The Benefits of NAFTA and CAFTA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Benefits of NAFTA and CAFTA - Essay Example Farmers, workers and manufacturers benefit from the reduction of arbitrary and discriminatory trade rules, while consumers enjoy lower prices and more choices. By strengthening the rules and procedures governing trade and investment on this continent, the NAFTA has allowed trade and investment flows in North America to skyrocket. According to figures of the International Monetary Fund, total trade among the three NAFTA countries has more than doubled, passing from US$306 billion in 1993 to almost US$621 billion in 2002. That's US$1.2 million every minute. NAFTA has been a huge success for the U.S. and its NAFTA partners. It has helped Americans work smarter, earn more and increase purchasing power. It has contributed to more trade, higher productivity, better jobs, and higher wages. In ten years of NAFTA, total trade among the three countries has more than doubled, from $306 billion to $621 billion in 2003. That's $1.7 billion in trade every day. U.S. exports to Canada and Mexico gre w from $142 billion to $263 billion in NAFTA's first ten years. And Mexican exports to the U.S. grew 242 percent, improving lives and reducing poverty in Mexico. The DR-CAFTA, the treaty originally encompassed the United States and the Central American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Then in 2005, the Dominican Republic joined the negotiations, and treaty became known as DR-CAFTA. The CAFTA-DR is the second largest U.S. export market in Latin America, behind only Mexico, buying more than $16 billion in U.S. exports. Successful CAFTA-DR implementation is critical to the broader U.S. policy goals for the Americas of strengthening democratic governance, expanding economic opportunity, and investing in people. CAFTA would require market liberalization for the majority of goods and services in Central America. In return, the U.S. has promised increased market access for certain sectors in Central America, including textiles and a limited increase in sugar quotas. To add, CAFTA is important to the DR-CAFTA countries' own businesses, enabling them to increase productivity and increasing the skills of millions of workers as new foreign businesses and new technologies enter their economies. With higher skills, workers will be more valuable and earn more money, increasing their living standards. As living standards rise and people enjoy better lives, their interest in preserving these benefits also increases. Because they have more to lose from a crisis, they strive to preserve peace and stability. As a result, the likelihood of civil conflict decreases. At the same time, the improved domestic situation reduces the incentives to leave home in search of a better life elsewhere.According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (1997) more workers in more firms in more countries derive their livelihood from cross-border trade and investment activity. Trade and investment have become major engines of growth in developed and developing countries alike. The volume of world merchandise trade is today about sixteen times what it was in 1950, a period during which the value of w orld output increased by a factor of 5.5. The period since 1950 saw a near doubling, from 8 to 15 per cent, of the ratio of world merchandise exports to global production. Most remarkable has been the

Economic and Social Development in Post-Independence Jamaica and Barbados Essay Example for Free

Economic and Social Development in Post-Independence Jamaica and Barbados Essay Jamaica and Barbados have socially and economically advanced since their independences. Each country has been able to economically sustain itself without the assistance of Britain, which used to govern the two as territories. But despite the two countries’ self-regulation and reliance, both of the nations are quite poor, and are considered third world countries. Jamaican and Barbadian History Both of the two nations were originally colonized by Great Britain (after being discovered by the Spanish) under the mercantilism policy, which encouraged European colonization of other areas. This was because the policy showed that a nation’s prosperity could be determined by its adequacy in trade, and exports were far more valuable than imports under the policy. So European nations that could not produce particular products on their own would colonize other areas that could, so they could use the goods, and export them to other nations that did not have the means to acquire those particular goods on their own. So many of the Caribbean islands that Britain colonized were exploited because of their warm climates, which allowed them to grow certain crops, such as sugar. This crop was one of the main reasons that Britain had colonized such territories as Jamaica and Barbados. Jamaica’s Independence and its Economic Enterprises Thereafter It was in 1962 that the United Kingdom’s parliament granted Jamaica its independence, after which the nation ceased to be regulated by its European founder. After its independence, the Jamaican government arose, and began sponsoring employment opportunities, though many jobs arose in the private sector. Sugar and bananas were the original crops grown in Jamaica, and exported to locations worldwide, and the cultivation of these crops serves as a major source of employment on the island. The nation’s tropical climate makes it a suitable location for the growing of these crops, which cannot be grown in the United States or Europe, so some of the sugar and bananas in those areas come from Jamaica. Jamaican Exports and Recent Economic Problems Jamaica also has a natural supply of bauxite, which is a source of aluminum ore, and is therefore a valuable product, which employs many people as miners. But recently, the economic status of the island has been declining. Periods of unfavorable weather have led to a sharp decrease in the production of sugar cane and bananas over the last decade, and inflation has been plaguing the island. The recent lack of favorable agricultural activity has been so extreme that the nation has been forced to import products that, if conditions were better, Jamaica could produce itself. But lately, coffee has been another profitable crop that can be grown around the island’s blue mountains area, when sugar and bananas cannot, and it serves as a primary export, and source of national income. Other Industries in Jamaica Jamaica also has an industry concerned with the rearing of domestic animals, and a dairy industry. But that has also been declining, and the nation has actually been importing milk, butter, and cheese from elsewhere. Other smaller cash crops of the island include citrus fruits, such as oranges, and cocoa, but the industries concerned with those crops are considerably smaller than that of the sugar sector. Mining employs a small number of citizens, as does fishing, and foresting, as loggers are able to export lumber to countries that do not have access to the same tropical woods. Also in Jamaica is the manufacturing industry, which usually accounts for just under 20% of the nation’s GDP annually. Tourism has also proved to be a profitable market for the nation, and it serves as a social and economic boost for the nation, but since the turn of the century, tourism has been slower in Jamaica. Barbados’ Independence and Its Trade History Barbados achieved its independence from the United Kingdom in 1966, after which the nation began governing and regulating itself. Since that time, sugar cane has proved to be the greatest contribution to the nation’s employment, and it serves as Barbados’ most significant export. In 1961, five years before the country’s independence from great Britain, Barbados opened the Deep Water Harbour port, located in Bridgetown, which serves as the nation’s main port, and allows large container ships and freighters to export sugar and manufactured products Barbados’ Manufacturing Sector Although sugar was for some time the main source of income for the nation, recently, manufacturing and tourism has been increasing in Barbados. The manufacturing sector began in the 1980s, and continued to be a profitable investment in the country into the 1990s, as certain companies exploited the nation’s cheap labor to save money on manufacturing in the United States and Europe. The United States has proved to be the main trade partner of Barbados, which also relies on certain imports from the United States. â€Å"The United States remained Barbados leading trade partner in 1987 with transactions valued at $189 million ($128 million in U. S. exports and $61 million in U.  S. imports),† an article for Business America, entitled Barbados: economy relies on U. S. for products, investment Business Outlook Abroad reported of the trade status in 1988. â€Å"Moreover, Barbados continued to welcome American investment in virtually all sectors of the economy. In addition to direct investors, in recent years Barbados has attracted a sizable number of American captive insurers, international business companies, and foreign sales corporations largely through a bilateral double taxation agreement. This means that at an earlier time, the economy of the nation was stabilized by foreign investments, and exports that served to preserve trade relations between the United States and Barbados. Trade Alliances and Foreign Investments And with Barbados’ good terms with the United States came the tourism industry. American, Canadian, and European tourists provide the nation with a stable tourism industry that serves as a main source of income on the nation. Foreign interests in the nation that led to the tourism industry was somewhat of an atypical event for a Caribbean country, as most nations in the area have not been able to capitalize on the industry, or attract foreign investors in its markets as Barbados did. Major tourism projects, such as resorts and cruise adventures continue to benefit the nation’s tourism industry, and satisfied tourists keep the industry alive. Federal and Private Programs in Barbados Recently, government-regulated ventures in the nation have been turning into privatized corporations. The government of the nation is not satisfied with the high unemployment rate, so it is trying to encourage small businesses to form, and stabilize themselves, because this should lead to the creation of jobs. But lately, nationally sponsored programs such as offshore banking enterprises, and foreign exchange moderation by Barbados have proved to be effective ways of earning the nation capital. Most manufacturing and sugar cane production, however, is done in the private sector, and is not federally regulated. This allows small businesses and farmers to have steady employment, and the steady production of crops allows the nation to not only export the crops, but use them itself, which decreases Barbados’ reliance on imports from other nations. Both Jamaica and Barbados have been able to maintain themselves to some degree, economically and socially since their independences from Britain. The development of Jamaica, however, was much more typical for a West Indian nation than was the development of Barbados, because Jamaica was not able to draw foreign investors and establish particularly coordinated trade patterns like Barbados was. In this aspect, Barbados was much more successful than were most West Indian nations, as it was able to maintain exports even when economic times were difficult. The Jamaican economy has been experiencing more problems than that of Barbados, and inflation in Jamaica is causing serious problems. Barbados, however, unlike most Caribbean nations, has been able to rebound, and it has a very high rate of tourism, which provides the nation with a steady rate of foreign income.

Dance Dance Revolution :: essays research papers

From the depths of Japan comes "Dance Dance Revolution", a highly active dancing video game. Playing this game is what makes it unique in a sense where instead of a normal handheld controller being used, it is played on a floor mat connected to the game console in order to actually provide an in home dancing experience. This game is currently gaining popularity in the states every day for many reasons including: the songs available to dance to, a high energy and high impact dance experience, and even a method of losing weight. Since this is a music game the quality of music is probably the most important factor in the game. The songs for the most part are very good. There is a house/eurobeat slant to the music, since eurobeat is popular in Japan. Songs like "Hyper Eurobeat" and "1998" are very energetic and make you want to get up and move. There are some slower Hip Hop and R&B songs like "Put Your Faith in Me" and "Try 2 Love U". Latin Music is also being included into the game. "Gamelan de Couple" (from Konami's Mamba A-Go-Go series) and "La Copa De La Vida" (yes that Ricky Martin song) are some examples. There are even sports classics like "We Are the Champions" and "We will Rock you". The concept of the game is simple. Directional arrows scroll up the screen, which represent dance steps. The player must step down on the corresponding arrow when it reaches on top of the screen. In writing it sounds simple, but this game will test a player's eye-hand.. err.. eye-foot coordination. All of the songs have cleverly designed dance patterns that include jumping, freeze arrows and off-beat steps. Not only do the songs have varied dance patterns but there are three difficulty settings available to the player based on how good the player is including: light, standard, and extreme. It takes time to get better at, but over all it's a fun experience, after getting past the initial embarrassment. Play video games and lose weight? It sounds unlikely, but it's true. People are using Dance Dance Revolution a a method of losing weight because of the massive amount of physical activity involved. Chris Rettig, 33, of Colerain Township, first tried this video game 2 years ago and has since lost over 90 pounds. Certain Schools have even introduced this game into their Physical Education programs instead of chasing a ball across the gym.

