Business Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 6

Business Ethics - Essay Example Some important factors that come under the consumer vulnerability are as follows: Constitutional vulnerabilities: These may include the physical or mental disabilities which affect the consumers being unable to grasp or understand the information which may be in contracts, labels, advertisements etc and the ability to use or obtain services or products. Developmental vulnerabilities: Cognitive limitations play a bit role in this type of vulnerability. These are related to comprehending what is being told, knowledge level, which includes judging, reasoning and mental development. Another factor that is part of this is motivational factor. This concerns the adequacy concerns, security or health concerns and discovering ones individuality (Kaufman-Scarborough and Baker, 2005). These above mentioned factors are mostly found in children, adolescent (Martin and Gentry, 1997) or elder consumers (Moschis, 1992). Situational vulnerabilities: These may be internal or external factors affecting the consumer’s ability to interpret things and be taken advantage off. Some of these factors include personal crisis, which may involve stress related circumstances like finance, health, injury, etc, (Gentry et al., 1995) and sometimes language barrier or inability to understand legal wordings. External factors tend to include the surrounding economy or living conditions (Lee, Ozanne, and Hill, 1999) and even the barriers preventing from access. In other words, consumer vulnerability can also be defined as a powerless state, which may arise from the discrepancies in the interactions via media or face-to-face marketing or utilizing of marketed products or services without comprehending the complete information. It can be said that the actual vulnerability always arises from the consumers’ personal state, characteristic, or conditions he/she is in during the utilization of products or services which may get stuck or slow down and may affect perceptions of

Discrimination against Women in the United States Police force Essay

Discrimination against Women in the United States Police force - Essay Example According to Barbara Raffel Price (1996), â€Å"In the United States police departments must hire people without regard to race or gender. However, in policing, gender integration and the opportunity for women to participate in forming police policy has been strongly resisted† (Price, 1996). Discriminations in all forms were prohibited by law in America. However, the custodians of law or the law implementers itself are the major culprits in breaking laws as far as women discrimination in police forces in America are concerned. This paper analyses the discrimination against women in the United States police force. Acceptance of policewomen by policemen The following table gives a brief idea of acceptance of policewomen by police men at various parts of the world. Levels of Eastern Europe Western Europe Britain USA Acceptance % % % % Accepted by all 28 16 17 6 Policemen Accepted by 57 72 59 61 Most policemen Accepted by 7 7 16 20 Some policemen Accepted by few 7 4 3 9 Policemen Accepted by no 0 1 1 3 Policemen (Brown, 1996) From the above table, it is evident that policewomen acceptance by all policemen in America is extremely low compared to that in other parts of the world. In other words, American policewomen are suffering huge discrimination compared to policewomen in other parts of the world. American policemen do not keep a positive attitude towards policewomen. â€Å"Male officers anticipate women failing; they doubt women can equal men in most job skills; they do not see women officers as doing "real" police work; and they perpetuate myths about women's lack of emotional fitness† (Price, 1996). Even before giving an opportunity to the policewomen to prove their abilities, male police officers in America rate them as inferior to policemen. Thus American policewomen do not get enough opportunities to prove their credentials because of the negative attitudes of the superior male officers. Many of the superior male police officers have the illus ion that the role of policewomen is to assist policemen rather than participate in the actual policing work. Just like a woman doing a secretary post in an organization, policewomen in America forced to do secretarial jobs. Not only in job allocation, but also in promotion, deployment, training and overtime works, American policewomen suffering lot of discriminations. The following table provides a rough idea about these discriminations suffered by American police women compared to other policewomen in other parts of the world. Reported discrimination by policewomen Areas of Eastern Europe Western Europe Britain USA Discrimination % % % % Promotion 14 26 18 45 Deployment 28 29 55 60 Training 14 24 25 47 Overtime 114 37 19 19 (Brown, 1996) From the above table, it is evident that 45% of American policewomen are suffering discriminations related to promotion whereas policewomen in other parts of the world are suffering comparatively less discriminations with respect to promotions. In the case of deployment and training also, American policewomen suffering a lot compared to other policewomen. It should be noted that American policewomen are getting less training even though the policemen are getting best training in the world. In other words, American police force is not at all giving any importance to the contributions to the policewomen. In their opinion, policewomen are only supporting staff and therefore they need less training. Fuller (2006) pointed out a case in which

