children better, it is important for every Filipino teacher to be cognizant of such rights. The provisions of the Code regarding such rights are as follows: All children shall be entitled o the rights herein set forth without distinction as to legitimacy, sex, social status, religion, political antecedents, and other factors. 1. Every child is endowed with dignity and worth of a human being from the moment of his conception, as generally accepted in medical parlance, and has therefore, the right to be born well. 2. Every child has the right to a wholesome family life that will provide him with love, care and understanding, guidance and counseling, moral and material security. . Every child has the right to a well-rounded development of his personality to the end that he may become a happy, useful, and active member of society. 4. Every child has the right to a balance diet, adequate clothing, sufficient shelter, proper medical attention, and all the basic physical requirements of a healthy and vigorous life. 5. Every child has the right to be brought up in an atmosphere of morality and rectitude for the enrichment and the strengthening of his character. 6. Every child has the right to an education commensurate with his ability and to the development of his skills for the improvement of his capacity for service to himself and his fellowmen. 7. Every child has the right to full opportunities for safe and wholesome recreation and activities, individual as well as social, for the wholesome use of his leisure hours. 8. Every child has the right to protection against exploitation , improper influences, hazards, and the other conditions or circumstances prejudicial to his physical, mental, emotional, social , and moral development.
Wednesday, January 22, 2020
The Infinity Mirror :: The Infinity Mirror
The Infinity Mirror à "Tularecito" is a myth about truth. Tularicito, just a character of that myth, is the focus for this glossed over fable. Steinbeck draws on this form of genre to present the idea that we are all a part of what happens to others, based upon our nature. à The image presented of Tularecito is that of a demon, an idiot savant, a boy with a gift from God, and that gift's cost. He is a freak, a dangerous misfit, an innocent who does not need the constraints of reality. Tularecito is a test. The test is one of moral caliber. It is a test of the souls of the characters who overshadaow Tularecito. à Pancho is a man that is both holy and sinful. His purfunctory act of church going becomes true belief as alcohol demons induce him to halucinate a deformed boy into an outcast from hell. He looks into his mirror and sees himself, becomes shaken, reforms. à From Pancho's employer, Franklin Gomez, we get a cold hard look into society. We see a mother, knowing her son is to be hated and feared, and perhaps possibly killed, cannot face killing her son with her bare hands. She leaves the killing to exposure to the elements, enying herself a look into Tularecito. à Franklin adopts Pancho's demon, and Tularecito transforms into a disadvantaged who has been gifted with talent. Tularecito becomes a man at the age of six, "The boy grew rapidly, but after the fifth year his brain did not grow any more," To Franklin, Tularecito is grace, and graceless. He is talented in all things of any physical strength, and well proficient in the creation of beauty, and an artist in the care for life of nature. The touch of Tularecito brings beauty, and life, and love to the world, until he becomes enraged, (should anyone endanger what came from the touch of his hand). Franklin looked intoà Tularecito's mirror and saw what Tularecito was.
Tuesday, January 14, 2020
Globalization: Good or Bad Essay
A tremendously contentious issue, globalization has been the center if much discusses and has raised a lot of questions. Some have viewed its procedure as helpful, while many others disagree that it produces adverse results and cost. Though, before the questions and apprehensions of globalization, it is essential to decide or rather describe globalization and all which is concerned. Although à ° fairly new term, dating to 1980s, globalization has been à ° historical process evident for over the last 100 years. Globalization specially encompasses many aspects for example trade, capital movement, stretch of information, movement of people. (Yager 2004) In the broader definition, globalization promotes effectiveness by utilizing each market and nationââ¬â¢s specialization; nonetheless, allowing people and economies to focus on what they do best. Globalization gives opportunity to each nation to access each others markets as well as to capital flow, technology, imports, exports, politics, and culture. However, as some countries continually reap the benefits and flourish others are falling short. (Guillen 2001) With any global process there are definitely risks and consequences to follow. It is certain that globalization led to à ° great economical growth but it is obvious that prosperity is not equal. Already advanced countries are the ones who have benefited most by globalization; nevertheless, this is not to say slowly developing countries have not prospered as well. However, the poorest regions such as in Africa and the former Soviet have not been able to keep up with the worldwide phenomenon. Low income countries have not integrated with the global economy because of policies and outside factors beyond their control. These factors are not fault of globalization; however, there has not been much effort to strengthen these countries financial systems. Globalization is lacking processes in which to increase trade and aid to the poorest countries which would help with integration of all countries-rich and poor. Furthermore, there are not only gaps between the rich and poor countries, but among the rich and poor within the countries which are benefiting from globalization. (Gladwin 2002) Comparative advantage and globalization The theory of absolute advantage was originally proposed in 1776 by Adam Smith. Smithââ¬â¢s theory was the first to explain the benefit of free trade. Smith felt that the hand of the market mechanism, rather than government policy, should determine à ° countries imports and exports. Free trade is achieved when à ° government does not influence trade through quotas or duties. Theory of absolute advantage, ââ¬Å"â⬠¦suggests that à ° country should specialize in producing goods in areas where it has an absolute advantage and import goods in areas where other countries have absolute advantagesâ⬠. (Sherman, Steingard & Fitzgibbons 2002) The theory of comparative