Friday, November 29, 2019

Women Essay Example

Women Essay Our group wrote and designed a brochure to briefly explain ecofeminism as well as give suggestions on where to go for more information and how to support animal rights and ecofeminism. The brochure also clarified the historic link between feminism and animal rights through examples of well-known feminists who were also advocates of animal rights and a vegetarian lifestyle. One of the reasons ecofeminism speaks to us is that we are able to make concrete changes to make our daily lives consistent with our beliefs. We attempted to get this idea across in the brochure – that oppression is not a natural state, and there are many ways individuals can help create a space free of oppression. We wanted a simple way to give people information about what we’ve learned all semester. It worked out well; quite a lot of students stopped by our booth and talked to us, and we handed out all of the brochures we had printed. Many students who were interested in animal rights said that the y would check out more information about ecofeminism, and many students interested in feminism said they appreciated the links we made between oppression of women and oppression of nature/animals. The brochure we made included as much information as possible without overwhelming readers with new information. As students stopped by our booth and asked questions, we took the opportunity to talk about the differing voices present in ecofeminism. Several students were interested in the history of the women’s health movement and its place in ecofeminism. Additionally, we made clear in our discussions that although ecofeminism has its roots in an idea of women being connected to nature, that connection has been questioned by cross-cultural and international ecofeminists. As Huey-li Li points out in Ecofeminism: Women, Animals, Nature, there are ways to connect the dots between the oppression of women and the oppression of nature and animals without falling back on essentialist notions of womanhood that defines ‘woman’ as being somehow closer to nature than male aggressors/hunters. Li also argues that the Western connection between women and nature is not universa l, something that became apparent in discussing ecofeminism with students at the fair. This foundation of Western ideology has the potential to alienate women across the globe who might otherwise find ecofeminism believable. Ecofeminism is made weaker for this lack of inclusion of different experiences of nature and gender. We will write a custom essay sample on Women specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Women specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Women specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer

Monday, November 25, 2019

Preparing for a Skype Grad School Interview

Preparing for a Skype Grad School Interview For many graduate programs submitting your application is just the first step in seeking admission. Graduate school admissions interviews are common in many fields. Interviews offer an important opportunity let faculty and members of the admissions committee get to know you, beyond your application materials. Interviews, however, are expensive and time-consuming, especially if you are applying to graduate programs that are far from home. Many, if not most, graduate programs expect applicants to pay their own travel expenses.   Because of this, grad school interviews are often described as â€Å"optional.† However, optional or not, it’s in your best interest to make the trip and interview in person. Fortunately, many graduate programs are moving towards conducting interviews by video conferencing via platforms like Skype. Skype interviews permit graduate programs to interview students cheaply and efficiently – and perhaps even squeeze even more applicant intervi ews in than they would in real life. Skype interviews pose special challenges. An interview for admission to graduate study, regardless of whether its on campus or by Skype, means that the admissions committee is interested in you and is your opportunity to demonstrate your fit to the faculty and graduate program. The standard advice about interviews applies, but a Skype interview entails unique challenges. Here are 9 tips to avoid some of the technological and environmental problems that arise during Skype interviews. Share Phone Numbers Share your phone number and have the number for the graduate department or someone on the admissions committee on hand.   Should you have difficulties logging in or other technical problems, such as a malfunctioning computer, you’ll want to be able to contact the admissions committee to let them know that you haven’t forgotten about the interview. Otherwise, they may assume that you are no longer interested in admission or that you are unreliable and therefore not a good fit for the graduate program. Consider Your Background What will the committee see behind you? Pay attention to your background. Posters, signs, photos and art can detract from your professional demeanor. Don’t give professors an opportunity to judge you on anything other than your words and persona. Lighting Choose a well-lighted space. Do not sit with your back to a window or light because only your silhouette will be visible. Avoid harsh overhead light. Place a light in front of you, several feet away. Consider using an additional shade or placing a cloth over the lamp to dilute the light. Camera Placement Sit at a desk.   The camera should be level with your face. Position your laptop atop a stack of books, if needed, but be sure that it is secure. Do not look down into the camera. Sit far enough away that your interviewer can see your shoulders. Look into the camera, not at the image on the screen – and certainly not at yourself. If you look at the image of your interviewers, you’ll appear to be looking away. Challenging as it may seem, try to look at the camera to simulate eye contact. Sound Be sure that the interviewers can hear you. Know where the microphone is located and direct your speech towards it. Speak slowly and pause after the interviewer finishes speaking.   Sometimes video lag can interfere with communication, making it harder to interviewers to understand you or making it appear as if you are interrupting them. Dress Dress for your Skype interview just as you would for an in-person interview. Don’t be tempted to just dress â€Å"on top.† That is, don’t wear sweatpants or pajama pants. Don’t assume that your interviewers will see only the top half of your body. You never know. You might have to stand up to retrieve something and then suffer in embarrassment (and make a poor impression). Reduce Environmental Distractions Keep pets in another room. Leave children with a babysitter or family member – or don’t interview at home. Eliminate any potential sources of background noise, such as barking dogs, crying children, or insensitive roommates. Technological Interruptions Charge your laptop. Preferably, plug it in.   Turn off your cell ringer and any other phone in the vicinity.   Log out of messaging programs, Facebook, and other apps with sound notifications. Mute notifications in Skype. Make sure that you will not be interrupted by any sounds on your computer.   Whatever you hear, your interviewers hear.    Practice Do a practice run with a friend.   How do you look? Sound? Are there any distractions? Are your clothes appropriate and professional? Skype interviews share the same purpose as old fashioned in-person interviews: An opportunity for the graduate admissions committee to get to know you. Preparing for the technological aspects of video interviews can sometimes overshadow the basic interview preparation that will help you learn about the program and put your best foot forward. As you prep, don’t forget to focus on the content of the interview. Prepare responses to common questions that you might be asked as well as questions to ask.   Don’t forget that your interview is also your chance to learn more about the program.   If you’re accepted you’ll spend the next 2 to 6 or more years in graduate school. Be sure that it’s the program for you. Ask questions that are meaningful to you and make the interview work for you.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Teaching across cultures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Teaching across cultures - Essay Example Religion plays an important role in the lives of African Americans and this set out a sense of mutuality among the members. The common language helps in eradicating the communication barriers. Other secondary cultural characteristics like sense of thinking, moral values, food preferences etc. help in upholding a comfortable environment to the male and female members as they share common cultural values. Gender and learning abilities play an important role within the chosen group. The female members of the group have more stress of keeping a balance between their family and career life. They face an additional stress of raising children and nurturing them keeping their educational and learning needs in view. All three members have children; however, females have more responsibilities to attend the children’s need than men. Moreover, the learning skills are important as all the members have limited time to understand and learn the lessons. The male member has to allocate time be tween job and education while females have families to be taken care of as well. The emphasis of African American culture on respect and moral values requires careful consideration when referring to elderly population, females etc.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Software Engineering Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Software Engineering - Essay Example by which a hacker or a foreign source can enter in another system can exploit that system by deleting the data or stealing the information from that system thus the whole architecture of system can be modified. The vulnerabilities in chat application cause a lot of problem as it is to enter other system’s domain. The vulnerabilities are found in every operating system so if we are chatting either through Windows or through Linux or UNIX, we have to secure our system. There are many vulnerabilities found in which mainly are multiple vulnerabilities in Yahoo Messenger, multiple vulnerabilities in BIND and SNMP, Buffer Overflow in Microsofts MSN Chat ActiveX Control etc. In the case Yahoo Messenger, multiple vulnerabilities are found. The hacker can easily enter the domain of the other system and hack that system easily by using some codes which may be written in JAVA or some other languages. The yahoo messenger is use every where in the world and so it has to secures but still some soft spots exist. And vulnerabilities like a buffer overflow and URL validation vulnerability exist. The vulnerabilities like VU#137115, VU#172315 exist. These vulnerabilities are due to the buffer overflow in URI handler (VU#137115) and other one is caused as the addview function permits the other arbitrary codes to execute in its own system. Thus the hacker can send some scripts to other system and can exploit the situation. Thus due to these vulnerabilities and others the remote attacker can easily modify other system. The Yahoo Messenger has removed these vulnerabilities by using advance version like Yahoo! Messenger version 5,0,0,1058, released February 25, 2002 or by server side solution. The Yahoo Messenger whenever is

Monday, November 18, 2019

Postfeminism and the Future of Feminism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Postfeminism and the Future of Feminism - Essay Example The definition of feminism may vary, as the view concerning it may be directly associated with the prevailing ideologies within the society. For example, a patriarchal society influenced by the mass media might understand that feminists are anti-male or are the ones seeking the opportunity to let the women be equal to men. Feminism in this context seems to be a movement against men. According to Hooks, a society founded by Christian culture may continue to believe that women should be under the authority of men, and so they will be ruled over and continue to be submissive (Hooks 2; Shaw and Lee 33). Understanding feminism on this context may be tempting for us to believe that it is about women’s quest to be equal with men. However, Hooks believes that feminism should be defined as a â€Å"movement† to stop â€Å"sexism, sexist exploitation and oppression† (Shaw and Lee 33). From this definition, Hooks tries to emphasize that the problems lie within the actual sex ist actions or thoughts and they are what the feminist movement should need to eliminate. Hooks just wants to correct the popular thought about feminism and its high association with the belief that it is against-the-men movement or women move to be equal with men.   It is at this point that there is a great chance for somebody to develop a theory out of it if exploration and analysis have to be initiated. In fact, one would be able to gain social, cultural, economic and political perspectives by studying feminism, by which one should understand the quest for social justice as the main motivation of the movement to end sexist oppression (Haslanger, Tuana and O’Connor). What is postfeminism? Postfeminism in contrast, tries to define feminism as hopelessly outmoded in the contemporary society as it contains discourses or ideological beliefs trying to make us believe that equality has been achieved (Ringrose 1; Shaw and Lee 15). Postfeminism therefore still defines feminist pe rspective, but the differences start from its associated criticism against feminism that is said to be simply no longer in use. For instance, postfeminism places women as the primary benefactors of globalization taking place in the twenty-first century (Ringrose 3). At this point, it may potentially appear that postfeminism is still a form of feminist movement, but it is placing a different context in it as it tries to position women on top in today’s post-modern world, providing the basis that a woman indeed has achieved the equality she deserves to obtain. This is quite interesting and we might be able to appreciate this point further if we try to take a look at the actual role of the women, their status and the level of achievements they might have acquired and the actual similarities or dissimilarities of opportunities they might have experienced before and in today’s society.

