Ramadan Features

Introduction Since time memeorial, rituals and myths that are held by a certain community have alsways been some of the main elemetns that define and differentiate that community from the rest of the world.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Ramadan Features specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Although presently societies have undergone a great revolutuion in terms of development and embracing new cultural practices as compared to few decades ago, there is little that has changed in most myths and rituals that are respected not only by societies, but also religious groups globally (Bell 2-7). For instance, the Muslims have specific rituals that identify them; rituals that have been there since the onset of this religion. Although some of them are very old, adherents of this faith respect and believe in them, because they define their entire way of life. Ramadan is one of those Islamic ceremonies that are associated wit h numerous myths and rituals. Myths and Rituals A myth is a traditional story with a purpose. It is usually concerned with early history of people and explanations of some social phenomenon. Typically, it involves supernatural beings or events that are done by these supernatural beings (Kluckhohn 47-52). Myths also try to explain why the world is the way it is and the relationship between gods and humans. There are two main classes of traditional tales, which are common in most societies. These are fables or myths, which have some aspect of truth in them or those that are just imagined and told (Campbell 3-5). Myth stories are false stories because they took in primordial age. In addition, the supernatural beings in the stories make the events in a myth usually impossible. But in their explanations, they try to send a message that has a very important social or religious meaning. Mythology – the study of myths- tries to search for the connection between myths and different cu ltures. Hence, to larger extent, myths are used to establish models for behavior by providing meaningful religious experiences. On the other hand, through the use of myths, in most scenarios communities have a tendency of separating themselves from the contemporary world by embracing the mythical world. They also try to answer numerous common questions asked by humans like; who made the universe? And what, why, and when was the entire phenomenon in the world created (Campbell 3-6). A ritual on the other hand, is a custom, ceremony, a procedure or series of systematic set of actions that are performed at specific events, time and place with a symbolic meaning. The significance of a ritual primarily depends on tradition or religion of a society.Advertising Looking for essay on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Actions performed in a ritual are usually chosen by the performers but the words and what they symboli ze must conquer and endorse the any myths that are held by that society. The function of rituals varies from one community to another. This is because, rituals symbolizes different things ranging from religious obligations or ideals, spiritual satisfactions, emotional needs, strengthening of social bonds, and giving of moral and social education. They can be also used to demonstrate respect or submission, the passage or commencement of an affiliation, the getting of social acceptance or approval, and sometimes they can be performed just for pleasure. In other cases, societies perform rituals as a form of adoring God of some gods, as a way of blessing matrimony, or as a way of appeasing the dead. Generally, although societies perform rituals, because of different reasons, it is the myths and beliefs that are held by these societies that make them to perform them (Bell 3-23). This is the case primarily because; these rituals are one of the primary factors that are used to identify a g roup or a community, because they help in promoting good interpersonal relationships, for example, the Islamic Ramadan. Ramadan Although the word â€Å"Ramadan† in Arabic speaking communities is used to refer to very intense heat, in Islamic, Ramadan is a name of a month in the Islamic calendar (Bell 124-127). As research studies show, this title was selected, as it wholly represented the real climatic conditions and biological changes that are associated with fasting. Throughout the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which runs for a time span of approximately twenty nine to thirty days, followers of the Islamic religion, spend the entire twilight without food. There are so many things that are commemorated during this period, the most important confession of sins or any wrong doing. In most cases, this fasting season commences mostly after the astronomical new moon. This is the case primarily because; followers of this religion believe that, the appearance of this moon is a sign of a new month beginning. However, because of the time differences of different places in the world, Ramadan begins on different days in various parts of the world, more so those that are found in different time zones. This fact has been one of the primary causes of disagreements every year on the exact time when observing of Ramadan should begin. This is evident in the recent attempts of clerics from this religion to try and solve the misery behind this conflicting concept using astronomical calculations (Hill 1-2). What happens during Ramadan? Fasting The most important thing Ramadan commemorates is confession of sins, as individuals take this time to worship and have a spiritual reflection. Majority of followers of this religion will always do anything at their disposal in order to keep themselves holy during this season.