Contemporary Issues In Business Commerce Essay

Contemporary Issues In Business Commerce Essay 1.0 Introduction This report is based upon a critical evaluation of British Airways in response to a matter in contemporary issues in business. The report will first identify the issues to British Airways and then evaluations on how British Airways is dealing the issue by the means of using academic research critically. 2.0 History of British Airways The British Airways group consists of British Airways plc and a number of subsidiary companies including British Airways Holidays Limited. British Airways is a worlds leading airlines with a group that supply passenger and freight services to 149 destinations in 72 countries. In 2004/05, the company carried over 35 million passengers and nearly 900,000 tonnes of cargo. Its airline network is based in the United Kingdom, where 85% of its 47,500 workforce is found. The mission of the group is to deliver a service that matters for people who care how they fly. To welcome this, the company recognises the importance of working in partnership with its stakeholders. This has influenced its approach to business social responsibility. Its approach has also been influenced by the acknowledgment that airlines generate major social and economic benefits, but also have significant impacts on the environment (for example, noise and air quality) and on areas around airports. British Airways (2010) 3.0 Findings 3.1 The External Environment 3.1.1 The general environment This represents the outer layer of the environment. These dimensions influence the organisation over time but often are not involved in day to day transactions with it. The dimensions of general environment include international, technological, sociocultural, economic and legal-political. 3.1.2 The international dimension This dimension of the external environment represents events originating in foreign countries as well as opportunities for U.S companies in other countries. The international environment provides new competitors, customers, and suppliers and shapes social, technological, and economic trends, as well. Today, every company including BA has to compete on a global basis. High quality, low priced automobiles from Japan and Korea have permanently changed the American automobile industry. In cell phones and handhelds, US based companies face stiff competition from Koreas Samsung, Finlands Nokia and Taiwans High Tech Computer Corporation (HTC). For many US companies, such as Starbucks and Wal-mart, domestic markets have become saturated and the only potential for growth lies overseas. E-commerce organisations too are making international expansion a priority. The US share of worldwide e-commerce is falling as foreign companies set-up their own e-commerce ventures. This is the case for BA where they have to compete with foreign airlines offering similar services. Kotter (1979) The most dramatic change in the international environment in recent years is the shift of economic power to china and India. Together, these countries have the population, brainpower and dynamism to transform the twenty first century global economy. If things continue on the current track, analysts predict that India will overtake Germany as the worlds third largest economy within three decades and that china would overtake the US as number 1 by mid century. In china, per capita income has tripled in a generation, and leaders are building the infrastructure for decades of expansion, as reflected in the countrys hunger for raw materials. In 2005, china represented roughly 47 percent of the global cement consumption, 30 percent of coal and 26 percent of crude steel. No one can predict the future, but it is clear that however things in India and china shake out, US and other western firms have no choice but to pay attention. This could be an area BA could go into and grow. Daft (2009) The global environment represents a complex, ever changing and uneven playing field compared with the domestic environment. Managers who are used to thinking only about the domestic environment must learn new rules to remain competitive. When operating globally, managers have to consider legal, political, sociocultural and economic factors not only in their home countries but in various other countries as well. For example, the rising consumer class in china and India plays a growing role in setting the standards for high tech products and services such as cell phones, multimedia gadgets and wireless web services. 3.1.3 The technological dimension This includes scientific and technological advancements in a specific industry as well as in society at large. In recent years, this dimension created massive changes for organisations in all industries. Twenty years ago, many organisations didnt even use desktop computers. Today, computer networks, internet access, handheld devices, videoconferencing capabilities, cell phones, fax machines and laptops and the minimum tools for doing business. A new generation of handhelds allows users to check their corporate email, daily calendars, business contacts and even customer orders from anywhere theres a wireless network. Cell phones can now switch seamlessly between cellular networks and corporate wifi connections. This dimension for BA is crucial as it uses new technology all the time to maximise efficiency. Daft (2009) 3.1.4 The economic dimension This represents the general economic health of the country or region in which the organisation