Posts Tagged ‘Asia Europe’

Comparing Some of the Big Box Retailers August 31st, 2010

admin

There are small businesses, and there are big businesses, and really big businesses.  Some of the biggest companies in today’s global economy are the giant retailers such as Home Depot, Lowe’s, and IKEA, also known as ‘big box stores’.  To analyze and compare these three is interesting because both Home Depot, and Lowe’s are U.S.-based, publically traded companies, while IKEA is a European, privately-held company.  In the next few paragraphs, we will look at how these companies stack up in terms of size, revenue, international reach, and history.

First, let’s take a look at who is the biggest retailer when measuring by numbers of stores and employees.  Through this unit of measurement, Home Depot is the largest of the three with 2,200 stores and over 320,000 employees.  Next up is Lowes with over 1,700 store locations and 235,000 employees.  IKEA is last in this leg of the analysis, with over 300 stores and 125,000 employees.

In terms of annual revenue, the 3 chains shake up in their overall order a little bit with Lowes stores tallying up a whopping total of $47.2b in 2009, followed by $41.2b in 2009 for the Home Depot stores, and $28.9b in 2009 revenue for IKEA stores.

In terms of International reach, the European-run IKEA stores are by far the farthest reaching, with their retail outlets spanning 37 countries throughout North America, Asia, Europe, and Australia.  Of the two American companies, Home Depot stores are located in a few more countries than Lowes stores, boasting retail chains in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Mexico, and China in addition to North America.  Lowes stores are found strictly is the U.S. and Canada.

As far as which giant has been around for the longest, that title would go to Lowe’s, having been founded in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina back in 1946.  IKEA opened their first store in Småland, Sweden in 1958.  Home Depot is the youngest of these three, having been founded in 1978 in unincorporated Cobb County, Georgia.

So given how these 3 big box giants measured up in size, revenue, international reach, and history, which store would you consider to be the most significant in today’s economy?  It’s certainly a debatable question!

No Comments »

Continue reading...


 

Study In Sweden, Dubai, Or Malaysia For Awesome International Exposure November 17th, 2009

admin

The last one decade or so witnessed the rising outflow of students to different foreign destinations across 6 continents, namely North America, South America, Asia, Europe, Africa and Australia. Thanks to globalization and liberalized visa regulations, students are no longer reluctant to travel outside for higher studies. Studying abroad has its own specialty that can be realized only by being physically present there. This article has highlighted the potentiality of a number of upcoming study destinations like Sweden, Dubai and Malaysia.

Pupils who want to study in Sweden can come across multiple advantages in the form of globally acclaimed universities, reasonable costs of study, and blend of so many cultures. Furthermore, get you enthralled in the midst of picturesque landscapes. The country that enjoys strong government backing with subsidized higher studies is home to some world-class universities like Chalmers University of Technology, Blekinge Institute of Technology, University of Gothenburg and Boras, and Uppsala University.

Numerous undergraduate courses in Sweden call for good skillfulness in the Swedish language. So, it may be troublesome for those not having this particular skill. However, there are some institutions that can solver your language barrier with their all-English undergraduate programs. As far as student accommodation is concerned, a large number of individuals prefer university housing to private housing because of low costs and proximity to universities. Broadly speaking, study in Sweden can prove to be a lifetime experience for pupils.

In the past two decades, study in Dubai has grown in prominence with many reputed colleges and universities. The majority of the higher education institutes here possess tie-up with esteemed overseas institutions, and nearly all programs are imparted in English. This port city in the United Arab Emirates is abode to the Dubai International Academic City (DIAC). The DIAC presently houses 32 global universities for higher studies from various areas such as the United States, Australia, India, Russia, Belgium, France, and the United Kingdom, providing education to more than 12000 students.

The living standards in Dubai vary a lot and are strongly influenced by the absence of taxation. There are two kinds of housing available for foreign scholars. They can either opt for cheap apartments located on campus or more expensive private lodging outside. Those who seek to study in Dubai should submit an application for a student visa.

Malaysia is another Asian country with the mounting popularity for a study abroad option. The country has got an exceptional global feeling with the mix of traditional, transitional, and contemporary tastes in equal proportions. It boasts more than 5 universities with the top international rankings. The low crime rate is a positive factor contributing to a peaceful and friendly environment here. A study in Malaysia is marked by high quality teaching that has got much emphasis on research and development activities. Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Universiti Malaya, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka are some of the top institutes in this Southeast Asian nation. According to the latest government regulation, all the faculty members need to have a degree in the discipline that they are imparting.

No Comments »

Continue reading...