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Overview Of Mitsui OSK Lines Commerce Essay

Overview Of Mitsui OSK Lines Commerce Essay Introduction to Mitsui OSK lines Mitsui OSK lines (MOL) are a Japanese transport company which has wide range of business. OSK lines were a shipping company which was formed in 1884 and Mitsui was formed in 1942. During the major consolidation in Japanese shipping markets Mitsui OSK lines was formed in 1964, following the mergers of two companies OSK lines and Mitsui. (Mitsui OSK lines, 2010). After the formation in 1964 they launched specialised car carrier in 1965 and then full container ships in 1968. Later on they also entered the LNG market and also launched the double hull VLCC in 1995. As a strategy to expand their container services covering North America, Asia and Europe MOL joined a global merger know as The New world alliance (TNWA) with American president lines and Hyundai Merchant Marine. (Panama Canal authority, 2009). In one of the biggest mergers in Japan Mitsui OSK lines (2nd largest in Japan) merged with Navix lines (4th largest in Japan) in 1999. After the merger with Navix lines, MOL became one o f the biggest maritime carriers in the world (Japanese Times, 1998). The groups headquarters are in Tokyo, Japan. The company has in total 533 subsidiaries and affiliated companies in 66 countries with a consolidated work force of 39,864 employees (Annual report, 2009). Its main areas of operations are shipping and shipping related activities. Source: Mitsui OSK lines, 2010. As seen from the above chart MOL has a wide range of ships such as containers, pure car carriers, Bulk carriers, Tankers, LNG carriers, and others. MOLs core business segments are its bulk ships, container ships. (Mitsui OSK lines, 2010). In addition to ships they are in logistics services such as distribution and inventory control, air cargo transport, construction and engineering, real estate, trading and R D. (Mitsui OSK lines, 2010). MOL has 861 ships as of 31st March 2009 with a carrying capacity of 59,643 thousand tons. In terms of number of ships and deadweight MOL ranks the worlds largest shipping company in the world ahead of NYK and COSCO (Mitsui OSK lines, 2010). Source: Mitsui OSK lines, 2010. It has the largest Dry bulk fleet in the world with fleet size of 356 ships with a combined deadweight of 31026 million tons (Mitsui OSK lines, 2010). MOL is ranked first in terms of operation of LNG ships. Even after the financial crisis, the bunker prices at sky high rates and a strong yen in FY 2008 MOL posted their second highest annual income till date. This was more due to the strong performance in first half of 2008. Their revenue for FY 2008 was 18,994,218 thousand dollars with net income of 1292752 thousand dollars. Source: Mitsui OSK lines, 2010. Source: Mitsui OSK lines, 2010. Innovations and other activities In 2001 MOL launched its corporate principles to promote and protect our environment by maintaining strict, safe operation and navigation standards (Mitsui OSK lines, 2010, p.1). As per their principles they launched the 24hour manned (SOSC) Safety Operation Supporting Centre in the Head Office which monitors all MOL vessels position all around the world. MOL is also heavily involved in research and development. In December 2009 it displayed its concept of new generation vessels. The car carrier which is environment friendly they call it a HBRID car carrier, i.e. it uses renewable energy for ships electricity supply. The current president of MOL is Akimitsu says he want to create an excellent and resilient MOL group that contributes to sustainable worldwide growth (Ashida, 2009, p.1) HYBRID CAR CARRIER Source: Mitsui OSK lines, 2010. Theory of SWOT analysis W = WEAKNESS S = STRENGTH T = THREATS O = OPPORTUNITIY Source: Author generated The central purpose of SWOT analysis is to identify strategies that align, fit or match a companys resources and capabilities to the demands of the environment in which the company operates (Hill Jones, 2001). The true sense of SWOT analysis lies in its efficient use of rendering the company with its true picture of internal and external threats to the organisation. The predominant usage of SWOT is by bifurcating it into external and internal factors. Internal factor comprises of strengths and weakness of an organisation and the people who set the organisation standards. External factors are its opportunity and threats that are from its competitors and fellow companies. (Wang, 2008). True analysis helps the company set its agenda and helps excel to sustain in the competitive market. It is the model that helps it restructure the organisation to be able to sustain the competition. SWOT matrix can be used by managers to create various kinds of growth strategies. In the matrix there are four set of combinations which can be used. (Wang, 2008). SWOT MATRIX Opportunities EXTERNAL FACTORS WO SO ST WT Threats Strengths Weakness INTERNAL FACTORS SOURCE: Wang, 2008 SO: It is a combination of using strength of an organisation to grab the opportunities. ST: Using the strength of a company and company members to fight threats. Threats can be internal or external WO: This combination helps fight weakness to open up new opportunities. WT: Weakness and threats; these strategies are defensive in nature and helps to act in the positive direction to accomplish the set targets of the organisation. SWOT Analysis Strengths: Strong revenue growth: Its core shipping business is its bulk shipping. These are primary responsible for the growth of the company. It contributed to 86% of the revenue for the group. This increase in its major divisions will fuel the companys growth and will also help it in expanding its market share (Mitsui OSK lines, 2009). Diversified business portfolio: MOL has a diversified fleet ranging from ship operations to logistics. The logistics division of the fleet supports its shipping division. Due to its diversified fleet it can cope up with short term market fluctuations and also it can influence them. It also helps the group to enter into a market with wider customer base. (Mitsui OSK lines, 2009). Large fleet size: With respect to number of ships MOL has one of the largest fleet sizes. The group has the largest fleet of ships for Bulk and LNG. With this large fleet size it can service its customers better and also it improves the bargaining power in the market (Mitsui OSK lines, 2009). Weaknesses: Geographic concentration: MOLs main trade area is near the Japan coast and it is mainly catering to the Japanese market. For the FY 2007-2008 95% of its revenue was earned from the Japanese market. Over dependence on Japanese market makes its business risky as it is completely depend upon the economy of that country. It faces a competitive disadvantage over other companies due to its absence from the emerging markets in Asia. (Mitsui OSK lines, 2009). Economic downturn will affect the company as it is solely dependent upon Japanese markets. Slow growth and minimum profit margins in container market will affect the companys net income, due to the presence of container market drivers such as Maersk and MSC. High debt burden: MOL suffers from substantial Debt for the year ending 31st March 2009. As MOL has such a high debt it will affect on the groups capacity to obtain funds for future working capital, acquisitions etc. which will hamper the growth of the group (Mitsui OSK lines, 2009). Opportunities Growing volumes of container market: Due to globalisation container market will keep on growing at high rate. Hence they can enter into new trade routes in emerging markets such as Asia and Middle East (Mitsui OSK lines, 2009). Growing demand for natural gas transportation: The demand of natural gas will keep on increasing over the years as industrial, commercial and residential consumption will increase. MOL is already into natural gas transportation, they can benefit themselves with the growth in demand (Mitsui OSK lines, 2009). Well-timed fleet expansion: New regulations in Bulk shipping are coming, which are setting an upper limit on the age of the ships. MOL has got new fleet of carriers and also it can expand its current fleet and make the most of the situation. (Mitsui OSK lines, 2009). Threats Volatile oil prices: As MOL operates such a large fleet size fluctuation in the crude oil prices seriously affects the company. As the market is very competitive increased fuel prices burden cannot be passed on to the customer. This affects the companies operating expenses. (Mitsui OSK lines, 2009). Economic crisis is also a major concern due to major concentration of its trading in Japan. Competitive industry: There is a price war in between companies such as Maersk, NYK lines, MSC, Hanjin etc. Companies are coming up strategies such as low prices and faster delivery of goods. Hence the company has to make long term sustainability strategies which can help them stay in the market. (Mitsui OSK lines, 2009). MOL has a large fleet and in-spite of having policies, proper training and adequate precautions accidents are bound to happen. Oil spill accident can affect the companys image and can wipe out its business (Mitsui OSK lines, 2010). Global strategy Global strategy is a strategy which focuses on the world market and considers it to be a single market. This strategy is mainly adopted by companies which can compete on a global basis and their products are mainly standardized and offer services on a worldwide basis (Laudon Laudon, 2007). Global strategy is adopted mainly because of globalisation and liberalisation of trade all over the world. Some of the key drivers of globalisation are: There is a significant amount of reduction of barriers for trade in-between countries. The markets are liberalised and adoption of free market strategy. Industrialisation in developing nations such as India, China. Integration of world markets and cross border transactions have resulted in easy flow of capital. Technological advances are facilitating cross border trade and investments. The key participants in the global business are multinational enterprise (MNEs). MNE is a large company which have offices and subsidiary companies all over the world. Normally MNEs have inter-dependent members located all over the world, and all members work for a single system. MNEs normally carry out RD, manufacturing, procurement and marketing activities in whichever part of the world is economical for their business. Development of Information technology is giving the firms more flexibility to plan their global strategy. (Laudon and Laudon, 2007). Implementation of global strategy in a MNE is not easy at it seems. There is diversity in behaviour of people within countries. Companies when implementing their global strategies have to modify their strategies depending upon the regional markets. (Baird, 2003) Companies should also take into consideration regional differences, different life styles of people, cultures, and values. (Baird, 2003) In under-developed countries there may be other factors such as relation with government officials, language barriers lack of well trained people (Quickmba, 2007). Shipping by its nature is a globalised industry. Most of the large shipping companies operate on a global scale, and the above theory of global strategy fits perfectly for shipping lines. In terms of shipping global strategy means development of business through growth, acquisitions, alliances, creation of new capacity or a mix of all these things (Baird, 2003). The benefits to ship owners from a global strategy should be low cost and high efficiency. To gain the benefits of this strategy the key is to have a central decision making process which can handle such complex organisations (Baird, 2003). To gain competitive and comparative advantage over its rivals buying large vessels in the fleet such as containers or cape size bulk carriers is important. Mergers and alliance with companies is also a good option to increase the size of fleet and to share the risk (Baird, 2003). In container customer satisfaction is an important part of the business. (Baird, 2003) Hence companies tend to add value to their value chain by use of technology such as giving door-to-door service or by giving them faster service. MOL global strategy MOL is a shipping and transport company trading its ships all over the world. MOL has different types of ships and has offices and subsidiaries all over the world. MOL can be termed as a multinational enterprise. MOL launched its Mid-term management plan in 2007 known as MOL ADVANCE Action and Direction at the vanguard of creating excellence (Mitsui OSK lines, 2010).Their main theme is growth with enhance quality- Becoming the biggest and the best (Mitsui OSK lines, 2010,p.1). There are five overall strategies in the plan. One of the strategies in the plan is global strategy Their global strategy is to accelerate globalisation and enhance sales capabilities in emerging markets Develop business on a global scale to meet diversification of trade. To expand the business in emerging markets such as India, Middle east, Russia and Vietnam. To ensure that the fleet expansion is exceeding the growth of sea-borne trade. (Mitsui OSK lines, 2007, p.2). MOL in line with their global strategy has overcome their weakness by entering emerging markets in Asia and also has used their opportunities by investing in many projects such as the LNG market. Below are the detailed points mentioned how MOL has used their strengths, have tried to overcome their weakness, taken their opportunities and minimised threats. MOL expanded their fleet of ships from 2007 to 2009 by adding 196 ships, out of which 22 were container and 172 were bulkships. MOL is targeting the China markets which are importing iron ore from Brazil, Australia and India. Hence they are increasing their cape size bulk carrier fleet. With cape size ships such as Brasil Maru which are largest in the world, they get a competitive advantage in the cape size market. MOL will be building 53 iron ore carriers in future out of which 14 ships will be above 200 000 mt. (Nakanishi, 2008) MOL is also targeting the growth in the domestic coast trade in China and India which is expected to grow by 15% volume. (Open sea 2007) About 50% of small handy max and 20% of handy max fleet all over the world are 20 years and over. With strict regulations in force for old ships, joining of new ships in their fleet will add value to their fleet (Open sea 2007).This well timed expansion of new fleet will help the company to expand more in the bulk carrier market in the developing countries. Source: (Mitsui OSK lines, 2009). MOL will also launch their new class bulk carrier called Handy-Cape type which will be as per the specifications of the new widened Panama Canal. This will give them the versatility to serve ports all over the world (Mitsui OSK lines, 2010). In the container market they are expecting a steady rise in future, in-spite of the worse current market conditions. As a long term strategy they are ordering new container vessels as trade is going to increase because of globalisation and increase in population (Mitsui OSK lines, 2007). In order to increase its bulk fleet they are planning to take over few of the bulk shipping lines which went into bankruptcy because of recession. MOL recons that in-spite of having a high debt ratio funding will not be a problem due to its past record. MOL was one of the few companies which avoided the recession and posted profits in the FY ending 31st March 2009 (Seatrade Asia, 2009). To target the growing container market in India, MOL has just opened 6 new offices in India which will serve the container and car carrier business in India. These offices can respond faster to the needs of the customer and also provide them high service quality (Open Sea, 2007 Mitsui OSK lines, 2007). Global demand for LNG is going to increase many folds in the coming years. LNG will be used as alternative source of fuel as it emits less carbon dioxide than heavy oils. On basis of this future market MOL has grabbed the opportunity and placed order for 6 LNG carriers with an investment of 150 billion yen. (iStockAnalyst, 2010). MOL has launched its new LNG carriers which have a re-gasification system fitted on board. This system will give an advantage over conventional LNG ships as these ships can discharge cargo at off shore terminals. Hence when these ships will join the MOL fleet they will give a competitive advantage over other companies is terms of safety. (Mitsui OSK lines, 2010) MOL car carrier division is suffered losses because of the global recession. Hence in order to sustain in the market, MOL initiated downsizing plan, in which they scrapped 21 ships, sold 4 ships and sent 11 ships in cold layup. While they are scrapping ships they have launched a concept car carrier Hybrid carrier which uses renewable energy. (Mitsui OSK lines, 2010). As a strategy to boost up the market for car carriers MOL are going to transport machinery by dismantling them, and loading onto car carriers using Mafi-load trailers. Hence they are targeting heavy lift market by using car carriers and becoming Niche player. (Mitsui OSK lines, 2010) MOL will restructure its ship management companies so that they can meet the need of expanding fleet and global network. Six ship management companies will be restructured and they will be given individual responsibility as per the type of ship. The headquarters will stay in Tokyo. (MOL Inc, 2010). Source: (MOL Inc, 2010). Conclusion MOL launched its ADVANCE mid-term management strategy which covers the entire operations of MOL. Its global strategy for the next 5 years was to overcome its weakness and to make use of the new opportunities in the emerging markets. MOL has managed to sustain and make profits in the FY 2008 in-spite of economic downturn. This is mainly because of its diversified fleet and its core business which are its bulkships. It has success fully used its strengths to sustain in recession time. Its bulkships revenue has compensated for the loss making container and the car carrier divisions. To keep a strong hold on its bulkships, MOL is continuously striving hard by buying large new ships and phasing out the old ones. MOLs core business is secured and profit making, hence they can venture into other markets and overcome its weakness. MOL main weakness is its over reliance on the Japanese markets. It has overcome the weakness by marking its presence in the emerging markets in India and China. MOL is also increasing its LNG fleet to cope up with the rapid expanding LNG market and now it is the market leader in LNG transportation. MOL is also in the process of restructuring its ship-management offices, so as to keep up with the demands of growing company. With innovative designs for its car carriers and targeting heavy machinery market MOL is trying to gain a competitive advantage.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Relative File Organization :: Free Essay Writer