Global Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism

Global Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism According to the authors research, the basic summary of this report is that Accor is one of the leading hotel brands in the hospitality market with more than 4,000 hotels world wide. The Accor is the brand name for various hotels such as Sofitel, Novotel, Motel 6, Studio 6, Red Roof Inn, Ibis, Etap, and Formula1. For the expansion of the business in the global market, the Accor group of hotels are continuously concentrating for the expansion of the new properties in various emerging countries like China, India where the rate of tourism has been increasing at a tremendous rate and help to improve the economic structure of the country. The following report will outline the overall information about the companys global brand, strategies, global competitors, its promotion strategies etc. The report also focuses on the total global operations of the company that how its doing the promotion of its brands in UK as well as in India. The Accor brand have to organise their strategy very carefu lly as they have huge competitors in the market. Accor brand have different segment market hotel like Budget, economical, midscale upscale. INTRODUCTION Paris-based Accor is Europes leading hospitality group with almost 4,000 hotels in 85 countries around the world. In 1967 Gà ©rard Pelisson and Paul Dubrule opened their first Novotel hotel on a roadside near Lille in northern France. Accor provides hotels in every range, from the five-star Sofitel chain to budget-priced Formule 1, Etap, and Ibis in Europe, Motel 6 and Red Roof Inns in the United States, and midrange Novotel and Mercure in Europe and the Asia/Pacific region. In addition to its hotel properties, Accor also provides its worldwide customer base with foodservices (restaurants and employee vouchers), casinos, and onboard railway services (sleeping berths and dining) (www.accor.com/history.html).The Accor group primarily operates a chain of hotels and also provides corporate service. The group has a global presence and has properties worldwide. The Accor brand manages 899 hotels in Europe (excluding France) with 53 Sofitel, 161 Novotel, 270 Mercure, 6 Suite hotels, 278 Ib is, 85 Etap Hotels, 44 Formule 1 with 39,000 employees. All hotels have a different rating according to their standard and services under Accor. Accor hotel has a rich history started its first hotel in 1967 and now managing more than 4000 hotels world wide with different brand names. Sofitel: Sofitel hotel operates worlds leading business in the upper scale market. The Sofitel hotels consist of 185 hotels worldwide with leading competitors for the 5 star rating hotels in the market. Novotel: The Novotel hotels comes under mid scale rating brand in the market with 398 hotels world wide and mostly business depends on the business travelers. Mercure: The Mercure hotel includes several other brands such as Libertel, Parthenon, Orbis hotels. The Mercure brand consists of 736 hotels worldwide. Suite hotels: Suite hotels were introduced in the year 1999 with a very new concept of attracting price conscious customers with better services. Currently, the Suite hotels consist of 30 properties with in France, Germany. Ibis: The Ibis hotels comprise of 720 properties world wide providing excellent services to their customers and most of the Ibis hotels are located in the centre of the city. Redroof: The Redroof consists of 344 properties with in the United States and have the economy rating image in the market in terms of excellence in services in the hospitality market. Motel 6: Motel 6 offers the best price of any national chain .In the year 1962, the Motel 6 were offering there accommodation at a very low price of $6 per night and now a days have a great image in the budget segment in the hospitality sector. The Motel 6 operates 862 hotels in the United states and Canada ( www. motel6.com) Etap: The Etap brand operates 331 hotels worldwide. Etap hotels are basically known for there economy accommodations (www.accor.com). Accor focuses repeatedly on a specific vision for growth, and believes in sustainable, profitable growth through three pillars: A geographically and structurally balanced business portfolio. A disciplined, result oriented management of resources and assets. A set of powerful aligned brands. These pillars stood throughout Accors network expansion and continue to guide Accors growth. Accor also adjusted its strategy for moving into India in late 2002. While entering into the Indian market they decided to focus on the brands such as Ibis, Formule 1 and Etap brands in the markets through a joint venture. The basic rationale for introducing small brands into India was to see the response of the people in Indian market that whether they prefer budget hotels or they would like to go with big brands such as Sofitel, Novotel and then depending on these tests Accor determined to fully enter the Indian market (www.accorcompanyhistory.mht.com). MAIN BODY History of the chosen brand (Sofitel) Accor Group:- The first Sofitel hotel was opened in France in 1964. In 1974 Sofitel did grand opening of their hotel in U.S.A. in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Till the year 1995 it included 100 hotels with, 12,500 employees throughout 40 countries worldwide. In 2002 it did major International expansion, Sofitel opens its doors in Europe (London, Marseille, Cologne) Africa (Marrakech) North America (Chicago, Washington, Montreal)South America (Quito) and Asia (Shanghai, Bangkok) (www.sofitel.com/gb/history.shtml). The company undertook extensive renovation work at several establishments, in 2006 including Los Angeles the signature Sofitel hotel in the United States, and Polynesia and continued expanding in Europe. Sofitel brand awareness of continually increasing 10 of its hotels made the Gold list of the prestigious Condà © Nast Traveller magazine, and it was voted Best Hotel Chain in Europe by the readers of Business Traveller Magazine. Sofitel became an independent business unit last year (2008) w ithin the Accor group and implemented its new luxury strategy on its network. With a network comprised of 161 hotels in 2008, Sofitel has received 23 awards since January. By the end of the year, 70 properties were brought in line with the brands new prestige image. In 2009 Sofitel launched its two sister brands, Sofitel Legend and So by Sofitel (www.sofitel.com/gb/history.shtml). Rationale for selected country: As Emerging Markets turn into the growth engines of the 21st century, slower growth at home has led investors and hotel companies to pursue aggressive expansion abroad as they look to capture new customers and grow winning global brands. At time when most companies are trading carefully, Accor Hospitality is showing confidence in the Indian market by its continued investments in Indian projects whereas freezing those in China until 2011. As Jean-Michel Casse, VP India Operations for the group talked about its assured investments and developments in India. India market is unpredictable, yet there is a strong hope of demand increases this year because in 2010 the Commonwealth games are taking place in Indian in New Delhi. Accor hotels group is investing in India through a joint venture with Inter Globe Hotels, for Ibis hotel brand in India. The products developing in India are much more advanced than its existing European properties and the Accor group is putting best efforts in devel oping them. The short term target for the company is to have 30 hotels under its operations, under different brands by 2011. Accor has also successfully bid for two sites at Delhi International Airport Private Limited (DIAL) proposed hotel district development, for which market feasibility study is being carried out to identify the right brand positioning. The company is opening Sofitel Mumbai (which is the main business hub of the country as well as house of the Bollywood or Indian film industry) Juhu Beach. This will be third property in the country, after Novotel Hyderabad Airport and Novotel Hyderabad. On the other hand, the group is also progressing with its budget brand Formule1. The group committed to open nine Formule1 developments in cities including one in Thiruvananthapuram (most tourist visited city in Kerala) and targeting to add 10 new deals each year for this brand as the business will grow. The first Formule1 brand will be operational by the second half of 2010 in Pune (the famous city for best engineering colleges), Bangalore (garden city of India) and Ahmedabad. Accor Hospitality also brought its mid scale Mercure brand to India.. (http://www.expresshospitality.com/20090630/market07.shtml) On managing its properties in India, Accor has taken a decision to train managers for top positions from within to address the groups stringent brand philosophy and strategy need in India, looking at future demand for manpower. Their different brands have different approach. They look at empowering skills to remove layers, for example, in Ibis and for Novotel, Mercure and Formule1, just cannot take anybody who doesnt understand their brand structure. To inculcate that understanding, the group plan to conduct training for employees of the hotels so that they can be trained to manage properties as they expand, in future. The group has already planned for a training university Accor Academy, to be opened in 2010 and would be established with possible partnership along with an Indian hotel management institute. The group is taking this step to get more Indians for the management level by first getting them trained, positioning them in the European market and bring them back to manage pro perties in India. The Accor Academy will be established in Bengaluru, Hyderabad or Delhi, depending on the volume of employees (http://www.expresshospitality.com/20090630/market07.shtml) According to the (Keegan1995) global marketing is the process of focusing on the resources (people, management and physical assets) and the objectives of an organization on its global markets opportunities and threats. Today global marketing is essential not only for the realization of the full success potential of the business, but even more critically for the survival of the business. Key drivers for the global marketing:- Market needs: According to Keegan (1995) this is the factor that generally focuses the company to operate globally by seeing overall marketing needs like what customer demands. Every human has its own preferences and due to which demand for everyone differs. Company before going globally should first target the market needs as to see what kind of product will be useful to the customer. According to the selected company (Sofitel) and the chosen country (India) should introduce the product which is affordable to everyone in the market so as to capture the good market share. For this company should first target that what kind of customers it is going to provide the services. Market needs in context to hospitality industry means that what kind of facilities the hotel is providing. Accor group of hotels have different brands operating under it. So every brand has its own target market and different strategies. Generally, customer demands when they travel a good comfortable place to stay, quality food and leisure activities or facilities. So the hotel should first analyse its target market, that what kind of customers, it is going to provide its facilities and services. Doing analyses on the market needs helps the company to compete globally with its other competitors. Some basic segment needs can be met with a global approach in selected product markets. The advertising campaign for a global product may be a good appeal for a company to introduce its product all over the world and also meeting the market needs (Keegan 1995). Technology: It is a universal, uniform, consistent factor across national and cultural boundaries. If a company knows how to manage the technology in one country it becomes easier for the company to manage globally. There are no cultural boundaries limiting the application of technology. Once, technology develops it becomes available everywhere in the world. For the chosen company for this report it is necessary to develop its technology accordingly by considering both the markets UK as well as India. It should do so, to make its product familiar everywhere (Jobber, 2001 Anderson, 1994). Cost: The pressure for globalisation is intense as new products involve major investments and long period of development. Uniformity can drive down research, engineering, design and production cost across business functions. The large cost incurred on new products and risk of product development may be recovered in the global market place as no single market is enough to support investment of the size. Quality: The quality of the product reflects the intended function and performance of the product in the market. Quality of the product which a global company offers to the market is the main driver which forces the company to operate globally. If, the response of the product quality is good in one country, than company may seek to open or become global by providing the same level of product quality to other global markets, so as to sustain in the global market. As Sofitel, which in high category is the most preferred brand of the Accor group of hotels for the customers, is due to its product similarity and quality which it provides to the guest (Hennesey1995 Keegan 1995). Brands Global Competitors: As Sofitel hotel comes under upscale star category so the competitors of this brand in hospitality industry are mainly Grand Hyatt (Hyatt group), Taj hotels, the Oberois, Radisson, Crown plaza, Shangri-la. Due to such high range of competitors Sofitel is providing good services to its guests so as to get good revenue from its customers. In order to compete in the market it is opening its 5 new hotels in India (Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Jaipur Pink City, and New Delhi). Keeping in mind the current scenario of business environment that is recession the hotel should also keep an eye on its price .Due to recession, customers now seek quality service at low price(e.g.: Holiday Inn brand has been relaunched with upgrading its services and this is done in time of recession so that it gets attraction from the customers to get good business) so in order to get in stand with their competitors it should introduce some good price to the market and try to provide good level of services as it is already providing but at a affordable rate. Sofitel believes it is essential to contribute to their development and well-being, which includes employment and training, contributing to health, local purchasing and, in general, any measure that contributes to local social and economic development. The quality of their local roots also depends on the ability to protect the natural environment. So the employees look for new ways every day to use less water and less energy, to reduce waste. Since, from the opening of the first Sofitel in France in 1964, team members have been driven by a pioneering spirit of conquest. A key to their success, this attitude has over the years shaped the brands culture, which is the cement that binds their team members while respecting difference in their ages, cultures and positions within the organization (www.sofitel.com/gb/history.html). Cultural issues which may affect the companys operation: Language differences: this is problem concerning towards the different languages spoken in different countries. So, company operating globally should take care and respect the languages of different countries. The trade names, brands slogans, sales presentation material and advertising content used by companies