Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Analytical Essay Sample on Global Business Management

Analytical Essay Sample on Global Business Management Global business management can be defined as the interaction of people from different cultures, societies, and various backgrounds in undertaking various business activities with the aim of achieving their goals for example earning profits from their investments. Because of invention of advanced technology the world has increasingly become a village and as a result global business is the modern form of business in this 21st century. Because of globalization there have been great disregard to national borders, governments have lower hand in controlling the flow of their economies and MNC’s are now not restricted to only one particular country as it was before. The reality and existence of globalization can be witnessed when patterns of trade are considered, for example the general level of imports and exports in several countries have magnificently increased over the past few years. Also globalization have led to significant increase in production of business services for example firms dealing with Just-in-Time (JIT) ideas have led to customers getting information .e.g. of accounting and auditing conveniently. Also due to globalization financial systems organizations have now been integrated and they work as one unit thus enhancing the chances of conducting business globally for example through the use of Credit Cards and the existence of flexible exchange control systems in many countries. It is therefore important to identify different approaches to global business management which can be employed in a business setting of management across cultures and across a diverse workforce in a global setting. Globalization is also now vividly evident because of the way people migrate from one country to another without much difficulty, for example different countries have relaxed their stringent traveling rules to allow ample time for business activities to be undertaken. It is also critical to look into how respective managers can maximize the practical applications of these approaches to Multi-National Companies (MNCs) such as Coca Cola Company. International Business management practice is the greatest concept that must be understood clearly by all managers and Chief Executives Officers of MNC’s before going global. It is the process of applying management concepts and techniques in multinational environment so that firms can become and remain international in scope. This process is influenced by new technologies, improved communication and transportation systems. It involves identifying the suitable approaches to going global and understanding all the advantages and disadvantages of each approach before going global in any business undertaking. Any company may invest in another country and there are different approaches that a manager can employ depending on the factors that the respective organizations are considering, for example; the cost of entering the new market, existing policies in the country of choice, the rate of technology, foreign currency exchange rate control systems among others. According to John Tomlinson in globalization and culture he argues that, globalization lies at the heart of modern culture and cultural practices lies at the heart of globalization. He says that business globalization has led firms that operate and invest in a global scale to transform patterns of trade and shape the interactions between them for example through mergers. Under this case that we want to create subsidiaries and invest in the UK, Africa, and China as a senior manager, I can recommend the following strategies of entering the market to be suitable; The first approach to be considered is that of exporting and depends on a number of factors that includes the following; the available resources that a firm is capable of spending, the size of the company, if the company posses any past export experience and expertise or it is trying it for the first time, conditions of conducting business in the selected abroad market and products nature for example if the products are perishable or durable. Under exporting there are two methods namely; direct exporting and Indirect exporting. Direct exporting involves the producer of the products or services dealing directly with a buyer in the foreign country and often regarded as the difficult method of entry because the owner or the exporter of the product is entirely responsible for the business undertaking for example researching the suitable market for the products and establishing the suitable distribution channels to be used. Therefore this method requires much attention in terms of management and the resources to be used in the entire exporting process. It is also arguably the best method because the exporter may benefit from reaping maximum profits and may enjoy long-term growth thus the company can maintain its base in those countries. Under direct exporting I may choose to use modes such as agents and distributors, domestic sales representatives, overseas sales office or subsidiary. Such methods have various advantages that will help my company exploit the host markets, for example agents and distributors are familiar with the market, there are existing business contacts and sales people are always dedicated to the customers thus can boost business activities in these host countries that is UK, Africa and China. Under indirect exporting an exporter can access foreign market free from risks of doing it directly. It involves the use of independent organizations within the exporters domestic markets. It can be done through various ways, for example, a domestic based export merchants, who take the title of the goods and sells them in those countries abroad, domestic based export agents who sell and market the goods on behalf of the exporter and co-operative organizations who act on behalf of the producers. I can prefer the use of one of the above methods of entry because of the following advantages; communication is very much easy because the exporting company is domestically based and the risks of investing are much lower than coming up with full market in the host country. This approach might be cumbersome to undertake because the cost of getting links with agents thus taking long time to establish a market. An example here is that to export companys product to various countries e.g. in China or UK and identify merchants and agents to market my products Another approach of entering the new market and it will help in opening of branches in the UK, Africa and China is a method of entry called relationship based partnership and comprises of the following; Joint venture partnership whereby it can be defined as a partnership created by one or more companies with a view to carry out a business together. They contribute equally to the business and agree to share any profits in a certain percent in the course of the