Individual Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Individual Assignment - Essay Example Innovation management is now an inherent aspect of organisations around the world. Businesses seek to find ways of improving their system of creating innovations and commercialising their innovations to attain the best results and the highest returns possible. Innovation is defined â€Å"something new which did not exist in this form up till now† (Sattler, 2011: p9). In other words, innovation is about providing new solutions that did not exist in the past to resolve problems and issues in the society. Schumpeter stated that innovation is â€Å"a new combination of production factors† (Sattler, 2011, p10). This position views innovation as an adjustment or changes in the internal structures and systems of an organisation in order to provide something different and unique to consumers in the society. Innovation is seen as a structured and disciplined approach to dealing with new productions and adjusting the system to accommodate new ideas and systems. Narayanan and OConnor (2010) identify three main stages of innovation: Innovation begins by the discovery of a new way or a new approach in doing things. This involves the invention of a better way and a better approach of resolving an issue in the society. When this is done, the organisation will have to find a way of getting the relevant intellectual property or brand identity registered for recognition. Once the invention is seen to be one that can be replicated, the organisation will have to take reasonable steps to develop it. Development is done by the commercialisation of a given idea or phenomenon. This will help the organisation to attain its results and targets and maximise its benefits form the given invention. Market penetration depends on the creation of a market for the new invention and the growth and development of the market. This aims at getting the best and the highest

Creating a Travel Planning ICT System Essay Example for Free

Creating a Travel Planning ICT System Essay In this project I will be creating a system to help plan the costs, amount of people and which people are going on the overnight trip. Here you will be taking the role of Sana, who is helping her French teacher (Mr Campbell) work out the costs of the week long French trip as he was experiencing some difficulty. On a day to day basis Mr Campbell has to create a letter about parent evenings for the trip, permission slips, dietary and medical requirements and remaining money. He also needs to work out the total in goings and total outgoings and make sure that the school doesnt make a loss but doesnt need to make a profit. He will also need to create a record of data about which pupils are going and arent going and how we will put this in and use this to help create letters As Mr Campbell was experiencing some difficulty working out the costs using a calculator and paper and you had suggested that you would create a system that helps him work out the cost very easily and is a very user friendly design (maybe a user guide to help those who find this system hard and need some help) and you should ensure that anybody with little knowledge of computers is able to change certain amounts e.g. amount of people to see how this affects the overall costs. Sana has also offered to create a system in which Mr Campbell can enter a pupils data, how much they have paid (deposit and other monies) and if he/her has brought in the reply slip, this system must also be able search within this data and pick out what you are asking to see. As well as creating a system that does this you must create a system that links to the list of names and using the information that you have searched for I should be able to create a letter to be sent to parents about reply slips, remainin g money etc. My user for this system is Mr Campbell and Mrs Mccloud and could be the deputy head, head teacher etc. As anyone who needs to know how many people will be missing school and how long for, other teachers will need this information to ensure that all important work is given before and after (this information could be presented in queries or reports). Many people will need to access this record or receive information about the trip so I should be able to send out pieces to teachers e.g. form, lesson etc about which dates will be missed. At the moment the business is run by Mr Campbell and he runs it by collecting information from letters and from pupils then writing it down into a log book but this way is too long and too hard so I will be creating a system which will significantly decrease the amount of time wasted by sifting through handwritten data. Sub problems involved In this task there are 4 different sub-problems within the system they are shown on the next page in the diagram with the problem being at the top and the sub problems being shown below and also how these sub problems are linked shown on the diagram. My first sub problem is my costing sheet which will work out all the separate and total costs of the trip. For this sub problem I could use Microsoft word and Microsoft excel. There are advantages and disadvantages of all of these problems and there are all listed below these will all help me to decide which would be the best method of working out these costs. I have chosen these two programs because in each one I can create tables. Different methods of tackling the problem In Microsoft word I can * Create a table * Merge cells * Change the page layout (portrait and landscape) * Change the background colour of the cells * Change the text colour of the cells * Change the justification of the cells * Make cells bold, italic or underlined * Auto fit the cells * I can sort the data * I can add formulas * Use a table auto format But using Microsoft word also has its disadvantages * Harder to change formulas * Harder to use * If something needed to be changed if would be harder for the user I think that Microsoft word isnt a very good program to use because even though you can do a lot of things with making the table and changing things within the table I dont feel that this is the right program to use as I would like a program specifically designed to do things like costing sheets as I have more experience with those so I am able to make them more user friendly and use more features on it. In Microsoft excel I can * Create a table * Merge cells * Change the page layout (portrait and landscape) * Change the background colour of the cells * Change the text colour of the cells * Change the justification of the cells * Make cells bold, italic or underlined * Auto fit the cells * I can sort the data * I can add formulas * Use a table auto format * Create graphs with data * Do auto sum * Use conditional formatting I can also do many other things that would be useful to the sub problem. The disadvantages of this is * it might seem hard to use the only problem I have with this program is that it could look hard top use but with a user guide and a colour coded system I think that that is over come easily and because I am able to do many different things with this package as I am more familiar to it and I think that that would benefit the user. Any methods of doing this would be better than handwriting it because then I would have to work everything out for each little change and keep writing out the results and this can be very time consuming so the best option is to use a computer with maybe a program that is able to create costing sheets For my second sub problem I am creating a poster to advertise this trip to France I am going to use Microsoft word, publisher or paint. I will be listing there advantages and disadvantages to help me to decide which one is more appropriate and suited to this task. Microsoft word is good because * can insert picture * can insert text * can make text boxes * can change colour, background and type and size and justification of text * can change colours etc of background * can insert tables to display data * can insert diagrams You can also do many other things with Microsoft word sop it would be a good program to use but I dont have as much freedom with the text etc then what I would have with another program in which I am able to do many more things. Paint is a good program to use because * I have a lot of freedom within this program * Can create my own lines and shapes and copy and paste parts easily * Can insert text boxes Microsoft paint also has many other good points but I still think I that this program isnt the most ideal because: * I dont now how to make it fit the whole page * Cant use word art, would have to copy and paste it There are also more problems with it and they wouldnt really influence my decision as I think that using paint is already to tedious from the above two problems so it isnt the most desirable solution. Microsoft publisher is good because * I have freedom * can insert picture * can insert text * can make text boxes * can change colour, background and type and size and justification of text * can change colours etc of