Case Analysis on Singapore International Airlines Essay

Apart from my efforts, the success of any projects mainly depends on the encouragement and guidelines from many others. I take this opportunity to express my heartily appreciation to those who have been involved in the success of completion of this paper. Especially, I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to Professor David T. Methe of Institute of Business and Accounting at Kwansei Gakuin Uuiversity for offering me tremendous theoretical knowledge and the opportunity to have analysis on the case of Singapore International Airline as the final examination. The analysis process with the overall studies in the course of corporate strategy offered in this Spring semester provides me the opportunity to study the general management and to develop the perspective of a manager viewing from the corporate level in an organization. Abstract Singapore International Airline (SIA) as described in the case being one of the leading top airlines in the international industry is facing several competitive issues which are turning its situation with challenges of redefining strategies for its competitiveness. This paper will examine and analyze the case of â€Å"Singapore International Airline: Preparing for Turbulence Ahead†. It details with the internal and external environment analysis and how SIA strategies keep its success over the past. Finally, recommendations for SIA dealing with its problems and strategies for it to take in which to further increase its competitiveness as a global player. Introduction  Singapore International Airlines (SIA) as stated in the case is being one of the top leading airline companies in the world with well records in terms of its operational performance and its profitability history. According to the case, SIA has started its business since the split from Malaysia airline in 1972, and soon after it expanded its service destinations to over 40 countries all over places in the world. The company had developed with nique features that keep itself competitive within its industry which its competitors envied its perfect performances and looking forward to duplicate those features. Although, the SIA had been successfully operated through many decades, it is now facing the serious problem of demotivation of employees from severe layoffs due to SARS outbreak and Iraq war in the year 2003 at the recorded time of the case. SIA at this moment is taking serious concern of strategic movement to take in which for it to sustain its competitiveness and its top leading positions in its future. Despites the success experienced by SIA, the company is now facing the challenges of staying competitive in its industry. This paper will be mainly analyzing the case by defining the background of SIA and its industry with its key factors for success. In addition to that, the strategies and various resources that SIA used for keeping its competitiveness and how it influences the airline industry will also discuss on the following. Finally, a few recommendations for possible movements that SIA can take in which further maintain its success will also be given.

Business Ethics Assignment

Today’s fast moving; ever changing world is dominated by businesses. Cut throat competition, constantly upgraded versions and continuous research into producing the ‘bigger-and-better’ are all defining characteristics of the modern business world (Ferrell, 2006).But as big businesses look for more profit gaining measures, it raises the ever important question of corporate responsibility which is a current hot topic. With growing awareness, consumers now expect the businesses they deal with, to exercise this concept. But what exactly is it?(Hopt, 2003). The dictionary defines corporate responsibility as: â€Å"†¦is a form of corporate self-regulation integrated into a business model†¦ essentially, CSR is the deliberate inclusion of public interest into corporate decision-making, and the honoring of a triple bottom line: People, Planet, Profit. † Put more simply, corporate social responsibility or often called just corporate responsibility (CR) is a concept which states that all businesses operate with a certain predetermined goal such as maximizing profits or shareholder wealth etc.CR is the consideration businesses give to social, environmental impacts it creates when it operates to achieve a certain goal. CR takes sustainability into account. There are many reasons why the concept of CR has taken such increased importance in today’s world. The main reason is that businesses are now realizing that they do not have to win over only their shareholders and customers but also the general public (Vogel, 2006). Example your employees may be affected if you decide to close down certain operations. Effective human resource planning is therefore important.The environment may be affected if companies dump untreated sewage into rivers (the Hema Chemicals Company and the subsequent pollution of the Gujarat river case 2001, India) which is why almost all companies in first world countries now treat their waste before dumping it. A ll these issues are actively being considered by businesses today as many of them take into consideration all their stakeholders such as employees, suppliers, the local community, the government and environment instead of solely working to satisfy their own shareholders(Parkinson , 1995).There are many reasons why businesses should take CR into account. The principal reason is that today’s customer is more aware of his surroundings then the customers of bygone years (Ghillyer, 2006). Especially in the Western world, most of them prefer to be associated with businesses fulfilling their corporate social responsibility. An example over here is Anita Riddick’s Body Shop. The shop sells cosmetics with the promise that they are not tested on animals.It has achieved tremendous success ever since it first opened in the 1980s because customers do not mind paying a higher price if the business supports similar ethics as their own. This way businesses get a two fold advantage: th ey create their own USP in the competitive business world and are able to woo even more potential customers. Another reason is for especially big businesses to practice Corporate Social Responsibility is that there can be damaging consequences of ignoring it.Pressure groups, customers and even the government can request or even demand outright that a company change its practices. This point can be illustrated by the fact that consumers in the US began boycotting Shell petrol pumps in large numbers which ultimately led the petrol giant to reverse its stand on the disposal of an oil drilling platform. Also pressure was applied on Nestle Company when its practice of exploiting the market of processed milk in the developing countries of Africa came to light.The modern marketing concept of selling what the customers wants (as opposed to the outdated concept of product development where companies marketed without taking customer needs into account) also goes hand in hand with the CR conce pt. In fact the market for organic food came into being when farmers realized that customers want to eat fruits and vegetables which were not grown using pesticides harmful to both their health and the environment. Yet another advantage of businesses taking the concept of CR seriously is that governments often give incentive to businesses that have a good corporate governance record.Such businesses may not run into trouble with the law over regulations. Furthermore, with increasing awareness, job seekers often want to be associated with firms who have a good environmental and social record. A survey showed that new college graduates were often more keen to take jobs in companies which shared similar ethical values as their own. But like all issues, corporate responsibility also has its opponents. The major argument put forward by challengers of this concept is that it is the shareholder who invests money into the company and takes a risk (Leipziger, 2003).By taking a risk, the share holder demands certain returns in the form of profits by companies and practicing the CR concept reduces those returns. Milton Friedman supported this argument wholeheartedly. He believed that organizations had no responsibility beyond their legal ones and that social and environmental restrictions on corporations interfered with capitalism and free trade. He believed the tow to be incompatible. Another issue raised with organizations practicing this responsibility is the increased costs it creates.It costs more to treat and dump waste instead of simply dumping it. Similarly, it costs more to use environment friendly equipment and technology then to keep using plain, old fossil fuels. Companies argue this especially in relation to third world countries. Over there, it is more important to help them economically then spend resources trying to take into consideration the social, ethical and environmental aspects of their decisions. Indeed this argument carries weight as people in the Third World are not really aware of the corporate responsibility concept.Another argument against Corporate Responsibility is its questionable purposes. Opponents argue that it is not applied by businesses in it’s essence-instead it is only a marketing gimmick or a way to distract attention form their core operations (Wiggen, 2004). British Petroleum, McDonalds and tobacco companies have often been accused of such behavior. In fact McDonalds is famous worldwide for its good governance policies. But recently, a judge ruled that its food itself may lead to heart related diseases and other illnesses.In conclusion, it is important to decide whether the corporate governance being practiced today by companies should continue or not. In my opinion, corporate governance is a very good practice adopted by the businesses of today. Businesses should not only be concerned with profiteering and gaining on others expense. But having said this, acceptance of corporate responsibility by busi nesses can only be effective when businesses embrace it in its essence and not as a PR or marketing exercise aimed at gaining more consumers.Governments of the world should look into this matter and change the Corporate Responsibility code from a voluntary to mandatory one so all businesses are forced to adopt it. But businesses in third world countries should be given some space because it is true that if a mandatory code is made out of the concept of CR, such businesses may find it very hard to function at all. Such a code should be exercised more stringently with multi nationals so there is a lesser chance of them paying lower than the minimum wage, selling below standard items and polluting the environment.As the current recession has shown, profiting by any means will always lead to chaos and a certain ethical aspect to all business dealings is not only required but desperately needed. References Book Ferrell, O. C. (2006). Ethical Decision Making and Cases. Hopt, K. (2003). Co mpany Law. Vogel. (2006). The Market for Virtue. Parkinson, J. E. (1995). Corporate Power and Responsibility. Ghillyer, A. (2006). A Real World Approach. Leipziger, D. (2003). Corporate Responsibility Code Book. Wiggen, O. (2004). Effects Of Corporate Activity.

Close Reading Interpretation of a FilmFavela Rising Movie Review

Close Reading Interpretation of a FilmFavela Rising - Movie Review Example He starts a revolution in order to offer an alternative life to the youth other than trafficking. He uses music as a device to make people aware of their oppressive condition and the ones who were causing and sustaining that condition. The documentary shows that the entire Favela society was plagued by the evil of trafficking because the culture was not internalized by the youth or the elderly. The prestige and power attached with a drug lord or the traffickers was something that attracted all the boys. A young boy talks about this in the movie. He says that drug traffickers have motorcycles and they get all the girls and talks about having plans about pursuing this path to get these perks. This lack of internalization of culture was identified by Sa who started the Afro Reggae movement to help the youth embrace their culture. With workshops they helped them to learn music and create awareness through revolutionary lyrics. Not only does the movie talks about how drug trafficking and violence is making life miserable for the residents it also talks about the failure of the state, the government and police to stabilize situation. The documentary suggests that the corruption is the main cause of misery. Drug trafficking is flourishing because of the corrupt police who help the traffickers. Apart from highlighting what the problem is, the film also points out the cause. It suggests that the police officials are corrupt because they are paid very less and they are not trained. Lack of proper training and control results in their inhumane behavior and brutality and low wages force them to be corrupt. The documentary shows how the people of the town are afraid of dying one day. Sa’s girl friend for instance says that she is scared that one day she will also be a victim of this violence. This can happen on any random day, in a market or street or school. The people of the town have no security at all. While the entire world is tangled in the knots of consumerism and competition of living the best and luxurious life the concern of these people on the other hand is just security of life. The documentary is one sole reason why the people around the world are now aware of the miserable condition of the people living in this town of Brazil. While the entire world weeps with the Israeli martyrs there is no one looking at the misery of these innocent sufferers in Brazil. The number of deaths in this part of the world is however far greater but still unnoticed. Hence the film gives these people a voice and tells the entire world their story. The film is showcased in a way that every individual is immersed in it. Spectatators connect with the characters and live their experiences. The film is compelling. This inspirational story of a social activist tells the world that social change is possible. War or arms are not the only way to end discrimination or violence. Alternatives are always possible. Though the cinematography, raw interviews and live s cenes carve the hearts of many, some critical observers may argue that at some instances the movie leaves no room for interpretation and gives a definite frame, beginning and ending to the audience. A lot of times the scenes were all created. These were not natural shots but these scenes were created. Cinema techniques and software tools were used to enhance