business. Such a business is referred to as equity joint venture and it is favorable because there is sharing of risk and loses. There is also contract joint venture which involves creation of new firms in which foreign and local investors share ownership and control. Generally joint ventures are common where government conditions demand so in order to ensure control, nationalism and reduced re-patriation of profits. It will be an ideal situation if the company that am working for is still young and wish to exploit other markets for their products since it require fewer resources. However, it has potential problems and includes sharing of profits, employment issues, market coverage and decision making due to different long-term interest in partners. Another relationship based partnership that I can use is licensing method of entry, whereby they can be termed as contracts in which a foreign licensor provides a local license with access to know-how in exchange for financial compensation. I can prefer to use this method because it presents an opportunity to entering markets that may have been otherwise closed to exports and also it will not require my company to have substantial capital investments in the host market horizon that is UK, Africa and China. However, I may be faced with problems like loosing production control of my company’s products. Also still under relationship based partnership I will suggest that my company consider franchising as a method of entry. Franchising involves one partner called franchisor licensing trademarks and established methods of entry to a party called a franchisee in swap for a recurring compensation. A good example that illustrates this method is that of the Coca-Cola Company selling its syrup together with the rights to use its trademark and name to other independent bottlers. I can recommend this method of entry to my company because it is easy to start the business abroad, there is room for rapid expansion, there is stable offering of the same products for a long time and therefore will attract customers and most of the time franchisors offer training for free that is always not offered to individuals setting up their businesses. Strategic alliance method of entry can also be employed under relationship based partnership in going international which involves formal partnership between two or more parties to undertake a common business with the view of attaining same objective but the parties involved always remains independent to each other. Business resources to be shared may include common distribution, channel, knowledge, products or expertise. I can prefer this method because of the following advantages; there are low research and development costs, getting access to partner’s capital, new markets for the products of the company and quick time in marketing the products, there is sharing of distribution channels and tapping the other partners advanced technology and intellectual property among others. An example here is the coca cola Company reaching an agreement with any producers of drinks to market and distribute their products on their behalf. Another approach that I will consider before opening subsidiaries in the UK, Africa and China is referred to as direct investment method of entry. Directing investments entails setting up manufacturing facilities although it requires heavy capital and management dedication. It can also be carried out through acquisition and this involves purchasing of already existing foreign investments that will include existing experience workforce, management structures, local knowledge and the existing contacts in the market and the government. Although direct investment method is expensive and difficult to start should it succeed the company will enjoy good returns and will establish strong market base in its new market. An example here is that as am manager I will open a subsidiary of my company in Africa may be Sudan or in Somalia. This will be a viable project since I will have explored new markets in Africa and thus broaden the market share as well as make profits for the company and also e stablish a long-term economic market. After successfully identifying and setting the subsidiaries in the UK, Africa, and China I will embark on managing the investments. I will therefore appoint competent local managers in their respective countries that is, a Briton in the UK, a Chinese in China and an African in Africa. Research now days indicate that products associated with local people in a country tends to be selling unlike those days when people will go for products associated with foreigners. I believe that with the management being the local people it will be easier for marketing purposes since the locals will be motivated to buy the products of the company in the basis that they are promoting their own fellow citizens and hence their standard of living. For example certain African countries do not like foreigners in managing their business activities for example a case in which recently in Zimbabwe the whites were being forcefully ejected out of their farms and other businesses. The local people will always feel respected when one of their own is doing the management job and that will lead to success of the subsidiaries started. Another case to show that the locals in Africa have developed a negative attitude towards foreigners is when the local residents in Kenya boycotted to buy Delamere products when the owner was accused of murder. In fact they demonstrated and demanded that the business be changed to local owners. Another good example is that, in China history shows that they are very conservative people and will always promote local investors rather than foreigners. It is for these reason that I will prefer the local people to be managers in order to attract more customers and hence success of the company. Conclusion: We can therefore conclude that globalization has led to prosperity to all and the main ingredient to it has been international marketing which have been employed by firms in order to increase their market share and profits. Due to modernization and advancement in technology, most businesses are beginning to explore international markets for better profits and opportunities. In the recent past, trading activities has become increasingly global in some way because of the need to gather and increase the company’s financial bases. Advancement in technology including communication efficiency and better international relations has contributed to the promotion of the international trade. Competition has however become a great challenge to the success of global business management but most companies are rising to the challenge. To take advantage of the world being global village and to achieve greater investments and better market opportunities in the international market, it is necessary that primary and secondary market research is done to ensure that information regarding the target markets in countries desired is obtained.

