Marketing concept and marketing orientation Essay

Marketing concept and marketing orientation - Essay Example Marketing orientation centres on the target market. Marketing orientation also means organisations will most likely practice globalisation since flexibility is paramount in a more and more competitive environment. With marketing orientation, an organisation can sway customer demand by making goods and services that are appealing, affordable, and easily accessible. Essentially, marketing orientation means an organisation has to adopt the marketing concept. Marketing orientation means an organisation has competitive edge over rival firms (Almquist, 2014). Rival organisations always find it hard to emulate marketing orientation when used as an internal strong point. This is because organisations always find marketing orientation hard to maintain. Maintaining marketing orientation means an organisation will have to stop being transparent about its promotion and communication strategies. The lack of transparency creates competitive advantage for an organisation and makes marketing orientation non-transferable. Market-oriented organisations view these characteristics of marketing orientation as a resource for competitive advantage. To acquire this advantage, the organisation will also have to pour more resources into research, promotion, retailing, and sales. Target markets always follow certain trends that a market-oriented organisation has to know and abide by to gain the sector’s competitive edge. Abiding by these trends means th e organisation has to come up with commodity strategies that address customer needs and wants. The four Ps of marketing, market plans, behaviour, and research are factors an organisation can consider when seeking market orientation. A stipulated example is GrameenPhone, Bangladesh’s top telecoms firm. In 2012, GrameenPhone had a market share of 62%, which represents 8.5 million subscribers. This market share seems impressive but is

Joseph Conrad was a bloody racist Essay Example for Free

Joseph Conrad was a bloody racist Essay This is the quote The conquest of the earth, which mostly means taking it away from those who have a different complexion or slightly flatter noses than ourselves, is not a pretty thing when you look into it too much This, I believe effectively tars conlonialism and conquest with the same brush as he is describing colonialism while saying conquest. I feel he is saying that the two are indestinguishable and that anybody who can define them is stuck on the idea he goes on to mention belief in the idea something you can set up, and bow down before I think he is saying that as long as people can hide behind the idea of colonialism and tell it apart from conquest they are happy but in essence the two are the same. Conrad might be saying that although we live in a civil age we are no different to the Roman conquerors. I believe this shows that Conrad is not racist as he is saying that taking away the earth from those who have a different complexion or slightly flatter noses than ourselves is wrong. This is a very anti-racist statement and Conrad would have been saying something way ahead of his time. Marlow is a mouthpiece for Conrad in the sense that they have experienced the same things to the extent where even the characters names are the same When in the Congo, Conrad took over a steam boat formerly captained by a man called Frieslieben (Fresleven in the book), and he had to go and retrieve a man called Kurtz (same name, also in the book). In another book when asked of the likenesses between him and Marlow he said. It is experience pushed a little (and only very little) beyond the actual case for the perfectly legitamate I think that any reader thinking that Marlow and Conrad are one and the same would be virtually correct. This means in my view that any likenesses and quotes that Marlow does or says can be directly linked to what Conrad believes in, therefore it is not a factor of how similar the two are as I see them as one entity. When Heart of darkness first come out in 1899 (serialised in Blackwoods magazine) it was in an age where the western world was scrambling to colonise many African countries, where England was fighting a second Boer war and were supreme in North Africa, and it was a time when Joseph Conrad was putting his reputation and respect as an author on the table. His contemporaries could easily have dismissed his book as modernistic drivel and slated him for his uncontemporary views. In this light we see that Conrads book was way ahead of its time, exploring racism and both physical and mental journeys into the congo and into ones self. I believe it could be said that Conrad was not racist even if there is an inkling of racist assertions in Heart of darkness because this racist view was accepted at the time, this can be said of his usage of the word nigger in his novel (one of his earlier novels even had the word nigger in its title the nigger and the narcissus 1897) but as this was regularly used at the time it can be wavered as it didnt have the effect it does in todays society when spoken. Apart from this I think it is clear that Joseph Conrad did not conform in a racist society and had seen the horror and pure incorrectness of colonialism first hand. I have shown that Conrad and Marlow are one and the same and have been led to the conclusion through close reading of the opening of heart of darkness that Conrad is not, as Chinua Achebe states, a bloody racist. In fact I believe the opposite statemen could be made Conrad was a minority voice speaking out against racism through his character Marlow in a time where racism was rife. I believe I am right because the evidence against Conrad is scarce and what little textual evidence there is can mostly be put down to ignorance which in my opinion can be let go, due to the fact that his overall message is an anti-racist one. I feel people who think that Joseph Conrad is racist based on Heart of darkness is wrong because of the reasons stated. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Joseph Conrad section.

A GCSE Biology Case Study on Whether Cannabis Should be reclassified to

A Biology Case Study on Whether Cannabis Should be reclassified to a Class B Drug Introduction: In this case study on cannabis, I am going to be exploring whether Cannabis, which is currently a Class C drug, should be reclassified to become a Class B drug. It is commonly thought that if Cannabis was reclassified, it would dissuade drug dealers and users from taking and selling the drug, as if caught with it a longer sentence and heavier fine would be enforced. I will also be discussing how easy it would be for the government to enforce laws about cannabis and how much, the public would be deterred. Gordon Brown is also determined to reclassify cannabis despite warnings from his advisors, who have told him that reclassification wouldn?t be effective and that cannabis should stay as a Class C drug (1). Contents Page: The science behind Cannabis......................page 2 The many Forms of Cannabis......................page 2 The Cost of Cannabis.......................page 3 The laws that surround Cannabis at the moment.........................page 3 Why should Cannabis be reclassified?..................................................................page 4 Why should Cannabis stay as a class C drug?......................................................page 4 Conclusion.......................page 4 References..........................page 5 The Science behind Cannabis (2): Cannabis is a Plant, scientifically called Cannabis Satvia L., which is also called Marijuana or (the Hindi name) ?ganja?, as well as common street names such as pot, weed, and skunk, which is a drug, derived from Cannabis which is about two and a half times stronger than traditional cannabis. Cannabis is a psychoactive drug, which is ... ...on to those interested in the work it does. 6. http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/drugs/drugs-law/Class-a-b-c/, article title: ?Class A,B and C drugs?, by the home office, accessed 12th June 2008. I think that this source is reliable because it is issued by the home office and it relates to the laws about drugs and the have to have a solid rule that if you are in possession of a Class A drug, you will receive such and such a sentence, they cannot change it, the law isn?t flexible. 7. http://drugs.homeoffice.gov.uk/drugs-laws/cannabis-reclassifications/, article title: ?Cannabis reclassification?, by the home office, accessed 12th June 2008. I think that this source is reliable because it is from a website that has been created by the government intended to inform the general public about the use of drugs, and therefore it is unlikely to give out false information.

Drown Compare & contrast :: essays research papers

In this Paper I will compare and contrast the some of the relationships in "Everyday Use" by Alice Walker, to Drown by Junot Diaz. Dee and maggie are sister in "Everyday Use". Dee is outgoing and ambitious, Maggie is shy and lazy. Maggie envies Dee, but also fears her. They act more like co-workers than siblings. In the story they don't appear to interact with each other often, which makes it difficult to develop a relationship.From the story it doesn't illustrate them ever having a close connection probably due to Maggie's shyness and envy. Alice Walker writes "Maggie will be be nervous until after her sister goes: she will stand hopelessly in corners homely and ashamed of the burn scars down her arms and legs, eyeing her sister with a mixture of envy and awe. She thinks her sister has held life always in the palm of one hand, that "no" is a word never learned to say to her." Dee(Wangero) is the most dominant one out of the two, which is no surprise since she tries take the quilts from Dee (Wangero). I found it I found it odd that she wanted those quilts because of her he ritage, when she completely disgraced her heritage when she traded her own name in for Wangero. Alice writes : "You know as well as me yhou was named after you aunt Dicie." I said. Dicie is my sister, She name Dee. We called her "Big Dee" after Dee was born. "But who was she named after?" asked Wangero. "I guess agter Grandma Dee," I said. "And who was she name after?" asked Wangero. "Her mother," I said, and saw Wangero was getting tired. "That's about as far back as I can trace it," I said. Though, in fact, I probably could have carried it back beyond the civil war through the branches. Her name had been passed down from generation to generation before Dee received it. Obviously the name had great importance in her family. Her mother could trace the name back to the civil war and connect it with specific people in her family. Alice Walker write's "you just don't understand," she said , as Maggie and I came out to the car. "what don't I understand?" I wanted to know. "Your heritage," she said".She criticize her mother about not understanding their heritage though, she places her heritage on those quilts instead of continuing the family name that was handed down to her.

Leadership Ethic

UNIT 6 Assignments – Personal Leadership/Ethics Statement GB580: Strategic Management Mary Dereshiwsky Hugues Joseph When it comes to my personal leadership/ ethics, I have to take that seriously due to the fact this part can make as well brake a company. This is the sort of guideline that makes a company; furthermore, you have a lot of companies that gets in trouble due to the fact their do not follow a certain ethic guidelines.Ethics  are considered the moral standards by which people judge behavior. Ethics are often summed up in what is considered the â€Å"golden rule†Ã¢â‚¬â€do unto others as you would have them do unto you. While this makes sense as a general rule of thumb, it is not entirely useful when looking to define business ethics. In business, there are many different people you have to answer to: customers, shareholders and clients.Determining what to do when an ethical dilemma arises among these different interests can be extremely tricky, and as such business ethics are complex and multi-faceted (2012). There is couple things that effect business ethic There are Honesty, Objectivity, Integrity , Carefulness, Openness, Respect for intellectual property, Confidentiality, Responsible publication, Responsible mentoring, Respect for colleagues, Social responsibility, Non-discrimination, Competence, Legality, Human subjects protection.The bank I used to work for several years back had some of that issue as for time to time you will find the manager give the customer the wrong information on purpose as a way to avoid helping the customers. We would be looking at the manager because we knew he was doing the wrong thing to do and it seemed as the customer knew he was lying as well; furthermore, the bank was losing money due to the fact many people did not want to deal with him as well.All the employees must have that possess a skill when it comes to customer something like extrovert. Former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandu sky was sentenced to 30 to 60 years in prison on molestation charges in a case that focused attention not only on his crimes but on how university officials allegedly covered up the incidents to save their profitable sports program from embarrassment and scrutiny. In the wake of the sentencing, several ethical issues were cited in the U. S. press: (2012).This is a problem due to the fact that you have parents who have trusted their kids with these coaches and those coaches take advantage of the parents as well the children and sadly most of the time the kid do not have the power to say â€Å"NO† due to the fact they’re have trusted the coaches. This is why a person who work at an organization must have certain features such as extrovert which define as someone who is social and outgoing, comfortable around groups of people, starts conversations, does not like being alone.Sensory which defines gathering using sense, practical and able to rely on common sense; furthermor e, the ability to judge because it provide one to be well structured as well organize so therefore that person does not like to leave any loose ends. I would love to have someone who is very dedicated someone that I can rely on and depend on when something that have to get done the person will know off the bat and no one have to them nothing.This is consider to be a strong suite for one person able to do that; furthermore, this will also give that person the opportunity to move further with the company and most like will be the first to be recognize when there is an open opportunity. References: More ethical issues arise following sandusky sentencing. (2012). Retrieved from http://www. globalethics. org/newsline/2012/10/15/ethical-issues-2/ A closer look: Definition of business ethics. (2012). Retrieved from http://reference. yourdictionary. com/word-definitions/Define-Ethics. html