in their domestic market may have to be changed when used in other foreign market. A slogan or advertising material which is effective in one language may mean offensive in other language. Companies while advertising or marketing their brand should see that translation is accurate and must convey similar meaning (Kotler and Armstrong (2004). Cultural differences: as stated by Chee and Harris (1993) dimensions of culture (e.g. religion, beliefs and attitudes, education) also play important role in the communication process. Cultures also affect the likes and dislikes of the customers, their attitudes towards things and preferences for particular product and services. Keeping in mind the Indian market, company needs to take care of the cultural values and should know cultural likes and dislikes in order to get success in the future as company is going to introduce new products and properties in the market. Economic differences: economic condition also affects the communication process. Literacy level and the degree of urbanization have a significant influence on communication. The discretionary income of individuals and families directly affect their attitudes towards products. Necessities in one country can be luxurious in other country (Kotler and Armstrong (2004). Pricing for the brand and its strategies: One of the major elements of the marketing mix is price. As stated by Anderson (1994), Pricing is an important strategic issue because it is related to product positioning. Furthermore, pricing affects other marketing mix elements such as product features, channel decisions, and promotion. But according to Jobber (2001) price is a vital part of whole marketing process. It may also be a factor in determining the sales of the product. Every company should fix it price according to the demand of the product, high price may result in less demand in highly competitive market. If company wants to sell the product at higher price, then it should add more value to its existing product as to compete in the market with other similar products. Before deciding the price, company should set a target of what it actually wants to achieve in the marketplace. Setting the price which is affordable to everyone can help the company to increase the sales of the product and also helps to capture a large m arket share. While there is no single definition to determine pricing, the following is a general sequence that might be followed for developing the pricing of a new product as Sofitel is deciding to open its more hotels in India. Develop marketing strategy perform marketing analysis to ensure that what kind of customers they are going to target and positioning of the older products so as to see what was the response of customers towards it and also to set the price according the target market which help in increasing demand. Make marketing mix decisions define the product through advertising so that the customers are known about the upcoming product in the market as Indian customers are very easily attracted towards new products by seeing its more and more advertising, distribution of the product in the target market by marketing professionals in that area, and by adopting several promotional techniques such as using media (television, newspapers, magazines and broachers(www.hospitalitybusiness.com Jobber(2001). Estimate the demand curve understand how quantity demanded varies with price. Because there is a relationship between price and quantity demanded, it is important to understand the impact of pricing on sales by estimating the demand curve for the product. As during this time in the UK market recession has affected very badly so hotel group should reduce the price of its rooms but shouldnt cut down the level of service it is providing currently to its customers. Where as Indian economy is increasing at good rate so it can increase its price little bit by increasing some added facilities to its products. If in future the company sees increase in demand then it can increase the price accordingly. Calculate cost -as discussed by Hennesy (1995) include fixed and variable costs associated with the product. If the firm has decided to launch the product, there likely is at least a basic understanding of the costs involved otherwise, there might be no profit to be made. The production cost of the product sets the lower limit of what the firm might charge, and determines the profit margin at higher prices. The total unit cost of a producing a product is composed of the variable cost of producing each additional unit and fixed costs that are incurred regardless of the quantity produced. The pricing policy should consider both types of costs. Understand environmental factors evaluate competitor actions to compete in the market and should see that what strategies are used by others competitors in the market in order to get good business, understand legal constraints towards the environment, to save it and to become environment friendly. Pricing must take into account the competitive and legal environment in which the company operates, Anderson (1994). From a competitive standpoint, the firm must consider the implications of its pricing on the pricing decisions of competitors. For example, setting the price too low may risk a price war that may not be in the best interest of either side. Setting the price too high may attract a large number of competitors who want to share in the profits. Determine pricing using information collected in the above steps, select a pricing method, develop the pricing structure, and define discounts (Jobber, 2001).For new products, the pricing objective often is either to maximize profit margin or to maximize quantity (market share). To meet these objectives, there are two main strategies which company can use. Skimming price attempts to skim the cream off the top of the market by setting a high price and selling to those customers who are less price sensitive. Skimming is a strategy used to pursue the objective of profit margin maximization. As in regard to Sofitel hotels they can charge high price in Indian market at present because the economy is developing at a good rate by which people have now started to prefer good quality of products and services by not keeping in mind the price which they have to pay for their product. And also keeping in mind the Common wealth games which are going to take place in 2010 in New Delhi, company can increase its price for the product as many tourist and different people will be visiting the country to enjoy the games so its nice time to do a good business, and that too by charging products at some high price, also keeping an eye on the competitors in the market or near by area. Penetration pricing as stated by Dobson and Anderson (1994) this strategy aims to achieve highest possible sales volume by fixing the price aimed to achieve the target sales. This is done so that sales level is high and enough for the achievement of sales in production and distribution of the product thus leading to high level of long term profits. The pricing objective depends on many factors including production cost, existence of economies of scale, product differentiation, rate of product diffusion, the firms resources, and the products anticipated price elasticity of demand (Kotler Armstrong (2004). Marketing Strategy: According to Fill (2004) before the product is developed, the marketing strategy is formulated, including target market selection and product positioning. As stated by Keegan (1995) marketing strategy determines the choice of target market segment, positioning, marketing mix, and allocation of resources. Marketing strategy is a powerful process that gives an organization a competitive advantage in the marketplace. A marketing strategy also serves as the foundation of a marketing plan. In 2005, Sofitel focused on customer relaxation and wellness, variety of food service offering country by country and introducing the employee training programs for excellence service and reception quality (www.sofitel.com/gb/history.html). As part of Accors new business model announced in October, the company is repositioning its Sofitel brand to stand for luxury, while simultaneously launching two sub-brands (Sofitel Legend and So by Sofitel) and a sister brand (Pullman Hotels and Resorts), all with the goal of increasing average room rates and meeting more fragmented demand from a growing international clientele. The brand already is working to redefine itself, focusing specifically on implementing new luxury service standards through significant investment in staff training. To help solidify Sofitels new identity, the brand has a new logo (the link, which means that human relations are at the heart of luxury), and a new advertising campaign is set to launch in June. Overall, Acco r for its brand has invested some à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬35 million for marketing the new Sofitel and its sub- and sister-brands (Ref: http://www.hotelsmag.com/article). Relationship marketing strategies: Relationship marketing strategies helps to motivate their employees to maintain a good relationship with there customers for the repeat business. To retain customers, the company have to offers various best deals, package discounts, complimentary gifts. Various loyalty and incentive programs have been organized by the Accor group of hotels to motivate distribution channels. Loyalty Cards Loyalty programs The Accor hospitality group facilitates their customer with various loyalty cards such as Mouvango loyalty cards. In 2007, the Accor Mouvango loyalty card generated 320,000 room nights in Accor hotels, compared with 250,000 in 2006, an increase of 28% (http: //www. accor.com). In 2007, Accor loyalty programs were further enhanced: New discounts were offered to holders of the Accor Favorite Guest card. Holders of the Accor Favorite Guest and Accor American Express cards can now earn points. Corporate Payment Cards Accor hotels have done partnership with American Express to create corporate payment cards: The Corporate Card: The corporate cards are created by Accor group which enables their cardholders customer to pay for their expenses direct to their card and enjoy various beneficial reductions in the payment of their bills. The Corporate American Business Cards: The Corporate American Cards allows members companies to benefit from an annual retroactive reduction on expenditure at Accor properties. (http: //www.accorhotels.com). The Six foundations of Accors strategy: Stepping up the transformation process A growth and innovation dynamic Powerful, complementary, recognised brands Unique skills to support the brands People, the companys most important asset. Growth that creates opportunities for everyone. (http://www.accor.com/en/group.html) Brand Advertising:- According to Hennessy (1995) brand can be defined as an identifying symbol, words, or mark that distinguishes a product or company from its competitors. Usually brands are registered (trademarked) with a regulatory authority and so cannot be used freely by other parties. For many products and companies, branding is an essential part of marketing. But on the other hand, as stated by Jobber (2001) its all about getting noticed. A quality, well thought through brand concept is essential for making your product different from others in the market, doing publicity of the product under the brand and using effective promotion techniques to make the product known to the customers. Promotion: According to Walters and Toyne (1993) promotion is the most visible and probably the most controversial marketing activity undertaken by the firm. Basically, the company involved in foreign marketing generally faces two main steps for promotion. Firstly, the company has to develop a customized or modified promotion strategy for each foreign market to take into account differences in some things such as product offerings, brands distribution activities and sales goal. Secondly, the promotion strategy may also have to be adjusted because of local differences in socio cultural, educational and economic attributes of the targeted buyers. The main purpose of promotion for a company is to inform, educate persuade and timed response from a particular market or market segment. Brand Promotion in India:- Use of vehicle: in this the brand is promoted by putting the location of the website on the personal vehicle and business vehicle. It is very effective when it comes to the promotion of a new launched product of the brand. This is considered as the most appropriate method for promotion because when at any times if people are struck in traffic how many people will see the advertising of the brand and website of the company at one time and also does not require much high cost to advertise by this method(Fill 2004). Use word of mouth: Word of mouth is one of the very effective promotion strategies. The main reason is because it passes on a message of trust. When someone has already used your product and services they passed a favorable word to someone else it is great because the recipient of the information is already listening to someone they trust. In India this things matters a lot for a brand to get familiar in the public and customers are also attracted towards your product when they listen the goodwill of the product from others mouth (http://marketing.about.com). Promoting through public transportation:- in this , the brand can be promoted by putting logos , posters , broachers in the public transport means such as in India it can be done by pasting adds of the brand in metro(Delhi) , in Mumbai it can be done through Mumbai local trains and taxis. This helps in making the brand known to the general public easy and in a faster way. As lots people travel daily for their workplace through local transport so its become easy to advertise the brand. And also everyday if people are seeing the same advertisement everyday they tend to buy or use the product once. Brands global promotion techniques: Global Promotion Strategies as stated by Kotler and Armstrong (2004) deal with the way a business advertises when it expands to a global market and sells to a consumer base in a different country and culture. Global promotion strategies deal with delivery of marketing concept that does not always translate into the language of the target consumer nation. If global promotion strategies are done poorly by a business it could kill any chances of gaining market share in a target nation economy. Here are some global promotion strategies. Use the right translator: This global promotion strategy will include designing marketing and communications materials that are written in the native language of the foreign country or of the target consumer culture. This is an obvious strategy however one must use the right translator to do this. According to this report the Sofitel should promote its brand in (Hindi language) which is known as native language of India. Remember that translators only translate into a target language. So, company should select the translator who is having good knowledge of the language so that the brand is promoted through right message in the foreign country and the customers should also understand it. Unless a translators target language (what the communication is getting translated to) is also that persons native language, it is highly unlikely that company will get the proper translation for their marketing materials (http://www.marketwire.com Fill (2004). Be culturally sensitive: as said by Anderson (1995) this is obvious for each brand to do a cultural study of targeted market in which they are going to provide the services. For the chosen brand Sofitel its necessary to study the culture and ethics of Indian customers so that the brand is able to provide the