Analysis of Neil Perry :: essay papers

Analysis of Neil Perry "Carpe diem boys, seize the day!" Robin Williams' character exclaims in the film "Dead Poets Society". Williams portrays passionate English professor John Keating, whose lessons go far beyond the classroom. Keating teaches his students to follow their own hearts and minds instead of the conformist ideals taught at their strict boarding school. Several of Keating's students take his lessons to heart and resurrect the Dead Poets Society, a secret club that meets late at night to read and discuss poetry. "Carpe Diem", the theme of the movie, soon becomes a popular maxim on campus, and the students start applying it to their every day lives. Charlie changes his name to Nuwanda and risks expulsion repeatedly. Knox finds the girl of his dreams and tries to woo for from her boyfriend. Todd is extremely shy, but tries to come out of his shell. Then there is Neil, who decides to play the part of Puck in "A Midsummer Night's Dream"-against the wishes of his father, who ta! kes this theme to heart and the effect it had on his life ultimately cost him his life. Neil is a non-conformist. He does not want anything to do with the plans his father has set forth for him, which is to become a doctor. Instead, Neil wants to be his own person and wants to do what he wants. Reluctantly, though, he follows his father's wishes. He is afraid to stand up to his father and take control of his own life. For example, Neil quits the school annual, something Neil wanted to do just because his father told him so. As the movie goes on, Neil starts to take control of his life, with the help of his English professor John Keating, who imbeds the phrase "Carpe Diem" into the minds of his students. Neil decides to audition for the play "A Midsummer Night's Dream". Neil receives the part as Puck, one of the main characters. Neil finally feels he is taking control of his own life. He decides he wants to be an actor. A day before the play was to open, Neil's father comes to visit him. Mr. Perry tells Neil to quit the play and concentrate on his studies. Neil tries to talk to his father but with no avail. Neil does the play any way, but is caught by hid father, to tell Neil he is off to military school. Neil fed up with his father controlling his life, commits Analysis of Neil Perry :: essay papers Analysis of Neil Perry "Carpe diem boys, seize the day!" Robin Williams' character exclaims in the film "Dead Poets Society". Williams portrays passionate English professor John Keating, whose lessons go far beyond the classroom. Keating teaches his students to follow their own hearts and minds instead of the conformist ideals taught at their strict boarding school. Several of Keating's students take his lessons to heart and resurrect the Dead Poets Society, a secret club that meets late at night to read and discuss poetry. "Carpe Diem", the theme of the movie, soon becomes a popular maxim on campus, and the students start applying it to their every day lives. Charlie changes his name to Nuwanda and risks expulsion repeatedly. Knox finds the girl of his dreams and tries to woo for from her boyfriend. Todd is extremely shy, but tries to come out of his shell. Then there is Neil, who decides to play the part of Puck in "A Midsummer Night's Dream"-against the wishes of his father, who ta! kes this theme to heart and the effect it had on his life ultimately cost him his life. Neil is a non-conformist. He does not want anything to do with the plans his father has set forth for him, which is to become a doctor. Instead, Neil wants to be his own person and wants to do what he wants. Reluctantly, though, he follows his father's wishes. He is afraid to stand up to his father and take control of his own life. For example, Neil quits the school annual, something Neil wanted to do just because his father told him so. As the movie goes on, Neil starts to take control of his life, with the help of his English professor John Keating, who imbeds the phrase "Carpe Diem" into the minds of his students. Neil decides to audition for the play "A Midsummer Night's Dream". Neil receives the part as Puck, one of the main characters. Neil finally feels he is taking control of his own life. He decides he wants to be an actor. A day before the play was to open, Neil's father comes to visit him. Mr. Perry tells Neil to quit the play and concentrate on his studies. Neil tries to talk to his father but with no avail. Neil does the play any way, but is caught by hid father, to tell Neil he is off to military school. Neil fed up with his father controlling his life, commits

Apple: the Company’s Visions and Objectives Essay

Apple’s Vision was the Macintosh that was called â€Å"digital hub† that isa popular model of computer introduced in 1984, that features a graphical user interface ( GUI) that utilizes windows, icons, and a mouse to make it relatively easy for novices to use the computer productively. Rather than learning a complex set of commands, that wasonly need point to a selection on a menu and click a mouse button. Moreover, the GUI is embedded into the operating system. This means that all application that run on a Macintosh computer have a similar user interface. Once a user has become familiar with one application, he or she can learn new applications relatively easily. The success of the Macintosh GUI heralded a new age of graphics-based applications and operating systems. The Windows interface copies many features from the Mac. There are many different Macintosh models, with varying degrees of speed and power. All models are available in many different configurations. All models since 1994 are based on the PowerPC microprocessor. They believed had a real advantage for consumers who were becoming entrenched in a digital lifestyle. Also, digital cameras, portable music players, and digital camcorders. That they though could be the preferred hub to control integrate, and add value to the devices. Also to control of both hardware and software.Apple is committed to bringing the best personal computing experience to students, educators, creative professionals and consumers around the world through its innovative hardware, software and Internet offerings. Apple’s Mission Was to bring an easy-to use computer to market, which led release of the Apple II in 1978. Also, Apple is committed to protecting the environment, health and safety of their employees, customers and the global communities where they operate. They can offer technologically innovative products and services while conserving and enhancing recourses for future generations. Goals:The goal was to differentiate the Macintosh amid intense competition in the PC industry. And state of affairs, or a state of concrete activity, which an organization or system wishes to achieve or obtain. Objective Is the plan, to involve and implement actions which must be taken to close the gap between the current realities and the ideal state?Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS, PC CPU, MP3 , iPhone 4, 4s , iPad, and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced iPad which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices. Corporation Governance:Agency Theory: Was in 1981 when the IBM introduced the IBM PC to the market that used Microsoft’s DOS and a microprocessor (CPU), by that apple practice integration and refused to license its hardware to third parties. But IBM gained more market share and also emerged a new for the industry more than Apple. That was when apple introduced the Macintosh in 1984 that was easy to use with industrial design and elegance, but the processor was slow in speed and that lack of compatibility on sale, and Apple net income fell 62 % between the years 1981 and 1984, and sending the Apple Company into a crisis. That contributed with the job was forced out in the 1985 even his called himself as a soul of the company. After that the boardroom hired John Sculley, who was recognized for his marketing skills. He was in the company for 8 years from 1985 to 1993, who pushed the mac in the new market where the Apple was driven by its best software, such page Market, and peripheral with laser printers. Also in education Apple grabbed more than haft the market. With that Apple recovered and stabilized around 8% in share worldwide, and in 1990 Apple sale $1 billion dollars in cash and was cognized at the most profitable PC company in the world. Stewardship Theory: In the years of Sculley, the Apple Company offered to the customers a better offer by a completed desktop solution ever that was included hardware, software, and simply plug and play. Also the company designing unique chips, disk drive, and monitors. He demonstrated his interest on the company success. And interest in customer’s satisfaction, Apple was selling its products at a premium price.This time Macs had more than $10,000, and gross profit around anadvantageous 50%. Sarbanes –Oxley: That was applied in the years 2010 and 2011 when the patent wars started with competition in the smartphone industry, where everyone sued everyone. Where creative companies begindisappears or never gets start. Apple litigated against Android, HTC, and Samsung. Also Apple turnaround in 1997 when jobs reshape Apple and announced that they would invest $ 150 million in Apple and made five years develop core products, like MS Office for the mac. By satisfy about 99% of customers and again job refused to license the latest mac. Also, the company 15 product lines were divided in only four categories that were desktop, portable Macintoshes, for customers and professionals. Another improvement that job did was to hire Taiwanese contract to manufacture mac products. Therefore, in 1998 Apple had a website direct sale for the first time. Corporation Social Responsibility: News of Steve Jobs’ death sent shockwaves through the technology industry, a world that he, in large part, shaped with his career. Apple’s executives are now left with the challenge of how to lead a company, whose identity has been inextricably linked to Jobs’ for decades. The task is formidable, especially when Apple’s fanatically loyal customer base is considerably less certain about what to expect from CEO Tim Cook. That is partly because Apple’s culture of secrecy and Jobs’ visibility have combined to make Cook relatively unknown to the public at large. The uncertainty is compounded by the fact that earlier attempts to replace Jobs proved disastrous.Until now, Jobs seems to be the only one to have had that special chemistry required for running Apple.What makes leading Apple difficult to maintain is the fact that the company is not selling a product as much as it is a vision, the founder’s vision. Apple products were well built and beautiful to look at. According to recent media coverage, it would seem that Apple is interested in developing a new vision, one which includes Corporation Social Responsibility. Jobs never showed much interest in public ‘do-gooding.’ He always maintained that equipping the public with the best technology is worth more than cash grants to charities. But Cook announced that Apple would embrace a new corporate charity matching program, using a model much like those of other major companies a dollar for dollar match for employee donations of up to $10,000 a year. Cook clearly wants to send the message that Apple is evolving in the way it perceives Corporation Social Responsibility, a major differentiating factor between himself and his charismatic predecessor. However, the decision curiously followed media allegations regarding Apple’s lack of Corporation Social Responsibility activities, including a New York Times article mentioning matching as a solution employed by a considerable porti on of the Fortune 500 companies.Apple still needs to embrace the core values that make it a â€Å"cool† company in short, that owning an Apple product secure membership in a select group. While Apple is perhaps overdue for a Corporation Social Responsibility strategy, the decision to enact donation matching is decidedly not the â€Å"Apple Way. Cook is only responding to media pressure rather than bringing to Corporation Social Responsibility the same kind of innovative and inspiring vision for which Apple is so highly regarded. And in that regard, the corporate matching program is a fail.Developing a Corporation Social Responsibility strategy around neither a sense of obligation nor calculation but rather around certain well defined character virtues is highly effective. In particular, integrity, empathy and zeal, among others, are critical during times of Uncertaintythey need to be well coordinated and implemented from the inside,out not the other way around. Integrity: Any major organizational change is accompanied by insecurity. The transition from Jobs’ approach to hiring and firing is bound to create uncertainty among employees, and in corporate environments uncertainty inevitably creates pernicious maneuvering and second guessing at middle management levels. The new Corporation Social Responsibility initiatives should present both the company and its new CEO with a unique opportunity to promote an image of integrity and to differentiate the new leadership from that of the Jobs era. However, philanthropy is not a good place to start. It should start from inside, promoting trust and openness, the internal integrity. Empathy: Empathy creates emotional bonding between the company and stakeholders allowing companies to endure a difficult time. Apple is currently embroiled in lawsuits that are likely to restrict consumer choices in the future if it carries on. Publishers are frustrated by Apple’s hammerlock over apps and magazine subscriptions on the iPad. There have been indications that Samsung, Apple’s most threatening competitor, angered by patent law suits, will finally fight back to counter sue Apple. While from Apple’s point of view, taking legal action against competitors may seem necessary as a means of protecting innovation, public opinion works differently. For multinational companies the legal victory can often end with a kind of zero sum game, leaving it with a reputation for arrogance and insecurity. Apple will have to worry about its reputation all the more so if it wins the battles against competitors. Even more telling, the suicides at China’s manufacturing behemoth, Foxconn, have created the uncomfortable impression that â€Å"cool† products like the iPad are being produced by what amounts to economic slave labor. This is decidedly â€Å"uncool† and not the image that Apple wants to portray. Zeal: Zeal is perhaps the virtue most-embedded at Apple’s core and is represented by their continuous innovation and excitement in terms of products and customer experience. By emphasizing Corporation Social Responsibility, Tim Cook would need to bring that famous Apple zeal to social issues, offering an innovative approach, as competitor Google did, when it famously began encouraging its employees to spend 20% of their time on their own projects. It goes without saying that Cook and Apple are standing at a precipice. Product innovations can be short-lived. A serious Corporation Social Responsibility strategy could quietly shift Apple’s sales pitch from personal charisma to the great public good, doing Apple good in the long term. The leaders of innovative organizations that undergo the uncertainty that comes with change, would be wise to promote both integrity and empathy internally, thus ensuring that zeal continues to inspire consumers throughout their tenure and for years to come. External Factors In 1980, Apple became the PC industry leader selling more than 100,000 Apple IIs and launching a successful IPO. However, Apple’s competitive position changed fundamentally in 1981 when IBM entered the PC market. Apple’s ignorance to the industrial changes caused them to lose major PC market share by 62% sending the company into a crisis. Apple manages its business on geographic locations having offices in New York, Europe, Japan, and Asia. Apple’s sales are continuously growing. In the past decades the PC industry has evolved into the proprietary system and the open system. Let’s review Apple’s position in each phase. Proprietary Systems before 1981 Every PC producer had to develop their own hardware and software. It was proprietary, one that possesses, owns, or holds exclusive right to something. There were two mainstreams in the market, Apple style machine and IBM style machines. During this period, Apple was the leader selling more than 100,000 Apple IIs and launching a successful IPO. Its strong developing ability made the Apple brand a family commodity. Introduction of the â€Å"Open† System 1981-1997 IBM offered an â€Å"open† system in which other producers could clone causing competitors such as Compaq, Hewlett-Packard, and Dell to enter the market while Apple continued to practice limitability with a horizontal and vertical integration relying on its own proprietary designs. It was during this time that producers started separating hardware into CPUs (Central Processing Units), mother boards, disk drive, and other peripheral items. This change caused consumers to not only care about hardware performance, but also about software applications. IBM machines with Intel CPU and Windows Operating systems became the mainstream. IBM PCs not only gained more market share, but also emerged as the new standard for the industry. Apple continued to lose market share because corporate insisted on selling the products at a premium price and not upgrading its hardware and software to be compatible with IBM machines. Apple responded by introducing the Macintosh and entering new markets – desktop publishing and education- in 1984. It marked a breakthrough in ease of use, industrial design, and technical elegance. However the Mac’s slow processor speed and lack of compatible software limited sales. Apple’s desktop market was driven by its superior software and offered customers a complete desktop solution which allowed for simple â€Å"plug and play†. In education, they grabbed more than half the market, which is safe to say, helped Apple recover and stabilize bringing in revenue of $1 billion. Micro-Environment Micro-Environment is actors or elements in an organization’s immediate area of operations that affect its performance and decision making freedom. This environment can be explained using Porter’s five forces; –Rivalry among existing firms –Threat of substitute products –Bargaining power of buyers –Bargaining power of suppliers –Threat of new entrants As a computer producer company, Apple is faced with many strategic issues; Surviving competition, responding to technology innovation and continuous market needs. The technology industry can be considered to be monopolistic competition which is characterized by having a large number of competitors and gaining easy access into the industry due to low entry barriers. Supplier bargaining position is very strong due to a small number of existing processor suppliers, example Intel and AMD. Customer bargaining position is also strong due to low searching and switching costs. Both of these characteristics constrain companies in the industry. As a result, the market becomes saturated and fragmented which makes for only a small market share gained by every company. There are a lot of competitors offering similar products to Apple for example, Windows tablet, Samsung, Kindle, etc., with only little difference in features and design. Macro-Environment Macro Environment is defined as the major external and uncontrollable factors that influence an organization’s decision making and affect its performance and strategies. These factors include the economic factors, demographics, political, social conditions technological changes and natural forces. Specific examples of macro environment influences include competitors, changes in interest rates, and changes in cultural tastes. Technological Forces The main force that influences the computer industry is rapid and sustained technical progress. Each year, integrated circuits and other technological components become better, faster, and cheaper providing opportunities to improve on existing computers as well as designing a new one. Apple is strongly affected by technology innovation forces surrounding it. Rapid innovation on hardware by component producers, for example Intel & AMD and software by competitors (Microsoft) gives Apple no choice but to grasp and possibly enhance the new hardware technology and also continue innovating to sustain differentiation. Microsoft which dominates the operating system producer for Intel based computers is a main competitor for Apple. Microsoft releases new versions of Windows every two (2) years creating pressure for Apple to upgrade MacOS as well. Political forces With China joining the WTO creates opportunity as well as threats to Apple. Lower investment barrier and market barrier gives opportunities for Apple to take advantage of low cost labor as well as getting potential market. However, on the other hand, similar opportunities exist to competitors. When competitors move its plant into China and become more efficient, Apple has to respond or they will experience cost inefficiency disadvantage over competitors. Social Forces Different and dynamic change of needs and lifestyle requires Apple to continuously innovate to adapt. Consumer’s tastes, lifestyles, and needs are rapidly changing. Apple has also been criticized by many environmental organizations for not being a leader in removing toxic chemicals from its new products. Because of the social pressure regarding environmental issues, Apple has to invest in R&D to become environmentally friendly. The collaboration of Political, Economic, Social and Technological forces creates an intricate environment. Apple has to keep in step with new technology, innovate to be different, and continually modify to its customer needs and demands. The instantaneous changes in technology and low entry barrier cause the durability of Apple products to become obsolete.