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Ramadan Features specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In addition to this, by all means individuals refrain themselves from sexual intercourse until wee hours of the night, when daylight is gone. On the other hand, eating, drinking as well as falling into temptation is discouraged. According to this religion’s tenets, fasting is one of the primary methods of ensuring purity of both thoughts and actions. That is, in doing this, followers of Mohamed believe that, fasting is one of the most important way of directing the whole heart away from worldly activities, it being the only method of ensuring that they are cleansed together with their inner soul (Bell 124-136). Also, during this period, every part of the body; right from the tongue, is restricted from back biting and gossip; eyes must be restricted from looking at unlawful things; the hands are not supposed to take anything that does not belong to it and ears are prohibited from listening to idle talk and obscene words. Therefore, fasting is not just physical but rather, th e commitment of one’s fasting routine is meant to teach the Muslims self discipline self control, patience, sacrifice, and empathy towards those who are less fortunate. As a result, it creates a sense of generosity and charity that is commonly referred to as Zakat (The Outreach Center: Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Havard University 5). Prayer and reading of the Qur’an During this season, all adherents of this religion are also supposed to go through the entire Qur’an and comprehend its teachings. Others prefer to recite the whole Qur’an as a form of saying special prayers that are known as Tarawih. These prayers must be done every night of the month. During these nights, the whole section of the Qur’an is recited and by the end of the month, one is supposed to have completed the entire Quran. This is the case primarily because; Muslims hold a notion that, by reading this book, there is a strong link that will form between them and their God, as the reading reminds them of how wonderful God has been to them; hence, the need of them to be good to others by being charitable, doing good deeds, and showing kindness. To show this they prepare special foods and gifts which they give the poor and the needy that are not in position to afford (Bell 124- 129). If’tar Firstly, If’tar primarily entails avoiding any consumption of food and drinks, until the sun goes down. After the sun has gone down, individuals are supposed to come together and share a meal that is commonly refererd to as If’tar. This meal usually begins by eating three dates (the same way Muhammad used to do) followed by the Maghrib prayer (the fourth prayer of the five daily prayers Fard).Advertising Looking for essay on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More After this, the normal meal is served. Over the recent past, If’tar has grown to be a banquet festival, because during this time, families, neighbors, friends, and even the whole community come together for fellowship (The Outreach Center: Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Havard University 6). Charity This is very significant in Islam and its meaning magnifies more during Ramadan. From time memorial, Ramadan is specifically a blessed time; therefore, Muslims celebrate it by giving in charity (sadaqa) (Ghazi and Rauuam 9-22). Laylat al-Qadr Among Muslims, Laylat al-Qadr is assumed to be one of the main holy nights. Muslims strongly hold the notion that; it is during this night that the Islamic Holy book was given to Prophet Muhammad. It occurs on an odd numbered night during the last ten days of the same month of Ramadan. It can be either the night of 29th, 27th, 25th, 23rd, or the 21st of Ramadan (Bell 124-133). Eid Al-Fitr Eid Al-Fitr is a feast that is used to celebrate t he conclusion of the fasting period and the commencement of a new month. Following the moon’s signals, it is the day when another new moon appears and it means the back to the fitrah. It a special day with cerebrations as food is donated to the poor (Zakat al-fitr); everybody wears his or her best clothes followed by communal prayers that are done in the morning. These types of prayers are different from the Fard, as they done as a form of worship and thanksgiving. After prayers, different festivals and visiting of relatives and friends follow, as a way of showing love and togetherness (The Outreach Center: Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Havard University 5-6) Conclusion In conclusion, all this features of Ramadan are forms of rituals that are performed by those who profess the Islamic religion. These rituals are normally done by Muslims, because of the strong myths they hold about their religion. For example, by giving freely to the needy, Muslims believe that God will r eward them too, for their generous deeds. Regardless of whether this is practical or not, this is one of the rituals that have encouraged cooperation among members of this religion. Another example is fasting as a way of getting pardon from the most high. Although nobody understands how God (Allah) work, to some level, this myth that God pardons those who fast, has encouraged members of this religion to embrace this ritual; hence, the nature of respect they accord Ramadan. Therefore, there is a clear connection between the myths and beliefs held by Muslims, in relation to celebrating the Holy Month of Ramadan, because it is the beliefs that have been transferred throughout ages that has made observing of Ramadan a habitual ritual. Works Cited Bell, Catherine. Ritual: Perspectives and Dimensions. New York: Oxford University Press, 2009. Web. Campbell, Joseph. The Power of Myth. New York: Anchor Books, 1991. Print. Ghazi, Hamid and Rauuam, Omar. Ramadan. New York: Holiday House, 1996 . Print. Hill, Margaret. Carlifonia Three Rs Project: Rights Responsibilities, and Respect. August 31 2011. Web. Kluckholm, Clyde. Myths and Rituals A General Theory. The Havard Theological Review, 35. 