Speech-language pathology Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Speech-language pathology - Personal Statement Example I realized that he was not paying attention to what I was telling him and had mixed feelings of shock and surprise to his response. I kept wondering about it only to learn later that the child was suffering from autism and his response is termed as echolalia, a typical characteristic found in autistic kids. Autistic children who exhibit this characteristic communicate by simply repeating songs or words which they have heard during a previous activity or everyday life. Such children are unable to engage in the right form of communication and in most cases would not understand what they are saying. This experience provided the impetus for my interest in communication disorders and more specifically with autistic children. It was in that moment of silence that I realized the importance of effective communication especially with children with special needs. In order to widen my knowledge, skills and experience in communication I am applying for the Master’s program in speech-langu age pathology at the University of Utah and I believe that this course will help me pursue my long-term goal. I strongly believe that communication is a vital requirement that drives the existence of mankind. Over the years I have collected considerable resources, self-contained units on communication disorders and my current experience as a speech-language pathology aide has enabled me to understand human communications in greater detail. My first bachelor’s degree is not related to communications and the GPA is a reflection of the lack of interest for that course. It was only later that I developed a keen interest for communications and hence I pursued a second bachelor’s degree and graduated from the Utah State University in Communication Disorders in August 2012 with a GPA of 3.8. I believe that this GPA is reflective of the passion and determination I have for communications and speech-language pathology in particular. This course helped me gain a clear focus and a vision for

Sign Language in Spain Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Sign Language in Spain - Research Paper Example At any rate, while these individuals may still find communication to be a chore at times, it is still more or less manageable for them. On the other hand, those who have been deaf since early childhood or even birth have a much harder time getting by in society. Since they have never been able to hear, they will be unlikely to be capable of producing anything more than inarticulate groans, moans and other sounds. Thus, in order to alleviate their difficulty, there are those throughout the years who have come up with sign language. And of course, there have also been those throughout the years who have succeeded in their chosen field in spite of their disability, mainly thanks to sign language. One of the most well-known examples of this is Helen Keller, who managed to become a celebrated author in spite of being both deaf and blind (Bauman 7). Sign language has existed since deaf people have been around. Various studies have allowed important individuals to develop new systems of sign languages based on the local sign languages being used. The establishment of teaching institutions that focuses on educating the deaf and mute with Sign Language has allowed the development of a standardized sign language system. Although standardized, a sign language may still have variations in dialects based on the region and cultural differences. A sign language uses visual sign patterns to transmit meanings instead of acoustic patterns. It uses hand shapes as well as well as facial expressions and body movements that convey specific meanings. Sign Language is known to have started where deaf people exist. It is comprised of gestures, finger spelling, and signs that could represent words or complete thoughts.

Macro Economic's questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Macro Economic's questions - Assignment Example Canada has experienced a decreasing interest rates and a relative increase in the GDP over the last decades. This has led to increase in the consumption expenditure and a rise in the investments as shown by the statistics by growth in the economy (Roberts, 2005).The adjustments have contributed positively to the economy as it resulted in the expansion of various sectors hence high GDP. Introducing insurance will reduce the employees’ salaries that will eventually lower their income. This will reduce the level of consumption and investments in the economy under the business cycle leading to a recession. As a result, there is decrease in the production of goods and services in the economy reducing the GDP (Roberts, 2005). This will affects the economy in the long run as majority of the population may be rendered jobless leading to a rise in the unemployment’s rates due to the decreased output levels of the industries. Low interest rates have been maintained over the past but have only resulted in low economic growths. This has been attributed by the decrease in the domestic demands by individual countries as a result of the low activities by the private sectors as low rates discourages investments (Roberts, 2005).Various countries also experience high depts. hence despite the expansionary measures most of their resources are allocated to settling deficits as a result of the world economic recession leading to low growths. Free trade is opposed since it results into the collapse of the local industries and less producing nations becoming dumpsites resulting in increase in the unemployment rate. However free trade leads to competition that results into quality and relatively cheaper commodities for the population, corporation of the countries, removes trade barriers that leads to more disposable income for the consumers while

Any arguement with a moral or causal claim Essay

Any arguement with a moral or causal claim - Essay Example Indubitably, such religious decrees have made man what he is today, where God and His guidelines have been argued to have paved the way of human development. Astonishingly, there is no specific definition for God. Yet, man loves Him and fears Him from the ancient period. Nevertheless, humans, either in their conscious or unconscious thoughts, have faced the questions asking for the existence of God. Certainly, if God exists, and as argued in the religious verses, acts in the good of mankind then why does not He share His presence in the earthly world or even support His followers with firm evidences to proof that He exists? Thesis Statement This thesis will aim at assessing the cosmological claim of God’s existence which states that if the universe exists, it is for a cause which is none other than God and thus, it can be considered as a truth that God exists. Based on this cosmological thought and the modern day connotations, the thesis will further intend to argue regarding the causal claim to come across a rational explanation to the theological question that whether God exists, and if He does then why. Discussion Since the evolution of scientific theories, ancient human beliefs have been contradicted on various grounds, whether it is Galileo Galilei’s discovery of earth’s rotation around the sun or Albert Einstein’s theory on gravity. Although these revolutionary concepts were accepted in the human society with passing time and relatively at a much rapid pace, a few of these still remain widely debated topics amid philosophers and scientists. The arguments regarding God’s existence have been one of the most disputable issues to create a parallel distinction between atheists and theists. Certainly, due to the unavailability of requisite proof on the basis of scientific rationale and also because of the reluctance deciphered by the theists to accept the logic argued by atheists, this particular issue has contributed in moder n philosophy as a cosmological thought which has attracted critics from around the world and apparently, from every doctrine (Palmquist, 2009). Arguments raised on this ground have often pointed that if God’s existence is questioned, the historic notional views, based on which the human society has been built, shall fumble and alas, might be destroyed (Hans & Helge, 2011). The cosmological view explained with reference to kalam argument on the existence of God further affirms that, â€Å"Everything that exists or begins to exist has a cause (Premise 1: EP); The universe exists and began to exist (Premise 2: EP); The universe must have a cause (Premise 3: IP); The cause of the universe is God (Conclusion: IC)†. However, this particular argument has been strongly criticized by atheists acclaiming the view to be a paradoxical notion (Morriston, 2000). In response to these questions and arguments, various studies were conducted to prove that God exists on the basis of comp lex theoretical philosophical underpinnings. Explaining the cosmological arguments on the existence of God, Craig (2010) explained that things exist either for an external cause or because of its necessity in the world as connoted in the Premise 1 of the kalam argument. For instance, mathematics exists because of necessity while physical objects exist for a particular cause. Therefore, if the universe is regarded as a physical object, it

The Problem of the Corrections in Prisons Term Paper

The Problem of the Corrections in Prisons - Term Paper Example It is on this basis that the USA established a legal system, which included the police, and the federal court system. The federal court system of the US falls in the judiciary system under the USA constitution. The US federal court system gets segmented into the highest court composed of the Supreme Court, which acts as a last resort in the process of judgment. It also has the appellate (appeal) courts that are in charge of appeals for the district of Colombia, appeals for veterans, appeals for the armed forces, appeals for the federal circuit, as well as the foreign intelligence court of review. Below the appellate court, is the district court including the 94 federal district courts (Neubauer & Fradella, 2010). In Article III of the USA law, the United States Congress is the body mandated, with constitutional power to establish courts. It also the body permitted to formulate regulations governing the courts. In addition, they can create limitations as well as eliminate the federal judiciary excluding the Supreme Court. The district court remains the general trial courts in the US with jurisdiction to handle any case according to the specification in the constitution. They also have the jurisdiction to hear appeal diverted by the administrative judges the higher courts. This must come with authority from the above courts according to article three of the United States Constitution on legal systems. The supreme courts, on the other hand, operates under a mandatory system of review which means the court only listens to appeals from the district courts (Mauk & Oakland, 2005). When a person is, therefore, not satisfied with the decisions from the district courts, he is granted by law to lodge c omplains in the Supreme Court in the form of appeals.

User Groups And Their Usage Perception Of Financial Statement Essay

User Groups And Their Usage Perception Of Financial Statement - Essay Example The above discussion is totally emphasized on the user groups of financial statements of Torotrak Plc and Surface Transformers Plc. The companies have been analyzed by considering the 3-year financial statement. Both internal and external user groups of the financial statement have been considered such as investors, lenders, suppliers, management, employees and the Government. This analysis shows the various perspectives in which each user analyze a financial statement. From investor’s point of view, it can be considered that company’s share prices are low and as a rational investor, buying shares of this company can prove to be profitable in the future. As the companies are in developing phase, the payables are quite high, but if seen on a year-on-year basis, it is also reducing. Hence, a supplier would not bother to stop their supply as they are getting paid. The analysis has illustrated the responsibility of management to evaluate and maintain efficiency and profitability of the firm by emphasizing on their efficiency to retain profit by maximizing the utilization of resources. Employees generally look into profit making of the company to understand their potential in terms of providing remuneration in an efficient and timely manner. Government focuses on taxes and as these companies are loss making, the tax levied on them are also low. Finally, it could be concluded that even if the companies are bearing losses, they are still tryi ng to control their costs, use their resources effectively and reduce the gap of their losses over year-on-year.

