Tuesday, August 20, 2019
Dell Company Essay -- Case Study Business Essays, solution
Dell Company The Company was founded in 1984 by Michael Dell, now the computer industry's longest-tenured chief executive officer, on a simple concept: that by selling personal computer systems directly to customers, Dell could best understand their needs, and provide the most effective computing solutions to meet those needs. Dell Computer's mission statement is: "Dell's mission is to be the most successful computer company in the world at delivering the best customer experience in markets we serve. In doing so, Dell will meet customer expectations of: â⬠¢Ã à à à à Highest quality â⬠¢Ã à à à à Leading technology â⬠¢Ã à à à à Competitive pricing â⬠¢Ã à à à à Individual and company accountability â⬠¢Ã à à à à Best-in-class service and support â⬠¢Ã à à à à Flexible customization capability â⬠¢Ã à à à à Superior corporate citizenship â⬠¢Ã à à à à Financial stability" Dellââ¬â¢s target market consists of large corporate accounts, medium and small businesses, and the consumer business. Dell has set out to satisfy each different customer segment through its Direct Model. In order to continue being successful, Dell has to make sure that it produces the right PCs that would be satisfying to customers, and take advantage of the opportunities that are available. Focusing on the laptop industry, if Dell wants to produce a next generation laptop platform that will carry its business in the future, it should look at todayââ¬â¢s trends in the industry and how they could impact the next generation laptop. à à à à à Mobility is increasingly influencing the world and markets that Dell will be operating in. Therefore, the implication associated with this trend is that the laptop that Dell would produce should be lighter and smaller. à à à à à The internet is becoming a necessity in peopleââ¬â¢s everyday life. Because of this trend, and the impact of mobility at the same time, wireless internet would be a potential demand. à à à à à Mooreââ¬â¢s Law: it has been observed that laptops and PCs in general are becoming cheaper, smaller and faster, with CPU performance doubling every 18 months. This is an affect of peopleââ¬â¢s demand for continuous improvement and innovation. à à à à à People today are using their computers for a broad range of activities (digital cameras, MP3 players, music, DVDs, etcâ⬠¦) à à à à à The growth in the economy has been observed on a worldwide scale. It increases demand for productivity, therefore impacti... ...ormance, this might be a threat in the future. -à à à à à Intensity of Rivalry. As performance increases, differentiation between brand names might decrease. Dellââ¬â¢s rivals are finding ways to increase their market share by replicating some of dellââ¬â¢s advantages. For example, IBM recognize the advantages of direct distribution and launched initiatives to expand its own direct sales. Compaq saw the advantage of reducing inventory, and therefore took initiatives to do so. -à à à à à PDAs replacing laptops. Whether this is a threat or not is still unknown. If the case was that PDAs substitute laptops, it would be a threat to Dellââ¬â¢s laptop business, but not to the entire Company if Dell keeps improving in the production of PDAs. To conclude, in order for Dell to compete efficiently in the laptop industry in the future, it needs to take advantage of all of the above opportunities. Consumers are becoming increasingly more demanding and price-sensitive. The next generation laptop must be consistent with the relevant trends affecting the industry today. If Dell succeeds in its attempt to make a product that fits the trends, it will probably still remain in its leading position in the future.
