Aditya Birla vs Big Bazar

Aditya brila retail: more- general view The Group's foray into the retail sector began in December 2006 when it acquired Trinethra, the chain of stores based in south India. May 2007 saw Aditya Birla Retail Limited (ABRL) launch their own brand of stores called ‘More. ‘ ABRL's vision is â€Å"to consistently provide the Indian consumer complete and differentiated shopping experiences and be amongst India's top retailers while delivering superior returns to all stakeholders† Currently, there are over 575 supermarkets and 12 hypermarkets.All the supermarkets are branded ‘More. ‘ and the hypermarkets are branded ‘More Megastore'. The company has over 11,000 employees and has a pan-India presence. More. supermarkets are neighbourhood stores with the core proposition of offering value, convenience and trust to the customers and averaging 2,500 sq ft area. The hypermarkets are self-service superstores offering value and range in food and non-food produc ts and services at a single location.Hypermarkets are located in large catchment areas and encourage mass consumption with discount prices and substantial depth of assortment with an average store size of 55,000 sq ft shopping area. n May 2009 Aditya Birla Retail introduced a value proposition for its supermarkets and encapsulated it into a promise of giving its customers â€Å"Hamesha Extra† which has resonated with the consumer. â€Å"Hamesha Extra† is the core essence of More. It means customers will always feel that they have got something extra while shopping at More.Within a short span of less than three years, More. has more than one million members as part of its loyalty programme. More. has also launched a huge range of private labels in food and grocery, staples and apparel which have already obtained a significant share of category as well as salience with the consumer. Aditya Birla Retail was presented the ‘Retail Best Employer of the Year' award at t he Reid and Taylor Awards for Retail Excellence, by the global jury of the Asia Retail Congress 2009 and again in 2011. In the same forum, ABRL's CEO, Mr.Thomas Varghese was awarded the Prestigious Retail Icon Award by the global jury of the Asia Retail Congress 2011. Aditya Birla Retail Limited was also awarded the Reid & Taylor Award for Retail Excellence by the global jury of Asia Retail Congress 2010 for the best marketing campaign of the year – Launch of Hamesha Extra. It was also presented the Golden Star Award 2009-2010 for the most admired Retailer of the year (Food & Grocery) for excellence in Food, Hospitality, Service and Retailing. In March 2011, the 10th Indira Award for Marketing Excellence was awarded to Aditya Birla Retail Limited CEO, Mr.Thomas Varghese for his outstanding contribution to brand building. Aditya Birla Retail Limited  is the retail arm of  Aditya Birla Group, $40 billion corporation. The Company ventured into food and grocery retail sector in 2007 with the acquisition of a south based supermarket chain. Subsequently,  Aditya Birla Retail Ltd. expanded its presence across the country under the brand â€Å"more. † with 2 formatsSupermarket & Hypermarket. Supermarket more. – Conveniently located in neighbourhoods,  more. supermarkets cater to the daily, weekly and monthly shopping needs of consumers.The product offerings include a wide range of fresh fruits & vegetables, groceries, personal care, home care, general merchandise and a basic range of apparels. Currently, there are over 483  more. supermarkets across the country. Hypermarket more. MEGASTORE  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ is a one-stop shopping destination for the entire family. Besides a large range of products across fruits & vegetables, groceries, FMCG products,more. MEGASTORE  also has a strong emphasis on general merchandise, apparels & CDIT. Currently, fourteen hypermarkets operate under the brand  more.MEGASTORE  in Mysore, Vadodara, Indore, Mah adevpura, Old Madras Road, Bull Temple Road & 4th Block Jayangar in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Saroor Nagar & Kukatpally in Hyderabad, Vashi, Rohini & Kirti Nagar in New Delhi & Nashik Clubmore. – our loyalty program, currently has a strong membership base of 3 million members. Aditya Birla Retail Limited  currently has employee strength of around 9,000 people. Key functions are headed by professionals with vast retail experience in India and globally. Quality & Value through own labels: Aditya Birla Retail Ltd  provides customers a wide choice of products under its  own labels.The objective is to provide quality products at attractive price points to customers. Since quality of the products is of prime importance, stringent quality norms have been set and are followed. All manufacturing partners are the best in their class. Own label Food Brands more. , Feasters, Kitchen's Promise, and Best of India Home & Personal care brands more. , Enriche, 110%, Pestex, Paradise, and Germe x Super markets Glance:- With a vision to be among the leading retail players in India,  Aditya Birla Retail  launched its first supermarket,  more. n May, 2007. Since its launch, the  more. has had an aggressive roll out, reaching a total count of over 483 stores across India today. more. is your neighborhood supermarket which takes care of your everyday household needs. Spread across a wide range of products of food and non food items, ranging from basic necessities such as, fruits and vegetables, staples, personal care, home care, household care products, general merchandise, and dairy products,  more. provides a one stop solution for your grocery shopping needs.Also in store are essentials such as, innerwear, kids essentials, etc. With a range of over 4,000 products, we are able to fulfill your daily shopping needs all under one roof, at a convenient location close to you. The  more. promises a world class shopping experience, with a modern store layout, easy to shop with friendly staff at hand to provide assistance, electronic billing facilities and a colorful ambience. At  more. we offer branded food and grocery products sourced from the leading brands from all over India, along with private label brands from our own ortfolio – available in a broad selection for you, always giving you the best possible value for your money. Product & services:- At  more. we are committed to deliver quality and value to our customers and have a range of private label brands as well as commercially branded products, offering – 100% satisfaction on the quality of the products and services offered. more. hosts a range of private label brands across various categories that follow stringent quality norms, and are available in attractive prices and packaging.Our premium products give you the opportunity to enjoy these superior brands at competitive prices. We offer a wide choice of over 4000 products, ranging from fresh food to beverages, grocery t o household care products. Our assortment covers everything, from day-to-day essentials to traditional favorites, from delicious treats, to healthy alternatives To ensure the freshest supply of fruits and vegetables for you, we have built direct linkages with the farmers for daily supplies of farm fresh produce.Our stores are built with a modern and comfortable ambience, air conditioned and with speedy automated cashiering to help you shop better. We also have friendly in-store policies on exchange and returns that help you shop with ease and comfort. Furthermore, to make your shopping experience more rewarding with us, we at  more. offer a membership program  Clubmore. which reinforces our commitment to consistently add value to your shopping experience, and also to thank you for choosing to be a part ofmore.. As a  Clubmore. member, you are entitled to special benefits, besides the regular offers and promotions at  more..Clubmore. members will also have the benefit of rece iving exclusive SMS alerts for special offers on our products and services. Currently  Clubmore. has 3 million members enrolled for its loyalty program. Please refer to the table below for the product categories available in our stores : * Bakery  * * Beauty Concepts  * * Beverages * Basic Apparels * Cutlery & Cookware * Fruits & Vegetables * Frozen & Dairy Products * FMCG Products * Grocery * General Merchandise * Home Care Products| * Home Needs & Home Upkeep * Home Decor Products *Mobile Store  * * Personal Care & Cosmetics * Processed Food * Pharmacy  * * Ready to Cook/Prepared Food * Small White Appliances  * * Staples * Stationery * Women's Accessories| Offers and promotions:- t  more. , we have adopted a competitive pricing policy ensuring that you receive the best possible value. We retail a wide range of products below MRP. We also have a wide selection of products on attractive offers and promotions that help you get  more. from your shopping.You can expect to be pleasantly surprised at every visit to our store with attractive promotions such as † Buy and Get Free â€Å", discounts and special offers. From time to time, we also run festival promotions that help you shop for special and festive occasions. We also promote traditional favorites and local specialties during festivals to make your shopping experience convenient. At any given point in time, you will find a wide range of products on promotion which we offer to enable you to make the most of your shopping, help you try new products and get you better deals.We also run celebratory promotions that give you an opportunity to win attractive prizes such as cars, two wheelers, holiday packages, gift hampers and much more. Hypermarkets:- Glance:- With the launch of  more. MEGASTORE  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ a hypermarket, in March 2008,  Aditya Birla Retail Ltd. expanded its footprint in large format retailing, which features both food and non-food products. Hypermarkets are what can b e described as a complete destination shopping area, where one can enjoy a day out with the entire family because of a simple fact that hypermarket consists of variety of options under just one roof.The result is a very large retail facility which carries an enormous range of products like grocery, fruits & vegetables, general merchandise, electronics, computers, mobile phones, apparel, footwear sports and FMCG products, with national, international and house brands all under a single roof. Currently, fourteen hypermarkets operate under the brand  more. MEGASTORE  in Mysore, Vadodara, Indore, Mahadevpura, Old Madras Road, Bull Temple Road & 4th Block Jayangar in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Saroor Nagar & Kukatpally in Hyderabad, Vashi, Rohini & Kirti Nagar in New Delhi & Nashik.Products & services:- Shopping was never more interesting and easy!! Now no more shop hopping from one shop to another, just to get your weekly shopping done, shopping for your various requirements are easily avai lable at just one stop at  more. MEGASTORE Products Covering large and spacious area,  more. MEGASTORE  offers you a wide range of products spanning across grocery, fruits & vegetables, general merchandise, electronic products, computers & accessories, mobile phones & accessories, apparels, footwear, sports and FMCG products and more at amazing prices and offers.Please refer to the table below for the product categories available in our stores: * Apparels – Men/ Women * Audio & Video (A & V) * Bakery * Beverages * Books and Audio & Video Products * Computer & Accessories * Do it yourself & Auto Accessories * Electronics * FMCG Products * Footwear * Frozen & Dairy Products * Fruits & Vegetables * Furniture * General Merchandise * Home Care Products * Home Decor Products * Home Needs & Home Upkeep| * Infant & Children's Apparels * Information Technology Products * Large White Appliances * Luggage * Mobile Phone & Accessories * Personal Care & Cosmetics * Processed Food * Ready to Cook/Prepared Food * Small White Appliances * Sporting Goods * Staples * Stationery * Sun Glasses & Fine Jewellery * Two Wheelers * Toys| Services For your additional benefit, Consumer Finance on electronics products such as: Audio & Video and Large White Appliance are available at  more. MEGASTORE Friendly Return & Exchange Policy * Hassle free Return & Exchange policy at  more. MEGASTORE * In case you change your mind, we at  more. MEGASTORE  would be pleased to exchange the same for you – no questions asked, as long as it is in its original packaging and accompanied by its invoice. In case, an exchange is not required, you will be issued a gift card equal to the billed value, which can be utilized within the store as per your convenience. Can't decide on the right gift? Run out of time? Let your friends and family get exactly what they want ! Pick the perfect gift with –  more. MEGASTORE  Gift Card smart, practical, and truly appreciated. Our gi ft cards are always the perfect gift which can be used at themore. MEGASTORE  by the recipient to purchase any gift of his/her choice any time. Offer and promotions:- Our destination hypermarket caters to your monthly, weekly and special occasion-based shopping requirements. more.MEGASTORE  is a one-stop shopping destination for your entire family, where we offer you a top-notch experience by giving you a wide spectrum of products, while making shopping affordable for you and your family. more. MEGASTORE  aims to bring international standards and operations on par with the rest of the global retailers, along with following the best quality norms for our private labels as well as for our manufacturers and partners which too abide by the same rule. Weekend getaway destination for the entire family Whether it's shopping for your daily / weekly household needs, checking out the latest in technology, trying out the bakery for freshly baked goodies, or simply relaxing at the  cafe more. with your friends and family,  more. MEGASTORE  has it all.From our wide array of new gadgets and latest fashion offered by our private label brand, as well as national & international brands,  more. MEGASTORE  offers you an extensive selection to choose from. Our goal at  more. MEGASTORE  is to ensure that you get an exceptional value for money, with great savings from our everyday low prices, and offers with megabuy, and our private label's promotional offers from  maha. saver, freya, essentials, pebble rock  andbig feet  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ there are always plenty of reasons to have a good time at  more. MEGASTORE http://www. morestore. com/index. html Big bazar:- Big Bazaar  is a chain of  hypermarket  in India. As of June 2, 2012 there are 214 stores across 90 cities and towns in India covering around 16 million sq. ft. of retail space.Big Bazaar is designed as an agglomeration of bazaars or Indian markets with clusters offering a wide range of merchandise including fashion and apparels, food products, general merchandise, furniture, electronics, books, fast food and leisure and entertainment sections. Big Bazaar is part of  Future Group, which also owns the  Central Hypermarket,  Brand Factory,  Pantaloons, eZONE, HomeTown, futurebazaar. com, KB's Fair Price to name a few and is owned through a wholly owned subsidiary of  Pantaloon Retail India  Limited. History:- Big Bazaar was launched in September, 2001 with the opening of its first four stores in  Calcutta,  Indore,  Bangalore  and  Hyderabad  in 22 days. Within a span of ten years, there are now 161 Big Bazaar stores in 90 cities and towns across India. By September 2012 BIG BAZAAR will have two more stores in North east namely SILCHAR and JORHAT in Assam.Big Bazaar was started by  Kishore Biyani, the Group CEO and Managing Director of  Pantaloon Retail India. Though Big Bazaar was launched purely as a fashion format including apparel, cosmetics, acc essory and general merchandise, over the years Big Bazaar has included a wide range of products and service offerings under their retail chain. The current formats includes Big Bazaar, Food Bazaar, Electronic Bazaar and Furniture Bazaar. The inspiration behind this entire retail format was from  Saravana Stores, a local store in  T. Nagar,  Chennai The stores are customized to provide the feel of mandis and melas  [2]  while offering the modern retail features like Quality, Choice and Convenience.As the modern Indian family's favorite retail store, Big Bazaar is popularly known as the â€Å"Indian  Walmart†. On successful completion of ten years in Indian retail industry, in 2011, Big Bazaar has come up a new logo with a new tag line: ‘Naye India Ka Bazaar’, replacing the earlier one: ‘Isse Sasta Aur Accha Kahin Nahin'. [3] Strategy:- 3-C Theory According to  Kishore Biyani's 3-C theory, Change and Confidence among the entire population is lea ding to rise in Consumption, through better employment and income which in turn is creating value to the agricultural products across the country. [4]  Big Bazaar has divided India into three segments: India one: Consuming class which includes upper middle and lower middle class (14% of India's population).India two: Serving class which includes people like drivers, household helps, office peons, liftmen, washermen, etc. (55% of India's population) and India three: Struggling class (remaining 31% of India's population). While Big Bazaar is targeted at the population across India one and India two segments, Aadhaar Wholesale is aimed at reaching the population in India three segment. With this,  Future Groupemerged as a retail destination for consumers across all classes in the Indian society. Operations:- Most Big Bazaar stores are multi-level and are located in stand-alone buildings in city centers as well as within shopping malls. These stores offer over 200,000 SKUs in a wide range of categories led primarily by fashion and food products.Food Bazaar, a supermarket format was incorporated within Big Bazaar in 2002 and is now present within every Big Bazaar as well as in independent locations. A typical Big Bazaar is spread across around 50,000 square feet (4,600  m2) of retail space. While the larger metropolises have Big Bazaar Family centres measuring between 75,000 square feet (7,000  m2) and 160,000 square feet (15,000  m2), Big Bazaar Express stores in smaller towns measure around 30,000 square feet (2,800  m2). Big Bazaar has the facility to purchase products online through its official web page, and offers free shipping on some of their products. [5] Innovations:- Wednesday bazaar:- Big Bazaar introduced the Wednesday Bazaar concept and promoted it as â€Å"Hafte Ka Sabse Sasta Din†.It was mainly to draw customers to the stores on Wednesdays, when least number of customers are observed. According to the chain, the aim of the concept is â€Å"to give home makers the power to save the most and even the stores in the city don a fresh look to make customers feel that it is their day†. [6] Sabse sasta din:- With a desire to achieve sales of Rs 26 Crore in a one single day, Big Bazaar introduced the concept of â€Å"Sabse Sasta Din†. The idea was to simply create a day in a year that truly belonged to Big Bazaar. This was launched on January 26, 2006 and the result was exceptional that police had to come in to control the mammoth crowd.The concept was such a huge hit that the offer was increased from one day to three days in 2009 (24 to 26 Jan) and to five days in 2011 (22-26 Jan). Maha bachat:- Maha Bachat was started off in 2006 as a single day campaign with attractive promotional offers across all Big Bazaar stores. Over the years it has grown into a 6 days biannual campaign. It has attractive offers in all its value formats such as Big Bazaar, Food Bazaar, Electronic Bazaar and Furniture Bazaar â⠂¬â€œ catering to the entire needs of a consumer. On February 12, 2009 Big Bazaar launched â€Å"The Great Exchange Offer†, through with the customers can exchange their old goods in for Big Bazaar coupons. Later, consumers can redeem these coupons for brand new goods across the nation.

