Motorcycle Inustry Essay Example for Free

Motorcycle Inustry Essay Hero Honda launched CBZ 156cc motorcycle . Bajaj launched Kawasaki, Boxer AT CT . Royal enfield launched machismo A350 and lightning 535 . Kinetic engineering ltd launched Brat and kinetic challenger . 2000: There was a entry of new companies like TVS , Yamaha , (Lohia Motors) . Hero Honda launched Joy, Passion , and a remodeled Street. Bajaj launched KB Eliminator , KB Caliber Chroma , KB Aspire and KB Acer . LML came up with Adreno and Energy . Escorts Yamaha launched Crux and TVS Group launched Fiero . 2001: Bajaj launched the Pulsar range . TVS launched Victor 110cc . Yamaha upgraded the Crux version with Crux R. Kinetic engineering launched the GF125 and GF150. Background note:- Indian two wheeler market is divided into three major segments :- India is the 2nd largest user and 3rd largest manufacturer of two wheelers in the world. Bajaj Auto laid the foundation of the Indian two wheelers industry in 1948 by trading in imported Vespa scooters. Change in the Trend: Scooters dominated the Indian market till 1990. Thus till 1990 Bajaj was the undisputed leader in scooter market followed by LML Kinetic . After the Liberalisation , privatization and globalization , many companies entered into joint ventures and technical collaborations with foreign companies lke Honda , Suzuki , Yamaha etc. Due to introduction of 100-cc motorcycles an intersegment shift began to start which resulted in the decline in the sales of the motorcycles. Due to delayed launch of new and advanced scooter models , four stroke scooters prone to skidding risk and vibrations etc the demand for motorcycled went up. This demand was mainly driven by rural and semi-urban comsumers. In 2000 , the motorcycle market was characterized by the presence of sub segments based on price :- The Motorcycle Story:- In 1980’s factors namely high running and maintenance cost , perception that motorcycle is more suitable for rural roads , high price of motorcycle in comparison with mopeds or scooters and the availability of fairly new models of scooter led to a sharp decline in the growth of motorcycle segment. De-licensing in the motorcycle industry in mid-1980’s came to their rescue , and hence there was a healthy growth in the sales figure. In 1990 , motorcycle industry witnessed recession because of rising fuel prices , high input cost and reduced purchasing power due to significant rise in general price level and liquidity crisis in comsumer financing. In 1992 companies suffered big time . Entry of new players in the motorcycle market led to losses or fall in profits. In 1993, launch of 100-cc motorcycles led to a inter-segment shift began to take place and motorcycles sales began to grow as a result of flag in the recession. In 1999 , there was a big shift from demand of scooters to the demand of Motorcycles. This shift was mainly attributed tpo the change in customer’s preference towards fuel-efficient and appealing models, delay in launch of new scooters etc. PESTLE ANALYSIS :- Pestle analysis is a tool that can aid the organization in making strategies which will help them understand the external environment in which they operate now and will operate in the future. PESTLE FLOWCHART PESTLE Political/Legal:- 1. Restrictive policy of the govt. towards the car industry in the pre liberalization era . This indirectly helped the motorcycle industry to develop . 2. Delicensing of the automobile sector in mid 1980’s . This led to the entry of foreign players in the automobile industry 3. Break up of the joint venture between -Escorts Yamaha -TVS Suzuki -Hero Motors Honda Motors Due to these break ups Indian Companies were forced to invest in R D for manufacturing indigenously develop models Economical:- 1. High running and maintenance cost . High price of motorcycles in comparison with scooters or mopeds. Due to this companies had to reduce either the quality or had to increase the price of the motorcycles and this resulted in fall in the sales 2. Rise in fuel price high input , reduced purchasing power. This led to increase in the price level and gradually recession. Sociocultural:- 1. Rise in demand for personal transport. This created a demand for two wheelers in the industry 2. Inefficiency of public transportation system made people dissatisfied with it and they demanded some vehicle that could be economical and cater to their needs. 3. Perception that motorcycle were more suitable for the rural roads Availability of fairly new models of scooters. This led to sharp decline in growth of motorcycles . Technological:- 1. Due to Launch of 100-cc motorcycles there was a Intersegment shift and growth of sales figures of motorcycles. 2. Factors like delayed launch of advance scooter models fear of four stroke scooters being prone to increased skidding risks and vibration contributed in the decline in the demand of scooters.