The Emancipation Proclamation Was Also Foreign Policy

The Emancipation Proclamation Was Also Foreign Policy Everyone knows that when Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 he was freeing American slaves. But did you know the abolition of slavery was also a key element of Lincolns foreign policy? When Lincoln issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation in September 1862, England had been threatening to intervene in the American Civil War for over a year. Lincolns intent to issue the final document on January 1, 1863, effectively prevented England, which had abolished slavery in its own territories, from stepping into the U.S. conflict. Background The Civil War began on April 12, 1861, when the breakaway Southern Confederate States of America fired on the holdout U.S. Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. Southern states had begun seceding in December 1860 after Abraham Lincoln won the presidency a month earlier. Lincoln, a Republican, was against slavery, but he had not called for its abolition. He campaigned on a policy of prohibiting the spread of slavery to western territories, but Southern slaveholders interpreted that as the beginning of the end for slavery. At his inauguration on March 4, 1861, Lincoln reiterated his stance. He had no intention to address slavery where it presently existed, but he did intend to preserve the Union. If the southern states wanted war, he would give it to them. First Year of War The first year of the war did not go well for the United States. The Confederacy won the opening battles of Bull Run in July 1861 and Wilsons Creek the next month. In the spring of 1862, Union troops captured western Tennessee but suffered appalling casualties at the Battle of Shiloh. In the east, a 100,000-man army failed to capture the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia, even though it maneuvered to its very gates. In the summer of 1862, General Robert E. Lee took command of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. He beat Union troops in the Battle of the Seven Days in June, then at the Second Battle of Bull Run in August. He then plotted an invasion of the North which he hoped would earn the South European recognition. England and the U.S. Civil War England traded with both North and South before the war, and both sides expected British support. The South expected dwindling cotton supplies due to the Norths blockade of Southern ports would leverage England into recognizing the South and forcing the North to a treaty table. Cotton proved not so strong, however, England had built-up supplies and other markets for cotton. England nevertheless supplied the South with most of its Enfield muskets and allowed Southern agents to build and outfit Confederate commerce raiders in England and sail them from English ports. Still, that did not constitute English recognition of the South as an independent nation. Since the War of 1812 ended in 1814, the U.S. and England had experienced what is known as the Era of Good Feelings. During that time, the two countries had arrived at a series of treaties beneficial to both, and the British Royal Navy tacitly enforced the U.S. Monroe Doctrine. Diplomatically, though, Great Britain could benefit from a fractured American government. The continental-sized United States posed a potential threat to British global, imperial hegemony. But a North America split into two―or perhaps more― squabbling governments should be no threat to Britains status. Socially, many in England felt a kinship to the more aristocratic American southerners. English politicians periodically debated intervening in the American war, but they took no action. For its part, France wanted to recognize the South, but it would do nothing without British agreement. Lee was playing to those possibilities of European intervention when he proposed invading the North. Lincoln, however, had another plan. Emancipation Proclamation In August 1862, Lincoln told his cabinet that he wanted to issue a preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. The Declaration of Independence was Lincolns guiding political document, and he believed literally in its statement that all men are created equal. He had for some time wanted to expand war aims to include abolishing slavery, and he saw an opportunity to use abolition as a war measure. Lincoln explained that the document would become effective on January 1, 1863. Any state that had given up the rebellion by that time could keep their slaves. He recognized that Southern animosity ran so deep that the Confederate states were unlikely to return to the Union. In effect, he was turning the war for union into a crusade. He also realized that Great Britain was progressive as far as slavery was concerned. Thanks to the political campaigns of William Wilberforce decades earlier, England had outlawed slavery at home and in its colonies. When the Civil War became about slavery―not just union―Great Britain could not morally recognize the South or intervene in the war. To do so would be diplomatically hypocritical. As such, the Emancipation was one part social document, one part war measure, and one part insightful foreign policy maneuver. Lincoln waited until U.S. troops won a quasi-victory at the Battle of Antietam on September 17, 1862, before he issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. As he expected, no southern states gave up the rebellion prior to January 1. Of course, the North had to win the war for emancipation to become effective, but until the wars end in April 1865, the U.S. no longer had to worry about English or European intervention.

James Finney Boylan essays

James Finney Boylan essays James Finney Boylans glasses look ordinary enough. But the world he sees through them is something else,(Stanley-Sanborn). The way Boylan sees and writes is what makes him a popular writer. He is a comical writer, yet his books still have heart. Many say that his books are weird, but they always seem to read the next one. James Finney Boylan was born in 1958, in Valley Forge Pennsylvania. He graduated from Wesleyan University in 1980, and soon became the managing editor of American Bystander magazine. After working there he worked for "American Punch"; which the first cast of "Saturday Night Live" founded. When the American Bystander went under, Boylan became an editorial assistant with Viking/Penguin. He then taught at Johns Hopkins, soon realizing that Maine was the best place, he became a professor at Colby College. Where he still remains today. The Planets was Boylans first novel, and for writing it he got a grant from the Pennsylvania State Council for the Arts. His different style of writing created national attention in 1991. When he wrote, he tried to base the writing on the classical music by Gustav Holst. The Planets was about the lives of several fictional characters in the real town of Centralia, Pennsylvania, which has had an underground coal fire for several decades, and houses a few remaining residents. The town Centralia Pennsylvania no longer exists on some maps. The fire started in 1961 along the outskirts of town when trash was burned in an old open pit mine. The fire in the open pit caught some coal on fire. The coal then began to burn underground. That was in 1961; 40 years and 40 million dollars later the fire still burns through old coalmines and veins following the coal under the town and the surrounding hillsides. The fire, smoke, fumes and toxic gases that came up though the back yards, basements and streets of Centralia practically ripped the ...

Manual for canning Essays - Canned Food, Food Preservation

Manual for canning Essays - Canned Food, Food Preservation Manual for canning MANUAL FOR CANNING DILLY BEANS BY: JOE THOMPSON Table of Contents ________________________________________ WARNINGS..3 HOME CANNING PRINCIPALS....4 CHAPTER 1: ITEMS NEEDED...5 ?EQUIPMENT....?6-11 ?INGREDIENTS...12 CHAPTER 2: EQUIPMENT PREPARATION13 ?JARS, BANDS, AND LIDS.14 CHAPTER 3: RECIPE PREPARATION....?15-17 CHAPTER 4: PREPARING FOR CANNING...18-20 ?FILLING JARS......................19 ?CLEANINGS JAR RIMS..20 CHAPTER 5: PROCESSING...21-23 CHAPTER 6: AFTER PROCESSING.?...24-26 ?COOLING..24 ?TESTING SEALS.?...25 ?REPROCESSING UNSEALED JARS...26 CHAPTER 7: STORAGE....27 CHAPTER 8: USING HOME CANNED FOODS..?..28 ?OPENING JARS..28 Warnings ________________________________________ One of the most important aspects of canning safety is to remember that you are working with extremely hot material, and that you can get severe burns if proper precautions are not followed. When packing hot foods into jars it can cause splashing. Hot jellies and jams in particular can cause bad burns because it tends to stick to the skin. Do not try putting jars into the canner or taking them out with bare hands or pot holders, ALWAYS use a jar lifter. A full canner will be very heavy, use proper lifting techniques, get help, or move a few jars at a time to prevent back injury. Check all new and used jars for flaws, scratches, cracks, and chips. They can break in the canner and cause cuts. Canning with small children can be dangerous. Give them a job helping with prep work, keep them away from the hot objects. High temperatures, sharp objects, breakable glass and potential spread for bacteria are all dangers. Canning, like cooking, does have all these potential dangers. But with proper training and supervision it is a fun activity for adults and children. Home Canning Principles ________________________________________ Understanding how to prevent food spoilage and deterioration is the key to canning safety and success, here are some tips: ?Wash foods to remove some of the spoiling agents ?Apply heat at the correct temperature ?Process foods for the specific amount of time designated ?Properly store and handle canned foods Ensure quality foods by doing the following: ?Select produce at its peak of freshness and flavor. ?Choose varieties best suited for canning. ?Can foods immediately after harvesting or purchasing. ?If food cannot be canned immediately, properly store to prevent further deterioration. ?Carefully remove small diseased areas or bruised spots. ?Get rid of diseased, moldy, insect damaged and overripe foods. Items Needed ________________________________________ EquipmentChapter 1 ________________________________________ Water Bath Canner ?Used for processing high-acid foods Equipment Chapter 1 ________________________________________ Wire Canning Rack ?Used to lower jars into the water bath canner Equipment Chapter 1 ________________________________________ Jar Lifter ?Used to remove jars from the water bath canner EquipmentChapter 1 ________________________________________ Jars, bands and lids ?Used for holding and preserving the dilly beans EquipmentChapter 1 ________________________________________ Ladle and bubble freer ?Ladle is used to pour hot liquid into jars. EquipmentChapter 1 ________________________________________ Saucepot and jar pot ?Jar pot used for keeping jars, lids, and bands sterile ?Saucepot used for liquid ingredients IngredientsChapter 1 ________________________________________ Yield: about 4 pints or 2 quarts ?2 pounds green beans cup canning salt ?2 ? cups vinegar ?2 ? cups bottled water ?1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, divided (optional) ?4 cloves garlic ?4 heads dill Equipment Preparation Chapter 2 ________________________________________ 1.Fill Water Bath Canner ? full of tap water 2.Set canner on largest burner on the stove 3.Turn burner to high and put lid on Equipment Preparation Chapter 2 ________________________________________ Jars, bands and lids 1.Fill jar pot with tap water 2.Add jars, bands, and lids to water 3.Put on stove 4.Medium heat 5.Put lid on pot Recipe Preparation Chapter 3 ________________________________________ Green Beans Recipe Preparation Chapter 3 ________________________________________ ?Trim Green Beans with scissors ?Rinse beans well with cold water in a colander Recipe Preparation Chapter 3 ________________________________________ ?Prepare heads of dill and garlic (set aside) ?Mix canning salt, vinegar and water into sauce pot, set on burner(high heat),stirring Preparing for Canning Chapter 4________________________________________ Preparing for Canning Chapter 4 ________________________________________ ?Pack green beans into jars ?Add garlic clove, head of dill and cayenne pepper PREPARING FOR CANNING Chapter 4 ________________________________________ ?Ladle boiling liquid into jars leaving ? inch headspace ?Wipe rims of jars with a clean towel and install lids and bands (finger tight) PROCESSING Chapter 5 ________________________________________ ?Set jars into canning rack ?Slowly lower canning rack into water bath canner PROCESSING Chapter 5________________________________________ ?Wait for water to come to a complete rolling boil ?Put lid on water bath canner and let boil for a complete 10 minutes PROCESSING Chapter 5________________________________________ ?After 10 minutes remove lid from water bath canner ?Use jar lifter to remove jars from water bath canner AFTER PROCESSING Chapter 6________________________________________ ?Set jars about 1 inch apart from each other on a towel ?Let jars cool for about 12 hours AFTER PROCESSING Chapter 6________________________________________ ?Remove bands from jars ?Lightly pull up on lid with the