Agriculture and the Nitrogen Cycle Essay Example for Free

Agriculture and the Nitrogen Cycle Essay Agriculture is an important industry that provides food for human consumption. The decrease of land available for agriculture coupled with the increase of human population has required that agricultural lands increase their output. This was achieved through the use of improved crop varieties, more productive livestock, better weed and pest control and the increased use of fertilizers, specifically nitrogen fertilizers which has linearly increased to 1. 2 Mt in the 1980s. However, farming also affects the environment. Increases in phosphorus and nitrate contents of water lead to increased biological activity and large concentrations of nitrate in drinking water create health hazards. J. K. R. Gasser studied the nitrogen cycles in agriculture and reported the results in his article â€Å"Agricultural Productivity and the Nitrogen Cycle. † Gasser (1982) explained that nitrogen is emitted from the soil or from animal effluents as ammonia, nitrous oxide or N2. Considerable amounts of nitrogen are also recycled directly as animal urine and feces. The preceding crops in agricultural lands also affect the amount of nitrogen released for the current crops. However, Gasser (1982) explained that no arable system provides enough nitrogen for the maximum production of crops such that additional nitrogen must be added in the form of fertilizers. Gasser (1982) reported that there is no evidence supporting that the increased use of nitrogen fertilizer also increases the total amount of nitrogen in soil-plant system. He stated that little of the nitrogen in circulation â€Å"will appear directly in the atmosphere or groundwaters, most will leave the agricultural system after one or more changes or subsidiary cycles† (Gasser, 1982, 313). Gasser (1982) concluded that the losses from the system must be at least as large as the known inputs. He persuaded to quantify the movement of nitrogen, the understanding of which would allow the losses from agricultural system to be minimized improving the utilization of nitrogen in farming and reducing its effects on the atmosphere and water. Reference Gasser, J. K. R. (1982). Agricultural productivity and the nitrogen cycle. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B (Biological Science) vol. 296, no. 1082, 303-314.

Coca Cola Management Strategy

Coca Cola Management Strategy The advent of Cola wars has drastically changed the entire scenario of this soft drink industry. There are different giants playing in this industry and Coca Cola is amongst them. The fierce competitors Pepsi and certain other brands are trying their level best to change the scenario of this industry by eating up market shares but Coca Colas management strategy is so updated and relevant that they are ahead of their competition. Originating from just one brand 125 years go the strategy of Coca Cola has strengthened so much that they have launched more than 500 brands. The company originated from selling 9 odd drinks in a day in 1886 to 1.8 billion a day in the current era. The company has grown at an enormous pace and starting from just a single city to expanding its operations to more than 200 countries of the world (Coca Cola , 2012). The product actually initiated from a pharmacy and gained so much success after a certain period of time that it is regarded as one of the biggest br and of the world. New brands were added by this organization in their company product line and after a certain period of time most of the brands flourished with time (Coca Cola, 2012). But Coke is considered as one of the biggest brand and flourished at an enormous pace. The brand has grown in such a way that a new terminology of Cola drinks actually came into existence because of this. Catering to the needs of the customer is the biggest success secret of this brand. They know what the customer is actually asking for and they provide the customer that in such a way that the needs are properly satisfied with it. The history of the organization is quite rich and they have travelled their way facing several leaps and bounds. Coca-Cola has the greatest appreciated product name globally and, as one of the greatest noticeable organizations globally, it has great prospect to outshine in every scope of corporate performance (Ferrell, Ferrell, Fraedrich, 2011, p. 308). The organization thou gh has been confronted by many ethical problems in respect with their shareholders. Uncertain about the companys widespread contributions to the society and educational aspects, numerous shareholders are losing faith in the 100 year old organization. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . . Limitations of research Every research has certain limitations and the introduction depicts that the core research would focus on the strategy management process of Coca Cola and discusses the scenario that are utilized by the organization. The limitations of research are initiated by the usage of secondary sources in the research. The information are taken from these sources and it cannot be properly commented that the information presented in these sources are hundred percent right. Moreover, another limitation of this research is that this research should solely be utilized for academic purposes and it should not be used for the decision making process for organizational purpose. In the similar manner it should be noted that this research is prepared by an individual and all rights are reserved. Organizational Strategy Reviewing the strategic planning process that keep this organization competitive in this industry are several factors that are associated with this organization. The biggest aspect is the fact the formation of a well established mission and vision. In the similar manner one can easily say that all the strategic decision taken by the management are aligned with the vision and mission of the organization (Hill Jones, 2012). The objectives are designed so professionally that they are achieved within the stipulated deadline in such a way that they organization achieves success in both the short and the long run. The mission of the organization revolves around the scenario that they should refresh the world in body, mind and spirit. In the similar manner their objectives focus on the scenario that they should create a difference in everywhere they engage (Sevenson, 2001). The values of this organization are based on leadership, diversity, passion, integrity, collaboration, quality etc. Strategists and decision makers usually claim that the global strategy of this organization is so enormous and gigantic because of the effective decision makers in the organization. Their strategy is up to the mark because the organization is responsive internally and externally. The achieve success in every form because they are aware about the culture of their organization and they generate an atmosphere in their organization which results in a win-win situation (Hill Jones, 2012). The collaboration of all the stakeholders that are internal and external generates and great fusion for Coca Cola and that is th e reason why it is regarded as the brand with the highest level of brand equity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The competition in the soft drink industry is quite fierce because of two giant brands which are Coke and Pepsi (Dana 1999). The competition between these two brands is termed as the Cola Wars. Coca Cola is considered to be the leader of this industry and Pepsi is usually criticized by the marketing strategists as the brand that utilizes the imitating strategy. The current scenario is so confusing for both the brands because in order to attack the market leader Pepsi should have a distinctive plan or a sustainable competitive advantage (Mazze Michman, 1998). The strategies with respect to target market and introduction of a sub brand in the market of both the organizations are relatively the same because both the organizations are striving hard to capture the market share so that they can become the leaders in the Cola indust ry. Pepsis market share in Asia is much more than Coke however, besides Asia Coke captures the entire world and this strategy of Coke has taken Pepsi by a storm. The Cola are virtually fought in nearly every country of the world and organization with an effective strategy wins the race (Boutzikas 2000). Each brand is fighting the battle with different brands and both possess several non-alcoholic brands to get a share in customers stomach. Since the competition is becoming more and more dynamic with the advent of time and that is the reason why the arena is become much fuzzier and because of this reason the rivals are much difficult to identify and anticipate (Day Reibstein, 2004). Organizations usually learn from their past mistakes and that is the reason why they develop a learning habit to face any external and internal issues (Vrontis, 2003). Coke made a marketing research blunder which dipped the competitive graph of their brand and they were sinking in the competitive battle with other brands. Coke, due to blind tests changed the taste of the Coke and developed a formula to make it sweeter. This strategy backfired quiet badly and people started to dislike the name new coke and after a certain period of time they started to dislike the taste too. About $ 4 billion were spent on this campaign and it came out to be a blunder for the company (Axson, 2011) Review of the Literature The current objectives of this organization are to use the formidable assets of the company that is their brands to its full potential and attain a sustainable competitive advantage through globally reaching the maximum customers. There are several different strategies that are opted by Coca Cola to attain sustainable growth. For analyzing the effectiveness of employed business strategies by the management at Coca Cola Company, critical analysis of current market status of the company has been discussed subsequently. SWOT Analysis of Coca Cola Company For strategic evaluation of the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats which any organization, project, or a business venture comes up with, SWOT Analysis is commonly used. Primary aim behind the conduction of SWOT Analysis is to exhaustively identify what internal as well as external factors are favorably or unfavorably influencing the growth and development of any business (Champman, 2007). In this section, Coca Cola is the undertaken company for the description and evaluation of SWOT. Strengths Globally, the Coca Cola Company has following key aspects as its business strengths: The brand image and equity allied with the company is internationally recognized The brands and products of the company are strategically distributed all over the world by means of strong and efficient distribution network The overall financial performance of the company is relatively higher than its competitors Coke is globally recognized, acknowledged as well as the most preferred brand for soft-drink lovers. The product-line associated with the companys brand is extensively diversified Strong and reliable corporate identity. Continues innovation and improvisation in business plans and strategies Weaknesses Coca Cola has following weaknesses on international grounds: Despite of having tremendous financial performance of the company, it has high rank in credit ratings Continuously diverging customer concentrations due to other brands in competition, specifically in US. Customer loyalty towards Pepsi products, which is the biggest and the strongest contender of Coke around the world. In Asian countries, like India and Pakistan, Coke failed to acquire #1 position in soft-drink industry. Opportunities Coke Company has following significant opportunities world-wide: The tremendously escalating demand of soft drinks all over the world. As company has expanded its covered market areas by introducing brands of mineral water, juices, soft-drinks etc, it can reach almost every market segment. Increasing globalization will allow Coca Cola to have certainly globalized business operations Health Conscious People are being catered Drastic growth in mineral water demand Smaller market players acquisitions. Threats Following business threats are being faced by the company: Since soft-drinks are considered to be unhealthy; in such scenarios, healthy drinks usually manufactured by the Fruit Juice Companies are imposing business threats to the Coca Cola Company, worldwide. Customers increasing inclinations towards critical competitors (like Pepsi, etc) Growing financial crisis and thus, prices of products Biased image perceptions in different countries of the world. BCG Matrix for Coca Cola BCG Analysis is an acronym for Boston Consulting Group Analysis. The concept of BCG Matrix was firstly put forward during 1970 by Bruce Henderson for the Boston Consulting Group with the intentions of helping companies in their business evaluation practices on the basis of their business units or product lines (Middleton, 2003). BCG analysis is considered as an analytical tool for marketing of brands, product management, strategic management, and portfolio analysis. All in all, it helps organizations to allocate their business resources. Components of BCG Matrix: To better understand the analytical techniques used in BCG matrix, its core components are described in the segment below: 1. Stars Representing the highly developed business with strong market position and financial performance as compared to its competitors. Businesses rated under this category are considered to be ideal with high shares points. 2. Cash Businesses having low growth rates but higher point shares are recorded under this category of BCG Matrix. It is assumed that the businesses recorded in this category were initially stars but somehow failed to maintain their attractiveness over time. 3. Question Mark Businesses having high rates of growth and development but, their point shares are low, are recorded under this category of BCG Matrix. This category is the reflection of certain potentials that business has for future growth and development but, at the same time, indicates the requirement of extensive efforts to increase point shares. 4. Dogs In this category, businesses have both low point share as well as low rates of growth and development. A general representation of BCG Matrix is given in the figure below: Figure 1: The BCG Matrix (Source: Middleton, 2003) As far as Coca Cola Company is concerned, the BCG Matrix analysis for the company is based upon following statistics: Figure 2: Coca Colas Performance from all over the World (Source: Ahmad et al 2007) On the basis of afore-mentioned statistical analysis of Coca Cola Company, created BCG Matrix for the company is given below: Figure 3: BCG Matrix for Coca Cola Company (Source: Ahmad et al 2007) Porters Five Force Model for Coca Cola For carrying out industrial analysis, The Five Force Model presented by Michael Porter in 1979 is being used as the de facto framework since the time of its introduction. The competitiveness of market is analyzed by Porters five forces. The current or potential risks that a company can have from its associated industry are concluded by the experts after employing this model. Following five forces are included in Porters model (1) Threat of New Entrants, (2) Threat of Substitute Products or Services, (3) Bargaining Power of Buyers, (4) Bargaining Power of Suppliers, (5) Competitive Rivalry among Existing Firms. The industrial analysis of Coca Cola Company and its brands on the basis of this five-force model is discussed below: Threat of New Entrants/Potential Competitors: Median Pressure As far as beverage industry is concerned, the barriers to the new entrants are relatively low because the cost of consumer switching in this particular industry is approximately zero with quite low requirements for capital investments. A number of new products have been introduced in the market at relatively lower prices than that of the products and brands of the Coca Cola Company. Threat of Substitute Products: Median to high pressure The consumer markets have a range of alternative products for soft-drinks, energy-drinks, juices and mineral water. It is an open fact that Coke products lack any unique flavor because its flavor is 97% similar to that of Pepsi as concluded during a blind taste test, in which people failed to distinguish Coca-Cola coke and Pepsi coke. The Bargaining Power of Buyers: Low pressure As far as bargaining power of consumers is concerned, Coca-Cola and Pepsi, which is Coca-colas biggest rival, have almost same market price thus, it has very little or even 0 pressure on the company. However, newly introduced, low-priced beverages are available in markets which can be preferred by the consumers but at the risk of flavor and quality. Fruit juices are the most preferred drink for the consumers these days as most of the consumers have become health conscious and thus are aware about the adverse impacts of carbonated beverages. The Bargaining Power of Suppliers: Low pressure In case of Coca-Cola supplies all over the world, its suppliers are not concerned about the adverse impacts of such carbonated drinks as they cant afford losing Coca-Cola, which is considered as their fundamental client. Rivalry Among Existing Firms: High Pressure Pepsi is the biggest competitor of Coca Cola in recent times as it also has variety of beverage products with strong international network. More or less Pepsi and Coca Cola are rated similarly in all over the world. However, the target market of Coca-Cola, as per its classical brand image, is the adult community primarily; however, youngsters are being focused by the Pepsi group. Nonetheless, the share market of the US is slightly dominated by Coca-Cola rather than Pepsi due to its historical business setup. On the other hand, beverage brands, like Dr. Pepper, have also become popular in US for the reason of their unique flavors. Discussion If Coca Cola Company manages to make the most innovation for creating relations and gaining market reputation, the company can easily left all the competitors behind and can stay ahead of them in one way or other. Innovation can be the first and foremost option for the company to avoid severe market competition. By employing innovative ideas, the company is expected to have strong competitive advantage with respect to its rivals. As a matter of fact, Coca Cola has certain market reputation as well as strong brand image; so, with appropriate innovation in products by keeping customer needs at front, the company can generate certain curiosity among its potential consumers in such a way that people will definitely want to go for it. If Coca Cola comes up with innovative products, consumers will leave with no substitutes and thus, they will happily purchase the commodity even at higher prices. With this strategy, Coca Cola can create a range of loyal customers as well (Covering S1, S2, S4, S5, S7, T1, T2 and T3). After innovation, marketing is the most important factor to be mulled over by the administration of the company to maintain its prominence around the globe. Marketing is considered as the backbone for any business success and thus, is extremely significant factor for the company. Coca Cola can affirm its long-lasting market prominence and reputation by marinating strong brand image through strategic marketing and advertising of allied products. This strategy will also help the company in maintaining strong consumer loyalty towards its brands and can gain consumer preferences over its competitors (Covering W2, W3, W4, O1, O2, O3, and O4). Marketing in an environment friendly attitude can definitely help the company to impose certain barriers to the new market entrants and thus can decrease the risks and threats of growing competition in the relevant industry all over the world (Covering T1, T4, T5, S2, S4, S5, and S6). If Coca Cola brands manage to sustain their quality and taste in such a way that these two factors emerged as unmatchable for rival companies, Coca Cola will be able to reduce severe threats of being substituted (Covering S1, S4, S2, O1, O2, and O3). Coca Cola Company miss-utilized resources of rare water in various Asian countries, like India and Pakistan, which serve as the primary reason of companys declining market reputation in this particular region. This mis-utilization adversely impacted the brand image of the company, as the reducing water levels in cola plant are certainly making the lives of the natives miserable. To gain positive reputation in the Asian countries Cola Company can follow the measures listed below: Land inspection before starting any project Assessment of environmental impacts that the project can have prior to start up business operations The project should be compliant with environmental regulatory requirements Say NO to refrigeration equipments containing CFC Efficient treatment of waste water Adequate operations for bottling Commencement of certain programs for energy conservation Latest technologies for water recycling system should be used by the company for saving 50% of water requirements for the operations (Covering W3, W4, and T4) With recycling of plastic bottles, costs and resources could be saved. By employing various innovative recycling ideas in companys business along with appealing advertising of Coca Cola brands can open new market segments for the company. In due course, company will have higher revenues and improved credit rating (Covering W1, W4, T1, T3, and T4). Conclusion This paper attempted to analyze the strategic business planning of the Coca Cola Company exhaustively. The study affirms that company is in its booming stages and is enjoying profitable success and reputation all over the world. However, from a superficial overlook, the afore-mentioned fact might be considered as true; but, in-depth analysis of what business strategies the Coca Cola company has, evidently reflects the existence of certain loopholes due to which the company is exposed to certain risks and market threats. Even though company has god market reputation, but innovative and unique brand ideas are required to be practiced so that the credit rating of the company could be improvised. In addition, it was also concluded that owing to severe market competitions, the company should put much emphasis on its advertising techniques so as to make its market prominence even more visible. Last but not the least, Coca Cola company has failed to comply with the health requirement regula tions in specifically Asian countries which serve as the reason of its declined reputation in that particular area. Thus, company has to put much focus on this domain to reduce negative consumer perceptions and to make them loyal with the brand and products.