background * can insert tables to display data * can insert diagrams I can also do other things with Microsoft publisher but they do not need to be stated as I dont feel that that has any tedious or major problems with it so feel that for this task it is the best piece of software to use. Using a computer and its software to tackle this sub problem rather than using a computer because it would take me a long time as well as designing it I would them need to draw and stick anything on then I would need to colour each drawing in staying within the lines and making sure the colour is even this isnt a very good thing because it would take vary long time and wouldnt look professional so for this task it is better to use a computer. For my third sub problem I am creating a record to store all the details about pupils and teachers going on this trip I will be using either of these two programs as I can use tables in both Mycroft access and Microsoft word. Microsoft word would be good to use because * I can make a table * I can sort the data * I can give the data titles The rest of what I can do with Microsoft word is irrelevant and there are too many problems to list with it because I count do much with this program and there is no use in listing it but I know for definable that I will not need to used this program as I cant even make forms or use queries. Microsoft access would be good to use because * I can create queries * Create forms * Search for and sort data * Create definite field headings for the record * Be able to mail merge this data There are also many other good points but I do not need to state them because of what is above and concerning this sub problem there arent any bad points of using this piece of software for this sub problem. Using a computer is much better than using a hand made system because in a hand made system you would have to write each one out and if any changes needed to be made I would have to re-write the whole sheet and finding data and taking parts of that data would also be very hard as I wouldnt be able to do it in a short period of time so using a computer would save time and frustration. For my fourth sub problem I am creating a letter which will need to be mail merged so I can do this quickly and efficiently. I can use two programs for this task Microsoft word pad and Microsoft word. They bother have there advantages and disadvantages and stating them will help me to decide which program is better. But I already know as I cannot mail merge in word pad and retyping this letter would take too long so I already know that Microsoft word is the best option as I can mail merge here. Using computer I much better than writing this letter out again and again or writing it out and leaving gaps for details because it is less time consuming if I do it this way sop using a computer is the much better option. Reusability Each of my sub problems can be used again. The first sub problem (costing sheet) is reusable because it is not just for one year because it can be used for later French trips or even other overnight trips because if anything needs to be changed like a cost for any one thing you can without changing any of the formulas as this costing sheet will be totally user friendly. The second sub problem (poster) will also be reusable because if you just change maybe the title and dates you will have a poster for another overnight trip or a poster for the same trip for a different year. The third sub problem (record) will also be reusable because if you were to delete the fields you would be able to reuse the system for a new year. The last sub problem (letter) will be reusable because if you were to use the record system to do this you would just need to delete previous records and put the new ones in and use it for next years and the years after trip. Testing For sub problem 1 (costing sheet) testing is needed. For sub problem 3 (record) testing is needed. For sub problem 4 (letter) testing is needed. Performance criterias Performance criteria sub problem 1 Must be able to merge cells Must be able to use formulas Must be able to do auto sum Must be able to do conditional formatting Must be bright Must be colourful Must have an interesting but easy to read font Must be able to make IF statements Must use absolute cell references Must be able to work out total income Must be able top work out total outgoings Must be able to work out the balance All the text will be aligned left It will be in times new roman It will have a font size of 12 In the title there will be a picture of the Eiffel tower The text must be in blue The title will have a blue background and white text. All titles must start with a capital letter. I will be using this to decide on the venue depending on how the transport costs It has to tell me if the trip can go ahead using an if statement It should fit onto one page I should ensure that there isnt a loss made I should be able to work out the minimum amount of people and use this in conditional formatting I should be able to limit the amount of people by using data validation I must be able to make a complicated IF statement Must be able to work out total costs Must be able to work out single costs e.g. travel, hotel, food, etc Performance criteria for sub problem 2 Must be bright and colourful Must use interesting fonts Must attract attention Must give dates of trip Must give price of trip Must give contact number Must give teachers name Performance criteria for sub problem 3 I must be able to link the tables Must be able to use these links to insert this data into the linked table Must be bale to create queries Must be bale to create reports Must be bale to create forms I musty be able to give a description of the fields I must be able to limit the field size I must be able to assign a key field I must be able to have a foreign key I must be able to change the data type to: * Text * Number * Auto number * Currency * Yes/no * Date and time I must be able to create a permanent field name Must be able to store data about each pupil and teacher attending the trip Must have a surname field Must have a forename field Must have an address field Must have a home phone number field Must have first deposit, second and third yes/ no fields Must be able to use this data to mail merge Performance criteria for sub problem four Must be able to mail merge in data Must be able to say which deposit has gone unpaid Must be able to say if we havent had a permission slip Must be able to give money remaining Must be able to give date Must be able to give total cost of trip Must say when next parents evening for the trip is Below I am stating the performance criteria for the whole system with headings to show which it is for so there will be no confusion Performance criteria for the whole system Performance criteria for first sub problem Must be able to merge cells Must be able to use formulas Must be able to do auto sum Must be able to do conditional formatting Must be bright Must be colourful Must have an interesting but easy to read font Must be able to make IF statements Must use absolute cell references Must be able to work out total income Must be able top work out total outgoings Must be able to work out the balance All the text will be aligned left It will be in times new roman It will have a font size of 12 In the title there will be a picture of the Eiffel tower The text must be in blue The title will have a blue background and white text. All titles must start with a capital letter. I will be using this to decide on the venue depending on how the transport costs It has to tell me if the trip can go ahead using an if statement It should fit onto one page I should ensure that there isnt a loss made I should be able to work out the minimum amount of people and use this in conditional formatting I should be able to limit the amount of people by using data validation I must be able to make a complicated IF statement Must be able to work out total costs Must be able to work out single costs e.g. travel, hotel, food, etc Performance criteria for second sub problem Must be bright and colourful Must use interesting fonts Must attract attention Must give dates of trip Must give price of trip Must give contact number Must give teachers name Performance criteria for the third sub problem I must be able to link the tables Must be able to use these links to insert this data into the linked table Must be bale to create queries Must be bale to create reports Must be bale to create forms I musty be able to give a description of the fields I must be able to limit the field size I must be able to assign a key field I must be able to have a foreign key I must be able to change the data type to: * Text * Number * Auto number * Currency * Yes/no * Date and time I must be able to create a permanent field name Must be able to store data about each pupil and teacher attending the trip Must have a surname field Must have a forename field Must have an address field Must have a home phone number field Must have first deposit, second and third yes/ no fields Must be able to use this data to mail merge Performance criteria for the last problem Must be able to mail merge in data Must be able to say which deposit has gone unpaid Must be able to say if we havent had a permission slip Must be able to give money remaining Must be able to give date Must be able to give total cost of trip Must say when next parents evening for the trip is