Relative File Organization This topic discusses different types of indexing techniques that allows the location of records in a file relatively fast with fewer accesses. The techniques that will be addressed deals with random access file organization only. As this is the best file organization that allows records to be stored randomly rather than sequentially or in a contiguous manner. By using direct addressing, a predictable relationship between a key of a record and the location of that record on an external file is established. Two different forms of addressing can be used to establish this relationship: 1.Absolute Addressing 2.Relative Addressing Absolute addressing make use of the storage devices to determine the relationship, and therefore it is machine dependent, e.g., cylinder-number, surface-number, and record-number if we are using cylinder addressing or sector-number and record-number if sector addressing is being used. Hashing Hashing is the application of a function to the key value of a record that results in mapping the range of possible key values into a smaller range of relative addresses. For example, if a company is to maintain data of 10,000 employees by using the employee’s social security number, which ranges from 1 to 999999999, into 10,000 relative positions. The hash function to be applied to the social security number must be able to match each 10,000 social security number into each relative address available. However, collisions do occur. Collisions occurs when two different keys, in this case two social security numbers, hash into the same relative address. These two different keys are termed synonyms. The relationship between the file space and the number of keys is described as the load factor. Load factor is the ratio of the number of key values to be stored versus the number of file positions: Load Factor = number of key values / number of file positions Prime-Number Division Remainder Prime number division remainder method works just like using the mod operator in Pascal or the % operator in C or C++. The key to a record is divided with a prime-number and the remainder from the division is used as the relative address for that record. Digit Extraction This method analyzes the key values to determine which digit positions in the key are more evenly distributed. The more evenly distributed digit positions are assigned from right to left, and the digit values are extracted and used as the relative address. For example, for a key value 546032178, the relative address could be 8134, from left to right the first, third, fifth, and eighth digit positions has been extracted.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Report on Barista