A Review Of Leadership Management Essay

A Review Of Leadership Management Essay The term leadership means different things to different people. Although no ultimate definition of leadership exists (Yukl, 2002), the majority of definitions of leadership reflect some basic elements, including group influence and goal (Bryman, 1992). Leadership is one of the rare and precious human capitals. Without leaders to guide and shape decisions society would become stagnant. Within the arena of leadership there are good leaders, bad leaders, and effective leaders. All three coexist simultaneously in a world of followers. A good leader is someone who can motivate and excite people about a specific subject. They are the one who possesses many qualities. First and most important a good leader is to possess the ability to recognize whats fair, good, and honest. A good leader always sets a good example of integrity, morals, and will lead his followers in accordance with these qualities. In addition to being just a good leader must be a strong thinker. Good leader inspire workers into higher levels of teamwork, there are certain things a leader must be, know, and, do. These do not come naturally, but are acquired through continual work and study. Good leaders are continually working and studying to improve their leadership skills. Bad leaders have a tendency to turn a good organization around and burn it to the ground. They make rash decisions without discussing it with the team, for one. They dont want to share the glory with anyone at all. They want to do everything and take the credit all by themselves.This is probably one of the biggest reasons that leaders lose the respect of their team. In an organization and in a team, leader has to work or need to communicate with the team. An Effective leader is someone who manages to get people to do what they want.   It could be defined as one who exerts influence to get others to achieve the leaders objectives. An effective leader is a person with a passion for a cause that is larger than they are. The essential needs for the effective leaders are good communication, knowledge and understanding, team work, recognition and encouragement, vision, risk and innovation, ethics, flexibility with leadership styles and commitment. 2. Theories behind leadership Leadership theories in management have evolved over time into various types, with their own lines of thought. Each theory provides a model of effectively steering an organization. Adding to Kurt Lewins (1945) observation that there is nothing so practical as a good theory, Whetten (2002) suggests that only a good theory is practical. Hence, we have two successive goals: (1) we should understand the components that comprise theory; and (2) we should incorporate this knowledge into the theory of leadership. There isnt one right definition of leadership. There are various leadership theories out there, and when you limit leadership to one definition, you also limit the value of true leadership. Leadership can be something very difficult to describe or explain. It is abstract. There isnt a certain shape that it takes, or there isnt one specific direction. Depending on the leadership theory that you are talking about, one person could be considered successful and the other a failure. Leadership theories are founded on a persons opinion. Many theorists have put forward their own views and formulated their own theories regarding leaders and leadership. The author will explore some of the theories on the subject of leadership. 2.1 Great Man Theory The Great Man Theory is associated most often with 19th-century commentator and historian Thomas Carlyle. This theory assumes that leaders are born and not made. Leaders usually were members from the aristocracy since they only got a chance to lead; hence, it was considered that good breeding contributed in making great leaders. The concept of a Great Woman was not explored and andocentric bias was never realized. In addition, the theory also states that when there is a great need, then a great leader arises, like Buddha, Jesus, Churchill and Eisenhower. 2.2 The Trait Theory This theory assumes that human beings are born with inherited traits and the right combination of traits makes them a leader. Hence, leadership was a matter of traits whether inherited or acquired otherwise. Stogdill (1974) identified certain traits like adaptability, socially aware, achievement oriented, decisive, dominant, energetic, cooperative, assertive, self-confident, persistent, responsible, and capacity to tolerate stress. McCall and Lombardo (1983) identified four basic traits, namely, emotional composure and stability, intellectual breadth, highly developed interpersonal skills, and the capacity to admit errors. Although leadership trait theories are popular, it is viewed by many as very simplistic. There are those that argue that trait theories attribute the success of leadership solely to his or her personality and physical traits or characteristics without regard to the situational context. The trait approach is considered too simplistic as an explanation of the complex leadership phenomenon. 2.3 Participative Leadership Theory This theory assumes that the conclusion of many minds makes a better decision than the judgment of a single mind. Hence, the leader invites participation from the persons responsible for carrying out the work, since it makes them less competitive and more collaborative, thereby increasing their level of commitment. Participants may be subordinates, peers, superiors, or stakeholders. The extent of participation may vary. The leader may outline the objectives or goals and allow the team to decide how it can be achieved or the leader may allow a joint decision to be taken with respect to objectives and its method of achievement or the team may propose but the final decision is always of the leader. Many varieties exist, like consultation, democratic leadership, Management By Objectives (MBO), power-sharing, empowerment, and joint decision-making. The negative side of this theory is that when a leader asks for opinions and does not find them suitable, then it leads to cynicism, feelings of betrayal, reduced motivation and decreased level of commitment. 2.4 Lewins Theories Kurt Lewin along with others conducted experiments in 1939 and came up with three styles of participative leaderships, namely autocratic, democratic, and Laissez-faire. In the autocratic style, the leader took the decisions without consulting others. In the democratic style, the leader took the decisions after consulting others or let the majority decide on what is to be done. In the Laissez-faire style, the leader lets others decide on the decisions to be taken. Lewin et al. discovered that the autocratic style led to revolution, the Laissez-faire style lacked enthusiasm and coordination, while the democratic style proved to be the most effective. Since these experiments were done on children, they still required further study and research. 2.5 Likerts Theories Rensis Likert (1967) theorized four styles, namely, exploitive authoritative, benevolent authoritative, consultative, and participative. In the exploitive authoritative style, the leader uses methods as threats, coercion, and other fear-based methods to enforce conformance. It is always a top-down approach and the views, feelings, of others are given no value. In the benevolent authoritative style, the leader becomes a benevolent dictator and uses rewards to motivate performance. The leader listens to rose-tinted views from the subordinates as they tell only what the leader likes to hear in the hope of gaining rewards. Trivial delegation of decision is done, however important decisions are always made centrally. In the consultative style, the leader seeks consultations, however, most upward flow of information is still rose-tinted and the decision is almost taken centrally. In the participative style, the leader invites participation across all levels, including the shop floor worker , and attempts to make the employees psychologically closer are made. Dissensions, arguments, feelings of betrayal all take place in this style. The leader becomes a father figure and a cult head, whose saying ultimately becomes the final decision. 