Shared Flashcard Set

Details

BUSA4200_B
after mid term
134
Business
Undergraduate 4
06/12/2012

Additional Business Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
Foreign Exchange Market
Definition
a market for converting the currency of one country into that of another country
Term
Exchange Rate
Definition
The rate at which one currency is converted into another
Term
Foreign exchange risk
Definition
the risk that changes in exchange rates will hurt the profitability of a business deal
Term
Currency Speculation
Definition
Involves the short-term movement of funds from one currency to another in the hopes of profiting from shifts in exchange rates
Term
Carry Trade
Definition
involves borrowing in one currency where interest rates are low, and then using the proceeds to invest in another currency where interest rates are high
Term
hedging
Definition
the process of insuring one's business against foreign exchange risk by using forward exchanges or currency swaps
Term
spot exchange rate
Definition
the exchange rate at which a foreign exchange dealer will convert one currency into another currency on a particular day
Term
forward exchange
Definition
when two parties agree to exchange currency and execute the deal at some specific date in the future
Term
Forward exchange rate
Definition
the exchange rate governing forward exhange transactions
Term
currency swap
Definition
simultaneous purchase and sale of a given amount of foreign exchange for two different value dates
Term
arbitrage
Definition
the purchase of securities in one market for immmediate resale in aother to profit from a price discrepancy
Term
Law of One Price
Definition
in competitive markets free of transportation costs and carriers to trade, identical products sold in different countries must sell for the same price when their price is expressed in terms of the same currency
Term
efficient market
Definition
a market which has no impediments to the free flow of goods and services, such as trade barriers, and prices reflect all available public information
Term
Fisher Effect
Definition

nominal interest rates in each country equal the required "real" rate of interest and the expected rate of inflation over the period for which the funds are to be lent

i=r+l

Term
International Fisher Effect
Definition
for any two countries, the spot exchange rate should change in an equal amount but the opposite direction to the difference in nominal interest rates between the two countries. 
Term
bandwagon effect
Definition
when traders move like a herd, all in the same direction and at the same time, in response to each others' perceived actions
Term
ineffient market
Definition
one in which prices do not reflect all available information
Term
fundamental analysis
Definition
drams on economic theory to construct sophisticated economic models for predicting exchange rate movements.
Term
technical analysis
Definition
uses price and volume data to determine past trends, which are expected to contineue into the future
Term
freely convertible currency
Definition
a country's currency is freely convertible when the government of that country allows both residents and nonresidents to purchase unlimited amounts of foreign currency with it
Term
externally convertible currency
Definition
nonresidents can convert their holdings of domestic currency into foreign currency, but the ability of residents to convert the currency is limited in some way
Term
nonconvertible currency
Definition
a currency is not convertible when both residents and nonresidents are prohibited from converting thier holding of that currency into another country
Term
capital flight
Definition
residents convert domestic currency into a foreign currency
Term
countertrade
Definition
the trade of goods and service for other goods and services
Term
freight forwarders
Definition

independent businesses that handle export (or import) shipments for compensations

-act as agents

-prepare documents

-offer advice

Term
translation exposure
Definition
the extent to which the reported consolidated results and balance sheets of a corportaion are affected by fluctuations in foreign exchange values
Term
economic exposure
Definition
the extent to which a firm's future international earning power is affected by changes in exchange rates
Term
lead strategy
Definition
attempting to collect foreign currency receivables early when a foreign currency is expected to depreciate and paying foreign currency payables before they are due when a currency is expected to appreciate
Term
Lag Strategy
Definition
delaying collection of foreign currency receivables if that currency is expected to appreciate and delyaing payables if the currency is expected to depreciate
Term

Export Management Companies

(EMCs)

Definition

export specialists who act as the export management department or international department for client firms

Two-types of assignment:

-start operations for a firm with understanding the firm will take over after they are well established

-start-up services iwth continuing responsibilty for selling the firms products internationally

Term
international monetary system
Definition
institutional arrangements countries adopt to govern exchange rates
Term
floating exchange rate
Definition

a system under which the exchange rate for converting one currency into another is continually adjusted depending on the laws of supply and demand. 

Ex: US dollar, Yen, UK pound, Euro

*thus their exchange rates determined by the market forces and fluctuate aga eah other day to day.