Acid Rain Essay -- Geology

ACID RAIN - DEFINITION Scientists have discovered that air pollution from the burning of fossil fuels is the major cause of acid rain. The main chemicals in air pollution that create acid rain are sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). Acid rain usually forms high in the clouds where sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides react with water, oxygen, and oxidants. This mixture forms a mild solution of sulfuric acid and nitric acid. Sunlight increases the rate of most of these reactions. Rainwater, snow, fog, and other forms of precipitation containing those mild solutions of sulfuric and nitric acids fall to earth as acid rain. Acidity is measured using a pH scale, with the number 7 being neutral. Consequently, a substance with a pH value of less than 7 is acidic, while one of a value greater than 7 is basic. Generally, the pH of 5.6 has been used as the baseline in identifying acid rain, although there has been much debate over the acceptance of this value. Interestingly enough, a pH of 5.6 is the pH value of carbon dioxide in equilibrium with distilled water. That means, acid ran is defined as any rainfall that has an acidity level beyond what is expected in non-polluted rainfall. Any precipitation that has a pH value of less than 5.6 is considered to be acid precipitation. The three main sources of acid deposition are: 1. Coal in electricity 2. Base metal smelting 3. Fuel combustion in vehicles This is a small diagram that shows where some of the pollution comes from and where it goes to when it turns into acid rain. .. ...e EcoLogo. They minimize the use of environmentally hazardous substances and maximize energy efficiency and the use of recycled materials. Buy locally produced or grown items from local stores and businesses. They don’t require the transportation energy of imported products. Transportation Walk, ride your bike or take a bus to work. Share a ride with a friend or co-worker. Have your engine tuned at least once every six months. Check your car tire pressure regularly. Use alternative fuels, such as ethanol, propane or natural gas. Avoid unnecessary idling. In the winter, warm your car’s engine with a block heater for two to three hours prior to driving, rather than plugging in the battery overnight. Reduce the number of trips you make in your car. Drive at moderate speeds. Take the train or bus on long trips. Go CFC-Free.