United States Economic Interest in South Asia

United States Economic Interest in South Asia After the Cold War, US emerged as the sole super power in the world. It started establishing military bases in all regions around the world. Central Asia, South Asia, Middle East and East Asia are the regions which have their own peculiarities. South Asia due to its presence along Indian Ocean, proximity to oil rich Central Asian States, nuclear rivalry between India and Pakistan and its neighbourhood with Afghanistan; has peculiarities and strategic importance which US could not ignore. Resultantly, especially after 9/11, US entered this region in the garb of war on terrorism and engaged both Pakistan and India in strong strategic relationship. Emergence of China and India in the region as economic powers has attracted the world powers. This paper will endeavour to highlight US economic interest in this region to gain hegemony in the Indian Ocean, maintain presence in oil rich central Asia, check Chinese influence in South and Central Asia and Indian Ocean, continue its war on terrorism in Afghanistan and bring political stability, control flow of oil from Persian Gulf, and gain control of Sea Line of Communications in the Indian Ocean. After identifying and analysing US economic interests in particular, certain recommendations would be proffered for South Asian countries so that we should not fall prey to the great game of the super power. Problem Statement Economic affairs have assumed a greater importance under the prevalent environments of uni-polar world, where major powers are looking for new markets. South Asia is one of the biggest and most lucrative consumer markets. Emerging economies of India and China has given special status to this region. Resultantly, US economic interests in the region have increased its manifold. Foregoing in view, carry out an in depth study of US economic interest in South Asia, its implications for the region and suggest recommendations for regional nations to safe guard their economic interests. Background Economic globalization involves arguably the most fundamental redesign and centralization of the planetà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s political and economic arrangements since the Industrial Revolution. Despite the scale of the global reordering, neither our educational institutions nor the mass media have made credible effort to describe what is being formulated, to explain its root philosophies or to explore the multidimensionality of its effect on out society and economy. The occasional descriptions or predictions about the global economy and scarcely the US interests highlighted have found place in the media. Hissing sound is heard from corporate leaders, their allies in high levels of government and newly powerful centralized global trade bureaucracy. The vision they offer us area unfailingly positive, even utopian. Globalization i.e by increasing US ingress in our economy will remain to be a panacea for all our ills. Sri Lanka like the other third world countries confronts a major dilemma today regarding its deplorable economic conditions internally and trying to keep her relevance in the charging economic climate of South Asia. Growing US interest in the region is in fact the food for thought for Sri Lankan think tanks. Purpose of Study The growing US interest in India is to be viewed deliberately and at the same time its effect. Thus clear shift from Geo political/ strategic to Geo economic is visible on the map of South Asia. Study thus seeks to analyze the affect of growing US interests in the region and Sri Lankan stance being relevant to the changing US economic interests in South Asia. chapter two Significance of the Study In todayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s world, power is not only depending on a countryà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s might in her Military. The economic stability and sustainability also plays a magnificent role. Ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s vitally important not only for the countriesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ who are big in population or in geographical area, but in those countries who are small in size of land in terms of population. The geographic location where the country lies does play no lesser degree. The research topic revolves around the poorest regions in the world and has millions of middle-class citizens. Plagued by low levels of literacy, ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s nonetheless produces distinguished scientists, artists and professionals. Contains an awesome and bewildering diversity of languages, religions and ethnicities, but is remarkably cohesive in terms of physical environment and natural resources. The countries share rivers, mountains systems, oceans and ecological cycles such as the life-sustaining monsoon rains. The states of the region have their share of disputes, along with deeply shared cultures and history. The prospect of a new departure in South Asia à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" US relations must be set against a past often burdened by mistrust and sharply different objectives. During most of the post à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" World War II period, US ties with India and Pakistan, the regionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s two powers, vacillated between close embrace and uneasy distance. The US interest in the region has risen and fallen; same has been viewed with a new dimension i.e the economic dimension of the US in the South Asian region. Before taking any further into the methodology and the problem statement it is worth mentioning the US economic interest in South Asian Countries specific. Afghanistan Present Aims Of US. In Afghanistan effort to transform what had become one of the worldà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s principal sources of instability into a secure and prosperous country. Steps which full fill the Geo Political aims of US are:- à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Rebuilding of the country and the society. Loya Jirga has been institutionalized. Rebuilding the countryà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s infrastructure, education, health systems and security forces. Forward-looking economic policies. US has already provided over $2 billion in assistance to Afghanistan and will be providing an additional $2.2 billion more during this year. Training Afghan army, police forces; US and other allies are also building a network of Provincial Reconstruction Teams to help provide local security and coordinate development and reconstruction while easing the transition to civilian rule. Efforts to disarm and demobilize militias  [1]  . Bangladesh Back Ground. US and Bangladesh have been close friends and partners since 1971. Today the stakes are great; experts estimate that by the year 2025, there will be over 200 million people in Bangladesh and over 25 million people in Dhaka alone. Thus demographic challenges are of a great concern to a developing nation. US Investment and Concerns. At $1.3 billion, the US is Bangladeshà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s biggest foreign investor. The concerns of US while investing are:- Privatization, export diversification, deregulation, financial sector reform, and major infrastructure investments are essential to reverse the declining foreign investment trends and achieve steady economic growth. Corruption and poor governance. US has increased its assistance to Bangladesh for promoting democracy and good governance and combating corruption to over $8 million in Fiscal Year 2006. The hub of Population remains an attraction with availability of cheap and technical labor. As per Vishal, USA à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Bangladesh can seek a lot tech help from bigger partner USA and in turn send technical man power to the Statesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?  [2]  . à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Bangladesh is sitting virtually on oilà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?  [3]  . Bangladesh Interests. Few of the analysts believe the US Presidents one day visit to the country is extremely important with the oil and gas reserves likely to be tapped. Bangladesh interests remain with US as:- à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Aid oriented with investment in basic infrastructure. Human resource developmentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?. China  [4]  . Chinas entry into the WTO, makes the deal sound like a sure-fire winner for US workers. In particular, the deals supporters argue that expanded trade relations with China will lead solely to more exports to China. A closer look at the US governments own data reveals following:- China trade agreement under WTO and with US will be of greater capital mobility into China. US multinationals eager to deliver goods and services to the Chinese market as 1.1 Billion population market. Produce goods cheaply that can then be exported to the US and other markets. Results Growing US trade deficit with China. Growth of US multinationals and direct foreign investment i.e 10% increase in US direct investment in China. 7.3% increase in the volume of imports from China and a 2.1% decline of US exports to China. Surge of investment by US firms in China and the US trade deficit with China. Import competition from China involves different industries than in the past. Job losses seen by analysts in US markets; thus a technological shift to the populous pole of the world. India Indo-US Relations Since 1991. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“India and the US have multi faceted relations ranging from political, strategic to economic and commercial. India-US economic relations in the form of bilateral investments and trade constitute important elements in India-US bilateral relations particularly because India is now the second fastest growing economy in the world and USA is the worldà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s largest economy. Economic Reforms introduced since 1991 have radically changed the course of the Indian economy and led to its gradual integration with the global economy. Benefits of the reform process are:- Better growth rates, higher investment and trade flows and accelerated decline in income poverty. USA is the largest investing country in India in terms of FDI approvals, actual inflows and portfolio investment. US investments cover almost every sector in India, which is open for private participants. Indiaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s investments in USA are picking up. USA is also Indiaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s largest trading partner. By 2003, India became the 24th largest export destination for the US. Since 2000, the two countries have been making efforts to strengthen institutional structure of bilateral economic relations by means of the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“India-US Economic Dialogueà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? that aims at deepening the Indo-American partnership through regular dialogue and engagementà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?  [5]  . The Strategic Economic Dimension of the US-India Relationship. India-US relations have seen a remarkable transformation over the last decade. The recent bilateral visit of Prime Minister to Washington from November 22-26, 2009 as the first State Guest of President Barack Obama has reaffirmed the global strategic partnership between India and the United States. The two leaders have reaffirmed that the common ideals and complementary strengths of India and the United States provide a foundation for addressing the global challenges of the 21st century and resolved to build on these to expand the U.S.-India global partnership for mutual benefit. It emanates from reformed and global Indian economy. Key contributors so as the US takes full advantage are  [6]  :- Economy. US and India are expanding cooperation to enhance job creation and economic growth; support economic reforms and liberalization; develop a bilateral business climate supportive of trade and investment; and improve market access for goods and services. Trade. Over the last five years, US exports to India have more than doubled, helping to create better-paying jobs in the US. The US and India agree that trade is essential to promoting global economic growth, development, freedom, and prosperity. Both countries are committed to completing the WTO Doha Development Agenda before the end of 2006. Investment. The US and India have agreed to hold a high-level public-private investment summit in 2006 and are continuing the dialogue on further liberalization of investment restrictions, regulatory transparency, dispute settlement, reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade. Agriculture. The US and India have launched the Knowledge Initiative on agriculture to link universities, technical institutions, businesses to support high-priority joint agriculture education, research, capacity-building projects and biotechnology. The joint declaration made in New Delhi during President Clintonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s visit i.e. India-US Relations: A Vision for the 21st century incorporates two important statements- à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"Natural partnership of shared endeavoursà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ and more importantly that In many ways the character of the 21st century will depend on the success of our cooperation for peace, prosperity and democracy and freedom. Peace, prosperity, democracy and freedom cannot be secured by rhetoric, as has been the Indian experience. These can only be secured by rhetoric, as has been the Indian experience. These can only be achieved through politico-strategic initiatives with the strategic predominating. The Vision of India-US relations, jointl y seen, should therefore, logically incorporate the development of a strategic partnership, prompted by the imperatives discussed about. President Clintonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s visit to India, it is hoped heralds the advent of the inevitable.  [7]  . Importance of Indian American Joint Venture. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Today, Indian-American and Indian investors enjoy a very influential presence in Washington, key areas being:- Wall Street/Media. Some 2 million people of Indian origin are in the US wall street/media business. Indian Students In US. There are over 85,000 Indian students in the US more than from China. Benefits To Indian Populous. US trade and investment with India is only 10 percent of what it is with China, this is changing à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" to the benefit of Americans and Indians through increased opportunities in India for American trade and investment. Polls in India show a notable 75 percent favorable view of the US. Out Sourcing. While outsourcing has become a controversial issue, the US actually enjoys a healthy surplus in trade in services with India. In 2004, US exported $4.6 billion worth of services to India, a surplus of $1.8 billion. Trade Growth. $16 billion in two-way trade in 1998, US-India trade has grown to $26 billion in 2005 US exports, now at approximately $8 billion, grew almost 30 percent last year and is expected to continue further. Strategic Sale Agreements. Boeing has sold almost $15 billion in new aircraft to India and two US airlines have opened non-stop routes to India. Airport privatization is underway and the air transport market has grown by close to 40 percent in the past year. Indiaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Energy Needs. India is a nation of 1.1 billion people. With its rapid economic expansion, it has a massive and rapidly growing appetite for energy and is already the worlds sixth largest consumer of energy. US-India Energy Dialogue, aimed at strengthening energy security and promoting the development of stable and efficient markets in India. US India Civil Nuclear Cooperation Initiative. Civil nuclear cooperation with India will elevate the US-India relationship to new heights  [8]  . The IT Sector Of India. This sector has its following linkage with the growing US interests:- Compounded Growth. 50 percent since 1991. Soft Ware Requirements. Today, nearly two in five of the fortune 500 companies outsource their IT requirements to India. IT Sector Collaboration. Especially, in areas like:- à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Communication infrastructure. Optic fiber cable and gateways. Satellite-based communication wireless. IT-enabled services and IT enable education. Data centers, server farms and software developmentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?  [9]  . Future Prospects in Economic Investment. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“There are several areas where economic cooperation between India and the US can progress further. These include :- Infrastructure. Telecom sector. Energy, knowledge based industries such as pharmaceuticals and biotechnology. Investor friendly environment in sectors such as roads, ports and airports. Private sector participation in management, Build operate and Transfer (BOT) projects, green-field airports, terminals, shipping berths and capacity augmentation have been initiated. Security Science Related Economic Interests. The US and India are building the foundation of a durable defence relationship to support their common strategic and security interests which include:- Maritime Security Cooperation. The US and India are committed to a comprehensive cooperative effort to ensure a secure maritime domain. Counterterrorism. The US and India are jointly expanding the scope of counterterrorism cooperation, including work on bioterrorism and cyber security. Military Logistics Support. The US and India will soon sign an agreement to facilitate mutual logistic support during combined training, exercises, and disaster relief operations. Defence Trade. The US reaffirmed its goal to help meet Indias defence needs and to provide the important technologies and capabilities that India seeks. Non-Proliferation. Both countries support efforts to limit the spread of enrichment and reprocessing technologies. Intellectual Property Rights (IPR). The US is funding IPR training programs to strengthen enforcement and patent examination, as a vibrant IPR regime is critical to the promotion of a creative, technologically advanced economy. Science. The US and India established and co-fund the $30 million Bi-National Science and Technology Commission to generate collaborative partnerships in science and technology. Space. The US and India have agreed to continue exploring further cooperation in civil space, including areas such as space exploration, satellite navigation, and earth scienceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?  [10]  . US Presidents George W. Bush Visit To India We have an ambitious agenda with India. Our agenda is practical. It builds on a relationship that has never been better. India is a global leader, as well as a good friend. My trip will remind everybody about the strengthening of an important strategic partnership. Well work together in practical ways to promote a hopeful future for citizens in both our nationsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?  [11]  . President George W. Bush, February 22, 2006 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The Evolution of U.S.-Indian Ties: Missile Defense in an Emerging Strategic Relationship,  [12]   Maldives and Bhutan 21. Maldives is an Islamic Island nation where US have a close eye on its location being on the mouth of the Indian Ocean. East of Nepal between India and China is a small country Bhutan. US interest being to democratize the state. US is also involved in settling the problems of refugees between the two states i.e Nepal and Bhutan. Over all the US involvement remains more of humanitarian assistance  [13]  . Nepal 22. Back Gr. US enjoys warm relationship with Nepal for over 50 years. During this period, Nepal has evolved from a closed, monarchy-dominated society into an emerging democracy with growing economic opportunity. US has contributed $1 billion to improve the lives of the Nepalese people. Nepal also happens to have a key place in the eyes of the west with the likely interests emerging as under:- Peace and stability in South Asia. Nepals independence and territorial integrity. US also has significant strategic interest in the country because of her location. Washington supports economic and technical assistance to Nepalà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?. 23. US Investment Areas in Nepal. Mainly being:- Assistance programs for democracy, governance and conflict mitigation. US assistance to strengthen the Election Commission, Peace Secretariat, National Human Rights Commission and corruption ombudsman. Broaden participation in political parties and make them internally more democratic. Technical assistance and equipment to the Parliament / aid to a constitutional reform process. Assisting reintegration of internally displaced persons and funding election monitors. Promote economic recovery; especially in rural areas. Pakistan Pakistan and India Concernà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s US. Indeed the most common concern for an investment friendly climate stems out of the security concerns of the region as stated:- US ex Secretary Powell calls a triangle of conflict resolution. He says à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“We do not seek to impose ourselves as a mediator. Instead, we try to use the trust we have established with both sides to urge them toward reconciliation by peaceful means the leaders of both countries deserve enormous credit for the statesmanship they are demonstrating and for their determination to turn their historic confrontation into opportunities for all of their people. Although the road ahead is certainly challenging, we are optimistic that both sides want to keep up the momentum generated by their recent more open interaction and sound climate for over all peace in the region  [14]  . The Latest Perception Of US. Recent visit of US President defines US interests as under:- Five years ago, Pakistan was one of only three nations that recognized the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. That all changed after September the 11th, 2001. President Parvez Musharraf understood that he had to make a fundamental choice for his people. He could turn a blind eye and leave his people hostage to terrorists, or he could join the free world in fighting the terrorists. President Musharraf made the right choice, and the United States of America is grateful for his leadership. Pakistan now has the opportunity to write a new chapter in its history, and the United States want to build a broad and lasting strategic partnership with the people of Pakistan  [15]  . President George W. Bush, February 22, 2006 Pakistan US Collaboration. The areas of collaboration are:- War On Terror Fight Terrorism. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The US and Pakistan have cooperated closely in the common fight against terrorism, including along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Al Qaeda Hunt. Pakistan has captured more than 700 al-Qaeda operatives, facilitators and associates since September 11, 2001. Pakistans Military Role. Playing an important role by providing intelligence and support to Coalition forces operating along Afghanistan. Security /Military Hard Ware Largest Security Assistance. Pakistan is one of the largest recipients of US security assistance. Foreign Investment. The United States has pledged $1.5 billion of Foreign Military financing to Pakistan from 2005-2009. Sale Of Advanced Systems. The United States supports Pakistans defence needs through sales of advanced systems. Sale Of F-16 Air Craft. Move forward with the possible sale of F-16 fighter aircraft to Pakistan. Non Nato Ally. In June 2004, President Bush designated Pakistan as a Major Non-NATO Ally, making Pakistan one of a select group of nations outside of NATO that have the benefit of a variety of military and financial advantages. Trade And Investment US Encourages Economic Prosperity. By supporting increased trade and investment linkages with the US, the region and the global economy. Bilateral Investment Treaty. Has sent a strong signal about Pakistans improving investment climate. Institute Reconstruction Opportunity Zones (IROZs). That would assist desperately poor border regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan to grow and diversify economically. Private Sector Involvement. Enhancing our capacity-building assistance to strengthen private sector competitiveness . Education Educational Assistance. US has provided more than $130 million to strengthen education programs for young people and adults over the last four years. Bilateral Educational Dialogue. US and Pakistan will establish a bilateral education dialogue to enhance US-Pakistan educational cooperationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?  [16]  . Influence Of Regional Countries On Pakistan US Ties. Pakistans ties to other nations in the region are steadily growing with likely US investment, with rail, bus, and energy pipeline connections to several nations. Same will act as an antidote towards extremismà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?  [17]  . Chinaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Influence. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“If China gets stronger than it already is, it will be a problem for the US,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? said Bordonaro, adding that the Chinese could use Gwadar, the port city in the Pakistani province of Baluchistan which is being developed with Chinas help, to counter Indiaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s efforts to dominate the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Seaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?  [18]  . US commitment since 2003. At the June 2003 meeting at Camp David, President Bush made a commitment to develop with Pakistan with a long-term, broad-based partnership worth 3 billion dollar .The areas of interest include:- Shared interests in promoting prosperity, peace, security, mutual understanding and tolerance in the region / across the globe. Strengthen cooperation on counter-terrorism and security including striking at the conditions that give rise to extremism and terrorism. Address poverty and hopelessness root cause for terrorism Cooperation aimed at fostering expanded commerce within the region including with Afghanistan and Central Asia. Booming Market. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Most of the American companies in Pakistan currently have plans to expand their operations in the near future;a booming market of 160 million people and also as a potential hub for regional trade and transportationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? . Sri Lanka 29. Present Environment. Since 2009, May 19 Sri Lanka has rid off from the war, which was waging for 3 decades with Sri Lankan armed forces and Tamil minority. The present President has been elected for the second term of 6 years. Countryà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s development and re-settlement of internally displaced people is the key issues and challenges the government facing. At present the world looking at Sri Lanka with lots of allegations on humanitarian grounds and violation of humanitarian law. Some pointing the finger at the government while others are pointing it to the armed forces of the country. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Rajapaksa must give aid organizations access to hundreds of thousands of uprooted Tamils in the islands northeast. Overwhelmed doctors in overcrowded camps are amputating limbs without sufficient drugs and medical supplies. The people in those camps desperately need medical care, food, and water. And they should be allowed to return to their homes as soon as possible. 30. Ultimately, the only way for Sri Lanka to avoid another Tamil rebellion is to grant the Tamils some form of local autonomy in their region. Now that the Tigers have been crushed, the Sinhalese majority of Sri Lanka has no excuse for not addressing the legitimate grievances of the Tamil minorityà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?  [19]  . a. Internal Problems And Tsunami Relief. Sri Lanka with a broader range of governments to focus on the Tigerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s financing and arms procurement. US Government is providing assistance totaling $134.6 million for tsunami-related relief and reconstruction in Sri Lanka. Methodology 31. The study will be carried out in reviewing the data sources which are available in the internet and the few resources available in the libraries. Chapter three Literature Review 32. Since this topic is very hypothetical, its data and material review is mainly based on internet. The author, in the course of research, has made an endeavour to find relevant data through various sources including books, periodicals, lectures by professors of Different Universities of Management and Sciences. The detailed guideline provided through sponsors Directing Staff of the Defence Services Command and Staff College. The author is extremely grateful for all those who spared their valuable time to contribute on this work. As mentioned earlier the new found aid is of immense help in formulating the paper i.e à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The Internetà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?. Chapter four IMPLICATIONS OF US INTERESTS IN THE REGION Following areas of interest emerge quite pronounced:- Diversify Energy Supplies. Persian Gulf oil resources have remained a major source of energy supplies. US consider it of vital interest to secure access to the Central Asian regionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s energy corridors in order to reduce dependence on Persian Gulf  [20]  . Oil/Gas Reserves in Caspian Basin. The Caspian Basin has an estimated US$5 trillion of oil and gas resources. Transporting it through Russia or Azerbaijan would greatly enhance Russias political and economic control over the central Asian republics, which is precisely what the west has spent 10 years trying to prevent. Piping it through Iran would enrich a regime, which the US has been seeking to isolate. Thus, Afghanistans significance stems from its geographic position as a potential transit route, from Central Asia, through Pakistan (Gwadar port), into the Indian Ocean and further to the Arabian Sea  [21]  . Penetrate Worldà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Most Lucrative Markets. Pipelines through Afghanistan would allow the US both to pursue its aim of diversifying energy supply and to penetrate the worlds most lucrative markets. In south Asia, by contrast, demand is booming with immense population graph and competitors are scarce. Therefore, pumping oil south and selling it in Pakistan and India, is far more profitable than pumping it west and selling it in Europe  [22]  . Domination over the Transit Routes/Crucial Sea-Lanes. With the increased importance of Central Asian oil reserves, moving through the Indian Ocean, importance of securing the SLOCs in the Indian Ocean have increased manifold. US intend to maintain a strong security presence in the South Asian region in cooperation with India as bigger role is expected by her in the region  [23]  . India à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" A Strategic Partner. As the second most powerful military nation in Asia, US perceive India as an ideal strategic partner. During official visit to Washington, Prime Minister Vajpayee described India and the US as natural allies and significantly stressed that an Indo-US partnership was important for Asia both economically and militarilyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?  [24]  . China A Competitor, Not A Strategic Partnerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?. President Bush has described China as a competitor, not a strategic partnerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?. Therefore, his administration is sympathetic to Indiaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s ambition to play a big power role in Asia. He also said that we must deal with China without ill-will but without illusions  [25]  . Regional Power Through US Collaboration. Recent developments suggest that India is actually inviting the superpower to its doorstep. India is among the few countries to endorse unconditionally the controversial US national missile defense (NMD) program  [26]  . Indian Ocean or Indiaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Ocean. Sixty-seven percent of Chinas trade with the European Union is carried by sea across the Malacc

Gay and Lesbian Issues - Homosexuality Is Wrong Essay example -- Argum

Homosexuality Is Wrong      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Within the past several years gay and lesbian rights has become a huge issue. Gays and lesbians have started to come out of the ''closet," and proudly admitting their sexuality. In the past few years gays and lesbians have been fighting for the right to marry, and adopt children. So far there is only one state that allows gays to become married. People have become more and more open minded with homosexuality. Twenty years ago homosexuality was looked down upon (in general), but now our society thinks that there is nothing wrong with homosexuality. Our nation has started to move away from God, this is why people think that homosexuality is all right. If people are not close to God and do not follow Him, then they are not going to abide by His standards.    There are several places in the Bible where it talks about homosexuality. The Bible has nothing positive to say about men and women sleeping with the same sex. In Leviticus 20:13, it states ''If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.'' This is saying that if a man has sex with another man, then both of the men should be put to death. It would be the men's own fault for their death. This is one of the few sins mentioned in the Bible that suggest death for the sin. Now days people are not put to death for this sin, they are accepted and viewed as ''normal''. People do not really see anything wrong with homosexuality. Our culture needs to study the Bible and come closer to God instead of moving away from Him. If our nation does this then they may see why homosexuality is wrong. Our culture does not view homosexuality as a ... ...ast several years. People are believing that homosexuality is o.k. if it feels good. People need to learn that God hates the act of homosexual relations. God has destroyed cities in the past because of the gays and lesbians. Homosexuality just is not a natural act. You have never seen animals that keep mating partners for life, go and have sex with the same sex. The Bible teaches that gays and lesbians should be punished, in the Old Testament they were killed for their actions. Our nation needs to realize that being gay is not all right, that it is an abomination unto the Lord.       Works Cited Bible. It's a sin this we know cause the Bible tells us so. internet. 1996. 1-7. It's Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve. internet. 1998. 1-2. Living On The Edge. internet. 1998. 1-2. The Christian Anti-Homosexual Web Site. internet. 1998. 1-2.   

