University Writing Center(This is a sample "pastiche" paper that I put together to demonstrate what can be done with simple web searches and cut and paste techniques. It can also serve as a test vehicle for anti-plagiarism strategies. The paragraphs were copied from Hong Kong government websites, term paper sites, travel sites, and an electronic version of a Hong Kong newspaper. One paragraph copied from a travel site turned out to have come originally from the C.I.A. World Fact Book and was similarly copied on 45 other sites. This paper contains the URL's of the sources. Many papers submitted by students do not cite sources, either because they do not know how, do not know it is necessary, or in some cases because they want the instructor to think that it is their own work.)
During its brief time under British rule, Hong Kong has witnessed war, the rise and fall of empires, and has played a role in intrigues, big deals and diplomacy of global proportions. After 156 years of British rule, Hong Kong is again ruled by China. The change took place at midnight on June 30, 1997. Hong Kong is made up of a peninsula on the mainland of China and more than 230 islands. The main island is called Hong Kong Island and lies south of the peninsula.
Most of the laws of Hong Kong remain largely unchanged. The Basic Law, whom China agreed to keep in place for 50 years, should protect the freedoms of those living in Hong Kong. They continue to have freedom of speech, travel, and religion. They can also own property and choose the type of work they do. Communist governments normally do not allow such freedoms. When protection of the Basic Law ends, new laws can be made under China's direction. Some people are worried that freedom of the press and other personal rights will not be kept. They are also concerned that the communist government will tighten its control over the people of Hong Kong. China also will need to work with the popular Democratic Party. Many business people in Hong Kong think that China itself will follow Hong Kong's lead and change. They believe that as China's economy grows, new conditions will be created that will lead to more freedom for all of China's people. For the transfer of power to be successful, changes are being made slowly. (http://termpaperwarehouse.com/print.php3?id=6143)
In Hong Kong, the market drives the economy, and the results have borne out the free-market philosophy. Behind the scenes the Government works hard to ensure a strong, business-friendly environment, providing an essential support framework to enable the private sector to prosper. Investors in Hong Kong will find a large range of support services exist to promote the development and enhance the competitiveness of all business sectors.
Hong Kong's efficient infrastructure is one of the main engines of its economic success. The Government has made every effort to ensure that Hong Kong's infrastructure is at the forefront of innovation tempered by reliability. The city boasts state-of-the-art, fully digitised telecommunications, the world's busiest container port, and a brand new international airport at Chek Lap Kok.
The availability of land and business premises is constantly monitored, and new areas are being set aside to encourage the growth of high-tech industry. The government is pushing forward new plans to further enhance the quality of its highly educated and confident workforce. InvestHK also helps foreign investors by providing crucial information on labour laws, recruitment and costs, by supplying a breakdown of office and industrial premises and costs, and help with location selection.
Hong Kong's open and transparent government philosophy is built on the rule of law, which ensures a clear regulatory framework. The Business Licence Information Service, is ready to help you with a step-by-step guide to setting up your business. Hong Kong's well-established intellectual property protection regime means that innovators can rest assured that stringent safeguards cover valuable investment in R&D. (http://www.investhk.gov.hk/ENG/GUD/index.htm)
Hong Kong has a bustling free market economy with few tariffs or nontariff barriers. Natural resources are limited, and food and raw materials must be imported. Manufacturing accounts for about 17% of GDP. Goods and services exports account for about 50% of GDP. Real GDP growth averaged a remarkable 8% in 1987-88, slowed to 3.0% in 1989-90, and picked up to 4.2% in 1991, 5.0% in 1992, 5.2% in 1993, and 5.5% in 1994. Unemployment, which has been declining since the mid-1980s, is now about 2%. A shortage of labor continues to put upward pressure on prices and the cost of living. Prospects for 1995-96 remain bright so long as major trading partners continue to be reasonably prosperous and so long as investors feel China will support free market practices after the takeover in 1997. (http://www.cgtd.com/global/asia/hongkong.htm)
In 1999 and into 2000, advertising markets in the region, including Hong Kong, have recovered from the 1997 regional turmoil. Adspend in Hong Kong has exceeded the pre-crisis level. According to ACNielsen, IT and telecommunications industries have provided major impetus for growth and final 2000 figures are expected to show a double-digit growth level is expected for Hong Kong adspend market. After just a few years of growth, Chinese mainland's spending on advertising overtook Hong Kong's in the early 1990s, to become Asia's second-largest advertising market after Japan. Adspend in Mainland China reached US$6.1 billion in 1999, double that of Hong Kong.
With WTO accession, Mainland China has pledged to allow majority foreign ownership of joint-venture advertising companies two years after accession and wholly-owned subsidiaries four years after accession. The competitive landscape for consumer products can only get fiercer in the coming years when tariffs for consumer imports are lowered, restrictions on distribution of foreign goods are relaxed. Hong Kong's advertising agencies are well suited to cater for the needs of these emerging clients. (http://www.investhk.gov.hk/ENG/SEC/index.htm)
The Hong Kong manufacturing sector emphasizes light manufacturing. Hong Kong has a cluster of firms that have expertise in a wide variety of support and high value-added industries. Firms seeking to take advantage of Hong Kong's manufacturing will find a range of expertise here.