The Chrysalids: Perception is Molded by Environment Essay -- John Wynd

From the point of conception, a child’s feelings and thoughts are incredibly malleable. However, the question remains whether the environment changes our perception. This essay will delve into how perceptions are impacted by a North American lifestyle, and a lifestyle within the fictional world of The Chrysalids. Although a person has the ability to forge his or her own destiny, the environment plays a large part in shaping our perceptions everyday. Many throughout the world consider North America to offer the greatest quality of life. A myriad of nationalities and cultures have joined together resulting in North America being what it is today. This cultural patchwork has resulted in children being raised differently and developing unique perceptions relative to other countries. Variables that work to alter the American perception include family, education, and opportunities. One of the greatest influences on a person lis their family. For the duration of a person’s childhood, the majority of time is spent with family members. A family sustains a child’s livelihood and they work to determine how a child will mature in the hope of sustaining a successful future. Over this period, family members’ opinions and views wear off on the individual, causing a change in perception. Therefore, while maturing as a youth, family members hold a significant influence on sculpting a person’s perception. Another way in which perceptions can be altered is through education. Education is a building block for all of society; it is the foundation that establishes social interaction and it often determines a person’s future success. During the course of schooling and post secondary education, a person is introduced to an array of diffe... ...ths is limited. The result is a community where conventional thinking is readily accepted and rarely challenged. When comparing the North American society with that of the Waknuk society to determine whether the environment shapes our perception, the answer becomes transparent. Our perception is forever changing due to the environment. In everyday life our family, our education, and our opportunities change our perception. We do not know what is right until we learn alternative sources and develop an opinion on life. Through growing up, our family, education and experiences work to persuade our opinions and alter our perception in everything we do. Our perception can be changed through life as we grow, learn new ideas and gain new experiences, but through the duration of our childhood, our perception is molded into an everlasting building block for our future.