Western Imperialism and influence in Asia and Africa Essay

Western Imperialism and influence in Asia and Africa - Essay Example The roaring and booming industrial revolution in the West was hungry for raw material and markets. In such a scenario, the natural resources rich and well-populated land mass of Asia furnished answers to some of the most pressing Western economic problems and challenges. The path to rampant colonialism was initiated by resorting to a tactics of indirect administration, where the local elitist and vested interests in the respective countries were coerced or enticed into conniving with the Western regimes to pursue a policy of blatant economic and human exploitation. This not only deepened the class conflicts in the Asian societies, but also led to the degradation of the native cultures and traditions. The ex-colonialists tend to boast that they brought technology and education to Asia. However, the reality was that this so-called introduction of civilization in Asia was more of a tool to assist and streamline the job of European administrators and corporations. Africa during the genesis of Western imperialism did not seem so lucrative to the European powers in a commercial context, except being a breeding ground for cheap black salves and a strategic post to control and manage some of the most important trade routes.

Influencing Buyers Behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Influencing Buyers Behavior - Essay Example Just like in many other countries, businesses prefer their adverts run during the prime hours such as before the news, during and after news because it reaches out to a significant percentage of the targeted audience. Experts suggest that is crucial for companies to consider consumer preferences before embarking on the production process (Marr, 2013). This is the reason why Coca-Cola, a leading multinational beverage company, produces beverages targeting consumers in specific parts of the world depending on their preferences. As a matter of fact, many business analysts suggest that accurate identification of the consumer preferences is among the major factors that have given Coca-Cola a competitive edge in the beverage industry. Liu, Denizci Guillet, Xiao and Law (2014), suggest that consumer preferences are influenced by numerous factors numerous factors such as the geographical location, climate, culture and religion. For example, some religion denominations such as the Seventh Day Adventist discourage consumption of beverages that have caffeine such as Coke, one of the leading brands of Coca-Cola (Marr, 2013). Customer preferences based on the geographical location and culture of the people explains why Coke is popular in the USA where most people take caffeine, while Fresca, a caffeine-free soft drink is popular in most of the African and south American countries where a significant percentage of the population avoid caffeine. Jones, R. B., Soler-Lopez, M., Zahra, D., Shankleman, J., & Trenchard-Mabere, E. (2013). Using online adverts to increase the uptake of cervical screening amongst â€Å"real Eastenders†: an opportunistic controlled trial. BMC research notes, 6(1),

Asian Management - Management in India Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Asian Management - Management in India - Essay Example Indian economy during 1950 to 1980 was highly dominated by the agriculture sector and the five year plan. Some of the acts which were introduced during this period were Industrial Policy Resolution 1956 also called as the unleashing of ‘license raj’, Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Act (MRTP) and Import substitution. (PBS, 2004) Bureaucratic control of private sector through licenses, permits, taxes and tariff infuriated quality global competitiveness and managerial imagination. This high level restriction, poor quality of infrastructure along with high level of corruption caused to migration of entrepreneurs from India. Family conglomeration was seen in the Indian corporate sector led by names like Birla, Reliance, Tata, Bajaj, Mahindra, Godrej and Thapar. Rajiv Gandhi emphasizes economic liberalization and pushes for development of the technology sector. The government introduces economic reforms, including reduced quantitative restrictions on imports, decreased subsidies, fewer licensing requirements, the sale of shares in select public enterprises, and tax reforms.(Source: Veen R.V., 2006) During this period of liberalization comprehensive changes were seen in the mindset of corporate leaders. India became the host for the global firms which brought world class management in the country. Indian education system improved and India produced half a million of engineers, thousands of doctor and MBAs per year. Indian entrepreneurs who were used to the art of manipulating, managing and circumventing the regime of controls and restrictions and the power centre of licensing, would be able to break away from the past and rise to the occasion of liberalization. The country stepped into liberalization. The government sold off shares in its companies and opens the door to foreign investment. Liberalization brought GDP growth to 7 percent, and pushed the inflation down. A new private sector emerged, especially in technology services, side by side

Human resource management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Human resource management - Essay Example The participants in the organization will be particularly asked for the pay increase which would satisfy them the most. Then based on the feedback the management could arrive at a decision which would at most satisfy the majority of the employees. This is very vital because this way JVA Crop can save hundreds of thousands of dollars by holding back the talent that is working at present for the company. In addition to this performance of the same persons can be increased and thus the company’s goals can be achieved easily (Katkowski et al, 2002). If the employee feels that his present position at the company will benefit them personally then it is obvious that production activity of the company increases and also such staff is far less probable to look for employment elsewhere Mitra et al. (1997). Also Lagging Indicator and Leading Indicator mode of appraisal will be introduced. This means that the lag performance of an employee will indicate the achievements of the employee for a particular period after which his performance will be evaluated and he will be rewarded or punished accordingly. Lead Indicator is an activity which indicates the supposed to-be-done activity for his goals to be achieved (Transparent HR processeshttp: //www.infosys.com/HCM/case-studies/telenet-case-study.asp retrieved on 4th October 2009). The entire above said mode can be effectively applied to JVA Corp to bring the organization back on the track where it was before the terrorist attack of 2001. Not only this, the company will be benefited and will be able to retain its present employees who are star performers. Katkowski, D. A., Medsker, G. J., Pritchard, K. H. (2002). Literature review of â€Å"acceptable† or â€Å"just noticeable different† pay increases. Poster presented at the 17th annual meeting of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, April, 2002, Toronto,

Zero Tolerance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Zero Tolerance - Essay Example In Simon’s case, he had participated in contravening a company’s internet policy (Gerson, Parker, Volokh, Halloran, Cherkasky, 2006). Simon had utilized the company’s intranet to communicate with an unauthorized personality out of the network. The violation was gross since the company had sculptured clear conditions about the policy. This included clear indication of the relevant consequences. The management had notable controls in the same situation. To begin with, it laid a clear policy. This policy indicated that it banned use of the company’s internet and intranet in communication under unstated uses. The company also stated that unwarranted internet use and e-mailing could result into the termination of employment. In addition, the company employed strategic measures of terminating Simon’s tenure. The management made an indirect approach of firing Simon. This would be followed by an explanation of the act that led to the tenure termination. The re are controlling and coordination skills that are necessary in this situation. To begin with, it is vital that the company harnesses a proper communication channel. This is a system whereby each employee has adequate information about the company’s policies. In this perspective, the company can invest in an automatic e-mail system that updates on company’s policies and the consequences of breaching the provisions. Besides, meetings, between the management and employees, should be regular for physical information and discussion. In certain instances, zero tolerance policies might be stringent. In this sense, discussion can modify the policies to suit multiple scenarios. It is crucial that employees design and agree to zero tolerance policies. This would absolve the management from blame in cases of grim consequences to employees. The solution that the company employed had particular details. The management strove to strike a vital point in terminating Simon’s t enure. Companies would usually employ sane and rational employees. This means that it could apply formal means of communicating with an affected employee (Brooks & Dunn, 2009). Such communication would take the letter or e-mail method for information. Simon could not have possessed the option of not leaving the company. The use of guards was an informal sense of terminating Simon’s employment. It is devoid of modern managements skills since it seeks to be autocratic oriented. This is because the guards could have employed forceful means in case of resistance by Simon. Element of force is evident from the communication between the security officers and the management. The management was monitoring Simon’s reaction for an additional strategy. However, the company had a proper strategy of informing Simon. To begin with, this demonstrates of zero tolerance on certain violations. It also highlights that the other employees should educate themselves of company’s polic ies. However, the company can utilize other strategies. This pertains to drawing the same sense on a company’s reputation. The vital element in zero tolerance policies should regard their intentions. Zero tolerance policies should seek to highlight the sense of certain behavior. This is different from the focus of merely humiliating employees. Policies should concentrate on processes rather than the consequences of the same. In this view, the company could have employed an alternative strategy of terminating Simon’s benefits. Termination of benefits could achieve the orientation of the breach. In case of an internet’s condition, Simon could have been barred from the connection. Besides, the company could lock Simon from accessing certain information. Additionally,

Human resource management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Human resource management - Essay Example The participants in the organization will be particularly asked for the pay increase which would satisfy them the most. Then based on the feedback the management could arrive at a decision which would at most satisfy the majority of the employees. This is very vital because this way JVA Crop can save hundreds of thousands of dollars by holding back the talent that is working at present for the company. In addition to this performance of the same persons can be increased and thus the company’s goals can be achieved easily (Katkowski et al, 2002). If the employee feels that his present position at the company will benefit them personally then it is obvious that production activity of the company increases and also such staff is far less probable to look for employment elsewhere Mitra et al. (1997). Also Lagging Indicator and Leading Indicator mode of appraisal will be introduced. This means that the lag performance of an employee will indicate the achievements of the employee for a particular period after which his performance will be evaluated and he will be rewarded or punished accordingly. Lead Indicator is an activity which indicates the supposed to-be-done activity for his goals to be achieved (Transparent HR processeshttp: //www.infosys.com/HCM/case-studies/telenet-case-study.asp retrieved on 4th October 2009). The entire above said mode can be effectively applied to JVA Corp to bring the organization back on the track where it was before the terrorist attack of 2001. Not only this, the company will be benefited and will be able to retain its present employees who are star performers. Katkowski, D. A., Medsker, G. J., Pritchard, K. H. (2002). Literature review of â€Å"acceptable† or â€Å"just noticeable different† pay increases. Poster presented at the 17th annual meeting of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, April, 2002, Toronto,