A Movie Review: Girl with a Pearl Earring

The movie is Peter Webber's adaptation of a novel by Tracy Chevalier about the brilliant artist, Johannes Vermeer.Girl with a Pearl Earring is wonderfully crafted and captivating. Much credit should go to the production people behind it, as they successfully made each scene look like a painting. That way, they are being faithful not just to the book where the movie came from, but to the brilliant artist who once lived in the person of Johannes Vermeer. The movie in general was an impressive work of art and a fitting tribute to a remarkable artist.What I like the most about the movie is their choice of music, which is just appropriate for the 17th century Delft. It is also noteworthy that they had a girl in the cast, Grit (Scarlett Johansson), who was made to really look like Vermeer’s painting, as if destiny (and perhaps good cosmetics) had made it happen.The movie effectively shows Johannes Vermeer (Colin Firth)’s character as a generally silent man. He spent a lot of time just standing silently and studying his environment from different unnoticeable corners. This is perhaps symbolic of his innate traits as a man.In spite of his nature, Vermeer was coerced to attend grand gatherings for the purpose of his art recognition. However, he needed much solitude if he could only decide for himself. Except there was not a lot of choices for him. After all, he needed the pompous gatherings demanded by the elite Venetian society to earn a living for his family and himself. It is interesting to note that when he died in 1675, he already had eleven (11) children.Come 1665, Johannes Vermeer painted a mysterious masterpiece, a painting of an unidentified model who obviously posed for him. In the past, there had been a few guesses and detailed theories that settled on believing that the painting was that of one of Vermeer’s daughters. Nothing has been confirmed, though. This is where the movie spins with much interesting twists.Then Griet (Scarlett Johan sson) was introduced.Grit was lovely and attractive, and it shouldn’t be hard to imagine why an artist that is naturally drawn to beauty would be interested in her.Griet, like Vermeer, is one who is no stranger to solitude. But unlike the solitude of Vermeer, Griet’s solitude has a lot to do with her unfortunate status in the discriminating Delft caste system.Vermeer and Griet formed a bond, which culminated in his creating a painting of her. The scene where he shows her his work of art was moving. Both actors were very convincing and the lines they said were sensitive for the human mind.When Griet tells Vermeer, ‘You've seen into me,' the connection was more than exposed. It was celebrated.The film, overall, is remarkable and definitely worth watching. Some scenes — like when Vermeer was teaching Griet the trick of playing with the light for capturing realistic art — were unforgettable.The film’s cinematographer Eduardo Serra, production des igner Ben Van Os, and art director Christina Shaeffer, all deserve a round of applause for having created a moving picture out of the still paintings of a genius.

Galvanic corrosion

Galvanic corrosion (also called ‘ dissimilar metal corrosion' or wrongly ‘electrolysis') refers to corrosion damage induced when two dissimilar matter l's are coupled with a corrosive electrolyte. Galvanic corrosion is an electrochemical process In which one metal corrodes onto another when both metals are in electrical co intact, in the presence Of an electrolyte. When a galvanic couple forms, one Of the metals I n the couple becomes the anode and corrodes faster than it would all by itself, while e the other becomes the cathode and corrodes slower than it would by itself.So basically the anode metal is breaking down onto the cathode metal. For galvanic corrosion to occur, three things must be present: Electrochemically dissimilar metals must be pre .NET, these metals must be in electrical contact, and the metals must be exposed to an electrolyte. Galvanic Corrosion was discovered in the late part of the eighteenth century b Lugging Galvanic in a series of experiments wi th the exposed muscles and nerves of a frog that contracted when connected to a conductor.Its humorous to think Galvan ICC corrosion was found on accident when experimenting on frogs. The concept was also e engineered into the useful protection of metallic structures by Sir Humphrey Davys and Mice hall Faraday in the early part of the nineteenth century. The sacrificial corrosion of en metal such as zinc, magnesium or aluminum is a widespread method of protecting metallic Structures. While galvanic corrosion is potentially problematic to civil engineer s, they can use it to their benefit.For example buried or submerged structures, in HTH s case, sacrificial anodes work as part of a galvanic couple, promoting corrosion of the e anode, in order to protect the cathode metal. To dumb it down one metals life is been g drastically reduce so the other metals life will last longer. On another note if you do not want galvanic corrosion taking place corrosion inhibitors such as sodium nitrite or sodium moldboard can be injected into the systems to reduce the galvanic potential.However, the application Of these co erosion inhibitors must be monitored closely. If the application of corrosion inhibitors increases the conductivity of the water within the system, the galvanic corrosion potent al can be greatly increased. A different means of avoiding galvanic corrosion is to coins deer the 2 electrical potential of the metals you are selecting. A galvanic series list the el citric potentials of metals, the relative position of two metals on such a series gives good indication of which metal is more likely to corrode more quickly.Looking back at my opening statement, you can now understand why galvanic corrosion can be so hostile. If you select the wrong metals in a system, and the e load bearing metal of the system corrodes, you systems is bound to fail. On the to her end of the spectrum, galvanic corrosion can possibly be helpful, if indeed you want t o sacrifice one metal in order to protect another. With an indented knowledge of galvanic corrosion civil engineers can predict and act upon potentially hazardous situations. 3

Simple Déjeuner French Verb Conjugations

Simple Dà ©jeuner French Verb Conjugations A single French verb,  dà ©jeuner,  is used to say to have lunch. Its a very specific word and identical to the noun for lunch,  le dà ©jeuner.  Learning how to transform, or conjugate, the verb into the past, present, or future tense is rather simple as this quick lesson will demonstrate. Conjugating the French Verb  Dà ©jeuner In English, we use -ed and -ing endings to conjugate verbs. Things  are a little more complex in French because we need to use a new ending for every subject pronoun within each tense. That means you have more than just a few words to memorize. Dont worry, though,  dà ©jeuner  is a  regular -ER verb  and that makes conjugating it just a little easier. This is particularly true if youve already memorized similar verbs such as  cuisiner (to cook)  and  demander (to ask).   To conjugate  dà ©jeuner, pair the subject pronoun with the appropriate tense. For example, I am having lunch is je dà ©jeune and we will have lunch is nous dà ©jeunerons. Practice these in context and youll be one step closer to memorizing all the forms. Subject Present Future Imperfect je djeune djeunerai djeunais tu djeunes djeuneras djeunais il djeune djeunera djeunait nous djeunons djeunerons djeunions vous djeunez djeunerez djeuniez ils djeunent djeuneront djeunaient The Present Participle of  Dà ©jeuner The  present participle  of dà ©jeuner  is  dà ©jeunant. Its as simple as adding -ant  to the verb stem. Beyond its use as a verb, it can also become an adjective, gerund, or noun when needed. The Past Participle and Passà © Composà ©Ã‚   The  passà © composà ©Ã‚  is a common way to express the past tense had lunch in French and its an alternative to the imperfect. To construct this, conjugate the  auxiliary verb  avoir  to fit the subject pronoun, then add the  past participle  dà ©jeunà ©. For example, I had lunch is jai dà ©jeunà © while we had lunch is nous avons dà ©jeunà ©. More Simple  Dà ©jeuner  Conjugations You may also find one of the following forms of  dà ©jeuner  useful as your fluency progresses. The subjunctive verb mood implies some sort of uncertainty to the action. Similarly, the conditional form says that the action will only take place  if  something else does. In literature and formal writing, the passà © simple or the imperfect subjunctive may be found. You might not use these yourself, but knowing of them will help your French reading comprehension. Subject Subjunctive Conditional Pass Simple Imperfect Subjunctive je djeune djeunerais djeunai djeunasse tu djeunes djeunerais djeunas djeunasses il djeune djeunerait djeuna djeunt nous djeunions djeunerions djeunmes djeunassions vous djeuniez djeuneriez djeuntes djeunassiez ils djeunent djeuneraient djeunrent djeunassent The imperative verb form is extremely easy and its used with just three subject pronouns. However, you do not have to include the pronoun itself: use dà ©jeune alone rather than tu dà ©jeune. Imperative (tu) djeune (nous) djeunons (vous) djeunez