Module 5 Lab (5.09) Essay

Your first lab link can be found at Temper Tantrums. A written transcript is also available for this lab. 1.How can parents avoid temper tantrums? ⠁Æ'To avoid temper tantrums parents can be better prepared for the situation so when it happens they know what to do. 2.What are the A, B, Cs? ⠁Æ'A stands for the attributes you want your child to have ⠁Æ'B stands for the behavior you want to go along with those attributes. ⠁Æ'C stands for the consequence that will be given, positive or negative. 3.Do you think using consequences and following the ABC process will help shape a child’s behavior? Why or why not? ⠁Æ'Yes, I think using consequences and following the ABC process will help shape a child’s behavior because it gives the child a set of expectations you want from them and because naturally humans are born to please they are going to try their hardest to live by those expectations you have provided them. Your second lab link can be found at Developing Language Skills in Babies. A written transcript is also available for this lab. 1.What are some of the reasons why people may not talk to babies as much today as they used to? ⠁Æ'We don’t really know the exact reason why people are not talking to their babies as much some may say it is due to the busy life style we have or that everyone is isolated within the house and not together as a family in a room. 2.Why do you think developing language skills is important for a child? ⠁Æ'Developing language skills as a child is important because when children are younger it is easier for them to learn and develop and they should learn to be good communicators. 3.What are some of the ways that parents can encourage the development of language skills? ⠁Æ'One way parents can help encourage development of language skills is by giving them their undivided attention and contently talking to them because most of their learning is through imitation. Your third lab link can be found at The Importance of Bedtime Reading. A written transcript is also available for this lab. 1.How many parents never read to their children at bedtime according to the study? What might prevent parents from reading to children? ⠁Æ'One in ten parents never read their children bed time stories. Being busy with other things is what prevents parents from reading their children bedtime stories. 2.What are some of the benefits of reading to children? Include infancy through young school age children. ⠁Æ'Some benefits is it teaches children skills such as concentrating and listening. 3.Did your parents or other caregivers read to you as a child? What effect do you think this had on you? ⠁Æ'Yes my parents read to me when i was a child and i think the affect it had on me was it made me a better listener.

Writer's choice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 9

Writer's choice - Essay Example Some aspects that are attributable to leadership include colonialism, gender issues and orientalism. Superiority is an integral aspect of leadership. A leader tries to be as influential as possible to maintain his or her position. Different leaders may also compete to single out the superior or the front-runner. A credible example of such a case is the scramble for Africa by European powers during the pre-colonial period. The struggle led to wrangles among European nations because of their different interests and the fact that each of them desired to get as many colonies as possible to display their superiority. An appropriate example is the scramble between Britain and France for Egypt. Before colonization, Africans had their own form of leaderships for example chiefs and village heads. The colonialists later do destruction of the local leadership systems. Therefore, Europeans were intending to rule over helpless Africans for the reason that they had superior leadership systems. Derek Walcott’s poem, â€Å"A Far cry From Africa† displays the violence and other effects of colonialism on both Africans and Europeans. The struggle for leadership leads to untold violence that even leads to the death of people as Africans struggle for independence and Europeans try to keep the colonies under their rule. Therefore, the colonial era gives a different leadership perspective that is full of violence and rivalry in search of power and relevance. The effects of forced leadership or colonization are evident even in society today. From Walcott’s poem, he says he is not sure whether to support his African ancestry or his current English decent. Therefore, leadership can result into the division of unification of the subjects and even nations. The fact that people of African descent exist in the west because of colonial leadership is an example of the unity and

International Financial Reporting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

International Financial Reporting - Essay Example Instead of doing investment, the concept of disinvestment was directly or indirectly supported and applied by many companies. The last quarter of 2008, the entire year of 2009; and to some extent the year of 2010 was only filled with the reports of shaken investor confidence, layoffs and financial defaults and so on. The world economy suffered the burns of financial crisis of the year of 2008. Basically, the centre of this problem was the United States of America where the problem of sub-prime loan was not handled properly; rather, it was mishandled by the related and relevant authorities. Some financial gurus and critics are of the view that the inception of financial crises emerged in the year of 2000-2001 with the sudden and huge debacle of energy giant Enron; subsequent to that, the investigative team brought the huge financial findings in the report of Sarbanes-Oxley, which heavily and greatly emphasised on the further stringent financial measures. Even the findings of the Sarba nes-Oxley were not successful in realising the dangerous financial nightmares are yet to unleash! Had more focus and attention were given to the findings of the Sarbanes-Oxley, we would have not seen the brutal and inhumane face of the financial crisis of the year of 2008. Undoubtedly, a significant and considerable role of creative accounting and window dressing was there in the presentation of financial statements; the shareholders, institutional and small investors were given and shown such financial statements which were not totally representing a ‘true and fair view’; the financial statements either to a minimum extent or to a considerable extent were filled with the help of window dressing and creative accounting. Unfortunately, the role of International Financial Reporting Standards, also known as International Accounting Standards Board, did not come for any help to rescue the international world economy from the threat and force of the 2008 financial crisis. Th e main reason for that, the standards and regulations of this international accounting body are voluntary in nature not compulsory or binding on any small or large financial entity. Now, in order to serve the objectives of this paper, it is vitally important to revisit the basic conceptual framework of the international financial reporting standards; what are its basic components that are highly essential for representing the financial information in a standard format and standard presentation? How this international accounting body serves the interests and objectives of small, medium and large shareholders, investors, and other people who have direct or indirect financial interest in the presentation of the financial statements? History of frameworks for IASB The decade of 1960’s observed many widespread outcry over the absence of uniformed financial standards. Due to this fact, many cases emerged that highly and greatly required a desperate need and requirement of single bu t unified accounting standards. They should be there to provide guidance and provide a framework that guide an entire process of accounting standards and accounting practices. In response to this accounting problem, many accounting bodies gathered and