1 (1942): 45-79. Print. The Outreach Center: Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Havard University. Celebrating Ramadan: a Resource for Educators. Harvard University. Web. July 2008. This essay on Ramadan Features was written and submitted by user Claudia Salazar to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Impact of Globalisation on Nokia Company Essay Example

Impact of Globalisation on Nokia Company Essay Example Impact of Globalisation on Nokia Company Paper Impact of Globalisation on Nokia Company Paper International Business Question 1. Using one specific company, with which you are familiar, examine the actual and potential impacts of globalisation on that company. Explain the reasoning behind the points you make. Evaluate possible strategies going forward which the company might use to respond to the impacts of globalisation you have identified. Table of Contents 1. Background 1. 1 What is Globalization? 1. 2 The Importance of Globalization regarding a business 1. 3 Nokia a brief introduction 2. Characteristics and issues influencing Globalisation 3. How globalisation impacts the company 3. Product 3 . 2 Logistics 3. 3 Acquisitions 4. Evaluation and recommendations 4. 1 Rugman and Collinsons integration-responsiveness framework 4. 2 PEST analysis 4. 3 SWOT analysis 4. 4 Conclusion 5. Bibliography Part 1 – Background 1. 1 What is Globalization? â€Å"Globalization the growing integration of economies and societies around the world â€Å" The World Bank Globalization is a very wide concept involving such diverse areas as global and domestic economies, politics, sociology and international relations. Because of this there is no general consensus regarding the definition of this phenomena. There also isn’t a clear agreement between when globalization began. Some say that it actually began when Christopher Columbus discovered America in the late 15th century and brought back such goods as tobacco, various spices and some others. While others say it’s a relatively new and began in the 19th century with the Industrial Revolution. However people tend to agree that it’s never had such wide impact as in the last 20 years due to the introduction of the internet, mobile phones, decreased costs of transportation and manufacture of various goods. It’s agreed by most people that at least the following three elements are commonly involved in globalization: Shrinking Space. The lives of people are becoming more and more interconnected; not just domestically, but also globally. With increasing popularity of the social networking services such as facebook, twitter and skype it’s becoming easier to interact with people on the other side of the globe. Due to easier communication between human beings, people people in some cultures are becoming more aware of global norms. Youth in Japan for example are refusing to work long hours although this was common in the past and still is amongst the older generation. Shrinking Time. Due to the various communication and information technologies and the pace of their development, events occurring in one place have close to instantaneous impacts in other places. Catastrophic events like attacks on the twin towers of the World Trade Center during September 9/11 were reported globally in a matter of seconds and also had global effects on the prices of various stocks and currencies. Disappearing Borders. Borders of Countries around the world are becoming significant only on maps, as regional trade blocks (e. g. EU, NAFTA) and supranational bodies (e. g. IMF, WTO) increasingly override national policy making in economic and business issues as well as law enforcement and human rights. 1. 2 The Importance of Globalization regarding a business. Globalization should be important to every company because it’s near ly impossible to succeed for a large business in current economic conditions without carefully analysing every single angle of it. Companies worldwide are outsourcing the production of some and in some cases even all of their goods to other countries due to cheaper labour costs and cheaper raw materials. The transportation is becoming cheaper and cheaper due to improving technology, hence it is often more profitable produce the goods elsewhere and transport them directly to the consumer. Companies are also exporting certain branches of their company to other countries (e. g. utsourcing customer service calls to operators in India) Because of these decisions companies are saving vast amounts of money, hence they are able to decrease the prices of their goods and compete very aggressively with other companies. Due to the fierce competition many businesses are forced to also use the benefits of globalisation to their own advantage. In order to survive the harsh reality of competition businesses need to constantly be aware of changing conditions regarding the quality, efficiency and cost of production and various ot her important, but constantly fluctuating factors. . 