How to Gain Inspiration from 6 Crazy Tactics That Got People Hired

How to Gain Inspiration from 6 Crazy Tactics That Got People Hired A strong resume and a quality educational background are key factors in getting hired. However, sometimes it takes a little more to nab a job. We don’t necessarily recommend that you try the following 6 crazy tactics that got people hired, but they did work for others, so who knows? Maybe they could work for you too. Proceed at your own risk†¦ 1. Use your artistry to impress.Grab attention however you can. The holiday season once inspired a woman to transform the exterior of her Georgia home into a festive resume. She used Christmas lights to spell out her desire for a job on the front of her house: â€Å"My wish, HR job, Liz Hickok, LinkedIn.† The stunt apparently scored her a lot of contacts on LinkedIn. That’s networking at its most sparkly!2. Turn your resume into an interactive experience!If you’re applying to a non-traditional company, why not wow them with a resume they’ll be talking about long after you’ve been hired? Graeme Anth ony was a PR and social media consultant who used his particular skills to put together a highly untraditional resume. Instead of listing his work experience and accomplishments on paper he went the digital route, creating an interactive video resume to get a job. His video stimulated so many job offers that he decided to become a freelancer to work for as many of the interested companies as he could.3. Be persistent.Frankly, stalking a company is a big no-no when trying to get a job. However, this crazy tactic worked for Flavie Bagnol, who was so intent on getting a job at CBS that she called the person in charge of hiring every day until she pinned down a meeting. The best takeaway here is to set your sights on a field, company, or title, and put all of your energy into reaching out to vital people with connections until you make the one that sticks.4. Put your information where important people are sure to see it.Would you ever think that Google-stalking could lead to a job? Admi t it. You’ve looked up your own name on Google to see what was out there. Everybody does it, including the people who might hire you. Alec Brownstein took advantage of that fact by creating Google ads for a number of creative directors in the advertising field he hoped to break into. Whenever these directors Google-stalked themselves, the results included Google ads with a personalized message from Brownstein asking for a job interview. The stunt got the enterprising fellow a job at Young and Rubicam.5. Don’t be afraid to show a bit of personality.Richard Waddington was dashing out of his home to a job interview when his 4-year old daughter offered him a good luck charm: a little toy cow. Waddington was so charmed by the gesture that he stuck the cow in his pocket before leaving. During his interview, the HR person warned him that the office environment was a â€Å"little crazy† and asked him if he thought he would â€Å"fit in† in such a place. His respo nse: â€Å"I have a cow in my pocket.† He then produced the little, plastic bovine from his pocket, a move that so delighted the HR exec that Waddington got the job.6. When all else fails, candy might work.Paper is such a boring vehicle for your resume. It doesn’t even taste good! Chocolate, however, is scrumptious. A marketing professional named Nicholas used that universal truth to his advantage when he printed his resume on a wrapper wrapped around a bar of chocolate. The stunt got him the job of his sweet dreams. Whether or not his employer ate the chocolate remains a mystery.

A Study On Corporal Punishment Sociology Essay

A Study On Corporal Punishment Sociology Essay Do parents think corporal punishment is an effective form of discipline? Corporal punishment plays an important role in today’s society. It affects the parents’ attitudes physically and physiologically. Academic studies have established that under some circumstances, corporal punishment of children can increase short term compliance with parental commands (Smith, Ray, Stefurak, however, subsequent investigators brought forth a counter argument to some of the different views that were held. These revisionist scholars developed different hypotheses from finding new discoveries as well, such as, if corporal punishment caused parents to become abusive and to what extent parents employed corporal punishment. They used questionnaires and surveys for parents from different demographic regions such as the Appalachian, New England, Midwest, and the Deep South to use as sample population test groups. The population group was sub-categorized by gender, race, and social status. T he researchers’ findings gave the participants the chance to understand if corporal punishment is the best solution for changing a child’s behavior and if they are using corporal punishment for the wrong purposes. One group of researchers discovered that the parental characteristics showed that older parents are less likely to use corporal punishment and that mothers spank more often than fathers (Socolar et al. 2006). Another group of scholars found that a small portion of Appalachian mothers tend to agree with them. From their questionnaire, mothers reported using corporal punishment more frequently than using reasoning and rewards (Fish, Amerikaner, & Conrae, 2006). Other reports suggested mothers were more likely to use corporal punishment if the degree of misbehavior evolved into a power struggle. Physical punishment was indicated as the last resort for gaining control in a disciplinary situation (Smith et al. 2007).

Video review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Video review - Essay Example The first reason goes like this; If the US really wanted to overthrow Saddam from Iraq and install a true democracy, they could have backed up the popular uprising that took place just after the first Gulf War. Nevertheless instead of helping the peoples revolt, US stood by and allowed Saddams forces to viciously crush all opposition. Saddam could have been out many years ago but as I see it, US government found him worthy as a democracy arising from such a revolt would be one that they could not control and manipulate. As a US citizen I am really afraid of this situation and don’t want US government to create this kind of conspiracies. Furthermore; â€Å"Iran is supporting three Shiite extremist groups in Iraq that have been attempting to attack US bases, Said General Ray Odierno, the top US commander in Iraq. However, there’s a conflict as for the past 4 years the US military has blamed Iran for supporting violent anti-US groups functioning in Iraq, but has been unable to demonstrate a clear link with the government in Tehran.† Thus, in my opinion US will first utilize Iran to get Iraq in hold, and then will run its forces onto Iran to detain it too as Iran seems to be coming in a very strong position. Specially because of having the nuclear power Iran is considered a sign of danger. The United States authorities want to make Iraq a power player to keep Iran in check in the West, Afghanistan to keep it in check in the East. The original goal was to liberate Iraq and invade Iran from there. Except removing Saddam, which created a power vacuum. Thus, US will get to remodel Iran from the ground up according to their precise stipulations. 3. The Worst scenario that can be faced by both countries among each other is war. However this is what American government always wanted. One of the plans of US was to make Israel and the Arab world united to invade or obstruct Iran. However for Iran, another worst case scenario would be to pre-emptively bombard Israel

Has football become a global sport Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Has football become a global sport - Essay Example The ball itself has developed from just a ball of pig’s bladder to hi-tech balls with impregnated microchips used to check if the ball has crosses the goal line. Increasing popularity of the game and number of international fixtures forced English football association and football associations from France, Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland to form an international association Fà ©dà ©ration Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) on May 21, 1904.Today football is a national sport in many countries and is officially the most popular sport in the world. Sport in modern days has become a global phenomenon. There is a number of literature works is available which tries to relate a sport with various social, political, economical and environmental factors on a global scale. Today, in globalized, world where communication technology has grown leap and bound, all major sporting events are organized and watch on a global scale. The impact of sport is also global, as it affects political relations, national prestige, and policies on education and health. Contrasts between sports across different societies have diminished, yet a growing diversity of sports cultures are available to people of different nations (Maguire). Giulianotti examines systematically footballs key social aspects: the supporter cultures, the development of stadia, the business and television revolution, professional football players and the diversity of playing styles. Sport, in particular football, constitutes one of the most dynamic, sociologically illuminating domai ns of globalization (Giulianotti and Robertson). The speed of spread of football or soccer has been truly astonishing. It has successfully overcome various hurdles of ruthless commercialization, skyrocketing player fees, and salaries to emerge as a most popular game. It has survived faithlessness of players, red-tapes in

Personal Reflection on My Dressing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Personal Reflection on My Dressing - Essay Example As such, I do not wear tight clothes, revealing clothes, or any clothes that disregard my cultural ethics. Indeed, my cultural beliefs and respect for my traditions define my dressing and body adornment. My personal beliefs and values forbid me from wearing clothes that will expose my masculinity. Moreover, I dress to satisfy my emotions and to remain fashionable. I also consider my position in the society and the need to respect others while dressing. As I seek to maintain my dignity, I do not envy body adornments like tattoos since they demean personal beliefs and cultural values, which forbid men from body adornments. I believe in time management and hence I wear watches and choose stylish dressing to keep pace with the modern fashions. Assuredly, I dress to please myself and remain ethical in the diverse society. The main factor that defines my choice of clothing is to express my feelings and represent my personal beliefs and values. Moreover, the need to remain ethical and manif est professionalism influences my dressing decisions and choices. In addition, my cultural values and parental guidance influence my choice of dressing as I seek to respect my parents and tradition through my dressing. Notably, my parents are the custodians of my cultural dressing beliefs. Nevertheless, the need to embrace modernity and remain fashionable forces me to balance between cultures and fashion in my dressing. The weather also influences my dressing choices as I seek to adapt to different climates and remain healthy. Moreover, my sporting needs and decency requirements define my dressing. The need to visit different venues also defines my dressing choices since the workplace and attending lectures will require specific clothing. I also choose my dressing with reference to the respect, ethics, and morality that I seek to present to the society.

Argentinas Foreign Debt Restructuring Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Argentinas Foreign Debt Restructuring - Essay Example This paper envisages analyzing the causes and effects of the actions of the political leaders that left to this situation and the circumstances under which the various classes of creditors of the country were forced to accept the proposals put forth by the Argentine president for the settlement of the outstanding debts of the country. It is important to understand the extent, scope, and coverage of the definitions of the foreign debt and domestic debt before a meaningful financial analysis of the restructuring of the foreign debt by the country Argentina may be undertaken. According to an economic definition, â€Å"foreign debt is only the debt by non-residents, regardless of whether the debt is in local or foreign currency, whether it is issued at home or abroad. Conversely, domestic debt is debt by residents regardless of whether the debt is in local or foreign currency, whether it is issued at home or abroad. So a Brady held by an Argentine resident is domestic debt while a Let's held by a foreign investor is foreign debt.† It is to be understood that the economic definitions of foreign debt and domestic debt are different from the legal definition as had been adopted by the Argentine government for the purposes of undertaking the restructuring of both the domestic and foreign debts. The domestic debt is defined as debt issued according to Argentine law, regardless of whether it is in local or foreign currency and regardless of who, foreign or domestic resident, is holding these claims. Conversely, the â€Å"legal† definition of foreign debt is debt issued according to foreign (New York, UK, et cetera) law, regardless of whether it is in local or foreign currency and regardless of who, foreign or domestic resident, is holding these claims.†The point to consider was that was there a possibility that the host of factors that facilitate the litigation would disrupt the orderly process of debt restructuring undertaken by Argentina. Without committing a technical default Argentina would be going ahead with the process of structuring and even if some creditors hold out and start litigating, the litigation would take several years for coming to a close. Even if the litigation is started it is not going to hamper the process of the debt restructuring by Argentina.   