Monday, August 19, 2019
First Love by John Clare Essay -- First Love John Clare Poems Poetry E
First Love by John Clare How do different poets convey the idea of Love? ââ¬Å"First Loveâ⬠by John Clare was written in the 19th century. It is a poem about how the poet had fallen in love but it turned out it was unrequited. Whereas ââ¬Å"Songâ⬠by W.H.Auden written in the 20th century, is a poem about how someone has been in love but then lost them to death. They are both quite similar in the fact that they are both about loving someone but not being able to have them. However they are different because ââ¬Å"Songâ⬠is about two people having been in love and then losing it, rather than ââ¬Å"First Loveâ⬠in which the love is unrequited, and not being fulfilled. In the poem ââ¬Å"First Loveâ⬠by John Clare the poet writes about what seems to be a very overwhelming feeling. The poem is written in three stanzas and in each one the feelings develop. It has a rhyme structure of AB,AB, CD, CD etc. The first stanza has eight syllables in each line and the other two have a pattern of 8,6,8,6,8,6,8,6. I think it may be written like this because in the first stanza the feeling are simpler and then they get more complex as the poem progresses- like the syllable patterns. In stanza one the crush begins. He sees her and is suddenly struck by her beauty- ââ¬Å"Her face it bloomed like a sweet flower.â⬠This simile is saying that her face opened up and revealed something beautiful just like a flower does. It brings the image of spring to mind because flowers blooming are associated with it. The poet describes never having felt this way before- hence the title ââ¬Å"First Loveâ⬠. ââ¬Å"I neââ¬â¢er was struck before that hour With love so sudden and so sweet.â⬠It suggests that he was surprised that it happened so quickly. It seems that it w... ...in ââ¬Å"Songâ⬠the poet writes about the man he loved but canââ¬â¢t have because he died. They are both quite sad poems. The main differences are the love in ââ¬Å"Songâ⬠canââ¬â¢t occur because someone has died, whereas in ââ¬Å"First Loveâ⬠both people are alive it is just either one sided love, or not allowed. From looking into John Clareââ¬â¢s history I found out that he was not allowed to marry the girl he loved, because she was a better class that him. Also ââ¬Å"Songâ⬠concentrates very much on the bad bits, whereas ââ¬Å"First Loveâ⬠reflects on some of the good feelings the poet has had because of love. Personally I preferred ââ¬Å"Songâ⬠by W.H.Auden because it felt more meaningful. Although I did like ââ¬Å"First Loveâ⬠it didnââ¬â¢t touch me as much. I think I learnt a lot from both poems, it taught me that love can be very painful and everyone suffers because of it at some time in their life. First Love by John Clare Essay -- First Love John Clare Poems Poetry E First Love by John Clare How do different poets convey the idea of Love? ââ¬Å"First Loveâ⬠by John Clare was written in the 19th century. It is a poem about how the poet had fallen in love but it turned out it was unrequited. Whereas ââ¬Å"Songâ⬠by W.H.Auden written in the 20th century, is a poem about how someone has been in love but then lost them to death. They are both quite similar in the fact that they are both about loving someone but not being able to have them. However they are different because ââ¬Å"Songâ⬠is about two people having been in love and then losing it, rather than ââ¬Å"First Loveâ⬠in which the love is unrequited, and not being fulfilled. In the poem ââ¬Å"First Loveâ⬠by John Clare the poet writes about what seems to be a very overwhelming feeling. The poem is written in three stanzas and in each one the feelings develop. It has a rhyme structure of AB,AB, CD, CD etc. The first stanza has eight syllables in each line and the other two have a pattern of 8,6,8,6,8,6,8,6. I think it may be written like this because in the first stanza the feeling are simpler and then they get more complex as the poem progresses- like the syllable patterns. In stanza one the crush begins. He sees her and is suddenly struck by her beauty- ââ¬Å"Her face it bloomed like a sweet flower.â⬠This simile is saying that her face opened up and revealed something beautiful just like a flower does. It brings the image of spring to mind because flowers blooming are associated with it. The poet describes never having felt this way before- hence the title ââ¬Å"First Loveâ⬠. ââ¬Å"I neââ¬â¢er was struck before that hour With love so sudden and so sweet.â⬠It suggests that he was surprised that it happened so quickly. It seems that it w... ...in ââ¬Å"Songâ⬠the poet writes about the man he loved but canââ¬â¢t have because he died. They are both quite sad poems. The main differences are the love in ââ¬Å"Songâ⬠canââ¬â¢t occur because someone has died, whereas in ââ¬Å"First Loveâ⬠both people are alive it is just either one sided love, or not allowed. From looking into John Clareââ¬â¢s history I found out that he was not allowed to marry the girl he loved, because she was a better class that him. Also ââ¬Å"Songâ⬠concentrates very much on the bad bits, whereas ââ¬Å"First Loveâ⬠reflects on some of the good feelings the poet has had because of love. Personally I preferred ââ¬Å"Songâ⬠by W.H.Auden because it felt more meaningful. Although I did like ââ¬Å"First Loveâ⬠it didnââ¬â¢t touch me as much. I think I learnt a lot from both poems, it taught me that love can be very painful and everyone suffers because of it at some time in their life.
