Thursday, November 28, 2019

-155575-53911500Research Writing Essays - Pedophilia,

-155575-53911500Research Writing Background analysis 4th Semester -High School Teacher: Daniela Bautista Serrano Name: Stephania Vega Velez Date: 05/04/16 Name:Jorge Alfonso Ramos Ortega Directions: An archbishop named Jose Luis Chavez Botello in Oaxaca is accused of threating a briest who is accusing him of sexual abuse to more than 45 native children from "Sierra Mixteca", the priest who is being threatened is Manuel Arias Montes, he have received attempts against him the first was with the brakes of his car, this attempts were made by te archbishop so the priest can go to jail or even die. Four priests in Mexico; Marcial Maciel, Nicolas Aguilar, Gerardo Silvestre and Eduardo Cordova Bautista are accused of 200 cases of pederasty, this cases are undercover by the church. The first two priests were even accused to UNICEF in a report of clerical pederasty in Mexico from 1944-2013. In Australia a briest raped a boy with a cane in 1979, the boy was just 12 years old and the priest was 30 years old, after the boy was raped he threat the kid so he can not say nothing to his violent father, this priest was always looking for kids that were sent to that school because of houseor family problems, the priest drugged the kids. This priest was cought beause one day a boy after being raped many times he decided to suicide letting a letter. A victim of sexual abuse from the priest Peter Searson, has declared against the priest and said that the only place where he feels safe is in his room without light and with the door locked. The abuses started when he was just 9 years old, he also declared that Peter looked very intimidating and scary. Write an analysis gathering all sources. In conclusion priests in many countries of the world are undercover by the church or even by the government like here in Mexico even if the church and government are separated. Also the cases of sexual abuse in all around the world by members of church have always existed because there are dates that come from 1944. The government and church do not do nothing because they know that the fanatic people to church and religion are people easy to control and in a country like Mexico were a high percentage of population are Christian or catholic it is obvious that maybe in this government they will never do something against the priests or archbishops that have raped kids.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Costco Keeps Formula as It Expands

Costco Keeps Formula as It Expands Introduction The retail business sector showed its flexibility regardless of hard economic times, enhanced rivalry and repositioning goes ahead of its key competitors last year. Monetary outcome was a blend of desirable and undesirable, but the warehouse industry continues to grow. The article reviews the formula used by Costco in order to remain the leader in the retail sector.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Costco Keeps Formula as It Expands specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More From the article it is vivid that Costco’s sales increased by 2%, but the financial analysis section needs farther discussion because the information provided is uncertain, and the model applied by Costco is perplexing (Debbie 2). Basically, this paper presents summary of the article, additional research on Costco’s operations, relevance, contribution to knowledge and lastly presents issues that the author could have discussed so as to farther reinforce his analysis. Summary After a decade of growing into emerging markets originally dominated by industry competitors, Costco appears to be operating keenly in spite of the ongoing headship as the retail business generating the largest revenue. Of the 27 warehouse outlets organized in 2011, approximately 45% were based on emerging markets, different from the average of 65% during 2010 and 80% during 2009. The economic slowdown and instituted rivalry have resulted to decreasing revenue for Costco in emerging markets (â€Å"Costco Keeps† 1). The author asserts that Costco is still broadening its share and drawing nearer to Sam stores in number of outlets, with 423 outlets globally currently, of which 315 are based in the U.S. Also, revenue from sales rose by 8% to $414,200 million. Costco’s winning method is proving hard for Sam and BJ stores in regions where the competitors continuously overlap (Debbie 2). With total warehouse revenue the largest wi thin the retail sector, at $114,000 thousand in the U.S compared to $57,000 thousand at Sam stores and $40,000 thousand for BJ stores, Costco struggles towards fine-tuning a good formula established by providing goods at low price with a prominence on prime products. In foodstuff, this is evident as this offering is provided as pure wine (â€Å"Costco Keeps† 2). Background Costco’s equivalent-unit sales volume increased, shifting to 6 percent from 4 percent. For both BJ’s and Sam’s stores, sales volume was at 2% and discouraging, the two wholesale stores experienced a decrease from 2010 outcomes. The disappointing situation encouraged BJ and Sam stores to adopt emerging formulas to increase revenue from sales and minimize operational costs, a setback evident also in Costco due to its high expenses. Consequently, growth efforts declined a bit last year, with increased attention to expanding current outlets and merchandise. On average each of the two stores added 19 fresh outlets in the U.S in 2010, while Costco added more than 27 stores. Sam stores started 21 units whereas BJ stores introduced 17, including merchandise presence in Atlanta (Debbie 3).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In 2010, the three stores had approximately 964 local stores in operation producing $70,000 million in sales. At approximately 1,050 units, the problem of concentration emerged, yet all retailers were able to successfully increase revenue and membership, regardless of many players in the retail industry. With shifts toward warehouse outlets increasing to the disadvantage of conventional supermarket stores, it seems warehouses will keep on growing food market and membership share. Costco management has opened stores in regions with about 120,000 people, a lesser population for the approach than initially held (Debbie 4). Discussion Costco has changed from â€Å"generating low revenues† to â€Å"making large cash† in cities. Its business and marketing strategy has proved hard for competitors especially in emerging markets. As Costco penetrates market that has been dominated by Sam and BJ stores, it is going to reduce their business share because of Costco’s excellent products (â€Å"Costco Keeps† 1). Fresh foodstuffs remain one of the highest-functioning sectors for Costco group, with revenues amounting to 9% in 2010 and 9.5% in 2011, particularly from meat and meat products. Foodstuff sundries led to the ultimate margin of 6.2%, whereas soft drinks have declined recently. Approximately 60% of Costco revenue is from supermarket-based goods and Costco benefits from cost-sensitive client’s retail stores as a substitute formula (Debbie 2). Personally the author is well versed with the winning formula applied by Costco. From the article, private labeling technique has been successfully a pplied in foodstuff to increase revenues at Costco and has also earned client trust especially for the Kirkland products. The concepts presented in the article regarding selection of an appealing formula in the retail industry are great addition to literature. The marketing model utilized by Costco locks out other rivalries from the limited market and when applied nicely can open up great opportunities for retail businesses still struggling to break through. Ideally, the article is relevant since it has effectively explained the previous, current and expected future position of Costco in the retail sector, with high emphasis on market segmentation (â€Å"Costco Keeps† 2). In conclusion, even with increased focus on merchandise needs, foodstuffs continue as major portion of the mix. Foodstuff and sundry represent about 60% of revenue.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Costco Keeps Formula as It Expands specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More â€Å"Costco Keeps Formula as It Expands.† Retail Features. Print, 30 January 2012: 1-2. Debbie, Howell. Clubs Expand Despite each other: Major players push Differentiation Special Report warehouse clubs. DSN Retailing Today. Web. 1-5.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