2.6 The Charismatic Leader Theory This theory assumes that leaders gather followers simply by their charm, grace, and personality. If a leader is not a natural charismatic leader then that individual takes a lot of trouble in maintaining the image and developing requisite skills. They are usually very persuasive and use their body language very effectively. In a theatrical sense, charisma is played out as exhibited by politicians, religious and cult leaders. Conger Kanungo (1998) have elucidated five characteristics of charismatic leaders, namely, clear vision and its lucid articulation, sensitivity to the environment, sensitivity to the needs of the members, ability to take personal risks to support their viewpoints, and ability to perform unconventional behavior. Musser (1987) noted that charismatic leaders wanted their followers to commit to absolute devotion to themselves. The charismatic leader may not want to change anything or transform anything unlike the transformational leader. If the charismatic leader is well-intentioned then they can contribute significantly to the growth of the entire group, however, if they are Machiavellian and selfish, then by the creation of cults, they can effectively rape the minds and bodies of their followers. Their own self-belief can lead them into psychotic narcissism and their self-absorption is so high, that their irreplaceability, intentional or otherwise, can guarantee no successors and thus they make a permanent mark in history. 2.7 The Transformational Leader Theory The concept of transformational leadership was initially introduced by leadership expert and presidential biographer James MacGregor Burns.1 According to Burns, transformational leadership can be seen when leaders and followers make each other to advance to a higher level of moral and motivation. Through the strength of their vision and personality, transformational leaders are able to inspire followers to change expectations, perceptions and motivations to work towards common goals. Later, researcher Bernard M. Bass expanded upon Burns original ideas to develop what is today referred to as Bass Transformational Leadership Theory.2 According to Bass, transformational leadership can be defined based on the impact that it has on followers. Transformational leaders, Bass suggested, garner trust, respect and admiration from their followers. This theory assumes that a leader with vision and passion can achieve great things by inspiring, injecting enthusiasm and energy, and thereby transform the individual or the group towards the attainment of individual or group goals. Transformational leadership is concerned with the performance of followers and developing them to their fullest potential. Tesco is considered as the most successful retail company in the United Kingdom. The success of Tesco was heralded by the appointment of Terry Leahy as the Chief Executive Officer. Leahy is considered as a visionary and transformational leader who led the company into a series of organizational changes that aimed for the company to become more customer-focused and to develop the companys workforce. Terry Leahy is revered as an excellent leader. Leahy was reported to say that he believes that the success of a leader depends upon maintaining a happy workforce. According to him, there are four things that a leader must provide to his workers and followers to satisfy and motivate them. These are: A job that is interesting to do A chance to get on in life To be treated with respect A boss who is some help and not their biggest problem 2.8 The Transactional Leadership Theory This theory states that people work for reward and punishment. A clear chain of command with loyalty as the primary focus works best in social systems. The subordinate should only do what the leader tells to do without trying to find out the justification for it. The leader creates clear structures and the subordinates are required to follow. For successful completion of the work, they are rewarded whereas for unsuccessful completion, they are punished. The leader uses management by exception, that is, once the operation has defined performance expectations then it does not need much attention. Exceeding expectations gets praise whereas not fulfilling expectations gets corrective actions. The limitation of this approach is that it is assumed that the individual is a rational man (a person who is largely motivated by money and hence whose behavior is predictable), which he may not be due to emotional and social factors. In such a situation, other approaches may prove to be more effect ive. 2.9 The Situational Leadership Theory This theory assumes that the action of a leader depends on a number of situational factors, like motivation and capability of followers, relationship between the leader and the followers, stress, mood, etc. Yukl (1989) has identified six situational factors namely, subordinate effort, subordinate ability and role clarity, organization of the work, cooperation and cohesiveness, resources and support, and external coordination. 3. Cross Culture Differences in Global Organisation Leadership style is a part of cultural distinctiveness. The international business faces different challenges and obstacles in geographical, financial, legal, political and cultural environments. Culture presents challenges that make human interactions difficult. Cultural differences are found in areas such as language, values, and behaviors. The cultural environment in which an international business operates in has an enormous impact on the organization. Cultural differences according to Graham (2001) are often not obvious and associated problems are neither easily diagnosed nor corrected. Cultural differences have a huge impact on the efficiency of the international enterprise, and particularly on the management of people. Every country has a different culture that sets it apart from the rest. Every country has a different history, government and laws. The more countries with which a firm interacts, the more complex and difficult conducting business becomes. According to Briscoe et al (2004) the primary cause of this complexity and high level of difficulty has to do with the importance and critical nature of the differences between various countries cultures. Dutch business professor Geert Hofstede (2005) has described culture as a pattern of thoughts, feelings and actions that every individual carries within them, a pattern which is developed and learned through out ones lifetime. He also conducted what is considered as the most influential work on business cultures. Hofstede identified five cultural dimensions that affect international businesses. These dimensions are: Power Distance, Uncertainty Avoidance, Individualism vs. Collectivism, Masculinity vs. Femininity and Short-term vs. Long-term Orientation. 