advantage, building on Smithââ¬â¢s theory, David Ricardo advanced the intellectual theory for unrestricted free trade by suggesting thatâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ it makes sense for à ° country to specialize in producing those goods that it can produce most efficiently, while buying goods that it can produce relatively less efficiently from other countries even if that means buying goods from other countries that it could produce more efficiently itselfâ⬠. In short, the theory of comparative advantage suggests that opening à ° country to free trade stimulates economic growth. (Guillen 2001) Heckscher-Ohlin theory is à ° refined version of the work of Ricardo. Eli Heckscher and Bertil Ohlin, 20th century Swedish economistsââ¬â¢ revealed one of the most influential ideas in international economics. (Brown, David, and Hunter 2004) The Heckscher-Ohlin hypothesis has been one of the most significant hypothetical ideas in global economics. The Heckscher-Ohlin theory suggests that the pattern of international trade is determined by endowments. The theory further reveals that, ââ¬Å"â⬠¦ countries will export those goods that make intensive use of locally abundant factors and will import goods that make intensive use of factors that are locally scarceâ⬠. (Stasavage 2005) Factors of Globalization The major drivers of globalization are the decline in barriers to the free flow of goods, services, and capital, technological change, communication, information processing, and transportation technologies. Examples of declining trade and investment barriers that will enable the free flow of goods and services can be seen in the reduction of tariffs and legal blocks which have prevented cross country business. (Gladwin 2002) These barriers were lessoned over the past decades facilitated by the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe and the move towards free market economies in China and Latin America. Reduction of these barriers has resulted in the current trend toward the globalization of production and the ability to see the world as à ° single market. (Yergin & Stanislaw 2000) Examples of technological change can be seen in the major advances seen in communication, information processing, and transportation technology, including the explosive emergence of the Internet and the World Wide We. Arguably the most important development is that of the microprocessor, which has fueled explosive growth increasing power and reducing costs there by exponentially increasing the amount of information processed by individual and organizations alike. (Guillen 2001) In the past three decades global communication has been enhanced by developments in satellite, optical fiber, wireless technologies, the Internet and the World Wide Web (WWW). Transportation innovations such as the jet aircraft, super-freighters, and the introductions of containerization have simplified shipment from one mode of transportation to the next; thereby increasing the speed and reducing the cost of goods shipped enabling organizations to expand the geographical area to which goods can be shipped. (Osland Dhanda & Yuthas 2002) Pros Productivity To begin with, globalization is creating à ° competitive advantage to companies which outsource labor work to cheaper countries hence lowering their costs. In this scenario both countries would be better of since the cheaper country would foreign cash inflows and the outsourcing country would have cheaper costs. (Gladwin 2002) à problem with this practice is creating loss of jobs in the outsourcing country, but that is like saying à ° supermarket is laying of specific workers to hire more efficient workers therefore creating joblessness for the laid off workers. The workers will eventually get work in à ° field where they have ââ¬Å"comparative advantageâ⬠in which is having an advantage among others based on specialization (in the simple sense). (Jepsen 2004) The same applies to à ° country as à ° whole when unemployment is on the rise; this will probably create à ° downward pressure on the cost of employment in the country and therefore having companies going back to hiring locals for the job since they now cost less and would then have the comparative advantage. à second reason why globalization should be supported is that worldwide welfare is increased when each country does what is has à ° comparative advantage in, and this should come naturally as each company in à ° country individually finds the country to produce in that makes the most economic sense. (Brown, David, and Hunter 2004) This increase in welfare is accomplished because by definition when using comparative advantage each country is working in its specialization therefore each country is producing relatively its highest capacity. One of the greatest evils for the business/economic world is inflation and globalization helps limit inflation and this is due to competition in à ° bigger scale (worldwide) rather than just country wide. (Osland Dhanda & Yuthas 2002) Another reason why welfare will increase because of globalization is the fact that countries which have jobs given to them from foreign countries will now have more means to buying products from other countries all over the world therefore increasing the standard of living in all countries involved. Globalization spawns interaction between many different cultures which creates an understanding of populationsââ¬â¢ ideologies and values towards one another. (Gladwin 2002) This creates more political stability as misunderstandings are less likely to occur. This can also be à ° problem as some extremists might be close minded to interaction and introduction of foreigners into the country which creates à ° bit of à ° cultural clash and some problems might occur such as revolutions against new policies and, in an extreme situation, war. (Stasavage 2005) Ideas and innovation Although in general globalization is à ° positive effect it still has its pitfalls. As previously discussed workers in the outsourcing country loose à ° lot of their jobs and unemployment is à ° serious problem to every economy. It is been said that one quarter of workers who have lost their jobs to outsourcing would still be unemployed 3 years from the time they were laid-off. (Sherman, Steingard & Fitzgibbons 2002) The workers who have not lost their job will probably be facing survivor syndrome which is the fear of loosing their job after à ° huge lay off has made around them and they havenââ¬â¢t been laid-off which has effects on the humanââ¬â¢s health(heart problems) and productivity if they think there is no hope and they