20 Tips to Improve your Writing Productivity

20 Tips to Improve your Writing Productivity 20 Tips to Improve your Writing Productivity 20 Tips to Improve your Writing Productivity By Michael So youd like your latest writing project to get moving faster. Great writers have felt the same. Dont worry, its fixable. When the words stop, writers have effective ways of getting them moving again. Plow new ground Write multiple drafts instead of obsessively editing the same one. You can tell the same story, but tell it over again. You will probably feel more encouraged. That part that you never knew how to fix? Maybe your new draft doesnt have it anymore. Commit to a consistent schedule Write daily, not someday. Start today, not tomorrow. Find the best time for you. Resolve that 6:00 a.m or 9:00 p.m. will be your regular time for writing, and thats it. If you dont make time, you may not find time. Use the time you have. After all, you cant use the time you dont have. Though its definitely easier to write when you dont constantly switch tasks, you cant wait for large blocks of time to appear in your schedule. They may not. Instead, take advantage of the minutes between tasks, time that might have been misused. And when you cant write, prepare to write. Set priorities I regret to inform you that you cant do everything. You cant spend three hours a day watching television, four hours playing video games, eight hours at work or school, eight hours sleeping, two hours eating, and one hour writing. That totals 26 hours a day. Youll have to cut something from your schedule. Do you want to write or not? Count words, not minutes. You may feel lighter and freer if you know that you can get up from your chair and play golf as soon as you have written 1,000 words. You may write faster out of sheer anticipation. Count minutes, not words. On the other hand, sometimes the words get hard and so does your chair. If your mind is strained, tired or muddled, maybe you should limit your writing time. But find a goal you can stick to. Im not giving you permission to give up easily. Don’t begin at the beginning The title and first lines are the hardest parts to write. They get easier after youve finished the rest, and having perfected them may not help you write the rest more efficiently. So dont bother writing them first. You can change the title any time before the release thats one reason why movies have working titles. Start in the middle Actually, start writing the part that most inspires you, Start where you want to, where your creative urge is strongest. You can add introductions and conclusions later. Write your favorite part first. Choose an audience You can write most effectively when you know who youre writing for, when you can picture them in your mind. Then you know more clearly what the purpose of your writing is. Change your audience If your writing gets stuck or even boring, try picturing a different reader. Maybe you werent picturing any particular reader at all. No wonder your writing sounded unfocused. Imagine youre writing to your best friend, your best customer, your biggest fan, or to your grandmother. (Write regularly to your grandmother, if you have one.) Take very small steps If youre overwhelmed by the thought of writing the whole piece, tell yourself to only write one sentence then make yourself stop. Science fiction writer Roger Zelazny used to advise authors to write two sentences. Never rewrite until you’re done writing. There is a time for writing and a time for editing, and most writers cant do both at once. Editing as you write will slow down your writing, often to a standstill its a major cause of writers block. Once you get started, ideas will come running fast enough that you wont have time to refine them until after the stampede. When one project bogs down, switch to another. We were built for variety, and the specialization of the Industrial Age has lessened us. You werent meant to always do the same thing. Keep more than one project bubbling at once. When you (temporarily) lose interest in one book, you always have something else to work on. Please only yourself. You can pretend to be interested in a genre because it sells well, but youre competing against other writers who arent pretending. Competition in the publishing world is tough enough. Im not saying to ignore market forces if you enjoy writing in two genres, its fine to pick the more popular one. But if you focus on what you know best, you can write faster and research less. And theres less competition. Your teacher is not looking over your shoulder. Too often, school teaches children to write and teaches them to hate writing. Writing gives us a way to share ourselves, and we should love it. Grammar is not sharing; its only an aid to sharing. Style is worthless if it doesnt help your reader. You have no obligation to sound like anyone but yourself. Keep a notebook When you have a fresh idea, write it down and store it up for the times when you dont. Make notes of interesting expressions youve overheard, describe scenes youd like to write about, record physical details. Dont wait for inspiration. If your Creative Muse doesnt flit into your room and shower inspiration upon you, go out into the hallway and take her by the hand. If you were in your chair writing at your scheduled time of 6:00 a.m. or 9:00 p.m, she would have known where to find you. Look in your notebook there should be some inspiration there. Say what you really mean If you get stuck or tangled in your writing, try this: pretend youre talking to a child and say, What I really mean is. Then say what you really mean. My college speech teacher used a similar technique. When nervous students showed up to give their first speech, she told them, You dont have to give your speech, just tell us what you would have said. Change your medium. If you cant get your writing to move, try telling your story out loud. Leave yourself a voicemail. Send it as an email to someone. Send it as a text. Write it as a series of headlines. Write only the outline. Use a pencil. Use a crayon, as James Thurber did. As his eyesight diminished, he had to write one letter per page. And you think you have problems. Write any way you can. If you feel constricted as a writer and the words dont come, work around your block. Dont force yourself to stay on the main point. Tell your backstory, share your history, give the background, explain the alternatives. Youll get back on track soon enough. How many of these tips have you tried? What other tips have worked for you? Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the General category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:45 Synonyms for â€Å"Food†Capitalization Rules for the Names of GamesGrammatical Case in English

