Wednesday, November 27, 2019
Strategic business management and planning The WritePass Journal
Strategic business management and planning Introduction Strategic business management and planning Introduction1. Milton Friedman and profit maximisation:â€Å"The Business of Business is Business†2. Charles Hendy’s Stakeholder view:3. The new capitalists:Conclusion:Conflict and Influence:Power:Tata steel:Vision and mission:MISSION:Conclusion:THE METROPOLITAN POLICE: Villeroy Boch   UNIQUENESS:  Conclusion:REFERANCES:Related Introduction 1. Milton Friedman and profit maximisation: â€Å"The Business of Business is Business†Employees are very use full tool in any organisation, they are the one who have the direct contact with the consumers / customers and through their skills (which are provided by the organisations) they communicate with customers by providing them the end product or services, who bring the cash flow and profit in the organisation. So then the organisation can accomplish its goals and objectives in order to flourish. Organisations facilitate people with job opportunities then these people become the employee of that particular organisation, and then again organisations provide their employees the other relevant facilities like wages and job security, and in return these employees work hard and full fill the organisational responsibilities and help organisations to grow. This all process helps the society to retain its social balance. We can say organisations and businesses are helping the society by providing the job opportunities for the people so they can participate in their social responsibilities. But the main reason for any organisation to exist is to make profit and then more profit, by providing tangible or intangible products to their customers according to their needs, if the customers are satisfy with the products or with the services, the organisations or businesses will make profit. But if the customers are not satisfied with it they will go somewhere else in order to satisfy their needs and to get the better value for their money. Same thing apply to the employees of any organisation, if employees are very satisfy with the organisational facilities, they will become the loyal employees, work hard and feel like motivated and they help to achieve the organisational goals and objectives. But if the employees are not satisfied with facilities provided by any organisation or business, they will leave it and work somewhere else in order to be satisfy. 2. Charles Hendy’s Stakeholder view: Organisations use the shareholder’s (investors) money to start it or to do any business then it involves the suppliers who provide the raw materials, employees who work within the organisation and then the customers who buy the end product and bring the cash flow in the business. We can say it a cycle of investing, selling and bringing profit. So the shareholders can receive their money back with dividend. Shareholders always want the big chunk of the profits in dividends but the board of directors want to keep the most of the profit and pay less in dividends, so they enhance the organisation and reinvest in the business and try to become the leader or try to do better in future. Anybody who has any kind of interest with any organisation is called a stakeholder. It could be the individuals, groups or the different organisations as well if they are affected by it or affect the actions and decisions of the organisation. In very simple way we can say that, shareholders, employees, suppliers, customers, financial institutes, Government and society, all are stakeholders. Shareholders are always very interested in any kind of decision which effect that dividends that they receive from the profits, but any other decision which reduce the dividend even by a fiction, will not be popular with the shareholders. Employees are the best tool in any organisation in order to generate the profit, so the organisational views, goals and objects should be very clear to them. Suppliers always want to get the regular orders with punctual payment and it can easily effected by the decisions made by the organisations. Customers always want the better value for their money, they always be concerned by the organisational decisions which affect the quality and price of the end products. Financial institutes will try to influence the organisations to get big loans for long periods of time. Government will make new laws and passes the legislations which effects the business and also play a role in decision making. Societies and communities can be effected in many ways by the decision making for an organisation. 3. The new capitalists: There are many organisations and businesses around the world which are funded by the pensioner’s money. Government invest tax payer’s money in many different organisations, businesses and companies all over the world in order to support the pensioners in the society. In this way many times government play a part as a shareholder, when these companies make profits government take its dividend as a shareholder and pay to the pensioners. Conclusion: In first view, the employees are use full tool for generating and maximising the profit for organisations. Stakeholders are very important for any organisation in order to invest or run an organisation and to keep a balance within the society. But in my views an organisation should really serve the stakeholders, they are the one who invest in it, run it and then bring back the cash flow in the form of profit. Q. What are the implications of these differing views for Manager’s development of organisational strategy? A: managers are the agents of stake holders. They represent the stake holder’s needs, expectations, and values. Managers are the basic aspect of an organisation. The basic conflict raises the organisation when the agents, managers put their own views and values ahead of the stakeholder’s values and views and they try to demolish or violate their basic rights. If we keep in mind any of the view mentioned above , in any of the view the stakeholders might be different but they play and have an important role in an organisation, so their needs and expectations needs to be accomplished for the success and progress of the organisation. But some time these rights are violated when the managers put themselves ahead of the stakeholders. Organisations goals and objectives must be coordinated with the stakeholder’s needs and expectations, so that no conflict must rise and every one must be given priority according to their place in the company. Managers are the middle people, they stand in between the goals and objectives of the organization and the needs and expectations of the stakeholders. So the responsibility is on the shoulders of the managers to keep the balance in any of the view mentioned above. Q. â€Å"Stakeholders represent more challenges than opportunities†. Appraise the conflicting needs, power and influence of stakeholders. A: Stakeholder groups are not usually homogeneous, but contain a variety of subgroups with some-what different expectations and power. Most stakeholder group consist of large numbers of individuals (such as customers and stakeholders) and hence can be thought of largely independently of the expectations of individuals within the group. In some cases it consist of a small number of individuals or even single individual (the chairman of the company or minister of the government department). {Exploring corporate strategy; Text and Cases} Any individual or a group of individuals have any kind of interest in any organisation or business is called Stakeholder. These all stakeholders can have a very deep impact on the organisations through their different needs, demands, power and interest, organisations exists to make profits by satisfying the stakeholders. i.Shareholders                                  ii. Employee                                      iii. Suppliers iv. Customers                                   v. Financial Institutes                     vi. Government vii. Society Conflict and Influence: These all different groups of stakeholders have different kinds of interest in the organisations sometimes it could be common and sometimes it could be different. For example in common interest employees and shareholders both have the common interest, which is the success of the organisation and profits which leads to the high dividend for the shareholders and job security for the employees, in the same way suppliers have the interest in expansion and success of the organisation. And in conflicting interest, if an organisation is making profits, wages will rise and it is an expense of dividend but shareholder will not like it. Sometimes organisational growth could be expense of the local community or the environment in general. Organisations have to do the strategic planning for their better future so they can void most elements that can affect it in the future. For example External Pressures (competitors, customers, suppliers, pressure groups and government) and Internal Pressure (managers, managerial commitments, employees and unions). Government can influence the organisations by bringing the new laws, high taxation or by changing the existing laws. Power: Internal stakeholders has a great influence on the organisations because of the authorities and power they have. If the internal stakeholders are satisfy with the facilities and organisational environment/atmosphere , where they work the conditions are good, they will enjoy being working in this kind of environment, but if it is not they can disrupt the organisational plans. Sometimes they can bring uncertainty in the plans and all the organisations needs and depends on the stakeholders. Internal stakeholders have power to delay the performance of strategy and they can threaten the organisational actions or they might refuse to work somewhere else. Shareholders rights to vote and selling their share can make an organisation very vulnerable to make progress. Financial institutes can refuse credit because of organisation’s bad credit history, they can charge high interests or even can take some legal actions for non-payment and in very extreme conditions initiate moves to liquid ate the organisation. Suppliers can demand for high prices in future or even can refuse credit. Customers, who brings the cash flow in the organisations and keep it alive, can go somewhere else where they can get better value for their money, which is not a good sign for any organisation. Government has the power to change any law or to bring the new laws which can affect the progress of an organisation, increasing the taxation, government spending and more legal action can disrupt the future strategies of any organisation. Environmental pressure groups has power to motivate the external stakeholders refusing to buy products/goods or services or by publicising organisational activities as unacceptable. Q. How can organisations manage shareholder conflicts and handle issue of ethics, corporate governance and regulation? A. Corporate Governance: â€Å"Corporate Governance refers to the influence and power of stakeholders to control the strategic direction of the organisation in general and more specifically, the chief executive and other senior officers of the organisation†;                              {Corporate Strategy. Richard Lynch} â€Å"Corporate Governance is a key element in enhancing investor confidence, promoting competitiveness, and ultimately improving economic growth†. (James Wolfensohn, president of World Bank) Corporate governance have a very close relationship with strategy arises from the opportunities given the senior level management to influence the future goals, objects and purpose of the organisation. This senior level management or managers are generally the directors of the organisations. Sometimes public bodies can also have structures of corporate governance and it helps to cover the major issues of any non-profitable sector including the monitoring of the public services, quality and the value for the money achieve by tax payer and charity givers. Corporate governance’s main priority is to protect the shareholders of any organisation, it also helps to protect the overall status of an organisation and its objects against deceitful activities by its directors and officers. In the best interest of an organisation, its business and its shareholders, the directors must always make decisions without bias. Because they are the one who are responsible of the success of an organisation and bring the maximum profit for its shareholders. It should be done ethically and according to the laws and regulations of the framework of the organisation. Corporate governance gives strong confidence to the shareholders that organisation is being well monitored and directors are performing in the way they should. â€Å"Corporate governance is a broad term that has to do with the manner in which the rights and responsibilities are shared among owners, managers and shareholders of a given company. In essence, the exact structure of the corporate governance will determine what rights, responsibilities, and privileges are extended to each of the corporate participants, and to what degree each participant may enjoy those rights. Generally, the foundation for any system of corporate governance will be determined by several factors, all of which help to form the final form of governing the company†.               { wisegeek.com/what-is-corporate-governance.htm} Corporate governance plans different strategies to achieve the shareholders satisfaction. It helps to build the commitment between the managers and shareholders regarding the organisational goals and objectives. It provides a flow of positive information and disaggregation of financial information. Finally the target of maximizing shareholder’s wealth helps planned a strategy and sets valuable objectives for managerial decisions. â€Å"The value of the organisation need to be reflected in its purpose and possibly its mission statement, even the absence of value in the mission itself about the organisation and its view about its role in society, such matters may well reflect the role that the organisation sees itself playing in society, if any, and the responsibilities that flow from this†                          {Corporate Strategy, Richard Lynch} Ethical contemplation may influence corporate strategy at a numbers of levels. For some particular organisations it can be diverse, it doesn’t apply only that how an organisation dealt with its competitors or world at large but it also apply on the many other individuals, who are related with this particular organisation. It can be a customer or a worker. Ethical issues play a key part in the success of any organisation. Any organisation can achieve a good or bad reputation simply the way it behaves with its customers or individuals. Some organisations believe what they are only for making the profits, and ignore their ethical and social responsibilities. They think that the society is quite capable of looking after itself and just concentrate on looking after their shareholders. but on the other hands some believe that they have a responsibilities and role beyond this. This kinds of views in long term are beneficial for the organisation and for the shareholders. These vie ws and mission statement helps for the good provisions for workers, strong ethical beliefs and standards and sponsorship of outside initiatives. In every society such considerations are sometimes unavoidable. These considerations may be very important to perform in that society such as environmental issues that goes beyond legal limits. Maximising of profits or money making is not wrong but it is the way in which some organisation act, and that brings the problem of ethical responsibility/behaviour. The concern of ethics is part of the professionalization of organisations, like welfare of the staff, job security and good environment for staff and customers. Ethical issues are very sensitive and should be dealt with in a highly professional manner. By dealing with ethical issues that an organisation is facing, managers are better able to understand and classify their own moral beliefs. Q: Critically analyse the content and relevance of the mission statements for each of the three different organisations (Pg165), with regards to their goals values and objectives. Tata steel: The history to Tata Steel is more than one hundred year old and was the vision and hardship of a single man, â€Å"Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata†. It is also known as TISCO (Tata Iron and Steel Company Limited). It largest steel company in India and it world’s fifth largest steel company. It took a very long and difficult time to Tata steel to reach at this stage as it is now. Over the daces this company has manage to build up different avenues of effective steel exploitation and predictable intelligence in more than one way. In the days of industrial revolution Tata steel was struggling but the modern scientific methods from the west, helps Tata steel a lot to survive and it is now recognised as a leader in steel industry in India. Vision and mission: â€Å"We aspire to be the global steel industry benchmark for Value Creation and Corporate Citizenship.†Vision Our people, by fostering team work, nurturing talent, enhancing leadership capability and action with pace, pride and passion. Our offer, by becoming the supplier of choice, delivering premium products and services, and creating value for our customers. Our innovative approach, by developing leading edge solutions in technology, processes and products. Our conduct, by providing a safe working place, respecting the environment, caring for our communities and demonstrating high ethical standards. MISSION: Consistent with the vision and values of founder Jamsetji Tata, Tata Steel strives to strengthen India’s industrial base through the effective utilization of staff and materials. The means envisaged to achieve this are high technology and productivity, consistent with modern management practices. Tata steel recognizes that while honesty and integrity are the essential ingredients of a strong and stable enterprise, profitability provides the main spark for economic activity. Overall, the Company seeks to scale the heights of excellence in all that it does in an atmosphere free from fear, and thereby reaffirms its faith in democratic values. {www.tatasteel.com} Conclusion: In Tata Steel’s vision and mission statement it is very clear that this organisation is not only concentrating on profit maximisation to keep the shareholders happy but it seems to be very promising about the ethical standard, working conditions and facilities for their workers. This is the key point for any organisation to survive and flourish for a long time. Tata steel manage to survive over a hundred years by their great commitment to becoming the first choice as a supplier by providing the best products, services and creating the value for their customers, by using the modern technology to process their products. In all these processes they are concern about the environment and communities too. By keeping a good reputation in industrial territory, they are building a good image of India in all over the world. Tata steel’s main object is to become a leader in steel industry by suing all its available resources in an excellent manor and keep happy to all its existing customers and make new customers to bring the maximum profit by keeping its workers satisfy. It is a very challenging object but not impossible. THE METROPOLITAN POLICE: Every country and society have their own police officers, they are there to protect the people and their properties. Police works under the government in order to keep a peace and stability in the society. Government make laws for the betterment of the society and police enforce it, so the communities and societies can benefit. It is very challenging job, they have to be ready all the time for anything might happen. They have authority to catch any body if they are breaking the law or making threats for the society. In all police are there to keep a balance in the community so that people can relax. But in my country satiation is completely upside down. There police can arrest anybody criminal or innocent, in order to take bribe. Mission: Working together for a safer London Increasing public confidence and satisfaction Preventing and reducing crime, disorder and vulnerability Increasing safety and security Improving quality of service Being efficient and effective Values: Working together with all our citizens, all our partners, all our colleagues: We will have pride in delivering quality policing, there is no greater priority We will build trust by listening and responding We will respect and support each other and work as a team We will learn from experience and find ways to be even better               {www.met.police.uk} Metropolitan Police is a non-profitable organisation and its purpose is to meet the needs of people in the community through their services. Like all other organisations, Met police have its own motivations, goals and objects to achieve, which are stated in their mission statement. A non-profitable organisation means, an organisation which is not concern about distributing the dividends to its owners but doing good work and providing the relevant services within the communities. In this case Met Police is helping to provide the safer living standard to the communities. By providing these services Met police does not ask for anything in return from communities, almost everybody who is working within this organisation get paid by the government, apart from the volunteer workers, who work with this organisation just for their inner satisfaction only. Villeroy Boch   Villeroy Boch is a very old company and its history goes back to 1748. It started in a village of Audun-le-Tiche in Duchy of Lorraine by Francois Boch. In the beginning it stared manufacturing ceramic tableware, plates, cups, pots and tureens, in simple shapes but excellent quality. This company has achieve the international reputation through its commitment and focusing the quality of its products and still focusing on the better quality life style products. This company have its own reputation regarding to its high quality and brand name and generate the annual sale of Euro 715 million in 2009. VISION: Villeroy Boch’s vision is to â€Å"be the leading European lifestyle brand with high competence and trend-setting style for high-end design and living.†It is very clear that Villeroy Boch want to be a European leader by providing their customer good quality products. Its focus is to satisfy its customers need and demand. UNIQUENESS:  Its all-inclusive approach and high degree of diversification which are focused on the two concept areas â€Å"the single-source bathroom and the completely laid table Error! Hyperlink reference not valid. Product Innovations Design competence Focus on customer’s demands and choice Leader in lifestyle brand Conclusion: As it is a European leader it has to be very innovative and creative in order to survive and maintain its position in the market, it has high quality, high purchase products so it has to satisfy its customers. It is a customer valued organisation, the products and the services that are provided to customers or consumers, their needs and expatiations, values and choices are kept in mind. It has very unique resource of research to keep its reputation as a leader in the market and giving priority and keeping focus to its customer’s choices which is kept changing according to the time. REFERANCES: 1. Exploring corporate strategy; Text and Cases 2. Corporate Strategy. Richard Lynch 3. James Wolfensohn, president of World Bank 4. www.wisegeek.com/what-is-corporate-governance.htm 5. www.tatasteel.com 6. www.met.police.uk 7.www.villeroy-boch.com
Saturday, November 23, 2019
Free Essays on L eonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci was one of the greatest inventor-scientist of recorded history. His genius was unbounded by time and technology, and was driven by his insatiable curiosity, and his intuitive sense of the laws of nature. Da Vinci was dedicated to discovery of truth and the mysteries of nature, and his insightful contributions to science and technology were legendary. As the archetypical Renaissance man, Leonardo helped set an ignorant and superstitious world on a course of reason, science, learning, and tolerance. He was an internationally renowned inventor, scientists, engineer, architect, painter, sculptor, musician, mathematician, anatomist, astronomer, geologists, biologist, and philosopher in his time. Born in 1452 as an illegitimate son of Ser piero da Vinci, da Vinci was sent to Florence in his teens to apprentice as a painter under Andrea del Verrocchio. He quickly developed his own artistic style which was unique and contrary to tradition, even going so far as to devised his own special formula of paint. His style was characterized by diffuse shadows and subtle hues and marked the beginning of the High Renaissance period. Like many great original efforts, da Vinci's artistic style was largely unpopular for the next quarter century. Later Da Vinci became the court artist for the duke of Milan. Throughout his life he also served various other roles, including civil engineer and architect (designing mechanical structures such as bridges and aqueducts), and military planner and weapons designer (designing rudimentary tanks, catapults, machine guns, and even navel weapons). Da Vinci's creative, analytic, and visionary inventiveness has yet to be matched.... Free Essays on L eonardo da Vinci Free Essays on L eonardo da Vinci Leonardo da Vinci was one of the greatest inventor-scientist of recorded history. His genius was unbounded by time and technology, and was driven by his insatiable curiosity, and his intuitive sense of the laws of nature. Da Vinci was dedicated to discovery of truth and the mysteries of nature, and his insightful contributions to science and technology were legendary. As the archetypical Renaissance man, Leonardo helped set an ignorant and superstitious world on a course of reason, science, learning, and tolerance. He was an internationally renowned inventor, scientists, engineer, architect, painter, sculptor, musician, mathematician, anatomist, astronomer, geologists, biologist, and philosopher in his time. Born in 1452 as an illegitimate son of Ser piero da Vinci, da Vinci was sent to Florence in his teens to apprentice as a painter under Andrea del Verrocchio. He quickly developed his own artistic style which was unique and contrary to tradition, even going so far as to devised his own special formula of paint. His style was characterized by diffuse shadows and subtle hues and marked the beginning of the High Renaissance period. Like many great original efforts, da Vinci's artistic style was largely unpopular for the next quarter century. Later Da Vinci became the court artist for the duke of Milan. Throughout his life he also served various other roles, including civil engineer and architect (designing mechanical structures such as bridges and aqueducts), and military planner and weapons designer (designing rudimentary tanks, catapults, machine guns, and even navel weapons). Da Vinci's creative, analytic, and visionary inventiveness has yet to be matched....