operates. Consumer purchasing power, the unemployment rate, and interest rates are part of an organisations economic environment. Because organisations today are operating in a global environment, the economic dimension has become exceedingly complex and creates enormous uncertainty for managers. The economies of countries are more closely tied together now. For example, the early 2000s economic recession and the decline of consumer confidence in the US affected economies and organisations around the world. Similarly, economic problems in Asia and Europe had a tremendous impact on companies and the stock market in the US. One significant recent trend in the economic environment is the frequency of mergers and acquisitions. Citibank and Travelers merged to form Citigroup, IBM purchased Pricewaterhouse Coopers Consulting, and Cingular acquired ATT wireless. BA is also considering merging with a foreign airline to help get through the economic downturn. Cope (1998) 3.1.5 The legal-political dimension This includes government regulations at the local, state, and federal levels, as well as political activists designed to influence company behaviour. The US political system encourages capitalism, and the government tries not to over regulate business. However, government laws do specify rules of the game. The federal government influence organisations through various administrations and agencies. Many organisations also have to contend with government and legal issues in other countries. The European Union adopted environmental and consumer protection rules that are costing American companies hundreds of millions of dollars a year. Companies such as Hewlett Packard, Ford motor company and General Electric have to pick up the bill for recycling the products they sell in the EU, for example. Pressure groups also work within the legal political framework to influence companies to behave in socially responsible ways. This is area is changing all the time because of threat of global warm ing and the need for governments to do something, and so it affects BA. Daft (2009) 3.1.6 Task environment A corporations scanning of the environment should include analyses of all relevant elements in the task environment. Managers need to consider the competitive environment, also referred to as the task environment or industry environment. The profitability of the firm and the nature of competition in the industry are more directly influenced by developments in the competitive environment. 3.1.7 Industry Analysis Industry group of firms producing a similar product or service. The firm interacts with a more specific environment, the industry. Four main components that exert influence on industry: 1. Suppliers 2. Competitors and potential substitutes 3. Potential entrants 4. Buyers 3.1.8 Competitors, potential substitutes and potential entrants The number of firms operating within the industry as well as the number of firms wishing to enter the industry is regulated by barriers to entry which determine continued participation in and/or exit from the industry. Some of the constraints are the rate of industry growth, the level of fixed costs, and the degree of differentiation. Potential competitors are not limited to firms considering to offer exactly the same or differentiated products or services, substitutes to the existing products and services are also a potential threat. Substitute products/services may co-exist with the present range of products and services or may render the present range obsolete. 3.1.9 Buyers and Suppliers The competitive situation of business firms is influenced by the nature of its transactions with its buyers and suppliers. Buyers exert their power in the industry when they force down prices, bargain for higher quality or more services, and play competitors against each other. Suppliers can exert bargaining power over participants in an industry by threatening to raise prices or reduce the quality of purchased goods or services. In addition, we usually think of suppliers as other firms. But labour has to be recognized as a supplier as well one that exerts great power in many industries. 3.2 The organisation Environmental Uncertainty Organisations must manage environmental uncertainty to be effective. Environmental characteristics that influence uncertainty are the number of factors that affect the organisation and the extent to which those factors change. When external factors change rapidly, the organisation experiences high uncertainty. Companies have to make an effort to adapt to the rapid changes in the environment. Adapting to the environment If an organisation faces increased uncertainty with respect to competition, customers, suppliers or government regulations managers can use several strategies to adapt to these changes, including boundary-spanning roles, interorganisational partnerships and mergers or joint ventures. Boundary-spanning roles Boundary Spanning is concerned with the detection of information. It has two primary roles 1) to detect information and bring it into the organisation. 2) Send information into the environment presenting the company in a favourable light. There are two main sources of information 1) business intelligence which is information about the general environment. 