If the text had been written in a different time or place or language Essay

If the text had been written in a different time or place or language or for a different audience, how and why might it differ - Essay Example One of the ways Solzhenitsyn’s work deviates from the conventions of movie genres of the 1950s is the manner in which stylistic devices have been used. Particularly, the author of the movie goes against the grains of the time to use suspense. At the time, it is obvious that the movie industry had begun using suspense, but this suspense had been forward-looking. Contrary to this approach, Solzhenitsyn’s suspense is forward-looking. Particularly, in the opening of the movie, the plotline is set running straight onwards, without the provision of any background information. For instance, the movie begins with the sounding of a wake-up call in a Stalinist labor camp, on a chilly winter morning, in 1951. Because of this, the audience is compelled to concentrate on the details being provided in the movie, in order to make meaning out of the movie’s sudden and unexplained beginning. This stylistic device sets One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich apart from its contempo raries. ... This serves as a point of departure between Solzhenitsyn’s work and others’. Other literary works had not had the solid resolve as Solzhenitsyn’s, to depict the excesses of autocratic regimes. The excesses of Stalinism are exemplified in the lives of the prisoners. For instance, most of the prisoners have been incarcerated, mainly on grounds of suspicion. Shukhov is sentenced to a life of imprisonment and cruel punishment in this Soviet gulag system for acts of espionage, though he is innocent. In like manner, Alyoshka is a devout Baptist, full of faith but is imprisoned, all the same. The heartlessness of Stalinism in this camp is attested by: scarcity of food and food rationing and the compelling of prisoners to work in freezing temperature, as long as this temperature does not fall below -42oC. Overall, there is lucidity in observing that Solzhenitsyn’s work is not dedicated to withstanding the highhandedness of Stalinism, but to reveal to the world, th e inhuman excesses of Stalinism. The import of this is that One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich is different from other film genres since it surpasses the common role of entertainment to take on a moral cause (Solzhenitsyn, 1988, 125). The themes and motifs that Solzhenitsyn’s work advances presents a point of conformance with other works of art. Some of the themes that Solzhenitsyn presents for discussion include the struggle for human dignity (the depiction of harsh life in the prison camp invites this), the immorality of unjust punishment (the inhuman condemnation to a harsh life on false basis underscores this), and the need for faith (as is presented by the resilient nature of

Religion in Vietnam Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Religion in Vietnam - Research Paper Example This topic is likely to be tremendously engrossing and enjoyable to read. This is because it will evaluate the hypothesis in procedures that will lead to the final conclusion. One must support this statement that science must destroy religion since it makes sense. Science is an intellectual activity that humans carry out to discover information concerning the natural world, and ways of organizing information into meaningful patterns. Religion refers to a collection of beliefs, worldviews, and cultural systems that relate humanity to spirituality and moral values (Harris 12). These are two different fields that guide people in making various conclusions in life. The main idea in this essay is an analysis of religion and science that people use to form reasonable claims that help them understand the universe and human beings. It critically analyses the misleading aspect of religion that is used to make people believe various propositions that cannot happen in the real world. It explains the main differences between science and religion giving a deeper explanation behind the success of religion. This forms the thesis statement since it expounds on the irreco ncilable commitments of religion that amount to human conflict (Harris 34). It explains that our fear of provoking religion makes us incapable of criticizing ideas that maladaptive and absurd.... The arrival of the French missionaries in Vietnam in the 17th century was to have an effect on how people worshipped and how they talked to their god (Fox, 5). This is because their influence profoundly affected the manner in which Vietnam developed several years later. â€Å"Vietnamese society during the 17th and 18th centuries experienced many vicissitudes and complexities that created favourable conditions for the development of Christianity†(Fox,1). This is not only in the religious conviction but in addition in the political systems. This is because it was part of the cause of the Vietnam War that its effects have continued to be experienced until the recent past. Even, though, the missionaries received a warm welcome from the local population, this waned away after the realization that the missionaries had stated to recruit the population into their own religion. This is one of the chief reasons that lead to the conversion of Buddhists to Christianity and its expansion. The local population’s religion was to be transformed from Buddhism to Roman Catholicism for ease of governance. This is because, within the missionaries, there were explorers who determined the place to be a most favorable site to expand its empire. Threfore, the local population was encouraged to abandon their traditions and be loyal to God and not to the Emperor on conversion to Catholicism. This received a boost when French troops were sent to protect the missionaries, for they had been cases of frequent murders of catholic priests. This reinforcement and the subsequent surrender of Vietnam emperor allowed for continued conversion of the local population. The efforts of China to drive out the French troops from Vietnam that were thwarted by the French Army's

Bruce Bodaken, Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Bruce Bodaken, Leadership - Essay Example The non-profit making insurance company was receiving a hostile response from the public. Currently, he works as the chairman, President and the CEO for Blue Shield of California, which is a non-profit health insurance company. Under his leadership, the insurance company is ranked as the fastest growing company in California. He also serves in various boards such as the American Association of Health Plans. He influenced the Health Maintenance Organization of California to support free evaluation of doctors who denied health malpractice which was later put in the law. He also mobilized actors in the insurance industry in Washington DC for the adoption of an overall plan that was formulated by Blue Shield (Julie Appleby, 2004). Since he became the CEO of Blue Shield, positive changes have occurred in the company, making it a highly profitable company. Prior to this, he acted as the deputy CEO in the same company in the year 1999. During this time, Blue Shield gathered a net income of $16.9 million as well as a reserve fund of $547 million (Julie Appleby, 2004). There was a rise in administrative fixed costs by 16, but the net income grew by more than three and a half times when he was deputy CEO, to a high of $62 and over time, the net income has risen to $314 million. Under his leadership he has demonstrated management practices that led to a decrease in overhead costs as well as substantial growth in reserve fund. The company enjoys a reserve fund that is close to $1.1 billion (Blue Shield of California, 2008). Blue shield has been categorized as one of the fastest growing insurance company. Last year, Blue Shield registered 392,000 members, raising its total to 2.7 million (Blue Shield of California, 2008). This was as a result of an idea that he raised, of registering members through the public retirement system of California. In 2002, he put forward a particular

Economic Health Memo Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Economic Health Memo - Term Paper Example In fact, GDP is very easy to â€Å"game† (Ritholtz, 2010). â€Å"[Y]ou simply under-report inflation, and GDP appears to be better than it is†. Since inflation depends on counting the value of a good last year and doing so across many goods to make sure that it's not just one or two goods that grew in price for other reasons, there's a lot of subjectivity and uncertainty in making it. GDP is also not as helpful as it could be because it positively counts negative externalities (Ritholtz, 2010). That means that pollution, which is a bad thing, is counted as a good thing because it makes people spend money to go to the doctor or buy new houses to move. â€Å"If you buy a car, the GDP goes up. If you cut a tree, the GDP goes up. But if you preserve the tree, the GDP does not grow. Now you have to decide whether you need the tree or the GDP† (Sharma, 2010). Thus, it is hard to use the GDP to predict the business cycle, and economists are looking for a better indicato r of economic health. Fiscal policies are guided by economic facts and by measures like the GDP: As we've seen already, the GDP's inadequacies can cause lawmakers concerned only with increasing the GDP to increase externalities such as injured workers, ecological damage, and health costs as a byproduct, and not reap the consequences or even be aware of them. But what about fiscal policy and unemployment? The jury is out as to whether reducing or increasing taxes, reducing or increasing spending, etc. is better for production and employment.

Thinking Cross-Discipline Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Thinking Cross-Discipline - Essay Example According to the biblical definition of saints, all Christians are saints and they are blessed with salvation from God. All bounties come from God, and so all glory belongs to Him. Hagiography is the study of saints. It was considered as an important literary genre in the early Christian church. It also provides information about history and stories of great legends. Several fundamental ideas broadly introduce the issue of Castilian medieval hagiography and justify the composition of this literature which can be drawn from reading critical texts on this subject. For a long time hagiography was an anonymous literature. If the author felt that he was supposed to emphasize fully pointing out the introduction, it is insignificant to describe the life of man marked by God. On the other hand, the hagiography of a hero is the sight of an ordinary man with an extra ordinary personality. For the compilation of the lives of people, a book could be taken versed in the work of the predecessors who had literary talent and was able to interpret the Divine Providence by analogy, mostly from the Scriptures. However, medieval hagiography knows the principle of unconditional devotion artistic personality and his scribe, "the authors will." As the lives of the ancient and medieval saints’ vary, there are often many different lists, editorials, differing greatly among themselves. This complicates the work of critical hagiography on preparing scientific publications lives, especially since most of them come down to us only in the later and heavily modified lists. Some of the old hagiographical documents are Martyr Acts, for example, Acts of the Scillitan Martyrs (180); Passions, for example, The Passion of Saints Perpetua and Felicity (202); and Martyrdoms, for example, The Martyrdom of Polycarp (about 156). The most important collections of hagiography are the Martyrs o f Palestine by Euse-bius of Caesarea who was a historian of

MANAGING ASSETS AND RESOURCES IN THE DIGITAL FIRM Essay

MANAGING ASSETS AND RESOURCES IN THE DIGITAL FIRM - Essay Example I would recommend to my boss to adopt the framework and point out a few recommendations to incorporate with the information systems framework in the company. The first recommendation I would make for my boss is that he should develop a larger network for the use of information system framework outlined by Damsgaard. This is because the framework works best on a larger scale (Damsgaard & Karlsbjerg, 2010). Secondly, I would recommend for my boss to set up a maintenance system for the new framework of system software. This will prevent information system failure experienced by companies when the systems fail to serve their intended purpose. Thirdly, I would recommend to my boss to set up a training panel because the new set of system software will require adequate training to enable employees obtain the basic skills needed in the operation of the operation of the software. Lastly, I would recommend my boss to take a risk in purchasing the software. This is because profits are achieved when an organization decides to take a risk. I believe that components of information systems software outlined by Damsgaard are effective and a business that incorporates it stands a higher opportunity of being successful (Damsgaard & Karlsbjerg,