Term
pegged exchange rate
Definition
currency value is fixed relative to a reference currency
Term
dirty float
Definition
a system under which country's currency is nominally allowed to float freely against other currencies, but in which the government will intervene, buying and selling currency, if it believes that the currency has deviated too far from its fair value. 
Term
fixed exchange rate
Definition
a system under which the exchange rate for converting one currency into another is fixed. 
Term

European Monetary System

(EMS)

Definition
a system to regulate fixed exchange rates before the introduction of the euro.
Term
gold standard
Definition
the practice of pegging currencies to gold and guarenteeing convertibility. 
Term
gold par value
Definition
the amount of currency needed to purchase one ounce of gold 
Term
balance of trade equilibrium
Definition
reached when the income a country's residents earn from exports equals the money residents pay for imports. 98i
Term
managed-floating system
Definition
system under which some currencies are allowed to float freely, butt the majority are either managed by governement intervention or pegged to another currency
Term
currency board
Definition
means of controlling a country's currency; holds reserves of foreign currency equal at the fixed exchange rate at at least 100 percent of the domestic currency issued. 
Term
currency crisis
Definition
occurs when a speculative attack on the echange value of a currency results in a sharp depreciation in the value of the currency of forces authorities to expend large volumes of international currency reserves and sharply increase interest rates to defend the prevailing exchange rates
Term
banking crisis
Definition
a loss of confidence in the banking system that leads to a run on banks, as individuals and companies withdraw their deposits
Term
moral hazard
Definition
arises when people behave recklessly because they know they will be saved if things go wrong
Term
strategy
Definition
actions managers take to attain the firm's goals; maximize the value of the firm for its owners, shareholders
Term
profitability
Definition
a ratio or rate of return concept, calculated by dividing the net profits of the firm by total invested capital (ROIC)
Term
profit growth
Definition
the percentage increase in net profits over time
Term
Value creation
Definition

ferforming activities that increase the value goods or services to consumers.

(V-C)...higher gap=better!

-By: lowering productions costs C

-increase V through design, styling, functionality, features, reliability, after sale service

Term
Operations
Definition
the various value creation activities a firm undertakes
Term
Organization Architecture
Definition
the totality of a firm's organization, including formal organizational structure, control systems and incentives, organizational culture, processes, and people
Term
Organizational Structure
Definition
The 3 part structure of an organization including its formal division into subunits such as product dividsions, its location of decision-making responsibilities within that structure, and the establishment of integrating mechanisms to coordinate the activities of subunits
Term
Controls
Definition
the metrics used to measure the performance of subunits and make judgments about how well managers are running those subunits
Term
incentives
Definition
are the devices used to reward appropriate managerial behavior. 
Term
processes
Definition
the manner in which decisions are made and work is performed within the organization
Term
organizational culture
Definition
the norms and value systems shared among an organization's employees
Term
people
Definition
the employees of an organization, its recruiting, compensations, and retention strategies, and the type of people who work a the organization. 
Term
core competence
Definition
a firm's skills that competitors cannot easily match or imitate; bedrock of a firm's competitive advantage
Term
location economies
Definition
cost advantages from performing a value creation activity in th eoptimal location for that activity...can lower the cost of value creation and help the firm to achieve a low-cot position, and-or it can enable a firm to differentiate its product offering from those of competitors 
Term
Global web
Definition
when different stages of the value chain are dispersed to those locations around the globe where value added is maximized or where costs of value creation are minimized. 
Term
experience curve
Definition

systematic production cost reductions that occur over the life of a product; each time cumulative output doubles

-->due to: learning effects and economies of scale

Term
learning effects
Definition
cost savings from learning by doing
Term
economies of scale
Definition
cost advantages associated iwth large-scale production; spread fixed costs over a large volume
Term
Universal needs
Definition
needs that are the same all over the world, such as steel, bulk chemicals, and industrial electronics
Term
global standardization strategy
Definition
a firm focuses on increasing profitability and profit growth by reaping the cost reductions that come from economies of scale, learning effects, and location economies; no customization 
Term
localization strategy
Definition
increasing profitability by customizing the firm's goods or services so that they provie a good match to tastes and preferences in different national markets. 
Term
transnational strategy
Definition
attempt to simultaneously achieve low costs throught location economies, economies of scale, and learning effects while also differentiating product offering across geographic markets to acount for local differences and fostering a multidirectional flow of skills bt differerent subsidaaries in the firm's global network of operations
Term
international strategy
Definition

trying to create value by taking products first produced for the domestic market and selling them internationally with only minimal local customization.

 

Grace kennedy, microsoft

Term

strategic alliances

 

Definition
cooperative agreements between two or more firms
Term
timing of entry
Definition
entry is early when a firm enters a forein market before other foreign firms and late when firms enters after other international business have established themselves. 
Term
first mover disadvantage
Definition
disadvantages associated with entering a foreign market before other international businesses. give rise to pioneering costs
Term
pioneering costs
Definition
costs that an early entrant has to bear that later entrant can avoid; such as the time and effort in learning the rules, failure due to ignorance and the liability of being a foreigner; when firms home market different from foreign market; promoting and establishing a product offering, educating customers.
Term
Exporting
Definition

Advantages: avoids substanial costs of establishing manufaturing operations in a host country; exportin gmay help a firm achieve exerience curve and location economies.