INCLUSION AND MEETING SPECIAL EDUCATION NEEDS Essay

INCLUSION AND MEETING SPECIAL EDUCATION NEEDS - Essay Example The main intention of social inclusion is to eradicate favoritism and support social unity meant to boost peaceful coexistence within a community. One main area of social inclusion is to develop a framework that focuses on improving educational attainment among all children within the community regardless of their individual difference and families (Frederick and Cline, 2009, p.34). Yee and Dumbrill (2003, p. 23) noted that, by teachers removing barriers to educational engagement and educational achievement, children would be able to take part in educational activities, and succeed in all aspects of education within the school community. Social inclusion within the school setting in closely linked to school leadership style that develops a justice system within the school context (Keith and Maloney, 2005, p.98). School social inclusion can be seen as an attempt to integrate all aspect of the schools through various social groups established by the school administration. It may be described as how different individuals within the school context are recognized and treated with respect irrespective their backgrounds (Power and Wilson, 2000, p.66). Social inclusion in education is a course of action that aims at removing barriers to acquiring educational needs, and develops their aptitudes. These aptitudes could be theoretic, realistic, social in nature, and cultural (Power and Wilson, 2000, p.66). Social inclusion in education presents a well-planned education system that caters for different individuals in different backgrounds. These expanded requirements should be prepared and directed locally (Power and Wilson, 2000, p.66). A study conducted by Power and Wilson (2000, p. 89) indicated that implementing the concept of social inclusion within a school can be channeling in two aspects. These are economic aspect and the cultural aspect. Looking

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Market research about electric wheelchair prices Coursework

Market research about electric wheelchair prices - Coursework Example Pride Mobility LX Electric Wheelchair is  £1,199.00. It has comfy reclining seat, high level padding, height adjustments and moulded armrests. The Pride Mobility LX Electric Wheelchair ride is comfortable and stable, tyres are solid and there are available anti tip wheels at the rear preventing accidents on steep inclines or kerb stones with height adjustable headrest that are also removable (Mobility Zone, 2013: n.p). The combined solid, tyres and removable rear anti-tip wheels are necessary in ensuring stable outdoor performance with a compact frame for smooth indoor manoeuvring. The Pride Mobility LX Electric Wheelchair is the best of the electric wheelchairs because of its fair price and the qualities that it shares with other electric wheelchairs (Salentine, 2012: 5-12). It is comfy, has good speed and moves at a higher speed of 4ph at top speed. Pride Mobility LX Electric Wheelchair is offers an ultimate economical and innovative foldable power with significant features for b oth stable outdoor performance and smooth indoor manoeuvring. The Sunrise Medical Rumba Electric Wheelchair costs  £1,940.00. The Sunrise Medical Rumba Electric Wheelchair seats are comfortable and are integrated with high level of padding thus ensures real comfort for users and moulded armrests that flip up to make getting on and off easy. Armrests can be adjusted in various ways in terms of height, width and an angle to ensure support as well as a flip-up footplate with similar level of adjustments. The ride is very comfortable because of the articulating front beam that absorb changes in terrain, uneven surfaces and the tyres are solid to provide peace of mind and avoid inconvenience of punctures (Mobility Zone, 2013: n.p). The Sunrise Medical Rumba Electric Wheelchair has a robust design that may take travels for up to 15 miles on a fully charged battery with a speed of 4ph at top speed and the maximum user weight is 19.5 stones or

Monday, November 18, 2019

History of Japanese Internment Camps Research Paper

History of Japanese Internment Camps - Research Paper Example They had to stay within one of the ten â€Å"relocation camps† just because their ethnic heritage was Japanese, because Japan had attacked the United States and because Americans were frightened. After such an intense effort to deny how Hitler was systematically obliterating the Jews, the United States did the exact same thing to Japanese Americans. Of course, they stopped short of the gas chambers, but otherwise, the Japanese internment camps were very close to Nazi concentration camps. Even before Pearl Harbor, Americans did not trust Asians, regardless of their ethnicity. In the 1882 the Chinese immigration exclusion bill became law, but most Americans did not differentiate between Asian ethnicities. Many harbored hate for anyone who looked Asian. This feeling was strongest in California perhaps because many Asians began coming to the United States around the time of the California Gold Rush in 1849, and they ended up on the West Coast, many in California. All Asians were e xploited for cheap labor, but white Americans began to see Chinese immigrants as the main competition for jobs. The 1882 law stopped the immigration of people from China, but other Asians came to the United States, and they endured the blatant racism that existed. â€Å"The experiences of Chinese immigrants foreshadowed those of Japanese immigrants, who began arriving about the same time the Chinese exclusion bill was passed. Japanese immigrants were called Issei, from the combination of the Japanese words for ‘one’ and ‘generation;’ their children, the American-born second generation, are Nisei, and the third generation are Sansei. . . .The Issei mostly came from the Japanese countryside, and they generally arrived, either in Hawaii or the mainland West Coast, with very little money. Approximately half became farmers, while others went to the coastal urban centers and worked in small commercial establishments, usually for themselves or for other Isseiâ₠¬  (Burton, Farrell, Lord, & Lord, 2001). This was the population breakdown of Japanese Americans at the time of their forced internment. Some were Issei but most were Nisei or Sansei. Many Japanese Americans were well-respected members of the community, involved in their communities and politically connected. But that did not make a difference when U.S. government officials decided to prevent any sort of internal conspiracy. â€Å"Despite many Japanese American elites’ sincere support for the American government, high-ranking federal government officials and military brass removed and interned all West Coast Japanese, basing their decision on several factors. Their considerations involved both strategic military, diplomatic, and political elements, a complex web reflected in the assigning of the removal task to the War Department, and internment to the Justice Department and the WRA. Their decision and implementation took place in stages, beginning with the impounding of a ssets, then individual removal and internment, voluntary relocation, and, finally, coerced, mass removal and internment† (Hayashi, 2004, p. 76). These â€Å"steps† to â€Å"voluntary imprisonment† mirrored the same steps that another country, Germany, took when placing another ethnic group, Jews, in their internment camps, which is ironic because that was one of the reasons the United States entered the war. Not specifically because of what was being done to the Jews, no. Previous to the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Americans