The ethical principles of the religion Essay Example for Free

The ethical principles of the religion Essay a) Explain the ethical principles of the religion you have studied (25). The main idea of ethical principles in Christianity is to use them as guidance on how we should live our lives to be closer with God and prepare for His Son’s return. One of the main ethical principles in Christianity is love. This is shown through the teachings of Jesus. Christians get their ethical principles from the Bible, Church authority, the Holy Spirit, using their conscience and Natural Law (Catholics). The Bible is the main source of where Christian ethical principles come from. It gives us moral guidelines to follow. In Genesis, the Creation story is found which is important to Christians as it shows the intrinsic value of human life. This is significant because humans were made in the image of God and therefore we must do everything that we can to preserve life. Some Christians also believe that God gives and takes away life which makes certain acts such as murder or abortion, wrong. The Bible also contains the Ten Commandments which are found in the Old Testament. These are absolute, deontological and objective which means that they never change no matter the circumstances. Out of the 613 laws mentioned in the Old Testament, this is the main standard that is followed by Christians. As the Bible is the Word of God, Christians follow the laws that are put in place which includes the Ten Commandments. Another example of an ethical principle in the Bible is the parable of the Good Samaritan, which is found in Luke 10: 25-37. Christians use this parable to help to promote equality and as a guideline to show how we should live harmoniously with each other in our communities and make good relationships a priority. Situation Ethics is also used by some Christians as one of the main ethical principles. The main idea of Situation Ethics is to do the most loving thing in a situation. It has four main principles on which it rests on. These are Pragmatism course of action that works, Relativism – you shouldn’t use absolutes e.g. never of always, Positivism – voluntarily choose to have faith that God will guide/help you and Personalism – put people’s best interest first, agape. The New Testament talks a lot about love ethics. In 1 Corinthians 13 and Galatians 5:22-23, Paul teaches the importance of love and throughout many of his other teachings. This gives some Christians the reason to use Situation ethics as an ethical principle. Natural Law is used by Catholics as a main ethical principle. It contains the Divine Law and separated into two precepts known  as the primary and secondary precepts. The primary precepts contain 5 main principles. These are to preserve life, reproduce, worship God, live harmoniously in society and educate the young. The secondary precepts are then put in place to break down the primary precepts to make them more flexible. This makes the precepts easier to use in different situations. Natural Law puts forward the idea that â€Å"good is to be done and evil is to be avoided† which is a part of Christian teachings and therefore used by Catholics as one of the main ethical principles. Forgiveness is another main ethical principle of Christianity. In the New Testament forgiveness is taught as an important principle by Jesus. In Matthew 18:21,22 Jesus tells one of his disciples, Peter that he must forgive his forgive his brother â€Å"seventy times seven† times, meaning that no matter what he must always forgive his brother. Because Jesus taught the importance of forgiveness, Christians puts it forward as a main ethical principle. Christians use the different sources of authority to put forward the main ethical principles of Christianity, the Bible being the main source of authority. These main principles are used in many situations and stay the same. b) Some religious ethics are too rigid for moral decision making (10). There are many different ethical laws in Christianity which come from different sources of authority. However, they are not too rigid for moral decision making. Firstly, absolute rules such as the Ten Commandments provide a means in which we can measure an action. They are straight forward and give a clear guideline therefore making it easier to make a decision in difficult situations. However, it could be said some of the Christian ethics contradict each other as they are many different things said in the Bible which go against each other. In the Old Testament it says â€Å"†¦an eye for an eye† but in the New Testament Jesus say that we must â€Å"†¦turn the other cheek.† This causes a lot of misunderstandings as people wouldn’t be sure on what to do if they were in an argument or a fight. Nonetheless, this does not cause Christian ethics to be rigid because two options are given that can be followed in such encounters. Many of the religious ethics taught in Christianity focuses on love as a central point such as Situation Ethics. The moral value of an action is judged according to the consequences which it produces. This principle is not too harsh as the first priority of others is put first therefore making decisions easier to make. It gives you the  option of choosing the right course of action and encourages coherent calculation of a circumstance to make decisions. Other the other hand, religious ethics can be viewed as rigid as it does not allow cultural relativism such as polygamy or polytheism which could be seen as being intolerant. For example in some countries such as China, still practice capital punishment and therefore would be viewed as wrong and would disagree with Christian ethics. Nevertheless, some religious ethics seem reasonable such as the Golden Rule – treat others in the way you like to be treated. Situation Ethics is an example of this as it puts others best interest first – agape. This means that you would think about what you would do in a situation that would have a good impact on the person involved. It also puts the importance of the sanctity of life as a key principle of Christianity therefore recognising the intrinsic value of human life. Although some religious ethics such as the Ten Commandments may seem strict and arbitrary there are still many Christian ethics that are flexible and rational. These include Situation Ethics and the Golden Rule which work in all circumstances.