4. The Impact of Culture on Human Resource Management Perhaps one of the area in the international business that is most affected by culture is Human Resource Management (HRM). According to Sims (2002) culture is essential to International Human Resource Management. The research conducted by Hofstede (1980) revealed that culture has huge implications for Multinational Corporations. According to Hofstede differences in culture may significantly affect HRM practices. Organizations that plan to establish businesses outside their home countries must realize that employing people with different culture and orientations might cause difficulties and collision between the organizations business practices and the culture of the host country. In principle, it is believed that a large contradiction between the multinational companys HRM practices and the host countrys culture is a main ingredient in failure. Wide-ranging cultural differences from country to country require corresponding differences in HRM practices among a companys foreign subsidiaries. The mix of cultures in the subsidiaries of a multinational company and the level of cultural differences among the subsidiaries will restrict the IHRM approach taken by an organization (Sims 2002). International Human Resource Management is the process of procuring, allocating and affectively utilizing human resources in a multinational corporation.   HMM managers in multinational corporations need to achieve two somewhat conflicting goals. First, they must integrate HRM policies and practices across a number of subsidiaries in different countries so that overall corporate objectives can be achieved. At the same time, the approach to HRM must be sufficiently flexible to a llow for significant differences in the types of HRM policies and practices that are most effective in different business and cultural settings (Sims 2002). 5. Nestle UK and Nestle India cross culture case The existence or presence of the Nestle Corporation in different countries around the world provides realization of the incidence of cross-cultures and cultural diversity in a particular business. The prevalence and practice of a specific culture in a specific company provides significant changes and differences in its approach in terms of production, operations, sales and market share. Thus, in this regard, organizational culture serves to be one of the major factors that affect the performance and communication in the entire organization, most especially in terms of operating and maintaining an international organization, such as Nestle. Henri Nestle founded the company in 1867 in Switzerland, as a manufacturer of infant cereals. Nestle corporate culture is extended to all branches and locations of the company around the world.   Ã‚   One of the most successful branches of Nestle Company in Asia is Nestle India Limited. The mother company set up its operations in India in 1912 as a trading company, and began as a manufacturing company in 1961 at the Moga factory. All manufacturing and marketing plants in India are in charge of the different brands produced in India, namely, milk and infant dietetics, culinary products, cereals, beverages and instant drinks, chocolate products and confectioneries, and chilled dairy products (2004). It employs over 3000 employees, and is regarded as one of the Most Respected Companies and amongst the Top Wealth Creators of India (2004). On the other hand is Nestle UK, which started as a sales office in London in 1868. By 1901, Nestle opened its first factory in the United Kingdom, and by 1905 it merged with Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company. Currently, it produces and manufactures brands such as Nescafe, Kit Kat, Polo, Smarties, Aero, and Black Magic (2007). From this information, the different cultures that exist in both organizations and branches of the Nestle Corporation can be assumed. It has been reported that Nestle India has been strictly adhering to the business objectives of its mother company. The business objective of the company is to manufacture and market products that would sustain and create value for the consumers, stockholders, employees, business partners, and the economy of India over a long and significant period of time. In this regard, Nestle India is conscious of the fact that its success is the reflection of the professionalism, conduct and ethical values of the entire management and employees of the company. As such, the company aims to make sure that the companys operations and processes would be characterized with the highest standards of ethical and responsible conduct. In addition, the significant and distinct characteristic of Nestle India can be observed through its Corporate Business Principles and Management and Leadership Principles (2007). Based on Nestle Indias Business Principles, it can be perceived that the business practices of the company, particularly in terms of their respective decisions are characterized by typical Asian traditions, beliefs, and practices. It has been reported that one of the most successful departments or divisions of Nestle India is its chocolate and confectionery division. Being typically Asian, Indian workers in the company work altogether and collectively. Indians, like the rest of the other Asian nations tend to increase their interactions with one another, as with any other Asians, collectivism and group participation is an important aspect of work and interaction. On the other hand, being Western, the culture in the chocolate division of Nestle UK may not be as similar as the culture of Nestle India. This is because British employees, in general, are individualistic, independent, frank, and very open-minded individuals. Unlike the Indian employees, British employees may be somewhat more individual and more independent, thus, require less interaction from co-workers and other colleagues. British employees are performance-driven and goal-oriented, thus, chatting during working hours are not their required form of interaction in the working environment. This is further strengthened by the fact that Nestle UK is one of the dominating chocolate manufacturers in the United Kingdom, being part of the 3.6 billion Euros revenue of the UK chocolate market in 2004 (2005).   Another distinct data or characteristics that can be differentiated between the two branches of Nestle are the differences between their languages, religions, cultural beliefs, economy, politics, and social status. The major language of India is Hindi, while the major language spoken by the British citizens is English. The major religion of India is Hindu, while majority of the British citizens are Christians. In terms of cultural beliefs, Indian beliefs are rooted from their religion, Hindu, thus, their practices and values as well. This is also similar with the British, whos beliefs and cultural practices stem from Celtic and Christian beliefs. In terms of social, economic, and political status, India is considered a developing country, given its population and way of life, while the United Kingdom is regarded as one of the most powerful developed countries in the world. As such, in incidence of cross-cultural communication, discrimination, conflict, misunderstanding, and cultu ral ethnocentrism may exist.   In the event that a British national works in the Nestle India manufacturing plant, and vice versa, it can be assumed that problems and issues can be encountered, due to differences of approaches, culture, and language involved. In this regard, it can be assumed that changes in cross cultures may entirely affect business practices of an organization, even despite the influence and guidance of its mother company. This is because the approach of each Nestle company is customer-oriented, and based on the needs, preferences, and tastes of its consumers. In this regard, the sweetness, packaging, and taste of a particular chocolate confectionery in India, may be significantly different from the products in the United Kingdom. In addition, some products in the United Kingdom may not be present or available in India. 