Sunday, August 18, 2019
The Pearl :: essays research papers
Kinoââ¬â¢s lack of material items did not keep him from happiness. That is until he thought it was possible to acquire a greater amount of wealth and increase his happiness through the pearl. In turn, this resulted in the downfall of Kino and his family. à à à à à Kinoââ¬â¢s life before the pearl brought him satisfaction and contentment. He was a loving husband and father. ââ¬Å"Juana is driven, although instinctively as a woman to heal the family, nevertheless in reality to act for the man to protect the family.â⬠(Karsten 6) He raised and took care of them. Kino loved Coyotito; His son was his pride and joy. He brought together Kino and Juana and made them a family. There is also Juan Tomà s, Kinoââ¬â¢s brother, who supported Kino throughout his life. ââ¬Å"We do know that we are cheated from birth to the overcharge on our coffins. But we survive. You have defied not the pearl buyers, but the whole structure, the whole way of life, and I am afraid for you.â⬠(Steinbeck 70) Kino had few possessions. He had his home, a brush hut, which provided protection and shelter. In addition, a canoe, this is a family heirloom. It was passed down from grandfather to father to son. ââ¬Å"Kino and Juana came slowly down to the beach and to Kinoââ¬â¢s canoe, which was the one thing of value he owned in the world.â⬠(Steinbeck 19) ââ¬Å"It was once property and source of food, for a man with a boat can guarantee a woman that she will eat something.â⬠(Steinbeck 19) Kino also had the song of the family. The song brings a feeling of unity ââ¬Å"... the Song of the Family is identified along with other unnamed songs, the heritage of Kinoââ¬â¢s people, in the calm beginning of the story... (Karsten 2) Many changes and alterations were brought about by the pearl. Kino immediately began to make a list of things that he wanted to buy with the pearlââ¬â¢s wealth. He has an opportunity for social mobility and acts upon it. Among the many things on his list were an official marriage, new clothes, a rifle, and education for his son. Instantaneously, Kinoââ¬â¢s desires became cloudy. ââ¬Å"There was no certainty in seeing, no proof that what you saw was there or was not there.â⬠(Astro 29) Kino then started doubting his dreams and the pearl became misty and cloudy. Kinoââ¬â¢s community thought of him differently because of his sudden acquired wealth.
Saturday, August 17, 2019
A point in life Essay
I have come to a point in life that many people have not. I have made a firm decision to recommit myself to pursuing my dreams. While there are those who believe that with an ounce of luck and a ton of persistence anything can be accomplished, I believe that there is no reason to expend so much energy and rely on luck. I believe in taking hold of my destiny and carving out a future for myself based on the decisions that I make in life. Life is simply too short and too precious to be left to luck alone. This is why I have chosen to apply for a course in Nursing at the Saint Xavier University. I have always wanted to help change the world. As a child, I believed that if everyone did their own little part in taking that extra step to help others, the world would be a much better place for everyone. The stark reality of it all hit me not long after that but it did not lessen my resolve. I figured that if so many people I knew did not want to do their part in changing the world then I would probably have to do their share. This is where my motivation to pursue nursing comes from; the drive to go the extra mile just to make a difference in this world. I see my goal in life as similar to that of Nurse Leader Mary Breckenridge in that I know that nursing plays a very important role in the world today. There are few jobs and professions that are as rewarding as nursing. While other jobs may get more publicity, the role that nurses play in the health care industry is highly valued and appreciated. My motivation has to do with the fact that nursing is one of the ways by which I am able to do something that I really want to do in my life and that is to care and help other people. More importantly, I greatly feel that by taking up nursing I will be able to make a difference in this world much like Mary Breckenridge has done. Pursuing my career in nursing is just the first step in my plan. Much like Nurse Leader Mary Breckenridge has done, I too want to be just more than a nurse. I would like to have the opportunity to take a bigger role in making the world a better place to live. My main philosophy in life is to lead by setting an example. I cannot expect others to do what I myself would be willing to do but that does not mean that I cannot hope that others will see the example that I have shown them. This philosophy is one of the many forces that drive me to pursue my dream of pursuing a career in nursing and of becoming so much more in life. The chance to help those who are less fortunate in life, the chance to help people like myself, the opportunity to be of service to humanity; these are the reasons why I have selected nursing as the profession that I will pursue; for, as Eleanor Roosevelt once said, ââ¬Å"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreamsâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ A point in life Essay I have come to a point in life that many people have not. I have made a firm decision to recommit myself to pursuing my dreams. While there are those who believe that with an ounce of luck and a ton of persistence anything can be accomplished, I believe that there is no reason to expend so much energy and rely on luck. I believe in taking hold of my destiny and carving out a future for myself