Reasons For The Fast Global Growth Of Mcdonalds Marketing Essay

Reasons For The Fast Global Growth Of Mcdonalds Marketing Essay McDonalds success can be attributed to their ability to adapt their business to the diverse culture and fast pace of city life by providing quality fast food in a short period of time. Their restaurants are generally comfortable, clean and provide a variety of choices on their fast food menu. The quality of food is generally consistent and prices are low worldwide. This keeps production costs down enabling them to generate higher turnover every year. Furthermore, McDonalds expanded aggressively, opting to franchise rather than operate its new locations, providing new income and little overheads. They managed to provide a product and service to the global middle class, particularly in emerging markets like China, India, and Latin America. This gave McDonalds a massive advantage and great opportunity. By inducing the idea of going global, Kroc managed to attract the fast food market, using Franchised Restaurants, Company Operated Restaurants, and Affiliated Restaurants. To attract the local market Ray introduced a concept of localising the products, so that they will cater to all verities of the local craving. This approach increased the revenue as well as the stability of the company. Krocs strategy of making partnerships with other businesses created huge success to the company. Going in the same successful path, current management has made partnerships with companies such as Wall-mart, Sinopec, and Wall Disney to reach more customers. QUESTION TWO McDonalds needs to adapt to different cultures and conditions when it sets up business in different parts of the world. What problems might McDonalds encounter when it opens outlets in: 2.1 Countries in Eastern Europe? Eastern Europe constitutes an emerging market for most businesses. The collapse of socialism in the region in 1989 facilitated the move of countries to prepare for the participation in the capitalist market. In 1999, most Eastern European countries were working to meet the requirements for the European Community. In 2004, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia became members of the European Union. Membership of a number of European countries in the EU prompted the flow of foreign investments into the country, increasing household income, increasing investment into the region primarily due to cheap labour compared to wages in Western Europe. There was a general trend towards the improvement of the standard of living of citizens of Eastern European countries. However, in the last two years, most Eastern European countries experienced slowed growth due to the increase in the wages of workers that discouraged investments. Nonetheless, wages are still more competitive in Eastern Europe compared to other regions in Europe. Most Eastern European countries are still in the process of completing their transformation from a controlled to a capitalist Economy. Full transition and the stability of the political and economic institutions are expected to boost economic development in these countries. Assessing the potential of a new market for expansion requires the consideration of several factors providing a comprehensive background of the environment that the expanding business firm expect to enter into. In the past unrest created an environment of uncertainty for investors. Products would have to be sourced from nearby countries creating an increase in transportation and labour costs. EU currencies did not have strong buying power, so profit earned would not be enough to sustain the operating costs of the businesses in that region. Consumption volatility could also have an effect on sales on the eastern region due to the rapid increase in income resulting in a change in consumer behaviour. Employment and wage volatility are important factors in deciding to enter a new market because minimal employment and wage volatility translates to regular income for households influencing the stability of consumption resulting to sales and revenue for business firms. The economic condition of the state affects the financial condition of consumers and their ability to purchase the goods and services offered by entering business firms. Although there is a general trend for consumption, employment and wage volatility among European countries, introducing McDonalds into the region is viable for the following reasons: First, McDonalds will develop a market by providing technological, management and marketing expertise to local entrepreneurs enabling them to establish a known restaurant in different areas that creates jobs translating into income to households due to the hiring of local employees and the purchasing of raw materials from the local farmers and businesses. 2.2 Countries in West Asia? If McDonalds was to open a new outlet in one of the West Asian countries, it would have to take a few things into consideration. McDonalds would experience resistance from the Islamic countries for selling American food and culture. Also, Muslims do not eat pork so McDonalds would have to source Halal suppliers and adjust their menu variety to accommodate them. McDonalds has modified its products to cater for local tastes, not least in countries that have special dietary laws. In Muslim countries like Malaysia, bacon is not served in McDonalds burgers or in its breakfast menu, as pork is haraam, or not permissible under Islamic dietary law. In Israel, the nature of kosher dietary laws, forbidding the mixture of meat and dairy products, means that cheeseburgers are not popular among Jewish customers; furthermore, all meat not prepared in a certain manner is considered unkosher by strict observers of the dietary laws. (Spiritus-temporis.com, 2005) 2.3 Countries in Africa? In Africa McDonalds may face various problems when trying to open up new ventures in countries like Ethiopia, Sudan and Zimbabwe. Ethiopia borders Sudan and Kenya and it is one of the largest and poorest countries in Africa. Its population consists of about 74 million people. Two major religious groups occupy Ethiopia, Muslim and Ethiopian Orthodox, with Muslim being the majority. Unfortunately Ethiopia suffers some the worlds worst droughts in history, which in turn destroys their economy. Agriculture produces 60% of exports, and 80% of total employment for the country. In order to develop a McDonalds in Ethiopia, many major factors such as location analysis, market, competition, facilities style, and menu must be considered. McDonalds already has great marketing programs and strategies in place in other foreign markets so the corporation can help with those variables. Most cultures in Ethiopia will allow consumption of red meat such as hamburgers but not of pork. The bacon used for breakfast and on certain sandwiches can be available but also substitutable with turkey bacon. The Ethiopian culture also doesnt use utensils so they will also be available but optional. Zimbabwe is another country that is filled with Political and financial turmoil over the past few years. McDonalds had indicated its interest in Zimbabwe in 1997 and wanted to open a franchise in the country in 1999 but a political storm that year, which later precipitated an unprecedented crisis that saw inflation levels soaring to record highs, forced the fast foods giant to retreat. (bizcommunity.com, 2011) QUESTION THREE 3.1 Critically discuss McDonalds Globalisation Strategy Globalisation is the integration of markets and technology to a degree never witnessed before in a way that it enables individuals, corporations and nation states to reach around the world farther, faster, deeper and cheaper than ever before. Globalisation affects the whole world in ways that may benefit some while disregarding others. Global corporations, such as McDonalds manipulate their advertising to persuade a target audience to purchase and support what I believe to be an unhealthy scheme. Not only has McDonalds changed the way people view the world, but through negative impacts such as health issues, it has also manipulated the everyday life of individuals living in a global community. The faà §ade of healthy eating posed by McDonalds is epitomised through a short TV advertisement displaying the disturbing outcomes due to reliance on quick, easy and convenient food that people pay for, not only with their wallet, but also their health. Globalisation is the outcome of mixing the concepts of localisation and globalisation-as a portmanteau, it is the coming together of the two terms in a manner which suggests that there should be a way for businesses and people to think globally, act locally (Egan, 2007). In practice, this generates business strategies and manners of communication which seek to find innovative ways to blend together the use of a global communication network and scale with the desire to maintain individual areas and cultures, by means of modifying large scale organisations to suit smaller populations (Schumacher, 1967). Consider, for example, McDonalds: as an organisation, it is an incredibly large company which has put branches in many areas and across several different countries. But as they have continued to grow, there has been an increase in resistance against such large scale corporate food chains, as they are seen to ruin the character of a neighbourhood and drain it of culture, as well as provi ding food which is perceived to be substandard and unhealthy. They have therefore had to modify their business practices so as to instil practices which are more welcoming to the local populations, for example by focusing on foodstuffs which are popular amongst the local neighbourhoods and providing healthier, more upscale types of foods on their menu (Towers, 2004). Standardized and adapted approaches to communication are two dichotomous approaches to an advertising or marketing campaign which rely upon two very different methods and achieve differing results. A standardized approach to communication is based upon using the same marketing strategies and techniques regardless of where the campaign is being publicised. This would mean, for example, that the slogans and marketing materials are the same whether the global organisation is approaching a target audience in the United Kingdom or in India (DePalma 2004). A good example of this would be a company like McDonalds, whose campaign slogan Im lovin it remains the same no matter what country it is in-the slogan may be translated out of English and into the local language, but the concept and execution remain the same. The campaign was first launched in Germany in September 2003 as ich liebe es and followed in the United Kingdom and the United States soon after with Im lovin it. The benefits of a standardised marketing plan is that it is cost effective-as it does not require multiple marketing strategies to be drawn up and implemented-and that it helps to create a cohesive global branding concept (DePalma 2004). McDonalds, to continue the example, is easily recognisable the world over for the same branding concepts as any other country. McDonalds has grown from an organisation which had a few branches in the United States to an international phenomenon that has stores in nearly every country in the world. Known for reasonably priced meals with fast food and service, they have pushed even harder to become both a recognisable brand that draws customers in on the strength of their name and brand, but also to adapt to local mores and traditions in such a way to incorporate themselves into neighbourhoods in a strong fashion (Azarya, 2004). McDonalds has had a greater impetus to modify their business practices on a local scale as they are serving food products which are not always locally acceptable. In India, for example, where the Hindu religion prohibits the eating of beef, McDonalds has changed their menu to be primarily chicken and vegetable based, with several items being seasoned in similar ways to the local tradition (McDonalds India, 2010). 3.2 Explain why and how the entry stage of McDonalds was different in China in comparison with the rest of the world. McDonalds made a foray into China in 1990. In China of the 90s ancient belief systems rooted in Confucianism and Taoism were intermingling with Western ideologies, through the narrow window opened up by the Communist government at the helm. This was especially true with regards to thoughts on consumption, consumerism and brands. Although, the hurdles faced by McDonalds in China, like lack of quality supplies and distribution difficulties, were very similar to the Russian experience, it found a more accommodating and efficient bureaucracy and government in the Chinese. The Chinese government wanted to develop its fast food market and wanted McDonalds to take the risk in paving the way. Thus there was mutual interest involved and consequently, on the cultural acceptability front, McDonald did not have to labour as much as it had to in the Soviet Union where it had to stave off an ideological backlash before finding its feet. The interactions between the McDonald brand (and all that it stood for), and the Chinese cultural value system, combined to provide a synergy that resulted in some interesting developments. While in some cases McDonalds became an upholder of traditional values, while in other situations, McDonalds became an appropriate medium for consumers to explore new beliefs and ways of acting. This apparent paradox epitomized the fact that Chinese society was making a transition and elements of McDonalds value orientation were slowly being imbued by the Chinese masses. Two instances are cited to highlight this: McDonalds made a departure from the hierarchical set up of the dining experience in traditional Chinese restaurants, based on considerations of age. In McDonalds the seating arrangements were open, and everyone having equal access as to where to sit and what to order. In this case McDonalds encouraged the Chinese to make a departure from tradition. The lack of alcohol served in McDonalds led some consumers, primarily Chinese women, to embrace being able to be on a more equal footing with men while eating. In this case McDonalds upheld a traditional Chinese custom. In retrospect, in Russia, McDonalds has come a long way from the days of communism inspired anti-globalization backlash. Today, the McDonalds brand is a sign of quality for Russians, so being seen to work for it or supply to it is a highly regarded stamp of cultural approval. By investing in a strong local supply chain and teaching local producers, McDonalds has earned itself an almost unassailable position in the minds of the Soviet people who now view McDonalds as an international brand, run by local people and supplied by local people. It is little wonder that there are as many as 137 McDonalds restaurants in 37 cities with 500,000 customers a day. In a cultural milieu qualitatively different from that of the Americans, McDonalds has done remarkably well in China over the last 15 years. Analyzed from the cultural perspective, today McDonalds does not always denote Westernization in the minds of the Chinese consumers and the interactions are more subtle than that with the result th at McDonalds has absorbed elements of the traditional value system and the Chinese people have imbued elements of Western culture from McDonalds producing a powerful synergy in the process. (answers.com, 2011) QUESTION FOUR Explain some of McDonalds efforts to localize its offerings in China and describe how successful these efforts were. (operational issues) sourced local suppliers, employed local The Chinese fast food market has been booming in the last decade because of fast changing lifestyles and eating habits. The reason for this evolution is that Chinese consumers have accepted the Western-style fast food restaurants as a way of life in China. As a result, the popular American food has become a huge success story, creating a growing market for U.S. frozen potatoes. To position a product in a country, a good marketing strategy is needed. McDonalds success in China is based on a five-point strategy focused on product, price, people, promotion and place. A new trend is the introduction of the sixth P, namely profit. McDonalds also tries to improve the profitability in China. (Edward B. Colby, 2006) PRODUCT McDonalds product strategy consists of three categories. First they try to reflect the tastes and customs of the local markets by offering different kind of menus. The Chicken McNuggets in China come with the traditional BBQ, Sweet Sour, and Honey Mustard sauces, but theres also a Chilli Garlic Sauce, which is very popular in China. (Answers.com, 2007) In 2001 McDonalds Vegetable and Seafood Soup and Corn Soup were introduced. I think that these menu items were introduced because it was in line with their culture and love for foods with exotic taste. Clearly this proved to be a successful marketing strategy as it targeted the palatial needs of the Chinese people because of their ancient history and experimentation with different varieties of food. Furthermore McDonalds went on to introduce a local; version of its Dollar Menu calling it the Value Menu. This also proved a successful concept as most Chinese people are short, tiny in physique and very health conscious. The regular sized meals in the US and other parts of the world suited the BMI (Body Mass Index) height and weight of the average customer. Remember, Chinese people in general are not big eaters thus the reason for McDonalds offering a smaller and cheaper variation of the original product. Due to the urbanization and overpopulated cities, China has many problems with vehicles and parking. McDonalds opened restaurants and dessert kiosks targeting pedestrians and the general working class. Secondly, McDonalds also tries to provide information about their products. In cooperation with their global nutrition team, their local business units develop and implement nutrition information, which can be found on the packaging of the products. The packaging provides information on key nutritional values in a simple and clear format, so that customers around the world can use the information to make menu choices that suit their preferences. Also other communication tools are used, such as advertising both on television as on the World Wide Web to give information about the quality of their food products. (McDonalds Corporation, 2007) Thirdly McDonalds promotes physical activity, for example their sponsorship of the Olympic Games. McDonalds history with the Olympic Movement dates back to 1968. As the Worldwide Olympic Partner and the Official Restaurant of the Olympic Games, McDonalds has served millions of athletes. With the sponsoring of the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008 McDonalds wants to continue to promote an Active Balanced Lifestyle and Olympic Spirit among Kids, Families and Adults of all ages. (Beijing 2008, 2007) This strategy gained McDonalds a lot of support and trust from the Chinese people as their campaign supported good health and physical activity. PRICE The conventional wisdom about China is that most consumers are highly sensitive to price. As a result, a decrease in burger prices is likely to be more effective than a big marketing campaign. To convince Chinese consumers coming to McDonalds, McDonalds lowered prices for its basic menu consisting of a hamburger, fries and drink from 12.50 Yuan to 10 Yuan. (Scott Hume, 2007) Across China there are a lot of differences in purchasing power. Therefore McDonalds China is also exploring menu pricing by taking into account both market and restaurant. (James A. Skinner, 2006) PEOPLE McDonalds provides employment and growth opportunities for a lot of people, more than 1.5 million worldwide. Entering the Chinese market they can give many people the opportunity to operate in their restaurants. They focus also on training and development, which is necessary to learn the required skills, to do their jobs well. McDonalds has its own learning academy, namely the Hamburger University (HU), where a leadership development program is established based on Western management practices. (McDonalds Corporation c, 2007) PLACE There are two important evolutions concerning this subject. First evolution is to open McDonalds China 24 hours a day. Presently, more than 400 restaurants of the 800 restaurants in China have provided services for 24 hours a day. In Beijing 40% of the companys stores open their business for 24 hours. In Shanghai 50% and in Guangzhou 60% have a 24-hour service. The major reason for opening 24-hour restaurants is to meet the demand by the customers, because more and more customers need the services at night because of their changing living habits. In Beijing customers actually werent eager for the night service due to the relatively cold weather there at night. This is different from the customers in the warmer southern China. (Answers.com) The McDonalds success story in China is quite evident as they opened their first 1000th McDonalds restaurant faster than any other country outside the US and is the main focus for investment in the regionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ They go one further to mention that they plan to have à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦2000 outlets in China by 2013. Clearly this is quite an achievement in country that is diverse and rich on different culture. QUESTION FIVE Discuss the challenges that McDonalds faced when entering the Chinese market and to expand its operations. You need to use the Geert Hofstedes model to compare China and the U.S. and then highlight cultural challenges that the U.S. managers must be aware of in managing McDonalds operations in China) McDonalds difficulties and challenges in China McDonalds is considered as the most successful and largest restaurant chain in the world. In 1990 McDonalds opened its first store in Shenzhen China. In 1992, McDonalds Beijing outlet was opened. There are more than 800 McDonalds outlets in China today. (answers.com, 2011) In so far as the legal aspect was concerned, there were no franchise laws that existed in China. This posed a problem about how franchises should exist or operate. Chinese people were loyal to Chinese cuisine and felt that the fast food chains did not offer much variety to suit their palate. The Chinese preferred the traditional culture of food and drink complete with colour, fragrance, flavour, and variety. To make matters worse, they also faced intense competition by its biggest rival Yum Brands i.e. KFC. Not only did McDonalds have the difficult task of adapting their business to the Chinese culture and way of life; they also had to fend off their competitors. This meant finding other ways to compete against them and attract customers by changing their product range, style and advertising. Hofstedes Cultural Dimensions: China and The United States: One of the most popular works in the study of culture is that of Geert Hofstedes (1984). Through his research and surveys he theorized that cultural and sociological differences between nations can be categorized and quantified, thereby allowing comparison of national cultures to take place. Hofstedes identified four cultural dimensions. These are: 1. Power Distance The dimension of power distance is about the extent to which power structures are hierarchical and reflect significant inequalities in power. Countries with large power distances exhibit wide inequalities in power, power that is often concentrated in relatively few hands in heavily centralized and hierarchical organizations. Individuals within such cultures view themselves as inherently unequal: subordinates are dependent on those higher up the hierarchy and accept the power of their superiors by virtue of their position in the hierarchy. All participants in the hierarchy expect their position within it to be clearly demarcated. China is considered as a large power distance country. In small power distance countries, individuals are more inclined to regard themselves as equals: rather than expecting to be told what to do, subordinates expect to be consulted and will argue a case with those higher up the organization. Respect for individuals within the organization comes from their proven capacity to perform a role rather than from the possession of a particular job title or their place in an organization. Shorter small power distances coincide with flatter organization structures. The United States is considered a country with small power distance. 2. Uncertainty Avoidance Uncertainty avoidance measures the lack of tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity. This manifests itself in high levels of anxiety and emotion. This in turn translates into a preference for highly structured formal rules and limited tolerance for groups and individuals demonstrating deviant ideas or behaviours. 3. Individualism vs. Collectivism The individualist-collectivist dimension measures the degree to which the interests of individuals or of the group take priority. The social framework in an individualistic society is looser than that of a more collectivist society and individuals take responsibility for themselves and their immediate as opposed to extended families. Individualist societies demonstrate a greater regard for individual rights and freedoms and tend to be characterized by assertiveness and competitiveness rather than by teamwork and cooperation. China is considered a country that is collectivist. In China, it is the group (which could be the extended family, the employer or the society as a whole) that looks after the interest of individuals and gives them their sense of identity. In return from this protection, individuals offer the group loyalty and work towards the attainment of goals determined by and for the good of the group, organization or society. The United States on the other hand is a highly individualistic society. 4. Masculinity Femininity Societies that place a high premium on assertiveness, achievement and the acquisition of material possessions are exhibiting aggressive or masculine goal behaviour. Masculine environments also favour conflict and competition in the workplace. Cultures that place a high value on social relationships, quality of life and sensitivity demonstrate passive or feminine goal behaviour. Cultures and workplaces scoring high on the femininity dimension exhibit high degrees of cooperation, negotiation and compromise. The United States can be considered as a masculine culture while China is leaning toward femininity. QUESTION SIX Where do you think the best opportunities for future growth lie for McDonalds? Why? Relations between the U.S. and China could be entering the realm of interesting times, but McDonalds seems undaunted. The fast-food giant recently announced plans to nearly double the number of Golden Arches locations in that highly coveted market. It comes as no surprise that American companies yearn for heated expansion in this populous nation. China has more than 1.3 billion people; one in five people on the planet live in China. Thats a lot of people who might want fries with that. Meanwhile, informal dining out in China is currently a $300 billion opportunity, and its expected to increase by 10% this year as the middle class in that country grows. An aggressive growth target for Chinese restaurants certainly looks like a good idea, given McDonalds 2010 plans to grow global revenue by 3% to 5%, and profit by 7% to 9%. In fact, China is the companys fastest-growing market in sales and income. As it stands now, China has 1,100 Mickey Ds. By the end of 2013, McDonalds plans to have planted 2,000 in the nation. China already represents 23% of revenue from the fast food giants Asia Pacific/Middle East/Africa segment. Lets look at McDonalds comparable-store sales by geographic region for the last several years (in constant currencies): MCD annual comparable-store sales 2009 2008 2007 Asia Pacific/Middle East/Africa 3.4% 9% 10.6% U.S. 2.6% 4% 4.5% Europe 5.2% 8.5% 7.6% *From company press releases and SEC filings. As you can see, in 2009 comps slowed down across the board, although admittedly, McDonalds faced tough comparisons in years past. Investors understandably get excited about U.S. companies that eye Chinese growth; one of the significant factors for the investment thesis for Yum Brands have been its presence in China, and its continued aggressive expansion. Last year alone, it opened more than 500 new restaurants there. Yum has more than 2,870 KFC outlets in China, and more than 450 Pizza Huts. You can see why McDonalds would be salivating to compete for some of that action. Of course, expanding into China is not without pitfalls. Although Starbucks is still waxing enthusiastic about its Chinese locations, its faced plenty of frustrating moments, including its 2007 retreat from the Forbidden City. Many U.S. companies have also had to navigate difficulties with the Chinese government and its policies, including Yahoo! and more recently Google. (www.fool.com, 2011) India may overtake China as the worlds fastest growing major economy by 2015, as the South Asian nation doubles infrastructure investment and adds six-fold more workers than its northern neighbour, Morgan Stanley said. Indias growth may accelerate to 9.5 percent between 2011 and 2015, Morgan Stanley economist Chetan Ahya said in an interview from Singapore today. Indias gross domestic product has expanded at an average 7.1 percent over the decade through the third quarter of 2009, compared with 9.1 percent in China, which surpassed Japan as the second-largest economy last quarter. (Bloomberg.com, 2011) India will surpass China, Japan and many other European countries in the current economic climate with their economic growth rate. It has one of the largest populations in the world. According to a survey by Bloomberg, the govt will invest millions of dollars to develop the countrys poor infrastructure. The creation of jobs in the manufacturing industry means that there will be an increase in consumer expenditure in the long term. McDonalds has great potential in reaching many more consumers in India because an injection of capital into the economy.