Should the Uk Leave the Eu?

Nikolai Cremo Understanding the European Union Professor Eiko Thielemann October 14th, 2012 Should the UK remain a member of the European Union? The issue of whether or not the United Kingdom should remain a member of the European Union has been debated heavily over the past decade, with the debate heating up even more from the current European Sovereign Debt Crisis. Recent polls of the UK population showed that around half of the UK’s citizens would vote to pull out of the EU if it went to referendum.However, after all of the economic, political, and social advantages of being a member of the EU are considered, it remains clear that leaving the EU is not in the UK’s best interest. Economically, it does not make sense for the UK to leave the world’s largest trade block considering the EU buys fifty percent of the UK’s exports, at a time when the UK’s current account deficit is at one of its all-time highs.Additionally, the UK would lose its allure a s being a hotspot for Foreign Direct Investment, as they would no longer give companies access to the single market, further contributing to the UK’s growing imbalance of payments. Ultimately this could be detrimental to the value of the British pound, and even worse, cause the UK to lose its position as the financial center of Europe. The UK giving up its decision-making influence in the EU would not likely result in the UK seeing trade polices pass that make this debated exit any easier.From a social perspective the citizens of the UK would lose the highly valued privilege to seamlessly travel, attend school, live, and retire anywhere throughout the EU. After all of these factors are made clear, especially the negative financial factors, the economic impact of a UK exit would triumph over any negative sentiment associated with staying a member of the EU. The most powerful factor marrying the UK to the EU is the undeniable economic dependence the UK has on the world’s largest trading block.The fifty percent of UK exports that goes to the countries of the EU would become much less competitive with trade barriers, which would then raise the necessity for many UK exporters to either lower their prices, or decrease their output to meet the fallen demand of their goods. Additionally, due to the nature of the goods the UK trades with its EU partners, it would not easily substitute this trade with non-EU countries (Oxford 24).According to simple economic theory, this would ultimately decrease the amount of money the UK receives for its exports, as the amount the tariff increases the price of UK goods will ultimately have to be born by the UK company exporting it, and any price increase not born by the UK company will lead to a decrease in exports demanded by the EU. Therefore, a major piece of the British economy would face severe hardship on the basis of the UK not being a member of the free trade block. Another area of the UK’s economy that wo uld be adversely affected by the removal of the EU free trade block is Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) in the UK.The UK is seen as many non-EU countries as the gateway to European market penetration, and this view would ultimately change if the UK left the EU. FDI has an important role in the UK economy, as it has been a consistent source of job growth of 50,000-60,000 jobs a year, while providing protection to another 40,000 jobs each year (Oxford 43). In addition to creating jobs, FDI is known to fuel innovation and competition, as it incorporates the advances in technologies that have been proved successful in other countries.By leaving the EU, the FDI of non-EU countries would relocate their base of operations to European markets to a country within the EU, and out of the UK, and all further FDI intended to reap the gains of the largest trading block would more than likely invest in an EU country. This not only inhibits job growth directly, but also widens the gap of the UKâ₠¬â„¢s balance of payments, which would have to either be filled through issuing more currency (inflation), a devaluation of the currency.Similar to notion that the UK would lose out on FDI, the UK’s position as the financial center of Europe would be inherently weakened by the UK being outside the EU. It is clear that many countries and companies are invested in the UK because of its links to EU, where they have access to 500 million consumers. For starters, companies would move to other financial powerhouses of Europe such as Frankfurt or Brussels, in order to avoid EU tariffs and conform to EU regulations (Oxford 48).Secondly, the EU would implement programs to shift the European financial center to another financial center within their union such Frankfurt or Brussels. Any measures that the UK could take to prevent this would certainly be their best interest, as financial services makes up ten percent of their GDP. Additionally, the portfolio investments that the UK receiv es from being the financial center of Europe would flow out of the country at the same rate as London loses its position as the financial center, and these currently represent a ? 5 billion surplus to the UK balance of payments (Open Europe. This is another crucial piece of the balance of payments within the UK, and would lead to the aforementioned devaluation of the British pound, or inflation, or a combination of both to balance out trade deficit of the country. While the strongest benefits of staying in the EU stem from economic benefits, the political benefits of an influential member of the union are not to be overlooked.Given that UK is in a four way tie of having the highest number of votes in the Council under the Nice Treaty, and their voting power wil be sustained by having the third largest population in the EU once the Libson Treaty comes into effect in late 2014 (Hixx 65). This gives the UK a strong position to influence the long-term goals of the Council, where they wi ll be able to seek compromises with other EU states to pursue legislation that is in the UK’s best interest, and to project the UK’s interests (Open Europe).While if they were outside of the EU, they would not have any ability to directly influence the policies of the EU that have helped them in the past. For example, Tony Blair using his influence in the European Council to launch the Libson Agenda for economic reform, is a example of British intervention that not only benefited the UK, but the entire EU as well (Lake). Additionally, being tied for the second highest number of MEPs in the European Parliament (EP), the UK has an influential role on all of the decisions that go through the EP.Despite the fact the social benefits of EU membership are often overshadowed by the economic and political aspects, the loss of these benefits would negatively impair the freedom of the UK people, and negatively impact UK businesses. The free movement of UK citizens throughout the EU to travel, to attend school, live, and retire. Businesses do not only benefit by having to follow one set of regulations, but also benefit from having a larger source of potential employees to chose from.The EU employment rate in the UK is 3. 