Friday, November 15, 2019

Lack Of Products Differentiation Or Narrow Product Line Marketing Essay

Lack Of Products Differentiation Or Narrow Product Line Marketing Essay This senior paper report examines the Harley-Davidson (H-D) phenomenon. From near bankruptcy to double-digit growth every year, H-D has something working for them. That something is calledstrategic planning and development. With the growing global economy, companies are looking for ways to improve their market share. Many excellent firms have learned how to beat their competitors through then implementation of new management, marketing, and/or manufacturing techniques (Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson). H-D is one of those excellent companies whom have challenged traditional ideas. This report will identify those strategies that have worked and brought the company and its shareholders success each year. Today, Harley-Davidson Inc., an employer of 8,100 workers, consists of H-D Motor Company based in Milwaukee and Eaglemark Financial Services Inc. based in Chicago, Illinois. These are strategic business units are they are managed separately based on the fundamental differences in their operations, products and services. In addition, there are nearly 1,500 dealerships worldwide. Harleys commitment toward continuous improvement is exemplified in their financial statements. II. Vision, Mission of Harley Davidson H-D has realized since the 80s an impressive marketing strategy was giving H-D a brand name that more recognized than any other company. Indeed, the strategy was not to focus on reducing the costs, or on the distribution improvement, but the main element was to create customer value. In other words, H-Ds will was to give more credibility, trust, safety, desires, quality of product and service, and thus fidelity to its brand. In order to reach that goal, H-D centralized its marketing on these topics, for example creating a Harley Owners Group who rallies more than 900,000 members worldwide (www.harley-davidson.com). The main interest of this group is to ensure members to know each other, and become a second family who share the same interests, wills, and thoughts. This strategy also ensures H-D to maintain a strong relationship with its customers, and thus a strong brand name all over the world. According to customers, the owners of H-D say that this brand understands them and their n eeds, and also that they are always there if a problem appears. These remarks can be linked with H-Ds values. According to H-D Our values are the heart of how we run our business. They guide our actions and serve as the framework for the decisions and contributions our employees make at every Respect the Individual, and Encourage Intellectual Curiosity (www.harleydavidson.com). This strategy can also be linked with the mission statement of H-D: We fulfill dreams through the experience of motorcycling by providing to motorcyclists and to the general public an expanding line of motorcycles and branded products and services in selected market segments (www.harleydavidson.com). In order to be successful, organizations must determine clear financial and strategic objectives. (Hitt, Ireland, Hoskisson) H-D focused on gaining a greater market share, achieving higher product quality than rivals, maintaining a stronger reputation and a better branding strategy than its competitors, increasing levels of customer satisfaction and finally attaining stronger customer loyalty. In the 60s and 70s Harleys strategic intent was based on going shoulder-to-shoulder against the predominantly Japanese companies. Harley could not compete on the price level, and the Japanese products were of superior quality, Harley decided to compete in other areas. Their new strategy was to connect with people on an emotional level. They are not selling a product but a way of life, a way of thinking. Harley changed its strategy from selling products to selling community (Mitchell). And the fact that H-D has developed a Brand stretching strategy can also be an element of Harleys success in developing relationships with customers. Indeed, owners can buy other Harleys products than bikes; it means that they can be more than a biker, they can join Harleys group buying leather accessories or clothes, and even cosmetics. III. Industry/External Analysis Porters Five Forces Analysis Threat of New Entry: Low Requiring high capital investment to enter the business because of the scale economies in production, research, marketing and service of this industry is high. Brand Identification of Harley Davidson has been strongly established for years. The entrants will face a big barrier to overcome customer loyalty of Harley. Harley has developed its limited distribution channels via licensed private dealer and distributor. The new entrant of this industry most probably has to create its own distribution channel and make another investment which causes a barrier to entry this industry become high. Powerful Buyers: Low The product is targeted to individual buyer rather than large-volume buyer therefore buyers will have only small power to force the price down. The product is differentiated or targeted for niche market therefore the buyer will not easily find the alternative product. Harley also produces parts and accessories as proprietary components for their bikes which are not produced by other company. There is quite a small number of this industry in the same market. Since the product is differentiated, the customer tends not to price sensitive. Substitute Products: High Customers taste is shifted into Japanese motorbike. Products with the sophisticated features, high quality and new design have been available in the market to adopt the trend-shifting. Other means of transportation which are less season restrictive. Powerful Suppliers: Low The suppliers customer are not fragmented so they have a high bargaining power Switching cost of changing suppliers is not too high since it doesnt require to invest heavily to be a supplier. Competitive Rivalry: High Lack of products differentiation or narrow product line. Industry growth is slow, precipitating fights for market share that involve expansion minded members Exit barriers are high. Harley has a high loyalty to keep the business survive. The rivals, for example Honda, are diverse in strategies, origins and personalities to compete and continually