Saturday, February 29, 2020

Assessing Development And Democracy In India Politics Essay

Assessing Development And Democracy In India Politics Essay A strong centred democracy has been at the heart of Indian nationalism since independence with its many languages, religions, ethnicities. In adopting the Westminster parliamentary system, India substituted the monarchy for an elected President and a legislative body consisting of a bicameral structure that includes a lower house – the Lok Sabha  and  an upper house the Rajya Sabha  Ã‚   [ 2 ]   . India is now the world’s largest parliamentary democracy, some 714 million people were eligible to vote in last year’s election   [ 3 ]   . Members of the Lok Sabha are directly elected every five years with representation divided among India’s States, and seats apportioned  according to population. Members of the lower house the Rajya Sabha are indirectly elected by the legislative assemblies of the federal States and the President nominates twelve members to the Rajya Sabha based on distinguished reputations in the realm of the arts, sciences or public service   [ 4 ]   . The president is elected to office for a five year period by members of both houses. All citizens over the age of 18 years, regardless caste or religion are eligible to vote and turnout has stabilized at approximately 60%, which is particularly high by international standards   [ 5 ]   . Under Jawaharlal Nerhu’s (the first prime minster of India) nationalist ethos encompassing non alignment, socialism and secularism, the latter was the intended safe guard for religious minorities from majority rule. In an affront to the notion that democracy is a ‘Western luxury’ that developing countries cannot afford   [ 6 ]   , India’s body politic has remained markedly stable since independence, a notable exception in post colonial states. It is also viewed as an anomaly because of its incredibly diversified social strata and its ability to continue functioning as a democracy (Kothari 2005). There is no distinction for basis of ci tizenship along ethnic, religious or caste lines nor has there been any religious qualification for holding office. There has not been any significant state intervention to abolish the caste system   [ 7 ]   , although ‘untouchability’ was made illegal in the Constitution   [ 8 ]   the system has been left undisturbed. Independence and the adoption of democracy has however not resulted in any state-led political agenda of social reform, by in large society has been allowed to reform itself in a laissez faire way. A proportion of parliamentary seats and a percentage of public sector jobs were/are however reserved for members of  Other Backward Castes (OBCs), Scheduled Castes (SCs)  and  Scheduled Tribes (STs). This reserve falls under Positive Discrimination (PD)   [ 9 ]   . Bhimrao Ramji  Ambedkar (a member of the untouchable Mahar caste), provided the Dalits with their first real hope of transcending caste discrimination (Luce, 2007), ensuring that equality along caste lines was enshrined within the Constitution   [ 10 ]   . While caste disparity has not yet been alleviated in a substantial way, it has given the Dalits a feel for political mobility   [ 11 ]   . Constitutional provisions. As regards India’s post independence economic policy, it adopted a model of self-sufficiency and import substitution   [ 12 ]   . Influenced by the Soviet example of a mixed economy it turned its back on trade and foreign capital imports on the premise of being a self-sufficient industrialised nation   [ 13 ]   .This failed to take capitalize on India’s early start in modern industry   [ 14 ]   , with it rehashing many of the industries which were already in place but which, were in its view tainted by imperialism. As a result industry suffered (Bhagwati, Desai and Sen, 1997).

Thursday, February 13, 2020

It is an exam question and I dont know what title will it have, Essay

It is an exam question and I dont know what title will it have, however the topic is called economic loss, focus on negligence misstatement - Essay Example A common thing in this regard has been that a loss-suffered party accuses its partner for incurring of the loss resulting in to legal disputes. There have been many instances for such legal cases some of which are discussed below. There have been various cases in the regard of economic losses that have arisen in because of negligence misstatements. Among such cases, Hedley Byrne & Co Ltd Vs Heller & Partners Ltd has been one of the most notables. The case is regarded as the tort law case which had occurred because of the negligent misstatement. Analysing the case it is observed that, Hedley Byrne was an advertising firm. The company had a new customer in lieu of Easipower Ltd. The recent customer put up a big order to the advertising company. Hedley Byrne became suspicious of the amount of the order and tried to ensure the financial viability of the client company. In order to do so, the advertising major called up their banks, National Provincial Bank, and asked for a report about the credit worthiness of Easipower Ltd from the client’s bank named Heller & Partner’s Ltd. The banker of the client replied to the National Provincial Bank and thereby to the Hedley Byrne stating that Easipower Ltd w as â€Å"considered good for its ordinary business engagements†. But an important point that had to be noted in analyzing the case was that the banker of the client, Heller & Partners Ltd also notified the reply saying â€Å"without responsibility on the part of this bank†. Perceiving the financial credibility of Easipower Ltd to be perfect, Hedley Byrne went in to the deal with the company but soon Easipower Ltd went into liquidation. As a result, Hedley & Byrne lost a hopping amount of more than  £ 17,000. Hedley & Byrne, incurring the loss, sued the banker of Easipower Ltd on the grounds of negligence as the advertising company relied upon the statement of the bank. The other accusation was that of misleading information. The honourable court heard the case