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Geisha Girls In Japan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words
Geisha Girls In Japan - Essay Example The concept of geisha and geisha girls believed to be started from the 17 the century onwards in Japanese community even though the history of Japan shows that even in the 9 Th and 11th centuries some girls performed dances for warriors and other upper classes of the society. Young girls were forcefully sold into the geisha life by their families until the mid-20th century and their virginity was sold to the highest bidder. Prostitution was strongly associated with the geisha girls. Even the dance forms geisha girls perform were erotic and sex provoking. By tradition, Japanese society is not giving much importance to the one girl for one man concept. For them, sex was not a sin, but a much needed psychological need. It was quite possible for a person to have sex with the wife of another person if both of them were in love with each other. Japanese males had the habit of selecting their wives just for producing healthy children. They gave least considerations to the aspects of love an d sexual relationships when they selected their partners for marriage. The duty of the wives was childbearing and looking after of the children. Japanese males looked for geisha girls for their true sexual needs and love relationships. Thus geisha girls had more roles in Japanese male life than their wives. Moreover, they had more importance in Japanese social life also compared to the other normal females. The profession of geisha girls was considered as a glorified profession similar to the professions of current film celebrities.
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Virtual Organizations and Simulation Exercises Needs Document Assignment
Virtual Organizations and Simulation Exercises Needs Document - Assignment Example Those can be divided into three separate categories, based on their content and purpose: The ordering process functions, the website functions and the decision making functions. The ordering functions of the system must provide the full flow of a customer order from the time it is requested by the customer to the sales person, until the final bill issuance. The sales person must be able to register the order of the customer, and pass it via the shop’s wireless network to the order preparation room. Order preparation personnel will receive the order and start preparing all items included in it. At the same time items will inform an items inventory database which has to be maintained. Sales person in charge of the order must be informed with a message when the order is ready in order to fetch it and deliver it to the customer. In that way no time will be missed at all as the sales person can be busy with many orders in parallel. At the time when the customer asks for the bill, s ales person sends a message to the central computer system. The receipt is automatically printed and is delivered to the customer, so that the waiting time for bill issuance is minimal. The items inventory database will keep statistics about the item preferences of the customers per area and/or customer group and help in decision making. In that way, important conclusions will be possible to be drawn by the analysis of the items data by the firm managers, that will help in the decision making process. For instance, the items information can be aggregated by shop location, by season, by customer target group and age, leading to very important marketing decisions. In addition, inventory database will be used for on-time replenishment of the items from the external wholesale vendors of the firm. (Inventory control). In that way, the continuous replenishment of all the items at the shop will be guaranteed, and the possibility of items shortage that could cause customer complaints will b e minimized. The website application of the restaurant (www.krudlerfinefoods.com) must display information such as shops location, chef and staff profile, and items menu. A dynamic update of the content must be possible to be made at any time by shop manager (to add the menu of the day, special offers etc). The customer must be able to pre-order specific items so that they are ready when he arrives at the shop. In addition the system must provide to the customer an estimation of the time that will take from the moment that he enters the shop until he is served, based on the day and time of the order, and on statistical data that will be maintained by shop manager. (e.g. time to serve could vary from 5 minutes on a regular day to 20 minutes on weekends). Customers should be able to contact the shop for leaving suggestions, feedback or any complaints. Application must support automatic and custom message sending to customers (Happy birthday, season’s greetings, promotions, even ts etc). Use Cases The Use cases of the above functional requirements are presented below. Use case: Submit order Customer orders, sales person inserts the order in system, order is sent to preparation room, preparation room employee receives and prepares order, order items inventory is reduced. Use case: Order delivery and payment Preparation room employee sends message that order is ready, sales person receives message, sales
Sunday, November 17, 2019
Social Issue Essay Example for Free
Social Issue Essay â€Å"We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools. †As Martin Luther King Jr. once said, the world must go far beyond than our differences and we must love each other for what we are. And Afghanistan religion is not an exception. Amir is the son of Baba, a wealthy businessman and a Pashtun Muslim, he also goes to school, owns books and wears fancy outfits. Hassan, on the other side of the coin, is the son of Ali, a member of the Hazaras and Amir’s personal servant. He does not attend school and is analphabetic and wears pitiable clothes. And despite the fact they live in the same property, Amir’s dwelling is the most beautiful and opulent house in town, meanwhile the servant child lives in a humble cabin down by their garden. The Kite Runner clearly exposes the social inequality of Amir and Hassan upon the different lifestyles of the characters, the education they are given and of course the discrimination upon the ethnic groups they each belong to. The three main points already mentioned, clearly exemplify the immense social gap inside the Afghanistan culture. To begin with, the ethnic conflict and the discrimination issue in Afghanistan have been around from years in such culture. The Hazaras on one side, are the minority group among the society, they belong to the peasant class and throughout centuries, they have been persecuted and exterminated by the members of the nation’s ruling class: The Pashtuns. â€Å"Afghanistan is the land of Pashtuns. It always has been, always will be. We are the true Afghans, the pure Afghans†(Hosseini, K. (The Kite Runner), 2003 p. 22). Nevertheless, Amir and his father Baba are members of this religious sector; in fact, they are one of the wealthiest families in North Kabul. Hassan and Ali, on the other side, were part of the Hazaras and due to their Mongol features and cultural status, they constantly tend to receive social and physical discrimination. And although these two Islamic branches tend to live together assorted inside the same land, their social disparities are enormous. And which better example to portrayed this idea, than Hassan and Amir themselves. They both live in the same location and nearly eat the same food, but the society’s views about them are completely dissimilar. The Pashtun boy is seen as a fruitful and pure soul; however, Hassan is perceived as a filthy and foolish fellow with no certain future. Second of all, the education received by Amir is completely unlike the one given to Hassan. This Pashtun lad attends an upright school in Kabul, where he is taught how to write and read. At home, he frequently enjoys reading several sorts of tales and even writes his own short stories. Hassan’s education, however, was exactly the opposite: he doesnt know how to write or to read. He works most part of the day and attends no school at all. The only kind of â€Å"education†this poor Hazara child will ever obtain, is the one given by Amir from time to time, when he teaches him the definition of a few words from the books he reads to him. Just for the fact he belongs to a social minority, Hassan will never in his life do anything but to cook or clean before others. And no matter how hard he struggles, he will never be given the chance to attend any school, will never be given the chance to read and will never be given the chance to write. â€Å"After all, what use did a servant have for the written words? †(Hosseini, K. (The Kite Runner), 2003 p. 37). Pursuing this further, the Afghans kids’ lifestyles are completely unlike. When both lads get up in the morning they follow a very similar routine, however lived from utterly different perspectives. When Amir wakes up in the morning, he comfortably eats his breakfast. When Hassan wakes up, he prepares Amir’s breakfast. While Hassan makes his bed, polish his school shoes and ironed his uniform, Amir complains about homework and how tough is school. â€Å"When the sun dropped low behind the hills and we were done playing for the day, Hassan and I parted ways. I went past the rosebushes to Baba’s mansion and Hassan to the mud shack where he had been born, where he’d lived his entire life. †(Hosseini, K. (The Kite Runner), 2003 p. 24). This is one of the greatest example of the social disparity in Afghanistan, where the younger generation’s future is strictly related to the their religious group. Amir, for instance will have a successful life, crowded of opportunities and joyful moments, meanwhile Hassan will grow old enough to become dust in the wind. However, Amir and Hassan both grew under the same roof and spent the first twelve years of their lives playing together. They learned how to crawl together, they even taught each other how to ride a bicycle with no hands. They spent entire winters flying kites, running kites, watching westerns at the cinema and chasing each other between tangles of trees in Baba’s house. Never mind any of those things. Because history isn’t easy to overcome. Neither is religion. In the end, Amir was a Pashtun and Hassan was a Hazara, he was rich and he was poor, and nothing was ever going to change that. Nothing. Given these points, we can conclude the differences upon Amir’s and Hassan’s education, their unlike lifestyle and the discrimination throughout The Kite Runner’s main characters are undoubtedly originated upon their ethnical position. Just for the fact Hassan is not a Pashtun Muslim, just for the fact he belongs to social minority, just for the fact he is different, he is destined to live this rotten life eternally. However, Amir will be given the chance to live his own life. He will study hard and become one of the many wealthy men in Kabul. He will drive his opulent family in an opulent car to his opulent house, where Hassan and his child will be waiting for them inside their mud shack. The same mud shack where they have live their entire miserable life. It is incredible how the religious distinctions between them, greatly affect their existence. But it is a fact. The Pashtuns and the Hazaras discrimination in Afghanistan is happening. And no matter how hard they struggle, Amir and Hassan can not escape from this reality where each of these two innocent boys stands as an example of the social inequality in Afghanistan. Reference List: -Hosseini, K. (2003). The Kite Runner. New York: Riverhead.