run head-on into each other. Competitor Analysis/Strategic Issues There are four strategic issues that H-D has to face with. The most important is the European market where H-D has to increase its sales, then, linked with the first issue, there is a fierce competition with the Japanese firms such as Honda and Yamaha. The other issues are the womens market and the accessories which are in decline. Harley-Davidson is not very famous in Europe where Harleys market share of 650 cc plus motorcycle is less than 7% (6.6%), while in North America Harley-Davidson has a huge market share (46.4%), 21.3% for the Asian market. The main industry competitors are Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha, Kawasaki and BMW. Harley-Davidson is the market leader in the U.S. market with 46.4% market share (Woodyard). Their domestic position is quite secure however the rival companies are all aiming to increase their impact on the North American market. Honda remains the main competitor with a 20.2% market share in North America. Even though they trail behind Harley in the high profit market for heavy bikes, Honda sells more bikes worldwide than H-D. Honda provides a wider selection of products ranging from super sport bikes, cruisers, scooters and motor cross bikes. The popularity of cruiser bikes is increasing and last year the registrations for heavy weight motorcycles rose by 22%, but Harleys share fell from 50.2% in 1997 to 46.4% in 2002 (Woodyard). This means that companies like Honda are quite successful in taking customers away from Harley. Rival manufacturers such as Kawasaki or BMW have all made a serious attempt to establish them at the heart of Harleys market. The Japanese bikes were often considered to be sissy cycles by Harley lovers (Mitchell). This image is slowly changing and the Japanese companies are trying to out Harley the Harley models. Yamaha motor USA is starting to improve its position in its various markets. The U.S. sales have increased for 47% since 1998. Despite these successes, companies have had a tough time in creating an image for themselves particularly in the cruiser markets. Harley continues to dominate the U.S, market and is also the leader in the Asian/Pacific markets with 21.3% market share. So, compared with Honda, its main competitor, H-D is better in North America and in Asia-Pacific, but certainly not in Europe. There is not too much gap between all the competitors, especially between H-D and Honda (21.3% against 19.1%). But, this is totally different in Europe for Harley-Davidson who has only 6.6% of market share; this market is the most promising. Thats why Harley-Davidson has to focus especially its marketing in the European market in order to win market shares, and reduce the gap between its competitors. Moreover, Harley net revenue in Europe is the second behind the U.S. So, if Harley succeeds in increasing its market share in Europe, its net revenue could be in high growth. Then, in order to fully understand its market, and in order to compete in a more serious way its competitors, H-D must identify the distinct segments that their competitors focus on and what distinctive product service benefits they offer. Hondas activities are forcing H-D into a niche market. The company is known for its flexibility and is progressively introducing bigger and better bikes. The Japanese manufacturer is starting to increase its competitive pressure by applying some of the strategies implemented by Harley. Honda is beginning to improve its relations with its customers and is also trying to build a sense of community among its customers. The Honda Rider Club of America is Hondas attempt to achieve the same sense of belonging Harley bikers have with their beloved brand (www.honda.com). The club allows customers to gain 24-hour emergency roadside services. The club also organizes a number of events and rallies for the Honda fans. Honda is also trying to create the next generation of loyal Honda bikers. Honda organizes a number of Motor-Cross Camps for young riders. Some of the main activities include riding courses races and riding trips and family activities, the main way to gain the loyalty of young biker s who will hopefully stay loyal to the brand, as they get older. These community-building strategies are proving to be extremely beneficial for the Japanese firm. The Honda new models such as the Shadow 750, the VTX 1300S are Hondas attempts to steal some of Harleys market share by recreating the Harley feel. Superior technology is the main strategy to achieve this goal. Yamaha is also trying to outperform Harley and is improving its mass customization skills. The Yamaha website offers a section that allows customers to design their own bike and choose the look and functionality they desire. The interface ensures customers to choose from 75 Yamaha accessory items and makes it easy for the customer to purchase the bike online. The Yamaha V Max model, the Drag Star, and the Road Star models attract customers with their slick design and technological tweaks (www.yamaha.com). The Yamaha sports models are also very successful and the company is still maintaining a strong position in worl d markets. European rivals are also trying to make an impact on this lucrative market. Italys Moto Guzzi recently introduced the V11 EV custom cruiser. BMW introduced 3 models of its R1200C cruiser and thanks to clever advertising is beginning to improve its position in the U.S. and Asian markets (www.bmw.com). According to the website, only 10% of the Harleys customers are females. But female bikers are more and more interested by bikes (www.moto-station.com). Yamaha and Kawasaki are trying to take advantage of this growing interest of female bikers and many of their ads feature women on motorcycles. Harley has already understood this new opportunity. Another key issue for the future is the problem of the accessories. Indeed, those products such as perfumes or cosmetics are decreasing a lot. So, Harley-Davidson should take a decision about this unsuccessful strategy of brand stretching. But, this strategy has a lot of success regards to the leatherwear and fashion area. According to me, Harley-Davidson should continue to improve this brand stretching and not leave the market of cosmetics and perfumes. V. Financial Assessment of Industry Harley Davidson Past Current Financial Performance Year 2003 $ 4.6 billion total