Saturday, February 1, 2020

History of architecture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

History of architecture - Essay Example The plans did not contain all the elements in the actual buildings, which were requisite of the architectural drawings. The separation between technology and architecture was achieved by the gross structure and physical plants of the sectional drawings. This implies that architecture focused on the structure of a construction while technology handled the rest of the physical plant. The modern practice combines all the technological and structural requirements of buildings by including every aspect in the plans (Banham 14). I think ancient architectural designs were just concentrated on the complete finishing of buildings. This gave the engineers the freedom to add new concepts pertaining to the preference of the home owners. The article indicates that some of the olden features of a building were not included in the plans, but revealed the skills of the builders. This implies that the principles guiding modernists did not apply then and this was risky to the welfare of the home owners. It is evident that the article highlights the milestones that architectural works have surpassed to give modern designs and inspirations (Banham 16). The article also gives examples of ancient architects who inspired designs and plans that contributed to the developments in the

Friday, January 24, 2020

The Guns of August Essay -- Papers Barbara Tuchman Novels

The Guns of August Barbara Tuchman's Pulitzer prize-winning book about the start of World War I is a fascinating and detailed work that delivers the thoughts and actions of the belligerents and their previously mysterious leaders to life on every page. This military history of the first month of the war is written in a way as to keep the reader interested because of the great detail. The author also manages to write about the events in such a manor as the reader sees them as they happened. Despite any previous knowledge about the historical events of the war, the book manages to keep you wondering if the Germans will succeed in its aims. In Chapters 5 through 9, Tuchman doesn't discuss much about why Germany, France, or Russia progressed toward war, she pretty much describes it as more of an inevitability sparked by Austria's affairs with Serbia. She does manage to chronicle the key events, the people and their decisions of the preceding years and days of the war. Along with the key events of the first few weeks of battle, Tuchman provides a perspective into each of the belligerent's strategic aims and goals. These forces that drive each country into war in 1914 along with a brief discussion of their backgrounds is what follows. It is possible that with no other country in the twentieth century clearly on the inevitable road to war has there been as much unpreparedness and complete lack of all comprehension than that of Russia prior to World War I. For the few years before 1914 and the start of the war, especially following the embarrassing loss to Japan, Russia recognized its eminent clash with Germany. The way with which it conducted its international relations and internal affairs is puzzling to say the least. ... ...nd therefore it is understandable why so many found a war that appeared to have little benefit for them unappealing. Tuchman helps us understand an interesting time in history when old ways clash directly with new means of communication and ways of fighting. These few years in world history are a unique time of unusual people and events that can only be explained in the context of understanding how much things for these countries had remained the same despite the changing world around them. After the strategy and plans, the following deployments and battles would demonstrate this very fact. The Guns of August is a superb narrative bringing us a key insight into the war that at the time had such great significance and today has such great historical value. Bibliography: Tuchman, Barbara W. The Guns of August, Ballantine Books; New York: 1962.