Paraphrasing, Summarizing, and Describing a Poem Assignment

Paraphrasing, Summarizing, and Describing a Poem - Assignment Example Besides, the speaker intelligently creates a figurative approach using the shoe as an explanation of the restriction of her freedom. According to the speaker, shoes limits feet movement inside and so is her daddy (Holbrook 12). Notably, the speaker sounds bitter and portrays her revenge towards the mistreatment she receives from male counterparts. Additionally, the beginning of this first stanza sets a remorseful environment that is sustained across the entire poem. While the writer appears to direct her bitterness and regrets towards her daddy, it should be clear that the daddy represents male category in the society that has continued derail freedom to the female counterparts. The entire poem is full of metaphors that include black shoe, like a Nazi, like a Swastika and like a Vampire. The terms are intelligently used to summarize the views of the speaker towards male species. In her world, she finds men barbaric, cruel, just like Nazi, and she describes herself figuratively as a jew (Holbrook 12). Historically, Jews were racial persecuted during the harsh German rule through killing, maiming and racial cleansing. Surprisingly, the speaker plays this victim role and curses her daddy for high-handedness that described her earlier

Obey Direct Orders Essay Example for Free

Obey Direct Orders Essay There are more than a few reasons that lawful orders should be obeyed. These orders are given for a variety of reasons, and should be followed whether or not you understand or agree with them. Orders are sometimes given simply to keep soldiers to maintain their military bearing and display a proper image of the United States Armed Forces. Other times they are given to protect the soldier or to protect the soldiers around him/her. No matter what, an order should be carried out without question, because if you question orders that seem less important, you could get someone hurt because you were wasting time ignoring or questioning an order that you thought was unimportant. A soldier is given a great many orders that fall into the first category I discussed, maintaining military bearing. These orders range from keeping in step and swinging your arms in formation, to not moving while talking on your phone. All of these orders have reasoning behind them that has applications on the battlefield. For instance, if you are keeping in step and swinging your arms in formation, then you are paying attention to the cadence that is being given, so if you get a command by whoever is marching you, you are already paying attention and can react quickly. This can be the difference between life and death in a combat zone. The same thing can be said about talking on the phone while walking around. You need to not have any distractions when you are patrolling an area. If you are not alert, you could get yourself killed by an IED, or worse you could get others killed. So while these orders may not seem to have all that much importance in the here and now, they actually have a great deal of importance in that they train you in how you need to behave while deployed, so they should be followed with just as much care as any other order. Another type of order that is given is an order that is designed directly to protect you or those around you. Every time you are given an order to do guard duty or a cleaning detail, that order is there to protect yourself and others. When you are asked to pull guard duty, you are actively watching for threats to those that you are guarding. If an insurgent were to try to enter your AO when there was no guard, he could do a lot of damage before he was noticed, and he could kill a lot of people. If you have a guard on post, the same insurgent is likely to be killed or taken into custody with no loss of U.S. Soldiers. When here in training you are practicing the ability to stay alert while on those guard duties. If you were to fall asleep on duty, or not report, then you could be responsible for the deaths of your fellow soldiers. A less obvious threat than insurgents are the bacteria and diseases that you are helping to keep under control every time you follow an order to do a cleaning detail. If these orders are not followed then our fighting force could become crippled by sickness. So you can see even cleaning details are in place to help protect you and your fellow soldiers. In the end the point is, whether or not you understand the reason you are being given an order, or agree with that order, it needs to be followed. Failing to follow orders can cause people to get hurt, or can put you in the position of not having the focus or discipline to stay out of harms way yourself. Follow orders every time.

Separation Between Church And State

Separation Between Church And State The concept of separation between the church and state refers to the strained relationship distance between organized religion and the nation state. The relationship between the Church and feudal state in the medieval era went through a series of developments, round about the end of Roman Empire down to the birth of Reformation. The Western world is shaped due to the struggle for power between the kings and Popes. With the idea of divine right monarchs ruled for centuries. Monarch began to use this to support the notion that king to rule not only his kingdom but also the churches within the kingdoms boundaries such notion can be known as caesaropapism. On the other hand, the catholic doctrine stating the Pope being the Vicar of Christ in earth is to have absolute power over the Church and also secondary over the state. Furthermore, the relationship between Church and State can be related as the institutional form of the relation between religion and politics(Answers). Due to this com plication, Church and State has been a remarkable concern of the Western and Christian. This is not only because Western secularization has desired a limit of powers that is to belong to the religious authorities, though its origins sprung form an earlier period, during the advancement of separate Church and State institutions in Christendom which were natural rivals to a level which was incomprehensible in the sphere of other well-known religions. Thus the conflict between Emperor and Pope was an important feature to Europe in the middle Ages of politics also during the twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth century the rivalry between the Guelphs and the Ghibellines was one of the greatest contest in Italian politics. Western society therefore has a great past of conflict between Church and State, which has helped advance the movement in anticlerical and secular spheres. Countless modern states and parties embrace the separation of Church and State, but a suspicion has often been att ached to predominantly Protestant countries Catholic politicians, such as John F. Kennedy, that they are, whatever they may say, religiously committed to extending the influence of their Church over the State.(Cambridge University) In ancient civilizations the segregation of political and religious orders was not given meaning. With the occurrence of Christianity, the concept of two separate orders emerged, on the bases of Jesuss command to Render unto Caesar what belongs to Caesars, and to God what belongs to God (Mark 12:17). The intense union of religion and politics, nevertheless, proceeded even after the victory of Christianity as emperors such as Constantine who exercised authority amongst both church and state. During the premature Middle Ages secular rulers claimed to rule by Gods grace, and later in the Middle Ages popes and emperors fought for global supremacy. During the Investiture Controversy the church clearly established distinct and separate secular and religious orders, which lead to the so-called papal monarchy foundation. The Reformation greatly weakened papal authority, and the pendulum swung toward the state, in addition many monarchs demanding to rule both the church and state by divine ri ght. Enlightenment thinkers, as evinced in the U.S and post-revolutionary France, influenced the concept of secular government. In Western Europe today all states protect and maintain freedom of worship along with the distinction between religious and civil authorities. However, during the Middle ages the Pope claimed the right to overthrow the Catholic Kings of Western Europe and often exercise these rights, because the kings where taking control over the churches in their border which turned out successfully sometimes and sometimes not, such cases were with Henry VIII of England and Henry III of Navarre. In the West, the matter of separation of church and state during the medieval period focused on monarchs who ruled in the secular sphere but violated the churchs rule of the spiritual sphere. For example, in 1530s Henry VIII, angered by the Catholic Churchs refusal to annual his marriage with his wife Catherine of Aragon, resolved to break with the Church thereby setting himself as the ruler of the new church of England; the Anglican Church, thereby ending the separation that had existed between Church and State in England. Of the many remarkable structural and ideological changes that have taken place in the European history, the French revolution renders an essential social shift in the relations between the people and the church as prosperous partner with the state. By discussing how the French Revolution produced a dramatic and structural restrain in the relation of the Church to the state, I do not intend to propose that the revolution ended in a complete separation of the church and state. It does, nevertheless, the contribution to the diminishing role of the Church in state and in public affairs are indicated by important factors such as the role of the nation-state has diminished. In early modern Europe, the churchs power over people was reduced by the birth of the sovereign state. In the role of religion in regards to a state, theres no doubt in mind that civil liberties for all citizens and the full protection of human rights can be endangered by religion. For instance, the rights of non-believers and supporters of other religions the right of homosexuals along with the rights of women, at the most basic level, this is mostly an issue of tolerance, we should not impose their moral values, beliefs, and practices on others if such people dont inflict harm, even if we think people act immorally from their religious point of view and neither should we draw a distinction among people when they think speak or act in ways that are conflicting with our own beliefs. But the problem goes beyond the level of relations between citizens. The question about the proper role and place of religion in a state isnt restricted to the dilemma of how we act toward each other in our daily lives. In a democratic state, the people interpret their beliefs in government policy and legi slation. Hence, I wonder to what extend people can use their religious beliefs as basis or reason for legislation. Religion appears in liberal theory first and foremost as an occasion for neutrality and tolerance. The initiation is supplemented by both the categorization of religion as essentially as a private issue and the belief that religion is in some sense survival from an earlier era not a field of vital growth within modernity. We should see religious internationalism both under the problematic structure of colonial and postcolonial missionary work and in the engagements shaped by Vatican II, peace movement and liberation theology.(Burleigh) To summarize all, the proper role of religion in a state is based on individuals and their distinctive religious beliefs and faith. It has become a stock phrase that the spread of modernity throughout the industrial west and much of the world beyond has developed a system of secular nation-states that actively promote science but refrain the advancement of religion. This idea is much in line with contemporary controversy over globalization, postmodernism, human rights and church-state relations. Yet the growing recognition that science is a cultural and social product would seem to weaken the asymmetry between religion and science upon which this modern notion of the state rests . Observers of politics in the early modern era took it for granted that a state conscious of its own interest would or at least out to guide the religious behavior of its subject. Until recently, similar hypothesis about the importance of state policy in religious activities have informed historical writing about Europes protestant and catholic reformation. But scholars of the last four decades or so has made it vivid that one cannot ima gine the religious life of the people as simply decided for by their rulers. The modern state advanced toward a concept of secularism, whereby a state or country purports to be officially neutral in matter of religion, supporting neither religion nor irreligion. Most modern states claim to treat all its citizens equally regardless of religion, and claims to avoid preferential treatment for a citizen from a particular religion or non-religion over other religions or non-religion. Secular states become secular either upon establishment of the state or upon secularization of state, for example Frances religious monopoly was politically challenged by secular institutions, which lead to the comprehensive victory of secularism. Historically, the process of secularizing a state typically involves granting religious freedom, disestablishing state religions, stopping pubic funds to be used for religion, freeing the legal system from religious control, freeing up the education system, tolerat ing citizens who change religion or abstain form religion, and allowing political leadership to come to power regardless of religious beliefs. Many states of nowadays are secular in practice may have legal mark of an earlier established religion. Secularism also has various forms that may coincide with some magnitude of official religiosity. Thus, in the Commonwealth Realms, the head of state is required to take a Coronation Oath swearing to sustain the Protestant faith. The United Kingdom also retains positions in its upper house for 26 senior clergymen of the prominent Church of England known as the Lords Spiritual. While Scotland is part of the United Kingdom the Scottish Parliament proclaimed Scotland a secular state but conserves the religious monarch. The reverse sequence can also occurs, a state can go from being secular to a religious state as in the case of Iran where the secularized state of the Pahlavi dynasts was replaced by the Islamic Republic. Over the last few decade s, there has been a trend towards secularism. In the modern period, the separation of the church and state and the exercise of secularization have brought about a movement away form folk pattern of ordered religion. Migration of ethnic groups as an end result of colonial expansion, the rise of modern capitalism and individualism have also brought about a much greater recognition of the multi-cultural nature of society and a significance upon personal choice with respect to the issue of religious affiliation. One consequence of thee western world has been the tendency to convince religion as importantly a private rather than a pubic matter.

