Tee Ganbold 🌏

The United States’ relative energy self-sufficiency is a key development of the twenty- first century. However, it is necessary to recognise that the increasing energy security of the U.S. can cause tensions with its traditional oil exporting allies. This paper argues, from a neorealist perspective, that the relative increase in the United States energy self-sufficiency is the primary reason for the growing tension in the current U.S.-Saudi relationship. This counters the argument that… Show more

The United States’ relative energy self-sufficiency is a key development of the twenty- first century. However, it is necessary to recognise that the increasing energy security of the U.S. can cause tensions with its traditional oil exporting allies. This paper argues, from a neorealist perspective, that the relative increase in the United States energy self-sufficiency is the primary reason for the growing tension in the current U.S.-Saudi relationship. This counters the argument that geopolitical reasons, such as the United States’ non-intervention in Syria and the United States reengagement with the Iran, are the prime issues in U.S.-Saudi relations. As the most powerful OPEC producer, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is believed to have had a ‘special relationship’ with the United States, but there are now signs that this relationship is diverging, driven by technological innovations and a changing energy security landscape in the United States. The United States now shows more restraint in geopolitical matters in the Middle East, at the expense of Saudi Arabia’s interests. This is a unique turn of events, as far as energy and geopolitics is concerned, given that no other Western power has yet achieved energy self-sufficiency. Show less

This report advises our client, Google X Lab, on an internationalisation plan for Google’s patented Project Glass technology. The product is “a wearable computer with a head-mounted display (HMD)” (Goldman 2012) and is due for launch at the end of 2013 (date not confirmed) for a selling price of approximately $1,500. The technology is “a smartphone-like hands-free format” (Albanesius 2012) “that can interact with the Internet via natural language voice commands (Newman 2012). Google have not… Show more

This report advises our client, Google X Lab, on an internationalisation plan for Google’s patented Project Glass technology. The product is “a wearable computer with a head-mounted display (HMD)” (Goldman 2012) and is due for launch at the end of 2013 (date not confirmed) for a selling price of approximately $1,500. The technology is “a smartphone-like hands-free format” (Albanesius 2012) “that can interact with the Internet via natural language voice commands (Newman 2012). Google have not yet confirmed the lenses that will be fitted to the frames. The time scale for production and distribution is limited, therefore foreign entry mode decision-making for the three important Asian markets - China, India and Japan - will need to be decided swiftly. For the purpose of this report, I will assume the managerial position for a large consultancy firm based in the USA, and, for clarity, shall use “we” throughout the report to represent the position of this firm. We will consider 10 factors identified by the Hollensen entry mode paradigm (2012, 320-327), however the deciding factors are: the technical ‘know-how’ and IP factors for production and the ‘exclusivity’ factor of the distribution. Show less