Friday, November 15, 2019
Repeal Abortion Laws Now :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics
Repeal Abortion Laws Now Why do the abortion laws stay on the books? One reason is the apparent inability or unwillingness of those who advocate population limitation to see the connection. (This does not apply to Planned Parenthood-World Population, which in November, 1968, passed resolutions calling for repeal of the abortion laws in support of its declared policy of voluntary parenthood.) By 1968, almost all the major religious groups in the United States except the Roman Catholic Church were on record in favor of abortion-law reform or repeal. The American Baptist Convention and the Universalist/Unitarian Church came out for total repeal. And public opinion polls demonstrated that a majority of people, including a majority of the Catholics asked about the issue, favored at least some liberalization of the laws. But the opposition of the Catholic Church is potent and well organized. The Church holds that the fetus is "ensouled" at conception. In his encyclical Humanae Vitae in July of 1968, Pope Paul said, "We must once again declare that the direct interruption of the generative process already begun and above all, directly willed and procured abortion, even if for therapeutic reasons, are to be absolutely excluded as licit means of regulating birth." To this unequivocal statement--which is, of course, not the law in any American state, since all states permit abortion at least to save the life of the mother--the Pope adds an "Appeal to Public Authorities." He says, "To Rulers, who are those principally responsible for the common good, and who can do so much to safeguard moral customs, we say: Do not allow the morality of your people to be degraded; do not permit that by legal means practices contrary to the natural and divine law be introduced into that fundamental cell, the Family....May all responsible public authorities--as some are already doing so laudably--generously revive their efforts." I submit that insofar as this is an appeal to Catholic officials in this country, it must clearly be disregarded, because it is inconsistent with the laws of the land. By issuing such an "Appeal to Public Authorities," the Pope has placed in a very difficult position those Catholics who occupy public positions in this or in any country where separation of church and state is constitutionally or otherwise basically guaranteed. They must choose, for example, when it comes to abortion for the therapeutic reason even of saving the life of the woman between their obligations to their church and their obligations to their state.
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Development Strategy of Luxury Company Essay
1. Introduction â€Å"As long as there is a society, there will always be fashion†. It was not surprised a fashion brands, especially a luxury fashion brands became a national treasure which effect the issues in business, political and social area in European countries. Since the Hermas established in 1837, a special development strategy model has formed and matured in European luxury group. Daniele de winter, the CEO of Daniele de Winter Cosmetics state that â€Å"the secret of successful fashion management is a complete blend of creative genius and business management acumen, skill and resourcefulness†. The develop strategy is the key issue for a successful luxury fashion company. With the development of economy and the increase of income, more and more luxury fashion companies expand their business into Asia- Pacific region, especially the Hong Kong and mainland China market. According to the annual report of Richemont, The Pinault-Printemps-Redoute (PPR), Hemes, Bulberry and other luxury fashion companies, the sale revenue of Asia- Pacific region accounts for more than 30% of the Group total revenue. The Change of Global Luxury Fashion Market. The word â€Å"luxury†origin from Latin word â€Å"luxuria†, which means an item that â€Å"is expensive and enjoyable but no essential (Waite, 2012)†. In 186 BCE, the victory of army of Gnaeus Manlius Vulso brought such overseas luxury as bronze couches, and costly cloth spreads into Rome. For some Roman historians, the triumph of Vulso marked as the beginning of luxury industry in Europe. With the development of centres, modern luxury fashion industry has become a cross-sectors industry which offers high price goods and service for target consumers. However, in the space of two decades, the modern luxury market has changed beyond recognition. The narrow range of need and demand of target consumers and the exclusive- distribution channels, represented by French Fashion, have been replaced by a mass industry, accompanied by expansion brands with an affordable price by a wider range of consumers. Since the beginning of 1990s, the luxury industry has been recognised and restructured by designers and the fashion designers become the creator of art. According to the statistics from France Economic and Social Council in 2008 (France Economic and Social Council, 2008), with the strategy of â€Å"physical shop/ store†and expansion brands benefit seven million euros. Depending on the diversion and internationalisation, the luxury industry becomes an industry with wider consumers. For example, Hemes, managed by Jean-Louis Dumas, diversities their goods and creates new products. The French luxury manufacture gets a successful on brand art by purchasing crystal brand Saint Louis and Silversmith Puiforcat. Similarly, Richemont Family, the main competitor of French brand, also control numbers of brands, such as Carites, Baume & Mercier and Van Cleef & Arpells. The second change of luxury industry is the transformation from the handmade custom to industrial standardisation. Taking LVMH as example, there are three cores of product, as wines and spirit, luggage and leather, and fashion and perfume industry. The famous brands in luxury world, like as Moet & Chandon, Loewe, Vuitton, Givenchy, Kenzo, Dior and Guerlain, standardise the products like other heavy industries. Along with the profit-seeking financial logic, the marketing and the product standardisation become the major notion with the concept of large-scale product. In the new centre, the concept of luxury industry and the demand of consumers are changing all the time. â€Å"Heritage and Prestige†is the landmark of lots of luxury brands and the enduring value of numbers of particular brands. Comparing with the old style luxury brand â€Å"which used to be a heritage brand†(Coste-Maniere, et al. , 2012), the new concept of luxury, developed by Louis Vuitton and Burberry, means accepted by more consumers. For the occasional customers, they just enjoy the â€Å"right of luxury†in physical store against with the traditional customer-exclusive. In the new era, increasing the number of customers buy the fashion product they could afford, rather than become the royal consumer due to the high price. Consequently, emphasis of consumer need and the competitive advantage means centralising the core value and expending brand boundary simultaneously. 2. 2 The Development Strategy Model of Luxury Fashion Brand The luxury fashion brand originate in European countries which have plentiful historical and cultural background. With the development of servial centres, the luxury fashion industry in European, American and Japanese have become mature and standarlisation. Under this circumstance, the strategy of luxury development in western countries centralize on the brand expansion, striving for the core products and development of brand reputation. 2. 2. 1 Brand Expansion: the Foundational Strategy Under the press of financial-seeking strategy and the changeable of luxury market, the old style luxury fashion brand faces the challenge of development in the mature market in traditional European, American and Japanese region. Under this circumstance, the expansion of brands has become the foundational strategy for a large number of luxury fashion corporates, which offer a new opportunity to stress the brand image, the most significant assets for a luxury fashion company. (Albrecht, et al. , 2013; Uggla & Lashgari, 2012; Hoffmann & Coste-Maniere, 2012)Many luxury companies breakthrough the traditional product boundary and expensed their business into new market segmentations. For instance, Louis Vuitton, beginning with luggage, invested in other creative spheres: ready-to-wear industry as well as jewellery market (LVMH, 2012), and Gucci, beginning with leather goods, developed all sets of fashion products including leather goods, shoes, ready-to-wear, watches, jewellery and other products. (PPR, 2012). Meanwhile, there are some companies expensed segments into non-traditional area. For example, the luxury jewellery manufacture Bulgari and Italian brand Versace started to offer hotel under their brand (LVMH, 2012) and Armani provide different products from books, furniture and chocolates to restaurants, bars and spas. The another Italian luxury brand, Roberro Cavalli, famous for its fashion apparel for young generation, offer wine and vodka as well as run coffee bar (The Cavalli Caffe) and club (The Cavalli Club). 2. 2. 2 Striving for the Core: The Product Strategy For a global corporate, it is common rules of development depend on the core production or service and then diversification. However, even as diversification, the excellence core production and the strongest sectors within the luxury brands continued to earn the majority of its profits from the traditional products. (Ahrendts, 2013; Beverland, 2005; Miller & Mills, 2012). For luxury consumer, they expect to acquire a honorable brands and product so that they emphase on the value of core heritage. The leather goods, the core of Gucci Group, earn 59% of its revenue in 2012 (PPR, 2012). The iconic luggage is the tradition from the time corporate was founded and become the brand image of the LVMH Group. (LVMH, 2011) The turning of Burberry from a ageing British brand to a global luxury brand is a successful product strategy transition. Before 2006, through in a burgeoning global market. Burberry faced a low growth at a rate of 2 percentage every year and two competitors – LVMH and PPR had more than 12 times and 16 times Burberry’s sale revenue. By surving the sectors among Burberry products all over the world, the results indicate the outerwear, as the core, only accourted of 20% of Burberry’s global brand business. Figure 1: the Facts and Financial Statistics of Burberry (Resource from: Burberry, Yahoo Finance) [pic] After brainstorming and formalizing from the administrative board, the New Jersey factore which is making polo shirts was closed and invested in the Casteford factory in Yorkshire which make the heritage trech coat included traditional rainwear and exclusive waterproof gabardine. Burberry also hire Christopher Bailey as the global designer for innovation of core products. The facts and financial statistic of Burberry from 2006 to 2012 in Figure 1 showed that the decision to focus on the heritage opened up a wealth of creativity. By the end of 2012, the sale revenues and operating income had doubled than previous 5 years, achieving $3 billion and $600 billion respectively. (Burberry, 2007; Burberry, 2012) 2. 