DBS - DIRECTV and DISH Network :: essays papers

DBS - DIRECTV and DISH Network Remember when Cable TV came into the picture and began bullying around the network stations for all their lunch money? Well watch out Cable because you might get a little taste of your own Medicine from a powerful extra terrestrial,... satellite that is. A multi-channel alternative to cable television known as Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) is now available in theUnited States of America and boy is it ready to rock. DBS provides picture perfect cable-like television programming directly from satellite dishes approximately 18 inches in diameter. Millions of households now subscribe to DBS services resulting in what appears to have the cable industry wondering what’s going to happen. Cable was introduced in the late 1940’s in the â€Å"boone docks† of Pennsylvania when it’s original name was known as CATV, or Comunity Antenna TV. During this time there were only a few stations and in order to even recieve any picture, a TV set had to be in the vacintaty of antenna where a signal could be recieved. Anyone with a TV who lived to far from the antenna would be crap out of luck. Finally an appliance store owner named John Walson hooked up an antenna to a nearby mountain where he recieved a signal from the cities transitter and wired it down to his store for a good picture. When his clients witnessed that good picture could be brought to their area, John Walson’s TV sales went up drastically. From then on cable started multiplying like horny â€Å"GREMLINS† and â€Å"GOONIES†. In the past cable’s main purpose was to bring network stations to the rural areas. Today cable is capable of carrying hundreds of channels and is the leading source in TV programming with over 60 million subscribers and tons of diverse programming. Before it was all networks like ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX that could be seen on TV. They led the way for a while until cable came along. Today with help from satellites, 24 hour sports(ESPN) and movie(HBO) programming is availible in most cable packages and that was the main reason why cable became so popular. It’s been over 50 years of success for cable, but with the turn of the century coming, what kind of future does cable have with these new media technologies on the rise?

Americas Transition from a Regional to a World Power Essay -- America

America's Transition from a Regional to a World Power Between the years 1875 through 1920 the United States of America was able to secure itself as a major world power. This was easy to do after the Industrial Revolution and the Progressive movement because the two most important qualities needed to be able to accomplish moving from a regional to a world power existed during this time period: an economic need of resources and mass production using technology, especially with transportation. Ideology and culture also played important roles in America’s rise to power. As industrialist Andrew Carnegie describes, â€Å"The old nations of the earth creep on at a snail’s pace [but the United States] thunders past with the rush of the express [train]† (Norton 608). The first, and arguably the most important, event that helped to bring about the United States’ new status was the Spanish American War. It was extremely vital for the United States to establish itself as having colonies in order to be a part of the world. Additionally, most Americans were in favor of expansion as lo... America's Transition from a Regional to a World Power Essay -- America America's Transition from a Regional to a World Power Between the years 1875 through 1920 the United States of America was able to secure itself as a major world power. This was easy to do after the Industrial Revolution and the Progressive movement because the two most important qualities needed to be able to accomplish moving from a regional to a world power existed during this time period: an economic need of resources and mass production using technology, especially with transportation. Ideology and culture also played important roles in America’s rise to power. As industrialist Andrew Carnegie describes, â€Å"The old nations of the earth creep on at a snail’s pace [but the United States] thunders past with the rush of the express [train]† (Norton 608). The first, and arguably the most important, event that helped to bring about the United States’ new status was the Spanish American War. It was extremely vital for the United States to establish itself as having colonies in order to be a part of the world. Additionally, most Americans were in favor of expansion as lo...

Competitors of Honda

Japanese car are getting more and more popular in these few decades. In 2007, Japan turned into the world’s largest vehicle producer and became one of main players in international vehicle industry (Jeffrey Hays 2009). For instance, Honda, a well-known Japanese vehicle producer, it is also one of the best car sellers in Malaysia. Honda Malaysia Sdn Bhd was born in 15 November 2000 as a result of the formation of partnership between Honda Motor Co. Ltd. of Japan, DRB-HICOM Berhad and Oriental Holdings Berhad.It produces a wide range of product besides car, motorcycles, automobiles, power products (such as motorboats), aircraft engines (HondaJet), humanoid robot (ASIMO), fuel cell vehicles and solar films. The company promised to deliver highest customer satisfaction to Malaysians than his rivals and holds the principles: i) Respect for the Individual ii)The Three Joys (Soichiro Honda 1951) iii) Maintaining a global viewpoint, we are dedicated to supplying products of the highes t quality yet at a reasonable price for worldwide customer satisfaction.The three joys were presented by Soichiro Honda, it consists of joy of buying, joy of selling and joy of creating. The Joy of buying belongs to the happiness of customers who bought product from Honda. Honda wishes their customer will be glad for buying their product. The joy of selling belongs to the reseller of Honda’s product. Honda hopes the product they delivery is always in high quality which generates profit for the reseller. The last joy belongs to the engineer. Honda. It refers to the happiness of an engineer when he manufactures a product which is high quality and valuable to the society.The three joys became motto of Honda since that. Honda Malaysia also strongly emphasizes its slogan â€Å"The power of dream† which signifies turning dream to reality, a future with better technology and value. With a variety of car models, from the lower-priced City to the higher-priced Accord, Honda cou ld attracts people within all age groups and socioeconomic statuses. All potential buyers, regardless of their social class, represented Honda’s target market. Now, Honda Malaysia is in the top 5 brand which has the most car sale in Malaysia. It is the winner for Putra brand award-silver since 2010, became one the most valuable brand in Malaysia.Honda even is the highest in New Vehicle Sales Satisfaction for Malaysia Sales Satisfaction Index Study in 2011. Other achievements are Reader's Digest Trusted Brands, Asian Auto Fuel Efficiency Awards and etc. These dazzling performances above shows that Honda does try their best keep the promise made. On the other hand, Honda Malaysia does not like other businesses which only pay most concern on maximizing the profit from the public. As a member of the society, it contributes some of its profit to provide a better future for the next generation.For example, Honda dream fund was launched to provide aids to underprivileged students an d their families with a chance to fulfil their ambition. Meanwhile, Honda Malaysia is also putting great effort in preservation of the environment. It had launched a programme which aims to protect Sumatran rhinos from extinction. Business environment nowadays is changing rapidly In order to sustain a business, it is very important to understand the market place and competitors. For Honda Malaysia, Toyota and Perodua are two of the competitors in Malaysia.First, Toyota is a reputed Japanese vehicle manufacturer which is set up by Kiichiro Toyoda on 1953. It is also one of the world largest car makers in the world. It produces wide range of car such as Van, MPVs, 4WD and etc. Toyota came into Malaysia on 1982, at that time it is named as Sejati Motor (joint venture between UMW Corporation Sdn Bhd and Toyota Motor Corporation). On 1987, Sejati Motor changed its name to UMW Toyota . Sdn. Bhd. It stated its mission as: i) achieve customer-first philosophy by delighting customer and mana ge good relationship with business partner. i) Deliver world-class quality product that satisfies customer needs. iii) Contributes to society by preserving the environment and improve community services and etc. For Toyota, their slogan is â€Å"moving forward†, it means continuous improvement. Today, Toyota Malaysia is the third car brand with most market share. Toyota and Honda has a lot of similarity, not only in terms of the place they originate but in terms market position for their product. They both are producing passengers’ vehicle as their main product. Moreover, they both focus on medium five-seat car. The Toyota Vios was ranked no. for the best 30 selling car models on year to May 2012, 13846 units had sold (5. 9% market share). Meanwhile, Honda City was rank no. 18 with 1971 of units sold (0. 8% market share). Despite the mechanical aspect, both cars share similar feature. For example, Anti-lock braking system (ABS), dual airbags, body structure that reduce impact of crash and etc. In terms of specification, Honda City is more superior. However, Vios is 7 times more than City in sales volume. On the other hand, Toyota holds 17. 4% of market share in the first half of 2012 and Honda only gets 3. %. Why such a huge disparity does exist? It can be answer in two aspects. First, Toyota has cheaper selling price in general. Second, Toyota Malaysia was founded 13 years earlier than Honda. This would help Toyota get more loyal customer. Recently, both companies are putting more effort and attention in hybrid car. For example: Toyota Prius and Honda Civic Hybrid. Due to the awareness of people about environmental issues, this new market is growing robustly. Based on the market share report above, Toyota holds 13 % of the market share and 5% for Honda.In addition, statistical research made below shows that Toyota’s market share has a declining trend, it dropped from 18% to 13%. These data are showing the gap between Toyota and Honda in t erm of competiveness is getting smaller and smaller. The Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd( Perodua), the local car maker is one of the competitors of Honda Malaysia. It was established in 1993, a joint venture company between Malaysian and Japanese partners. UMW Corporation Sdn Bhd , the partners of Toyota Malaysia is also the largest shareholder of Perodua.Their slogan is â€Å"building car, people first. † In order words, they meant to be customer-centred. Currently, Perodua surpassed the first national car manufacturer of Malaysia- Proton Holding limited and gets the most market share. Their main product is small-sized car such as Viva and Myvi. The Myvi of Perodua is the bestselling car in Malaysia especially on the year to May 2012. As local car makers such as Perodua is younger compare to those foreign car makers. To protect these infant industries, government give protection to them.They get massive subsidies, tax cut in exportation and government impose higher tax ra te on foreign car. Thus, Malaysia are one the countries which has the expensive car price. These protections will go on until they are able to catch up those foreign competitors. So, these benefits do help Perodua a lot to be competitive. The main reason that Perodua is the competitor of Honda in Malaysia is the market share of cars in Malaysia, Perodua got the highest share in the market. As the figure shown, market share of Perodua in Malaysia is 35% year to august 2012.Honda holds 5% in the market although Honda’s automobile delivery higher quality of product than Perodua. According to the market research, the bestselling car model in Malaysia is Perodua Myvi, get share of 15. 7% in the market in year to May 2012, 36920 units was sold. As mentioned, Honda City gets 0. 8% of the market share. Due to the protection of goverment, Perodua is able to has a lower production cost. In order words, Perodua beats Honda in term of price. The selling price of Myvi start from RM 43,912 . 15  , but for Honda City, it strat from RM85980.City is nearly 2 times more expensive than Myvi. As Malaysia is still a developing country, its income per capita is about 9000++ USD. Hence, many youngsters would put local car brand as their first choice. As mentioned above, environment care is a critical issue now. People nowadays are more prefer hybrid car. So far, Honda had already introduced two hybrid cars model, Honda Civic Hybrid and Honda jazz Hybrid. In order to catch up the trend, Perodua started to develop their own hybrid car, Perodua Bezza. Perodua is showing their enthusiasm to become a world-class car maker.