6. International Leadership Leadership style is a part of cultural distinctiveness. Among the western nations, American leadership style has been developed in the United States and the German leadership style embraced in Germany. France has it independent style. Likewise, in Asia a variety is present, and, Japan has promoted its independent distinctive style. Corporate leadership continues to be a quintessence of every nations old cultural legacy. UK follows a practical style of leadership. British leaders customarily stress upon social skills and practicality. Their courtesy, openness, self-discipline, and willpower are cultural assets. This guides them to be involved with interpersonal proficiency and advice. British leaders are more characteristic compared to their Portuguese or Spanish equivalents. Leaders are quite job-oriented and, reticent and courteous, thereby creating impersonal and proper settings for business dealings. In addition, British leaders possess a shorter-term viewpoint for their business development compared to the Swiss, Japanese and Germans. The leadership style of Italy, in contrast, has increased levels of autocracy with stress on the hierarchical pattern. Decision competencies are more focused on the top leadership, who is concerned with every facets of the business. 7. Case study of McDonalds operation in Europe The McDonalds Corporation is the largest food service operation in the world in terms of system-wide sales. At the beginning of 2000, it was operating more than 25,000 restaurants in 116 countries. A modest estimate of its current worldwide workforce would be around 1.5 million people, and 10 million people are estimated to have worked for the corporation since it was formed. More than one in ten Americans are considered to have got their first job at McDonalds, and it has now taken over from the US Army as having Americas largest job-training programme (Vidal, 1997 cited in Royle 2000, p. 16). It is an incredibly successful multinational and is expanding at a breath-taking rate. It plans to open between 2,500 and 3,200. In order to deal with different environmental factors in different countries, McDonalds has established a head office in every country where it operates. The head office in the United States still plays an important part in the decision-making. The U. S. head office regularly monitors the activities of its overseas operations. It has an international division, and its US consultants sometimes take part in European meetings. Meetings frequently take place between various European heads to discuss matters of cross-national importance (Royle, 2000). The structure of restaurant operation and administration in each country tends to follow similar pattern, but in some countries it appears to be more complicated than others. In some countries, some restaurants are operated as joint ventures or through holding companies. In most of the larger countries such as Germany and the UK, operations are usually split into several regions and are administered through regional offices in the major cities Royle, 2000). The heads of departments for each functional area are usually situated in the head offices (for example London and Munich), these functional areas being the executive, marketing, finance, personnel, purchasing, real estate, technical appliances and administration. Although there is a high level of central control, operations are normally administered directly from the regional offices. McDonalds system is very flexible in overcoming cultural, political and economic differences and obstacles in different societies (Royle, 2000). Fr anchise restaurants are local in the sense that they understand local issues, local culture and the kind of obstacles likely to confront the McDonalds system. Industrial relations, and specifically the relationship between the worker, the union, and the employer, vary dramatically from country to country. In Germany, for instance, codetermination is the rule. Here, employees have the legal right to a voice in setting company policies (Sims, 2002). The ability of trade unions to organize and gain recognition for collective bargaining at McDonalds varies considerably in different European countries.   In the case we see that culture has a tremendous impact on the operation of a multinational company McDonalds. The company operates worldwide. Although decision-making is still influenced by the head quarter in the United States, every country has a head office that deals with different issues particularly in the area of culture. We also see that the employees from different countries exhibit different values, attitudes and behaviours. These are derived from their culture. We see that McDonalds has become successful by implementing a localized strategy. The culture of the host country is taken into consideration. 8. Conclusion To conclude this leaders generally do not follow a single approach and they mix and match as per their needs and requirements. In critical situations, they are more dictatorial in nature as they face the prospect of failure. Leaders generally exhibit integrity, dedication (spending whatever time and energy that is required to get the job done, rather than giving it the available time), humility, openness (ability to understand new thoughts and ideas), and creativity . In order for business to be conducted smoothly, leaders need to aware of international cross cultural and need to adapt flexibly. Successful business leaders must shape their organizations to be more nimble and flexible, less hierarchical, and more networked. The fate of future business rests, in part, on how well business leaders can anticipate change, demonstrate authentic leadership, maximize the power of their talent, and embrace social responsibility. Todays leaders are already facing challenges and changes that are rapidly transforming where, how, and with whom they do business. Leaders who are adapting their strategies are merely keeping pace with change. A more strategic view of agility is about leaders anticipating trends and proactively defining innovative strategies.

Whitey’s: The Bar amidst the Prairies :: Free Descriptive Essay About A Place

Whitey’s: the Bar amidst the Prairies Before going to the legendary Whitey’s in East Grand Forks, MN, I had thought it was bar patroned by middle-aged people. There didn’t seem to be as many college students going there. When writing about this place, I positioned myself in a neutral ground. I am from Grand Forks, and lived there for ten years, but attend college at NDSU, not UND (NDSU’s rival). I came to see or know Whitey’s through my older sister and friends who frequented there and I actually went there for my sophomore year of homecoming with friends when it was a restaurant as well. It is strange to write about the bar now that both the bar and I have changed. What I found by visiting Whitey’s was some the joy of watching others. Listening to their conversations, hearing their whispers, feeling like a part of something in that bar was fulfilling. I came to find Whitey’s as being a place of fulfillment and satisfaction not only for the alumni of UND or the regulars, but for myself as an outsider as well. I felt comfortable at this local nostalgic bar. When coming into this place, I felt a sense of comradry and affection. It was UND’s homecoming weekend, and this was the place to be for the alumni. The first thing you see when you walk into Whitey’s is the bar to your left, the bar down the aisle, and the pool tables to your right and left, different from most bars I have been to with the dance floor being the first thing you see. There are neon signs hanging behind the bar to your left giving specials on $1.50 pints of beer. As I glided in I could feel the reunion amongst the alumni and it almost became cozy to an outsider such as myself. It happened to be very cold outside, and very warm inside, furthering the sense of coziness. I sat at the bar farthest back with friends and began to try to understand and learn about the people around me, without interfering. The first person who caught my eye was a young man, probably late 20’s. He reeked of alcohol and walked in surrounded by friends coming down that long aisle that lead to the bar.