2. 3 The Brand Reputation: The Brand Strategy The brand is the most valuable part of luxury goods and the motivity of luxury consumption. Once separating from the luxury brand, the goods is the ordinary one. Every successful company sees the brand as the most valuable fortune. they use the advanced marketing logic and marketing operation to motivate the development, explore approaches to express the value and connotation of brands to luxury consumers and attract the royality of customers. As a tool of art, a carrier of history, and a spirit of classic, building-up a high quiality reputation is brand strategy for luxury companies. Since founded in 1847, Cartier, as one of the most established name in the jewellay market, is the reference of ture and timeless luxury. Designing by Cartier, the product distinguishes itself by the unique skills and excellence in design and execution. Nearly in 30 years, the extensive art activities are not competitive without the support by the Foundation Crtier pour l’Art Contemporain (Richemont, 2013). With the development of brand reputation, Cartier is the synonym of modern art and a pioneering approach. Meanwhile, most of luxury brands come from the centre of Renaissance 2. 3 The Features of Chinese Luxury Market Chinese market places the second place in the world of luxury consumption, surpassing the United States since 2008. Along with Japan, China is the strongest market with the increasing demand of 20 percentages. The consulting report from Glob Advantage estimate there are 18 thousand billionaires, 440 thousand multimillionaires and increasing the number of middle class achieving 250 million in 2015 in today’s China (Degen, 2009), which have the strong purchase power and need of luxury fashion industry. Even with the influence of the financial crisis, the sale revenue of luxury fashion in the mainland China rose by 16 percent, reaching about 64 billion RMB. The market research about Chinese market laid a foundation for the development and expansion strategy of luxury brands. The shifting attitudes to luxury brands, the greater sophistication of Chinese consumers and the new geographic markets have become the main features of Chinese luxury market. The three characteristics drive the global strategy of development for luxury brands. Figure 2 According to the survey of McKinsey & Company (KPMG, 2013), with the rapidly increase of income, more and more Chinese consumers shifts the attitude to luxury and feel comfortable to purchasing luxury products. The rich consumers which income over 300,000 RMB continued occupy the majority of the luxury purchase. Meanwhile, the statistics show that, the upper middle class (between 100,000 RMB and 200,000 RMB), which account for 22% of luxury goods purchase by the end of 2015, as the Figure 2 suggested, offers the biggest new growth opportunity. 2. 3. 1 The increasing number of overseas travel In the information era, Chinese consumers have become more sophisticated than before. With the surge in the number of luxury stores, fashion magazine, the Web official site and the use of social media, Chinese consumers familiar with the luxury brands with the help of Internet, overseas travel, and the first-hand experience. For example, the research result indicated that in the last 12 months, the Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macro and Europe become the main destinations of overseas luxury purchase. Figure 3: Where did you purchase your cosmetics in the last 12 months? (Resource from: Global Reach of China Luxury of KPMG) [pic] 2. 3. 2 The increase of new market segmentation The rapidly growth of urbanisation and individual wealth emerge large quantity of geographic markets with sizable pools of luxury-goods consumptions. The luxury purchase and sale revenue of some medium and small cities, such as Qingdao in Shandong province and Wuxi in Zhejiang province, tripled than the previous 5 years. In the following years, the luxury consumption in these medium and small cities will achieve the same level with Hangzhou and Nanjing, the most developed market in mainland China, the sale of which will arrive at RMB 500 million yuan and account for 76% of whole market. 2. 3. 3 The increasing of Counterfeit goods Love for luxury, preference for counterfeit is a unique phenomenon in luxury consumption in Chinese luxury market. According to a report entitled â€Å"Transnational Organized Crime in East Asia and the Pacific†from Office on Drugs and Crime, almost 70% of global counterfeits luxury goods come from China and the value of counterfeit luxury goods imported into traditional luxury market on the order of $25 billion annually. In a confusion society , the luxury consumption of Chinese consumers become more irrationally than western consumer, which depended on the extenral need rather internal need (Zhang & Kim, 2013). For Chinese consumers, luxury brands are somethings â€Å"must to have†for them to reinforce their social status. however, the wealth gap between the rich and the poor in China is the largest all over the world, which offer the passion for consumption of luxury counterfeits. The young generation, aged 25 to 34 with limited budget for genuine luxury fashion goods, racked up nearly a quarter fo fake fanciers. 2. 4 The Passion for Luxury Consumption of Chinese consumers China is the second largest luxury market all over the world and attracting the attention of consumption of Chinese consumers. Under the influence of unique economic situation, cultural background and social factor, the behaviour of Chinese consumers in luxury fashion market have the distinctive characteristics. The bling factor influenced by economic situation, the saving face affected by the Confucianism and group orientation as the social factor drive the luxury consumption in Chinese fashion market. 2. 4. 1 The â€Å"Bling†Factor With the emerging of Internet, fashion magazines and social media, more and more Chinese consumers know the brands of luxury brands. However, the cultural concept and history of the luxury fashion brands are far away from numbers of Chinese luxury consumers. For many luxury fashion firms, there is not one typical luxury customer in China due to the different habits, different tastes and different income levels. The â€Å"bling†factor or following the whole market trend remains an important factor for the Chinese consumer in luxury fashion market. For example, according to luxury consumer report of Chinese market, almost 60 percent of the respondents in Tier 1 cities including Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Beijing, Shanghai and other Tier 2 cities, stated that the key drivers for luxury consumption is the willingness to pay a product that just is popular or fashionable goods. Exclusivity or unique is an important understanding of luxury brand for Chinese consumption. There are about one fifth of customers consider that they will pay the luxury goods that are known and appreciated by the minority rather than the famous one. In terms of China’s unique cultural background, the Chinese consumers consider luxury brand value influenced by Confucianism. In the concept of Confucian, the notion of â€Å"mianzi†is defined as a reputation â€Å"achieved through getting on in through success and ostentation†. (Hu, 1944; Dong & Lee, 2007) The traditional cultural understanding and effecting about the face saving becomes the strongest and most conspicuous passion for luxury consumption, which means concerning about the impress to other and the visual display than the level of income. The Chinese consumer in luxury world trend to pay a premium product on the luxury brand rather than essential goods in daily life, due to strong desire and pressure of maintaining face. Taking the finding of KPMG as the example, comparing with the apparel, the stronger growth of market for fashion accessories is considerable. Nearly 40% of luxury consumers enjoy the luxury experiences and â€Å"the right of luxury†in a physical store/shop over purchases of luxury items. Overall, the face saving (saving mianzi) relates to the individual image of worth and reputation within a collectivism society. As the result, Chinese consumers are often careful not to lose face by standing out from the crowed when consuming luxury goods. The general strategy Although the market has its particular features, the development of luxury fashion strategy in Chinese luxury market is followed the general rules of luxury firms in global market. As the foundation strategy, the brand extension and production diversification also provide the base of the development in Chinese luxury market. The apparel, handbag, jewellery, fashion accessories and luxury servicers are offered in mainland China, especially in Tier 1 cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. Promoting the sale revenue of the core products in mainland China, as the product strategy, enhances the brand awareness in Chinese market. Expanding the influence, luxury fashion firms invest large amount of money to popularize the brand reputation as a simple of elegance and grandeur as well as the means of fashion and art. The marketing strategy: raising brand awareness. Due to the lower brand awareness and lack of knowledge of brand value, the royalty of brand in Chinese market is lower than its in traditional European market. The special situation provides a strong externally powerful tool, which means not only expand the value of the luxury brand into a regular group of consumers, but also sway them making a purchase. In recent year, luxury fashion firm invest increasing the number of budget into Chinese market not only promote the brand awareness, but also help the consumers inform a notion about †luxury goods and luxury lifestyle†and why they should purchase luxury goods and luxury services. The brand building-up develop based not only the advertising on hard paper and television, also included the display on luxury goods exhibition and the customised publications. Nowadays, more and more luxury fashion goods exhibition held in Beijing, Shanghai and other cities, which offer a good opportunity for Chinese consumers to visit the luxury goods frequently displayed in store. Meanwhile, more and more consumers visiting the exhibition are not an onlooker. The localisation strategy. The luxury fashion brand with high brand awareness contain the European and