A Report on ————————————————- â€Å"BARISTA CAFE† UNDER THE SUBJECT â€Å"CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR (CB) Prepared by Vivek Jethva| 10MBA032| Jitendra Patel | 10MBA064| Hardik Khara| 10MBA039| Arvind Prajapati| 10MBA081| Sarman Goraniya| 10MBA025| Sandip Kanani| 10MBA036| Kapil Prajapati| 10MBA083| Nilay Khandalkar| 10MBA037| MBA 2010-12, Semester – iii Submitted to (Dr. Govind Dave) INDUKAKA IPCOWALA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT (I2IM) CHAROTAR UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (CHARUSAT) Table of ContentSr. No. | Particulars| Page no. | 1| About the coffee industry| 3| 2| Growth of the coffee industry in India| 5| 3| Present coffee production in india (2010)| 6| 4| About the espresso| 11| 5| About the barista| 12| 6| Case analysis| 20| 7| Learning from the case| 21| 8| Question & answer| 22| 9| Bibliography| 27| About Coffee Industry: It all began around 1000 A. D. w hen Arab traders began to cultivate coffee beans in large plantations. They began to boil the beans creating a drink they called ‘qahwa’ which translates to ‘that which prevents sleep’.The drink became widely popular, and the need for coffee beans grew. The brief timeline for the growth of coffee, cafes and everything related is given below: YEAR| Journey Of Coffee Industry| 850| First known discovery of coffee berries. Legend of goat herder Kaldi of Ethiopia, who notices goats are friskier after eating red barriers of a local shrub. Experiments with the berries himself and begins to feel happier. | 1100| The first coffee trees are cultivated on the Arabian Peninsula. Coffee is first roasted and boiled by Arabs making ‘qahwa’. 1475| The world’s first coffee shop opens in Constantinople. | 1554| The first establishment in Constantinople soon becomes widely popular, and two more cafes are opened. | 1600s| Coffee enters Europe through the p ort of Venice. The first coffee house opens in Italy in 1654. | 1652| The first coffee house opens in England. Coffee houses were called ‘penny universities’ (a penny is charged for admission and a cup of coffee) because a person could visit a cafe to discuss current affairs and social issues. | 1672| The first Persian coffee house opens. | 1683| The first coffee house opens in Vienna. 1688| Edward Lloyd’s coffee house opens. It eventually becomes Lloyd’s of London, the world’s best-known insurance company. | 1695| The first sign of the French Revolution had its roots in Parisian cafes where the people’s movement started gathering steam. | 1822| The prototype of the first espresso machine is created in France. | 1980s| Coffee is now the world’s most popular beverage, which leads to a boom in retail and hotel cafes. The American retail cafe Starbucks in born. | 1990s| With the growth of the Internet, cyber cafes are born, providing Inte rnet access and coffee to users. 2000s| With an increased penetration of PCs in homes, cyber cafe chains close, and re-immerge as retail coffee cafe chains. | The Coffee Cafe industry is currently one of the biggest and fastest growing sectors in business. The industry consists of a mix of individual cafes, hotel cafes and retail cafe chains. Individual Cafes: The main bulk of revenue is earned by small, individual cafes, run mostly by families and friends. It is a relatively unorganized sector. There are millions of such cafes around the world, and they provide customers with a homely, casual experience.The bulk of these cafes are mainly in Europe, where every little town or village has local cafes, where people gather together for a conversation over coffee, or just to be alone with their thoughts. These cafe’s have been the birthplace and sanctuary for various creative minds, revolutionaries and thinkers of our time. The most recent example is the author J. K. Rowling, who has written most of the Harry Potter series of books, sitting at her local cafe. These cafes set themselves apart from retail chain cafes and hotel cafes because they provide customers with a homely, classic appeal, which cannot be emulated.Hotel Cafes: Ever since the popularization of coffee, hotels all over the world started opening 24-hour coffee shops where visitors to the hotel could walk in for a cup of coffee and some food at any time. These coffeehouses are extremely important, because they provide international visitors to the hotel with a universal drink- coffee. Any customer can walk into any major hotel in the world, and enter the coffeehouse, and know what to expect. These cafes are not really major players in the coffee cafe industry, but rather provide supplementary services to the hotel industry.Retail Cafe Chains: The last, and the most organized sector in the coffee cafe industry, is the retail cafe chain. Off late, these chains have become extremely popular and a re growing at an ever-increasing pace. These retail chains have work with an organized structure of man, material and money. The work on developing a recognized brand consistent to all their outlets, which customers can easily relate to, wherever they go. They provide customers with a standardized level of service and quality at each of their outlets.The vast popularity of these retail chains is shown in the rapid international growth of brands like Starbucks. Customers can do to any Starbucks across the world and know exactly what to expect. Growth of the Cafe Industry in India: Hot beverages have always been a part of the tradition of India, especially South India. Coffee took the first seat in South India when the traditional Brahmin classes brought down the beverage from the ruling British around the 1930s. During the early years the drink was confined only to traditional rich Brahmin families who served filter coffee in a ‘davra- tumbler’.Coffee is no more confined to the rich Brahmin class now, though the tradition of serving filter coffee in the ‘davra- tumbler’ continues to this day. In order to spread the drink, coffee houses emerged at various places in the country, which also served as the opposite places for lawyers and the educated class to hold discussions ranging from politics to cinema. It is also believed that many scripts and ideas for films evolved here. One of the oldest coffee houses in South India is the Raayars mess, Chennai, which serves first class filter coffee even today.The mess was established in the 1940s and continues the tradition of coffee but supplements it with Tiffin also. The vintage location of the mess attracts huge crowds even today early in the mornings, Coffee however was not the only item on the menu. These places also served food and other drinks to their customers. The drink also became famous and as a result even five star hotels began cashing in on it. Several hotels all over the country started opening coffee- shops that catered to high- end customers. This showed the popularization of coffee cafes, to all sections of society.The drink has now become more of a concept than merely a drink itself. The last decade witnesses the growth of numerous coffee pubs in the country. A number of coffee cafe owners tried to westernize the taste in contrast to the filter coffee. Now, large retail chains like Qwikys, Barista, and Cafe Coffee Day have opened up around the country. The concept of a cafe today is not merely about selling coffee, but about developing a national brand. Retail cafes now form a multi- crore industry in the country, and have huge potential for growth locally, and internationally. Present Coffee production in India (2010):Production: The government’s Coffee Board now pegs MY 2009/10 coffee production at 289,600 tons (4. 83 million bags of 60 kg) tons, which included 94,600 tons Arabica and 195,600 Robusta, lower than the Post-Blossom estimate of 306 ,300 tons, due to adverse weather conditions during bean maturing and harvest stage. Furthermore, rains also reportedly caused some quality problems, particularly in the Arabica variety. Although trade sources initially contested the Coffee Board figure saying that the Board estimate of the crop loss was on the lower side, now they are in agreement with the Board estimate.Some even believe that production could be marginally higher than the Coffee Board estimate, given the current strong export trend. Outlook for the MY 2010/11 crop presents a mixed picture. Although several coffee growing regions have received good pre-blossom and back up showers, rainfall has been poor in some parts of Coorg and Tamil Nadu. High February/March temperatures could affect Robusta production to some extent, although heavy December 2009 rains left enough soil moisture, which may help compensate for the lack of pre-blossom showers.The Coffee Board is expected to release its Post Blossom forecast in late May or early June. Meanwhile, industry sources forecast MY 2010/11 coffee production marginally lower than the MY 2009/10 estimate at around 275,000 tons, which include 175,000 tons of Robusta and 100,000 tons of Arabica. Coffee pests such as white stem borer and berry borer, although not completely eradicated, are under control due to better agronomic practices. Higher coffee price realization during the past three to four years has prompted coffee growers to apply more farm inputs and follow better agronomic practices, supporting higher production.Labor costs, which accounts for almost 65 percent of the coffee cost of cultivation, continue to escalate. With off-farm employment opportunities increasing, coffee planters have started experiencing shortages of skilled labor, which could become a major problem in coming years. Higher price realization for coffee is now helping growers to some extent mitigate the higher labor cost. The Indian government’s National Rural Employme nt Guarantee program and a highly subsidized rice and wheat distribution program have further exacerbated the labor shortage in the plantation sector.Although limited mechanization is taking place in some coffee plantations, large-scale mechanization is difficult in India because of uneven plantings and small sized holdings. Although the coffee planting and bearing area in India has generally shown an upward trend, mostly due to some expansion of coffee cultivation in non-traditional states such as Andhra Pradesh and Orissa, coffee production, especially Arabica, has been declining due to diminishing yields (Fig 1a & 1b).Coffee productivity in the non-traditional areas, mostly Arabica coffee, is reported to be much lower than in the traditional belt, which pulls down overall yield. To contain the white stem borer menace, there was some uprooting of infected trees and replanting with new stock in the Arabica belt supported by the Coffee Board. These replanted trees are yet to reach b earing stage. According to industry sources, India’s coffee production will stabilize at around 300,000 tons once the replanted trees come into full bearing.A significant share of low quality domestic Robusta coffee and some imported low priced coffee (for re-exports) goes into the production of instant/soluble coffee. This segment is almost entirely branded and packaged, and is dominated by multinationals such as Nestle and Unilever, and the Indian conglomerate Tata Group. In recent years a few other Indian companies have made a foray into this segment with some success. Although instant coffee production capacity is increasing, actual production is estimated to be around 45,000 tons (120,000 tons on green coffee basis).Organic coffee production is miniscule at around 300 tons due to lower yields and the absence of a significant premium over non-organic coffee. Out of 220,000 coffee holdings in the country, 218,000 holdings belong to small farmers having less than 10 hectare s, which account for 70 percent of coffee production. Coffee cultivation is mainly confined to southern states of Karnataka (70%), Kerala (20%) and Tamil Nadu (7%). With a view to expand coffee cultivation, the Coffee Board has been implementing developmental programs for coffee development in the North Eastern Region and Non Traditional areas.During the 11th Five Year Plan, the Coffee Board had proposed to support a coffee expansion program taken up by the Integrated Tribal Development Agency on 24,000 ha in Andhra Pradesh and on 850 ha in the North Eastern Region. Indian Coffee Marketing System Indian coffee producers have three ways to market their coffee: (a) sell directly to exporters through an exporting agent, (b) hold it in a curing factory before selling it; (c) sell it at voluntary auctions. Smallholders, who dominate the Indian coffee scenario, mostly sell their parchment coffee (or dry cherry) to exporters through exporting agents.The agent takes the coffee beans to the curing factory, where they are checked for quality which must meet the exporters’ standards. The second method allows the coffee grower to store the coffee with the curer before selling it in order to speculate on price movements. Under the third method adopted mostly by large producers, coffee is sold at a voluntary auction, organized by the Indian Coffee Traders’ Association. In this case, the producer takes the coffee to the curing factory and stores the green beans in the auction warehouses, sending a sample for auction.Consumption: According to the Indian Coffee Board, domestic coffee consumption is increasing 5 to 6 percent annually, partly due to expansion of the coffee cafe culture and the spread of the coffee drinking habit throughout India, even into non-traditional coffee drinking regions in the north. The concerted efforts of the Coffee Board and coffee marketers in promoting the beverage as a lifestyle drink via coffee cafes and vending machines has added more visibility to coffee.According to a survey sponsored by the Indian Coffee Board, coffee consumption in 2008 is estimated at 94,400 tons, 73 percent in urban areas and 27 percent in rural areas (south India). Based on this, coffee consumption in 2009 is estimated by the Board at 97,000 tons and in 2010 at 100,000 tons. Trade sources are, however, skeptical about the Coffee Board’s high consumption figure. According to them, production, supply and distribution fundamentals do not support such high consumption figures.According to them, a significant quantity of chicory is blended with coffee, particularly in the soluble coffee segments, which tends to amplify the coffee consumption figures. According to some sources the amount of chicory going into the coffee blend is as high as 25,000 tons, which tends to over-estimate actual coffee consumption. The indicative Bangalore wholesale price of Arabica Plantation â€Å"A† averaged Rs. 203 per kg in 2009 ($2 per pound), a nd Robusta Cherry â€Å"AB† averaged Rs. 96 per kg (98 cents per pound), compared with the 2008 average price of Rs. 146 per kg for Arabica and Rs. 110 per kg for Robusta.The retail price of pure grind coffee (Arabica plantation) in major southern cities averaged around Rs. 270 per kilogram ($2. 75 per pound), a 17 percent increase over a year ago price. ($1= Rs. 44. 50). Farm gate price for Arabica parchment registered a 30 percent increase in CY 2009 but the increase was much lower or even negative in the case of Arabica cherry and Robusta parchment and cherry. India’s Growing Coffee Cafe’ Culture Although tea is the main drink of choice in India, now hundreds of trendy western-influenced coffee bars have emerged across India in Tier I and Tier II cities.The bean has become big business, so large that it now competes against the once dominant tea on menus everywhere. For coffee fans, India offers a few notable coffee bar chains. The significant growth in the n umber of coffee retail chains in India is due to the changing lifestyle patterns of Indian middle class families and an increase in their disposable income. Although the coffee bars’ contribution to India’s total coffee consumption may not be significant, these coffee cafes have added more visibility to coffee and opened up an outlet for various value added food items.Barista Lavazza :One of India's largest franchised chains of coffee bars, the Barista Lavazza coffee company operates around 205 outlets across India – 15 creme lounges and the rest espresso coffee bars. It plans to open 300 new stores over the next three years and has begun aggressively marketing its products outside Indian borders into neighboring countries. Considered the Starbucks of the East, Barista offers many of the same menu items like espresso, lattes, cappuccino and various pastries, in addition to basic coffee.Despite being Indian, Barista sticks closely to its Italian roots by serving Italian coffees exclusively. (www. barista. co. in), Cafe Coffee Day A later entrant than Barista, Cafe Coffee Day (CCD) offers nearly everything coffee-related, from take-home products and equipment to fully operational stores. Since the grand opening of the first store in Bangalore in 1996, Cafe Coffee Day has grown to become India's largest coffee retailer, with exports into Europe and the Middle East. Like Barista Lavazza, CCD tends to be in every major Indian metro area. Cafe Coffee Day currently has 810 outlets in over 100 cities.Costa Coffee The British influence isn't entirely missing from Indian cities, as the UK's largest coffee retailer has been setting up shops alongside other coffee competitors. The London-based Costa Coffee Company specializes in imported Italian coffees and made-to-order coffee concoctions like risteretto (a coffee stronger than espresso) and â€Å"Flat Whites† that feature custom barista designs in the froth. Qwiky’s Coffee Pub The coff ee house offers about 101 varieties of coffee, serving drinks such as espressos, lattes, cappuccinos, mochas, americanos and friazzos. It also offers grilled sandwiches, pastries and ice creams.Qwiky's clothing brand, greeting cards, magazines, books and coffee mugs are also available. | | Trade: Assuming a better than normal production this year, MY 2010/11 coffee exports are forecast at 200,000 tons, marginally lower than the MY 2009/10 estimate of 210,000 tons. Although export permits issued in MY 2009/10 through March 2010 were ahead of last year, the recent steep appreciation of the India rupee against the U. S. dollar is making exports less competitive. Coffee exports in MY 2008/09 were around 175,000 tons, 20 percent down from the MY 2007/08 exports of 220,000 tons because of reduced exportable surplus and igh domestic prices vis-a-vis global prices. On a calendar year basis, India’s coffee exports in CY 2009 were 189,000 tons compared with 213,000 tons in CY 2008. Ita ly, Russia, Germany, Belgium, Spain, and Finland account for almost 55 percent of total exports. Exports to the U. S. in CY 2009 were around 3,300 tons up from 2,500 tons in CY 2008. India imports small quantities of low-priced coffee, mostly from Indonesia, Uganda, Vietnam, and Ivory Coast, for value addition and re-exports. Such imports in IFY 2007/08 were around 27,000 tons and 29,000 tons in IFY 2008/09.The Perfect Espresso 1. The taste of your coffee will be directly affected by the amount of coffee you dispense into the handle; Single handle: One complete pull 7g No more – no less Double handle: Two complete pulls 14g No more – no less 2. Tamp the coffee. Hold the handle in your left hand, tamp with your right hand. As you tamp give the handle a good hard twist left – to – right to ensure a solid pack. 3. Wipe the excess grounds from the rim of the handle. Note: This will ensure that you don’t have coffee grounds build up on the rubber seal i n the brewing head.Over time this build up will cause grounds to leak into the coffee drink you are preparing. 