revenue (up 13% from 02) $ 761 million net income (up 31% from 02) $650 million free cash flow (up 59% from 02) Repurchased 2.3 million shares of stock Return an average equity >20% 291,000 H-D units shipped (up 10% from02) 36% Gross Profit margin (up from 02) Gross profit margin 37.87% of revenue Year 2004 $5.0 billion total revenue (up 8.5% from03) $889 million net income (up 16.9% from 03) Repurchased 10.6 million shares of stock Return on average equity >25% 317,289 motorcycle units shipped (up 9% from 03) EPS 3.0 (20% increase form last year) (Hoovers Online) Trends Forecasts Pushed by an increase in female riders, wider age group, and the broadening appeal of motor scooters and other small, less-expensive two-wheelers, motorcycles sales rose 4.7% to top 1 million for the second-consecutive year (Woodyard). However a market slowdown is looming due to the weak dollar, costs of steel and other materials are rising; this will cause makers to rises prices or take a hit on profits. Currently all segments in the market are increasing, however scooters and classically styled so-called cruiser bikes are of the most heavily increasing and popular segments (Woodyard). Business Models of Firms in the Motorcycle Industry Firms in the motorcycle industry operate in two modes of the business model; Just-In-Time and Built-To-Order. Companies such as Honda and Harley primary focus are on supplying motorcycles through licensed distributors and dealers. Smaller dealers focus on built-to-order where riders can customize performance and style designed to complement their style, size, and skill level. Profit Pools Harleys primary sources of profits come from the initial motorcycle sale, finance contracts, licensing agreements, product upgrades, and accessory goods. Based on this information we can conclude that Harley does a good job of extracting the most margins from its customer base. Key Financial Performance Metrics of Major Players * Market share figure in 2004 ( %) North America Market share 2004 (%) Harley Davidson 48.1 Honda 18.6 Suzuki 10.3 Yamaha 9.1 Kawasaki 7.1 BMW 2.8 Other 4.0 (WoodYard) Key Valuation Metrics of Major Players * Harley Davidson Financial Performance 2004 Market Cap 13,638.01 Earning Rate 20.3% Growth Rate 5.3% P/E 15.10 (Standard Poors NetAdvantage) *SP considers Harley-Davidson to have no competitors hence no competitor metrics are available. VI. Competitive Analysis Strengths Customer Loyalty and Following Very High Product Demand Profitable Product Line and Market Mix Highest Market Share for Motorcycles over 750cc in the United States Union contract that is beneficial to both the Firm and the Employees Significant opportunities in the growing worldwide motorcycle market A proven management team thats committed to build a beneficial relationship with all of the stakeholders for the long term Increased capacity with the construction of new plant and distribution center Increased Segmentation with the purchase of Buell Motorcycle Co. Weaknesses Inefficiency due to Large Production Level More Demand than Supply Lower Than expected Sales in Motor Clothes Lingering rebel biker image Opportunities Electronic commerce and communications Opportunities in the female market niche Threats Tariffs that might exist in other markets Imitation of Harleys products from other competitors. Loss of market share due to low production capacity VII. Market/Customer Harleys customers are not the metal bikers customers who used to be in the past. Indeed, Harley-Davidson attracts now more profession such as lawyers or doctors about 45 years with a medium income level. H-D has developed a brand stretching strategy can also be an element of Harleys success in developing relationships with customers. Indeed, owners can buy other Harleys products than bikes; it means that they can be more than a biker, they can join Harleys group buying leather accessories or clothes, and even cosmetics. Recent trends show there is an increase in the market segment to appeal to women. Roughly 10% of riders in the U.S. are women which offer potential for growth. Although motorcycles are sold internationally, 3 main geographic markets comprise the bulk of motorcycle sales North America, Asia, and Europe. The largest is the North American Market (USA and Canada account for about 60% of this market) accounting for 60% of worldwide motorcycle sales (Klein). With the baby generation aging, opportunities exist for the penetration of new markets. The Japanese market accounting for a great chunk of the Asian Market is an untapped one for foreign manufacturers. Government regulations and trade policies make it difficult for foreign manufacturers to enter though. Most Asians consider motorcycles as a basic means of transportation. Major target areas include China, Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam. The European Market is another market with great potentials since Europeans have a higher disposable income and enjoy a higher standard of living. Eastern Europe is not offering a good deal mainly because of its unstable political and economic environment. To succeed in these markets, firms are to modify products to meet local needs, provide after sales service, expand distribution networks, and create strong customer relationships (Klein). VIII. Internal Capabilities Issues Issues Exports in Europe are not that easy since the products are going to be acceptable to heavy tariffs, since they come from a country outside the European community. In the future a subsidiary in one of the European community countries would relax the tariffs. Also loss of market share due to low production capacity may also prohibit Harley from gaining potential new customers because of the extended waiting period. Management Depth Harley Davidson has a flexible management that encourages employee involvement by having an open door policy to allow employee to communicate and contribute his and her idea to senior management or CEO (Teerlink). Organization Issues With over 8000 salaried and unionized employees are the key competency to H-D success. Employees are considered as foundation of company success and are the engine to drive company to success, because employee involvement is strong culture in H-D where employees are empowered to take initiative to identify and solve problems. (Teerlink). Value Chain Marketing Advertising Harley Owner Group convoys free advertising