2) Competitive Information which is information about an organizations competitors. Interorganisational partnerships An increasingly popular strategy for adapting to the environment is to reduce boundaries and increase collaboration with other organisations. North American companies have typically worked alone, competing with one another, but an uncertain and interconnected global environment has changed that tendency. Companies are joining together to become more effective and to share scarce resources. Head to head competition among independent firms is giving way to networks of alliances that compete for business on a global basis. Mergers and joint ventures A step beyond strategic partnerships is for companies to become involved in mergers or joint ventures to reduce environmental uncertainty. A frenzy of merger and acquisition activity both in the US and internationally in recent years is an attempt by organisations to cope with the tremendous volatility of the environment. A merger occurs when two or more organisations combine to become one. A joint venture involves a strategic alliance or program by two or more organisations. This usually occurs when a project is too complex, expensive, or uncertain for one firm to handle alone. BA is considering a merger with a foreign airline to help cope with the economic uncertainty. 3.3 The Internal Environment: Corporate Culture Corporate culture refers to the shared values, attitudes, standards, and beliefs that characterize members of an organization and define its nature. Corporate culture is rooted in an organizations goals, strategies, structure, and approaches to labour. As such, it is an essential component in any businesss ultimate success or failure. [It] is an unwritten value-set that management communicates directly or indirectly that all employees know and work under, stated John OMalley in Birmingham Business Journal. It is the underlying soul and guiding force within an organization that creates attitude alliance, or employee loyalty. A winning corporate culture is the environmental keystone for maintaining the highest levels of employee satisfaction, customer loyalty, and profitability. Every company has a culture, though not every culture is beneficial in helping a company reach its goals. A healthy corporate culture is one in which employees are encouraged to work together to ensure the success of the overall business. Developing and maintaining a healthy corporate culture can be particularly problematic for entrepreneurs, as the authoritarian practices that helped establish a small business often must be exchanged for participatory management strategies that allow it to grow. An Increasing Emphasis on Culture Since the 1980s, several factors have led businesses to evaluate corporate culture alongside such traditional hard measures of corporate health as assets, revenues, profits, and shareholder return. One such factor is the transition from a manufacturing-based to a service-based economy, with the corresponding shift in emphasis from the quality of a material product to the quality of business relationships. Another factor is the need for American businesses to compete in a global marketplace against international rivals whose corporate cultures are distinct but demonstrably effective. A related factor is the need for many businesses to successfully adapt to technological advances in the marketplace or acquisitions/mergers that require assimilation of previously separate business entities. Corporate culture affects many areas of a firms operations. One broad area of corporate culture involves corporate citizenship-the companys relationship to the larger environment. In this area, a companys culture helps determine its overall ethics and attitude toward public service. A second broad area of corporate culture involves human resource management. A companys culture affects a variety of human resource policies and practices, including the nature of interaction between managers and employees, the responsiveness to diversity issues in the workplace, and the availability of flextime and telecommuting options, safety and training programs, and health and recreation facilities. In a smoothly functioning organization, all such policies and practices foster an internally consistent corporate culture. Daft (2009) 3.4 Environment and Culture In considering what cultural values are important for the organisation, managers consider the external environment as well as the companys strategy and goals. Studies suggest that the right fit between culture, strategy, and the environment is associated with four categories or types of culture. These categories are based on two dimensions:1) the extent to which external environment requires flexibility or stability; and 2) the extent to which a companys strategic focus is internal or external. The four categories associated with these differences are adaptability, achievement, involvement and consistency. The adaptability culture emerges in an environment that requires fast response and high risk decision making. Managers encourage values that support the companys ability to rapidly detect, interpret and translate signals from the environment into new behaviour responses. Employees have autonomy to make decisions and act freely to meet new needs and responsiveness to customers is highly valued. The achievement culture is suited to organisations concerned with serving specific customers in the external environment but without the intense need for flexibility and rapid change. This results oriented culture values competitiveness, aggressiveness, personal initiative and willingness to long and hard to achieve results. The involvement culture emphasizes an internal