based on the decisions that I make in life. Life is simply too short and too precious to be left to luck alone. This is why I have chosen to apply for the (Insert name of course) at the (insert name of university). As the world continues to change and the workplace becomes more and more challenging and competitive, it becomes imperative for anyone looking for a successful career to not only have the drive to succeed but also the training and expertise to do so. I am not saying that I do not have the training and expertise at the moment but I do believe that there is still room for more. The rich and diverse academic community at Haas will definitely be the perfect place for me to learn and be prepared for the challenges that lie ahead. Having completed my (insert degree here) in (insert date) from (insert name of university here), there have been so many opportunities in life that I have not been able to take advantage of because of the competitiveness of the working environment. I believe that this experience and background of mine will help me pursue this dream. Being a (insert career) is only the beginning of a long journey for me. I realize that it will not be easy and I look forward to that challenge. In the short term, I see myself completing this degree and fulfilling the requirements for this course. I believe that this experience will be sufficient to prepare me for the next step which is applying for a good internship position that will give me the training that I need. I eventually plan to pursue larger goals such as taking a doctoral degree and perhaps starting my own business. The world is fast becoming a borderless place. Cultures, races, beliefs and ideologies are blend together and interact because of the growing advances in communications. In order to succeed in this world, one needs to be able to adapt to the various cultural differences as well as be able to maintain a certain sense of individual identity. This is the advantage that I feel I can get at this fine academic institution; the training to be competitive in the global economy and at the same time the flexibility to be able to deal with the different cultures in the diverse business world. That is why I believe that this course is a crucial step for me. My success and my accomplishments here will herald the beginning of the fulfillment of my personal and professional goals. It is said that the one thing that nobody can ever take away from you is your education and that is the one thing that I plan to not only gain for myself but for others as well. My most important character strength, in my opinion, is my ability to adapt, accept and learn. My business acumen and knowledge is due to the fact that both my parents are business oriented and running businesses of their own. This provided me with a closer view of what I need to accomplish at an academic level before venturing into a business of my own, particularly in this highly competitive field. My personality, in my humble opinion, is best suited for this kind of endeavor (business) because of my ability to multi-task. During my past work experiences, I have often come across as witty and amiable. Yet, I am no push over when it comes to working in a corporate or business environment. I firmly believe that I can succeed in anything that I want to as long as I work hard at it. I get things done. The job gets done faster and more efficiently as and when the objectives are clear, the strategies acceptable, and the resources are available. Of course, in the real world, these do not always happen. To the extent that they happen and to the extent that I can make them happen, I go after them and manage to get the job done. While I personally believe that ââ¬Å"there is no such thing as a free lunchâ⬠and that everything a person has in life must come from hard work and perseverance, I also believe in charity. I believe in helping others who do not have much in life. I believe in helping people regardless of their nation, race or creed. I believe in being a better person so I can best help myself and others around me. I believe that (Insert Name of University) is the best place for me to turn these beliefs into realities.
Friday, August 16, 2019
Newell Company Corporate Strategy Essay
1. In assessing Newell Companyââ¬â¢s corporate-level strategy and whether the company adds value to the businesses within its portfolio, it is necessary to identify its overarching strategy and then explain it with context to how it affects the various businesses within the larger corporate body. Newell Companyââ¬â¢s main corporate-level strategy as defined by Dan Fergurson was ââ¬Å"build on what we do bestâ⬠. The company focused on growth through strategic acquisitions of firms that sold low cost and high volume products to large retailers, but that were underperforming due to high operating cost. After an acquisition, Newell would then change the existing operational systems of the firm to align it with its corporate structure. The aim was to increase operational efficiency and profitability and to focus it on a key product. In 1990, Newell also recognized the importance of internal growth and included it in its corporate-level strategy. Newellââ¬â¢s corporate-level strategy had a high level of positive impact because it was internally consistent. The corporate office maintained control over legal, administrative and financial functions while allowing individual divisions to control marketing, manufacturing and sales. It also retained strict control over each divisionââ¬â¢s product lines as it disallowed any deviation from the key product focus defined by Newell. This ensured that the decisions made by various divisions remained in