Gene One - Going Public

Gene One - Going Public Free Online Research Papers Introduction Making the decision to transition from a private to public company, Gene One faces many obstacles that must be overcome in order to be established as strong competitor on Wall Street. The goal of Gene One is to go IPO within 3 years and increase annual growth targets by 40 percent without sacrificing the culture of the organization. Having received resignations from top executives based on the company’s decision to go public, Gene One has the challenge of forming a senior leadership team that is capable of making the transition. The team needs to ensure requirements of the SEC are met to avoid future consequences. By benchmarking other companies, Gene One will be able to learn from the best practices as well as the mistakes that have been made when going IPO. Taking advantage of this information will lead to a successful transition and allow Gene One to accomplish the goals executives have set forth. Course Concepts Formalization and Span of Control are two course concepts that are reflective in Entergy Corporation and Pfizer Pharmaceuticals. â€Å"Formalization is the degree to which organizations standardize behavior through rules, procedures, formal training, and related mechanisms†. In other words, formalization represents the establishment of standardization as a coordinating mechanism (McShane and Glinow, 2005). J. Wayne Leonard, CEO since 1999 has been responsible for leading the organization and setting philosophies and long-term strategies that are consistently applied and implemented. â€Å"CEOs and other employees with strong security needs and a low tolerance for ambiguity like working in highly formalized organizations, others become alienated and feel powerless in formalized areas† (McShane and Glinow, 2005). Employees at Pfizer and Entergy Corporation share the need for strong security and low ambiguity. The Span of Control describes the number of employees reporting to the subsequent in the organizational pecking order. Entergy Corporation and Pfizer Pharmaceuticals are both large organizations and it would be very difficult for one supervisor to supervise 75 or more people. The span of control consists of a relatively narrow margin of control limiting 20 or less employees per supervisor. Span of control and centralization are two course concepts that were discovered in both Radio One and 1st Pacific Bancorp. McShane and Glinow (2005) defines span of control as the number of people directly reporting to the next in the organizational hierarchy. Catherine Hughes and her son Alfred Liggins are joined in the top ranking by three other top executives. They oversee the work of 14 senior managers and a board that consists of 7 members. This differs from 1st Pacific Bancorp. The company has seven members on its board of directors that works with an advisory board consisting of 29 members and four senior managers. Centralization means that formal decision-making authority is held by a small group of people, typically those at the top of the organizational hierarchy (McShane and Glinow 2005). Both companies have centralized structures. The founder and other top executives serve in their position as well as on the board of directors. Therefore, they are involved in different aspects of the business and can make decisions using different viewpoints. Starbucks Coffee Corporation and Krispy Kreme Doughnuts share the element of centralization. This means that formal decision authority is held by a small group of people, typically senior management. Unlike Starbucks Coffee and Krispy Kreme â€Å"many organizations decentralize as they become larger and more complex because senior executives lack the necessary time and expertise to process all decisions† (McShane and Glinow, 2005). In 1982, Schultz became director of retail operation (Wilson, 2008). When Shultz took over a new era begin for the business. Schultz spent all his time at the stores trying to make everything perfect in every way. Krispy Kreme struggled for a few years, but in 1989 the company had become debt-free and slowly begun to expand. The practices of Starbucks Coffee Corporation and Krispy Kreme Doughnuts are indicative of their commitment to remain manageable and centralized. Google and Clearwire Corporation both share the fundamentals of a formalized organization. They operate under standardized behavior through rules, procedures, formal training, and related mechanisms that have contributed to the organizations successful performance. As a private company Google was hugely successful and because of this they were not expected to go public especially as soon as they did. Since 1999 the company had raised $40 million and had enough cash flow to continue business as is. Formalization plays a major role in the rapid growth rates that are believed to be a result of Clearwire’s innovative services which lead customers to choose broadband over cable modem and DSL internet services. The company has advantages over existing wireless networks when it comes to speed, portability, and reliability (NASDAQ, 2008). Compare and Contrast In comparison to Gene One, Entergys continuing proposal is to maintain equilibrium and industry comprehension to position Entergy as a leading incorporated wholesale energy company. At Gene One distinct planned initiatives helped to inflate the organization to a successful high. Entergy Corporation’s clear planned initiatives in nuclear generation collection, develop power projects in preferred expansion markets, fabricate product advertising and trading capabilities, and reinforce core utility authorization have taken them to equal heights. Entergy’s revenue was more than $11 billion in 2007 and it employs approximately 14,000 people according to the 2007 Annual Report† (Entergy, 2008). The organizational culture at Entergy Corporation demands the highest ethical standards. The reliable ethical ideology at Gene One, along with their ground-breaking initiatives in the biotechnology arena have propelled Gene One to the forefront of that industry as Entergy Corporation has propelled in the nuclear energy industry. Like Gene One is in the biotechnology industry, Pfizer is devoted to being a global controller in healthcare and to assisting with changing millions of lives for the better through providing admission to secure, efficient, and reasonably priced medicines and link healthcare services to the people who need them. Radio One emerged in a short time as a leader in it field as well as Gene One. The focal point of their training is in urban markets. Without much opposition they have been able to expand top skills in programming promotion and turnaround know-how. Gene One has immense potential to use the public’s interest in biotechnology to expand the company. Radio One was able to gain a periphery in the entertainment business by expanding from radio into magazines and the World Wide Web. Several ways to keep growing include acquiring other businesses, contributing new products, services, and technologies, and selling shares of the company in the public market. The Initial Public Offering of common Stock for Radio One was filed in 1999. Forward-looking statements for the company were filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The initial IPO for 1st Pacific Bancorp was filed and completed in 2000 (NASDAQ, 1976). In 2007 the company underwent reorganization. This allowed a holding company to be formed. This holding company is known as 1st Pacific Bank. The banks outstanding stock was converted into an equal number of public company shares. Domestic growth of Starbucks Coffee Corporation has slowed down, although the company continues to expand in foreign markets. The first location outside of the United States and Canada was established in 1996 (Wilson, 2008). In 1991, Starbucks had 165 stores operating. Starbucks has become nationally known. This company currently has expanded to 7,225 stores including overseas operations (Wilson, 2008). Krispy Kreme continues to grow and thrive through the production of over 20 varieties of doughnuts, a variety of coffees, and other beverages and the opening of new stores. Today the company continues to expand the international operations. On April 29, 2004 Google announced that they would go IPO and registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Like Gene One, Google was able to pull off its initial public offering the company faced many obstacles along the way. The number of shares dropped and the organization was faced with the decision not to seek assistance from skeptical investors. Clearwire entered the public market with considerable losses and huge debt. The company merely needed IPO capital in order to endure. Losses are predicted to amplify in the years to come however; the certainty is that by 2011 Clearwire will become lucrative (Cook, 2007). Having a founder who has had much success in the industry and receiving backing by big-name investor’s success is definitely possible for Clearwire. Conclusion Gene One can learn from each organizations mishap of innovative ideas as presented in each synopsis. The responsibility of leadership within each organization presented and Gene One is to keep employees informed as the organizations move forward with the IPO process. Gene One and the other organizations will use whatever resources are available to prior to determining if outsourcing prior to the IPO offering is necessary. References Cintron, Ivan. (2008). High Beam Research. Black Enterprise. Retrieved December 18, 2008 from www.highbeam.com Cook, J. (2007, March 8). Clearwire IPO nets $600 million. Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved December 20, 2008, from http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/306553_clearwire08.html. Entergy Corporation, (2008). Retrieved on December 19, 2008 from https://www.entergy.com. Garza, George. (2007). The History of Starbucks. Retrieved December 19, 2008 from https://www.catalogs.com. Krispy Kreme. (2008). Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Coffee Since 1937. Retrieved December 19, 2008 from krispykreme.com. McShane, S.L. Glinow, M.V. (2005). Organizational Behavior: Emerging Realities for the Workplace Revolution. New York: The McGraw Hill Companies. NASDAQ (1976). 1st Pacific Bancorp. Retrieved December 12, 2008, from http://secfilings.nasdaq.com/edgar_conv_html%2f2008%2f03%2f31%2f0001047469-08-003795.html#FIS_BUSINESS NASDAQ (2008). SEC Filings: Clearwire Corporation. Retrieved December 18, 2008 from http://secfilings.nasdaq.com/edgar_conv_html%2f2008%2f03%2f13%2f0000891020-08-000056.html#FIS_BUSINESS Pfizer Pharmaceuticals (2008). Retrieved on December 19, 2008 from https:www.pfizer.com. Radio One (2008). Radio One The Urban Media Specialist. Retrieved December 18, 2008, from www.radio-one.com/about. Tunick, B. E. (2005, January 17). Google goes its own way. Investment Dealers Digest, 71(2), 56-57. Retrieved December 20, 2008, from Business source complete database. Wilson, Randy 2008 The Coffee Site: Starbucks Coffee History Retrieved December 19, 2008 from htts://www.twilightroastery.com Entergy Corporation (Anita Clark) The Entergy Corporation began with a mound of sawdust and a handshake. The sawdust belonged to H. H. Foster, president of the Arkansas Land and Lumber Company. The handshake was between Foster and Harvey Couch, president of Arkansas Power Company. Entergy New Orleans, a company of Entergy Corporation, is an electric and gas utility serving Orleans Parish. Entergy New Orleans plays a fundamental role in economic development through its operations in New Orleans. Like Gene One, Entergys long-term plan is to influence balance and industry knowledge to set up Entergy as a leading incorporated wholesale energy company. At Gene One defined planned initiatives helped to expand the organization to a successful high. Entergy Corporation’s defined planned initiatives in nuclear generation collection, develop power projects in chosen expansion markets, build product advertising and trading capabilities, and reinforce core utility authorization have taken them to equal heights. A member of the Fortune 500, Entergy, owns and operates power plants with roughly 30,000 megawatts of electric generating capability, and it is the second-largest nuclear generator in the United States. â€Å"Entergy delivers electricity to 2.7 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Energy’s revenue was more than $11 billion in 2007 and it employs approximately 14,000 people according to the 2007 Annual Report† (Entergy, 2008). The culture at Entergy Corporation demands the highest ethical standards. The sound ethical principles at Gene One, along with their innovative initiatives in the biotechnology have propelled the organization to the forefront of that industry as Entergy Corporation has propelled in the nuclear energy industry. J. Wayne Leonard, CEO since 1999 has been responsible for leading the organization and setting philosophies and long-term strategies that are consistently applied and implemented. â€Å"CEOs and other employees with strong security needs and a low tolerance for ambiguity like working in highly formalized organizations, other become alienated and feels powerless in formalized areas† (McShane and Glinow (2005). Organizing objectives and plans that meet the needs of shareholders, stakeholders and employees is essential. J. Wayne Leonard effectively led the Entergy Corporation organization through the restoration of power in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas after Hurricane’s Katrina and Rita. This tremendous effort is indicative to the values and ethics that Entergy Corporation abides by on a daily basis. These qualities are not unique to Gene One as they make the quest for public trading. Pfizer Pharmaceuticals (Anita Clark) Pfizer was founded by cousins, Charles Pfizer and Charles Erhart in 1849, the pharmaceutical organization has remained committed to discovering and developing innovative, and enhanced, ways to treat and prevent disease and advance the health and value of life for people around the world. From the phenomenon of penicillin to the patient support program Pfizer has developed the organization strives to grow bigger and stronger every day. The organization sets strides to continue to explore the rich history and see how organizational planning continually evolved the organization to keep pace with the needs and expectations of the stakeholders and society as a whole. Like Gene One is in the biotechnology industry, Pfizer is dedicated to being a global organizer in health care and to assisting with changing millions of lives for the better through providing admission to secure, efficient and reasonably priced medicines and linked health care services to the people who need them. â€Å"Pfizer has a primary collection of medicines that avert, treat and cure diseases across a wide variety of therapeutic areas, and an industry-leading channel of capable new products in areas such as oncology, cardiovascular disease and diabetes† (Pfizer, 2008). Gene One has a collection of research efforts that provided the elements required for the organization to reach the level of public trading. Pfizer is a member of today’s fast evolving global society, everyone is determined to adjust to the developing requirements of society and be a factor to the overall health and wellness of our world. The organization is continually reviewing and improving efforts to reduce the impact on the environment, cultivate a workplace of multiplicity and addition, conduct reliable