Obsessive-compulsive Behaviors Essay -- essays research papers

Obsessive-Compulsive Behaviors "Compulsive" and "obsessive" have become everyday words. "I'm compulsive" is how some people describe their need for neatness, punctuality, and shoes lined up in the closets. "He's so compulsive is shorthand for calling someone uptight, controlling, and not much fun. "She's obsessed with him" is a way of saying your friend is hopelessly lovesick. That is not how these words are used to describe Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder or OCD, a strange and fascinating sickness of ritual and doubts run wild. OCD can begin suddenly and is usually seen as a problem as soon as it starts. Compulsives (a term for patients who mostly ritualize) and obsessives (those who think of something over and over again) rarely have rituals or thoughts about nuetral questions or behaviors. What are their rituals about? There are several possible ways to list symptoms of OCD. All sources agree that the most common preoccupations are dirt (washing, germs, touching), checking for safety or closed spaces (closets, doors, drawers, appliances, light switches), and thoughts, often thoughts about unacceptable violent, sexual, or crude behavior. When the thoughts and rituals of OCD are intense, the victim's work and home life disintigrate. Obsessions are persistant, senseless, worrisome, and often times, embarrassing, or frightening thoughts that repeat over and over in the mind in an endless loop. The automatic nature of these recurant thoughts makes them difficult for the person to ignore or restrain successfully. The essence of a Compulsive Personality Disorder is normally found in a restricted person, who is a perfectionist to a degree that demands that others to submit to hisher way of doing things. A compulsive personality is also often indecisive and excessively devoted to work to the exclusion of pleasure. When pleasure is considered, it is something to be planned and worked for. Pleasurable activities are usually postponed and sometimes never even enjoyed. With severe compulsions, endless rituals dominate each day. Compulsions are incredibly repetitive and seemingly purposeful acts that result from the obsessions. The person performs certain acts according to certain rules or in a stereotypi... ...ty to discard worn out or worthless objects." (A.P.A.,'80) So much is asked about where our everyday lives stop and OCD begins. The basis of Obsessive -Compulsive Disorder is still unknown. The evidence for a biological cause is compelling but unfortunately it is still necessary to speak of the biology of behavior in vague terms. The effect of a drug, and the normality of many of the families with an OCD kid makes the importance of "poor upbringing" as a cause of OCD uncertain to say the least. This is a disease that may be thought of as doubts gone wild. Patients doubt their very own senses. They cannot believe any reasurance of everyday life. Reassurance does not work. The notion that there is a biological basis for a sense of "knowing" has interesting philosophical implications. We are normally convinced that what we see and feel is truely there. If this is a "doubting disease," and if a chemical controls this sense of doubt, then is our usual, normal belief in what our everyday senses and common sense tell us similarly determined by our brain chemistry?

Essay --

Through the ages of United States, school dropout rate has been startling. Although. Historically, high school dropout rates have been steadily declining over past decades. 11.2% high school students dropout in 1994 which is 5.8% less in comparison to 17% dropout in 1970 (Debra Marguerite). Nevertheless, according to data in 2009, one- third of high school students nationwide do not successfully achieve a high school diploma and 1.2 million youths drop out each year-which translates into on dropout every 26 seconds (Enelida, 2010). Dropouts come disproportionately from low-income and minority families. Based on previous study, students from low-income families are substantial likely to leave school prematurely than their peers who is from higher-income family. In some communities, Africa American and Latino made up to 50% of the total dropout number. In fact, in 1970, 17% dropout rate did not constitute a social problem. It was relatively easier for those who dropout to seek adequate paid employment. In today’s social context, the consequences of leaving school without a diploma are more costly (Marguerite). Due to technology advancement, traditional goods-producing economy has transformed to a more service orientated economy. As the result, labor market for blue collar occupations has been shrinking in recent years. Based on Census 2000 data, a suburb of southeast Los Angeles County, California, where dropout rate was nearly 50%, 28% of its inhabitants are impoverished, which is twice the state average of 14%. Even before the financial crisis, nearly half of dropouts were unable to seek paid employment during an entire year. In additional to financial difficulties, high school dropouts are trend to become involved with justice ... ...t dropouts used to describe school life. The school was located in major drug-traffic area of a low income community which is literally one step away for those youth to go on street, engage gang activity and use drug. None of the teachers at Rosa Parks School were a part of the community in which they taught (Ferguson). The sad, shock stories school adults told were based on prejudiced judgment associated with children’s behavior at school, children’s failure as largely the consequence of their attitudes and behaviors as well as those of their families (Ferguson). Families of at-risk children are asserted as lack parental skills; they do not give their children the kind of support that would build â€Å"self-esteem† necessary for school achievement (Ferguson). Faculty should communicate and spend quality time with parents; it helps both sides to understand.

Frederick Douglass Primary Analysis Essay

Frederick Douglass represents former slaves who become abolitionists after escaping to the north. Douglass uses ethos to speak out for not only all of the slaves in the south, but also to question the irony of the basic principles of liberty and Justice as stated for everyone in the Declaration of Independence, yet not applied to slaves. The sectional crisis in the antebellum era supported Frederick Douglass in his hatred for the cruelties toward blacks, persistence in the abolitionist movement, and the unpatriotic effects slavery has rendered upon the south. As the cotton culture began o grow rapidly, the culture of the slave trade grew with it. Charles Ball shows the audience about the cruelties of the slave trade as he explains his first-hand experience on the horrible Journey after being shipped off, against his will, to South Carolina to work for the cotton fields. Ball comments on his misery during the Journey as so painful both physically and emotionally that he wished to die but, â€Å"†¦ even the wretched privilege of destroying myself was denied me, for I could not shake off my chains, nor move a yard without the consent of my master†¦ â€Å"(Ball, 233). The emotional cars of being ripped away from his family and knowing he’s never going to be able to see them again will also haunt Ball and millions of slaves Just like him going through the same experience in the horrors of the slave trade. African American Josiah Henson also shares his experience with the slave trade although unfortunately he was very young when he was put through the agony of being sold off as property at a mere age of five or six. Henson explains himself having to witness the cries of his mother as she is being separated from her children, begging to be able to be bought by the same owner. He not only ignored her cries but instead violently kicked her until she finally crawled away. This was not the first time Henson experienced something so traumatizing at such a young age; he also witnessed his father covered in blood by protecting his mother from the constant beatings of a white man. Because a black man laid his hands on a white man, no matter the reason, resulted in severe punishment in this case it was one hundred lashes on the back and the removal of the right ear. Former slave and abolitionist, Frederick Douglass speaks up for the harsh inequalities of these slaves in the south as he states to his audience hat, â€Å"There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices more shocking and bloody than are the people of the United States, at this very hour†(Douglass, 387). Having dealt with slavery in the antebellum South before he escaped to the North, Douglass’s views on the south continuing to use the practice of slavery is very strong as he is determined to convince all audiences that slavery is inhumane and barbaric. Another faithful abolitionist like Douglass was John Brown. Brown was caught for helping slaves escape to freedom and was executed for his loyalty. Although not as uccessful in his movements as Douglass, Brown still died with the clear conscience of knowing he fought for what he believed in. In his last statement before his execution he explained that he neither committed murder, nor treason as he simply helped save slaves from their miserable fate. Brown uses religion to evoke the emotions of his audiences in that the bible teaches him, â€Å"†¦ all things whatsoever I would that men should do to me, I should do even so to them† (Brown, 399). He states to do so. The bold persistence and sacrifices made by abolitionists like Brown and Douglass who are willing to risk their lives to go back into the slave south and help free their brethren escape to the north shows the admirable effects that resulted from the sectional crisis. Douglass’s persistence in the abolition movement grew stronger after he witnessed â€Å"productive efficiency of the North† (Levine, 411) without the use of slavery as a tool and still maintaining economic success as stated in Bruce Levine’s essay on The Economic Divisions That Contributed to Civil War. Douglass refers to the injustice and â€Å"boasted liberty’ (Douglass, 387) of the south as an â€Å"unholy icense† (Douglass, 387) as he questions what is the meaning of 4th of July to the American slave. David walker, an African American abolitionist uses religion and the declaration of independence to press a guilty conscience upon those for the slave system. By using religion, walker states that slaves should be treated with equality for Jesus Christ is both their master and blacks were made the same as whites, therefore David Walker states that, â€Å"America is as much our country as it is yours† (Walker, 299). Slavery has rendered unpatriotic effects for the Declaration of Independence clearly tates that all men are created equal, a point not only brought up by David Walker but also by Frederick Douglass as well as he explains the irony in meaning of the 4th of July. It is not only unwelcomed to slaves, but it is also, â€Å"A day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim† (Douglass, 387). The celebration of America’s independence is Just a reminder to the slave south something they long for more than anything. In Abraham Lincoln’s rebuttal speech to Stephen Douglass in their positions on slavery, Lincoln tates the moral rights citizens should have and there’s no reason as to why slaves are denied the life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness as stated in the Declaration of Independence. Although Lincoln makes sure to not offend the slaveholders in south by stating he is not prejudice against them, but he does believe emancipation should be granted because of our constitutional and moral rights as well as the, â€Å"love of liberty on the American Continent† (Lincoln, 397). Lincoln also mentions that although emancipation will be adopted sometime, freeing all slaves and making them equals ould cause serious collisions, but Douglass states in his call for abolition of slavery that the sooner slavery gets abolished the better. Douglass mentions that it is stated blacks could not take care of themselves if freed to which he responds with, â€Å"My answer to this is, let him have a fair chance to try it† (Douglass, 418). He explains how slaves take care of their masters and themselves and he doesn’t see why they won’t be able to take care of Just themselves when freed. Douglass believes slavery has, â€Å". eaten up and devoured the patriotism of the whole South† Douglass, 418). And by getting rid of slavery, the south will still be able to prosper Just as well as the free North has been. The split between the North and South caused abolitionists like Douglass to continuously fght for the freedom among their men for their goal towards a independent, free South as well as the North. All these selfless abolitionists and supporters of a country without slavery, like Frederick Douglass is what ultimately caused the civil war and emancipated the slaves in the south. Although Douglass was fortunate enough to finally escape to the free North and ecame a spokesman for abolition, many were not as lucky as he and were stuck in others who pursues to end slavery a sense of strong brotherhood as they make many sacrifices so that one day they too can celebrate 4th of July with true great patriotism on America’s free land.