4. Brew the espresso into a demi tasse. The correct brewing time for an espresso is 20 – 25 seconds. About The Barista: Background, Market Entry ; Growth Barista coffee was established in 1999 with the aim of identifying growth opportunities in the coffee business. Increasing disposable incomes and global trends in coffee indicate immense growth potential in one particular segment. More significantly, they believe they have been quick to spot a latent need waiting to be trapped: Coffee lovers seek a complete experience.One that combines intelligent positioning with the right product mix and carefully designed cafes. In other words, customers seek an â€Å"experiential lifestyle brand†. As of today, Barista exists in over 22 cities, and operates over 140 outlets nationally. In the last 2 years, Barista has opened over 100 outlets in the country and with a new o utlet opening nationally every 14 dates; Barista is currently experiencing phenomenal growth. With outlets opening in Sri Lanka and Dubai, Barista is looking at potential growth opportunities in Asia, making it highly competitive international brand. Product SourcesBarista sources its coffee beans from around the world, but a major supplier is TATA Coffee, part of the TATA Group that owns a large stake- holding in Barista. These coffee beans are then sent to Venice, Italy where they are roasted into a blend exclusively for Barista. The food and desserts at Barista is exclusively catered to by the Taj, who ensures a high standard of quality with all its products. Barista also sells merchandise through its store, all of which is imported. The merchandise accounts for nearly 1/6th of Barista’s overall sales. Quality Sources Barista has a check on the quality of its products every 14 days.Barista also incorporates TQM at its headquarters in Delhi. Since Delhi is the base for all its distribution, quality control measures are adopted there to avoid any poor quality products being distributed. Serving Size The serving size of a product is a measure, not only of quantity, but also of value for money. The average serving size for Barista’s main product categories is detailed in Table given below: Product Serving Size Smoothies | 240 ml/ 300 ml| Cold Coffee | 340 ml| Hot Coffee (2 kinds) | 300 ml| Granitas | 340 ml| Pricing: Barista has a ‘Skim Pricing Policy’. They began with a higher price, and skimmed the cream for the market.With the sudden spurt of growth in number of outlets, came the benefits of economies of scale. Because of this, they have been able to gradually lower their prices, and appeal to different segments of their target market. Currently, their prices are the lowest they have ever been, and they can competitively match their prices against Cafe Coffee Day’s prices. The prices are constantly changing though, and the l ast 1-year has seen 3 changes (mostly reductions) in prices. This gradual price reduction meant that Barista could maintain its profit- maximization policy until it could earn large cost savings because of the benefits of high volume.The main factors that affect their pricing are their cost of goods sold. The costs are quite high because imports a majority of its products and product- sources. Process: The order and delivery process at Barista is based on self- service, where a customer goes up to the counter to place his order, and goes back to the counter to pick his delivery once it is prepared. Positioning: Consumer Profile: According to research, over 65% of Barista’s customers are in the 15- 30 age- group. The majority of these are students and young urban professionals. Brand Image:Barista positions itself as a brand for anyone who loves coffee. Their products, services and outlets are more like the traditional European cafes, where people would meet for the love of co ffee, and for an intellectual appealing time. They position their outlets as a place â€Å"where the world meets†, and they look to appeal to anyone in the 14- 60 age group that loves good coffee and looks for a nice quiet time. * Products: Barista’s product mix constitutes a wide range of products that appeal primarily to traditional coffee lovers. Their products themselves are traditional products with traditional names.Food items like croissant, pastas, and sandwiches are complimentary to their coffee, and project a very classic image of Barista. Their merchandising also consists of primarily coffee related products like coffee beans, coffee machines, etc. * Prices: Considering that Barista is trying to target a market whose age range is between 18 and 60 years, a pricing policy appealing to this segment is difficult. Extremely low prices act as a deterrent to some customers who might regard it as an indicator or quality, while very high prices cannot be afforded by most of the youth.But since Barista’s current consumer profile is quite young, their prices are mostly inexpensive, brand at par with their competitors. * People: The people at Barista are characteristically trained to be Pleasant, Polite and Positive. They ensure you have a quiet, uninterrupted visit and provide an escape from the daily pressures of life. Their uniforms are in sober shades of brown and orange, and contribute to the overall laid-back feeling of the cafe. * Logo, Colors, Images: Barista, since the beginning has looked to use colors in its cafe interiors, logos and images; to project a â€Å"warm, earth glow, synonymous with coffee†.Barista uses shades of Orange ; Brown to good effect to promote its â€Å"laid- back† atmosphere. The logo is a combination of Brown, Orange and Light Yellow; with the word â€Å"Barista† written in an upward curve, and the word â€Å"Coffee† underneath. A simple logo that perfectly expresses Baristaâ₠¬â„¢s brand image: A traditional cafe for coffee lovers. * Decor and Architecture: Barista’s internal decor and architecture expresses the simplicity you would normally associate with traditional cafes. The furniture is made of light shades of wood, and there are comfortable sofas in bigger cafes.The walls are shades of orange, with various photographs of the love for coffee spread around each outlet. * Literature: The literature provided by Barista is indicative of its brand image. The menus, posters, pamphlets are all traditionally designed, with a classic and simple look. One aspect of particular note is their magazine, which is privately circulated in the cafes. The magazine encourages customers write, draw, make etc anything creative; and this is then published in the magazine. The magazine not only provides an avenue for advertising, but also an opportunity for Barista to express its brand image. * Place:Barista looks to cater to their target market with strategically l ocated outlets. Their outlets are generally located at High Street/ Family Entertainment Centers. Considering their generic appeal, there are Barista outlets in and around Malls, Cinemas, Colleges, and Offices etc. this endorses their brand image of a cafe that appeals to coffee lovers of all ages. * Promotions: Barista currently carries out mass promotion campaigns. This is mainly in the form of promotions in the Press, TV and Radio Medias. At present, they do not rely heavily on advertising, but rely more on sponsorships and strategic alliances with other corporations.Barista also takes part in various sales promotion activities to help increase sales at their outlets. * Sponsorships: Barista sponsors various events and festivals, which provides them valuable promotion directed at strategic markets. The sponsorships are mainly in kind, although major events are sponsored in cash also. * Collaborations: Barista has entered into special collaborations and alliances with various part ners for co- marketing brands. For example, Barista entered into a deal with Leo Mattel toys to provide the popular board game Scrabble at every Barista outlet across the country.This is an ideal alliance for both the organizations, because it provides Leo Mattel with an important avenue for promoting their product, and it provides Barista’s customers an added attraction for spending more time at Barista outlets. Barista has also entered into partnerships with various movies, for promotions through Barista, and recently, they tied up with Star World for its â€Å"Absolutely Everybody† campaign. * Sales Promotion: Barista uses a special â€Å"Barista Coffee Card† for its sales promotion activities. The Barista Coffee Card entitles you to one complimentary hot beverage when you are done sipping seven.It is available to all Barista coffee regulars. No membership fees, no references required. Fill out the card and you are a member. As a Coffee Card holder, you earn one stamp on the card every time you purchase a beverage. Simply present the card to the cashier when you place your order at any of their outlets. Once you have collected seven stamps, you can hand over the card to receive your complimentary hot beverage. Barista hopes this card can help drive sales growth, and increase customer retention. * Distribution: Distribution of outlets Every Barista outlet is owned by the company, and not franchised out to anyone.Barista can thus control and make quick changes to its entire retail chain. Barista currently operates in over 120 outlets all over the country, and at their current rate, they are opening a new outlet approximately every 10 days. They have a market presence in over 20 cities. Mumbai alone has over 30 outlets, and the number of outlets in the city is increasing at a phenomenal pace. Barista has a thumb rule for selecting cities and locations for the distribution of outlets. Location: This is a prime factor in determining the succ ess of a retail chain.However, Barista Coffee has adopted a top down approach, wherein they first identify the cities and then decide on precise locations within its limits. Selecting a city: Barista has devoted substantial management time and effort in zeroing in on the cities where they are now situated. The selection of the cities was based on the following criteria. * Sizeable population of executives, students and families in SEC A ; Barista category; * High disposable income with people looking for new vistas in leisure and lifestyle oriented concepts; * High level or organized retail activity; Rapid socio- economic development; * Level of commercial importance (Industrial cities, state capitals etc. ) * Number of educational establishments and opportunities available for employment. On the basis of the above criteria, they had initially targeted cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad. Chandigarh and Ludhiana were later added due to tie- ups with ‘Pl anet M’ and ‘Ebony’ to set up store-in- stores at their outlets. They are also pursuing an equally aggressive international business expansion strategy. They have over 50 overseas locations presently under their consideration.They have already done their groundwork in terms of getting brand and name registrations in over 30 of these locations. To facilitate their global expansion, they plan to work with strategic partners, who share the same vision of expanding and promoting the brand worldwide. Currently they have opened new outlets in Sri Lanka and Dubai as a part of their international strategy. Barista acquired by Lavazza: Lavazza Group signed an agreement with Sterling Infotech Group to acquire Barista Coffee Company Limited and Fresh ; Honest Cafe Limited.Barista is the second-largest Indian coffee shop chain in terms of outlets, with 150 coffee shops of which 132 in India mainly located in the capital city of New Delhi, in Mumbai and Bangalore. The transac tion was carried out based on a precise development strategy that will lead to the opening of 400 outlets by 2010. This target will be achieved leveraging on the excellent premium positioning and importance currently reached by Barista on the Indian market. Fresh ; Honest Cafe focuses on the vending business, specifically on office coffee service, and is the leading company in the bean-to-cup segment (high quality bean product).With an extensive footprint in over 22 Indian cities, Fresh ; Honest Cafe supplies an average of 300,000 cups of coffee per day, equal to about 800 tons of coffee per year. The company is expanding rapidly and has a production site in the southern region of India. Among its customers, it counts the most prestigious hotel chains in India. â€Å"The acquisition is part of our strategy aimed at expanding our operations in markets with a high development rate and a high growth potential, through a careful policy of acquisitions and alliances,† stated Alber to Lavazza, Vice President and CEO of the Group. This ambitious policy has a strong economic impact due to the importance of this transaction, but it also has a significant impact in terms of international expansion and development of our brand†. Through this transaction, signed by Lavazza, assisted by Lazard, Lavazza Group becomes one of the leading players in India in the premium coffee sector, thus strengthening also its position as a worldwide player. The total investment for the acquisition and commercial development of the two companies in India is estimated to be approximately â‚ ¬100 million over the next three years. We are delighted to enter the rapidly growing Indian market through Barista and FHCL. The Agreement fits in well with our strategy to grow in markets with high development potential. In this respect we are proud to enter India with such a significant acquisition, which allows us to take a leading position in coffee shops and in the away from home marke t in line with Lavazza culture, we will take forward our values; which are attention to consumer needs and a passion for high quality coffee. † added Alberto Lavazza.Besides investing in the very interesting Indian coffee market, Lavazza is also monitoring other emerging markets for potential future investments. Distribution of Stock The distribution of stock at Barista begins from the coffee beans being sent abroad for roasting. The roasting takes place in Venice, and the beans are then supplied to the main warehouse in Delhi. Stock is then distributed to the various Regional Warehouses, and then to the local Warehouses. The outlets get their stock from the Local Warehouses. Barista uses a Re-Order Level system for the distribution of their stock.Barista out sources its transportation needs from external organizations, and currently uses trucks as the preferred means of distribution. Case analysis of barista coffee: Swot analysis of the company: * Strength: * Good customer re lation * Faster delivery * HR are key assets * Wide choice for coffee * Weakness: * Expensive brand perception * Very few stores * Opportunity: * Can introduce cheaper coffee. * Can go to smaller town and cities. * Can diversify into tea segment * Threat: * Competition from the existing coffee chains and outlets. Effects of Govt. commodity price. * Identify problem(case analysis) 1) Strategy of company was not proper for that reason company making loss and 10 non-performing outlet was close in 2005. 2) Price of coffee was very lower as compare to providing their service and cost of product * Establish the problem 1) Barista wanted to tread cautiously this time. It had faced several problem later on as a fall out of it’s the earlier strategy that hinged on achieving rapid growth and driving first mover advantage by opening as many outlets as possible in key cities.It opened 75 outlets within the first two years of operation, where as its competitors, CCD acted much cautiously initially and had set only 18 cafes in its first five years. In 2005, barista was forced to close 10 non- performing outlets. This outlets was not able generate enough profit. Strategy for expansion of barista was not proper for that reason company was making loss and also faced many problem in this business like closing the outlets. 2) They are targeting upper middle class and upper class people and they are also providing best service and product but pricing policy was not good nough as per services and product quality. Upper class people also ready to pay higher price for coffee due to services and quality. Company need to increase price of coffee so, company can overcome from losses. * Generate alternative 1) Make proper strategy and avoid rapid growth. 2) Increase the price of product. * Evaluate the Alternative 1) For the rapid expansion of business they were not focusing on strategy and weaknesses of company. Company was opened many outlets in first two year but this outlet w as not able to generate enough profit. So, company need to make proper strategy and avoid rapid growth. ) Price of company is very lower as compare to services and product. So company wants to increase the price of coffee. * Priorities Alternatives 1) Make proper strategy and avoid rapid growth. 2) Increase the price of product. * Learning from the case * We learn from this case is how to expand business and how to run business. We are know somewhat about the company and we also learn about the company’s various strategy. Company had also know the consumer behavior for its product so we are atleast understand something about the consumer behavior.We are knew from the case that how consumer behavior affect to the company’s product. * We had also learn about various models for consumer behavior and how that affect to the consumer behavior. Barista Coffee case QUESTIONS – ANSWERS 1. Was the current pricing and product mix strategy right one? Ans-The pricing strateg y for Barista was somewhat different than others. The high pricing strategy was adopted by Barista by high product quality. The product price generally depends on the quality of the product. The eight steps followed in the procedure of making Barista Coffee by the brew masters.The people who involved in the procedure to make the coffee are known as brew masters. So the main aspect to see the pricing strategy is to compare the quality of products of Barista and the services provided by the company. So let we see some of the key factors which influence to the high prices of Barista Products. * The product of Barista i. e. coffee is passing through eight processes in which the customers get the extra- ordinary quality as well as services by the Barista outlets in each and every places. The customers which targeted by Barista was the high class people but the number of prospected customers was very less. Because of this reason we can say that the pricing of the product was the excellent due to which the customers remains same and price do not affect a lot. * Competition in the market was high but the services and the product quality was the uniqueness of the company. So they cannot give the franchise to the other owners of the places instead of putting the outlets. So, the pricing strategy of the Barista was right one according to segmentation adopted by them and services provided to the customers.Product mix strategy was the one of different strategy adopted by Barista to serve the customers by providing different kind of coffee making system and high pricing strategy. The products of the barista are as under: * El Salvador: A sweet tasting Rain Fores bean sourced from the Las Zerro Ranas plantation. We developed this brew at the request of a leading investment bank that was looking for the ultimate coffee, where it won out in a blind taste test over the â€Å"big name â€Å"brands. This may be our best coffee yet! Costa Rican Tarrazu: This coffee comes from th e Tarrazu region south of San Jose. It is prized for its high acidity, excellent body, and full complex flavor. * Guatemalan: Certified Organic: Grown at high altitudes without pesticides or manufactured fertilizers. If offers a distinctively sweet, smoky personality which distinguishes it from other prized coffees from Central America. Our CEO’s favorite! Sumatra Mandheling: Of the world’s finest coffees this is arguably the most admired. Gentle, with a long finish, its richness and complexity makes it the ideal coffee to take with cream.From the central part of northern Sumatra, one of the Indonesian islands, this wonderful, very intense coffee is highly desirable. In the cup this coffee possesses a heavy, full body, concentrated spicy, earthy and robust taste with an herbal aroma, all with little acidity. * Swiss Water Decaffeinated Colombian (X11) High grade â€Å"European prepped† Colombian coffees are put through a patented Swiss Water wash to remove 98% o f the caffeine, while leaving all the taste and aroma you expect from a fine cup of coffee. 42/2oz bags per case. * Mocha Java: A blend of Ethiopian and Indonesian Java coffees, often referred to as the Original Blend.Full bodied, with spicy overtones, roasted medium dark for a truly distinctive character. * Kenyan Blend: Known for their intense aroma of lush, ripe blackberries these larger than average beans produce a full bodied coffee; dry and winey, rich and lively. We blend them in a 2:1 ratio with fine Colombian Excelso to produce an excellent blend that is brightly acidic with no bitterness. 42/2oz bags per case. * Kenya AA: Probably Africa’s finest; has a full body, delicate acidity, smooth winey flavor and aroma with a dry winey aftertaste. Very popular with coffee aficionados. Kona Style: A distinctive blend of Arabica coffees that captures the light body, sweetness and balanced flavor that Hawaiian Kona is famous for. * French Roast: A fine blend of high grown Arab ica coffees brought to a high roast. its computer controlled roasting process is able to achieve a smooth bold taste without crossing the fine line to burnt. * Three Bean Reserve: The perfect balance of three distinctive estate grown coffees whose tastes complement each other when blended. The lush, winey Kenyan, spicy Guatemalan and the full bodied Colombian Supermom provide the ultimate cup of coffee.These are some of the examples of the coffee product of the company. The prices were charge almost double then the competitors and the services and the products also given with the high quality than others. So in that way we can say the pricing product mix strategy was quiet good and right one. 2. Should it go for premium prices or should it focus on affordability? The existing products provided by Barista to the customers and the pricing state that the people who are interested in this type of coffee product are the found of it.The eight step quality model also used by the company an d it has not given any franchise yet to focus on the service and products which was special for the customers. Moreover the profit of the company was in negative term i. e. it made loss so the by going affordable prices the company may occur more loss. The uniqueness of the company was the high service with high quality products with the experienced memory and for the customers. It may happen that in future the growth of the people with respect to standard of living increases so the no. of prospected customers will go up.In this way the company need to focus on go for premium prices instead of affordability prices. 3. What should be the best way to drive the expansion? Ans-Currently company is making loss as stated in the case itself. So the main area to focus on is the price and the targeted people of the products of Barista. Already barista has the second largest maximum number of outclasses across the globe. But the competitor like CCD and Starbucks entering in to the market and taking share of the market so the possibility of expansion is very less but it need to focus on existing one. The company need to focus on the following ways for expansion. The focus must be give the priority to the existing outlets * It need to focus on the coffee products rather than the service because 70% of the revenue generated by Barista coffee products. * So it not need to expand the outlets but it can expand the existing product portfolio in the uncovered region where the opportunity exist in the market. 4. Should it go for expansion through company owned outlets or should adopt the franchise rout? Ans-The total number of outlets are 106 which already owned by the company and the coffee preparation and the services provided by the company is arvelous. In the increasing completion and the quality, services and considering all other aspects like infrastructure, coffee makers, places and preferences of the customers it need not to expand through franchise instead of expansion by outlets. Thus focus on the existing and maintaining the quality with learning experience enjoying to having coffee by the customers are basic focus area of need to expand the markets. 5. Should Barista enter overseas markets? Ans-Barista need not go for overseas market because of some reasons as stated below: * Competition of foreign markets Rapid growth in the living standard of the Indian people. * Existence of the current outlets in India * Product mix and the pricing are difficult to maintain in going to the overseas markets is very difficult. Moreover if company wants to enter in to the overseas market then it is possible that the company need to give franchisee and decentralization. So it will lose the quality and service of experience learning of the customers. In this way the treat can be come up with the difficulty for to manage the outlets across the globe. Bibliograohy 1) www. indiacoffee. org/advertisement/rainfall-21-2-08. html 2) www. offeeday. com 3) www. barista. co. in 4) www. iipmthinktank. com/functions/marketing/compartive. pdf 5) http://www. superbrandsindia. com/images/brand_pdf/consumer_3rd_edition/Barista%20Lavazza. pdf 6) http://www. edynamic. net/upload/pdf/Barista%20PR. pdf 7) http://www. indiaprwire. com/pressrelease/food/2011082495762. pdf 8) http://www. barista. lk/media/image/corporate_profile. pdf 9) http://cms. colorstv. in/files/media-center/ff_150909. pdf 10) http://www. pinelabs. com/images/March_Newsletter. pdf 11) http://www. worldbaristachampionship. com/documents/WBC_Event_Hosting_Guideline