lion king the musical Essay -- essays research papers

Lion King: The Musical   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The original Disney cartoon of a lion cub blamed for his father’s death has been remade into a Broadway musical acclaimed all over the world. Seen by over twenty five million people in over 15 thousand performances this intricately designed wonder has taken over 37 thousand hours just to build the puppets and masks. Julie Taymor the director and costume designer was faced with a problem of whether to create humans or animals playing the part and she decided to make masks that show the animal face, as well as, show the human face giving the character his or her personality. As for expressing other animals that are not part of the main cast or to express a certain theme, 2 different kinds of puppetry were used to express an African theme.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Masks are considered â€Å"functional works of art† and play a social purpose in Africa. They are used in storytelling and ceremonies and are made to be worn over the head rather than cover the face. This technique is also used in The Lion King so that the human facial expression is not lost and to support the beadwork, corsets and armor used to show the human qualities of a lion. The costumes on the other hand are made of silk cloth to hide the human form, break the shoulder line and to enhance the powerful joints and thighs. The masks are made in such a way that the actor can control the facial expression of the mask through cables ... lion king the musical Essay -- essays research papers Lion King: The Musical   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The original Disney cartoon of a lion cub blamed for his father’s death has been remade into a Broadway musical acclaimed all over the world. Seen by over twenty five million people in over 15 thousand performances this intricately designed wonder has taken over 37 thousand hours just to build the puppets and masks. Julie Taymor the director and costume designer was faced with a problem of whether to create humans or animals playing the part and she decided to make masks that show the animal face, as well as, show the human face giving the character his or her personality. As for expressing other animals that are not part of the main cast or to express a certain theme, 2 different kinds of puppetry were used to express an African theme.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Masks are considered â€Å"functional works of art† and play a social purpose in Africa. They are used in storytelling and ceremonies and are made to be worn over the head rather than cover the face. This technique is also used in The Lion King so that the human facial expression is not lost and to support the beadwork, corsets and armor used to show the human qualities of a lion. The costumes on the other hand are made of silk cloth to hide the human form, break the shoulder line and to enhance the powerful joints and thighs. The masks are made in such a way that the actor can control the facial expression of the mask through cables ...

Performance Practice of Baroque Vocal Technique Essay -- Music Voice M

Performance Practice of Baroque Vocal Technique When approaching a performance, accomplished musicians often consider the historical context from which a piece originates. They most often think of such considerations in the application of that context as it pertains to early music that is, the Baroque era or earlier. For any era, such historical considerations are called performance practice, and may include the use of vibrato, ornamentation, dynamic levels, tempi, instrumental timbres, performance setting, and balance. Vibrato and ornamentation are two important areas of consideration that vocalists must explore when aiming to give an authentically Baroque performance. 'Ideal' Baroque Vocal Technique: The Assumed Ideas Over the past several years, some amateur musicians have developed specific ideas about 'correct' performance practice of Baroque music. In an essay concerning the issues of Baroque music performance, Michael Sartorius notes that: performance to a major degree reflects the spirit of the times, and some of today's 'authentic' performances have less to do with historical accuracy, attempting rather to produce a performance which, in John Eliot Gardiner's words, will 'excite modern listeners.' (Sartorius) As a result, audiences today want a sound that contrasts with the full, constant vibrato used in singing today, such as is found in straight-tone singing, and a sound that contrasts with twentieth century minimalism, such as is found in ornamented melodies. Amateur voice teachers, amateur singers, and amateur listeners often associate straight-tone singing with correct Baroque performance practice (Almirena). This idea is probably an outgrowth of the way scholars understand correct d... ..., Barbara [Valler, Barbara]." The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. 2nd ed. 2001. Roseman, Ronald. "Baroque Ornamentation." The Journal of the International Double Reed Society Number 3. 1975. IDRS. [17 October 2003] . Sartorius, Michael. Baroque Music Perormance: "Authentic" or "Traditional": A discussion of the essential issues involved. Ed. Micahel Sartorius. n.dat. Baroque Music Pages. [17 October 2003] . Seaton, Douglass. Ideas and Styles in the Western Musical Tradition. Mountain View, California: Mayfield Publishing Company, 1991. 153. Strozzi, Barbara. Cantate, ariete a una, doce, e tre voci, Opus 3. Ed. Gail Archer. In Recent Researches in the Music of the Baroque Era. vol. 83. Ed. Christoph Wolff. Madisono: A-R Editions, Inc., 1997. Wulstan, David. Tudor Music. University of Iowa Press, 1986. 174-180. Classical Vocal Techniqe. .

Mc Donald Case Analysis Essay

McDonaldis one of the leading fast food chain operating in more than 120 countries (Exhibit – 4) with more than 30000 restaurants. McDonald opened its first restaurant in 1955 in Illinois and started to grow rapidly serving around 47 million customers daily with more than 1. 5 million employees. As far as Indian markets is concerned it was a distant dream for any western fast food chains to enter India and serve Indian customers, the reason being distinct dietary habits and food preferences of Indian consumers. After 1990 when government of India came up with economic reforms that liberalized policies of foreign investments, established western fast food chains like KFC and PIZZA HUT rushed to the Indian market but McDonald spent about six years analysing the market before entering India. During the analysis phase McDonald first categorized its various Opportunities, threats, strengths & weaknesses in Indian market. The analysis came up with the results like: increase in the purchasing power of individuals, their dietary habits like opposition to pork and beef and more inclination towards vegetarian foods, increase in urbanization and socio cultural habits. Depending on the results from the analysis McDonald came up with effective market mix (4Ps) that helped them to utilise the opportunities and thus eliminating the threats. The major highlight of the strategies adopted by McDonald was: Indianizing the menu and thus eliminating beef and pork completely, wide variety of products with different prices, confining itself to urban cities and building strong brand equity through various CSR events. This case analysis basically gives the overview of different strategies adopted by McDonald to establish themselves in Indian market. STRUCTURE OF THE CASE ANALYSIS (1) Market Analysis External Environmental Internal Environmental Analysis Analysis (Strengths & weaknesses) Micro Analysis Macro Analysis (Opportunities and Threats(PESTLE Analysis) for a new entrant in Indian Political food industry ) Economical Socio-cultural (2) Market Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning (3) Market Strategies (4P’s) (4) Outcomes MARKET ANALYSIS Market analysis done by McDonald’s during 1990’s included various aspects of Indian market and consumer. Looking at the data we can classify the analysis into external analysis and internal analysis. (1) EXTERNAL ANALYSIS Further divided into macro analysis and micro analysis. (a) MACRO ANALYSIS: Macro analysis takes Political, Economical, Socio-cultural, Technical, Legal and Environmental issues in consideration, but as per given case study, we are taking only 3 issues Political, Economical and Socio-cultural. Political: Liberalisation of policies: Liberalisation of policies paved path for MNC’s to India. Change in polices regarding in-flow of foreign capital and technology; government fixed exchange-rate eased up the process for MNC’s. Economical: Growth in GDP: The GDP growth until 1990’s was around 3% but after liberalisation the growth rate was around 6 to 7%, which shows increase in purchasing power of the individual. Socio-cultural: Acceptance of western culture: There was a significant change in the thinking of people towards western companies and western culture . The increase in use of internet is an example of this. Eat-out tradition began to grow very fast with increase in working parent families. McDonald’s internal analysis can be braked-down into strength, weakness, opportunities and threats. (b) MICRO ANALYSIS: Opportunities: Increase in urban population from 21. 