Although the auto parts and accessories industry is not a large industry in Hong Kong, a large variety of external and internal auto parts and accessories are exported. External accessories include signal lights, head lamps, anten-nae, side mirrors, water wipers, exhaust systems, window glasses, filters, number plates and body-kits (such as fenders, spoilers, aero-parts, bumpers, wheel covers and luggage racks). Internal accessories include car audio products, horns, car security systems, padlocks, interior lights, seat covers, window shades, tool sets, air compressors, air fresher and polishers. Both external and internal parts and accessories also include general rubber components, die-casting components, moulds and dies.
However, only a few Hong Kong companies are engaged in the production of engineering components for automotive industry because Hong Kong does not have an automotive industry. Even if the manufacturers can produce the engineering parts, it would be difficult for them to enter the European and US markets as they lack track records, while overseas buyers have their established suppliers already. (http://www.tdctrade.com/main/industries/t2_2_2.htm)
Prices continued to fall in April, albeit at a slower pace, as a sluggish property market and high jobless rate crippled pricing power of retailers and landlords. The composite consumer price index (CPI), the broadest measure for inflation, dropped 1.4 per cent last month from a year ago, the Census and Statistics Department said. Economists polled by Bloomberg News expected a 1.2 per cent decline. Consumer prices have been falling since November 1998 after the outbreak of the economic crisis that pushed jobless rate to a record high and reduced apartment prices by half. ``Although falling prices narrowed in April, the pace was not as quick as we saw last year, which is a reflection of our slowing economy,'' said Paul Tang, a senior economist at Bank of East Asia. The economy expanded 10.5 per cent last year. Economists expected the first-quarter growth this year to slow to less than 2 per cent. The growth, however, failed to ease unemployment. Jobless rate hovered at 4.5 per cent in the three-month period to April, unchanged from the previous period. (http://hk-imail.singtao.com/inews/public/ article_v.cfm?articleid=22679&intcatid=9)
In Hong Kong, the intellectual property (IP) regime complies with international standards and norms. In particular, the Intellectual Property Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government serves to protect intellectual property rights in Hong Kong, provide patent, trademark and designs registration services, as well as promote awareness of intellectual property rights of the individual and a respect for the rights of others. The Hong Kong Productivity Council operates the Intellectual Property Services Centre (IPSC) to assist companies and inventors to capitalize on their intellectual works through patent, trademark and design registrations.
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council, for its part, is committed to fostering original design and safeguarding intellectual property rights, especially at TDC exhibitions. In addition to the enforcement of stringent office instructions internally, it promotes public awareness and respect of intellectual property rights through seminars, information provision, etc. (http://www.tdctrade.com/intpro/hk/)
In an effort to foster technology development, the Chief Executive of Hong Kong appointed the Commission on Innovation and Technology in March 1998, which released its final report in July 1999. The Commission has made recommendations on four major areas, namely the institutional arrangement (including the establishment of a policy group to set and co-ordinate policies), building up human capital (including quota-free admission of mainland talents to work in Hong Kong), fostering an innovation and technology culture (including the introduction of funding schemes to assist small entrepreneurs), and creating an enabling business environment (including further exploration on the feasibility of setting up a co-investment scheme providing government venture capital). The government's HK$5 billion Innovation and Technology Fund is also open for applications from November 1999. The Fund was established to increase the capacity of local businesses to innovate and to stimulate technology development and application in Hong Kong. A Cyberport will also be developed in partnership with the private sector at a cost of HK$13 billion. Indicative of Hong Kong's improving business environment for technology-based enterprises, a number of hi-tech companies, including Motorola, Nortel, StarTV, Sybase, 3M and Vtech, have also announced plans of investment in Hong Kong over the next few years.
The Hong Kong government announced on 2 November 1999 that an agreement had been reached with Walt Disney to build a theme park and a resort in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Disneyland will be a key strategic infrastructure to strengthen Hong Kong's position as an international tourism destination. The Hong Kong government and Walt Disney will form a joint venture company and the government's total expenditure on this project will be HK$22.45 billion. The project will create around 6,000 jobs during the construction period and about 18,000 jobs at the opening of the park in 2005. It is projected that attendance during the first year of opening will be about 5 million, rising to a full capacity of about 10 million a year after 15 years. (http://www.tdctrade.com/main/economic.htm#3)
International marketing encompasses all business activities that involve exchanges across national boundaries. A firm may enter the international market for many reasons. Whatever the reason international marketing can provide and efficient way of entering the market. A firm's marketing program must be adapted to foreign markets to account for differences in the business environment and target markets form nation to nation. The marketing mix may require the modification of cultural, social, economic, and legal differences. Foreign marketing requires the understanding of various additional costs, which tend to increase the prices of exported goods. The marketing program of an international company must adapt to the necessities of a foreign market. The strategies it uses to accomplish a firm's marketing goal should be the main priority of the marketing program. False assumptions frequently cause expensive mistakes in the market. (http://termpaperwarehouse.com/read.php3?id=837).