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Accounting-Pest Analysis-Political Essay

PEST Analysis Political The international IT and electronics industries have been characterized with intensive competition. Electronics and IT companies are constantly reviewing their achievements as well as the competitors’ in order to come up with better business strategies in an effort to best all other existing industry rivals. With the merger and acquisition strategy between HP and Compaq, members of the IT and electronics industry all over the world were threatened with the intensified effort that could result from the integration. Others were surprised because mergers and acquisition strategies may also result to negative implications on the part of the merging companies particularly when differences in the context of strategies, culture and goals fail to be fully integrated. Economic For HP and Compaq, the merger will increase the competitiveness of the previously independent companies in order to outdo the achievements of highly aggressive competitors. Both HP and Compaq sought means to add value to their existing products and services in order to increase the level of satisfaction among their clients and customers which were made possible through the merger. Once satisfaction levels among clients and customers are met, HP-Compaq expect better economic competitiveness within the international IT and electronics industry. Social The existing companies have been on guard when it comes to new market trends, new market opportunities, new customer bases, and technological infrastructure available for utilization. The merger between HP and Compaq will most likely result to better social activities as sponsored by the merged companies. Social and civic activities that were previously independently supported by HP and Compaq will be carried out in new perspective due mostly to the fact that the merger could expose unexpected factors that could make the new company unstable. Technological One of the primary reasons for the merger of HP and Compaq are the companies’ drive towards innovation and development in their products and services. The merger enabled relatively stronger research and development efforts for the  benefit of the new company since it is now characterized with more intensive concerns to come up with IT products and services that will cater to existing as well as new clients and customers thereby increasing the companies’ consumer bases. At present the electronics products of HP have been observed to undergone evolution with the support facilities which were made available by Compaq. Five Forces Analysis Suppliers The merger resulted to review and assessment of the existing suppliers of both HP and Compaq since the integration strategy implied the relatively fewer contracts between companies that provide similar services and raw materials to HP and Compaq. However, the integration likewise resulted to innovation in technology which necessitated new contracts with suppliers that can provide the new services and raw materials needed by HP-Compaq as a single corporation. Buyers With the promised added value on the products and services of the HP-Compaq merger, clients and customers of the company could expect new and better product lines and service offers as one of the primary objectives of the integration strategy. Buyer power will be intensified in this respect since the HP-Compaq will be offering new electronics products and services in order to set new market trends in the international IT and electronics industry. Competitors Competitors of HP and Compaq were somehow divided when it comes to the overall implications of the merger to the international IT and electronics industry. There are those who believe that the merger will result to the continuous weakening of both companies compared to their other stronger competitors in the international IT and electronics industries. While some believe otherwise due to the increased capability of HP and Compaq as a single operating company to build up and strengthen the market positions in the future years that will come. Substitutes Substitute products and services are increasing within the international IT and electronics industry which contributed to the integration decision  between HP and Compaq. With the conglomerate efforts between the new HP-Compaq corporation, it is expected the substitute products and services that competes with the provisions and offers of HP-Compaq will be lessen due to better production and manufacturing processes and technological infrastructures that cannot be afforded by small rival companies. New Entrants New entrant in the electronics and IT industries are confronted with relatively more difficult entry to the international market due primarily to highly aggressive competition between and among large corporations. It is common knowledge that business operations and facilities that characterize both the international IT and Electronics industries are very expensive and sophisticated. Such factors serve as strong barriers of entry to the industries where HP-Compaq belongs. SWOT Analysis Strengths The merger between HP and Compaq will increase the companies’ competitiveness when it comes to the possible new product lines and services that they will offer as a single company to the clients and customers. The integration strategy likewise resulted fewer market competition within the context of large international corporations that also belong to the international IT and electronics industry. Costs will be reduced as expenditures in business operations such as manufacturing and production are now handled and managed as a single proprietorship. The research and development arm of HP and Compaq can now work together as single company with similar technological and economic goals. Weaknesses The integration strategy between HP and Compaq, on the other hand, resulted to the need to lay off thousands of employees since their services will be no longer needed particularly those who have similar functions. Cultural integration within the workplace is also a serious issue since HP and Compaq are composed of different individuals and employees who are used to different working environments as well as career expectations. The Human resource department will be confronted with problems and issues regarding the new members of the company’s workforce. Technical operations will also  experience drawbacks from the changes that will transpire within the business processes of the company. Opportunities The issues and problems that may result from the merger in terms of workforce differences can be perceived as an avenue fro improvement when it comes to workplace culture of the company. The management should be able to device means to exhaust diverse knowledge and skills that characterize the members of the company’s labor force. Operations should likewise be restructured and reengineered in order to come up with better manufacturing and production processes that take into account efficiency and product quality. Threats The failure of the merger strategy is also possible if HP and Compaq are not able to resolve issues caused by differing workplace cultures. The vulnerability of the merged company is likewise exposed since it is only a couple of years since the merger contract was signed. There is still so much to do for the full implementation of the merger strategy and existing competitors will aggressively take the opportunity of the changes that transpired within the new HP-Compaq company. Both internal and external factors may contribute to the challenges and difficulties that HP-Compaq will experience in the future in the effort to succeed in the international market competition. Strengths Hewlett-Packard’s primary strength is its business position. The enterprise has a large amount of cash in hand about $10 billion. Hewlett-Packard is a global enterprise and especially after its merger with Compaq, the company became world’s biggest computer hardware and peripherals consort in the world and has ranked 20th in the Fortune 500 list. Hewlett Packard is operating in more than 170 countries including both developed as well as under-developed. Being a global dealer of computer hardware, it gives HP many advantages like dominating printers market, both laser and inkjet. The company attracts and focuses on consumers from even newly found markets all around the world, multinational corporations, non-governmental organizations etc. The company compete both at local and international level. It has increased its competitiveness through policies and strategies that supports free-market economies. This is one of the reasons that make HP a leading  supplier in the growing IT markets. Hewlett Packard is said to have a complete product port folio. Weaknesses The company was in a long term debt for many years which kept it from investing in different growth opportunities. A major problem and complaint about the hardware supplies of HP is its touch pads. The touch pads of the notebooks of Hewlett Packard like the dv series, dm3, and Envy lines needs improvement. These touch pads are either finicky, unreliable, or are difficult to use because of friction. The mouse buttons on various HP supplied machines are said to be clumsy to use, too. Poor shelling life of HP products plagued some mainstream systems and net books. When it comes to Software that HP provides there are also some weaknesses. Some heavy software’s were paired with slow hardware like Touch Smart. The past acquisition of Peregrine made the HP’s portfolio even more diverse and complete but HP Open View’s lack of mainframe management capabilities created several problems. Another weakness was that it did not yet hit a CMDB product that includes discovery and mapping. This cause many customers to switch the brand. Opportunities The recent acquisition of EDS puts HP at a strong position in the computer market and makes it portfolio more impressive. Hewlett-Packard was able to generate large number of revenues and profits from its different deals and raised more than six billion which it can use to pay off its debts as well as invest in different research and development activities. If the products by the company are supplied at reasonable prices, there will be more chances of growth as the demand would increase. The company has formed Customer Solutions Group that helps in selling the complete IT solutions, products and services by HP. Threats Operating in global market means many competitors and therefore, the company has to be at the forefront of changing technologies as well as addressing the changing customer demands and needs. The global economic recession is also a threat for the company’s sales and profits. The prices have also fallen as the stock markets are at historic low positions. Many other competitors including Dell are entering the printer business whereas IBM has  become a market leader.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Gone Country