Disadvantages: exporting from home base may not be appropriate if lower-cost locations for manuf the product can be found abroad; high transportation costs are uneconomical for bulk products; tariff barriers; firm delegates its marketing, sales, and service in each country where it does business to another company; ignorance/intimidation; poor market analysis

Term
Turnkey Project
Definition

a project in which a firm agrees to set up an operating plant for a foreign client and hand over the "key" when the plant is fully operational. Most common in pharmaceutical, petroleum refining, and metal refining industries. A way of earning great economic returns from that asset

ADVANTAGES: useful where FDI is limited by host-governing regulations; can also be less risky than conventional FDI

DISADVANTAGES: the firm that enters into a turnkey deal will have no long-term interest in the foreign country; the firm that enters into a turnkey project with a foreign enterprise may inadvertently create a competitor; if the firm's process technology is a source of competitive advantage, then selling this technology through a turnkey project is also selling competitive advantage to potential and/or actual competitors.

Term
licensing Agreement
Definition

occurs when a firm licenses the rights to produce its product, its production processes, or its brand name or trademark to another firm, in return the licensor collects a royalty fee from the licensee. 

ADVANTAGES: licensee puts up most of the capital necessary to get the overseas operation going...firm bears no development costs or risks; frequently used when a firm possesses some intangible property that might have business applications, but it does not want to develop those applications itself.

DISADVANTAGES: does not give firm tight control over manufacturing, marketing, or strategy that is required for realizing experience curve and location economies; competing in global market may require a firm to coordinate strategic moves across countries by using profits earned in one country to support competitive attacks by another; risk with liccensing technological know-hows.

Term
wholly owned subidiary
Definition

a subsidiairy in which the firms owns 100 percent of the stock. Greenfield venture, or merger/aquistion

ADVANTAGES: preferred with technological competence; gives firm tight control over operationsin different countries; may be required if a firm is trying to realize location and experience curve economies.

DISADVANTAGE: most costly mode.

Term
sogo shosha
Definition
Japan's great trading houses
Term

Export Management COmpany

(EMC)

 

Definition
export specialists who act as the export marketing department for client firms
Term
letter of credit
Definition
issued by a bank, indicating that the bank will make payments under specific circumstances
Term
bill of exchange
Definition
an order written by an exporter instructing an importer, or an importer's aganet, to pay a specified amount of money at a specified time; also called a draft
Term
draft
Definition
an order written y an exporter instructing an importer, or an importer's agent, to pay a specified amount of money at a specified time
Term
sight draft
Definition
a draft payable on presentation to the drawee
Term
time draft
Definition
a promise to pay by the accepting party at some future date
Term
Bill of Lading
Definition

a document issued to the exporter by the common carrier transporting the merchandise; it serves as a receipt, a contract, and a document of title

-receipt

-contrade

-document of title

Term
export-import bank
Definition
agency of the us goverment whose mission is to provide in financing and facilitate exports and imports; also referred to as the Ex-Im bank
Term
barter
Definition
the direct exchange of goods an/or services bt two parties wo a cash transaction
Term
counterpurchase
Definition
a reciprocal buying agreement
Term
offset
Definition
a buying agreement similar to a counterpurchase, but the exporting country can then fulfill the agreement with any firm in the country to which the sale is being made. 
Term
switch trading
Definition
the use of specialized third party trading house in a countertrade agreement
Term
buyback
Definition
when a firm builds a plant in a country and agrees to take a certain percentage of the plant's outtput as partial payment for the contract. 
Term
production
Definition
activities involved in making a product
Term
logistics
Definition
the procurement and physical transmission of materil through the supply chain, from suppliers to customers. 
Term
TQM
Definition
Management philosophy that takes as it central focus the need to improve the quality of a company's products and services. 
Term
Six Sigma
Definition
statistically based methodologuy for improving product quality
Term
ISO  9000
Definition
certification process that requires certain quality standards must be met.
Term
minimum efficient scale
Definition
the level of output at which most plant-level scale economies are exhausted. 
Term

flexible manufacturing technology

(Lean technology)

Definition
manufacturing technology designed to improve job scheduling, reduce set time, and improve quality control. 
Term
mass customization
Definition

the production of a variety of end products at a unit cost that could once be achieved only through mass production of a standardized output. 