focus on the involvement and participation of employees to rapidly adapt to changing needs from the environment. This culture places high value on meeting the needs of employees and the organisation may be characterised by a caring, family like atmosphere. Managers emphasize values such as cooperation, consideration of both employees and customers and avoiding status differences. The final category of culture, the use of consistency culture, uses an internal focus and a consistency orientation for a stable environment. Following the rules and being thrifty are valued and culture supports and rewards a methodical, rational, orderly way or doing things. In todays fast changing world, few companies operate in a stable environment and most managers are shifting toward cultures that are more flexible and in tune with changes in the environment. Lewin (1989) Each of these four categories of culture can be successful. In addition, organisations usually have vales that fall into more than one category. This is the case for BA, who has values in all of the above. 4.0 Conclusion To conclude to this report, it has been evident that British Airways to take in consideration of several contemporary issues especially in the Environment and Corporate Culture. In other words, by BA becoming more adaptable to environment and culture it has and still is a booming success. After several failures, BA learnt its mistakes and overcome them. Today knowing the fact that BA, as a company, is one the leading corporate culture companies in the world. Moreover, BA can handle change and innovation extremely well. In other words BA is dealing with issues that are faced their way pretty well. However, there are a few issues that BA is up against such as implementing change, not everyone is happy for change specially if they are comfortable with the old. 5.0 References ADAAG Regulation (September 2002) online ADA Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities, available from: http://www.access-board.gov/adaag/html/adaag.htm#4.33 [Accessed on 20/04/10] Apple Store-Store List. Apple Inc.. available grom: http://www.apple.com/retail/storelist/. [Accessed on 16/04/10] Bartol, KM, Martin, DC al et (2001) Management: A Pacific Rim Focus . 3rd edt. Roseville, NSW: Mc Graw-Hill Book Company, Pages 576-578 BBC (2010) Whats the BA dispute about? Available at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8413529.stm [Accessed: 14/09/10] Business Week (2008), How Nokia Drive Innovation available from: http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/apr2008/gb20080430_764271.htm accessed on [15/04/10] Business Week (2009) available from: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/09_16/b4127046256572.htm [Accessed on 15/04/10] Business Week (2009) available from: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/09_16/b4127046256572.htm [Accessed on 15/04/10] Burnes, B. (2004) Managing Change 4th edn. Harlow: FT Prentice Hall Cope M. (2003) Seven Cs of Consulting. 2nd ed, Harlow: FT Prentice Hall Daft, R.L. (2009) New Era of Management. Cengage. Dictionary, Bnet, [2009] available from: http://dictionary.bnet.com/definition/organizational+change.html [Accessed on 15/04/10] Dillion , A (1999) A study of Toyota production system., New York, Sheridon books. Glenn Peoples, Nashville (April 21, 2010) available from: http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/industry/e3i4062457efae56fa395d3a162524485be [Accessed on 20/04/10] Kotter, J Schlesinger, L. (1979) Choosing Strategies for Change. Harvard Business Review. 57(March). pp.106-114 Laurie A. Fitzgerald, Frans M. van Eijnatten, (2002), Chaos in organizational change, Journal of Organizational Change Management; Volume: 15 Issue: 4; 2002 Conceptual Paper Lewin, K. (1951) Field Theory in Social Science. Harper. MacRumors. January 27, 2010. Available from: http://www.macrumors.com/2010/01/27/apple-tablet-media-event-today-come-see-our-latest-creation/. [Accessed on 18/04/10] Mary (2009) online Cosmoloan, International Economy, Markets, http://www.cosmoloan.com/markets/how-the-recession-is-affecting-economies-around-the-world.html , [Accessed on 13/04/10] McKeown, Max (2008). The Truth About Innovation. London, UK: Prentice Hall. ISBN  0273719122.   Michael Arrington (April 2, 2010). The Unauthorized TechCrunch iPad Review. TechCrunch. Available from: http://techcrunch.com/2010/04/02/the-unauthorized-techcrunch-ipad-review/. [Accessed on 02/04/10]   Michael Oryl (January 22, 2009), Mobile Burn News available from: http://www.mobileburn.com/news.jsp?Id=6118 [Accessed on 20/04/10] Paczkowski, John (2010). Initial iPad Demand Greater Than Initial iPhone Demand. All Things Digital. availble from: http://digitaldaily.allthingsd.com/20100223/initial-ipad-demand-greater-than-initial-iphone-demand/. [Accessed on 07/04/10].   Ronald Rosenberg, Globe Staff (October 29, 1998 ) online HighBean Research, available from: http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8503301.html , [Accessed on: 15/04/10] Saskin. M, and Burke. W. W, Organizational Development in the 1980s, General Management 13(1987): 393-417: and Richard Beckhard, What is Organization Development? In Organisation Development and Transformation:Managing Effective Change,1st ed.Wendell. L. French, Cecil H. Bell jr, Zawacki (BurrRidge, IL: Irwin McGraw-Hill 2000):97-115 Shiny Shiny (2010) available from: http://www.shinyshiny.tv/2010/03/apples_creative.html [Accessed on 28/04/10] Stephen P. And Mary C. (1996) Management 5th, San Diego State University