Customer Relationship Management Strategy Essay

1)Introduction Customer Relationship Management (CRM) has become a main focus for businesses with today’s markets becoming more saturated and competitive. ‘Customer Relationship Management is the ultimate challenge for marketing experts in any business. A successful company will use customer information wisely to build relationships with their customers, on the level that together they will work together towards a long-term relationship.’ (Xu et al. 2002) High customer Intimacy can be produced from these processes and strategy. ‘Customer intimacy is an essential factor in the Customer Relationship Management value chain’ (Buttle, 2004). This marketing strategy consists of a business using ways to get close to clients with benefits for a business including improved highly tailored problem solving capabilities and greater adaptation of products to customer needs, as well as higher customer loyalty levels. This customer intimacy has a major impact on the success on a company and we can see this in modern organisations. We see that customer satisfaction alone is not enough,’Oglivy Loyalty Centre found that, although 85% of customers reported being satisfied, only 40% repurchased’ (McKenzie,1995) and therefore customer must use CRM to help improve their customer intimacy. However, to what extent does the strategy and processes involved with CRM help achieve this customer intimacy and in what was are these processes seen as beneficial for both the customer and the company. The focus of this paper is to look at the ways in which organisation use various forms of CRM strategy and processes in order create better, and lasting relationships with their customers. 2)Membership Cards One way in which many companies, especially retail, aim to increase their customer intimacy is through membership card schemes. These can come in many different forms from and offer a variety of advantages for the customer to use. The main feature of all of these themes is that the customer is rewarded in some way, and in effect, keeps the customer happy and encourages repeat trade. However many card schemes go a step further and are used for the advantage of both the customer and the company. ‘Around 80% of UK households participate in at least one customer loyalty card scheme’ (Stone et al. 2008) and they come in different forms such as the Tesco’ Clubcard, Boots’ Advantage Card and Sainsburys’ Nectar Card. The common feature these cards have is that not only do they provide offers for the customer, but they allow companies to collect valuable data which, in turn improves customer intimacy between the business and the customer. ‘Using customer data and targeting those customers helped make the retailer’s transition much more efficient’ (Shaw, 2012). 2.1)Membership Card – Achieving Customer Intimacy This data is extremely valuable to a company. They spend millions of pounds each year conducting market research to try and find out their customers’ requirements, expectations and preferences. With the use of this card, the technology builds up this information and stores it all to databases. This provides a company with useful information which will allow them to target their customers in such a way that they can build up an everlasting relationship. ‘Customer Relationship Management is grounded on high quality customer-related data and enabled by information technology, (Buttle, 2009). With this card, a business, such as the market leaders of Tescos and Boots can see everything they wish to know about their buyer. This can vary from the information upon registering their card such as age, geographical location, contact details. Along with this, the card will collect data such as what the customer buys, how much they spend and how often. A company can see trends in a particular region, a need for a particular age group and they can segment their products to a more specialised market. ‘Companies get a clear view as to how their business affects individual customers; associated segmentation and other benefits’ (Stone et al, 2008). In addition, to further improve customer intimacy, a company can target a customer and send offers for the products they buy most through email or by post all of which strengthens this bond between customer and company. Here we see a table which shows us the ladder of customer loyalty. With an increase in customer intimacy, a business can take prospecting purchaser and convey them into a loyal customer (Christopher at al, 1998). 2.2)The Cooperative Membership Card The company to demonstrate is The Co-operative Food. Retail chains are at the fore-front for advances in technology and are competing for ways in which to understand their customers and use the strategies to improve customer intimacy. The purchasing behavior in food retail is the most repetitive of all (Manas, 2011), so to get this customer intimacy correct has never been more important. The Co-operative Food (Co-op) uses their loyalty strategy by having membership scheme available to all colleagues and customers. This card acts as most retail cards do in that they collect a customer’s information which is then fed to the company’s data base. There is a number of ways in which this card creates an improvement in customer intimacy. First of all, unlike all of the other schemes available, twice a year the Co-op gives a share of its profits through the post to all of the members of the scheme. ‘You can enjoy your share of the profits along with exclusive member discounts and offers’ (www.co-operative.coop/membership). Along with this, each customer is sent a seasonal brochure from the company. Inside, it gives a customer details of how the company is operating, information of how the company is helping the community, recipes for things to make with the coop products along with vouchers to spend in store. Another scheme used by the coop is membership coupons which are printed at the till terminal which allow money off the next spend. These strategies allow a mutual benefit; the company is updated with a customer’s information, along with the customer receiving healthy benefits from the company encouraging customer intimacy. 3)Customer Interaction Another strategy that many organisations use to create a high level of customer intimacy is through customer interaction. Many companies use schemes which allow employers to either speak face to face with a customer or give them a platform to have their voice heard. ‘By giving your customers a platform for reaching prospects, your marketing efforts become more objective and inclusive’ (Rast, 2012). This customer interaction can be seen in many different forms, varying form feedback surveys, forums or mystery shopper visits. This can be seen in many different organisations which are customer focused. Examples of these include online survey/feedback forms which can be found for most organisations, customer

Jellyfish Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Jellyfish - Essay Example nd non-conventional information combined with the analytical framework of fuzzy logic that increasing trends of jellyfish abundance were identified to be 62% of the Large Marine Ecosystems (LME). Management and adaptation strategies see to the logical expansion to these articles. However, as with the limited research available on the number of jellyfish, the limited research on management focuses upon human interactions with jellyfish in a way to compensate for the lack of evidence and data. Most management of jellyfish populations is done in context with the fisheries, power generation and tourism industries and management in relationship to their impacts on ecosystems and vital food webs. This is obviously due to their great socio-economic impact hence it is more likely to be funded or pursued. ‘The jellyfish joyride: Causes, Consequences and Management response to a more gelatinous future’ by Richardson et al in 2009 provides a thorough table of management responses from the perspective of both ecosystem and human impacts but it is a brief outline. The recent book ‘Jellyfish Blooms’ devotes an entire chapter to management from a human interaction standpoint. Options presented in the book include: 1) prediction of impending jellyfish blooms via ‘early warning systems’ and appropriate countermeasures before outbursts; 2) Jellyfish Excluder for Towed fishing gear (see Figure 6.3); 3) physical and behavioral screens and barriers; 4) education of when it’s safe to swim to reduce encounters with jellyfish; and 5) modeling programs that predict the distribution of jellyfish so effective forecasts and warning systems can be put in place. Noteworthy is that both the articles and the research have a predominance of negativity toward jellyfish which cannot be denied. With synanthropic nature (Purcell, 2007) of jellyfish benefiting from human stressors including fishing, eutrophication and possibly global warming, these fierce ancient competitors pose

Answers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Answers - Essay Example a. a sprint by an Olympic runner b. a long, relaxing swim c. throwing a baseball d. weight training 4. The velocity of blood flow decreases when   a. Viscosity increases. b. Blood pressure increases. c. Vessel radius increases. d. Afterload increases. e. vasomotion decreases 5. The ability to see color is the due to a. rods b. cones c. rhodopsin d. Both A and C e. Both B and C 6. Stimuli produced by sound waves reach the brain following the pathway:   a. cochlear duct ? spiral organ ? ossicles ? oval window ? auditory canal ? tympanic membrane ? fibers of cochlear nerve b. auditory canal ? tympanic membrane ? oval window ? cochlear duct ? ossicles ? spiral organ ? fibers of cochlear nerve c. cochlear duct ? oval window ? auditory canal ? tympanic membrane ? ossicles ? spiral organ ? fibers of cochlear nerve d. tympanic membrane ? auditory canal ? ossicles ? oval window ? cochlear duct ? spiral organ ? fibers of cochlear nerve e. auditory canal ? tympanic membrane ? ossicles ? ova l window ? cochlear duct ? spiral organ ? fibers of cochlear nerve 7. Opening and closing of the heart valves is caused by   a. Breathing. b. Gravity. c. Valves contracting and relaxing. d. Osmotic gradients. e. Pressure gradients. 8. Rank the following steps in order (2 pts). ___4_ Myosin heads bind to actin forming a cross-bridge.

Land law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 3

Land law - Essay Example ld in relation to different cases wherein various individuals residing in her accommodation considered themselves as tenants and e refused to pay rents among others. In relation to the case scenario, Hild has provided an unoccupied flat to Albert who is the son of an old school friend. She provided the flat to Albert as Albert was not having any place of accommodation after the broke up of his marriage. There was no written agreement regarding the accommodation provided to Albert by Hild. Additionally, Hild accepted no payments from him but occasionally she used to accept the payments in relation to bills of Council Tax. It can be viewed that Albert has been residing in the flat of Hild for a prolonged period of one year and now he claims that he is a tenant of the flat and shows no sign of moving on. According to the case scenario depicted above, it can be apparently observed that there was no agreement made between Hild and Albert in relation to the flat that has been provided to Albert by Hild for accommodation. Conceptually, tenancy agreement provides adequate information regarding the rules along with the conditions in relation to any property rented. Additionally, tenancy agreement provides important information including deposit, rent, renewing as well as termination of tenancy, discrimination, homelessness and services1. It can be affirmed in this regard that with the absence of written agreement amid Albert and Hild, the obligatory rights offered to the parties are not affected as both the parties are observed to be protected under statutory law of tenant rights. Due to the absence of written agreement, Albert might consider himself as a tenant of the flat possessing certain rights like illegal eviction, claiming housing benefits and appropriate notice to quit in accorda nce with tenant rights. However, owing to the lack of written agreement, Albert will not be facilitated with the opportunity of residing in the flat for a fixed period of tenancy, rather

The art of the impressionists Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The art of the impressionists - Essay Example The light and color effects can also be noticed in Camille Pissarro's works wherein the lights and colors vary depending on the specific time of the day. In "The Stage Coach at Louveciennes," the artist painted the scene in dark lighting conditions possessing complementary colors of reds and greens generously used by the artist while in "Le verger (The Orchard)," the noticeable brightness of the day light and the complementing colors of violet with shades of yellow and the blue sky in contrast to the hint of orange shade of the soil. In the "Village Path," the red lighting of the painting can be clearly seen which in turn complements the dominantly green color of the scenery. In addition to the attribute of light and color effects of the impressionist style, impressionistic paintings are also characterized by concentration on the general impression produced by a scene or object and the use of unmixed primary colors, as explained with the examples previously mentioned, and small strokes to simulate actual reflected light (Pioch).