Promotions at motorcycles rallies and improve dealer network to broaden appeals to new customers Not much spending on advertising Licensing brand/logo to more than 100 manufacturers thereby increasing exposure to customer Distributing newsletter and promote rallies Human resources Harley Davidson mechanics and dealership personnel were trained at Harley Davidson University. They took course in retail management, inventory control, merchandising, customer service, diagnostics, maintenance, engine service technique. Provide in -dealership courses through its web based distance learning program Service Demo ride in various location through all US Daily rental to decide whether they want to buy Providing training course for inexperienced riders in America, Europe and Asia (25 hour Riders Edge Program) contributed to company increased sales from female buyers (increased from 2% total sales before adapting to 9% in 2003). The company found that woman more likely to purchase after taking training course Financial service to make it more affordable Operations The companys expansion plan of its York and Pennsylvania plants expects to allow the company to increase production to 400,000 units by 2007. Distribution Through dealerships Showrooms offer a large assortment of clothing items and accessories in addition to new motorcycles Dealers are responsible for operating showrooms, stock parts and accessories. 161 dealers in Japan. 50 dealers and 3 distributors in Australia and New Zealand. 7 dealers in South East Asian and East market. Infrastructure Public listed company Quality system Strategy planning are not clear Core Competencies and Competitive Advantage Customer loyalty and brand image Valuable? Yes Rare? Yes Costly to imitate? Yes Non substitutable? Yes A core competence and a sustainable competitive advantage Large-displacement motorcycles Valuable? Yes Rare? Yes (for now) Costly to imitate? No Non substitutable? Yes Yields only a temporary competitive advantage VIIII. Strategies of Harley Davidson As stated earlier, strategic issues that H-D has faced is increased segmentation in the motorcycle industry causing them to shift focuses in their strategy. With the purchase of Buell Motorcycle Co. they have been successfully able to increase their market segmentation by offering high quality bikes at competitive price. This allowed H-D to have to opportunity to move from a differentiation strategy to a cost/differentiation strategy. Harley Davidsons use of the Cost/Differentiation as a Business Level Strategy has proven highly successful since they have been in business. They have always tried to differentiate themselves from everyone else in the motorcycle industry, by producing a brand image that many competitors have failed to recreate. Harley Davidson has two different companies built into one. The first of the two companies produces motorcycles at competitive prices against their competitors. Harley Davidson demands high standards of quality and efficiency and demand lower costs, which will add to a higher quality less expensive motorcycle. Harley Davidson has done extensive research to find out information about their average customer. Harley Davidson concluded that the average motorcycle consumer is a married, college educated, 38 year-old male earning $44,250 a year and his average income is increasing. Research also shows that females represent 10% of the new purchasers. The second company that Harley Davidson implemented is the Costume Vehicle Operations or CVO. This company specializes and customizes the motorcycles to suit the individual owner. Harley Davidson also offers genuine parts and accessories so Harley owners can customize their own motorcycles. The CVO tries to use the differentiation strategy to beat out its competitors. The customization of a motorcycle can prove to be very expensive and time consuming, but Harley Davidson knows that what good is a bike if you cannot show people who you really are. The customers are willing to wait an average of 1 year after placing their order to receive their customized motorcycle. Every other motorcycle manufacturer is trying to imitate Harley and their products. Harley has the top of the industry manufacturing process with large state of the art factories, and distribution, with many small and personalized, to market dealers, who sell their products. Harley Davidsons Corporate Level Strategy tends to favor the Related Diversification Strategy. Their two primary businesses are related to each other in some manner or another. The two divisions, CVO and the Competitive Price Division, are related by using the same suppliers. Although the two divisions serve two totally different responsibilities to the consumers, they are truly related in their strengths to differentiate themselves from all the other competition. Harley Davidson does not do much promotion at the corporate level. Primarily, the local dealers do their promotion. Harley Davidson uses many different types of strategies to help them become on of the most dominant motorcycle producers in the world. X. Assessment Analysis The Senior Paper has given an intuitive look into strategies at work and based on the analysis done it is reasonable to assume that H-D will be successful staying competitive. H-D implemented changes in the 90s to prepare for the future challenges and stay ahead of competition. They have targeted towards improving and expanding manufacturing and creating new products and services. Thus far, the strategies have been very successful and have built strong relationships with all their shareholders. H-D has found new ways to extract margins from its customer base through finance contracts, licensing agreements, product upgrades, and accessory goods. It has expanded it product line to the small and mid-size range with the purchase of Buell Motorcycle Co. They know who their customers are, and which markets they need to expand on. They also have happy unionized workers who share the same values as the management team. Most importantly through the decades, H-D motorcycles have had the ability to generate emotion. This emotion and loyal has never been duplicated by any company to date, and probably never will. If H-D continues to innovate there is not question that they continue to gain market share.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Olenka In The Darling Essay -- essays research papers