Great Gatsby :: essays research papers

Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby paints the picture of the way life was in the twenties. This society has the characteristics of an egotist and one who pays no attention the character of themselves. Fitzgerald's style influences the reader to portray this era as a carefree "do what feels good" society. However, Fitzgerald introduces the countless number of tragedies that take place. Through diction, imagery, and details Fitzgerald creates a morose tone. The writer evokes the reader's feelings through particular words and their meanings. In the phrase, ". . . I began to look involuntarily out the window for other cars," the word involuntarily grabs the reader. This phrase makes the reader feel melancholy for Gatsby because it it's depressing for no one to come to the funeral. It reveals how Nick and Mr. Gatz experience anticipation. Both of them know devoutly that no one will come pay their respects to Jay Gatsby. Mainly because they wait half an hour for peo ple to show up. Also, in the phrase ". . . his eyes began to blink anxiously" the word anxiously shows Nick's dolefulness for the lack of sympathy that Gatsby fails to receive. The word procession reflects the despair and lack of friendship that Gatsby witnesses in his life. The lack of companionship that Gatsby has cogitates how lonely and despondent he is. Through the uses of certain words the author helps express feelings and emotions of the morose tone. Through imagery Fitzgerald can make the reader feel like they are in the story. Water, specifically evokes the senses. It describes how the procession of cars stopped in a thick drizzle. This depicts how gloomy it appears outside. The reader can hardly see the three cars because of continuous soaking. They describe a motor hearse as ". . . horribly black and wet." A hearse normally portrays a solemn feeling, but the words horribly, black, and wet allow the reader to feel the misery and mournfulness of death. T he ground is soggy as someone splashes through it. You can smell the wet turf and feel the saturation beneath the feet. The use of water in the story aids the reader in understanding the morose setting. Fitzgerald uses certain detailed sequences to help explain the somberness of Jay Gatsby. In the first significant sequence Nick and Mr. Gatz wait for people to show up at the funeral.

Diversity Worksheet Essay

1. What is diversity? Why is diversity valued? Diversity is the human attributes that are different from your own and different from groups to which you belong. Diversity is broken into two categories: visible and invisible. Visible diversity includes attributes like age, race, ethinicity, gender, etc. and Invisible diversity are attributes like work experience, marital status, parental status, income, religious beliefs, etc. Diversity is valued because once you can recognize some or all of the diverseness in a person, you can then recognize how unique they are. (â€Å"What Is Diversity? It’S More Than Race Or Gender – University Of †¦Ã¢â‚¬ , 2002) 2. What is ethnocentrism? In what ways can ethnocentrism be detrimental to a society? Enthnocentrism is the belief in the inherent superiority of one’s own ethnic group or culture. (dictionary.com, 2013) Ethnocentrism can be detrimental because judegment is being passed on another culture based on that on individual’s values or beliefs, thinking they are more superior or better without possibly having any knowledge of that culture and no desire to learn about it. 3. Define emigration and immigration. Emigration is to leave a country to settle in another. Immigration is oming into a new country as a permanent resident. These choices are not always vonluntary but can come from conflict or war. Involuntary migration is not as common anymore but much of the past migrations were involuntary. Emigration and immigration both contribute to minorities. (Schaefer, Chapter 1, 2012) 4. What are some of the ways groups of people are identified? Racial groups: a group that is socially set apart because of obvious physical differences. Ethnic groups: a group set apart from others because of its national origin or distinctive cultural patterns. Religious groups: a group that is associated with a religion other than the dominant faith. Gender groups: a group where males are the social majority (dominant) and females, although larger in population, are the social minority. Other groups: age, disability status, physical appearance, and sexual orientation. (Schaefer, Chapter 1, 2012) 5. Why do people label and group other people? People label and group others because they are either dominant or want to be the dominant. Being the dominant means having the power over others or things and since the United States is a democracy, majorit rules, so the majority has the power. The minority group then has lesser chances of ruling and life’s opportunites are limited. (Schaefer, Chapter 1, 2012) 6. Define culture. Is culture limited to racial and ethnic backgrounds? Explain. Culture is the behaviors and belief characterstics of a particular social, ethnic, or age group. (dictionary.com, 2013) This definition I found is vague in my opinion because culture can be included in genders, sexual orientations, nationalities, and more. Even with that the definition of culture is not limited to racial and ethnic backgrounds. Since culture is a behavior and/or belief I really think just about anyone in any kind of minority has these that are separate from others. References What is Diversity? It’s More than Race or Gender – University of †¦. (2002). Retrieved from http://www.med.umich.edu/diversity/pdffiles/file28.pdf‎ Ethnocentrism. (2013). In Dictionary.com. Retrieved from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ethnocentrism?s=t Schaefer, R. T. (2012). Racial and Ethnic Groups (13th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database. Culture. (2013). In Dictionary.com. Retrieved from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/culture?s=t&ld=1136

