1/24/12

Fast Break to China- Kaitlyn Bernath

Basically this article is talking about how important Mr. Yao will become, if he continues to succeed and do well. Mr. Yao’s journey to the NBA is the product of a calculated bet more than a decade ago when they said sports would provide a commercial opening to china. The league had first aired a game on TV in China in 1987. Nike actually outfitted China’s track team in the Olympics in 1984.The NBA and Nike got lucky when they landed Mr.Yao, a skilled and personable athlete who is already a cultural icon in China. David Stern said that kids will now want to be like him. Mr. Yao will be a market unto himself. Mr. Yao is important to the NBA because he has a big impact already and he will connect the sport of Basketball to China. International players impact people everywhere. They open up opportunities for players everywhere when they realize what they can do, and who they can be like. For example, now that Mr. Yao has come to the US there will be many young kids in China who want to do the same thing.

As of last season, there are a total of 84 international players. Last season only 2 teams did not have a foreign player on their team. The Toronto Raptors have 6 international players from Australia, Brazil, Italy, Lithuania, Nigeria, and Spain. The Mavericks and the Utah Jazz have 5 foreign players from Netherlands, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, and the Virgin Islands, while 8 teams have four. France provided the most players with 11 followed by Turkey, 5 from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Serbia, and Spain with 4. (Taken from http://www.interbasket.net/news/7229/2010/10/record-84-international-players-as-2010-11-nba-season-opens/) The players are important because they open new business opportunities and bring new ideas and cultures from their countries. It all started at the Olympic Games when basketball was introduced. When the Americans had lost to the European team they realized how much value there could be in allowing international players to come to the United States.

1/18/12

                This article talks about how Mr.Mahmoud wanted to start a pizza business. Mr.Mahmoud went to Italy to learn the art of making pizzas, but dreamed of opening his own shop. Mr.Mohmoud started a pizza business in Baghdad. He decorated his shop with things from Rome and an Italian flag with Arabic writing. Americans from the nearby compound came and bought pizzas, and was soon selling nearly 200 pizzas a day to the Americans. His profit rose up to more than $1000; this was a lot of money in Iraq. Soon terrorists blew up the US compound and his profit fell to only $160 in September. Sales picked up a little, but dropped again. When he went through the receipts he made $17 one day, $13 the next and $1 the next. When he was in danger he left and quit, then he came back and started selling them again. His family helped by doing different things in his restaurant. Another good business would be a grocery store, but I personally wouldn’t work there in the war because I would rather be safe than sorry. He decided to think of a place that there was little business and most likely no pizza, and succeeded when he decided to open a business.

                They have to go through many different stages before opening a business overseas. They have to talk to the U.S. department of commerce and they have to think about how different things will be before they jump to conclusions.They need to do their homework on the customs and rules they need to know before spreading their business. They also need to pick a location where there are people who would be attracted to what they’re selling, and they need to decide what business they are opening. They need to make a business plan also and find a representative who can help them with any questions they need to know; an expert preferably. They also need to find a bank and hire the right people for their blog. They need someone who is willing to work and will do a good job. It would also be good if the person has experience in the field. Lastly they need to take it slow, think through everything,  and make sure you have all the necessary documents. There is actually a McDonalds in Iraq. They seem to be quite successful too.

1/9/12

Tattoos

I think that it makes sense. If you are going to an interview and have tattoos, you should cover the majority of them up. If you have a bunch of tattoos you don’t look very civilized. If you have one or two tattoos people shouldn’t be so judgmental, but if you have a lot of noticeable or large tattoos it makes sense to cover them up. It can count as discrimination. For example, if someone won’t hire you because you’re black, or won’t let you play a sport because you’re small it’s pretty much the same thing. Although I do think if you have a lot, you’re less likely to get hired. Business owners have the right to hire who they want, but it’s wrong for them to judge people just because they have a tattoo. If I owned a business I wouldn’t be rude or impolite to the person. I would kindly say well, those ones need to be covered so please wear long pants etc.  Standards now are different because back then it wasn’t as common to have a tattoo. Now there are kids that are 16 who have tattoos but back then, it would be more of a surprise. I believe people shouldn’t be so strongly judgmental, but also believe you need to act mature and ethical when you want a job.