Reflective Essay on Personal Strengths

Reflective Essay on Personal Strengths Personal Strengths 2 Introduction StrengthsQuest is a personality assessment tool used by career-oriented companies and schools to help determine what careers a given person might be suitable for. This is a test approximately 150 questions long, that measures ones top five personality strengths, so that those top five may be recognized and utilized in a proficient manner within that persons career. This maximizes ones workable efficiency. This report will analyze my top five personal strengths and make a correlation between them and my future career endeavors. Personal Strengths Themes My top five personal strengths are Belief, Responsibility, Competition, Developer, and Relator. In order to further discuss these strengths, one must have a basic understanding of what goes into each strength theme. Belief   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  If you possess a strong Belief theme, you have certain core values that are enduring. These values vary from one person to another, but ordinarily your Belief theme causes you to be family-oriented, altruistic, even spiritual, and to value responsibility and high ethics-both in yourself and others. These core values affect your behavior in many ways. They give your life meaning and satisfaction; in your view, success is more than money and prestige. They provide you with direction, guiding you through the temptations and distractions of life toward a consistent set of priorities. This consistency is the foundation for all your relationships. Your friends call you dependable. â€Å"I know where you stand,† they say. Your Belief makes you easy to trust. It also demands that you find work that meshes with your values. Your work must be meaningful; it must matter to you. And guided by your Belief theme it will matter only if it gives you a chance to live out yo ur values (StrengthsQuest 2010). Personal Strengths 3 Responsibility   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Your Responsibility theme forces you to take psychological ownership for anything you commit to, and whether large or small, you feel emotionally bound to follow it through to completion. Your good name depends on it. If for some reason you cannot deliver, you automatically start to look for ways to make it up to the other person. Apologies are not enough. Excuses and rationalizations are totally unacceptable. You will not quite be able to live with yourself until you have made restitution. This conscientiousness, this near obsession for doing things right, and your impeccable ethics, combine to create your reputation: utterly dependable. When assigning new responsibilities, people will look to you first because they know it will get done. When people come to you for help-and they soon will-you must be selective. Your willingness to volunteer may sometimes lead you to take on more than you should (StrengthsQuest 2010). Competition   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Competition is rooted in comparison. When you look at the world, you are instinctively aware of other peoples performance. Their performance is the ultimate yardstick. No matter how hard you tried, no matter how worthy your intentions, if you reached your goal but did not outperform your peers, the achievement feels hollow. Like all competitors, you need other people. You need to compare. If you can compare, you can compete, and if you can compete, you can win. And when you win, there is no feeling quite like it. You like measurement because it facilitates comparisons. You like other competitors because they invigorate you. You like contests because they must produce a winner. You particularly like contests where you know you have the inside track to be the winner. Although you are gracious to your fellow competitors and even stoic in defeat, you dont compete for the fun of competing. You compete to win. Over time you will come to avoid contests where winning seem s unlikely (StrengthsQuest 2010). Developer   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  You see the potential in others. Very often, in fact, potential is all you see. In your view no individual is fully formed. On the contrary, each individual is a work in progress, alive with possibilities. And you are drawn toward people for this very reason. When you interact with others, your goal is to help them experience success. You look for ways to challenge them. You devise interesting experiences that can stretch them and help them grow. And all the while you are on the lookout for the signs of growth-a new behavior learned or modified, a slight improvement in a skill, a glimpse of excellence or of â€Å"flow† where previously there were only halting steps. For you these small increments- invisible to some-are clear signs of potential being realized. These signs of growth in others are your fuel. They bring you strength and satisfaction. Over time many will seek Personal Strengths 4 you out for help and encouragement because on some level they know that your helpfulness is both genuine and fulfilling to you (StrengthsQuest 2010). Relator   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Relator describes your attitude toward your relationships. In simple terms, the Relator theme pulls you toward people you already know. You do not necessarily shy away from meeting new people-in fact, you may have other themes that cause you to enjoy the thrill of turning strangers into friends-but you do derive a great deal of pleasure and strength from being around your close friends. You are comfortable with intimacy. Once the initial connection has been made, you deliberately encourage a deepening of the relationship. You want to understand their feelings, their goals, their fears, and their dreams; and you want them to understand yours. You know that this kind of closeness implies a certain amount of risk-you might be taken advantage of-but you are willing to accept that risk. For you a relationship has value only if it is genuine. And the only way to know that is to entrust yourself to the other person. The more you share with each other, the more you risk t ogether. The more you risk together, the more each of you proves your caring is genuine. These are your steps toward real friendship, and you take them willingly (StrengthsQuest 2010). Career Correlations   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Physical fitness has always been my passion. I am currently working on getting a Bachelors degree in exercise science. With that being said, I have two routes that I would like to go. I would either like to be an athletic coach of some kind, or a personal trainer. With the strength themes I exhibited, these career fields are somewhat perfect for me.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  With the strength theme, Belief, I want nothing more than to make a difference in peoples lives, through the avenue of physical fitness. By doing this, I can be happy with myself even if I dont make a ton of money. I believe that if you love what you do, the money will fall in to place (Ted Leonsis 2010). I am a big advocate of having a purpose in everything you do, whether large or small. My Belief, is that, I can have a positive influence on someones life, and Personal Strengths 5   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  teach them values and help them achieve personal goals they have set for themselves, through sports or working out.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Responsibility is my next theme, which gives me accountability to my future â€Å"clients† and â€Å"players.† I am not one to give up in anything when something doesnt go my way. If I commit to something, theres no turning back from it (Rotegà ¥rd,A.,Moore,S.,Fagermoen,M.,Ruland,C. 2010). If I cannot accomplish something or make a mistake, I dont try to make excuses, but rather, learn from it and move on. It is that sense of Responsibilty.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Competition is a great strength theme for me, especially given the option of coaching. Competition is a way that I can measure my work ethic and achievement motivation. I have a need to compare and contrast myself with others around me (Vetter,R.,Symonds,M. 2010). Not in the sense that I am better than they are, but constantly trying to better myself, by learning from those who I feel are better competitors. Competition can be a great asset when used right.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Developer is another great strength, because it can be applied, so easy, to both personal training and coaching as well. I think it is necessary for both too. I am good at seeing the â€Å"big picture† in people. I can see how someone may be good at something, but then know how to tweak their skills enough to help make them great at it. Through precision, non-complacency, and attention to details, I can help bring out the potential in others (Mark Helfand 2005). This is a huge driving force for me.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Finally, Relator is the last of my top five strength themes. Relator allows me to connect with those I work with. Empathy is so very important to both athletics and personal training. Personal Strengths 6 When you can see through someone elses eyes, you can share a bond with them that allows you to use a leadership role, by giving advice and making corrections without being questioned. It builds trust between both parties and allows for more efficient goal achievement.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  These top five strength themes that I exhibit, I believe, are not only perfect for coaching or personal training, but are, absolutely necessary in being successful as well. Personal Strengths References Mark Helfand. (2005). Using Evidence Reports: Progress And Challenges In Evidence-Based Decision Making.Health Affairs,24(1),123-127. Ted Leonsis. (2010,April). How to Build a Happy Company.Newsweek,155(15). Rotegà ¥rd,A.,Moore,S.,Fagermoen,M.,Ruland,C..(2010). Health assets: A concept analysis. International Journal of Nursing Studies,47(4),513. Vetter,R.,Symonds,M..(2010). CORRELATIONS BETWEEN INJURY, TRAINING INTENSITY, AND PHYSICAL AND MENTAL EXHAUSTION AMONG COLLEGE ATHLETES.Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research,24(3),587-96.