We have read many essays pertaining to identity over the course of this semester. The essay that I believe truly focuses on this subject is "Gone Country". Our personalities are often associated with what music we listen to. The essay "Gone Country", discuss what makes up the personality of someone who listens to country music. People express identity in many different ways; music is just one-way to show someone's characteristics, as well as individuality. In Gone Country, the author takes country music and shows how it often has an effect on the people who listen to it. I do not agree with the credibility of the points that are expressed in the article, such as "country fans are more educated than both adult contemporary or rock audiences"(p. 423). Saying that someone who listens to country music is more educated than someone who listens to a different type of music is absurd. What they don't take into consideration is the age of the people who listen to country music. They say it themselves in the article, "These musicians-smarter, hipper; their fans-older, wiser" (p. 424). Of course the country fans are going to be wiser if the majority of their fans are between the ages of 30-50. Saying that country artists are smarter than rock artists is a falsehood. There is no way you can say someone is smarter, due to the fact they perform a certain type of music. I enjoy listening to many different types of music, particularly rock music. I think music plays a part in everyone's life, and also reflects a person's identity. When I listen to music I like to read the lyrics to figure out what message the artist is trying to relay to their listener. My favorite band is tool. Their music would be put into the hard rock category. One song they sing that I can really relate to is slip away. Maynard, the lead singer starts this powerful song by talking about how a break up leaves him cracked and drags h