The Various Pros And Con of the Issue About Environment Changes Essay

The Various Pros And Con of the Issue About Environment Changes - Essay Example This essay stresses that global environment change is the most important issue of the contemporary times because it affects everyone, whether they come from rich country or belong to the under developed economies. It cuts across race, culture and nationality. The various international conventions and global bodies have acknowledged it as priority area that must be addressed urgently and collectively. The growing dependency on cross national resources has intrinsically linked the nations which have come together to tackle the global problems of climate change. Indeed, it is true that local economies and domestic interests highlight sovereign rights but Kyoto protocol, Rio Summit and the current Doha climate talk are testament to the fact that nations are willing to negotiate for mutually beneficial outcome which are also able to address the current issues of climate change. National interests would be overcome or atleast negotiated for the broader objectives which address global conce rn. This paper makes a conclusion that it is important that local, national and international policies and framework must address demographic needs of the region. They must evolve ways to facilitate resources to match the increasing population through mutual negotiation that caters to the universal goal of safeguarding environment for future generation. The survival of human race is at danger from myriad fronts that also threatens the ecosystem. These are vital issues in climate change that would unite the global community.

Strategy management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 3

Strategy management - Essay Example In order to stay relevant in such aggressive market, these companies have been forced to initiate new strategies characteristically from time to time. However, amid the innovativeness and creativity to generate such new strategies such as distinct mobile phone features, capability, speed, memory capacity and so forth, there has been a clash between the principal firms. Ultimately, the aim of each company is not only to stay relevant but to remain dominant in the market as well. In a number of studies by prominent researchers such as Michael porter, Bowman’s, Johnson’s, McKenzie’s etc on the marketing strategies, they have made some influential marketing models to analyse the reign in competitive market spheres. For instance, in Porter’s generic strategies, he proposed three stratagems of cost leadership, focus and differentiation (Porter, 2007). Through the three strategies, Porter intends to show that the profit of the firm is basically the difference between its returns and cost. Thus, high profitability is achievable through attaining lower costs or higher prices with reference to the competition, meaning that a company can earn a price premium through differentiation (de Kluyver, 2010). In line with Porters’ and other models by other researchers, I seek to critically evaluate some of the analytical processes against three major mobile manufacturing companies. The purpose of this study paper is to not only evaluate the models, but also explore the merits and demerits associated with each of the analytical processes with regard to the telecommunication industry. The methodology of this paper will be an evaluation of the analytical process, followed by application of the firms and conclusion of each with the scepticism of demerits experienced of the processes. In addition, will be an assessment of the number of ways to mitigate the deficiencies of the models if any. A case study of this assessment paper is on three major mobile manufacturing

The Various Pros And Con of the Issue About Environment Changes Essay

The Various Pros And Con of the Issue About Environment Changes - Essay Example This essay stresses that global environment change is the most important issue of the contemporary times because it affects everyone, whether they come from rich country or belong to the under developed economies. It cuts across race, culture and nationality. The various international conventions and global bodies have acknowledged it as priority area that must be addressed urgently and collectively. The growing dependency on cross national resources has intrinsically linked the nations which have come together to tackle the global problems of climate change. Indeed, it is true that local economies and domestic interests highlight sovereign rights but Kyoto protocol, Rio Summit and the current Doha climate talk are testament to the fact that nations are willing to negotiate for mutually beneficial outcome which are also able to address the current issues of climate change. National interests would be overcome or atleast negotiated for the broader objectives which address global conce rn. This paper makes a conclusion that it is important that local, national and international policies and framework must address demographic needs of the region. They must evolve ways to facilitate resources to match the increasing population through mutual negotiation that caters to the universal goal of safeguarding environment for future generation. The survival of human race is at danger from myriad fronts that also threatens the ecosystem. These are vital issues in climate change that would unite the global community.

Ulysses S Grant one of the Greatest Battlefield Leaders Essay Example for Free

Ulysses S Grant one of the Greatest Battlefield Leaders Essay Ulysses S Grant, the Eighteenth President of the United States of America, and often credited as the man who was single handedly responsible for ending the Civil War served his country during the years from 1869 to 1877. He was born the son of a poor tanner from Ohio, in the year 1822. He was a rather average student, and apparently, he went to West Point against his will, where he managed to graduate at the middle of his class. After graduation, the young Ulysses Grant started to work at his father’s leather store in the state of Illinois, and this is where he was working still when the Civil War in which he was to play a major role in his future broke out. It is said that it was this work in his father’s tannery that Ulysses Grant developed a great proficiency and ability in handling equestrians, a trait that was to help him in his later endeavors and battles. It was in the years immediately after his graduation that Grant served in the Mexican War. The young soldier would win two brevets for his meritorious conduct during the War, but all the same, he absolutely detested the war, and wanted no part of it at the time. In 1848, Grant married Julia Dent, the daughter of a rich plantation owner, and immediately afterwards, he was sent on garrison duty to the Central Northeast of the United States of America, where he served until 1854 when he chose to retire under a cloud of rumors about his drinking habits. The young man was thereafter appointed by the then Governor to act as the Commander to a disorderly and unruly volunteer regiment, also known as ‘Governor Gate’s Hellions’. Experts say that it was Ulysses Grant’s expertise and command and presence that managed to bring this regiment of volunteers into some sort of shape, so that at the end of 1861, the brigade was much better organized, and Ulysses rose to the rank of Brigadier General of Volunteers. (Ulysses S Grant n. d) The young tanner Ulysses Grant soon rose to the rank of General, and he was one of the people of the world who was considered to be a ‘true world leader,’ viewed by the people of the world at the time as the ‘Hero of Freedom’ or even as the â€Å"King of America. † In the words of Lord Provost in 1877 when he was addressing a crowd of fifty thousand people or more, â€Å"Grant had proved himself the Wellington of America†¦the great and good Lincoln struck down the poisonous tree of slavery; but Grant tore it up by the roots†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Grant the World Leader n. d) In the year 1861, Ulysses Grant a completely unprepared attack on Missouri as the Brigadier of his regiment, and he was forced to retreat with severe losses. Not allowing this to deter him in any way, the brave and resolute man engaged the help of the navy and took Fort Henry and Fort Donelson. Hugely successful in these attacks, the pleased Governor accorded him the title of Major General. (About Grant n. d) When Abraham Lincoln was transferred to Washington, there was in fact no single General who would be able to control the West. This was the time when Grant and John McClernand began their struggle for control, and McClernand obtained permission to launch an attack on Vicksburg in Mississippi, even though it appeared that Vicksburg was an unlikely target for the Union attack. The Confederates had however already fortified their position on a bluff over the Mississippi river, and this fact made it almost impossible for the Union forces in New Orleans to join forces with Grant’s army in the state of Tennessee. In 1862, Grant became aware of the plan that McClernand had created, and that he was now planning to make his move. As a result, he appointed William T Sherman in charge of a second prong of attack on Vicksburg, hoping that Sherman would be able to beat McClernand at his own game. Sherman failed however, and the armies set up camp near the Louisiana borders, and Abraham Lincoln sent spies to find out whether or not Ulysses Grant was in reality worthy of command. Interestingly enough, this spy soon became one of Grant’s staunchest supporters and loyal fans, impressed as he was by the man’s integrity and uprightness, complimented by his total lack of interest in the politics of his time, and a desire to get involved in them. This was the time when Ulysses Grant made up his mind that he would try to take Vicksburg from the North, and he soon set about digging trenches and started the effort of moving his troops up from the city. He organized a troop of Navy gunboats to run past the blockade that had been set up at Vicksburg, so that they could help him in his efforts. Now, both Sherman and McClernand were under Grant’s steady control and able leadership, and they led their troops to a strong rout of Confederate troops and managed to isolate them. However, this effort proved to be a disaster, because Grant lost almost 3,200 men. Nevertheless, this gave Grant an opportunity to develop a brand new strategy, a strategy that had ever been attempted before, cushioned by the fact that Grant was aware that he had many more men to lose than his enemy had. This prompted him to launch attack after brutal attack on Vicksburg, until he finally agreed to settle for a siege. It was in July 1863 that John Bowen, an old West Point friend of Grant’s, arrived at the camp so that he could begin the process of negotiations for surrender of the city. Ulysses Grant was stubborn that he would only entertain a complete and an ‘unconditional surrender’ and it was the next day when the Battle of Gettysburg ended that Vicksburg capitulated and surrendered. Grant became a hero. (Ulysses S Grant n. d) One must bring to mind certain important points, facts that would show Ulysses Grant as a man full of character and also as a man with flaws, flaws that he made concerted efforts to overcome, only to move on to become one of the most respected men of all time in America, and to become known as one of the ‘Greatest Battlefield Heroes’ of the world. Vicksburg in Mississippi was an extremely well protected fortress for the Confederate Army during the Civil War. In 1863 Ulysses Grant as the Union General attacked Vicksburg with the primary intention of eventually taking over the entire city. Although he was prevented from doing so, Grant had made up his mind to launch the attack, and this he did, and he settled himself down to a six week siege, displaying to all his tremendous patience and intelligence in waiting for what he thought he would eventually obtain. Grant cut off all supply lines to the city, and fired upon Vicksburg constantly. At this point, several of the city’s residents moved out of the city to escape the firing taking place, and into caves in the nearby hills. Ulysses Grant also moved too close for comfort at times, so close that, as historians state, at several points in time, both Union and confederate soldiers were so close that they could shout across at each other and be heard clearly. By the time it was the month of June, Grant had brought in eighty thousand Union troops for the capture of Vicksburg. On the forty fourth day after Grant had launched his attack on Vicksburg, things had gone out of control there were no supplies to the town, and the city newspaper ‘Daily Citizen’ was forced to print its news on wallpapers. It was reported that the General Ulysses S Grant probably wished to celebrate the Fourth of July â€Å"dining in Vicksburg†. On July 4th, in reality, Pemberton surrendered to the Union General, and Grant’s men added a paragraph to the newspaper article that Grant had indeed managed to dine in Vicksburg on July Fourth! (General Ulysses S Grant attempted to take Vicksburg n. d) Grant’s military leadership during the Vicksburg assault is one of the most talked about events in American history. One of the reasons may be that Vicksburg was a city of tremendous importance, strategically, to the Union. The final campaign in Vicksburg under the able leadership of Ulysses S Grant is also one of the most remembered events in American history. This was the campaign in which Grant marched some forty five thousand of his men across Milliken’s Bend in Louisiana in March 1863. Grant had divided his troops into three main corps under the leaderships of Sherman, McPherson and McClernand and marched them across to Hard Times Landing in Louisiana. From this point forward, the troops were ferried across the river to Bruinsburg by boats, no small feat at the time. The first battle was therefore fought at Fort Gibson, a battle that ended in an easy victory for Grant and his men. In the aftermath of this victory, Grant became supremely confident, and also became victorious in campaign after campaign. However, despite all his victories and his by now good reputation, own after plenty of hard work and effort, Ulysses Grant was gradually becoming known as a ‘drinker’. It was this drinking habit that caused him to lose, rather quickly, the hard won respect of his fellow men and his fellow campaigners at battle. It was in all probability this same drinking habit that may have caused Grant to choose inept leaders for his constituency in later years when he was to become the President of the United States of America. Ulysses Grant was also to prove to be absolutely inept at statecraft. This led him to choose and appoint four judges to the Supreme Court in a completely inefficient manner; in the words of biographer McFeely, â€Å"He chose them with about the same discernment that went into his selection of consuls and postmasters. † (Kammler, Dan n. d) Abraham Lincoln himself acknowledged personally the spirit of courage and bravery and fortitude that Ulysses Grant had displayed during the Vicksburg campaign, and as a token of his gratitude and indebtedness to the soldier, he appointed him the ‘Commander of all the US Armies’ with the rank of Lieutenant General. One must remember that this was perhaps the very first time in history that a soldier after George Washington had held a rank of such great importance. After this appointment as Commander, Ulysses Grant worked tirelessly to occupy Robert Lee’s rebel army situated towards the East, while the Union troops worked in the South, destroying homes, farms and factories. This was one of grant’s cleverer campaigns, and it worked; Lee surrendered in 1865, bringing to a final end the four bloodiest years of the ongoing Civil War. Grant was of course commended for being a Hero of the Civil War, for it was his plan that brought in the much sought after victory. (Ulysses S Grant 2007) Ulysses Grant went on to accept the Republican nomination and to being appointed as the President of the United States of America, even though he despised politics, and wanted no part of it. The brave hero worked hard at trying to bring the North and the South together, and contributed his might to solving the several problems if the American government at the time. However, Grant was never acknowledged as an able political leader, and becoming better known for his financial scandals, he retired and started to write his own wartime memoirs for a price to support his family. He died in July 1885, and he was honored with a solemn and large funeral procession in New York, with several hundreds of people personally acknowledging him for the great and brave soldier and military leader he had been during his lifetime. References Ulysses S Grant (n. d) The White House Retrieved December 9 2008, http://www. whitehouse. gov/history/presidents/ug18. html Grant the World Leader (n. d) Ulysses S Grant Homepage Retrieved December 9 2008, http://www. granthomepage. com/grantleader. htm About Grant (n. d) Ulysses S Grant Thinkquest Retrieved December 9 2008, http://library. thinkquest. org/3055/netscape/people/grant. html Ulysses S Grant The Vicksburg Campaign (n. d) Retrieved December 9 2008, http://www. sparknotes. com/biography/grant/section7. rhtml General Ulysses S Grant attempted to take Vicksburg (n. d) America’s Story Retrieved December 9 2008, http://www. americaslibrary. gov/cgi-bin/page. cgi/jb/civil/vicksburg_1 Kammler, Dan (n. d) Ulysses S Grant Retrieved December 9 2008, http://www. lib. niu. edu/1993/ihy930228. html Ulysses S Grant (2007) People and events Retrieved December 9 2008, http://www. pbs. org/wgbh/amex/grant/peopleevents/p_ugrant. html