Olenka was quite a darling. She was quiet, and always had an imaginative smile. Unfortunately, she had a personality defect. Her problem was the fact that she didn’t have a personality of her own; it was always that of her lovers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the beginning of the story she was married to Kukin. When she was with Kukin, he complained about the rain on his garden. He said, “Almost every evening it rains. It is simply awful! The public doesn’t come, but I have to pay the rent just the same, '; (172). This foreshadows what is going to happen to Olenka when Kukin dies. She worked hard at taking on his beliefs and opinions, and mastering his way of thinking. She acted as a mirror of her husband and it was her only way of life. Then when he died, her mirror was broken. This left her not knowing what to do cause she had no personality anymore because it died.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After Kukin’s death, Olenka did nothing else but cry and dwell on the fact that she had no one to love. As she mourned, she said, “ my precious, my darling! Why did I ever know you and love you! You poor heart-broken Olenka is all alone without you,';(174). Then Pustovalov came along, the timber merchant, and she once again fell in love. This changed her life from the theater into a new life of business. Her husbands ideas were hers. If he thought the room was too hot, she thought the same.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At one...

Sunday, November 10, 2019

The ARES Decision

The Area's project idea aroused with the purpose to solve BAN current problems. These problems included a significant amount of resource waste and lack of coordination among departments. For instance, dispatchers who were responsible for 20-30 trains in their assigned territory most of the times were able to only focus on 5-7 trains, treating the rest of the trains with less attention. In addition, dispatchers were on their own and there was no cooperation among them since they could only see information about their territory and not others.For dispatchers, there was no way to see the whole stricture of the current situation, so poor decisions about scheduled maintenance-of-way (MOW) crews were being made. Communications with trains and MOW vehicles was poor, current information about railroad operations were difficult to obtain and sometimes the information was erroneous. Certainly, ARES will improve operations in BAN but the top management specifically the CEO of BAN and top manage ment is not completely convinced to carry out the project. ARES is a very large and costly project and they need to be sure that the benefits are realistic.Moreover, they want to make sure that BAN will obtain a return after investing $350 lions on the project and also there is the question on whether the investment could turn out to be more. Another issue is related with the organizational structure according with the chief operating officer the new technology alone will not benefit the company but the restructuring of the entire company and many operations as well (Cash, p. 25). For all those reasons they want to consider other cheaper alternatives before making this important decision.Industry Competitive Analysis -? Porters Five forces Treat of new Entrants: Given that the railroad industry requires a heavy initial investment the treat of new entrants is low. However, effects of deregulation on both the trucking and railroad industries were changing the competitive environment i n transportation (Cash, p. 62). Trucking companies needed a lower initial investment to enter and they Were gaining advantage Over railroad companies since they were providing door-to-door delivery service which was being preferred by customers in order to meet the just-in-time production.Treat of Substitutes products: For BAN its largest source of revenue was coal (Cash, p. 62), and its major competitor was the Union Pacific UP), which was another railroad company that had recently invested in a new technology. Heehaw commodities like coal and grain would normally be transported by train which put BAN in a position where it was difficult for customer to switch but when it comes to transport light products trucks were moving ahead by providing faster service that customers were willing to pay.Bargaining power of Buyers: The railroad industry had a few companies providing the service to the customers, but it was facing two major challenges which were better service and capital intens ity (Cash, p. 68). This was making the trucking industry stronger since customers were looking for a faster service and they were able to provide it. Bargaining Power of Suppliers: Farmers and other big corporations were Ban's suppliers. For suppliers providing light products like agricultural and food products they had the alternative to switch to the trucking companies, but for the ones providing yeah. Products like coal and automotive products they didn't have to much bargaining power since railroad companies were the best way for transporting these. Industry Rivalry: The number one competitor is the Union Pacific (LCP) and they were also investing to be more efficient (Cash, p. 4). Certainly, the trucking industry was becoming a strong competitor for BAN as well, since the costs in the trucking industry were going down due to the effects of deregulation and they were providing more flexibility for customers.Generic Strategy BAN currently is following the cost leadership strategy by using economies of scale to transport high volumes of commodities to its customers. Coal was the number one source of revenue and BAN had long term contract customers (Cash, p. 4). The second largest source of revenue was agricultural modesties and BAN was expecting to grow in this segment given recent changes in economic policies in Eastern Europe.To satisfy the expected increase in demand for this type of products BAN will need to become even more efficient to keep its cost leadership strategy, maintain its current customers and gain potential new customers in the future. Organizational Structure Burlington Northern is structured in a functional form, where similar knowledge, tasks and skills are being grouped together. This is because the functional form promotes economies of scale (Cash, p. 35). For instance chapters are in charge of controlled the trains and each of them were assigned to a region and they Were only responsible for that region.They also schedule maintenance with the MOW crews. Other operations were divided by function as well, such as control systems and communications, maintenance, and freight car management and each of these departments were reporting to the operations manager assigned to that department. The idea behind this form is to create a rational system to operate in as efficient as possible (Morgan, p. 22). However, the question was whether after implementing ARES this form would still be suitable; the new system might suggest an organizational structural change.Stakeholders Top management: This group has the responsibility of keeping the company running, which means that the BAN must continue making profit in order to maximize the company's value. F-or this reason they have to make sure that an investment of this magnitude is justifiable and that in the long run will provide the identified benefits. Employees: This group will be affected directly by the ARES project, the whole business process is going to change and they il l have to adapt to the new system.The advantage is that this new system promise to be more efficient and safe which can make their jobs easier but on the other hand some people might lose their job or since ARES is supposed to automate a lot of processes currently being made by them. Customers: ARES is going to improve the scheduling of trains which ultimately will provide a faster and more reliable service to its customers. However, in order to still be profitable after ARES implementation, BAN might increase the price for the service and customers which will affect customers.Solutions: One solution for BAN could be to implement the entire ARES system in a geographic region first. With this solution the top management could analyze the benefits in reality before doing a whole implementation of the system which is riskier. Another solution could be to not do any implementation for now and wait and see how other railroad companies adapt to new emerging technologies, by doing this BAN would take an adapter position which would still keep them competitive regarding technological development but with less risk.Adaptive companies use information technology at a level close to their competitors (Friedman, p. 72). But this solution affects the customers that are demanding faster delivery necessary for the recent trend of KIT manufacturing who might end up switching to trucking companies, which ultimately affects BAN because by the time they finally implement a system to improve the delivery to customers, they will have lost a lot of potential customers. The best solution and recommendation for BAN is to do a whole implementation of ARES despite its high cost.Without a question, the environment is changing and BAN must adapt and stop using old technology if they want to continue being in business. BAN is a very large company that eels with complex business processes everyday thus in order for them to survive and keep growing they should be aggressive and be the leader in the industry having the most advanced technology. ARES will automate a lot of processes in a more efficient Way minimizing human errors which ultimately will reduce labor cost by eliminating unnecessary manpower.ARES will also improve the scheduling of trains which will eradicate the meet and passes problem one of Ban's biggest challenge. Clearly, the poor utilization of Ban's assets (bad scheduling and waste of resources) is creating bottlenecks which s preventing them from making more profit and meet the market demand. One important message revealed in the book ‘The Goal† is that companies should balance the flow with the demand from the market (Goldwater, p. 139). The demand is growing national and is expected to grow more even in the international arena in the future.ARES will optimize the whole system of BAN which in the long run will generate high revenues because they will be able to meet the market demand. However, the implementation Of ARES will affect the e ntire company and operations and many organization changes will be required. Companies in order to survive must embrace change and successful adaptation of organization to environment depends on the ability of top management to interpret conditions facing the firm in an appropriate manner to adapt relevant course of action. Morgan, p. 47). In order to take advantage of all ARES features and benefits BAN they should also switch to use a matrix organizational structure. The fully developed matrix is team driven, in that priority is given to business, program, product, or project areas, with functional specialist providing support, where the focus is on end product or revere encouraging a flexible, innovative, and adaptive behavior (Morgan, p. 51 Matrix organizational structure is the best choice for a growing and complex company like BAN.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Frantz Fanon essays