Providing equal opportunity for employment Essay

RECRUITMENT GUIDE Chern’s will provide equal opportunity for employment to all persons regardless of any discrimination based race, color, sex, religion, origin, age or disability and will strive to achieve full and equal employment opportunity throughout its organization. Steps 1)Identify Job openings through human resource planning/ strategic plan. Any Employee resignations/terminations could be helpful in identifying any internal job openings. 2) Develop position requirement by specifying job description/ job specifications. Identify job duties and responsibilities in it keeping in mind essential functions of the job which are critical for the position (minimum requirement or any preferred qualification). 3) Develop the recruiting plan for posting period and placement goals and implement it. 4) Post the position and build the diverse pool of application. Develop and use application forms- One type of application form that can be used to predict performance is a biographical information blank (BIB) also known as biodata form which is a detailed job application form requesting biographical data found to be predictive of success on the job, about the background, experiences, and preferences. Respond is the score. They are good as they are difficult to fake. 5) Review application material and develop the short list. Recruiting from within the organization ( As Chern’s believes in internal recruiting so they could use different internal recruiting methods like – Job posting( Notifying current employees about Vacant positions. Alternatively, Skills inventories ensure that internal candidates are identified and considered for transfer or promotion when opportunities arise). Some of the outside recruiting sources could be employee referrals as employees get bonuses if they refer someone. Alternatively, contacting former employees someone who already has worked with a company and had better knowledge of its culture and expectations. Educational institutions and online recruiting are best when the budget is low. One of the priority could be to hire a more diverse group. 6) Interview selected applicant- ask the only job-related questions, document selection process. The interview process is crucial. The approaches described below are simple, good practice and are relevant to the majority and minority candidates. * Develop questions based on the required and preferred skills and qualifications listed in the Job Description (JD). Candidates will respond differently based on work history, experience and skill level. * Be sure to ask the same set of core questions, listen carefully and allow candidates to respond adequately. Be prepared for candidates questions. The primary objective of the interview is to determine if the candidate can perform specific duties. * Take good notes during the meeting and immediately after, documenting the responses and job-related criteria. * Review duties and responsibilities of the job using the JD, individual qualifications, work history, relevant experience/training/educational background, career goals, travel requirements, equipment used and facilities, hours required, attendance requirements, performance expectations, any on-the-job training and staff development opportunities. * Identify potential management candidates clearly on interview notes. 7) Select finalist and verify job-related credentials- conducting reference checks 8) Make contingent job offer- request background check and education verification. 9) Close the notice of vacancy. 10) Schedule and conduct new employee processing. B) INCREASE FAIRNESS PERCEPTION When recruitment process is fair, and recruiters treat all applicants honestly and respectfully, it improves the chances of applicants accepting an offer for the job. The recruitment process should be relevant to the job and be consistent across all applicants. Make sure hiring is done to fill a real vacancy. It should be easy for candidates to apply.Also, explain the recruitment process to the applicant and give them the opportunity to show why they should be hired. Clear job description could help avoid discrimination of any sort. All applicants should be treated fairly throughout the selection and hiring process. High levels of fairness maintained throughout the recruitment process give Chern the best chance of recruiting top talent. Keep applicants informed of their progress or lack of progress through the process. Interviews should be conducted using standardized, approved methods with all questions to be predetermined by management. According to Stan M. Gully and Jean M. Phillips, authors of Strategic Staffing, there are three types of perceptions of fairness that applicants can feel related to a company’s recruitment and selection process. These are distributive, procedural and interactional fairness. Distributive is similar to how fair an applicant feels the hiring or promotion system is. Procedural refers to candidates beliefs that a company’s policies and procedures that guide the hiring or promotion decision were fair. It Includes the screening tools, tests, interview process as it relates to personality or integrity tests. Interactional fairness has to do with an applicant’s perception of treatment during the hiring process. If an applicant is no longer considered to be hired, they s hould be informed about is as soon as possible. Candidates feel important and create a positive image for those companies who follow them up on their applications and interview. When these things do not occur, the employer may find that there have been negative spillover effects as a consequence. When someone has a positive experience, he or she tells others and view the organization in a positive light. The same is true with a negative experience. The issue is that when someone does have a negative experience, he or she is much more likely to tell others about the experience and to discontinue association with the company. A good recruiter should be open to giving as well as receiving feedback. When using internal or external recruiters, Chern should ensure that the recruiter possesses characteristics that support candidates having a positive experience. These include being familiar with the position as well as the company. A recruiter who cannot answer questions about the job they are recruiting for or the company appears incompetent to the applicant, and this image is then attached to the company as well. Active listening skills, enthusiasm, intelligence, and trustworthiness all reflect well on the company. C and D) EMPLOYER BRAND Chern’s should define its mission and values that would flow through its employer branding communications. An ideal branding mission would be to inspire and influence others to connect with organizations core values. Like, Creating an environment where everyone feels welcome. Numerous methods could help in branding. Use of technology Digital marketing could attract new applicants as well engage and to retain the old one. Use of social media like facebook, twitter, and other sites helps the company to attract talent and reach masses. Employees who perform well and are there in the company from long can share their experiences through these sites or create their blog to let new candidates know what their experiences and success and failure stories have been so far. It would help talent connect and understand company’s culture. Photographs of any main events or about company’s environment could also be posted to drive traffic and interaction. It provides clear view of the organization. Communicating the brand image to employees from recruitment, into orientation and throughout their time with Chern’s will lead to the stronger brand image in the industry. It creates a positive image in their mind and makes them feel valued. What does company stand for should be listed on career page, known by all staff? Promote the family-oriented image the company holds with current employees and provide benefits that fit their needs will support the brand image. Having this firmly rooted family oriented foundation is the structure that supports employee empowerment and provides evidence of how the company values their people. When employees can understand the direction of their employer, see evidence that the employer cares about their well-being, they provide the best word of mouth advertising.

Origins of Nationalism in France

In terms of the origins of national identity in France it is agreed that the French Revolution was the single most important period of radical social and political upheaval and was henceforth a catalyst for the spread of nationalism in France aswell as throughout the rest of Europe. Despite the fact the French Revolution occurred over 200 years ago, in present day France, there remain various symbols of the revolution which have become deeply embedded in the national identity of the country.One of which being the tricolore flag which was created to oppose the flag of the King, which itself was a symbol of the Ancient Regime. Pre-revolutionary France was characterised by a social structure based on class and tradition, but more importantly, it was based on inequalities which were sanctioned by the force of law. The Ancient regime in France had been based on the division of society into legal categories. Membership of the first and second estates (clergy and nobility) conferred legal a nd social entitlements that were not available to the Third Estate.The idea of Absolutism meant that the Monarchy was entitled to expect the obedience of the people on the grounds that the King was the agent of God’s purpose. The French Revolution was the turning point in modern history. It was the first manifestation of nationalism in the Western world; it abolished the ancient regime and thus the absolute monarchy, giving birth to the French nation in a sudden burst of enthusiasm. In 1790 all the communities of France erected an altar to the fatherland with the inscription: â€Å"The citizen is born, lives and dies for the fatherland. The revolution began a new age in French political life, the old political order in France was destroyed and replaced by a new order that was based on individual rights, representative institutions and loyalty to the nation as opposed to the Monarch. This new era fostered new political ideals summarised in the French slogan; ‘Liberte, E galite et Fraternite which is still to this day a symbol of French nationalism. One of the key events in the development of nationalism in France which arose with the French Revolution was ‘The declaration of the rights of man of the citizen’ in 1789.This fundamental document harboured fervour that France belonged to its people, not Louis XVI and defined the individual and collective rights of all the estates of the realm as universal. It created shared values such as liberty, property, security, resistance to oppression and civil equality which bought the French people together as nation. Napoleon Bonaparte also had a significant role in creating a national identity in France. He was considered by some to be the ‘preserver of the French Revolution’ as he introduced the Napoleonic Code which attempted to unite the country by making everyone equal before the law.It spread the ideals of the revolution including legal equality and economic freedom and therefor e a sentiment of nationalism through France and the rest of Europe. However, often the nationalism that developed in reaction to Napoleon took one of two tracks. In some cases, it was a conservative nationalism, a desire to go back to the old ways that prevailed before Napoleon took over and started making reforms. On the other hand, there was liberal nationalism. Napoleon continued to spread some of the fruits of the French Revolution but some people wanted more: they wanted true self-government.As a result of the French Revolution and Napoleon, French people started taking great pride in the history, language, culture and religion of their country which helped create a strong French national identity. During the French Revolution, the National Assembly decreed that the Louvre should be used as a museum, to display the nation's masterpieces. Napoleon inspired national pride by reopening the Louvre in 1801 and bringing hundreds of famous paintings and other works of art to the natio n’s attention.The French nation-state unified the French people in particular through the consolidation of the use of the French language. The French language has been essential to the concept of ‘France' even though in 1789 only 50% of French people spoke it. Conscription, invented by Napoleon mixed the various groups of France into a nationalist mould which created the French citizen and his consciousness of membership to a common nation, while the various â€Å"patois† were progressively eradicated.Secularism in France is a fundament of the French nation. It is important when considering the national identity of France as it stems from the sense of ‘religious freedom’ which was a principle laid down by the French Revolution. It also emphasises the fact that the Republic has always recognised individuals, rather than groups and that a French citizen owes allegiance to the nation, and has no officially sanctioned ethnic or religious identity.