3 Nokia a brief introduction Nokia is a leading manufacturer of mobile devices, with a market share of 30% of all mobile devices globally. Interestingly the company was founded in 1865 and started its operations by manufacturing paper. The company later added electricity generation to its business activities. In the beginning of the 20th century the company started making rubber shoes along with other rubber products. Shortly Nokia expanded to cable and electronics business. By the late 1960’s the company was responsible for many different industries, hence producing many completely different products. During the 1990s the company focused solely on the fastest growing segments in telecommunications and divested itself of all of its non-telecommunications businesses. While Nokia remains the global leader of mobile devices, the market share is falling slightly. Same time last year the company had 34% global market share, 4% more than currently. Worryingly the profit fell by a staggering 40% in the second quarter of 2010, compared with the previous year. The company faces strong competition in the Smartphone segment, as Apple and Google recently entered the Smartphone sector with the iPhone and Google android phones accordingly. Part 2 – Characteristics and issues influencing Globalisation In the past the world economy was dominated by 2 (bi-polar) main areas – North America and Europe, however the world moved on to a tri-polar model where 3 regions dominate the entire world. These regions are North America, the European Union and South-East Asia and they account for roughly 80% of the total value of world exports and 84% of world manufacturing value added. There has been growth in international trade and capital flows for exports and foreign direct investment respectively. During the period between the 1980 to 2007 world exports of goods and services more than doubled, reaching over 17,000 billion USD in 2007 and accounting for over 31% of world GDP. There has been significant growth in the world cross-border Mergers and Acquisitions. Most activity regarding Mergers and Acquisitions is concentrated in the telecommunications and the media, financial services, insurance sectors. The global value of Mergers and Acquisitions rose from 200 billion USD in 1990 to 1600 billion USD in 2007. Over the past years there has been a rapid growth in regional trading agreements. To name a few – European Union, North American Free Trade Area, European Free Trade Association. Members of these regional trading arrangements have preferential treatment to trade in goods and services between members of these blocs. Multinational Enterprises began locating production facilities inside these RTAs to avoid protective and discriminatory barriers. Changing international labour costs are particularly important in the globalization movement as both wage and non-wage costs (like social security, taxes, etc. ) are one of the most important factors when a business, has to decide in which country to locate the production plants and export other areas of the company. However labour costs alone are a poor indicator, that’s why relative unit labour costs are often used instead , as the RULC takes into account not only the labour costs, but also the productivity of the workforce and the exchange rate. Another important factor influencing globalization is the increasing international communication. Over the 20 years from the 1990 to 2010 the international telephone calls have risen from 33 billion minutes to over 130 minutes. Worldwide Internet users have increased tremendously from 1990 to 2006. From 1. 7 users to 136 per 1000 people. Telephone lines increased six times in developing countries. In 1990 only 21 people had telephone line per 1000, while currently this number is a whopping 132 per 1000 people. Another important factor in many countries is growth in ageing populations. Although the median age of world’s population rose only from 23. 6 years to 26. 6 years from 1950s to 2008, it’s predicted that the median age over the coming 40 years will rise to 37 years by 2050. This will definitely affect the labor supply in some countries as well as the changing consumer tastes. Producers of goods and providers of various services will have to focus on the older generation. Part 3 How globalisation impacts the company 3. 1 Product Nokia operates a total of 15 manufacturing facilities located in Finland, Brazil, China, England, Hungary, India, Mexico, Romania and South Korea. The company produces standardised products worldwide due to the enormous benefits of the economies of scale. Nokia’s products are produced in exactly the same way in every country, the only difference being that company focuses on promoting different models in different countries in various continents. Naturally as disposable income in African countries is much lower than in other parts of the world the company focuses on selling cheaper, more economical budget phones, which appeal to the majority of locals. One of such examples of phones is the Nokia 1100. This simplistic device is the world’s best selling handset with the sales of 250 million since the launch in 2003. In addition to being the best selling mobile phone it’s also the best selling consumer electronics device in the world. Despite being released in 2003 when the phones already had colour screens and cameras this phone outsold all others just because the correct marketing approach by Nokia – selling to the developing countries. This phone is capable of lasting for up to 400 hours and also has a built in flashlight which are essential functions in the parts of the world where electricity is scarce. Interestingly Nokias one billionth phone sold was a Nokia 1100 purchased in Nigeria. In Europe and North America on the other hand the company focuses on each country individually as personal income fluctuates highly depending on the region; however as over all the consumers in these areas are more technologically conscious and have higher incomes Nokia naturally sells more mid to higher end phones. Nokia’s most expensive mass produced phone was the Nokia 8800 Gold Edition which cost a whopping ? 