Frantz Fanon essays A pyschiatrist, humanist, and revolutionary, Frantz Fanon (1925-1961) was born in Martinique into a lower middle class, mixed race family and receiving a conventional colonial education sees the technologies of control as being the white colonists of the third world. Fanon, at first an assimilationist, thinking colonists and colonized should try to build a future together, quickly Fanon's assimilationist illusions were destroyed by the gaze of metropolitan racism both in France and in the colonized world. He responded to the shattering of his neo-colonial identity, his white mask, with his first book, Black Skin, White Mask, written in 1952 at the age of twenty-seven and originally titled "An Essay for the Disalienation of Blacks." Fanon defined the colonial relationship as one of the non recognition of the colonized's humanity, his subjecthood, by the colonizer in order to justify his exploitation. Fanon's next novel, "The Wretched Of The ` ``Earth" views the colonized world from the perspective of the colonized. Like Foucault's questioning of a disciplinary society Fanon questions the basic assumptions of colonialism. He questions whether violence is a tactic that should be employed to eliminate colonialism. He questions whether native intellectuals who have adopted western methods of thought and urge slow decolonization are in fact part of the same technology of control that the white world employs to exploit the colonized. He questions whether the colonized world should copy the west or develop a whole new set of values and ideas. In all these questionings of basic assumptions of colonialism Fanon exposes the methods of control the white world uses to hold down the colonies. Fanon calls for a radical break with colonial culture, rejecting a hypocritical European humanism for a pure revolutionary consciousness. He exalts violence as a necessary pre-condition for this rupture. Fanon supported the most extreme wing of the FLN, even ...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

18-year-olds Going OTR Are They Ready Are You

18-year-olds Going OTR Are They Ready Are You The demands on the trucking industry are increasing every year- many companies are running at full capacity with daily shipments in need of experienced, licensed CDLs to pull their weight.  Might the 18-20 year old set offer the potential to fulfill urgent delivery schedules? While most states require drivers to be 21 to acquire their commercial driver’s licenses, some do allow 18-20 year olds to take regional trucking jobs. But they can’t cross state lines, and there’s a frustrating lag between graduating from high school, getting your CDL, and being eligible to take most jobs in the industry. Many young drivers move on to careers that are more readily available, which means the industry is missing out.An Argument AgainstOne of the best tools for handling stressful job situations is maturity and experience- a teenager fresh out of high school probably hasn’t had to bounce back from so much as a fender-bender. Trucking requires the utmost professionalism and responsibility. Most teenagers make inadequate interns, but should we really trust them on the road?Brain Development in Progress: Both a Pro and a ConMaybe their reflexes are slightly sharper and they need less sleep, but the human brain continues to develop until age 25! Teens have underdeveloped frontal lobe, which is where impulse control, memory, attention, and consciousness are stored. On the flip side, they have a great capacity for learning, and by the time they’ve grown into full maturity as drivers, their skills will be ingrained.Plan for the FutureWhile executives, dispatchers, and company owners may feel its in their best interests to get young drivers on the road as soon as possible, in the interests of safety and performance, more training measures should  be developed before it becomes a viable industry-wide goal. Innovations like semi-automated trucking might help alleviate the risks of less-experienced young drivers (or benefit from their likely life-l ong fluency with new technology), and  ride-along training programs may help get the younger workforce up to speed faster and safer.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Home depot Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Home depot - Essay Example The combined sales of both stores surpassed $7.2 billion. The Home Depot stores cater more to men, contractors, and serious do it yourselfers. Lowe’s on the other hand caters more to women and people looking to put the finishing touches on decorating projects. Home Depot has a greater physical market presence, but Lowe’s due to its superior product selection has been able to achieve greater customer acceptance. In the home improvement industry customers are not loyal to a specific store. I believe that Lowe’s has a better corporate image than Home Depot. During the past year while watching television I have on numerous occasion seen television commercials advertising Lowe’s. In the same time frame I have not seen any commercial for Home Depot. Despite having similar prices my perception based on the advertising I have seen is that Lowe’s has better price points on its merchandise. The fact that Lowe’s has better customer service is a strength that helps create a better corporate image in the eyes of the

Friday, November 1, 2019

Molecular diagnosis of Neonatal mellitus Research Paper

Molecular diagnosis of Neonatal mellitus - Research Paper Example Therefore, the adoption of whole exome sequencing (WES) for diagnosis of NDM at molecular level provided a remedy in general management of NDM as asserted by Bonnefond et al (2010).  Molecular diagnosis of NDM has had several achievements such as it permitted a more rapid and cost-effective diagnosis problems. The analysis of patients with monogenic forms of diabetes is now very fast since the use of molecular diagnosis makes it possible of analysing many diabetes genes simultaneously (Bonnefond et al, 2010).   Molecular diagnosis is applicable where the use of sanger-based sequencing was inefficient. Most importantly, the use of whole exome sequencing for molecular diagnosis is an exceptional tool for further genetic research. In addition, WES is important in further identification of new casual mutations (Ylikallio et al, 2014). For example, the use of WES has identified a new mutation of ABCC8. Therefore, this technology is more comprehensive, cheaper and less labour intensive as compared to other standard sequencing protocols.The Molecular Diagnosis of NDA  Studies show that almost half of NDM cases are transient (TNDM) while the other forms are permanent (PNDM) (Carroll, Brilhante, and Suomalainen, 2014). The several cases of both the forms of NDM that were attend to since the adoption of WES use shows that, majority of all the cases handled had TNDM form. This form had abnormality in chromosome 6q24 and a diagnosis on the frequent cause of NDM shows there is mutation in the pancreatic beta cells.