3% to 28. 1% (exhibit – 2) because of employment, education. Increase in eat-out culture and purchasing power of individual. 53% (Exhibit – 7) of a house hold income is spent on food and beverages. Threats: India has been a country of different cultures (5000 ethnic groups) each with its own food habits and cuisine. Even though the food preferences of Indians show that 80% are non-vegetarians only 17% of them were pork and beef eaters (Exhibit – 11). McDonald has a image of pork and beef serving restaurant which is a threat for it in India. (2) INTERNAL ANALYSIS (ANALYSIS OF THE COMPANY) Strength: One of the strengths of McDonald’s is its vast knowledge and expertise in various countries which helped it gain expertise in making a strong and efficient supply chain. This will once again help it in building a efficient supply chain in India. It also has established and good brand equity around the world. Weakness: Opposition in people for MNC’s was decreasing but yet prevailing. There was a need for McDonald’s to rebrand itself in Indian consumers. In order to develop an effective marketing strategy it was very important for McDonald to understand its target customers. It was necessary for them to first understand Indian market and its consumers to communicate itself to consumer market. Basically McDonalds segmented their product and services according to base of Demographic, Psychographic and Behavioural attributes. McDonald did the thorough research for six years and was able to do well because of keen understanding of the Indian economy. MARKET SEGMENTATION & TARGETING Market segmentation is dividing of single market into smaller segments. Segmentation makes it simpler to address the needs of smaller groups of consumer. Three different bases of segmentation done by McDonald in India: 1. Demographic Segmentation: McDonalds uses demographic segmentation strategy with age as the parameter. The main target segments are children, youth and the young urban family. It offers different products like happy meal which includes a free toy for kids. For families it has made different outlets and meals which are suitable for takeaways and drive-thru. It has also created a suitable environment for youngster to hang out with their friends and get their lunch. 2. Psychographic Segmentation: McDonald’s adopted themselves to the lifestyle of the Indian consumers. India has huge vegetarian population so McDonalds came up with an entirely different product for Indian customers like Mc Veggie burger and McAalootikki burger. As it is not considered religiously incorrect to eat beef in India, the menu has no beef dishes. They also made McDonald a fun place where young urban families can spend some quality time, while their children can enjoy every moment of McDonalds. 3. Behavioral Segmentation: McDonald targeted mostly occasions like Birthdays and started attracted many families to celebrate their kids birthday. They made many advertisement effort aimed directly at kids and younger generation to promote birthday parties at McDonald. As most young people in the cities like Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore live in small overcrowded flats McDonalds has become a convenient place for birthday celebration. POSITIONING Positioning is an effort to influence consumer perception of a brand or product relative to the perception of competing brands or products. Its objective is to occupy a clear, unique, and advantageous position in the consumer’s mind. In India positioning of McDonalds has been directed as a Family restaurant. Then they started positioning according to the kids as well by introducing new advertising of toys with their products such as â€Å"Happy Meal†. Now youngster and adults havebecome so use to fast foods that McDonalds has also started to target them and try to position itself as a place for all. This may be also due to the fact that India has second largest population in the world and they adopted this approach and tried to position themselves according to this approach to increase sales and revenue. McDonalds therefore wanted to position itself as ‘Indian’ and a promoter of ‘family values and culture’, as well as being ‘comfortable and easy’. Simultaneously, the brand wanted to communicate that it was committed to maintaining a quality service, cleanliness and offering value for money. MARKETING MIX (4P’s) Market Strategies Opted By Mc Donald in India Coming on to Strategies, McDonald strictly followed the concept of 4Ps for extending their share in Indian fast food market. Looking upon all the aspects of 4Ps in details, following was the approach made by them to enter the market and successfully lead it since then. Product: Taking the food habits of Indians into consideration, Mc Donald Indianised 70% of their menu, which really helped them to successfully grab Indian population. Also keeping in mind the un-acceptance of beef and pork in India , they replaced it with mutton-based Maharaja Mac. The French fries served in India also did not contain beef tallow covering. They excluded egg from ice-creams and mayonnaise served and also introduced Indian flavoured ice-creams. Pricing: Mc Donald came up with wide range of products in terms of pricing for serving both the lower-middle and high socio-class of society. (Products ranging from Rs. 7 to Rs. 128) They charged Rs. 74 less than what they charged in US in almost every product. Their menu was 80% visual and 20% descriptive. They used to attract customer initially by low prices, then increased their prices by simply giving another name to the product, for example- McAlootikki changed to Veg. Surprise. Place: Mc Donald opened its first outlet in two of the most western culture exposed cities i. e. Delhi and Mumbai, then they targeted the national highways connecting these cities by collaborating with Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. As a part of Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) business, McDonalds opened its outlets only within 500-Km radius of its main distribution centres. After that, they tapped into business of shopping mall, multiplexes, railways and bus stations. Promotion: They promoted their restaurant as â€Å"Third place† between work and home. They also introduced â€Å"Music Meal† in association with Coca-Cola India and Universal Music India. They celebrated Children’s Day week, organised Pulse Polio and camps. Fun zones and Lego toys for children Looking upon the belief of Indians in Karma Mc Donald introduced â€Å"Itch Karo Rich Bano†, where the consumers were given lucky coupons complementary with their meal which they scratched to get gifts. This was a part of their promotional strategy which really worked well in India. Outcome It is reasonable to say that MCDonald’s has achieved a decent success in India. McDonald’s with its strategies was able to increase its sales volume, which in turn got down the break even to five to seven years which is much favourable when compared with 12-13 years that it takes in foreign countries. It is also stated that McDonald’s achieved a decent success as it showed a 50% annual revenue growth since 1997. A survey by Synovate showed that 20% of young Indians between ages of 8 to 24 reported their preference for McDonald’s products, followed by Pizza Hut (11%) and then KFC(2%). Even after all these achievements it cannot be concluded that McDonald’s succeeded in India. McDonald’s growth in India remains uncertain.