business practices, and support the uppermost ethical standards in everything from research and development to sales and marketing. In comparison to Gene One, both organizations have high ethical standards when it comes to employee responsibility for organizational growth, research and marketing the products. Pfizer continues to build partnerships in communities all over the world to reinforce health systems, increase admission to medicines and find sustainable solutions to the health challenges of today, and tomorrow. Course Concepts Formalization and Span of Control are two course concepts that are reflective in Entergy Corporation and Pfizer Pharmaceuticals. â€Å"Formalization is the degree to which organizations standardize behavior through rules, procedures, formal training, and related mechanisms. In other words, formalization represents the establishment of standardization as a coordinating mechanism (McShane and Glinow, 2005). The Span of Control describes the number of employees reporting to the subsequent in the organizational pecking order. Entergy Corporation and Pfizer Pharmaceuticals are both large organizations and it would be very difficult for one supervisor to supervise 75 or more people. The span of control consists of a relatively narrow margin of control limiting 20 or less employees per supervisor. Gene One fits the span of control pecking order. There are different groups or departments with a corresponding supervisor depending of the area. Starbucks Coffee Corporation (Sharmeka Clark) Starbucks Coffee Corporation is a national coffeehouse chain based in the United States. The company was founded in 1971 in Seattle, Washington, as a local coffee bean roaster and retailer. Starbuck original founders were three friends Jerry Baldwin, Gordon Bowker, and Zev Siegl who shared a passion for fresh coffee (Garza, 2007). The men named the company after the first mate in the novel Moby-Dick. Starbucks sells drip brewed coffee, espresso-based hot drinks, other hot and cold drinks, snacks and items such as mugs and coffee beans. Domestic growth of the company has slowed down, although the company continues to expand in foreign markets. The first location outside of the United States and Canada was established in 1996 (Wilson, 2008). The founders designed their own well known logo for Starbucks. Baldwin, Bowker, and Siegl never thought this small company would become a large company. As time progressed the founders began to have other interests and were involved in other careers. A man by the name of Howard Schultz started to show an interest in the company. In 1982, Schultz became director of retail operation (Wilson, 2008). When Shultz took over a new era begin for the business. Schultz spent all his time at the stores trying to make everything perfect in every way. One of Schultz biggest ideas came from a visit to Italy. During this trip Schultz experienced going to a coffee shop and seeing the idea of an espresso bar. This was not going to be an easy task but finally in 1984 Starbucks opened the espresso bar within the Starbucks franchise (Garza, 2007). Today, Starbucks is known as an Espresso bar, few people order regular coffee. In 1985, Schultz decided to go on to a new adventure. He left Starbucks. The company has still continued expansions. In 1987, a store in Chicago was opened this would quickly expand to Portland, Oregon and Los Angeles. In 1991, Starbucks had 165 stores operating. Starbucks has become nationally known. This company currently has expanded to 7,225 stores including overseas operations (Wilson, 2008). Krispy Kreme Doughnuts (Sharmeka Clark) Krispy Kreme Doughnuts began operating in the mid-1930s when a doughnut maker named Vernon Rudolph bought a secret recipe for yeast-raised doughnuts from a French pastry chef out of New Orleans, Louisiana. Mr. Rudolph moved to Winston-Salem, North Carolina and, on July 13, 1937, opened up a wholesale business selling Krispy Kreme doughnuts to local grocery stores (Krispy Keme, 2008). People began requesting the purchase of hot doughnuts, so Rudolph cut a hole in the factory wall and sold hot original glazed doughnuts directly to customers. By the 1940s and 1950s there were a small chain of Krispy Kreme stores that were mostly family-owned. During the 1960s Krispy Kreme had a steady growth throughout the Southeast and began expanding. Vernon Rudolph died in 1973. Beatrice Foods bought the company and quickly expanded it to more than 100 locations. Beatrice Foods introduced other products in addition to the doughnuts, such as soups and sandwiches (Krispy Keme, 2008) the new owners also cut costs by changing the appearance of the stores and substituting cheaper ingredients in the doughnut mixture. In 1980 the company was starting to fail in production and finance, so Beatrice Foods put it up for sale. A group of franchisees, who were in the original Krispy Kreme franchisees, completed the buyout of the company in 1982. They also bought back the original doughnut recipe and the companys traditional logo (Krispy Kreme, 2008). Krispy Kreme struggled for a few years, but in 1989 the company had become debt-free and slowly begun to expand. A store was opened in New York in 1986, and in 1999 Krispy Kreme opened in California. In December 2001 the franchise opened the first international store in Canada. Today the company continues to expand the international operations. Krispy Kreme Doughnuts celebrated 60-years of being in business in 1997. The company has been recognized by the Smithsonian National Museum of American History (Krispy Keme, 2008). The company continues to grow and thrive through the production of over 20 varieties of doughnuts, a variety of coffees, and other beverages and the opening of new stores. Radio One (Sheena Johnson) Radio One Inc. is one of the largest radio broadcast companies (Radio One, 2008). The company was founded over 25 years ago its media targets primarily African-American markets. Chairperson and Founder, Catherine Hughes partnered with her son Alfred Liggins to run the company. Her son acts as CEO and President Radio One Inc. owns and or operates over 50 radios stations in 16 different markets, Giant Magazine, cable network TV One LLC, and Reach Media Inc. also known as www.blackamericaweb.com (Radio One, 2008). Like Gene One, Radio One emerged in a short time as a leader in it field. The focus of their programming is in urban markets. Without much competition they have been able to develop top skills in programming marketing and turnaround expertise. Gene One has great potential to use the public’s interest in biotechnology to expand the company. Radio One was able to gain an edge in the entertainment business buy expanding from radio into magazines and the World Wide Web. Ways to keep expanding include acquiring other business, offering new products, services and technologies, and selling shares of the company in the public market. Prior to 1999 Radio One was a privately owned company. Its market base began on the east coast out of Lanham, Maryland. The operations were growing but still limited to the Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington DC markets. The trendsetting urban media was not unlike the new gene technology of Gene One. There was obvious growth potential with both companies meaning that going public would boost sales and investments. The Initial Public Offering of common Stock for Radio One was filed in 1999. Forward-looking statements for the company were filed with the SEC, Securities Exchange. The statements included information about management’s expectations, risks, uncertainties and other factors that could possibly affect the future performance and achievements of the company. Radio One filed to sell 5 million shares of Class A stock (Cintron, 2008). Hughes and Liggens wanted to use the proceeds of the stock to acquire new business, to develop new activities and services, and also for o ther corporate purposes. After the first year as a public company it gross earnings increased from $28.2 million to $93.2 million in a year. 1st Pacific Bancorp (Sheena Johnson) 1st Pacific Bancorp was incorporated on August 4, 2006. The corporation serves as an umbrella for several local banking institutions in the San Diego, California area. 1st Pacific Bancorp has grown with the city. San Diego started from a small military into one of the nation’s most recognized cities. The company was able to capitalize on the city’s growth. New branches were opened and other privately own banks were acquired. The target customers live and work within the city limits. Banking services include consumer loans, deposits products and services, back deposits, cash management services and internet banking (NASDAQ, 1976). The company introduced a new service in 2006. This new technology goes by the name of Remote Deposit Capture. This service allows clients to make deposits into their business accounts from their place of business. 1st Pacific Bancorp can be an example for Gene One. Gene One is looking to develop new technologies prior to becoming a publicly traded company but they need investors to accomplish this goal. 1st Pacific became public and than developed new services and they have been proven successful in their market. Gene One has become more successful thanks to their gene technology that eradicated disease in tomatoes potatoes. They could improve upon this technology to get more investors instead of attempting to raise money for new costly technologies. The initial IPO for 1st Pacific Bancorp was filed and completed in 2000 (NASDAQ, 1976). In 2007 the company underwent reorganization. This allowed a holding company to be formed. This holding company is known as 1st Pacific Bank. The banks outstanding stock was converted into an equal number of public company shares. Course Concepts: Span of control and centralization are two course concepts that were discovered in both Radio One and 1st Pacific Bancorp. McShane and Glinow (2005) defines span of control as the number of people directly reporting to the next in the organizational hierarchy. Catherine Hughes and her son Alfred Liggins are joined in the top ranking by three other top executives. They oversee the work of 14 senior managers and a board that consists of 7 members. This differs from 1st Pacific Bancorp. The company has seven members on its board of directors that works with an advisory board consisting of 29 members and four senior managers. Centralization means that formal decision-making authority is held by a small group of people, typically those at the top of the organizational hierarchy (McShane and Glinow 2005). Both companies have centralized structures. The founder and other top executives serve in their position as well as on the board of director. Therefore they are involved in different aspects of the business and can make decisions using different viewpoints. Google (Eve Young) Meeting at Stanford University, Sergey Brin and Larry Page founded Google in 1998 with a focus of improving the way people connect with information. As a private company Google was hugely successful and because of this they were not expected to go public especially as soon as they did. Since 1999 the company had raised $40 million and had enough cash flow to continue business as is. However, on April 29, 2004 Google announced that they would go IPO and registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Using the non-traditional Dutch auctioning system the company was able to keep control over choosing the investment bankers while opening the deal to any firm that was willing to bid. In the end, Credit Suisse First Boston and Morgan Stanley were chosen to complete the underwriting process (Tunick, 2005). While Google was able to pull off its initial public offering the company faced many obstacles along the way. Finding themselves setting price for shares during a time that was slow for new issuance forced Google to cut the price to $85 per share from the $108 to $135 price per share that the company had hoped. The number of shares offered also dropped from 25.7 million to 19.6 million. Google also faced scrutiny for their decision not to divulge financial guidance to skeptical investors and withholding any details regarding the deal by swearing involved bankers to secrecy. Google’s founders also interviewed with Playboy magazine which was a violation of the SEC’s required quiet-period. It was thought that this violation would lead to pulling the deal (Tunick, 2005). Google’s stock was successful despite all the obstacles and criticism. The offering price closed at $100.34 per share which was an 18 percent increase from the initial offering. Increasing 127% over the offering, at the end of 2004 shares closed at $192.79 (Tunick, 2005). Google remains the most popular web search web site today due to the company’s continued development of innovative products and services for users. Clearwire Corporation (Eve Young) Founded in October 2003 by telecommunications pioneer, Craig McCaw, Clearwire Corporation offers wireless broadband services to homes and businesses via WiMax technology. Having had lost $459 million in December 2006, the company looked to going IPO as an opportunity to expand its high-speed wireless networks. Clearwire went public in March of the following year using Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley and JP Morgan to underwrite the deal (Cook, 2007). The business quickly grew after its initial price offering. By December 31, 2007 the company offered services to more than 16.3 million people and 46 markets in the United States. The rapid growth rates are believed to be a result of Clearwire’s innovative services which lead customers to choose broadband over cable modem and DSL internet services. The company has advantages over existing wireless networks when it comes to speed, portability, and reliability (NASDAQ, 2008). In just a year’s time Clearwire was able to increase its number of subscribers from 206,000 to 394,000 (Cook, 2007). With a mission of continued growth of the business, Clearwire has plans to invest in building the network and acquiring necessary assets in order to expand. While revenues have increased expenses have as well therefore, making it impossible for the company to turn a profit (NASDAQ, 2008). As the demand for residential broadband grows the anticipation is that the need for anywhere internet access via WiMax will also increase substantially. However, with more companies offering high-speed wireless networks the expectation is that faster speeds will soon be offered at lower prices. Competition will no longer be based on operation but on price and in order for Clearwire to benefit from this they will need to have networks already in place. Remaining competitive in the industry will prove to be difficult for the early stage company (Cook, 2007). Clearwire entered the public market with significant losses and huge debt. The company simply needed IPO capital in order to survive. Losses are expected to increase in the years to come however; the belief is that by 2011 Clearwire will become profitable (Cook, 2007). Having a founder who has had much success in the industry and receiving backing by big-name investors, success is definitely possible for Clearwire. Research Papers on Gene One - the Transition from Private to PublicThe Project Managment Office SystemBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseAmerican Central Banking and OilDefinition of Export QuotasDistance Learning Survival GuideInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceGenetic EngineeringStandardized Testing