line with the Newell corporate office strategies. Overarching company goals were also aligned with its business strategies and acquisitions, and this was beneficial for the various companies it acquired over time. One of Newellââ¬â¢s corporate strategies was selling products across different price points. This remained in accordance with its goal of being a provider of low cost and high volume goods to large retailers and helped to keep the company competitive against new entrants to the different price categories. This was advantageous to businesses under Newell as its respective product lines were able to retain important shelf space, ensuring better sales of products. Focused growth via streamlining strategic acquisitions was enabled by Newellââ¬â¢s appropriate use of available resources. One of Newellââ¬â¢s core competencies was its operational efficiency and its system of bringing acquired companies to its high standards of efficiency and profitability. Its success in the streamlining process can be seen from the rapidity with which changes were made and the results of the process. As stated in the case study,à ââ¬Å"Newellizationâ⬠typically took ââ¬Å"less than 6 monthsâ⬠to implement. After acquiring Anchor Hocking, the management from Newell achieved cost savings by letting go of unnecessary resources within the company such as its glass factory and its retail stores and introduced new systems which helped to bring about improved efficiency such as reducing its cust omer lead order period from ââ¬Å"18 to 7 daysâ⬠. While the businesses within Newell may have encountered issues due to the restrictions on innovative growth, they ultimately benefited from the focus on operational efficiency and cost savings resulting in higher operating margins. Newellââ¬â¢s corporate-level strategy was reasonably dynamic relative to the environment. While it maintained a strict focus on certain goals, the corporate strategy was also modified to include new ideas that would ensure sustainable growth. This can be seen from the case where Newellââ¬â¢s growth strategy was expanded to include the international market, widening their acquisition target field to include companies based overseas. This was due to the fact that Newellââ¬â¢s target market, retailers like Walmart, was expanding into foreign markets. In 1989, corporate management recognized the importance of internal growth within the respective divisions instead of simply focusing on each division generating higher levels of profit, and the growth of the company being driven by acquisitions. They reflected this change in attitude by changing the corporate bonus structure to encourage executives to pursue internal growth in addition to its existing goals. Newellââ¬â¢s corporate-level strategy was effective for many years as can be seen from the fact that it had higher returns to investors compared to the S&P 500. This was due to a number of factors such as maintaining internal consistency, efficient use of resources and keeping corporate strategy dynamic relative to the changing environment. Businesses acquired were in synergy and this was beneficial to individual businesses in ensuring less wastage and improved levels of service and efficacy. In addition, businesses were also able to take advantage of Newellââ¬â¢s economies of scale and economies of scope. However, despite its positive financial returns, as financial returns are indicative of past policies being effective, it would not be symptomatic of future success. Newellââ¬â¢s strict enforcement of focus on key product lines without allowing for more innovative expansion of those product lines could lead to much slower levels of growth after initial operational synergie s were realized.à This would in turn be detrimental in maintaining its competitive advantage in the long run. 4. While the acquisition of Calphalon could pose some problems in the integration process, it was aligned to Newellââ¬â¢s overall corporate strategy and would be beneficial to Newell in the long run if Calphalon was incorporated without eroding its premium product offering. Calphalonââ¬â¢s acquisition was beneficial to Newell in two ways. It allowed Newell to branch out into new markets that had not reached saturation without cannibalizing its existing product lines. While Newell focused on mass market retailers such as Walmart and Home Depot, Calphalonââ¬â¢s products were sold to high end retailers such as Williams Sonoma and Macyââ¬â¢s. Calphalonââ¬â¢s product offering and strong brand recognition would enable Newell to reach out to the premium market and diversify its product portfolio further. At the same time, Newellââ¬â¢s strong focus on customer relationships and Calphalonââ¬â¢s attitude of building partnerships with its retailers are similar and would eas e its assimilation into the firm. Calphalonââ¬â¢s pull strategies could also be leveraged by Newell to differentiate its product portfolio from other low cost competitors, enabling it to maintain its existing market share. Newellââ¬â¢s core competencies would be useful in reducing Calphalonââ¬â¢s rising costs while concentrating on its strength as a premium product. As can be seen from the financial statements, cost of goods sold increased significantly from 1996 to 1997 without a correspondingly large increase in revenue. The problems faced by Calphalon in terms of operations would be easily manageable for Newell given its strong background in operational efficiency and its experience with assimilating acquisitions to its corporate system. However, as Newellââ¬â¢s product offerings were primarily utilitarian while Calphalonââ¬â¢s products focused on an emotional connection between the product and the premium end user, Calphalonââ¬â¢s integration into Newell would be more delicate than other acquisi tions. As the ââ¬Å"Newellizationâ⬠process typically removes the acquired companyââ¬â¢s systems to replace it with Newellââ¬â¢s system, its stringency could erode Calphalonââ¬â¢s brand equity as a premium cookware producer. While this would be difficult, it would still make sense in the long run given the potential benefits to Newell and the relatively low amount of risk present in the acquisition.