1459. This demonstrates company’s diversity, with the ability to find a niche in the mobile phone market both ways – for the lower and higher end devices. Recently however due to the effects of the global economical recession the company introduced a new line of budget phones, hence indicating the flexibility and adaptability of the company. 3 . 2 Logistics Nokia manufactures mobile devices and related Internet and communications industries, with over 123,000 employees in 120 countries, sales in more than 150 countries and global annual revenue of EUR 41 billion and operating profit of â‚ ¬1. billion as of 2009. As of December 2009, Nokia had R presence in 16 countries and employed 37,020 people in research and development, representing approximately 30% of the groups total workforce. The Nokia Research Center, founded in 1986, is Nokias industrial research unit consisting of about 500 researchers, engineers and scientists. It has sites in seven countries: Finland, China, India, Kenya, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. Besides its research centers, in 2001 Nokia founded (and owns) INdT – Nokia Institute of Technology, a R institute located in Brazil. Nokias industrial design department is headquartered in Soho in London, England with significant satellite offices in Helsinki, Finland and Calabasas, California in the USA. Recently the company signed a memorandum with Cluj County Council, Romania to open a new plant near the city in Jucu commune. Moving the production from the Bochum, Germany factory to a low wage country created major dissatisfaction in Germany. The politicians in Germany even boycotted the company by trading their mobile phones to other brands. The German officials even threatened Nokia by demanding 60 million Euros which the company received in subsidies, however one of Nokia’s Chairmen replied â€Å"Unfortunately, the costs of labour, including non-wage labour costs, in Germany are not competitive enough for the mass-production of Nokia products†. This just shows how the differences and changes in the RULC in combination with various taxes on imports/exports including other important factors can steer a company like Nokia away from one country to another. . 3 Acquisitions Acquisitions are a big part of any large corporation these days and they are very important in many fundamental ways including strategically, economically and time management wise. In present times every second counts as information travels virtually instantly from one end of the globe to the other, hence a company may save valuable time and resources by acquiring another firm, which will most likely be established in the market and only s ome reorganisation may be needed. During the past few years Nokia has been actively acquiring companies with new technologies and competencies, including also investments in minority positions. Since December 1997, Nokia has acquired 41 companies or businesses. To name a few more notable acquisitions: In 2003 Nokia acquired Sega. com, a branch of Sega which became the major basis to develop the Nokia N-Gage device. This was a very notably strategic and innovative move, because the company later launched the first gaming/mobile device on such mass market. Although the device sold over 3 million units it was still considered a failure, yet it still was a very innovative move from Nokia. On June 19, 2006, Nokia and Siemens AG announced the companies would merge their mobile and fixed-line phone network equipment businesses to create one of the world’s largest network firms, Nokia Siemens Networks. Each company has a 50% stake in the infrastructure company, and it is headquartered in Espoo, Finland. The companies predicted annual sales of â‚ ¬16 billion and cost savings of â‚ ¬1. 5 billion a year by 2010. About 20,000 Nokia employees were transferred to this new company. In October 2007 Nokia bought Navteq, a U. S. -based supplier of digital mapping data, for a price of $8. 1 billion. Nokia Ovi Maps use Navteq’s maps in Smartphone’s. Ovi Maps provides offline maps, eliminating the need for a constant internet data feed. On April 10, 2010, Nokia announced its acquisition of MetaCarta, whose technology was planned to be used in the area of local search, particularly involving location and other services. Part 4 – Evaluation and recommendations . 1 Rugman and Collinsons integration-responsiveness framework Nokia is in the transnational strategy (T) quadrant as it faces high local responsiveness and high global integration. The company operates in a market with strong international cost and price competitiveness pressures but it must meet such challenges while paying due regard to the high political sensitivities of host governments (like in the case mentioned previ ously when Germany didn’t agree to the relocation of one of the production plants) and agencies. . 