Nfl Helmet-to-Helmet Hit Rule

Let Them Play the Game Every part of the game of football means very much to me, which is why I have a passion for the game and why I researched this topic. Helmets are one of the most important pieces of safety gear a football player can have. In October 2010, a new rule was signed off to be placed in the National Football League (NFL) rule book for the safety of NFL players. The helmet-to-helmet hit rule is as follow: using any part of the helmet to butt, spear, or ram any part of the opponent’s helmet (Azpiri). A helmet-to-helmet hit is illegal in the NFL now.The punishment for a helmet-to-helmet hit for a NFL player is being fine with a gradual increase the next times they do it and/or suspension depending on the player’s penalty history. I propose for there not to be a helmet-to-helmet hit rule. The NFL should not include the helmet-to-helmet rule, by doing so; the rule will begin by taking one of the most exciting and popular parts out of the game, hard hits. One of the reasons why I believe that is because they have safety gear on such as: helmets, shoulder pads, knee pads, and thigh pads.If they keep adding rules, pretty soon, we will be able to call it flag football without tackling. Football is a violent sport, when players sign contracts with millions of dollars attached to them; they know how violent the game has always been. Not to mention, no one has to play. If a player does not want to take a hard hit, they do not have to. I agree with Rick Cleveland when he says, â€Å"They are ruining the game we love. Football is by nature a violent sport. Nobody says you have to play. Let them play football† (Cleveland).During my research, I found many NFL players that would agree that the helmet-to-helmet rule should not be a rule. For instance, James Harrison, who plays for the Pittsburg Steelers, made a statement after a helmet-to-helmet hit on a Cleveland Brown player during a game, which read â€Å"†¦ I didn’t hit that hard, to be honest with you. When you get a guy on the ground, it’s a perfect tackle† (Harrison). As Harrison said, a tackle is a tackle, no matter where or how hard you hit them. It is to me understanding that each and every NFL football player is taught everyday to play hard and it hard. NFL players know that they are taking a massive risk of getting injured every time they step a foot on a football field, whether it be for a game or just practice. If you have the football in your possession, you should be able to take a hit anywhere on your body, even if it is on your helmet. There is no point in time where a line should be drawn. If a player makes helmet-to-helmet contact unintentionally, he should not be fined as much as if it were intentional. Helmets keep a players head safe during a game.Most NFL players still wear helmets that were made in the nineteen-nineties (Halstead). DeSean Jackson now has an anti-concussion football helmet (Chase). If helmet companies ma nufactured more anti-concussion helmets, players would be better off and the rule would definitely not need to be in play. Also, according to Halstead, in two thousand-thirteen, players will finally have price breaks from helmet companies to be able to buy newer safe helmets (Halstead). If players buy more anti-concussion helmets, they would not get injured as easy nor would the helmet-to-helmet hit rule need to take place.

Sexual Harassment In The Workplace And Military Research Paper

Sexual Harassment In The Workplace And Military - Research Paper Example Sexual harassment in the workplace is a vocal or physical activity with sexual temperament conducted in the time of recruitment or in the workplace by the manager or the employee or any person of the concerned unit that makes the person who is receiving it, uncomfortable as it is unwelcomed and causes the individual to feel offended. It is a form of sex discrimination and it violates the ‘Title VII of 1964 Civil Rights Act’ in the United States which was amended in 1972 (Equal Rights Advocates, Inc, 2012).Sexual harassment crops up in most of the professions as well as industries. Sexual harassment can be referred as ‘organizational violation’. Certain reports have shown that majority of ethnic women are at superior threat than the white women in terms of sexual harassment as they could experience dominance from the white men (Equal Rights Advocates, Inc, 2012).Sexual harassment can be of various types such as deliberate touching, sexual looks, and gestures, sexual comment, sexual signals, gaping at someone and making sexual signals among others. Sexual harassment can depressingly affect an individual as the person may lose confidence, can get angry or can get humiliated which will lead to hampering the performance of the individual (Equal Rights Advocates, Inc, 2012). Since mixing female into male-dominated situation raises the probability of sexual harassment, the experience of female soldiers relating to sexual harassment is needed to be analyzed properly.  

The Vietnam War's impact on the United States both economically and Essay

The Vietnam War's impact on the United States both economically and politically - Essay Example It takes money to fund wars but neither financial nor military dominance guarantees victory. The political dynamics that result from war, particularly the Vietnam War, produce a myriad of varying effects. The U.S. lost political capital from within South Vietnam when it continuously bombed North Vietnam, a surprising development that was harmful to the war effort. The ‘hawkish’ neo-conservative ideology was born in this era. Those of this political philosophy did not believe the U.S. should withdraw from Vietnam and are the ones who took control of the White House in 2000. The ‘neo-cons’ are the group that, a quarter century after the fall of Saigon in 1975, involved the U.S. in the Iraq war debacle and refuse to withdraw. Many parallels can be drawn between these two conflicts that are separated by a generation. The generation of people who lived through the Vietnam period evidently did not learn the lessons from that war. Congress made what they believed w ould be a lasting political statement following the Vietnam war by passing the War Powers Act in hopes of preserving the separation of powers as guaranteed by the Constitution. The most evident and memorable political fallout during the Vietnam War was student protestors who, through great sacrifice and courage, were instrumental in ending U.S. involvement in Southeast Asia. The U.S., because of its involvement in ‘nation building’ that began in Korea and continued during the Vietnam era and is in full effect today, has lost political credibility throughout the international community. From the end of the Cold War in 1989, as symbolized by the fall of the Berlin Wall, to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the U.S. was undoubtedly the world’s greatest power militarily, economically and therefore politically. However, this time in which the U.S. operates as the only superpower and therefore the world’s dominant force, known as the ‘unipolar

Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Questions - Essay Example 5) In light of this, one of the most appropriate assessments for these learners is the curriculum-based measurement (CBM). There are numerous studies that already proved the reliability of this tool not just in assessment but in monitoring growth in learning. According to Rachel Brown-Chidsey (2007), this method’s technical adequacy addresses the problem in ELL students such as the differences in the ELL students’ English speaking, reading and proficiencies. (p. 33) Another assessment tool advocated as an alternative for ELL students is the use of â€Å"portfolios†. These portfolios are collections of student work compiled over time and that, as Penny McKay (2006) put it, they provide a basis by which teachers accumulate and analyze a record of an ELL’s student’s achievement over time. An alternative assessment such as the â€Å"portfolio assessment† features the involvement of the learner. For instance, children should participate in the selection of the portfolio content (following established criteria for selection) as evidence of self-reflection is required. Also, most alternative assessment approaches have accurate individualized assessments where learning â€Å"discrimination† is implemented beginning at a level that increases the opportunity for success. Advocates of each of these alternative approaches stress that this individualized assessments systematically move the direction of the learning towards a more normative development. For ELL students, there are numerous advantages in using alternative assessments. Foremost of these is the individualized assessment that ensures accuracy in the evaluation of an ELL student’s learning development. These assessments also emphasize the discriminatory learning wherein an ELL student learns according to his or her learning capability. For example, Cedar Park Elementary introduced a bilingual education model wherein students are divided according to English proficiency. Kip and Hersholt (2006) documented

Analyzing a movie Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Analyzing a movie - Essay Example In addition to aspects of gender, age, and culture, the film explores the plight of someone who has a same sex sexual preference who lived his life without the fulfillment of love because of social class and cultural barriers that tore him from the man he would love for most of his life. Love is explored on a number of levels, discussing sexual identity and social position as they can be related one to the other. The film The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011) has a rich foundation from which to study various aspects of cultural anthropology from the perspectives of gender, age, culture, and sexual identity. Through an examination of this film, stereotypes that have emerged from colonialism and the changes that have occurred through Westernization become important parts of the development of the story and the characters. The first aspect of the movie that is most obvious is the discussion of how older people can very easily become disenfranchised as they age out of their careers or marriage arrangements. One of the couples, played by Bill Nighy and Penelope Wilton, lost all of their money on a venture that they invested in with their daughter (IMDB). As he went into retirement, they found they could not afford anything but a small home intended for people who were infirm and unable to fully take care of themselves. They choose to follow an advertisement on the internet where a hotel in India was willing to pay for their flights in exchange for them living at the hotel. Dame Judi Dench plays a woman who had entrusted all of her decisions to her husband and upon his passing found that he had left her penniless (IMDB). Rather than imposing on her children and in the process losing her freedom, she too chooses to go to India. The situation of the couple and of Dench’s character show how the event of getting older can lead to situations where deep changes in life can occur. The culture of the elderly is a conflicting space in which older people, through

Handwriting a letter versus sending an e-mail message Essay

Handwriting a letter versus sending an e-mail message - Essay Example By studying the handwriting one can judge the mood of the person. E-mails are cold and do not convey the warmth-they just convey the messages as a matter of duty! Handwritten letters on important occasions like marriage, birthday, success-events like passing examinations, can be preserved for ever in a file and they are good collection items. No so with the e-mail. One can read the handwritten letters again and again, without having to open the computer often. One practical problem as well! For sending e-mails, one needs to be computer-literate. For handwritten letters, one needs to be just literate! For mails, one has to own a computer or specially reach the cafe for making the mail. As for quickness and convenience, e-mail, the product of internet revolution, has no match. The message reaches any corner of the world, within seconds. Competitive business, the share quotations etc. can never think of sending the communications by handwritten letters , where decisions on rates are taken in split seconds! For official dealings, e-mail communications are the best and one can not think of applying the handwritten letter procedure in this area. Voluminous files and documents can be uploaded/downloaded through e-mail procedure, whereas to copy a document of say, of 100 pages will take some days. This procedure is neither practical nor feasible. One can forward a message, documents, story or news items, to thousands of individuals merely by clicking the forward button and the message is instantly received by that vast majority. Sending handwritten letters to them involves lots of expenditure on stationary, postage, apart from the time and labor devolved. Here is a wonde rful observation on the handwritten letter vs. the e-mail, the essence of which is worth noting. â€Å"The "art" of letter writing was only art in the hands of a few who wrote well. The rest of the worlds written correspondence is barely worth the paper it is written on. E-mail has