à The acquisition of Rubbermaid would seem beneficial given the numerous advantages that Newell would gain, but the many complications associated with the process as well as the fundamental differences between Newell and Rubbermaid make the acquisition too risky to undertake, and thus strategically unsound. The advantages associated with the Rubbermaid acquisition are obvious. Rubbermaid fit into Newellââ¬â¢s criteria for acquisition. It sold targeted product lines to mass retailers, and had strong brand equity. It also suffered from troubled operations, which ââ¬Å"Newelliza tionâ⬠would help to address. In addition, the purchase of Rubbermaid would enable Newell to ââ¬Å"cross the $10 billion thresholdâ⬠that would in turn lead to an increase in market power against retailers like Walmart who implemented harsh policies which were nonnegotiable. However, these advantages are offset by a number of issues. Newell and Rubbermaid, while pursuing the same product offerings, had fundamentally different bases for competitive advantages. While Newell focused on operational efficiency, Rubbermaid was known for its product innovation. This would mean that the processes that helped to streamline Newell-led companies would probably lead to the erosion Rubbermaidââ¬â¢s core competencies. At the time of the acquisition, Rubbermaid was only slightly smaller than Newell. The integration process would be more complicated and difficult due to the fact that Rubbermaid had many different product lines, all of which would have to changed to fit Newellââ¬â¢s corporate system. At the same time, Rubbermaidââ¬â¢s large size would mean that it would be more challenging for Newell to change corporate strategy without alienating the existing workforce. Both of the factors above combined would mean that in order to pursue the acquisition and realize all the benefits associated with it, it would be necessary for Newell to change its corporate strategy to address the differences between Newell and Rubbermaid. However, this was not mentioned in the case study. Thus, without implementing a large-scale change in Newell, it would be difficult to merge both companies to create synergy and value for the overall firm. The difficulties in integration, the high risks associated with the integration, and the lack of change in Newellââ¬â¢s corporate strategies translate to an illogical acquisition by Newell.
Thursday, August 15, 2019
Pestal Analysis of Airline Industry in India Essay
Economics Project Submitted To : suhana malik Submitted By :raJbeer kaur Enrollment no. :m 8023863880 Class Roll NO : 62 Course : MBA Company Chosen: British Airways Existing Line of Business: Aviation New Market: Indian Aviation Industry British Airways Future Indian Plans: British Airways global CEO Willie Walsh finds India to be one of the fastest growing aviation markets in the world. Walsh, who was in Mumbai on September 3rd, 2010 to announce a code-share agreement with Kingfisher Airlines, says that despite the airline facing mounting competition from other international carriers operating in India, he is not worried as India has huge growth potential and each player can have a decent pie of the expanding market. On the flip side, he tells that though the future of the aviation industry is consolidation and many foreign carriers want to invest in India, Indian law does not permit them to do so. Mr. Willie Walsh said, ââ¬Å"India is the second largest market for us after the US. In fact, after the recession, India was among the fastest regions to recover from the downfall. We are operating in and out of India for the past several decades and will continue to o so in a consolidated fashion. We have a huge customer base here and we still find growth opportunities in the region. Though I canââ¬â¢t divulge revenue details from India, I have always said that India will be one of the biggest aviation markets in the future and clearly, we want to have a very strong presence in this market. â⬠PESTLE Analysis: The Indian Airline Industry Political Factors industry existing in the country. Like it or not, the political interference has to be present everywhere. Given below are a few of the political factors with respect to the airline industry: The airline industry is very susceptible to changes in the political environment as it has a great bearing on the travel habits of its customers. An unstable political environment causes uncertainty in the minds of the air travellers, regarding travelling to a particular country. Overall Indiaââ¬â¢s recent political environment has been largely unstable due to international events & continued tension with Pakistan. The Gujarat riots & the governmentââ¬â¢s inability to control the situation have also led to an increase in the instability of the political arena. The most significant political event however has been September 1 1 . The events occurring on September had special significance for the airline industry since airplanes were involved. The immediate results were a huge drop in air traffic due to safety & security concerns of the people. International airlines are greatly affected by trade relations that their country has with others. Unless governments of the two countries