Illegal Immigration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Illegal Immigration - Essay Example These people who make the entry are known as immigrant (Immigrant Assist, 2012). An immigrant who enters another country without going through the laid down laws therefore becomes an illegal immigrant. In the United States of American and in all legal jurisdictions around the world, illegal acts are offensive and punishable by law. For this reason, the fact that a person is touted as an ‘illegal’ immigrant alone renders the fellow an offender. Presently, there are very strict laws that prescribe various forms of punishments for people who are caught to be illegal immigrants. As a way of fighting against illegal immigration also, there are a lot of restrictions that have been put on people in the country who are not legal residents. Generally, the debate continues as to what should be done to people who are caught to be illegal immigrants. PROPONENTS Proponents of this debate argue on two major reasons why illegal immigrants should not be punished by the law. First, they argue on humanitarian grounds stating that people would generally travel to the United States of America by crook means because of the need to make greener pastures and alleviate themselves from the hardships they face in their countries. From a humanitarian perspectives therefore, these proponents advocate tempering justice with mercy. There also is an argument by the proponents that illegal immigrants contribute largely to the economy of the United States of America through their trade and other economic activities and thus the need to allow their integration into the United States population. In the light of the growing debate, there have been formal studies and research to confirm the quantitative contribution of illegal immigrants to the economy of the United States. For instance the White House Council of Economic Advisors (2007), reports that â€Å"U.S. natives gain an estimated $37 billion a year from immigrants’ participation in the U.S. economy, according to the Pr esident’s Council of Economic Advisors† (Drum Major Institute, 2012). This figure is by no means a small amount of money to the economic growth of the United States. For each illegal immigrant that is expelled from the country therefore, there is a percentage of this amount that is lost to the United States economy. OPPONENTS There are also those who do not agree that illegal immigration should be entertained. In the view of these opponents, illegal immigrants should continue to be sanctioned and expelled from the United States of America. These opponents argue on two major grounds. The first has to do with the argument of security reasons whiles the second has to do with improper national planning policy. First, it is argued that the continuous stay of people whose information cannot be accounted for constitutes a major security threat to the country. Especially as it is becoming clear that the United States is having more and more international enemies, it is always i mportant that authorities in the country can monitor each and every resident and their activities. However, this is not possible if people enter the country illegally or overstay their visa dates. Again, because the country does not have any formal information on illegal immigrants, it becomes very difficult to include them in national planning

Tuberculosis & Antibiotic resistance Essay Example for Free

Tuberculosis Antibiotic resistance Essay Tuberculosis (TB), also known as consumption, is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). TB is the leading cause of death in the world among reported deaths caused by a bacterial infectious disease. The disease affects 1.8 billion people per year, which is equal to one-third of the entire world population (Todar). Pulmonary tuberculosis accounts for the majority of the TB cases in the United States (Todar). Bovine tuberculosis is another infectious form of TB caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium bovis (Tortora, Funke, and Case 690). M. bovis is the etiologic agent of TB in cows and rarely in humans. Both cows and humans can serve as reservoirs. Humans can also be infected with M. bovis by the consumption of unpasteurized milk. This route of transmission can lead to the development of extrapulmonary TB, exemplified in history by bone infections that led to hunched backs (Todar). M. bovis accounts for only 1% of TB cases in humans in the United States. Another bacterium associated with TB that forms in patients with the late stages of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is Mycobacterium avium-intrecellulare (Tortora, Funke, and Case 690). According to Todar, M. tuberculosis is a fairly large nonmotile rod-shaped bacterium distantly related to the Actinomycetes. The rods are 2-4 micrometers in length and 0.2-0.5 um in width. Many non-pathogenic mycobacteria are components of the normal flora of humans, found most often in dry and oily locations. M. tuberculosis is an obligate aerobe. For this reason, in the classic case of tuberculosis, MTB complexes are always found in the well-aerated upper lobes of the lungs. The bacterium is a facultative intracellular parasite, usually of macrophages, and has a slow generation time, 15-20 hours, and a physiological characteristic that may contribute to its virulence. Todar also states that the cell wall structure of M. tuberculosis deserves special attention because it is unique among procaryotes, and it is a major determinant of virulence for the bacterium. The cell wall complex contains peptidoglycan, but otherwise it is composed of complex lipids. Over 60% of the mycobacterial cell wall is lipid. The lipid fraction of MTBs cell wall consists of three major components, mycolic acids, cord factor, and wax-D. Mycolic acids are unique alpha-branched lipids found in cell  walls of Mycobacterium and Corynebacterium. They make up 50% of the dry weight of the mycobacterial cell envelope. Mycolic acids are strong hydrophobic molecules that form a lipid shell around the organism and affect permeability properties at the cell surface. Mycolic Acids are thought to be a significant determinant of virulence in MTB. Probably, they prevent attack of the mycobacteria by cationic proteins, lysozyme, and oxygen radicals in the phagocytic granule. They also protect extracellular mycobacteria from complement deposition in serum (Todar). TB has many structural and physiological properties that have been recognized for their contribution to mycobacterial virulence and pathology (Todar). According to Tortora, Funke, and Case, an important factor in the pathogenicity of the mycobacteria, rod-shaped bacteria with waxy outer coats (NIAID), probably is that the mycolic acids of the cell wall strongly stimulate an inflammatory response in the host. In the initial stage there are no symptoms of the disease but the infection is present when tubercle bacilli reach the aveoli of the lung and are ingested by macrophages and also some evade ingestion, and therefore, survive. In stage two, the tubercle bacilli multiply in the macrophages causing a chemotactic response that brings additional macrophages and other defensive cells to the area forming a surrounding layer and in turn an early tubercle. The surrounding macrophages are not successful in destroying bacteria but release enzymes and cytokines that cause lung damaging inflammation. During stage three, symptoms of the disease appear as many macrophages die, releasing tubercle bacilli and forming a caseous center in then tubercle. Many of the tubercle will remain dormant and serve as a basis for later reactivation of the disease. The disease may be arrested at this stage, and lesions become calcified. In stage four of infection, symptoms of the disease appear in some patients as a mature tubercle is formed. As the disease progresses the caseous center enlarges in a process called liquefaction. When the caseous center enlarges, an air-filled tuberculous cavity is formed in which the aerobic bacilli multiply outside of the macrophages. In stage five, liquefaction continues until the tubercle ruptures, which allows bacilli to spill into a bronchiole and then disseminate throughout the lungs and into the circulatory and lymphatic systems. These five stages are how the disease progresses when the defenses of the body fail. In most healthy individuals,  the infection is arrested, and fatal TB does not develop (Tortora, Funke, and Case 689).