Business Level Strategies Versus Corporate Level Strategies Business Essay

Business Level Strategies Versus Corporate Level Strategies Business Essay INTRODUCTION Automobile industry is named the industry of industries by Peter Drucker. Since its humble beginning the automobile industry has involved very much with the times. The industry which is dominated by Europe, US and Japan is currently going through extraordinary changes. After a period of steady growth the industry started to decline in 2008, and declined further in 2009. Currently Toyota holds the majority market share of 10.9 per cent; Volkswagen holds 9.2 per cent share while Ford holds 7.2 per cent of the market share. (Datamonitor, 2009) This report explores the business level and corporate level strategies of Honda Motors and also critically evaluated its process of reconciling dichotomies with reference to product related and process related core competencies. The report examines the Mergers and Acquisitions (MA) in the industry, and the impact of debts, potential synergy and new technology has on MA are investigated with current examples. How automobile players have been dealing with the corporate social responsibilities and its impact on the firms are also discussed. The leadership models by the Japanese management model and Western management model are compared and contrasted. APPLICATION OF STRATEGIES Business Level Strategies Versus Corporate Level Strategies Pizam defined business level strategy as the approach taken by an organization to compete in its chosen markets (2005, pp. 54) Micheal Porter (1980) classified strategies into three generic types; cost leadership, differentiation and focus strategy (cited in Pizam, 2005, pp. 54) Each strategy assists the firm in gaining a certain competitive advantage in a particular competitive scope. However Micheal Porter identified unique features for business level strategies for international businesses (Appendix 1); factors of production, demand conditions, related and supporting industries and firm strategy, structure and rivalry (Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson, 2007, pp. 218) A business level strategy of is its research and development. Hondas product development process is respected within the automobile industry for its sheer speed. Reducing lead time, combining productive efficiency with human dignity, mass production reducing the cost and achieving the expense of product variety are some examples of Hondas RD accomplishments. Honda has a wide international production network; with 89 production facilities (Wit Meyer, 2004, pp. 665) Business level strategies determine the number of plants or production facilities and the locations. Corporate level strategies is to identifies which businesses and industries a company should compete in, which value creation activities it should perform in those businesses and how it should enter of leave those businesses or industries to maximize its long-run profitability (Hill Jones, 2009, pp. 285) Corporate strategy in global context focuses on the scope of diversification, both product and geographical. (Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson, 2009, pp. 220) Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson also states that corporate strategy dictates business level strategies in order to standardize the firms products and sharing of resources across countries (2009, pp. 220) While western management assumes that there is bound to be trade-offs between product quality, cost and delivery; high quality meant high cost etc. However the Japanese developed a right-first-time approach which Honda adopts, which is a corporate strategy dictated to enhance the quality, reduces cost and differentiate the products hence a business level strategy. Honda is the first Japanese firm to manufacture automobiles in the North America when it opened its assembly plant in Ohio is also a business level strategy dictated by corporate level strategy. Other corporate strategies include venturing into the vehicle production from producing auxiliary engines for bicycles and venturing into foreign markets too. While they are product-related diversification here is an example of geographical diversification. Shareholding with European company British Leyland (now known as Rover Group) which was one of the least capable automobile manufacturers is a corporate strategy. Honda has production facilities at 33 countries, (Wit Meyer, 2004, pp. 665) it is also a corporate level strategy of geographical diversification (Peng, 2006, pp. 390) The Managing of Dichotomies by Honda Motor Core competencies refer to firms internal attributes that provide a basis for competitive advantage (Peng, 2006, pp. 77) Core competencies provide access to a wide variety of markets, contributes significantly to end products benefit and are not are not easily imitated. (www.quickmba.com) Prahalad and Hamel define a competence as collective learning in an organization especially how to coordinate diverse production skills and integrate multiple streams of technology (1990, pp. 82) Core competence is often acknowledged in the form of tangible and intangible assets. Organizations should pay equivalent amount of attention to its employees competencies once it starts to pursue core competences track (Bergenhenegouwen et al.,1996) Tangible resources and capabilities are financial, physical, technological and organizational (Peng, 2006, pp. 78) For example, the ability to generate internal funds, ability to raise external capital, location of plants, offices, and equipment, access to raw materials and distribution channels, possession of patents, trademarks and copyrights, formal planning, command and control systems, integrated management information systems (Peng, 2006, pp. 78) Hence tangible resources are those which are directly involved in the manufacturing of a product. Intangible resources and capabilities include human, innovation and reputational (Peng, 2006, pp. 78) Examples of intangible resources are knowledge, trust, managerial talents, organizational culture, a supportive atmosphere for new ideas, research and development capabilities, capacities for organizational innovation and change, perceptions of product quality, durability, and reliability among customers, reputation as a good employer and reputation as a socially responsible corporate citizen (Peng, 2006, pp. 78) These factors are mostly involved in the production process. One of the core competencies Honda is famous for is in the advanced internal combustion engines which power the whole range of its products. The case of CVCC (compound vortox controlled combustion) engine designed so in such a way pollutants are not created. While the rest of the industry was battling with ways to clean up the emitted pollutants, Honda designed so that no pollutants were created to clean in the first place. The dichotomy was reconciled in a way there was no trade-off. Refer to Appendix 2 for the framework to integrate markets, platforms and competencies. In the case of VTEC (variable valve timing and lift electronic control) controlled fuel injection electronically, control the ratio of fuel to air according to driving condition, hence what the process required, hence reconciling the dichotomy of fuel economy vs. engine power. Honda is known for its technologically innovative engines, refusal to accept taken-for-granted trade-offs characterizes all aspects of Hondas strategic approach to technological change (Wit Meyer, 2004, pp. 673) Honda also developed an innovative strategy for the planning of production, a strategy which exhibits characteristics of both the traditional dichotomous poles; one pole is large-lot mass production and the other pole is the one piece flow (Wit Meyer, 2004, pp. 675-6) Hondas own innovative strategy overcame this dichotomy and obtained the advantages of large-lot production which is simpler logistics and quality control, fewer chances of error, easier programming of production schedules. (Wit Meyer, 2004, pp. 676) And also the advantages of small-lot production were obtained, those being ability to offer a wider range of products to consumers and greater worker involvement and satisfaction (Wit Meyer, 2004, pp. 676) MERGERS ACQUISITIONS Mergers are commonly characterised as the consolidation of two organizations into a single organization (Schraeder Self, 2003) Acquisitions are the purchase of one organization from another where the buyer or the acquirer maintains control (Borys and Jemison, 1989) Car-making may be one of the worlds most competitive big industries, but rival producers have always been ready to cooperate on expensive new technologies and products when the cost or risk of going it alone was too high (www.ft.com) The search for partners is now heating as automakers pursue to build scale, lower costs, and pool efforts in zones like small cars, vehicle electrification, and new or emerging markets (www.ft.com) Automotive mergers and acquisitions take place to increase market share, attain economies of scale and augment product ranges (www.reportsure.com) Figure 1; driving factors of Mergers Acquisitions for the years 2007, 2008 2009 Source: KPMGs Global Auto Executive Survey, 2010, pp. 20 Too much Debt and Risk of Bankruptcy Companies believe that a rising rate of MA will be driven partly by crisis factors, and partly by the long-term imperative of finding and developing new technology solutions for a changing market (the continued high stress that companies place upon new technology development KPMGs Global Auto Executive Survey (2010, pp. 20) KPMG predicts that indebtedness will be the top of M A. Also states that all cost pressures now seen as less significant (KPMGs Global Auto Executive Survey, 2010, pp. 20) According to the survey (KPMG Global Executive Survey, 2010), the specific global drivers of alliances, mergers and acquisitions will be driven by crisis factors such as too much debt and risk of bankruptcy 89 per cent (Car Magazine, May, 2010) Ford Motors partnered with Mazda since 1970s to raise cash and to focus on its own brand/ business. (www.ft.com) PSA Peugeot Citroen Toyota produces small cars in Czech Republic. (www.ft.com) As the surveys, too much debt and risk of bankruptcys impact on Mergers and Acquisition (MA) is very high and it is one of the driving forces of MA. Volkswagen in December 2009 announced its plans to buy 19.9 per cent of Suzuki which is to take a stake of approximately 3 per cent of Volkswagen. (www.ft.com) General Motors owned an equity stake in Suzuki from 1991 to 2008 Potential for Product Synergies Companies in auto industry merge to gain product synergies. GM has a contract with Renault to produce vans in Luton, England since 2001 to 2013 (www.ft.com) Daimler announced strategic partnership with Renault and Nissan April 2010; three companies are to build small car engines and vans together. BMW and PSA Peugeot Citroen produce petrol engines together. (www.ft.com) PSA Peugeot Citroen corporates with Mitsubishi Motors on cross over vehicles, electric cars and a joint plant opened in April 2010 in Kaluga, Russia. They also announced that they would work together to develop a compact sport utility vehicle (www.ft.com) Access to New Technologies and Emerging Markets Nissan has OEM (original equipment manufacturer) / supply deals with Mitsubishi, Suzuki, Mazda and Chryslers Dodge brand (www.ft.com) Volkswagen currently owns 49.9% of Porsches sports car business, and Porsche owns 51.1% of Volkswagen. Talk of full-fledged merge is taking place (www.ft.com) Porshe corporates with Volkswagen and its luxury marque Audi sports vehicles. (www.ft.com) PSA Peugeot Citroen with Fiat produces light commercial vehicles and vans. (www.ft.com) New products and new technologies have moved higher among their highest ranking concerns, from an already high leading position in last years survey (KPMG Global Auto Executive Survey, 2010) ROLE OF CSR IN THE AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY A happy convergence between what your shareholders want and what is best for millions of people Kofi Anan (2001) Corporate social responsibility raises consideration of, and response to, issues beyond the narrow economic, technical, and legal requirements of the firm to accomplish social benefits along with the traditional economic gains which the firm seeks (K. Davis, 1973 cited in Peng, 2006, pp. 484) Carroll (1999, p. 286) suggests that social responsibility covers the conduct of a business so that it is economically profitable, law-abiding, ethical and socially supportive. Global automotive makers and suppliers are also seen to be more corporate responsible now. Going green is a common term in the industry now. Each company in the industry is coming up with a better plan each day. GM has promotes a building greener car, electric car experience and also teach green campaign. (www.gm.com) Toyota has numerous CSR activities as development of environmental vehicles, design for recycling, pedestrian safety campaign, vehicle safety, and customer first, support of art to name a few (www.toyota.com) Refer to Appendix 3 for overview of Toyotas CSR activities. Apart from producing many models of hybrid cars, Honda has devised a Honda LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) system. Honda is determined to measure, assess and analyse the full impact of its products on the environment. Honda LCA will monitor its products entire life cycle from the development and production stages to the final disposal at the end of its life. According to Honda, this will help them identify specific issues at each level of corporate activity and set corresponding targets for action. CSR helps to create shareholder value, increase revenue base, helps in strategic branding, operations efficiency, provides better access to capital, enhance human intellectual capital and also lower business risks (www.csrsingapore.org) Today investors are more aware of corporate governance and social responsibility, associating a firm to these features promote the image of the company and hence better access to capital and other such advantages. Therefore, organizational performance increases. Financial advantages sought in the name of corporate social responsibility are creating shareholders value, increased revenue base, better access to capital and lower business risks. Non-financial benefits are enhanced goodwill of the organisation, strategic branding, and operation efficiency and enhanced human and intellectual capital. While the players of automobile industry focus so much on CSR, the companies are being criticized too. Polonsky and Jevons (2009) states that criticisms has been raised in regarding to global automobile manufacturers who endorse fuel-efficient vehicles of various descriptions, while also producing fuel guzzling SUVs targeted at inner-city users. CSR is a very serious matter. CSR is not only associated with responses to crises, but it has also led to many crises, due to negligence of responsibilities as a corporate citizen. Non-compliance can be expensive and can even push corporations into existence threatening controversy- poor labour relations or public hostility. (Keinert, 2008, pp. 103) And threatening government or civil society action can lead to a slump in sales, lost market share and even withdrawal of capital (Keinert, 2008, pp. 103) LEADERSHIP; JAPANESE STYLE VS. WESTERN STYLE Japanese and American Management are 95% the same, yet differ in all important respects Takeo Fujisawa, founder of Honda Motor Company. In the early 1960s to the 1990s, Japanese management claimed a prominent place in the consciousness and management discourse of the west. Western management involves mass, standardized and fordist production while the Japanese prefer lean, flexible and post-fordist production. A mass production system focuses on producing a single product for a mass market, where else lean production focuses on producing a finite set of standard products designed for a segmented markets demand (Swamidass, 2000, pp. 451) Fordism is the transformation of the economy from agricultural to industrial to mass production to mass consumption. (www.willamette.edu) Where western management model is based at this, the Japanese management mode is post- fordist, the period after that. Mass production equals to fordist standardized production and lean production creates flexible and post-fordist creations. In the work process, western models are taylorist, do workers and unskilled workers. The Japanese work process consists of post-taylor, think workers and polyvalent. Taylorist is a means of detailing a division of labor in time-and-motion studies and a wage system based on performance (www.vanderbilt.edu) which western work process adheres to. The workers are do workers as in, they do what is asked, and thinking is not necessary nor is skilled workers. While the Japanese are post-taylorist, their workers are thinkers, they are to think and come up with ideas for the tasks they are entrusted with. Also under Japanese management style, workers are multi skilled. Production, organization and logistics involve large-lot production, just-in-case method of inventory management and push system. The Japanese management model focuses on, small-lot production, just-in-time and pull system. Just-in-time method is a fool proof method where production, purchasing and distribution all happens just-in-time. In western management model is just-in-case method is more popular. (www.leanmanufacturingconcepts.com) Pull models strive to persistently expand the choices offered while at the same time assisting people to find the resources that are most applicable to them unlike push models treat people as passive consumers (even when they are producers/workers) whose needs can be expected and shaped by centralized decision-makers. (www.johnhagel.com) The organization structure is vertical with fragmented duties and individual as responsible. In the Japanese management model, the structure is horizontal, with broad duties for employees and group is responsible for success of failure. Labour relations are job control focus, cross-company unions and hire and fire strategy. In the Japanese model labour relations are employment conditions focused, enterprise unions and job-for-life employed. Western organizations have separated firms and there are distant inner-firm relations, where else in the Japanese management model it has Keiretsu families and there is close inter-firm relations. There is no better or worse model among the two, as it depends on the situation. And there is no single good method, the situation and the issue in question should be closely examined before choosing the most appropriate model. Just like Honda Motors has, it does not practice one style of management model, the model chosen depends on what the best one is for the firm, given the situation. CONCLUSION The performance of the industry is forecast to accelerate, with an anticipated CAGR of 11.5% for the five year period 2009-2014, which is expected to drive the industry to a value of $2,526.6 billion by the end of 2014 (Datamonitor, 2010)