American culture and value which is living standard of high level, the product and design of high quality. Those values accepted by and attract young generation who trend to, however, it is not accepted by all Chinese consumers who have their own value. Respecting to Chinese traditional culture and integrated it into the product value is the essential of luxury fashion business in China. For example, Louis Vuitton setting Du Juan, the one of top Chinese model all over the world, and advertising as the Chinese image step one right place on direction and help western luxury fashion companies overcome the cultural barriers. This kind of strategy could build up strong attachments among Chinese consumers and help them accepted the unique characteristic of luxury fashion brands. The pricing strategy Price is one of the most significant signals in Chinese business world. For most Chinese consumers, price represented the value of luxury fashion goods. As a result, the luxury fashion products should not go on discount, no matter what the consumer is. The pricing strategy about goods, especially about core products, could bolster a brand’s prestige. For other items, companies could adjust the price according to the market condition and the inventory in order to long-term brand building. The retailing strategy A stupendous store belongs to the luxury fashion company located in the luxury area build up a sense of important and identified by the market. The luxury fashion positioning enhanced if the boutiques are visible to a lot of consumer in major fashion cities. The landmark stores opened in Chinese Tier 1 cities, such as Beijing, Hangzhou and Guangzhou, are the best locations to building the brand image and attracting the target customer groups. The commercial centres and shopping malls in luxury area are welcomed by most of fashion lovers, luxury followers and luxury intellectuals. Meanwhile, the investment on the landmark store is the best and effective way to generate profits and build-up brand royalty. In an Internet era, shopping online has become the major shopping way, especially for the young people. Although most luxury fashion companies have shied away from online channels due to the fearing that e-commerce might reduce the value of the luxury brand. However, for a long-term return and brand building, online platform provides not only a purchase channel, but also an information exchange channel between luxury fashion brand and Chinese consumers. With the developing of GDP and individual income of consumers, the global luxury fashion market and such the emerging market as China, have become the strategic focus of luxury market researcher and the consult company. This report attempts to identify development strategy of the luxury fashion brand, especially in mainland China market through the analysis of the change of global luxury fashion brand, overview of Chinese luxury market and the passion for luxury consumption. All those factors were identified depend on a comprehensive review of luxury fashion goods related researches and market consulting reports. The findings of this study provide a new insight of global and Chinese luxury fashion market for the consumers who interests the luxury fashion brand and a clear strategy guide for market managers of the luxury fashion firms, particular in the time of the company expand their business in mainland China. In addition, the study helps reduce the risks and costs of market research and helps the company overcome the huge gap in a multicultural business environment. First, the findings about the global luxury fashion market and the general development strategy in luxury fashion market all over the world indicated that the achieving the growth while remaining exclusive positioning, and attracting more consumers without losing cachet of brand value is the core strategy for every luxury corporates. The more loyal consumers may weaken due to the popular brands launched in the market because they choose pay a premium goods that majority and identified by small group. Consequently, the balance between growth and unique, the price and quality may be tougher in China than in any other market. However, customization develops quickly as the new trend of luxury fashion industry. The customizing activities have launched in different business sectors, but which is yet adopted by the luxury industry on a board. At presents, the customization just limited on the area of fashion accessories, apparel, handbags, and jewellery, and emphasising on customizing standard products, point of delivery customization and service and producing bespoke goods. Secondly, the increasing the number of consumers, overseas traveller, new market segments and the counterfeits goods have become the main features in the Chinese luxury fashion market in recent years. The features are important of stress the benefits of investment in mainland China. Based on the research findings, International marketers should setting extension strategy that is coherent with branding, merchandising and global image by serving China’s globetrotting shoppers, striking the balance between store numbers and quality and focusing anti-counterfeit goods. For Chinese globetrotting shoppers, the customer relationship management should emphasis global view rather than on mainland China. In the view of higher management board, the corporate organisational structure of the luxury fashion company should reflect the significant of Chinese market by sorting up the processes for generating direct communication between Chinese luxury consumers and the home headquarter. Based on the new market segmentation, the luxury company should upgrade current stores and outlets in order to keep consistent with the global image and emphasis on the business in Tier 1 cities. As the market statistics indicated that the luxury counterfeit goods have become the barriers for development in China, including seizing sale revenue and weakening brand value. Luxury fashion companies should co-operate with customs officials to seize fake goods at ports. Working with international national organisation or international associations should be the third path for anti-counterfeit activities. The co-operation should ranges from such international associations as World Intellectual Property to regional groups like US-focused International Anti-Counterfeits Coalition. Thirdly, the research findings about the passions for Chinese luxury fashion consumption indicated that the â€Å"bling†customers who lack of knowledge about luxury fashion goods or just following the trend account of a part of Chinese luxury consumers. Besides that, Chinese luxury consumption deeply influenced by saving faces and group orientation, which are the part of traditional Confusion value. Targeting different drivers of luxury consumption, managers should have different strategies. For the bling customers, the global luxury firms should invest in improving the brand awareness and expanding the brand value, which could offer a global opportunity to attracting potential customers and building loyalty and repeat customer groups. For the consumers who care about saving face, International luxury fashion markers should draw the outline of visual and outward appearance of rank and status when unfolding their marketing activities. Meanwhile, the companies should emphasise the brand’s country of origin, so the Chinese consumers have the confident to identified and distinguished with other mass products. In addition, the package of luxury goods also need to be recognisable in order to fit the moderate and lifestyle associated with Chinese consumers. Furthermore, in light of the results about group orientation, the management board company should stress the profit of luxury fashion goods as a symbol of social marker and the sale assistants inspire consumer purchases because of the goods could generate a sense of group belonging and conformity of the elite. Due to the group belonging, a special attention should be given to the layout of the physical store and the luxury service of sale staff. No matter who is the consumer, friends will be involved during the decision making process and become potential consumers in the future. Proving high-quality services and creating luxury experience for non-buyers also benefit for making sure that the brand accepted by group and that the consumer does not stand out from others. Finally, about the current expansion strategy in mainland China market, most of luxury fashion companies emphasis the strategy on marking, localization, pricing and retailing coherent with the global business aims. Raising brand awareness and expressing the luxury lifestyle lay the foundation of marketing strategy. In order to respect to Chinese traditional culture, luxury brands should integrate Chinese culture and art into design, package, and store layout of products, which accepted easily by Chinese consumers in different social class. Meanwhile, the research findings indicated that the price is the most important factor which influenced Chinese luxury consumption. Luxury marketers should balance the price between Chinese market and overseas. As for the retailing strategy, the luxury brand stresses the developing of boutiques store and the setting up online distribution channels. However, there are several special attention should be given to price gap between China and overseas, and the online distribution channels. On one hand, comparing with that rarely go on discount in mainland China, the luxury fashion goods is often at a discount at overseas, especially for the non-core products and in the time of Christmas or Summer Sale. On the other hand, the high rate of tax and fees raise up the price of luxury fashion goods in mainland China. According to the law and regulations in China, a luxury fashion goods, such as the eye cream of Estee Lauder native to the UK, is imported into Chinese market with 10% import tariff, 30% consumption tax, 5% sales tax and 17% value-add tax. Including the managing fees, advertising costs and other issues, the price of the eye cream is double in the UK. In the respect of the luxury company, the appreciate discount in Chinese market could promote the desire of consumption and boost the sale revenue; in the respect of tax policy makers in mainland China, reducing the rate of import tariff and consumption tax of international luxury fashion goods could Finally, luxury fashion goods, as a subject of nature, play different or scenarios, different income level, education background, and social – economic factors, as well as exam the type of relationship that seek from luxury fashion brands. On the view of passions for luxury consumption, there are many other drivers, such as collection, appreciation, should take the consideration into further research.