Thursday, January 16, 2020

A Comparison of Nursing Education Essay

A career in nursing has many possibilities and depending on where one is employed there may be different educational requirements. There are many nurses in the workforce with only their associate’s degree in nursing, but as time passes it seems that the baccalaureate degree is becoming more of an expectation. This brings up the question- is there a difference in the competency of the associate-level nurse from the baccalaureate-level nurse? Studies are showing that there is a difference and patient outcomes are affected by this difference. Differences between the Associate Degree in Nursing and the Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing In order to compare the competencies between nurses prepared at the associate-degree level versus the baccalaureate-degree level, one must first compare the requirements to obtain these degrees. The Associate’s Degree in Nursing, abbreviated ADN, is a two-year degree usually earned through a community college. It requires 60 credit hours to complete and upon completion the graduate can apply for licensure through the state in which they will practice. The Bachelors of Science in Nursing, also called BSN, is a four-year degree obtained at a university. It includes the same areas of study and has the same license upon completion of the NCLEX as the ADN nurse, but delves further into nursing theory as well as pathophysiology and technical skills. Many employers require the bachelor’s degree for higher positions in nursing such as clinical managers and nurse specialists. Differences in competencies between nurses prepared at the associate-degree level versus the baccalaureate-degree level As explained above the bachelor’s degree in nursing requires two more years of education and a much deeper study of nursing theory and pathophysiology than the associate’s degree. The question is does this extra education and focus on nursing theory make a BSN nurse more competent than an ADN nurse. Research suggests there is a significant effect of nurse experience and a significant effect of the percentage of BSN nurses in each hospital (Kendall-Gallagher, Aiken, Sloane &Cimiotti, 2011) in regards to better patient outcomes. To understand the difference one must look at the basic nursing process and how knowledge of nursing theory and pathophysiology affects it. The basic process taught in nursing school in providing patient care is assessment, plan, intervention and evaluation. Assessment is one the first things a nursing student learns. The associate-level and bachelor-level nurse will both have learned this skill in the very first days of nursing school. Both nurses will also be competent with the last step, evaluation of the interventions. The advantage a BSN nurse will have lies in the middle two steps- plan and intervention. The plan and interventions a nurse provides is affected by their decision-making skills and this is based on their education. Plan and Intervention To determine a patient’s plan of care, one looks at the abnormal assessments and then uses their knowledge of pathophysiology to determine the plan of care. While the BSN nurse will not necessarily have more clinical hours in assessing the patient, they will have taken more classes in pathophysiology than the ADN nurse and therefore may notice a disease process more readily than the ADN nurse. This is where the interventions will occur. Interventions are determined by the nurse based on their decision-making skills. Decision-Making Skills Nursing is a field in which one is given a great amount of autonomy. Therefore much of a patient’s care is affected by a nurse’s decision-making skills. One’s ability to make decisions is affected by many things including past experiences, environment and education. The focus here is education and how the additional study for the BSN affects nurses’ decision-making skills. The BSN nurse will have studied pathophysiology and nursing theory in greater depth than the ADN nurse. This extra knowledge is then applied to the decisions a nurse makes for their patient. These decisions have a great impact on patient outcomes and recent studies have indicated that there is decreased morbidity, mortality, and failure-to-rescue rates in hospitals that employ larger percentages of baccalaureate prepared nurses (Altman, 2011). Effect of baccalaureate-degree level nurses on patient outcomes In the acute situation the BSN nurse can use their knowledge of pathophysiology in addition to their decision-making skills to decrease morbidity and mortality. Taking into account the greater picture, a more holistic approach based on the BSN nurse’s familiarity with nursing theory, will improve patient outcomes. For example let’s look at a hospital admission for a congestive heart failure exacerbation. Both the ADN and BSN nurse will assess the patient and notice classic signs like shortness of breath and edema. Both nurses will plan on diuresis and paying close attention to respiratory status. The difference will come with the holistic approach that a BSN nurse is more likely to take. The emphasis on the nursing theories that a BSN nurse has studied will allow them to look at the patient as a whole, rather than dealing with only stabilization of symptoms. The knowledge of nursing theory the BSN nurse has will allow them to delve further into why this patient admitted and what they can do to prevent a readmission. The BSN nurse asks questions as to what caused the exacerbation. It may be that the patient needs more teaching on diet and medication compliance. They will ask the patient about their home situation. It’s possible the patient is having financial burdens that have kept them from filling their prescriptions. The BSN nurse is more likely to look at the home situation. The patient may have depression with the diagnosis and need some resources for social support. In regards to King’s theory, nursing’s central goal is to help individuals maintain their health so that they can function in their roles (Creasia, 180). By helping the patient function in their role, the nurse empowers the patient to lead a healthier life. The patient is sent home educated with the resources needed to lead a healthy life and therefore reduces unnecessary hospital admissions. This in turn allows the space available for hospital admissions that are necessary and leads to a healthier community . REFERENCES Altmann, Tanya K. (2011). Registered nurses returning to school for a bachelors degree in nursing: Issues emerging from a meta-analysis of the research. Contemporary Nurse: A Journal for the Australian Nursing Profession, 39, (2): 256-72. Creasia, J; Friberg, E. (2011). Conceptual Foundations: The Bridge to Professional Nursing Practice. (5th Edition). St. Louis, Missouri: Mosby, Inc., an affiliate of Elsevier Inc. Kendall-Gallagher, Deborah; Aiken, Linda H.; Sloane, Douglas M.; Cimiotti, Jeannie P. (2011). Nurse Specialty Certification, Inpatient Mortality, and Failure to Rescue. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 43, 188-94.