Monday, November 4, 2019

Marketing Research Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Marketing Research - Assignment Example It is also important that we understand that through awareness will improve on the public image of the company. Distribution research is also important in this type of strategy for Market share is important. In as much as the firm may understand the different types of brand that companies need best distribution channels assist in how the goods reach the customer in a very accessible manner. One strategy for business is how to keep inventory for the customers and how to reach the final destinations. By solving this challenge this can give Samsonite a very high advantage against its competitors. Samsonite should also include the pricing research as this is important to find the best mark up to charge their goods for having unrealistic charges can discourage customers from buying their favorite products. The financial aspect for any business is very important as this will make it possible for people to afford the products and finally lead to expansion of market share. 2) International marketing is the best strategy for Tim parker Merchandise. An international luggage company bag it requires a wider scope of people to view the product. The people with interest in travelling will lead the business to growth as this is of importance to ensure visibility of the product. The expert in sales has always suggested that there is a relation in sales and visibility. They suggest when one views something there is the chances of buying the product. It is likely that there are also campaigns of showing how reliable the product is. There are many products in this industry and the only important thing is to ensure that there is more campaign so that it can stand out. Marketing is one of the most component thing in this century is awareness and letting your competitors understand what makes your brand tick. It is always encouraging and it should not be assumed as blowing

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Supply chain management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

Supply chain management - Essay Example The supply chain is defined as the activities linked with the movement and alteration of commodities from the lowest stage to the consumer’s stage. Supply chain does not have much difference hence this made the organizations start the tendency of depending fully on suppliers to enable them execute their duties efficiently. However, any organization can fit to be part of supply chain. Supply chain management needs a clear management hard work by the involved organizations in supply chain. For supply chain management to be successful, the companies involved must implement on the enterprise-to-enterprise perception (Mentzer, 2001). Top management is the most significant constituents when one or many companies is attempting to inject a new idea in the market, for example, a new product or a program. Because top management are essential in SCM and they have the ability to identify crucial resources that fit supply chain ventures, due to these, the company has the power to restructure and create policies to help both organizational objectives. Recent research specified that top management often acknowledge the existence of SCM, and the commitment features only once in three organizations. Hesitation to SCM commitment may arise when the top management uncomfortable with its client’s strength in the supply chain, these factors lead to their success in the market. What creates these difficulties are the challenges in global supply chain which include economic differences, technological differences, cultural, logistical and spatial differences, these factors have their different impacts hence globalization supply facing difficulties. For instance, global supply chain expounds into longer and are more unpredictable, there might be delays during shipment, which creates increment of the client’s demand, for example, what