trade with each other, there could be restrictions of flying into particular area leading to a loss of potential air traffic (e. . Pakistan & India) Another aspect is that in countries with high corruption levels like India, bribes have o be paid for every permit & license required. Therefore constant liasoning with the minister & other government official is necessary. The state owned airlines suffer the maximum from this problem. These airlines have to make several special considerations with respect to selection of routes, free seats to ministers, etc which a pr ivately owned airline need not do. The state owned airlines also suffers from archaic laws applying only to them such as the retirement age of the pursers & hostesses, the labour regulations which make the management less flexible in taking ecision due to the presence of a strong union, & the heavy control &interference of the government. This affects the quality of the service delivery & therefore these airlines have to think of innovative service marketing ideas to circumvent their problems & compete with the private operators. Economic Factors Business cycles have a wide reaching impact on the airline industry. During recession, airline is considered a luxury & therefore spending on air travel is cut which leads to reduce prices. During prosperity phase people indulge themselves in travel & prices increase. After the September 11 incidents, the world economy plunged into global recession due to the depressed sentiment of consumers. In India, even a company like Citibank given first class railway tickets instead of plane tickets. The loss of income for airlines led to higher operational costs not only due to low demand but also due to higher insurance costs, which increased after the WTC bombing. This prompted the industry to lay off employees, which further fuelled the recession as spending decreased due to the rise in unemployment. Even the SARS outbreak in the Far East was a major cause for slump in the airline industry. Even the Indian carriers like Air India was deeply affected as many flights were cancelled due to internal (employee relations) as well as external problems, which has been discussed later. Social Factors The changing travel habits of people have very wide implications for the airline industry. In a country like India, there are people from varied income groups. The airlines have to recognize these individuals and should serve them accordingly. Air India needs to focus on their clientele which are mostly low income clients & their habits in order to keep them satisfied. The destination, kind of food etc all has o be chosen carefully in accordance with the tastes of their major clientele. Especially, since India is a land of extremes there are people from various religions and castes and every individual travelling by the airline would expect customization to the greatest possible extent. For e. g. A Jain would be satisfied with the service only if he is served Jain food and it should be kept in mind that the customers next to him are also Jain or at least vegetarian. Another good example would be the case of South West Airlines which occupies a solid position in the minds of the US air travelers as a reliable and convenient, fun, ow fare, and no frills airline. The major element of its success was the augmented marketing mix which it used very effectively. What South West did was it made the environment inside the plane very consumer friendly. The crew neither has any uniform nor does it serve any lavish foods, which indirectly reduces the costs and makes the consumers feel comfortable. Technological Factors The increasing use of the Internet has provided many opportunities to airlines. For e. g. Air Sahara has introduced a service, through the internet wherein the unoccupied seats are auctioned one week prior to the departure. Air India also provides many internet based services to its customer such as online ticket booking, updated flight information & handling of customer complaints. USTDA (US trade & development association) is funding a feasibility study and workshops for the Airports Authority of India as part of a long-term effort to promote navigation, surveillance, and air traffic management systems for Indiaââ¬â¢s aviation sector that will help the country meet the expected growth and demand for air passenger and cargo service over the next decade. A proposal for restructuring the existing airports at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata through long-term lease to make them world class is under consideration. This will help in attracting investments in improving the infrastructure and services at these airports. Setting up of new international airports at Bangalore, Hyderabad and Goa with private sector participation is also envisaged. A good example of the impact of technology would be that of AAI, wherein with the help of technology it has converted its obsolete and unused hangars into profit centers. AAI is now leasing these hangars to international airlines and is earning huge profits out of it. AAI has also tried to utilize space that was previously wasted installing a lamination machine to laminate the luggage of travelers. This activity earns AAI a lot of revenue. These technological changes in the environment have an impact on Air India as well. Better airport infrastructure, means better handling of airplanes, which can help reduce maintenance cost. It also facilitates more flights to such destinations. Legal Factors Prior to 1953, there were 9 private airlines in operation with too many surplus aircraft and the airline industry was sick. There was no competitive environment in the onopolized aviation market.