Tuesday, January 7, 2020

French Listening Comprehension and Practice Exercises

If youd like to improve your French listening comprehension skills, the exercises below can help you better grasp the language. They  include  a French sound file with a study guide, quiz, transcript and translation. Altogether, there are more than 100 listening exercises  on this site, ranging from simple dialogues to in-depth listening comprehension exercises. The most popular pages offer practical advice or discuss someone or something famous. The French Language Accents de FranceFrench varies from country to country and from region to region. Learn about some of the accents you might encounter in France in this audio report from  LaGuinguette. French in France Introduction to French in France (dialects and standard French) and the  Dictionary of French Regionalisms. PatoisDiscussion about dialects in France and the two main points of view on their linguistic status. The Patois of Vendà ©ePresentation of some characteristics of the French patois spoken in Vendà ©e. Patois and Regional CharacteristicsDo regional differences in dialect reflect regional differences in mentality? Beginning French DialoguePractice your French listening ability with this beginning-level French dialogue featuring greetings and introductions and your choice of speeds: regular and slow. (Camille Chevalier Karfis) The Scary HouseBeginning level of  Les portes tordues, a bilingual audiobook for beginning to intermediate students. (Kathie Dior) The Twisted DoorIntermediate level of  Les portes tordues, a bilingual audiobook for beginning to intermediate students. (Kathie Dior) The CemetaryIntermediate level of  Les portes tordues. (Kathie Dior) Greetings and IntroductionsPractice your French listening ability with this beginning-level French dialogue featuring greetings and introductions and your choice of speeds: regular and slow. (Camille Chevalier Karfis) Number Practice Learning to count in French is one thing - its fairly easy to memorize  un,  deux,  trois. Its another matter entirely to be able to think of a number without counting up to it, or to understand individual numbers when you hear them. Fortunately, practice makes perfect, and these sound files can help you to get better at understanding and using French numbers with random number generators. (Laura K. Lawless) Who said no? Intermediate level of  Les portes tordues. (Kathie Dior) Politics and Social Issues Riots in FranceOn 27 October 2005, riots began in a Parisian suburb and quickly spread across France and even to neighboring countries. In this three-part discussion, a reporter discusses the riots with two neighborhood elders in Clichy-sous-Bois who are trying to calm down the situation. Sà ©golà ¨ne Royal - prà ©sidente?Sà ©golà ¨ne Royal is a socialist who  worked hard to become Frances first female president. Learn about her platform and her struggle in this discussion. LETA et le Pays BasqueIntroduction to the history behind the ETA, the Basque separatist movement. Le CPEIn January 2006, the French government passed a labor reform law that sparked off protests around the country. Learn about the CPE and why it was so distasteful to French students and workers. MitterrandJanuary 2006 marked the 10-year anniversary of the death of Franà §ois Mitterrand, the first and so far only socialist president of France. Learn about Mitterrand and some of the people who loved him. French Culture Graffiti Graffiti does not necessarily equal vandalism. Its a means of personal and even artistic expression. Learn about some of the people and techniques behind graffiti. Le jardin des TuileriesLearn about the famous Parisian park, le jardin des Tuileries, as you work on your listening comprehension with this three-part discussion. Cest de lamour và ©ritable!Old age does not have to mean the end of living, or even loving. In this interview, a 90-year-old man shares his thoughts on how to get the most out  of life and love, at any age. La loi EvinLearn about the regulation of advertising of alcohol in France, and the reasoning behind it. Tourism, Shopping,  Travel Dining Out À lhà ´tel ~ At the Hotel  Beginning-level French dialogue between a hotel receptionist and guest.   Le viaduc de Millau  Le viaduc de Millau  was completed in 2004. Learn about its construction and safety mechanisms. Au magasin ~ At the storeBeginning-level French dialogue between a customer and storekeeper. Au restaurant ~ At the Restaurant  Beginning-level French dialogue between a waiter and customer. Breakfast ~ Le petit dà ©jeuner  Beginning-level dialogue between a customer and waiter at breakfast.