**low cost and  product customizaton through use of flexible manufacturing technology

Term
Flexible machine cells
Definition
flexible manufacturing technology in which a grouping of various machine types, a common materials handler, and a centralized cell controller produce a family of products.
Term
specialized asset
Definition
an asset designed to perform a specific task, whose value is significantly reduced in its next-best use. 
Term
global learning
Definition
the flow of skills and product offerings from foreign subsidiary to home country and from foreign susidiary and foreign subsidiary.
Term
3 Modes of entry
Definition

which markets to enter

when to enter the markets

what scale of entry

Term
concentrated retail system
Definition
a few retailers supply most of the market. 
Term
fragmented retail system
Definition
many retailers supply the market with no one obtaining the most shares. 
Term
channel length
Definition
the number of intermediaries that a product has to go through before it reaches the final customer.
Term
exclusive distribution channel
Definition
a channel that outsiders finds difficult to access
Term
marketing mix
Definition
choices abut product attributes, distribution strategy, communication strategy, and pricing strategy that a firm offers its target markets
Term
market segmentation
Definition
identifying groups of consumers whose purchasing behavior differs from others in important ways
Term
concentrated retail system
Definition
a few retailers supply most of the market
Term
channel length
Definition
the number of intermediaries that a product has to go through before it reaches the final customer.
Term
exclusive distribution channel
Definition
a channel that outsiders find it difficult to access..ex shelf space at supermarket.
Term
Channel quality
Definition
the expertise, competencies, and skills of established retailers in a nation, and their ability to sell and support the products of international businesses. 
Term
source of effects
Definition
when the receiver of a message evaluates the message based on the status or image of the sender.
Term
Country of Origin Effects
Definition
the extent to which the place of manufacturing influences product evaluations. 
Term
noise
Definition
the amount of other messages competing for a potential consumer's attention. 
Term
push strategy
Definition
a marketing strategy emphasizing personal selling rather than mass media advertising
Term
pull strategy
Definition
a marketing strategy emphasizing mass media advertising as opposed to personal selling
Term
price elasticity of demand
Definition
a measure of how responsive demand for a product is to changes in price
Term
elastic
Definition
when a small change in price produces a large change in demand
Term
inelastic
Definition
when a large change in price produces only small change in demand. 
Term
strategic pricing
Definition
pricing aimed at giving a company a competitive advantage over its rivals; predatory pricing, multipoint pricing, experience curve pricing
Term
predatory pricing
Definition
reducing prices below fair market value as competitive weapon to drive weaker competitors out of the market.
Term
multipoint pricing
Definition
occurs when a pricing strategy in one market may have an impact on rival's pricing strategy in another market.
Term
experience curve pricing
Definition
agressive pricing designed to increase volume and help the firm realize experience curve economies.
Term
human resource management
Definition
activities an organization conducts to use its human resource effectively
Term
expatriate manager
Definition
a national of one country appointed to a management position in another country
Term
staffing policy
Definition
strategy concerned with selecting employees for particular jobs
Term
coportate culture
Definition
an organization's norms and value systems
Term
ethnocentric staffing policy
Definition

a staffing approach within the NME in which all key management positions are filled by parent-country nationals; international strategic appropriateness

ADVANTAGES: overcomes lack of qualified managers in host nation, unified culture, helps transfer core competencies

DISADVANTAGES:produces resentment in host country, can lead to cultural myopia

Term
polycentric staffing policy
Definition

an NME staffing policy in which host-country nationals are recruited to manage subsidiaries in their own country, while parent-country nationals occupy key positions at corporate headquarters; localization

ADVANTAGES: alleviates cultural myopia, inexpensive to implement

DISADVANTAGES: limits career mobility, isolates headquarters from foreign subsidiaries

Term
geocentric staffing policy
Definition

a staffing policy under whenich the firm seeks the best people for key jobs throughout the company, regardless of nationality; global standardization & transnational

ADVANTAGES: uses human resources efficiently, helps build strong culture and informal management networks

DISADVANTAGES: national immigration policies may limit implementation, expensive

Term
expatriate failure
Definition
the premature of an expatriate manager to the home country
Term
joint venture
Definition

establishing a firm that is jointly owned by two or more otherwise independent firms

ADVANTAGES: local partner's knowledge of the host country's competitive conditions, culture, launguage, political system, and business systems. High development costs/risks, a firms gains by sharing these costs with local partner; for many countries, joint ventures only means of entry into foreign market.

DISADVANTAGE: risks giving control of its technology to its partner; does not give a firm the tight control over subsidiaries that it might need to realize experience curve or location economies; shared ownership arrangement can lead to conflicts and battles for control between the investing firms if their goals and objectives change or if they take different views as to what the strategy should be.

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