Movie Review Essay Example

Movie Review Essay Example Movie Review Essay Movie Review Essay Name: Instructor: Course: Date: Although The Advocate became a magazine in 1992, in Harvey Milk’s time during the 1970’s, it was a tabloid newspaper. Even though the film had setting and informational errors, the movie portrayed the characters stupendously. Dan White was the infamous San Francisco Supervisor who assassinated the first openly homosexual official Harvey Milk and the mayor of San Francisco, George Moscone. Josh Brolin, the actor who played White, embodied the character in a way that the audience could understand. During the film, the audience can see that Harvey Milk and George Moscone developed a political relationship. Shortly after Dan White resigned his seat from the Board of Supervisors, Milk convinced Mayor Moscone that he would have a greater chance at being reelected mayor without White on the Board. Mayor George Moscone trusted Milk in this political judgment call. When the climactic scene of the two assassinations comes, the film depicts it accurately. After entering San Francisco’s City Hall from another entrance to elude the metal detectors, White went to Moscone’s office to plead for his reemployment. When Moscone denied him the occupation, White shot and killed him. Later in the same hour, White went to Milk’s office and killed him as well. The film certainly displayed this scene accurately. Actor Sean Penn also delivered an outstanding performance playing the main character Harvey Milk. From the beginning to the end, Penn gave a believable presentation. In the film, Milk starts a camera business which then becomes a salon for homosexuals. While noticing that his surroundings are less than approving of the gay community, Milk decides to be a voice for those who are, metaphorically speaking, trapped behind closet doors. In 1977, Milk was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Being in a place of power, Milk used this opportunity to let it be known throughout America that there is hope for those who are homosexual. He began by supporting a civil rights bill that banned discrimination based on sexual orientation. The bill passed with Dan White being the only one to oppose the bill; Mayer Moscone signed happily. Although there were many other events, campaigns, and trials that Harvey Milk had overcome, the film only highlighted a few of them. Simply compressing Milk’s life and achievements into a two hour long film would only show a few accomplishments respectively. In doing so, the movie did a fantastic job in illustrating Harvey Milk’s last nine years, how he made history, and who he influenced. The film’s viewpoint was spot-on, respectful to history, and controversially honest. Showing true history at a stage of vulnerability helps the audience understand the reality of it. I believe Milk is an excellent film of how history should be taught.

Marketing Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Marketing - Coursework Example The spine board looks excellent and is marked as a ruler, the design that stands out as the most unique feature of the magazine (Lamb, Hair and McDaniel, 2007). Research should have been done to determine the likes and dislikes of the consumers. Maybe they had a great idea, but assessing the market ensures that improvements are made to the product to be published to the audience. This ensures that quality products are availed to the consumers. Little research had to affect the magazine because they did not have the strong basics of how the consumers would react to the publication (Lamb, Hair and McDaniel, 2007). Readymade magazine relies on opinion leaders to determine market trends. Relationship marketing is evidently a vital business marketing strategy considering that clients have become more demanding, competition becoming ever more severe. Opinion leaders will help Readymade magazine to build long term relationships with customers so as to build a competitive advantage over the potential competitors (Lamb, Hair and McDaniel,

Medicare Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Medicare - Research Paper Example It is a program being implemented by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Medicare is divided into four parts. The first part is the Hospital insurance (Part A). This helps to pay for inpatient care in a hospital or skilled nursing facility, (after hospital stay), home health care and hospice care (Social Security Online, 2010). Medicare insurance (Part B) covers doctors’ services and other medical services and supplies which are not covered by hospital insurance (Social Security Online, 2010). Medicare Advantage (Part C) can be availed of in many areas. Those under Medicare Parts A and B can opt to receive all their health care services through the provider organizations under Part C (Social Security Online, 2010). Finally, drug coverage (Part D) assists in the payment of medications for which doctors prescribe for the treatment of their ailments (Social Security Online, 2010). Medicare is different from Medicaid. Medicaid is a program which provides aid for those who cannot afford medical services. Different states have different rules on eligibility and coverage; and in some cases, these programs do overlap and some individuals may qualify for coverage under both programs (Social Security Online, 2010). This Medicare program is significant for public health because it helps ensure that all people receive quality health care and are entitled to improved outcomes (DeWalt, Oberlander, Carey, and Roper, 2006). Some studies also point out that Medicare programs help control the cost of health care as it improves health outcomes of the people covered. It also helps prevent illnesses and reduce waiting times with doctors; and through the coordinated efforts of the Medicare programs, many states are able to encourage practices which â€Å"improve the timelessness of care and also†¦reduce the rate of no-shows to clinic appointments† (DeWalt, Oberlander, Carey, and

The history of manufacturing in the State of Michigan Essay

The history of manufacturing in the State of Michigan - Essay Example Mining and lumbering industry grew and developed rapidly and the profit from this industry paved the way for the growth of manufacturing industry in Michigan. Michigan became the largest manufacturer of iron and steel products in America. Transportation on railways and waterways were improved to help the growth of industrial sector (â€Å"The Growth of Manufacturing†). In the early history of development of Michigan, manufacturing industry hardly existed. Any small manufacturing units that were there during the early period produced goods only of domestic varieties to be used by families, especially farmers. The farmers produced goods with their own physical labour to meet their own demands. A variety of artisans like blacksmiths existed to make those goods that the families were not able to make by themselves (May & Dunbar 393). In the middle of the nineteenth century, Detroit was an important metropolitan centre in Michigan. Industry of trading and manufacturing flourished during that period and the population of the city became more than double. This added to the cultural advantage of the city. In 1850, illuminating gas was manufactured for the first time. It replaced the use of candles in many homes of citizens. The gas lights lightened up important streets, business centers and hotels. Sewing machines were begun to be manufactured in 1860 to ease household tasks. Kerosene lamps were first manufactured in 1861 and it came into the reach of families with moderate earnings (May and Dunbar 274-275). During the civil war in Michigan from 1861-1866, many new railroads were constructed. Lumbering industry continued to flourish like before. There was shortage of labour during the war as many young people participated in the war. In spite of this shortage, there was rapid development of the manufacturing and the mining industries. The farmers went on with their daily chores as usual. They began to work longer than before and took the help of

The Strategic Connotations of Corporate Social Responsibility on the Dissertation

The Strategic Connotations of Corporate Social Responsibility on the Performance and Sustainability of UK Banks - Dissertation Example This report declare that Corporate Social Responsibility has become an indispensable element amongst the current day business organizations. Over and above enhancing their operational and financial performances, it had become obligatory for the organizations to concentrate in the same way on social aspects such as, biodiversity, dearth of food and water, weather change, environmental safety, and poverty etc. This is owing to the fact that the various groups of stakeholders are keen to know how the business houses contribute to the overall society and lend a hand in the development of a sustainable planet, rather than concentrating merely on their business activities. This discusion explores that banks, amongst all the financial services organizations, have become increasingly proactive about corporate social responsibility activities owing to the pressures from the society as well as the government and other regulatory bodies. There are number of industry initiatives that endorse sustainable activities among banks, namely, Equator Principles, United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative, London Principles etc. These initiatives have been formulated to offer guiding principles and framework for banks to take up lending policies that are socially as well as environmentally sound. However, there are number of aspects that have been continuously discussed amongst researchers. These include, to what degree these initiatives have impacted the operations of the banks, what are the issues that impel the banks to pursue and take on these initiatives, whether these initiatives are only meant to guarantee long term success and improvement of bran d name and do not have much to do with participation in sustainable development. Thus, this would be appealing to evaluate how the social responsibility issues and initiatives influence the CSR activities of banks and how do these initiatives contribute to the accomplishment of the bank’s strategic goals and above all to its overall sustainable development. Research Objective The chief objective of this research is to identify the aspects of reaction of the UK based Banks to matters pertaining to sustainability by endowing with a clear comprehension of the present activities of the banking industry in terms of sustainability. To be specific, this research study would attempt to illustrate the sustainability issues that the banking industry is UK is encountering, assess the condition of the sustainable banking plans at the banking industry or organization levels of UK. The study would also evaluate the function of different stakeholders and their impact on sustainable banking in addition to assessing the impelling factors as well as the difficulties of sustainable banking in the UK banking industry. The research study wo

Project Management Report And Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Project Management Report And Plan - Essay Example The researcher states that Bloomsbury Hotels are regarded by its peers as an industry innovator and the standards that they set often become the industry-wide benchmark. The high level of brand loyalty has been based upon consistently high standards of facilities and service. For this reason, all Bloomsbury properties, adhere to a strict policy that is laid down in a Standard Operations Procedures Manual. This essay mentiones that the hotel was opened in 1985 on a site in West London with easy access to the Underground network and Heathrow airport. The hotel is fully air-conditioned and has 15 floors. Since opening the Palgrave Hotel in 1985, the first five floors of the hotel have remained unaltered. Even though quality materials were used at the time, these 80 rooms are no longer to a Bloomsbury Hotels standard. The ‘eighties’ style decoration of bright colours and worn furnishings are a dramatic contrast to the upper ten renovated floors. The initial proposal is that a budget of 1,950,000 pounds will be required to complete this project. Detailed budgets for the whole project will be forwarded for approval to proceed, as laid down in the company’s S.O.P. The overall theme is based around the theme of ‘nature’ that will be expressed through the range of materials, colours and images. The five floors will therefore be imbued with a new coherence with regard to each other and the outside environment. The installation of the design and control of the project will be completed by the management of the Palgrave Hotel, London.