ANNIs Baby :: essays research papers

I read an autobiography in the form of a diary. I found that because it was written in the form of a diary it gave me a much better idea as to what the main character was thinking. The plot of this story is about a girl who life is going fine until she meets this supposedly wonderful guy. Before long things go bad and he becomes sexually, physically and mentally abusive. Annie stays with Danny and soon becomes pregnant. Before she knows it she's a Mom. She realizes in the end that she simply cannot give her baby everything it deserves so she gives it to a loving couple who is unable to have children. Her mom gets a new job they move away and get on with their lives. The main character in book is Annie. She is fairly attractive with blue eyes, dirty blonde hair and a slender build. She is 14 years old and involved in tennis and soccer. Danny the other important character in this book is 16 tall, dark and handsome. And a major strength on the boys' football team. He has a part time job at his father's restaurant. Annie's mother is very supportive and loving. She teaches at a local high school. (She plays a minor role) Mary Ann is Annie's baby she enters later on in the story. She was born 2 months premature and does what a typical baby dose. Well one of the first conflicts that arises is between Annie and Danny. One night they decided to go to a party, on the way home Danny insisted on having sex, Annie refused. After a short while Danny became impacient and tried to rape Annie, he was not successful .I don't know how but she forgave him and continued to date him. One night on the way out somewhere Danny mysteriously remembered that he had forgot something at home. So they returned to his house once there Danny demanded that Annie strip for him. When she refused he became furious, started calling her every name in the book and became violent. He then forced himself upon her and raped her viciously. When he was done he through her out as if she were yesterdays trash. After all this their relationship continued so did the violence and the sex. Before long Annie became pregnant, Danny refused to admit the Baby was his.

somthign new :: essays research papers

Barn Burning: Sarty's Transformation Into Adulthood In William Faulkner's story, "Barn Burning", we find a young man who struggles with the relationship he has with his 37. Beowulf: Unferth, The Same Martyr Beowulf: Unferth, the Same Martyr John Gardner introduces the reader of Grendel to an intimate side of Unferth unseen in the epic poem Beowulf. In Grendel we behold what a 38. Art Art From stick figures in the sand and the earliest animals painted and carved in stone, people worldwide have reacted to the world by Russian Reform and Economics: The Last Quarter of the 20th Century Outline Thesis: As the reformation of the USSR was becoming a reality, Russia's economy was crumbling bene 21. Descartes Vs. Pascal Descartes vs. Pascal For centuries, human beings have been debating over the validity of the use of reason. This is a very, very difficult subject to discuss, as one is fo 22. Heart Of Darkness: Mystery And Suspense Heart of Darkness: Mystery and Suspense It seems like everywhere there is something in life that seems to be left behind. In the books I read about mystery or suspense, th 23. A Liberal Arts Education A Liberal Arts Education A liberal arts education provides students with a broad spectrum of information enabling them to expand knowledge and to advance society in a posi 24. A Discussion On Earthquakes A Discussion On Earthquakes Perhaps Mother Nature offers no greater force than that of the earthquake. Across the span of time, earthquakes have been recorded for their 25. Preserving Our Earth Preserving Our Earth America's endangered areas are deplinishing daily. Natural disasters are a major factor in their disappearance, but the most prominent factor is manki 26. Hemp: The Truth About The Earth's Greatest Plant Hemp: The Truth About the Earth's Greatest Plant In a perfect world there would be a product that could serve as a fuel source, a food source, a paper source, a textile so 27. Wal-mart Is Taking Over Wal-Mart is taking Over Is Wal-Mart good for communities, or is Wal-Mart a wolf in sheep's clothing? With a gross annual sales of over $67 billion and more than 2,000 stor 28. 1984: The Party Has Many Slogans 1984: The Party Has Many Slogans In George Orwell's 1984, the Party, the government of Oceania, has many slogans. One of the sayings is â€Å"Big Brother Is Watching You†.

media and its influence on the public Essay -- essays research papers

The media is a huge form of communication and source of information in the United States; on one side of the dispute are the beliefs that the media is too opinionated. On the other side are the beliefs that the media is just a simple informer that just reports the facts. The main issue for both of these beliefs is: does the media affect opinions on the issues from opinionated reports, or does it just report the facts that public may already know? If one could answer this question then they would know if the media was responsible or not for writing history.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The media is a form of communication used to reach the general public to form audiences for information, artistic expression, and other kinds of messages (Marc, David, â€Å"Mass Media.† Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. Scholastic Library Publishing, 2005 ). Media is known for being able to reach large segments of the public due to its great value in commerce, politics, and culture. Corporations like in the U.S. or national governments like in China, usually control the media. These corporations or national governments employ people who are professional and can produce, promote, and deliver these media products to meet the goal of attracting large audiences.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Media products can be produced and promoted in different ways using different objects. There are products such as books, videos, DVD’s, newspapers, and magazines. The ways media can be delivered to audiences are through t.v. channels, pay-per-view, movies, and radio broadcasting. Most media depends on profit to be produced and a lot of the profit comes from the selling of items like books, and the selling of advertisements like in newspapers or television.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Some Historians say that forms of media first occurred during the medieval period in Europe rather than it forming in the industrial- era. It supposedly began in the architecture found in European Cathedrals which functioned like a mass medium of religious communication through biblical stories, religious information, paintings, sculptures, and other forms of art to a large illiterate population. The eighteenth century is often considered to be the beginning of media due to the first commercial printing industry in London. It was then, the eighteenth century, when publishing began and hand operated printing presses ... ...s its consistent failure to inform the masses of its ongoing control. It has been in place for so long that few are aware of how it came about or that it is even still there. But many people are intelligent, moral, and idealistic; if the media would the true history of these three sacred cows, that control would quickly disappear†(J.W. Smith, The Worlds Wasted Wealth 2, (Institute for Economic Democracy, 1994), p.11). The media obtains support and conformity through many ways. After all the media is just another business trying to make a profit so should its buyers be guilty of its continuos to commit such accused wrongness.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The media and its reporting of facts being biased or not is a large topic and is continually debated among those who believe the media should not contain its opinions and others who believe that it is the media’s duty to not only report the facts but to explain and interpret them. People should consider the fact that they choose what they want to read, listen to, and believe so does that make the informer wrong even if the information is not totally accurate or correct?