Points of the Compass in Spanish

The directions of the compass in Spanish are vaguely similar to those of English and ultimately come from the same Indo-European roots. However, Spanish also has synonyms for some of the directions as well as special adjective forms that should be learned. Lists of Spanish Words for Directions of the Compass The primary points of the compass include: norte — northeste (or, less commonly, oriente) — eastsur — southoeste (or, less commonly, occidente)— west As in English, the directions can be combined to indicate intermediate points: nornoreste — north-northeastnoreste — northeastestenoreste — east-northeastestesudeste — east-southeastsudeste — southeastsudsudeste — south-southeastsudsudoeste — south-southwestsudoeste — southwestoestesudoeste — west-southwestoestenoroeste — west-northwestnoroeste — northwestnornoroeste — north-northwest In some areas, the use of sur- as the stem meaning south is preferred, so youll also hear the variations such sureste and suroeste alone as well as in combination forms such as sursureste. Combinations using oriente and occidente, such as suroccidente for southwest and nororiente for northeast, are also used. Adjective forms—such as the equivalents of northern and eastern—can be made by preceding the direction with del (literally, of the) as in del norte and del sur to mean northern and southern, respectively. These are indicated below along with the special adjective forms: del norte, norteà ±o, boreal, septentrional — northerndel este, oriental — easterndel sur, sureà ±o, austral, meridional — southerndel oeste, occidental — western To indicate direction of movement, forms such as del oeste or desde el oeste for from the west and hacia el oeste for toward the west are used. Thus, an easterly wind (one coming from the east) is a viento del este, while to say that a door faces east, for example, you could say la puerta mira hacia el este. A few geographical terms use the noun form where the adjectival form might be expected. In particular, the north and south poles are often called the polo norte and polo sur, respectively. Similarly, the northern and southern hemispheres are often called the hemisferio norte and hemisferio sur, respectively, although terms such as hemisferio boreal can also be used. Capitalization of Directions Normally, directions, whether as nouns or adjectives, are not capitalized in Spanish. However, they typically are capitalized when referring to a recognized region. For example: Antes de la guerra de Secesià ³n, la tensià ³n entre el Norte y el Sur era extrema. (Before the Civil War, the tensions between the North and the South was extreme.) However, if you were referring just to the southern U.S. in general, rather the specific states that form a recognized region, capitalization would not be necessary. Directions also are capitalized when part of a name, such as in Carolina del Norte (North Carolina), Corea del Sur (South Korea), and Mercado Comà ºn del Sur (the formal name for the Mercosur, an international South American trading market). Key Takeaways The four main directions of the compass in Spanish come from the same historic roots as the English terms and thus are vaguely similar.The four main directions can be combined to indicate intermediate points, such as noroeste for northwest.Special adjective forms, not always similar to the names of the directions, are sometimes in use. Sample Sentences for Compass Directions Habà ­a cuatro muertos y muchos heridos en accidente de autobà ºs en el norte de Colombia. (There were four deaths and many injured in a bus accident in northern Columbia.) Gracias a su privilegiada ubicacià ³n geogrà ¡fica, el Sudeste Asià ¡tico ha sido una regià ³n que ha crecido econà ³micamente en las à ºltimas dà ©cadas. (Thanks to its favorable geographical location, Southeast Asia has been a region that has grown economically in recent decades.) Alrededor de 200 personas participaron en el chapuzà ³n mà ¡s austral del mundo. (About 200 people participated in the worlds most southern ocean dip.) Los vientos alcanzaron una velocidad de 50 kilà ³metros por hora desde el nornoroeste. (The winds reached a speed of 50 kilometers per hour from the north-northwest.) La nocià ³n de que ideas occidentales son subversivas ha sido recibida con amplia incredulidad, particularmente entre intelectuales. (The notion that Western ideas are subversive has been received with great incredulity, particularly among intellectuals.) La Antà ¡rtida es el continente mà ¡s austral de la Tierra. (Antarctica is the Earths most southerly continent.) Sur global es un tà ©rmino utilizado en estudios postcoloniales y transnacionales que puede referirse tanto al tercer mundo como al conjunto de paà ­ses en và ­as de desarrollo. (Global south is a term used in postcolonial and transnational studies that can refer to the third world as a combination of the developing countries.)