The Strategic Connotations of Corporate Social Responsibility on the Dissertation

The Strategic Connotations of Corporate Social Responsibility on the Performance and Sustainability of UK Banks - Dissertation Example This report declare that Corporate Social Responsibility has become an indispensable element amongst the current day business organizations. Over and above enhancing their operational and financial performances, it had become obligatory for the organizations to concentrate in the same way on social aspects such as, biodiversity, dearth of food and water, weather change, environmental safety, and poverty etc. This is owing to the fact that the various groups of stakeholders are keen to know how the business houses contribute to the overall society and lend a hand in the development of a sustainable planet, rather than concentrating merely on their business activities. This discusion explores that banks, amongst all the financial services organizations, have become increasingly proactive about corporate social responsibility activities owing to the pressures from the society as well as the government and other regulatory bodies. There are number of industry initiatives that endorse sustainable activities among banks, namely, Equator Principles, United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative, London Principles etc. These initiatives have been formulated to offer guiding principles and framework for banks to take up lending policies that are socially as well as environmentally sound. However, there are number of aspects that have been continuously discussed amongst researchers. These include, to what degree these initiatives have impacted the operations of the banks, what are the issues that impel the banks to pursue and take on these initiatives, whether these initiatives are only meant to guarantee long term success and improvement of bran d name and do not have much to do with participation in sustainable development. Thus, this would be appealing to evaluate how the social responsibility issues and initiatives influence the CSR activities of banks and how do these initiatives contribute to the accomplishment of the bank’s strategic goals and above all to its overall sustainable development. Research Objective The chief objective of this research is to identify the aspects of reaction of the UK based Banks to matters pertaining to sustainability by endowing with a clear comprehension of the present activities of the banking industry in terms of sustainability. To be specific, this research study would attempt to illustrate the sustainability issues that the banking industry is UK is encountering, assess the condition of the sustainable banking plans at the banking industry or organization levels of UK. The study would also evaluate the function of different stakeholders and their impact on sustainable banking in addition to assessing the impelling factors as well as the difficulties of sustainable banking in the UK banking industry. The research study wo

Audit and assurance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Audit and assurance - Essay Example iples and standards allowed the management of corporations to manipulate their accounts easily and according to their own desires leaving behind misery for shareholders and a whole lot of mess for the regulators and the government to manage. This discussion paper will examine the arguments targeting the auditing profession that blamed auditors for not performing their responsibilities and for not doing enough to detect and prevent these cases of fraudulent activities of major corporations in the US. This discussion is supported by presenting details of five important accounting fraud cases which made the headlines and in some cases where auditors were also involved in assisting management in their malpractices. The auditors’ role is primarily viewed as that of verification of financial statements prepared by businesses. However, traditional view of it remained that auditors are responsible for detecting and preventing accounting frauds. The transition from this view to that of independent verification of financial statements was led by emergence of huge conglomerates where shareholdings are dispersed and the concentration of auditors’ investigation is not on the management’s honesty in preparing their accounts (Singh 2003). ISA 200 provides details of overall responsibilities of independent auditor and sets out the scope and nature of audit activities to be performed in accordance with international auditing standards. It states that the auditors’ role is to increase the confidence of users of financial statements by making a presentation on all material aspects of information disclosed in financial statements. However, it emphasizes that auditors do not relieve management from their role in corporate governance and ensuring the correctness of information provided in financial statement. The auditors are required to provide reasonable or high assurance regarding that financial statements are free from material misstatement. However, it is not in anyways an

The Kite Runner Essay Example for Free

The Kite Runner Essay During the late 70s early 80s there was a strong disagreement between races in Afghanistan. In particular the Pashtun and the Hazarah. Two forms of the same religion but with only 1 difference. The Pashtun were higher up in the community than the Hazarah. The Pashtun were considered clean and fit to rule because they were primarily of pure descent unlike the Hazarah (Pashtun encyclopedia Britannica page 2). The Hazarah were looked down upon because they are usually of mixed families and were considered below the Pashtun (joshuaproject. net page 1-3). ?As the higher ups the Pashtun were wealthier and had more friends in the higher up chain of command in the Afghani government. They had servants who were normally Hazarah. The Hazarah were lower in class and used their labor to make a living by becoming servants to the Pashtun. Like Hassan was to Amir and Baba. ?Amir the main character and novel narrator is of the Pashtun religion and because of this he is accustomed to having the things he wants handed to him on a silver platter. The only things Amir feels deprived of is a deep connection both emotionally and figuratively with his father Baba. He blames it on himself because he is so different than Baba in so many ways. He also feels responsible for the death of his mother who died during Amir’s birth (muse. jhu. edu page 1-5) ? Hassan who is Amir’s best friend is of the Hazarah religion and is a lower class than Amir and the Pashtun. Amir overlooks this fact and is a loyal friend to Hassan until Hassan gets raped and Amir didn’t do anything to stop it or help him. After Hassan gets raped something changed in Amir. He began to feel guilty and his guilt began eating away at him. He became a total jerk to Hassan and Hassan had no idea why (Hazara encyclopedia Britannica page 1-3). ?Some of Amir’s guilt is directed towards Hassan who receives Baba’s affection instead of Amir. Amir feels that Hassan (a Hazarah and one of his family’s servants) is beneath him and shouldn’t be getting Baba’s affection as much as he is. ?Baba sees Amir as a coward when he is a boy. Amir lets Hassan fight all his battles for him which is why in my opinion Hassan gets more of the affection from Baba. Baba wishes that Amir would learn to fight his own battles from Hassan and ultimately grow a backbone and become more of a man that Baba wants him to become. Although its hard to see in some parts of the novel, religion is always present. Whether it be the beginning of the novel where Amir and Hassan are flying kites or it be at the middle where Amir and Baba are traveling to America. Once in America Baba and Amir began to bond more and ultimately become as close as they wanted to be for a very long time. Baba falls ill after Amir graduates from college. Baba’s last great act before his death is he (on Amir’s behalf) asks for an Afghani general’s daughter’s hand in marriage. Amir then marries her right before Baba’s death. After Baba’s death Amir focuses on his writing the stories he came up with. Once his first novel gets published he gets a call from Baba’s friend back in Afghanistan and he asks Amir to come back to the land of his childhood and take care of him. Amir agrees and travels back to Afghanistan (the kite runner page 194). Once back he meets Baba’s friend and he learns that Hassan wrote him a letter shortly before his murder at the hands of the Taliban. Amir learns that Hassan was actually his brother and that Hassan had a son that got sent away to an orphanage after his murder and it became Amir’s duty to go and find Hassan’s son. ?As Amir takes on the challenge of tracking down Hassan’s son he travels all over Afghanistan until he finally finds where the boy is. Amir talks to the man who took Hassan’s son and saw that he was using the boy for his own entertainment by attaching bells to his hands and feet and made him dance. (the kite runner page 278) The reason why the man is making Hassan’s son dance it to assert his authority and put the Hazarah boy in his place below the man who now is his guardian before Amir gets ahold of him (Hazarah encyclopedia Britannica page 1).