Paleolithic & Neolithic Societies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Paleolithic & Neolithic Societies - Essay Example They had no domesticated herds. They fished along the streams just as it is today. Since this mode of securing food was not sufficient for these people, they organized themselves in bands of 20 to 25 people and nomadically kept cattle. The Paleolithic communities had a legal headman who held the band together based on the hunting skills and the culture of blessings by the world of spirits. Therefore, their thorough hunting ability had a link to the spiritual powers. The different members of the band took different roles depending on the gender and responsiveness. The Paleolithic people had a mystical attitude towards life. They viewed the religion world as animism. They less valued the outer appearance of things but valued more the inner working of the unseen spirit. They respected a lot those who displayed the spiritual; powers like the Shamans and the Witchdoctors. They held that these people possessed special magical powers that worked for the good or bad of the community2. They e ngaged in rituals like wars, dances, hunting races and rain dances. These activities, they believed had power to predispose the behavior of the unseen spirits to assure the forthcoming favorable outcome. ... This age marked the first agricultural revolution and had wide scale transition of many cultures from a lifestyle of hunting and gathering to a settle agricultural life. These ancient ancestors began to sow seeds in order to produce more in the harvest. They also began domesticating animals, which formed a major source of meat for the communities. The introduction of agriculture permitted the growth of the human population hence growth of villages and towns subsequently. The Neolithic persons had total respect over the sexual acts as they termed them very sacred. They also worshipped some vibrant Great Goddess. The idea of personal and private property ownership began to spread even more during this period. The concept of money began to emerge at this time. Societies began to keep slaves as well. The emergence of polis The term polis originated from the ancient Greek city-states, which developed during the archaic period and persisted during the roman times. Polis was not like other primordial ancient city-states, which had a king or a small oligarchy, but was rather a political entity ruled by a body of citizens. The origin of polis had an origin in the appearance of urbanization at the excavation sites during the traditional archeologists view3. The term polis which in archaic Greek meant city suddenly changed with the development of the of the governance center in the city. The emergence of citizenship notion in the landowners came to describe the entire body of citizens, which came as the most important meaning of the term polis in ancient Greece. Conflicts between Greece and its neighbors Ancient Macedonia and Greece descended in several migratory waves and bounder conflicts. The Greeks and Turks had outstanding conflicts in 1982 due to boundary conflicts.

International Marketing Feasibility Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6250 words

International Marketing Feasibility - Essay Example The government’s encouragement of foreign investment would fast tract legal actions that may enhance the speed of operation. However, the country’s unstable political system may affect the implementation process. Not so much problem with to whom should accept the program since there is a remarkable number of urban elite who can afford for such academic service. However, it is a good marketing proposition to tie up with Thailand’s government when it comes to educating its people since it is clear that the government has to start maximizing its subsidy on education. Not only that, Thailand would be a good venue and strategic place for the neighboring and developing countries to access the service of ANOVA Education Center considering that the cost of leaving is definitely not that high. The company is ANOVA Education Centre. It is situated solely in Singapore since it has not expanded to anywhere else yet. All from its website ANOVA Education Centre (2009), the company has promoted itself as the one that provides preparatory courses for foreign students who have interest to study in Singapore. Among of its many objectives, the main is to give students preparation for entrance examinations to Singapore’s local schools. The company was able to promise of courses that are in line with the recent syllabus of Ministry of Education. The company also ensures that its students will have a conducive environment as well as competent and highly-trained teachers as they receive their trainings. To give much more focus to every student, each teacher has 10 to 15 students. With all of these, the ANOVA Education Center is simply trying to provide opportunity for each individual willing to enter in the international language where the medium of speech is English. A message from the principal of ANOVA Education Center, David Sum, simply states the company’s commitment to provide their students a high standard of service.

Nucor at Crossroads Essay Example for Free

Nucor at Crossroads Essay In 1986, three distinct segments defined the U.S. steel industry; integrated steel mills, mini-mills, and specialty steel makers. The integrated mills have the capacity to produce a maximum of 107 million tons of steel per year, mini-mills produced a maximum of 21 million tons of capacity a year, and the nation’s specialty steel makers could produce a maximum capacity of 5 million tons of stainless and specialty grades of steel. This leads to a total capacity of 133 million tons of production per year. In 1986, the market consumed only 70 million tons of steel, leaving 33 million tons unused. Nucor is at a crossroads. It faces a saturated market suffering from significant overcapacity. Nucor’s only opportunity for growth seems to be to expand into the production of flat sheet metal. However, to compete in that area, Nucor would need to invest in a very risky new technology, a thin-slab casting plant that, if successful, would allow Nucor to manufacture flat sheet metal with a low minimum efficient scale and a low marginal cost of production. This case will examine Nucor’s history, the impacts of entering the thin-slab casting business, the advantages Nucor would reap, and whether they should build the new thin-slab casting plant. Looking at the business landscape of the steel industry, it is amazing to see how well Nucor has done considering the industry is so competitive and has relatively low profitability. Using Porter’s model, the threat of rivalry is high due to weak domestic demand, excess global capacity, a maturing industry, low switching costs, high exit barriers, rising operating costs (increasing raw material prices), and more than 5 comparable competitors. The threat of entry is low due to high barriers to entry (economies of scale have been achieved and high capital requirements), growth and profitability are modest at best, and most viable candidates are already present in the industry and are looking to expand into other markets. The threat of substitutes is moderate because buyers have the option of choosing other materials (aluminum, plastics, ceramics, etc.), and new materials technologies are currently being developed and sought after. The threat of suppliers is moderate because iron ore and scrap metal prices are currently high, energy prices are increasing, Nucor pays for transportation of its raw materials to its plants, there is no easy substitute to take the place of iron ore/scrap metal, and there is currently an overabundance of buyers of scrap metal and iron ore. Lastly, the threat of buyers is weak to moderate, because there is excess capacity, low switching costs, few high volume buyers, many low volume customers, strong demand from China, and rising feedstock prices. With the difficult business landscape in the steel industry, Nucor had to develop competitive advantages over its rivals to achieve its success. These advantages included differentiating itself by being an early adopter of computerized order tracking and allowing customers to make short time orders thus reducing their inventory. Second, it invested in modernization of its plants at an average of 2.9 times its depreciation expenses vs. an ave raged of 1.6 of its competitors through the 1970s and 1980s, and refurbished on average a plant a year. Third, Nucor strategically located its plants closer together to share orders for minimal cost and maximum sales, and building new plants in smaller rural areas with access to railroads, low energy costs, and a plentiful water source allowed Nucor to keep labor costs relatively low and made sure that COGS remained competitive. Fourth, base wages were lower but incentives were higher than average, and direct communication on expectation vs. performance provided feedback on compensation. Also, during down times, officers and CEO pay dropped dramatically while average workers did not. This led to lower employee turnover 1-5% vs. 5-10% for competitors. Fifth, Nucor’s hiring practices focused on making sure that they focused on hiring people based on potential, not experience. Finally, Nucor’s business hierarchy was different- mostly flat, resulting in less bureaucracy and more productivity per worker. In short, many of these advantages led to Nucor becoming the second most productive steel maker per employee in the world due by 1985. Thin-slab casting was a proposed technique for mini-mills to fill orders for flat sheet steel, a segment that accounted for approximately half of the U.S. steel industry. To expand its steel market share, Nucor needed to enter the flat sheet segment. In the thin-slab casting business, Nucor would initially compete with international firms from Canada and Japan that provided high quality flat sheet steel, and cheap flat sheet steel providers in newly industrialized nations. Barriers to entry would include large capital expenditures making new entrants cost prohibitive, but not impossible as the barrier is small comparative to the overall costs for steel manufacturing. While new rivals may not pop up immediately, new entrants from existing rivals will dilute Nucor’s competitive advantage. Nucor needed an innovative technology to be profitable in this segment as a new entrant. However, innovative technologies are risky due to development costs, unknown long-term operating costs, and the unknown quality of future products. Also, as a first mover, increased costs will be realized. Increased maintenance above forecasts, the risk that production will not keep pace with the small-scale model, the risk that the new tech will not be fully understood by the employees and harder to run. Also, an increased likelihood that other companies will benefit from their mistakes as SMS has not made any offer to keep information gleaned from a large-scale operation confidential. However, the benefits of being a first time mover would be realized as well. The expected profit from the thin slab minimill would be $81.50 per ton, which is 26% higher than from a modernized hot rolled sheet produced in an integrated mill and 226% higher than the margin from an unmodernized integrated mill. For cold rolled sheet, the expected profit advantage remains with minimills, with an expected profit of $107.50 per ton, which 1.9% greater than a modernized integrated mill and 115% higher than an unmodernized integrated mill. If Nucor enters the thin-slab casting business the lasting advantages may be reduced over time as others in the industry may imitate them so long as the model is proven to deliver the targeted results. If Nucor works out the kinks, then other companies will join up and the competitive advantage window will shrink, making the overall scheme too costly. If the program does not work, it is likely the other companies will not follow suit, while Nucor pays the cost for other companies â€Å"RD† offsite. However, if the investment into the new technology proves successful, Nucor would have a significant cost savings over integrated mills initially, both in terms of entry costs and in terms of operating costs and profit margin. This will provide Nucor with a significant competitive advantage over the integrated mills, which already provide flat-rolled steel products, but will not provide sustainable competitive advantage over the long term, as it will be easy for competitors to duplicate this technology. Many of the companies that do steel would imitate the path that Nucor is taking. They have done an excellent job of lowering cost while leveraging their competitive advantages. Furthermore, CSP is a step in the ultimate industry goal of direct casting of sheet at strip. However, it seems as though Nucor would only gain a head start of two to three years since SMS held the CSP technology and Nucor couldn’t block others from using it. This head start doesn’t seem very advantageous as it would require almost 5 years to break (see attached chart) even and the other companies would be able to use lessons learned from Nucor’s first mover and apply it to lower their breakeven point. Overall this would be a very risky undertaking for Nucor to undertake at this time as the technology is not at an adequate tech readiness level, the initial cost to implement, as well as it could move Nucor away from its competitive advantages.