Sunday, November 10, 2019
Marketing Strategy of Viet Nam Toyota Inc
TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION1 1. Overview Toyota motor Corporation1 2. Overview Toyota motor Viet Nam2 3. Literature review2 4. Purpose of this research paper2 II. METHOD3 III. MATERIAL4 IV. RESULT5 1. Personal information5 2. Research information6 V. REFERENCE 13 VI. APPENDIX15 * Questionnaire15 INTRODUCTION Toyota motor Corporation, abbreviated TMC, is a multinational automobile manufacturers headquartered in Toyota, Aichi, Japan. The company was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda in 1937 as a spinoff from his father's company Toyota Industries to create automobiles.Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) is the world’s largest automobile manufacturers, selling over 8. 4 million vehicles in 2010 on all five continents. Toyota today has 77 manufacturing companies in 27 countries and markets vehicles in more than 170 countries worldwide, supported by a consolidated workforce of approximately 320,000 people. A very efficient management style that the company uses has b een one of the reasons for the firm’s good performance. There are many other salient factors that have made the company achieve the niche of market leader. The market structure the company operates in cannot be definitely stated.Some may consider it to be a monopoly. This is due to the fact that the company is a dominant market player in car exportation. In fact, its differentiation strategy has made it enjoy an almost monopolistic presence especially in the developing nations of the world. On the other hand, the market structure can be seen as an oligopoly. This is due to the fact that there are other key players like GM who are peer competitors. Toyota is keen to see what these competitors are doing and make sure it reacts to their actions in a way that will guarantee its market leadershipWith their consistency in innovating designs and over a billion dollars spent in advertisement a year, Toyota has become an attraction in the eyes of many auto consumers worldwide. Toyota has built its reputation not only by producing high quality vehicles at affordable prices, but the brand and marketing skills they use through tactful pricing strategies. Toyota has differentiated their prices from the traditional pricing set up of many of the other automobile makers. However, it is their effectiveness in targeting consumers' needs and wants that has pushed them to the top.Toyota motor Viet Nam ( TMV) was established on September 5,1995 ( official opening in October 1996 ) . In Viet Nam, Toyota is one of the most famous car brands, accounting for a large market share in the market, with many kinds of car that meet the needs of Vietnamese consumers. Joining the automobile market since its initial days, up to now, TMV has incessantly developed both in sales, production scale and labor force. According to Forture magazine’s (Published global business magazine). The key to success of Toyota corporations is not only style quality but also due to many reasons.One o f the main reason for success of TMV is that they concentrate on marketing and promotion plan for their products. This is a sound strategy that brings TMV to success. This study will show the importance of marketing strategy of Viet Nam Toyota Inc. METHOD Our 5-year research of Toyota Marketing Strategies in Viet Nam began in the summer of 2005 and ended in the fall of 2010. The subjects were selected from Toyota Ben Thanh, known as the best-selling and the largest agent of Toyota in southern region. This research surveyed 100 people.The major subjects were sales representatives of the agent, staffs of the marketing department and customers. In which, 30 sales representatives were chosen on the following criteria: having good achievement in the agent and receiving good feedback from customers. 70 selected customers were those who had demand of buying car and those who were the agent’s close customers or potential customers. The instrument employed in this study was interviews and survey (questionnaire). A set of 20 questions closely linked to the study was given to each subject. The interview with some random questions was based on subject’s characteristics (e. . job, department, product evaluation, income, etc). This survey took one week to get the feedback for evaluating and judgment. The questionnaire was also performed in online version under the help of Google Docs (https://docs. google. com/) and shared on social network Google+â„ ¢. All collected data was digitalized and statistics were made using Microsoft ® Excel and IBM ® SPSS ® Statistics software. MATERIAL Observations were made at customers shopping at the Toyota Company in order to learn the consumers’ attentions on products and their final decisions.The opinions of customers were collected by questionnaire and interview. In the questionnaire, there are two main parts that are personal information section and research information section separated. The personal infor mation part was designed to collect some private information of participants, particularly age, gender, and job. And the research information part which consisted of 20 research questions is divided into 4 main groups as follows: Group 1 (question 1 to 3) was designed to collect some private information of participants. Besides, it is used to define the customer’s demand and finance.From this we can find latent customers of the company. Group 2: (question 4 to 7) was to identify how customers get information about the product of Toyota companies. And we can know the marketing method Toyota company has used that brings the most effective result Group 3: (question 7 to 12) aimed at the opinions of customers after using Toyota corporations’ products. It is not only used to assess the quality, services but also the attitude of the staff. Group 4: (question 13 to 20) was used to get the complain from the customers and what they expect to the products and service in the futu re.From this we can identify the way to develop the company. RESULT * Part 1: Personal information Chart 1 – Gender Chart 1 indicates the participation of male and female in shopping through the Toyota system. It shows that not only women who have shopping habit but also men took a significant part of using toyota products (male accounts for 63% and female accounts for 37%). Chart 2 – Customers Besides, chart 2 displays the percentage of participants’ customers in shopping through the Toyota system in which business and office staffs are accounted for a large percentage (45% of business and 37% of office staffs).Meanwhile, other job also accounted for a considerable portion (18%), in which include singer ,actor, footballer,†¦ etc. * Part 2:Research information Why do more consumers choose Toyota? The same reasons the critics do. Toyota leads the pack in fuel efficiency, durability, popularity and safety. Toyota is the most fuel-efficient full line automaker in America. Plus, Toyota is the number 1 selling brand of hybrids – Toyota has more hybrids on the road than all other manufacturers combined. Moreover, Toyota has the greatest durability of any manufacturer.With the highest percentage of vehicles sold over the past 20 years still on the road among major manufacturers. And Toyota is the first manufacturer to include Star Safety System features standard on all vehicles. That's just part of the reason why Toyota has more vehicle listed on the top 10 of least expensive cars to insure than any other brand. Otherwise, Toyota's received more 2010 JD Power & Associates Vehicle Dependability Awards than any other brand. Toyota has the largest number of vehicles on Cars. com's top 10 American Made Index.Seven Toyota vehicles have won IntelliChoice's Best Overall Value award for their segments. And Toyota is the highest-ranking auto company on Bloomberg Businessweeks' 2010 list of the 50 Most Innovative Companies. Chart 3 displays the customers’ criteria of choosing Toyota products which was divided into four main elements: benefit, price, companies’ reputation and quality. Over a half of them was preferred products’ quality (56. 25%) to price (21. 8%), companies’ reputation (12. 5%) and benefit (9. 37%). This finding shows that the consumers’ priority concern was products’ quality which conflicts with their experiences.Market Program This consists of the four marketing mix elements that are designed to fit the market in terms of their needs and ability to access such products and services. * Product Strategy The Company is believed to be moving with a strategy of mass production of which it has enabled it to sell widely in the global market. It has also included the strategy of hybrid product, where it can double the amount of production for the arising needs in the market. * Price Strategy The reputation of the Company has been developed by producing high quality ve hicles that can be bought at a reasonable price.The Company has also been using tactful pricing strategies through price differentiation so that they are different from other automobile producers. * Location Strategy Being a global producer and supplier of Toyota automobiles and their components, Toyota Company has positioned itself all over the world giving it a clear cut within the market. Within three years to come, it is working towards the achievement of about 35 percent of the market share, and this will make it to be best and top supplier of automobile products. * Promotion StrategyThe Company is determined to use a pricing mechanism that will give it a competitive edge over its main competitors. This is a mechanism that it is using to market itself so that it can get hold of market share that will see it better in achieving the highest level in the market. Marketing Implementation Analysis Toyotas main focus will be in reaching the new markets of China and Europe. It will al so be concerned about the competition from other firms like Ford and GM. An advantage the company has is the widely differentiated product range.Establishing new factories in these new markets as well as opening up new franchises will help the company in getting an ease of penetrating the new markets Human resource is one of the most important aspects in this plan. The company should always make sure they have highly motivated staff as this is directly proportional to good production both in the qualitative and quantitative aspects. Toyota can do this by coming up with schemes of rewarding their employees like helping them own cars subsidized rates. The company should also make sure the personnel are the best in terms of technical know-how.The company needs to carry out frequent training towards this end. Tactical Marketing Activities Toyota has taken a bold step in being a leader in sustainable development. This position will need some innovations which translate to expenditure. Th ey are however necessary as a way of staying ahead of competition. The activities the company will embark on are given in chart 4 Chart 4: Tactical Marketing activities Specific Tactical Activities| Person/DepartmentResponsible| RequiredBudget millions of yen| CompletionDate| Product Activities1. Car air conditioning compressor2.DC-DC converters for fuel efficiency 3. Low Exhaust Emission Engine | Production engineers and Product management| 30. 45| 2011| Pricing Activities1. New Technologies2. Compression of Production platforms3. Merger of Assembly points| Operations management| 15. 25| 2012| Distribution Activities1. Opening up of new factory in America and china2. Machine handling3. Logistical operations| Logistics management| 21. 40| 2010| IMC (Promotion) Activities1. Concerts2. Volunteer3Youth Invention club| Marketing manager| 9. 20| 2012| Implementation PlanThere are a number of activities that have been projected within a life span of three years and the following represent ation shows the aspects that have been targeted and within what strategic period of time. Year| To be Achieved| New Targeted Markets (millions)| Cumulative Targeted Markets (millions)| Today (2010)| Working towards hybrid products| 250| 250| 1st Year (2011)| Introduction of pricing mechanism and price differentiation strategies. | 320| 600| 2nd Year (2012)| Enhancing hybrid products by use of new technologies| 370| 970| 3rd Year (2013)| Product differentiation to meet the needs of the market| 420| 1320|REFERENCE 1. Armstrong, G. , ; Kotler, P. (2002). Marketing: an introduction (International edition). New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Retrieved October 7, 2010 from http://www. pearsonhighered. com/educator/product/Marketing-An-Introduction-7E/9780131424104. page 2. Armstrong, G. , ; Kotler, P. (2003). Marketing: an introduction. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Retrieved October 7, 2010 from http://html-pdf-converter. com/en/convert? u=search-pdf-books. com/philip-kotler,-and-gary-armstrong. -m arketing-management. -prentice-hall,-2003-download-pdf-free-pdf/ 3. Chamberlin, P. (2009).Customer service complaint handling. New York: The Gurdian. Retrieved October 7, 2010 from http://www. impactfactory. com/p/customer_service_skills_training_development/issues_936-2103-87287. html 4. Hiroshu O. (2003). Chairman’s message. Retrieved September 30th 2010, from the Toyota company website. http://www. toyota. co. jp/en/ir/library/annual/pdf/2003/chairmans_message_e. pdf 5. Levitt, T. (1975). Marketing myopia. Harvard business review , 26-40. Retrieved October 7, 2010 from http://www. casadogalo. com/marketingmyopia. pdf 6. Johannes, G. , Bill, K. , ; Plenert. (2000).Finite capacity scheduling: management selection and implementation. New York: John wiley ; sons Inc. Retrieved October 7, 2010 from http://search. barnesandnoble. com/Finite-Capacity-Scheduling/Gerhard-Plenert/e/9780471352648 7. Porter, M. (1996). What is strayegy? Harvad business review , 61-69. Retrieved Oc tober 7, 2010 from http://www. ipocongress. ru/download/guide/article/what_is_strategy. pdf 8. Shaffer, J. (2003). Communicating for business results: how to choose and execute communication projects that dramatically help company. Journal of employee communication management , 34-36. . Thomas, J. G. (2001). Business planning: long range and strategic management. Dublin: Black Hall Publishers Ltd. Retrieved October 7, 2010 from http://books. google. co. ke/books? id=MiR2ls7Uyo8C;dq=Business+planning:;source=gbs_navlinks_s APPENDIX QUESTIONNAIRE Name of the consumer: ________________________________ Age: ______ Sex: _______ Address: ______________________________________ City: ________________ State: ___________________ Zip: _________________ Telephone: ____________________ Fax: ____________________________ Email: _________________________ 1.In what type of business, industry or profession do you work? (Please check one. ) 0 Agriculture/forestry/construction 1 Data processing/compute rs 2 Finance/banking/insurance 3 Health care (medical, dental, etc. ) 4 Real estate 5 Wholesale trade 6 Retail trade 7 Other: ______________ (please specify) 8 Communications/publishing/advertising 9 Education 10 Government/public administration 11 Manufacturing 12 Personal/business services (consultant, CPA, lawyer, etc. ) 13 Transportation/public utilities 2. What is your position? (Please check only one. ) 14 Chairman of the Board 15 Owner/Partner 6 Other Company Officer (V. P. , Treasurer, etc. ) 17 Manager 18 Scientist or Engineer 19 Sales 20 Clerical 21 Other: _______________ (please specify) 22 President/CEO 23 Director 24 Department Head 25 Supervisor/Foreman 26 Other administrative position not mentioned 27 Technical Specialist 28 Retired 3. What is your total annual household income? (Include income from all family members and all sourcesâ€â€salary, bonuses, investment income, rents, royalties, et 29 Less than $30,000 30 $40,000 – $49,999 31 $60,000 – $74 ,999 32 $100,000 – $149,999 33 $250,000 – $499,999 34 $1 million or more 4.How often do you see the advertisement of Toyota Corporation ? * Once in a day * More than 5 times * Not even once 5. Please state where you first heard about companies. * Infomercial: ________ Radio ad: _______ Newspaper ad: _______ * Internet: ________ Sales agent: ________ Company rep: ________ * A friend: ________ Family member: ________ Other (specify): ________ 6. Did the ad provide relevant information about the product? * Excellent * Very good * Not appealing at all 7. Are the claims made in this advertisement believable? * Very believable * Not believable * Can't say 8. How is our customer service? Very good * Average * Poor 9. Does the marketing team act like professionals? * Yes * No 10. Please rate your satisfaction with the quality of our products. * Excellent * Very good * Average * Poor 11. Please rate your satisfaction with the delivery system of our products. * Excellent * Very good * Average * Poor 12. Please state the best aspects of our products ______________________________ 13. Please state the worst aspects of our products ______________________________ 14. List any other features that you would like to see in our services or products ______________________________
Friday, November 8, 2019
Understand the French Expression En Retard
Understand the French Expression En Retard The French expression en retard (pronounced [a(n) reu tar]) can be translated by late or any number of synonyms: behind, overdue, delayed, etc. En retard is adverbial, meaning that it must be used with a verb, usually à ªtre or arriver. Note that the French translation of late as an adjective (to be used with a noun) is tardif. For example, un repas tardif a late meal. Examples Tu es en retard !Youre late!Je suis en retard mon rendez-vous.Im late for my appointment.Il va arriver en retard ce matin.Hell be (arriving) late this morning.Elle est arrivà © en retard au travail.She was late for work. (Note that the offensive English word retard is a faux ami.) Expressions with retard avoir du retardto be (running) late, to be overdueavoir (une heure, trois semaines...) de retardto be (an hour, three weeks...) lateà ªtre en retard pour son à ¢geto be backward for ones ageà ªtre en retard sur lhoraire / le programmeto be behind scheduleà ªtre en retard sur son temps / sià ¨cleto be behind the timesmettre (quelquun) en retardto make (someone) late(le courrier / travail) en retardbacklog (of mail / work) Antonym en avanceearly, ahead of schedule
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
Use of Transitive and Intransitive Verbs
Use of Transitive and Intransitive Verbs Transitive and intransitive verbs often cause confusion. Heres a guide to help you understand the differences. Transitive Verbs Transitive Verbs take direct objects. The vast majority of verbs in English are transitive. Examples: I took my books to class.We played chess last night. Notice that transitive verbs always take objects. You will always be able to ask a question beginning with What or Whom. Examples: I paid the bill last week. - What did you pay?She studies Russian. - What does she study? Intransitive Verbs Intransitive verbs do not take direct objects. Examples: Peters situation improved.They slept peacefully. You can recognize that a verb is intransitive because it does not have a passive form. Examples: Jack sits in the corner when he reads. NOT The corner is sat when Jack reads.Peter arrived early. NOT Early was arrived Peter. Transitive AND Intransitive Some verbs with multiple meanings are transitive or intransitive depending on their usage. The verb run is a good example. When used in the sense of physical exercise, run is intransitive. Helen ran every weekend when she was at college. BUT Run used in the sense of managing a company is transitive. Jennifer runs TMX Inc.
Sunday, November 3, 2019
What is research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
What is research - Essay Example Research is â€Å"something that people undertake in order to find out things in a systematic way, thereby increasing their knowledge.†An important component of this definition is ‘systematic’, meaning research is approached logically. Research describes, explains, understands, criticizes, and analyzes a subject area. Research is important in business and management. Research must produce practical conclusions leading to better decision-making and/or profit. Managers draw on knowledge developed by other disciplines to aid their work routine, and tend to prefer to conduct research with personal or commercial advantage. In research, combining two knowledge bases sometimes creates a single large knowledge base plus a new one. ‘Basic’ research generates new knowledge and options, whereas ‘applied’ research generates new knowledge with a practical aim. New insights can help change the way business-related activities are conducted. Five research models will be examined: experimental design, cross-sectional surveys, longitudinal design, case studies, and comparative design.Good experimental design is important in producing reliable results. Independent variables should be manipulated to determine how they influence dependent variables. There are several forms of experimental res earch. Classic design is based on manipulation of independent variables, observations made before and after testing an experimental group, and relating observations to the dependent variable ... Qualitative or quantitative data is collected at a single point in time, and is examined for patterns in relation to two or more variables. Longitudinal Design Longitudinal design provides more than one time-point for analysis, and is often used to plan changes in business and management. There are two types of design. A panel study is often a randomly selected national study which collects data from various types of cases at two or more time points. A cohort study is a randomly-selected sample of people who share certain pre-determined characteristics such as birth-date or employment status. Both types are concerned with revealing trends and improving the understanding of causal influences. They also share similar problems. Good planning is essential to provide useful data. Employee and company turn-over may cause sample attrition, and the remaining people may not form a representative group. Continued participation in such studies may influence how respondents behave. Case Studies A case can be an organization, location, person, or event. Stake (1995) observes that case studies are concerned with the complexity and nature of the case in question. There are three types of case study. The critical case is carried out with a clear hypothesis in mind, the unique case is used for clinical studies with a common focus, and the revelatory case is used "when an investigator has an opportunity to observe and analyse a phenomenon previously inaccessible to scientific investigation" (Yin 1984:44) Case studies can be conducted both deductively and inductively and may be linked with qualitative research using tools such as participant observation and unstructured interviews. Comparative Design Comparative design applies similar research methods to
Friday, November 1, 2019
The Perfect Critique Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
The Perfect Critique - Assignment Example After the 4-minute period limit is over the conversation can start. This barrier zone can enable the learners to reflect on the items and enhance their ideas without being influenced by their friends. Developing references; often artists get inspired by other artists. As learners grow confidence in discussing their work and other artists work, they will grow their working knowledge of art history and artists (Lois pg 23). Critiques can work as a moment to initiate new concepts and artists or to draw links to art history and art movements. Social media; learners can use social media like Instagram, sound cloud, YouTube and twitter so as to share and comment on different media forms. Learners can create memes and enhance new trends, create blog posts and responses of video to artworks. Recording dialogue; have learners record themselves when they have their discussions. Make them keep the record of what they discussed throughout the semester. When they look at what they recorded, they could evaluate the manner in which they employ language in discussing artwork (Lois pg. 45). Learners will notice that they have access to critical dialogue and critical thinking. Student-centered critique; as learners enhance their critique abilities they can learn to contribute to a discussion of artwork without the presence of the teacher. The learners can carry out critiques where the teacher is just a mere observer (Lois pg 49). It can develop the public speaking ability, autonomous critical thinking, and confidence of the student. Cultural or historical links; historical artworks can get viewed as documents or key resources for historical occasions. Learners can use such historical links to direct their discussion. This can be in form of field trips to museum, research projects, visiting a local artist studio, field trips to historical landmarks or art practice based on community in which learners enhance, beautify, or activate their
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