3%, while they make 4. 5% of the labor force, which shows that EU citizens have a positive impact on UK GDP (Oxford 34). If the UK were to leave the EU, there is a great possibility that many of the EU workers employed in highly skilled areas that are crucial to the UK economy, such as financial services, would relocate back inside the EU. This again would be another risk of severely impairing the bedrock of the UK economy, and shifting the financial center of Europe outside the UK.Based upon these economic, political, and social advantages of EU membership, it is clear that it is in the UK’s best interest to remain an active member in the EU. The direction of the EU is at another major crossroad as countries pull together to solve th e continents’ Sovereign Debt Crisis. The stance that the UK takes at these crossroads, as the union’s third largest country, is paramount not only to UK’s economic and political prosperity today, but to how UK is seen as a political force and financial hub in the long-term.The UK’s decision to abandon their economic and political partners has strong consequences now while the EU is in a time of hardship, and these consequences will only increase as the EU rises from this crisis. The failure of the UK to invest in their relationship with their European partners has a high probability to be detrimental to the economic wellbeing of the country, especially as these less developed countries are viewed as sources of future growth to the world financial markets.Thus, the British must adopt a more long-term view on their relationship with the EU, a view that they failed to see when declined to partake in the creation of EU by declining Treaties of Paris and Rome (George 32). I’ll conclude with a saying of the philosopher Santayana, which has been noted as a universal truth of investing by father of value investing, Benjamin Graham, that the UK should be reminded of before they further debate if they should opt out of the European integration yet again: â€Å"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. † Works Cited Oxford Economics, ed.An Indispensable Relationship: Economic Linkages between the UK and the Rest of the European Union. Rep. London: Business for New Europe, 2009. Print. Booth, Stephen, Christopher Howarth, Matts Persson, and Vincenzo Scarpetta. CONTINENTAL SHIFT: Safeguarding the UK’s Financial Trade in a Changing Europe. Rep. London: Open Europe, 2011. Print. Lake, Michael. Communicating the Lisbon Strategy – a Civic Challenge. Rep. N. p. : n. p. , 2006. Print. George, Stephen. â€Å"The Background: Britain and Europe, 1945-1973. †Ã‚  An Awkward Partner: Britain in the Eur opean Community. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1998. N. pag. Print.

Number of McDonalds Restaurants Worldwide

Number of McDonalds Restaurants Worldwide According to the McDonalds Corporation website (as of January 2018), McDonalds has locations in 101 countries. More than 36,000 restaurants around the world serve 69 million people every day. However, some of those locations listed as countries are not independent countries at all, such as Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, which are United States territories, and Hong Kong, which at the time of establishment was under British control, before its handoff to China. On the flipside, there is a McDonalds on the island of Cuba, though its technically not on Cuban soil - its on the American base at Guantanamo, so it qualifies as an American location. Regardless of country definition, 80 percent of the locations are owned and operated by franchisees, and 1.9 million people work for McDonalds. In 2017, revenue for the fast-food restaurant amounted to $22.8 billion. In 1955 Ray Kroc opened his first location in Illinois (the original restaurant being in California); by 1965 the company had 700 locations. Just two years later the company officially went international, opening in Canada (Richmond, British Columbia)  and Puerto Rico in 1967. Now, Canada has 1,400 McDonalds restaurants, and Puerto Rico boasts 104. Canadas McDonalds locations are the biggest restaurant buyer of Canadian beef in the country. Different McMenus Worldwide Besides buying their ingredients where they operate, around the world the restaurants also adapt the McDonalds menu to local tastes, such as Japan serving a pork patty teriyaki  burger and Seaweed Shaker or chocolate-drizzled fries, Germany serving shrimp cocktail, Italys burger being topped with  Parmigiano-Reggiano  cheese, Australia offering a guac salsa or a bacon cheese sauce as a topping for fries, and French customers being able to order a caramel banana shake. Available only in Switzerland is the McRaclette, a sandwich of beef that includes slices of raclette cheese, gherkin pickles, onions, and a special raclette sauce. But forget the beef in India. There the menu includes vegetarian options, and they specialize the cooks in the kitchen - people cooking meats, such as chicken, dont cook the vegetarian dishes.   Historically Significant Worldwide Locations During the Cold War, some of openings of the countries McDonalds restaurants were seen as historic events, such as the first ones in East Germany shortly after the Berlin Wall fell in late 1989, or in Russia (then the U.S.S.R.) in 1990 (thanks to prerestroika and glastnost) or other Eastern Bloc nations and China during the early 1990s as well.   Is McDonalds the Largest Fast-Food Chain in the World? McDonalds is a huge and mighty fast-food chain but is not the largest. Subway is the largest, with 43,985 stores in 112 countries  as of early 2018. Again, many of these countries are not independent and are merely territories. And Subways restaurant count certainly includes all those that are part of other buildings (as half of a convenience store, for example) rather than counting only standalone restaurant locations. The third runner-up is KFC (formerly Kentucky Fried Chicken), with 20,500 locations in 125 countries, according to its official website. Other widely spread worldwide food brands that the United States has exported include Pizza Hut (14,000 locations, 120 countries), and Starbucks (24,000 locations, 75 markets).