2 PEST analysis |Political |Changes in the future taxation policies are a possible issue as there still are countries which struggle to | | |regain economic muscle after the recession, hence it’s very likely to see some changes in weaker economy | | |countries. | |Changes in subsidies or financial funding, especially in developing economies can lead to increased costs in | | |the company | | |Changes in trade bodies is an ongoing issue, as globalization is advancing the pace in the changes between | | various trading parties are very likely to influence import/export costs along with other unforeseeable | | |impacts. | | |Political instability in countries such as North Korea, Afghanistan and Iraq can lead to global political | | |insecurities, hence unpredictably effecting business behaviour worldwide. |Economical |Overall economic situation, especially future economic f luctuations | | |Changes in consumer spending can influence the demand greatly | | |Changes in government spending | | |Exchange rates can increase/decrease import/export costs | |Social |Ageing populations such as China along with many other European countries can influence the design of future | | |mobile phones | | |Social networking sites such as Facebook and twitter are changing the accessibility to the consumers | | |Lifestyle patterns and changes | | |Media views and perceptions | | |Ethnic and religious differences | |Technological |Current and future technological innovations | | |The level of research funding | | |Changes in means of consumer purchase | | |Intellectual property rights and copyright infringements | | |Global communication technological advances | | |Digitalization of things like books | 4. 3 SWOT analysis Strengths |Leading mobile phone company by market share | | |Sales in more than 150 countries | | |Innovative company | | |20 year experience in mobile phones | | |Global brand awareness | | |Widespread Location | | |Offers products in various price ranges | | |Corporately responsible company | | |Environmentally conscious | |Weaknesses |Slow and outdated Operating System (symbian) of mobile devices | | |Poor customer service | | |Slow comeback to competition (During the beginning of the iPhone era) | |Opportunities |New and innovative future products | | |MeeGo – new OS for netbooks | | |New approach towards developing companies | | |Partnerships with other organisations | | |Symbian^3 – a reboot of the old symbian operating system for mobile phones | |Threats |Political instability | | |Economical instability | | |Incredible sales of Apple iPhone and Google Android mobile phones | | |Market share loss to competitors | 4. 4 Conclusion Nokia is one of the leading global brands, however recently companies like Google and Apple started posing extremely dangerous threats with introduction of new products and services. These companies are taking over Nokia’s market share at extremely fast pace, especially in the smart phone sector. Other communication companies like Samsung, Sony Ericson and Motorola are also introducing innovative technologies and products. Nokia needs to quickly develop new mobile phones, especially with touch screen displays and also improve the hardware performance of its devices. Although investments are being made towards new operating system development for mobile phones the company need a completely different approach, as the early beta demonstrations are not looking up to par when compared to its competitors. Nokia also need to focus on the changing economical conditions in countries like China where the standard of living is changing drastically, hence more and more people are becoming possible future customers. The company should also take in to account the changing demographic situation worldwide, where most currently dominant economies are ageing; therefore it should prepare to shift its target clientele base from young adults towards older customers. The firm should also continue manufacturing simplistic devices as there are still plenty of possible customers with little technologic knowledge. 5. Bibliography Websites: Wikipedia. 2010. Nokia. [online] Available at: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Nokia [Accessed 28 November 2010]. Wikipedia. 2010. List of acquisitions by Nokia. [online] Available at: [Accessed 28 November 2010]. Wikipedia. 2010. Globalization. [online] Available at: [Accessed 28 November 2010]. Nokia. 2010. The story of Nokia. [online] Available at: [Accessed 29 November 2010]. Newlaunches. 2007. Nokias phone history timeline. [online] Available at: [Accessed 30 November 2010]. Articlesbase. 2007. Nokia the History. [online] Available at: [Accessed 10 December 2010]. Dw-World. 2008. German Politicians Return Cell Phones Amid Nokia Boycott Calls. [online] Available at: [Accessed 12 December 2010]. Spiegel Online International. 2008. German State Demands â‚ ¬60 Million from Nokia. online] Available at: [Accessed 12 December 2010]. Books: Wall, S. Minocha, S. and Rees. B. , 2010. International Business. 3rd ed. Pearson Education Limited. Griffiths, A. and Wall, S. 2008. Economics for business and management. 2nd ed. Pearson Education Limited. Brooks, I. Weatherston, J. and Wilkinson, G. 2010. The internationa l business environment. :challenges and changes. 2nd Ed. Financial Times/ Prentice Hall Dicken, P. 2007. Global shift :mapping the changing contours of the world economy. 6th ed. Sage Publications Ltd. Cullen, B. J, and Parboteeah P. K. 2009. International business :strategy and the multinational company. 1st ed. T F Books US