Are Computers Compromising Education?

Language Analysis – â€Å"Are Computers Compromising Education? † In the letter â€Å"Are Computers Compromising Education? †, A. Jones, the principal of Hightower College, explains his reasons for banning the use of computers in classrooms, informing parents of the many issues that it would have imposed on students. Jones addresses the issue in a very reasoned but concerned tone, which gradually becomes more assertive as he attempts to completely convince parents to agree with his contention, that Australia’s â€Å"computer-based ‘education revolution’ represents a false promise to the Australian public†, as it inflicts a variety of health hazards on students and is preventing them from learning â€Å"the essential social and intellectual skills that they need to flourish in the adult world†. With a formal and carefully structured, yet at times quite emotive style of writing, Jones effectively uses a variety of persuasive language techniques to justify the rationality of his decision, and to make it clear to parents that the negatives of having laptops in classrooms â€Å"far outweigh the potential benefits†. Jones appeals to the reader’s common sense through the use of seemingly logical statements, which make it seem as though his point of view is the only reasonable one, and that it should be obvious that students should not be allowed laptops in class due to the â€Å"obviously unhealthy† effects it has on not only their education, but their social lives as well. Also, in case his position as principal doesn’t give him enough credibility amongst the parents of his college, Jones appeals to the authority of Todd Oppenheimer, a leading social theorist in the US, who states that a computer-centred classroom means â€Å"downplaying the importance of conversation, of careful listening, and of expressing oneself in person†. This use of reliable evidence works with reason and logic to convince parents that Jones arguments are accurate and sensible, and that â€Å"students’ brains are becoming deadened† as they are â€Å"sadly being lost in today’s technological age†, which is stifling vital qualities in them and â€Å"fostering negative traits†. The image which was sent along with the letter to parents, shows a group of students â€Å"being nourished by traditional texts† and being aided with their work by a teacher. It highlights the importance of teacher to student learning and the essential social skills that kids can acquire through constant human interaction and direct communication, as opposed to computer-based learning and instant messaging. This image helps to support the principal’s arguments, because after parents recognise the necessity of teacher to student learning from the image, hearing that the quality of teachers declines with â€Å"every dollar spent on the purchase and maintenance of a computer† causes them to feel morally obliged to agree with Jones in the fear that they would otherwise be compromising their children’s education. The image also combines with Jones’ use of hyperbole and emotive language when he states that â€Å"by short-changing our teachers, we rob our children of a future† to give the cumulative effect of both evoking an emotional response from parents before their basic reason and logic comes into play, and shocking them into accepting his point of view that â€Å"the real world is inhabited by people, not machines, and our classrooms should reflect this reality† by ditching the idea of having laptops in classrooms, and encouraging more interaction among students and teachers in order to prepare our kids for the future. In addition to the array of emotional appeals and hyperbolic statements the writer applies throughout the letter, Jones appeals to the parent’s hip-pocket nerve by bringing to light the fact that â€Å"the cost of ‘down time’ – where the computer is being repaired – far exceeds the initial purchase cost of the unit†. Since money is one of the main driving forces in everyone’s lives, this use of persuasive language effectively influences parents to approve of the principals decision solely through their desire to be financially secure. Jones eliminates any reason for parents to oppose his views through appeals to their sense of fear and their morals and values, by referring to this issue as a â€Å"worrying phenomenon† and claiming that the constant use of computers has â€Å"a detrimental effect on children’s learning abilities†¦ and could have other damaging effects on the brain†. The negative connotations in words like ‘detrimental’ and ‘worrying’ add to his alarming tone in order to arouse fear and anxiety in parents by suggesting that if they push for laptops to be made available in classrooms, they would be doing a great deal of harm to their own children. This compels the parents of students at Hightower College to share in the principal’s point of view that the school should not be â€Å"prepared to compromise the learning abilities of students in support of a fad†. Throughout his letter, Jones relies on his concerned, yet assertive tone and use of reason and logic, to really sway the parents of Hightower College to believe that his decision to ban the use of computers in classrooms is obviously the right thing to do. The inclusion of evidence from an authoritative position, even higher than his position of principal, adds extra legitimacy to his arguments by presenting parents with a credible point of view. Jones also constantly plays with the parent’s emotions and morals while appealing to their sense of fear, because as parents they would never want to â€Å"compromise [their] children’s ability to learn† or cause any â€Å"damaging effects [to] the brains† of their kids. Jones’ application of a variety of persuasive language techniques allows him to effectively convey his arguments, and the cumulative effect that they give helps to convince parents of his point of view, that â€Å"we need to resist the temptation to dumb down the classroom, and reinstate a more responsible and human environment for our children†.