Methodologies
Human resource development is one of the most challenging tasks of running any business in the present world of competition and globalization. The level of motivation depends greatly on how much focus company gives to understanding the need and the demographics of the company. It is very important to have well-motivated employees, because the motivated employees will probably work harder, and likely produce a higher quality of work; especially for a retail company. Motivation comes from heart and mind; it is an internal process which determines the success and adaptability of an employee within the business environment. It is very important that steps should be taken to strengthen this within the staff. This would require effort on the part of the organization to come up with steps to find out and research about ways in which employees a can be motivated. An organization needs a systematic methodologies based on sound research philosophy. A good research philosophy should be based on positive- scientific approach where analysis is based on factors which can be verified by statistics. Another, aspect of the research could be based on exploring the circumstances or the situations. Based on these two philosophies information should be gathered. The purpose is to research the different motivational factors that affect sales people in the client organization. The research approach should be selected to suit the nature of the company. The research approach can be deductive- based on testing the theory or inductive ââ¬âbased on building the theory. The inductive theory with emphasis on qualitative research should be the focus of research. The environment and the demographics of the company should be considered. The study should use qualitative research. In qualitative research the events could be studied in their natural surroundings. The data can be obtained by exploring the circumstances or the situations. The data for this research comes from the secondary sources. Secondary data is more accurate than the primary data, and is also most economical and easy way of accessing information. The process requires the past and the recent researcherââ¬â¢s studies including books and journals, the internet, newspaper as some of the main sources for secondary data research. This information is very useful and provides comprehensive understanding of the issue. The research analysis is conducted after gathering and analyzing data. The emphasis is on the size and the nature of the respondents. The respondents were randomly selected. All the salespeople from different brands were asked to participate in the survey. The primary source of the survey is through interview. Ten shops have been chosen as target interviewees in different districts. The interview is designed to be done face to face. The time selected for interview is lunch hour. The questionnaires have been put together, which are to be collected after the interview. All data which is collected is confidential. The method employed in this research is through the questionnaire survey. A comprehensive list of question is prepared which could target the employeeââ¬â¢s personal information aspect as well as the motivation aspect. The targeted intervieweeââ¬â¢s are the staff below manager level. The aim is to evaluate relationship between pay and motivation. The question is prepared in simple and clear language, Chinese version is also made available to help in understanding. Every effort is taken to avoid misunderstanding. The first part of the questionnaire gives personal information of the staff. The personal information related to the employees will reflect that information which gives information about them like, age, sex, education level and years of service with a particular facility or organization. This personal information is very essential for the selection of the right person for the right job. If the person is selected to perform a particular job for which he is suitable, this will lead to the growth of the company as well as the employee. His education a level and his experience plays a key role in determining the nature of his job. His age should be considered in deciding if he can take the amount of work related stress and strain. His gender would give him/ her a certain way of thinking which may help or hinder the kind of commitment. It requires careful selection based on these factors, to really find the right person with good motivation who can work with the company for the long-term. The second part of the questionnaire focuses on the motivational factors or preferences based on eleven questions. These questions are ranked as highest to least desirable as far as motivation is concerned. They take into account he factors which determine motivation. It is important to understand what offer can the company make to raise the motivation level of its employees. If everyone feels that they are equally treated as far as company policy is concerned with regard age, sex, ethnicity, and disability. If the employeeââ¬â¢s are well compensated with benefits, holidays, allowances and health benefits determined by their personal qualification. They will be happy to work for the company. The company should make an effort to find out through survey about How the Employeeââ¬â¢s feel about working for the company. It is very important to have a motivated workforce with proper training, education and development for success in the present economy. This part of the survey has been evaluated in the following survey done to address the employeesââ¬â¢ response. It is very important to have authentic data, which can help research and analyze the motivation factors existing in the retail industry. Data should be collected from the literatures, journals, newspapers and the internet. The research is also aimed to analyze the internal motivation factors with information collected from staff interviews, official website and the staff handbook. The research and the analysis of the survey results combined with the statistical applications allow for the researcher to draw conclusion based on the objectives of the study. Ethical issues regarding the confidentiality of the information should also be carefully observed. The information should be well guarded. The participants should trust the source of their survey. Then only can one obtain authentic and honest information. There are certain limitations to this method of survey; the information may change from day to day. In the process of research it is difficult to update the information on a continuous basis, until the final study is finished. Thus this kind of research imposes that there be date beyond which information cannot be used. This can be a handicap. Some of the information which has been collected is found in Chinese, this will require time for translation. Sometimes the meaning can get lost in the process of translation. Though the study tries itââ¬â¢s best to translate the original meanings from the original meanings. These surveys are critical to the analysis and the discussion of the motivation level of the people working for the retail company. This beautifully classifies the personal qualification which determines the level of their position within the company. Once the employees and employers know each others strength, they find where the right person can be placed for the right kind of job. Even an employee can be trained if interested for a particular job to which he may have better liking. If employer treats every employee with equal opportunity, the employee will work hard and with sincerity. It is very important to maintain that balance and motivation to keep a well trained workforce. If the employees are asked to respond to particular question as mentioned in the survey, they will feel they have important role and participation within the company. This will make them more confident about their future and make them more motivated. So accurate personal evaluation, good benefits and reward system will keep the motivation level high. These methodologies help the company to find clear and defined ways to find suitable employees and also to retain them for long term. They can be a guideline for future decisions made by the company. It can also help company cone up with a reward system for positive consequences and penalties for negative consequences. The internal and unseen aspect of motivation can be developed with good training, proper developmental setup and secure future. The competition and the benefits can be planned in the light of the information gathered. This will further improve understanding between the employers and the employees for better teamwork. Works cited Human Resource Management, HR354, Professional Competence, The Management Report, Student Handbook, 2006/07 à à Ã
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