Business Strategy BMW

Bayberries Motormen Worker GAG (English: Bavarian Motor Works) with headquarter in Munich is one of them. Founded 1916 as a producer of aircraft engines BMW is one of the ten largest car manufacturers in the world today. The company operates in three business segments: automobiles, motorcycles and financial services. However the core business Is still the production is one of the leading car manufacturers with the aim to achieve profitable growth and become the number one in next few years. The global acting company had a business volume of 53,7 billion Euro in the year 2009.Currently 96. 000 employers work at 17 different production places all over the world for BMW. In last year the BMW Group sold 1. 3 million cars of its three non-overlapping premium car brands Mini, Rolls-Royce and BMW. The brand recognition and high investments in research and development seems to be the trumps of BMW (BMW, n. D. : BMW Education Programmer n. D. ). This report will give a more detailed view at t he current situation of the BMW Group with an analysis of the company's strategies but also with a look at the issues and a final evaluation of the authors of this report. . Strategic Analysis Integral to the understanding of the organization BMW Group is a detailed strategic analysis of the company. Appendixes 1 and 2 both contain various tools for analysis, namely a SOOT and a PESTLE analysis. One can draw upon these when analyzing all the forces and factors affecting a company as an aggregate. It is also important to place the findings of these analyses in a context. In this case, a strategic analysis of BMW Group should not only consider the information contained in both these analyses, but also the context in which the firm operates.As mentioned, in Appendix 1, a SOOT analysis considers the current position of a company. In the case of BMW Group, the position is currently enjoys is a very strong one. When critically analysis the mentioned weaknesses and threats it becomes appar ent that each of these are common to most companies and car manufacturers in the market segments chosen by BMW Group and its subsidiaries. In a sense this leads to a canceling out effect, which will be discusses below.For example, in terms of threats to automotive manufacturers, existing and fierce competition applies to the vast majority, as does being affected by the volatility of fuel prices. To a large extent the price of raw materials also poses a threat to all manufacturers, however this varies by small degrees when one considers that in a anthropometry environment many cars do not share similar materials. This is due to manufacturers seeking competitive advantage through vehicle parts and structures being made of differing alloys, in attempts for qualities such as greater strength and lighter weight.In spite of this, steel remains a predominant material in the automobiles of BMW Group. Having similar â€Å"threats† appropriate to most manufacturers means they are all c ompeting amidst similar circumstances, so no firm is solely disadvantaged as a result. It is a similar case when one considers the weaknesses of BMW Group. Despite minor differences, most manufacturers in the market segments operated in by BMW Group share most weaknesses. All premium carmakers are faced with stiff competition, as it is the nature of the industry. All suffer from a perception of high prices.Again, there may be slight variations within this surmise such as slight variations in perceived value but as an aggregate, the premium car sector is partly characterized by high prices. Associated with keeping design and construction of the automobiles of BMW Group within Germany, and various other Western countries. This is due to higher labor sots, and greater levels of taxation. Keeping the majority of production and all of the design and engineering in Germany has both advantages and disadvantages. It has been listed in the SOOT analysis as a weakness, purely due to the impac t on the bottom line of the firm.It is a similar story for the other major German competitors BMW Group. Certain American (Lexus) or Swedish (Volvo) rivals face a similar problem in terms of higher cost. -Chinese competitors do not. Being engineered and assembled in Germany has to also be mentioned as a strength. This is as a result of German engineering having an international petition for being of some of the highest quality engineering in the world. This creates a perception of quality, which is common to most manufacturers in the premium car segment, but more so to the vehicles created by BMW Group.There is perception that BMW, along with Mercedes Benz are of a higher standard of quality than their third major German rival, Audio. As well as a SOOT analysis, a PESTLE analysis is important for furthering knowledge of the environment in which BMW Group operates. As Appendix 2 outlines, a PESTLE considers the external forces which impact upon the strategic implementation and runnin g of a firm. Political forces are present, however they have an effect on the industry as an aggregate. Within Germany, the country in which a lot of the cars of BMW Group are manufactured, laws dictate maximum emissions vehicles are allowed to produce.They also affect BMW Group in that they dictate minimum wages and minimum level of corporate responsibility. For most other countries, taxation laws and customs laws determine prices at which BMW Group products are sold at. Different countries have different levels of tax and import duties, however generally most countries will charge some form of import duty on valuable goods, which in turn increases the price at which local retailers sell the vehicles. In some cases there are certain charges on top of this – of example in Australia there is a Luxury Car Tax imposed on vehicles worth more that ****.But as aforementioned, this type of political influence affects all manufacturer in the premium car market segment. Ecologically t here are a lot of influences shaping the direction of BMW Group automobiles. The main one being the increased societal awareness of the popular concept that is Global Warming. As a result of this many nations and manufacturers re imposing, whether voluntarily or as a legal requirement, goals of reducing emissions. This is done through setting targets and can be quite costly – in most cases being where the majority of research and development funds are spent.In the case of BMW Group, this is certainly so. The quest for more efficient engines is ongoing, and can also be attributed to the other major ecological factor – the growing scarcity of natural resources. The natural resource whose scarcity affects motorists globally is crude oil. There are socio-cultural factors at work, also. BMW uses positioning to reach certain target markets. As such, a lot of their vehicles are financially out of reach for demographics. Due to this, things such as median incomes and average p roperty prices dictate where BMW outlets will be placed geographically.Also in the case of BMW Group, an image of exclusivity primarily exists, though more recently there has been an effort to make their products within reach of more people. This is being conducted by making smaller, more affordable cars whilst retaining an image of prestige. In an industry such as the car industry, technology is the most influential force toward a company such as BMW Group. Technology is where a lot of manufacturers obtain their competitive advantage, and for BMW Group this is certainly the case.They invest vast sums of money into research and development in a bid to create more efficient engines with which they can compete with other manufacturers and obtain a competitive advantage. This also applies on fronts such as safety of cars, durability of cars, and power of cars. With current market trends drifting towards efficiency being a high priority for most customers, this is something that plays a n integral role in the strategic goals, plans, and implementation of plans of BMW Group. Economically, there are many forces that exert influence over BMW Group.Varying exchange rates are a primary factor, and have a direct impact upon sales within a given country, as they play a large role in determining whether or not a customer will buy a substitute good. BMW Group have a strategy in place to manage this known as â€Å"hedging†. High prices for raw materials such as steel and various alloy metals also play a part in determining corporate strategies, as does the volatility in the price of petrol in various countries in which BMW Group sells their goods. The legal factors are very similar to the aforementioned political factors, as they mostly include legislations to do with emissions and safety.There are other laws which vary by degrees between countries in which BMW Group goods are produced. This mainly involves certain labor laws, such as minimum wage laws and occupationa l health and safety laws. BMW Group consider these forces and the elements of a SOOT when developing corporate strategies and implementing them. The firm devises ways in which they can manage this uncertainty, and minimize the amount of turbulence they encounter spite being part of such a competitive and volatile industry. These will be covered in a later section of this report. 3.Strategic directions Especially in the high competitive market of the automobile industry a clear vision and mission statement is important to hold the internal and external stakeholder support on a high level (Hill, Jones, Galvan & Haddam 2007). As one of the worlds leading car manufacturer BUM'S vision statement is nothing less than â€Å"To be the leading supplier of premium products and premium services for individual mobility. † (BMW AAA, p. 180) To do that BMW sets its main focus traditionally on sights quality standards and best possible service for its customers.BMW mission statement is embo ssed by sustainability and responsibility. In the centre stand the three â€Å"Or's†: resources efficiency, risk minimization and reputation. With resource addition the company tries to save energy by optimizing their current engines and providing new drive systems like hydrogen engines. The aim of the company is â€Å"to use resources sparingly and efficiently' (BMW 2005, p. L). To lead the company in successful future for BMW it is important to recognize risk in an early stadium and try to avoid them (BMW 2005).Reputation is especially for BMW as a company with a very high brand value important. So BMW wants to â€Å"enhance the Company's reputation by acting responsibly towards employees and society'(BMW 2005, p. L). Every individual of the BMW group is supposed to maintain the sustainability of that three parts and everyone in the company should implement these objectives in the every days work life. Simultaneous BMW sees its staff as an important part on the way to rea ch its mission and provide its employees with best conditions and supports the professional and personal development (BMW 2005). Key strategies BMW has several strategies to survive in the strong competitive automobile market. One is the strategy of differentiation (Hill, Jones, Galvan & Haddam 2007). Cars of BMW stand for quality and exclusivity. Customers are willing to pay more money for a BMW than for an equal car of another brand. BMW is able to create the awareness of differences in its consumers mind and satisfies its customers wants and needs at a very high level. The cars of BMW have an attractive and sportive design. In connection with the high price BMW underlines its status as a premium brand.Furthermore BMW attracts through its sportive aspect and focus on innovation especially younger people. Expensive marketing campaigns force that in an impressive way. The result is an extremely high brand recognition and binding of a large number of loyal customers all over the worl d. That unique position of BMW makes it difficult for competitors to take advantage of the market in the short and medium term. BMW follows a diversification strategy, too. It has three non- overlapping car brands and a motorcycle brand.They are able to use their high knowledge and engineering experiences for all three different car brands and rover there are several synergies between the car and the motorcycle production. Especially in the expensive development of engines both segments profit similarly and the total risk for the company is lowered down because the company is less vulnerable for unexpected economic or competitive changes (Hill, Jones, Galvan & Haddam 2007). As a third the mastication of profit is one of the major strategies of the company for the next years.BMW has to fight against decreasing sale numbers caused by the economic crisis. Therefore the firm has to find new ways to generate more earning to satisfy its shareholders. A logical consequence is to reduce cos ts and increase efficiency. BMW tries to do that by different methods and techniques (Hill, Jones, Galvan & Haddam 2007). 5. Strategic implementation In the centre of Bum's strategic implementation stand the realization of strategic plan called â€Å"Number ONE†. BMW propose two sets of goals and strategies – one to lead BMW into 2012, one to lead BMW into 2020 (BMW 2007).At present, for the short worldwide. This is inclusive of all of their car brands, Mini and Rolls Royce. To do this they are increasing the variety in their model line-up. Also, for this short term, they re among the industry-leaders in adapting to new and different target markets, by producing cheaper, better quality cars which are accessible to a greater array of potential buyers. The other major short-term strategy to achieve this is to greater â€Å"recession-proof† their interests by engaging in hedging in the $ASS (BMW 2007: Horntail 2009).The goals and strategies which BMW hopes to achie ve by 2020 are much more ambitious, but no less achievable. They have adopted a â€Å"less input, more output† ethos, and as such are aiming to cut cost-centers and save the targeted figure of 6 billion Euros. As part of this plan, that 6 billion Euros is earmarked to then be invested into research and development in order to gain a competitive advantage through greater efficiency of their products. Instruments like flexible work and shifts models make it possible to adjust the product capacity of each plant contemporary.The number of employees will be reduced naturally – without dismissals (BMW 2007: Horntail 2009: Hill, Jones, Galvan & Haddam 2007, p. 102). Because of the strong position of the Euro against the US Dollar in the last years BMW will increase the utilization of the placement in United States. Also the company want to profit of the well qualified but cheaper labor of China through extensions of productions placements in China. The movement to China means also shorter ways to the new growing market and using of cheaper local suppliers, which moreover reduces the costs further (BMW 2009).High investments in marketing are an important element in the strategic implementation of the BMW Group as well (BMW 2009). The high marketing budget attends to save its main competitive advantage: the high brand recognition. The concept of the â€Å"ultimate driving machine† creates an emotional connection to customers world wide. Thereby BMW goes within its marketing strategy not the easiest way and make the same advertisements and marketing campaigns all over the world. The BMW Group analyses the specific customer groups of each region and try to listen and respond to the customers.Whereas people in America still want big engines in their cars, the environmental aspects in Europe getting more important. So BMW not only offers the same cars with different engines, also its marketing strategies for America, Europe and Asia are different. BMW controlled its distribution network more than most of its competitors. The results are again benefits for brand management. The company has the reputation to be near its customers. The brand BMW stand not only for quality, also service is linked with BMW. So the after sales service is another important part of the strategic implementation.The people should see that the company cares about them also after the buying which is in important fact in binding the customers as well (BMW 2009). Finally BMW will fulfill the new carbon dioxide regularities of the different governments. That means also a reaction of a changing of the customer wishes and a conformance to the companies mission BMW2009). 6. Key strategic implementation issues 0 Raising competition Environmental issues Global recession Changes in demand The external environment is a major contributor to this in the form of cut-throat competition, which is rife throughout the automotive industry.BMW don't have brand cannibalism to w orry about, but the existence of suitable alternative goods which may also appeal to potential buyers' (Hill, Jones, Galvan & Haddam 2007). Another key issue is those faced by the research and development department. Competitors wish to achieve the same outcome, for the same reasons, therefore BMW eave to remain competitive on a number of fronts (Hill, Jones, Galvan & Haddam 2007). This is also in keeping with having to work within the confines of various regulations.As they are the manufacturer of automobiles they must adhere to environmental and safety regulations in all the countries in which their goods are sold, and, due to globalization, this counts for the vast majority of nation states (Hill, 7. Evaluation of strategy The strategy of differentiation is important for a brand like BMW which do not serve the whole market. There are a few competitors in the premium segment of the automobile market and BMW has to do a high effort to keep its position and reputation in the long ru n. But BMW has to be careful.The company invests a lot of money in research and development. That could keep the danger that competitors imitate Bum's new products and inventions faster than the company can take real advantages of its investments. The high brand recognition is surely safe for the short and middle distance but in the long run BMW has to maintain its competitive advantage. Because of its relative small size in comparison with its main competitors tragic alliances will probably become a key position in BMW future strategic direction to achieve economies of scale and finally high profit margins.This is also a good possibility to reduce the costs of research and development and to realize especially cost intensive big innovations like the development of new engines for example the electric or hydrogen technologies. 8. Conclusions BMW seems to be good prepared for the future. The strong brand image gives the company a unique position in the marketplace, which is quite ess ential in such a high competitive business environment like the automobile industry. The key strategy Differentiation† works and the strategy plan for the next years â€Å"Number ONE† shows a sustainable and moreover feasible concept which should be successful.