United States Vs. India Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

United States Vs. India - Essay Example The rate of unemployment according to the CIA Factbook was 9.5% in 2009 and 9.1% in 2008 in India. When compared to the USA, the unemployment rate is very similar for the year 2009 as the country had 9.4% unemployment but in 2008, the rate was 5.8%. The rise in unemployment in the recent years in US has been caused by the economic conditions and the sub-prime crisis. General Motors filed for bankruptcy in 2009 and many other companies which employed a large proportion of the population also closed down. Many companies made lay-offs to reduce costs as their products were not being sold in the market. Many economists say that the unemployment that the US faces is seasonal and will improve with time. The inflation rate in the US for consumer prices was -0.7% in 2009 and 3.8% in 2008 (CIA, 2010). In contrast, India had an inflation rate of 9.8% in 2009 and 8.3% in 2008 (CIA, 2010). The rate of inflation is very high in India as compared to the USA which was negative for the last year. This high inflation rate in India accounts for the high demand of products in the country and the low rate in US accounts for the low demand and higher production in the economy. The US is the largest hub of technology in the world with per capita GDP of US$ 46,900 where as the Indian economy has per capita GDP of US$ 3,100 as of 2009 (CIA, 2010). Both these countries derive most of the GDP from the services sector and have economic liberalization policies. India has become a well known exporter of software products and has an edge of low labor cost. Although more than half of the labor force is self-employed in the agricultural industry in India, but the sector only accounts for 17% of the net income of the country. The US only derives 1.2% of its total revenue from agricultural sector and 71 % of the revenue from the services sector (CIA, 2010). USA has been struck hard by the worldwide economic downturn and the country itself

Procter & Gamble Company Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Procter & Gamble Company - Research Paper Example The company, which has been in the industry for 174 years, has earned a great number of recognitions over the years. These included, to cite a few, a 6th ranking on Fortune’s â€Å"Global Most Admired Companies†, a 2nd on Fortune’s â€Å"Top Companies for Leaders† survey, top rankings on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index from 2000 to 2010, and most innovative manufacturer in the consumer packaged goods industry for the last decade given by the Symphony IRI group. In addition, P&G has also been recognized by the National Association for Female Executives (Top 50 Companies for Executive Women) and Black Enterprise magazine (40 Best Companies for Diversity); awards related to creating a diverse workplace. On top of that, P&G has been consistently a member of the Billion Dollar Roundtable, made up of 17 corporations that spend more than $1 billion annually with diverse suppliers, since 2005 (Procter & Gamble Co., 2011). P&G serves consumer, household and phar maceutical goods to consumers in more than 180 countries. Having around 127,000 employees for ground operations in 80 countries (Procter & Gamble Co., 2011) , the company makes at least 250 brands in six main categories: laundry and cleaning (detergents), paper goods (toilet paper), beauty care (cosmetics and shampoos), food and beverages (coffee and snacks), feminine care (sanitary towels) and health care (toothpaste and medicine), (Corporate Watch , 2002). Among the quality and leadership brands manufactured by the company are Ivory, Pampers, Tide, Ariel, Always, Whisper, Pantene, Folgers, Charmin, Downy, Lenor, Iams, Crest, Oral B, Actonel, Duracell, Olay, head & Shoulders, Wella, Gilette, and Braun (Procter & Gamble Co., 2006). History P&G has changed the lifestyle of consumers worldwide, the history of which can be rooted way back in 1837 in Cincinnati, Ohio. William Procter, who was originally from England, and James Gamble, an immigrant from Ireland, had crossed paths when th ey married sisters Olivia and Elizabeth Norris (Procter & Gamble Co., 2006). The partnership of the two was suggested by their mutual father-in-law, Alexander Norris, who stated that both William’s trade, candle making and James’ which was soap making would utilize lye from animal fat and wood ashes that were prominent in Cincinnati (FundingUniverse, 2003). At that time of the business establishment, Williams and James used a forward-looking approach despite the financial panic across US wherein banks were bankrupt and competition among soap and candle makers were tough. Despite the years leading to civil war in the 1850s, P&G was able to obtain large contracts from the national government to provide the Union army with soap and candle products (Dyer, Dalzell, & Olegario, 2004). Furthermore, Williams and James’ company was able to start one of the first profit-sharing programs in the US, and also invested in a research laboratory (Procter & Gamble Co., 2006). It was in the 1890s when P&G developed and sold 30 different types of soap, which included the famous brand Ivory and soaps for dishwashing and washing clothes. The effective advertisements of the products through the use of radio â€Å"soap operas†, product sampling and promotional premiums increased the demand which led to expansion of operations in Kansas City, Kansas and Ontario, Canada. Another world-wide known product introduced by P&G in 1946 was Tide. The introduction of Tide was remarkably successful which paved the way to having new markets across continents (Procter & Gamble Co., 2006). A few years following the sensation of Tide, several products were brought into the market. The first fluoride toothpaste, Crest, became popularly known as it was endorsed by the American Dental