BAJAJ Auto: SWOT and PESTEL Analysis

BAJAJ Auto: SWOT and PESTEL Analysis INTRODUCTION BAJAJ AUTO came into existence on November 29,1945 as M/s Bachraj Trading Corporation private limited. It started off by selling imported two and three wheeler in India .In 1959, it obtained a license from Government of India to manufacture and it went public in 1960.In 1970, it rolled out its 100,000th vehicle. In 1977, it managed to produce and sell 100,000 vehicle in a single financial year. In 1985,it started producing at Waluj near Aurangabad. In 1986,it managed to produce and sell 500,000 vehicle in a single financial year. In 1995,it rolled out its ten millionth vehicle and produced and sold 1 million vehicle in a year. The company is headed by Rahul Bajaj who is worth more than US$1.5 billion.According to the author of Globality : competing with Everyone from Everywhere for Everything, Bajaj has grown operation in 50 countries by creating a line of value -for-money bikes targeted to the different preference of entry- level buyers. (Kwenkbodenmille, 2008) LITERATURE REVIEW Swot Analysis SWOT analysis is a tool for auditing an organization and its environment. It is the first stage of planning and helps marketers to focus on key issues. SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Strengths and weaknesses are internal factors. Opportunities and threats are external factors. In SWOT, strengths and weaknesses are internal factors. Strength could be: Your specialist marketing expertise. A new, innovative product or service. Location of your business. Quality processes and procedures. Any other aspect of your business that adds value to your product or service Weakness could be: Lack of marketing expertise. Undifferentiated products or services (i.e. in relation to your competitors) Location of your business. Poor quality goods or services. Damaged reputation. In SWOT, opportunities and threats are external factors. An opportunity could be: A developing market such as the Internet. Mergers, joint ventures or strategic alliances. Moving into new market segments that offer improved profits. A new international market. A market vacated by an ineffective competitor. A threat could be: A new competitor in your home market. Price wars with competitors. A competitor has a new, innovative product or service. Competitors have superior access to channels of distribution. Taxation is introduced on your product or service. (Gerry Johnson, 2008) PESTEL analysis of the macro-environment There are many factors in the macro-environment that will effect the decisions of the managers of any organisation. Tax changes, new laws, trade barriers, demographic change and government policy changes are all examples of macro change. To help analyse these factors managers can categorise them using the PESTEL model. This classification distinguishes between: (Anon., 2011) Political factors- These refer to government policy such as the degree of intervention in the economy. What goods and services does a government want to provide? To what extent does it believe in subsidising firms? What are its priorities in terms of business support? Political decisions can impact on many vital areas for business such as the education of the workforce, the health of the nation and the quality of the infrastructure of the economy such as the road and rail system. Economic factors- These include interest rates, taxation changes, economic growth, inflation and exchange rates. As you will see throughout the Foundations of Economics book economic change can have a major impact on a firms behaviour. Social factors- Changes in social trends can impact on the demand for a firms products and the availability and willingness of individuals to work. In the UK, for example, the population has been ageing. This has increased the costs for firms who are committed to pension payments for their employees because their staffs are living longer. It also means some firms such as Asda have started to recruit older employees to tap into this growing labour pool. The ageing population also has impact on demand: for example, demand for sheltered accommodation and medicines have increased whereas demand for toys is falling. Technological factors- New technologies create new products and new processes. MP3 players, computer games, online gambling and high definition TVs are all new markets created by technological advances. Online shopping, bar coding and computer aided design are all improvements to the way we do business as a result of better technology. Technology can reduce costs, improve quality and lead to innovation. These developments can benefit consumers as well as the organisations providing the products. Environmental factors- Environmental factors include the weather and climate change. Changes in temperature can impact on many industries including farming, tourism and insurance. With major climate changes occurring due to global warming and with greater environmental awareness this external factor is becoming a significant issue for firms to consider. The growing desire to protect the environment is having an impact on many industries such as the travel and transportation industries (for example, more taxes being placed on air travel and the success of hybrid cars) and the general move towards more environmentally friendly products and processes is affecting demand patterns and creating business opportunities. Legal factors- These are related to the legal environment in which firms operate. In recent years in the UK there have been many significant legal changes that have affected firms behaviour. The introduction of age discrimination and disability discrimination legislation, an increase in the minimum wage and greater requirements for firms to recycle are examples of relatively recent laws that affect an organisations actions. Legal changes can affect a firms costs (e.g. if new systems and procedures have to be developed) and demand (e.g. if the law affects the likelihood of customers buying the good or using the service). (Anon., 2011) SWOT ANALYSIS: STRENGTH:- Bajaj Auto is LEADING automobile manufacturing company in India. It is one of the Indias trusted two wheelers manufacturers. It is an operative subsidy of the Bajaj Group. Bajaj Auto happens to be the largest two and three wheeler manufacturer in India and also ranks in this field across the globe. This automobile company was established on 2 November 1945. The company was then known as M/s Bach raj Trading Corporation Private Limited. The company made a modest beginning by importing and then selling two and three wheelers in India. Today Bajaj Auto has become synonymous with two and three wheelers in the country. Some of its popular two wheelers are; Pulsar 220DTS and Kawasaki Ninja 250R.Bajaj have highly experienced management. Company mainly focus on RD and fulfil of customer needs and requirements. (Ashwin, 2010) Bajaj Auto has been sitting on a cash pile for over five years now. Over the next couple of years, competition in the two-wheeler market is set to intensify. TVS Motors and Hero Honda are on a product expansion binge. To fight this battle and retain its hard-earned market share in the motorcycle segment, Bajaj Auto will need its cash muscle. A look at its own story over the past five years provides valuable insight. (Anon., n.d.) Earlier, most of the products that Bajaj exported were scooters and some motorcycles. However, in its target markets, like in India, the shift was towards motorcycles. With the expansion in Bajajs own range to almost five-six platforms of motorcycles, it had a better offering to export, also the reason for its stronger showing. For the last fiscal, 60 per cent of its exports were two-wheelers and the rest three-wheelers. Of the two-wheeler exports, close to 90 per cent were motorcycles. Bajaj has identified certain key markets, which hold potential. Its first overseas office established at the Jebel Ali free trade zone has been the focal point for exports to middle Africa and the Saharan nations. Egypt and Iran also continue to be strong markets for Bajaj. The other market, which would be a focus area, is South America, where the company feels it is fairly well represented in most countries, except in Brazil, the largest market. The company recently participated in a large auto exhib ition in Brazil and found good consumer acceptance to products like Pulsar and Wind 125. Thus, in India, Bajaj would see swanky four wheels jostling with our ever reliable and sturdy steed the two wheeler India is the second largest producer and manufacturer of two-wheelers in the world. It stands next only to Japan and China in terms of the number of two-wheelers produced and domestic sales respectively. Indian two-wheeler industry has got spectacular growth in the last few years. Indian two-wheeler industry had a small beginning in the early 50s.The Automobile Products of India (API) started manufacturing scooters in the country. Bikes are a major segment of Indian two wheeler industry, the other two being scooters and mopeds. Indian companies are among the largest two-wheeler manufacturers in the world. In the initial stages, the scooter segment was dominated by API; it was later overtaken by Bajaj Auto. (Anon., 2007) Weakness: The promotions and ads of Bajaj are very less as compared to its competitors. Some of the products of Bajaj like Pulsar require high maintenance. It expected that by 2020 scrap generated by end of life vehicles in India would be about 2.5 million tonnes and 40% of it will come from two wheelers. But Bajaj is not capable enough to recycle the scrap generated and may impose environmental threat. In Bajaj group there is no organized labour union and family members of employees find ready employment within Bajaj. The philosophy with regard to labour management is Bajaj is growing, grow with Bajaj. Bajaj workers receive a uniform allowance, as well as House Rent Allowance (HRA) and Leave Travel Allowance (LTA). Extra benefits include medical check- ups not just for workers, but also for the immediate family members. For the majority of the production workers, who are hired through contractors, these benefits are out of reach. This and other problems lead to a strike and factory occupation by 4,000 temp workers in the pune plant in spring 2006 (Ashwin, 2010) Bajaj Hasnt employed the excess cash for long. Bajaj has no established brand to match Hero Hondas Splendor in commuter segment not a global player in spite of huge volumes. Bajaj Not a globally recognizable brand (unlike the JV partner Kawasaki) (Anon., 2011) Opportunities: Double-digit growth in two-wheeler market. Untapped market above 180 cc in motorcycles. More maturity and movement towards higher-end motorcycles. The growing gearless trendy scooters and scooterette market. Growing world demand for entry-level motorcycles especially in emerging markets. The Inevitable Change Bajaj on internal analysis found that it lacked The technical expertise to deliver competitive goods. The design know-how. And the immediate inability to support the onslaught of competitors. All these forced Bajaj to look for an international partner who could bring in technology and also offer some basic platforms to be manufactured and marketed in India. Kawasaki of Japan is a world-renowned manufacturer of high performance bikes. Bajaj entered into a strategic tie-up with Kawasaki in late 1990s to enhance its product line and knowledge up-gradation to support long-term strategies. This served the purpose of sustaining the market competition for a while. From 1996 to 2000, Bajaj invested hugely in infrastructure while simultaneously developing product design and innovation capabilities, which is the prime reason behind the energetic Bajaj of 21st century. Bajaj introduced a slew of products right from entry-level motorcycle to the high premium segment right from 2001 onwards, and since then its raining success all the way for Bajaj. (Anon., 2007) Last quarter, Bajaj had impressive performance growing at a rate of 20%+ when the largest manufacturer grew at just 6%. This stands a testimony to the various important strategic decisions over the past decade. The focus of BAL off late has been on providing the best of the class models at competitive prices. Most of the Bajaj models come loaded with the latest features within the price band acceptable by the market. BAL has been the pioneer in stretching competition into providing latest features in the price segment by updating the low price bikes with the latest features like disk-brakes, anti-skid technology and dual suspension, etc. NCAER data for top 24 cities in India shows migration to higher income levels growing at over 40 per cent per annum. Prosperity in rural India is also a significant phenomenon, with 43 per cent of households in middle and the high income groups coming from rural India. More incomes per person, more persons will lead to a quadrupling of Indias consumer markets in the next two decades, a 2007 study by McKinsey Global institute has projected. And this will provide Company the ballast to sustain and consolidate its leadership position. Good will of the company: If the company utilizes the good will they have gained so far from their customers, they can increase the sales performance by economizing the cost and few technical renovation of the product. With new launch they can be benefited at present market scenario like Pulsar, Ninja has huge attraction towards the younger generation because of its style, sporty look, and high accelerating power and is stable at its feet even at high speeds. (Ashwin, 2010) Threats: The competition catches-up any new innovation in no time. Threat of cheap imported motorcycles from China. Margins getting squeezed from both the directions (Price as well as Cost) Finance assistance: Easy availability of finance is the main cause of sales growth and any restriction will hamper its growth prospects. Inflation: If inflation increases cost of raw material used in production will go high and selling price may go high that may decrease demand of the two wheeler. Technical renovation aspect: Competitor bike like Karizma splandar and apache are threat to Bajaj product like Pulsar Discover in respect to fuel economy. So if they dont short out in the new launches and give something extra in its engineering performance it may affect in demand of this company product. (Ashwin, 2010) For PESTEL analysis refer Appendix RECOMMENDATIONS: 1) Use excess capacity present to produce ungeared scooters for women. The female population constituting around 50 per cent of our addressable population contributes less then 10 percent of the total two-wheeler demand. With urban markets with addressable male population getting saturated, players will have to aggressively target the women population for expansion. 2) Review product mix, focus on RD to bring new products in market Demographics show increased youth population Young people fashion savvy 3) Focus on Rural market: Rural markets currently contribute around 45 per cent of the industrys demand. However, going forward, with urban markets getting saturated, analysts expect a rise in demand from rural markets. To address the changing dynamics, BAJAJ would have to resort to aggressive rural-centric sales and promotional activities. BAJAJ would have to alter marketing strategies by focusing on rural oriented adverting on mass media, educative road shows and create aspiration values for the products, and expand their sales distribution network. Introduce low cost models Develop sales distribution network which is currently weaker than other players For rural youth, introduce low cost trendy vehicles 4) Increase focus on exports and penetrate new markets: With domestic demand for two-wheelers slowing down, it would be increasingly important for BAJAJ to look beyond boundaries to partially mitigate the slowdown. BAJAJ would accordingly have to develop products suitable for different markets; high investments are required for setting up manufacturing facilities and for building a reasonable level of brand equity. Till now BAJAJ focussed only on economy class and developing country markets, but now in those segments it is facing competition from cheap Chinese players. Therefore need arises to penetrate new markets like USA and UK. CONCLUSION: Bajaj auto faces stiff competition from the Market leader Honda and closest rival Suzuki. It is because they are not able to create reliable brand image among their customers. They need to focus on developing their products that can give better experience to their consumer. 1. From the survey, it is seen that Bajaj is only able to somewhat satisfy their costumers from their products. They need to create a great sense of joy in their customers by offering unmatched product features and service that will make their customers loyal to the brand and this will greatly help Bajaj in increasing its market share. 2. Bajajs product prices are in comparison with its leading competitors. The problem is that consumers do not think that Bajaj has that much value and hence prefer to buy other brands. Bajaj need to offer more competitive pricing and better promotions to sell their motor cycle better.