start lagging of. Exploitation of developing countries by developed countries is one of the major problems of globalization and it exists in two forms. The first type is using the labor force of à ° country for an extremely low price, in some cases old woman and very young children were used in the production of various products such as shoes and clothing. (Gladwin 2002) This issue was brought into attention in the late nineties with companies like Nike exploiting young kids to work for close to nothing and in horrid conditions in countries such as Indonesia. The second form of exploitation is when developing countries are forced to sell their products (coffee in the case of Brazil) at à ° very low price due to market fluctuations and the desperate need for income. à cut in the production of one product in one part of the world would be highly felt in à ° whole different part of the world and that effect is highly substantial in primary products like oil. (Gladwin 2002) Inflation, jobs and outsourcing There are many advantages which à ° company could get from outsourcing its distribution functions. à study which has been conducted in 1993 reported that à ° company could reduce 9% of its operating costs by outsourcing. When à ° company is outsourced its distribution function to world-class provider, it would reduce the cost of this function as the provider would be more efficient and specialist in this function. Also, by outsourcing non-core activities like distribution, à ° company could focus on its core activities and increase revenues. . Managers realize that by outsourcing their routine, nonessential operations, they can better focus on the core competencies that truly differentiate them from competitor. (Gladwin 2002) For example, Ericsson one, of the leading companies in the telecommunication industry, wanted to reduce its costs in the supply chain by finding à ° solution to its warehouses in Philippines. (Guillen 2001) Ericsson is always trying to reduce costs in different areas of business, this is including, the supply chain so as to save money and focus on Research and development. Therefore, Ericsson turned to Exel. Ericsson has leased the warehousing operation to Exel on à ° two years contract. Exel has provided à ° flexible service to Ericsson which has resulted in cost saving and made Ericsson concentrate on its core businesses. Before Ericsson has to handle the warehouse operation in-house but it was not the core competencies of the business. (Osland Dhanda & Yuthas 2002) Another advantage of outsourcing is the reduction of the need to invest in non-core business assets such as warehousing and carriers. This will allow the firm to make the capital funds more available for core functions such as research and development in the telecommunication industry. For example, Northern Telecom manufacture enterprise which is operating in 130 countries has outsourced its distribution service to Ryder Dedicated Logistic. The main reason for Northern Telecom to outsource its distribution function, it did not want to invest in non-core activities. (Yergin & Stanislaw 2000) The development and increasing implementation of outsourcing has not been without its problem. The cost escalation and lack of quality of service are two of the more frequent complaints from firms towards the third party, although contractors argue that these problems often stem from firmââ¬â¢s failure to be precise about what they want by outsourcing their distribution service. Clear objectives need to be set by and to achieve this high level of communication and understanding between firm and service provider must be established. (Sherman, Steingard & Fitzgibbons 2002) Cons Jobs loss The risk outsourcing is the impact of outsourcing on those currently responsible for management of the function is fundamental. If the service is outsourced, the management of the provision of the service from within the organization is radically changed from management of à ° function to management of the business relationship with à ° contractor. The lack of control posed by movement of this function outside of the organization is often seen as the greatest risk of outsourcing. Consequently, it needs to be cautiously planned and managed. In reality, the effect of outsourcing can simply be seen as à ° shift in focus from managing à ° function to managing à ° contractual relationship. Careful planning together with à ° contract written to provide for control measures such as performance monitoring, and good contract administration will minimize or negate any lack of control. (Gladwin 2002) Outsourcing now usually includes benefit transfers. Examples are transfers of staff, sale of existing equipment, and/or à ° transfer of existing contracts used in the provision of the service. It is common for specialist outsourcing companies to seek à ° transfer of existing staff to do the work. An organization can facilitate this process by allowing communication between staff and bidders about options for staff. Many staff views the opportunity to work with an organization that specializes in their field as valuable; others will prefer redeployment or simply à ° redundancy. (Gladwin 2002) Sometimes the sale, lease or sublicense of à ° site is also involved. It is therefore important that à ° complete asset valuation is undertaken as part of the process of defining an organizationââ¬â¢s current service and preferred requirements. The organization must know what equipment and other physical property it has, including consumables, what contracts are currently used in the provision of the service and relevant details of those contracts. It is common for specialist outsourcing companies to seek à ° transfer of existing staff to do the work. An organization can facilitate this process by allowing communication between staff and bidders about options for staff. All these need to be considering when the company decides to outsource its distribution activities to the external agents. (Jepsen 2004) As noted, there are many advantages for companies who choose outsourcing as à ° means of satisfying their logistics need, but just as there are advantages there are also disadvantages. Outsourcing is based upon fundamental principles and, if those are applied at the outset of à ° relationship, the parties will most likely have an effective, successful relationship. But if the parties enter into an agreement that is not based on those principles, the result will be an unsatisfactory relationship and, probably, an early termination of the contract. (Karliner 2000)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)