The strategic planning of Marks and Spencer

The strategic planning of Marks and Spencer Marks and spencer started from small stalls becomes one of the uks leading retailers with over 15 million people visiting every year. It is giving to its customers great value clothing, high quality, stylish products as well as outstanding quality of food from different authenticated suppliers. The whole of the report revolves around the strategic planning of well renowned company marks and spencer, it will explore the external environment, its existing business plan, major factors affecting it and the strategic option is also given in this report through which it can overcome the predicted barriers. Companies overview Marks and spencer is come to existence in 1894 by the partnership of Michael with Tom Spencer. They employ over 65000 people, running 450 stores and also flourishing international business. In 2007 Marks Spencer (MS) was the UKs largest clothing retailer with a market share of 11.1%. Food sales accounted for 49.8% of its UK business and had a market share of 4.3%. The groups international business accounted for 7.1% of turnover and had grown to 219 franchise stores in 34 territories worldwide as well as 8 wholly-owned stores in Hong Kong and 13 in the Republic of Ireland. During 2007, it opened 36 new stores including the groups largest ever franchise store in Dubai at 52,000 sq ft. and also opened its first store in Taiwan under a joint venture with President Chain Store Corporation. Strategic management provides overall direction to the enterprise so Johnson and Scholes define strategy as follows: Strategy is the direction and scope of an organization over the long-term: which achieves advantage for the organization through its configuration of resources within a challenging environment, to meet the needs of markets and to fulfill stakeholder expectations.   PEST Analysis Pest analysis is concerned with the environmental influences on a business. The acronym stands for the political, economic, social and technological issues that could affect the strategic development of a business. Political European Committee decision to permit free flow of trade among themselves and other countries under foreign trade regulations makes companies to import their products over time easier than before. MS competitors took advantage of its higher cost structure and bit off some its market share. Economic MS competitors are specialised in niche markets and consumers focus which make them to provide a much better consumers satisfaction. They prefer to import their products from abroad for cost savings, this fact puts MS in a cost disadvantage for a perceived higher quality. Social Consumers concept in the marketplace has changed; they do not sense British products as of high quality. There is a shift in demand for more fashionable clothing. Moreover the price sensitivity of the majority of the consumers has increased leaving MS in a less competitive position. Technological Media played major role of communicating new fashions to the customers. This knowledge can be communicated to the designers and producers, so a manufacturer in Thailand or China can be aware of the current fashion trends in UK. Technology theses days are even more quickly copied than before. Moreover due to the transportation speed a shipment of stock from a country in far Asia will only take a few days instead of a preview time period of over a month. Environmental (Ecological) Selling products produced by suppliers has a much greater affect on the environment on how these products are used and disposed by consumers. Retailers use a huge range of raw materials to produce their goods. Because of this, it is critical to manage the use of these materials sensitively and pay proper regard to how they affect natural habitats and bio-diversity. Legal Offering customers high standards of quality product are essential to meet their requirements. MS are known for delivering world class quality products. Porter 5 Forces Analysis The five force models is basically industry specific within which the firm exists and operates. The rationale behind this model is that industry profitability is not determined by the product quality, nor it embodies high or low technology. It is determined by the structure of the industry. M. Porter, Competitive Advantage of Nations, Macmillan, 1990 Porter explains that there are five forces that determine industry attractiveness and long-run industry profitability. Threat of new entrants New entrants to an industry can raise the level of competition, thereby reducing its attractiveness. The threat of new entrants largely depends on the barriers to entry. High entry barriers exist in some industries whereas other industries are very easy to enter. The most common form of entry barriers are usually the scale and the investment required to enter an industry as an efficient competitor. In consumer product industry this dimension of competition is well prominent. All the existing domestic companies are well set up, reputed, organized and stable manufacturers in the industry and have their own distinct places in the market. A potential entrant may find it uneconomical to take on existing occupants and if it does the gain of market share at the cost of large capital investment besides powerful retaliation of existing manufactures. It may take years (at-least 5 6 years) for an entrant to build reputation for product quality no matter how large its initial advertising campai gn is. Threat of substitutes The presence of substitute products can lower industry attractiveness and profitability because they limit price levels. The threat of substitute products depends on: Buyers willingness to substitute the relative price and performance of substitutes the costs of switching to substitutes The product category Marks and Spencer has is subjected to great threat as different other companies of UK like Primark deals with the same kind of products. Bargaining power of suppliers Suppliers are the businesses that supply materials other products into the industry. The cost of items bought from suppliers (e.g. Raw materials, components) can have a significant impact on a companys profitability. If suppliers have high bargaining power over a company, then in theory the companys industry is less attractive. The bargaining power of suppliers will be high when: There are many buyers and few dominant suppliers there are undifferentiated, highly valued products suppliers threaten to integrate forward into the industry. Bargaining power of buyers Buyers are the people who create demand in an industry. The bargaining power of buyers is greater when there are few dominant buyers and many sellers in the industry products are standardized buyers threaten to integrate backward into the industry suppliers do not threaten to integrate forward into the buyers industry. At the same time Pull strategy is followed as bottom up approach where end users pull the preferred product. Intensity of rivalry The intensity of rivalry between competitors in an industry will depend on: The structure of competition for example, rivalry is more intense where there are many small or equally sized competitors; rivalry is less when an industry has a clear market leader The structure of industry costs for example, industries with high fixed costs encourage competitors to fill unused capacity by price cutting. Degree of differentiation industries where products are commodities have greater rivalry; industries where competitors can differentiate their products have less rivalry. Switching costs rivalry is reduced where buyers have high switching costs i.e. there is a significant cost associated with the decision to buy a product from an alternative supplier Strategic objectives. Swot Analysis SWOT analysis is an important tool for auditing the overall strategic position of a business and its environment. Once key strategic issues have been identified, they feed into business objectives, particularly marketing objectives. SWOT analysis can be used in conjunction with other tools for audit and analysis, such as PEST analysis and Porters Five-Forces analysis. SWOT ANALYSIS OF MARKS AND SPENCERS Strengths Marks and Spencer is a powerful brand. It has a reputation for value for money, convenience and a wide range of products all in one store. M S has grown substantially over recent years, and has experienced global expansion. The company has a core competence involving its use of information technology to support its international logistics system. For example, it can see how individual products are performing country-wide, store-by-store at a glance. IT also supports M S efficient procurement. A focused strategy is in place for human resource management and development. People are key to M S business and it invests time and money in training people, and retaining a developing them. Weaknesses M S is the Worlds largest retailer and control of its empire, despite its IT advantages, could leave it weak in some areas due to the huge span of control. Since M S sell products across many sectors (such as clothing, food, or stationary), it may not have the flexibility of some of its more focused competitors. The company is global, but has a presence in relatively few countries Worldwide. Opportunities To take over, merge with, or form strategic alliances with other global retailers, focusing on specific markets such as Europe or the Greater China Region. The stores are currently only trade in a relatively small number of countries. Therefore there are tremendous opportunities for future business in expanding consumer markets, such as China and India. New locations and store types offer M S opportunities to exploit market development. They diversified from large super centers, to local and mall-based sites. Opportunities exist for M S to continue with its current strategy of large, super centers. Threats Being number one means that you are the target of competition, locally and globally. à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¢ Being a global retailer means that you are exposed to political problems in the countries that you operate in. à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¢ The cost of producing many consumer products tends to have fallen because of lower manufacturing costs. Manufacturing cost has fallen due to outsourcing to low-cost regions of the World. This has lead to price competition, resulting in price deflation in some ranges. Intense price competition is a threat. Stakeholders Expectation Stakeholders Expectation are those without which our strategic analysis will remain incomplete is about the expectation of stake holders. Stakeholders are those individuals or groups who depend on the organisation to fulfil their own goals and on whom the organisation depends. Share holders expectation includes, Corporate governance chain, Formal requirements and boundaries within which strategy is developed, Organisational stakeholders, Other groups (internal and external) which have expectations and potential influence The expectation of the stake holders of M S conflicts between, Short-term profitability versus growth, Family control versus professional managers, Financial independence versus share/loan funding, Public share ownership demands openness and accountability, Cost efficiency may mean job losses, Mass markets may compromise quality, Mass public service provision versus specialist services Generic models for strategic plan According to Porter, Marks and Spencer is followed by a strategic generic model and the main categories are: Cost leadership Diffferenciation Focus Marks and Spencer is a fascinating case of a company that has lost its strategic focus. Its story illustrates how even the strongest of businesses cannot afford to take their eyes off the competition.   MS lost its way as the UKs leading retailer in the late nineties. Its profits, which had peaked at over 1bn [pounds sterling]. fell by hall as consumers rejected its clothing. In response to competitive pressure from new and existing players, MS made major changes to its strategy in 1998-2000. These included decisions to more away from its St. Michael brand  and to accept credit cards.   By 2004 the company was lacing a huge number of issues, including problems with service standards, dated store formats and the alienation of its traditional customer base. MSs stock was falling sharply. The share price, which had been as high as 650p in 1997, had declined to 270p.   By this time, Rose had unveiled his recovery strategy: selling MS Money: buying the Per Una brand: refunding around 2.5bn [pounds sterling] to shareholders: closing the new Lifestores concept and some Simply Food stores: improving products and services: and broadening MSs appeal and customer base.   Green stated that his offer was final, which meant he would not increase it again for six months unless another bidder appeared. The shareholders decided to back Rose. Green withdrew his offer and the share price fell back to 340p, which was 60p (or a total of 1.3bn [pounds sterling]) less than Greens final offer.  He faced following challenges while doing this right. Increase sales and market share without losing margins. (Rose has been  coy  about this, putting the emphasis on cost savings.)   Cut costs without undermining quality or service. In 2004 MS planned around 300m [pounds sterling] of cost savings, but clearly a proportion of these in 2005-06 would be needed to cut prices to competitive levels.   The recent history of MS highlights the need to manage shareholder value and deliver quickly, especially during turnarounds. In this situation, Rose might find the strategic option grid helpful.   This grid has been used by number of major companies, including Tesco and Diageo, to develop strategies. The options for MS include:   Incremental  strategy This would not really improve MSs long-term competitive advantage and it would be a high-risk approach, because the business would become even more exposed.   Float off food This would make shareholders better off, since the business is probably  undervalued. It would not be inherently hard to do this.   Close more stores This would focus the company on its key outlets, but it might damage the brand and decrease customer loyalty in the process.   Rationalise  the product For example stop selling mens shoes. This would declutter the business and provide an opportunity for growth.   Increase franchise space This would allow in other products, which would create more interest.   Strategy of Marks and Spencer to Improve Performance Marks Spencer plans to spend  £200 million over the next five years on going green strategy as the battle to become the most environmentally friendly retailer steps up. The high street giant, which launches its strategy with an advertising campaign in March, has set some challenging targets, including a pledge to stop sending all waste to landfill and to reduce CO2 emissions by 80 per cent. However, the aspirations will be closely scrutinised by non-governmental organisations, which will want to see if MS will be able to maintain its commitment to them in future years as the deadline to meet its targets near. Stuart Rose, the chief executive, said that he hoped that the cost of the programme would be offset by increased sales. Last year the retailer launched a Behind the Label campaign, which highlighted Marks Spencers environmental and ethical business practices and was one of the retailers most successful advertising schemes. Mr Rose said: We think this is the right thing to do because our customers, employees and, increasingly, shareholders are asking us to. We believe those people will embrace a responsible business. MS has worked on the project for six months, taking advice from Jonathon Porritt, the former director of Friends of the Earth, who said: This plan raises the bar for everyone else not just retailers but businesses in every sector. MSs detailed 100-point plan covers climate change, waste, raw materials, fair trade and healthy living. Elements also include reducing the amount of food imported and labelling those goods flown in, opening a model green factory and four stores and using 50 per cent bio-diesel in its lorry fleet. The retailer also wants to reduce packaging by 25 per cent and to use recycled plastic bottles to make polyester for use in clothing and home furnishings. Rosemary Byrde, global Fairtrade policy adviser at Oxfam, said: Marks Spencer is to be applauded for leading the way. We look forward to seeing the difference this will make and to other major retailers following suit in the near future. Robert Napier, chief executive of WWF-UK, the conservation organisation, said: Such bold aspirations as outlined by Marks Spencer can only help to drive other supermarkets and the retail sector towards supplying products in a way that protects our planet and sustains the natural resources we depend upon. The first change that MS shoppers will notice is a range of fair trade cotton T-shirts. About 20 million garments will be produced over the next 12 months, accounting for about a third of the worlds supply of fair trade cotton. Retailers fought to seize the green agenda throughout last year as environmental and fair trade issues had become increasingly important to shoppers and regulators. Marks and Spencers Mission, Vision, Values and Objectives Marks and Spencers corporate objectives are incorporated in its mission statement. This outlines what the business is and what it should be. Mission statements set out in writing what the firm wants to achieve and often include information on the values of the business. MS outlines its core business as clothing and Food. Its financial objectives is to deliver shareholder value in terms of increase returns, but also in terms of increase sales and market share in retailing. It beliefs and values are outlined as Our customers continue to see Marks Spencer as the place to shop for special food, produced to exacting standards. MS also sees its workforce as an important part of its plan and also considers modernising its stores as a key corporate objective. Vision: The standard against which all others are measured Mission: Making aspirational quality accessible to all Values: Quality, value, service, innovation and trust MS also outlines its corporate social responsibility in its mission statement and considers the needs of other stakeholders too. We have a strong tradition of corporate social responsibility (CSR) but we want to make sure CSR is integrated into our operations at every level Finally, MS also outlines its strategic intent (vision) in its corporate objectives. MS wants to continue its differentiation strategy by delivering freshness, quality and innovation. Strategic Implementation This process involves distribution of resources (financial, personnel, time, and technology support). The next step involves assigning tasks or responsibilities to specific individuals or groups to make the environment clean and it needs to disseminated into the company effectively and efficiently, monitoring the progress and results. Careful assessment of the process, controlling for variances and making the required adjustments form vital components of this process. Strategy Evaluation As the term suggests, this process includes evaluation of the efficacy of the organizational strategy implemented. Therefore, successful strategic management must include clearly defined objectives, careful assessment of both the internal and external situation to formulate the strategy, implementing the strategy and making the required adjustments as and when required. The company must possess a clear vision of its long term plans or a clear business vision. This also includes assessing the financial and strategic objectives. Financial objectives involve measures such as sales targets and earnings growth. Strategic objectives are related to the firms business position, and may include measures such as market share and reputation. (quickmba, 2007). The Environmental scan includes the following elements: Internal analysis of the firm, Analysis of the firms industry (task environment) and External macro environment (PEST  analysis). After deriving and inferring the information from the environmental scan the company should be able to carefully identify and address its weaknesses and external threats and evaluate its strengths. A competitive edge in the market in the market can be based on cost or differentiation.   The stage of implementation essentially involves distribution and organization of the companys resources and staff motivation to achieve the set objectives or goals. Evaluation and control includes monitoring the strategy and fine-tuning it as required. CONCLUSION After mid 1990s MS began to experience internal problems such as information flow breakdown and together with the fact that top management was concerned with international expansion MS was drifted away from its core values such as consumer care and customer satisfaction. MS failed to recognise that consumers were becoming wiser and its competitions much stronger. Most of consumers consider MS to be old fashioned company, this image has to be changed to be in line with the market demand and regain its lost customers to other competitors. Based on the analyses, the author feels that MS requires to be focus on its strategic plan therefore, in formulate a strategy envirmental analysis is required, which will be analysed through pestle, the current situation of Marks and Spencer is also captured then a strategic plan is constructed to overcome the barriers, then it is implemented and evaluated to ensure long-term success. Business must try and use as many tools as possible in order to come out with the best strategy for the organisation. However, firms must try and evade the limitations of these tools so as to formulate the best strategy.