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International Finance Case Study
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Please comment/answer the following two questions.
1. What might have been some of the reasons Apple chose to raise debt capital in 2015 by issuing bonds denominated in Swiss Francs.?
2. Several large foreign corporations, such as Toyota, Siemens, and British Petroleum, list shares in U.S. stock exchanges. What are the main costs and benefits for these corporations to raise equity capital in the U.S.?
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The reasons why Apple chose to raise debt capital in 2015 by issuing bonds denominated in Swiss Francs
In 2015, the yields on European bonds hit a record low. Among the most affected were Germany and Switzerland. Given this situation, Apple Inc. took the opportunity to seek funding for capital processes that were due that year. These were mostly stock buybacks and payment of dividend due (United States Securities and Exchange Commission, 2015). In addition, Apple Inc. is among the crop of few companies with an AA1 credit rating. This implies that the firm is very attractive to investors in both the US capital markets, as well as the various international markets.
The main costs and benefits for foreign corporations to raise equity capital in the U.S.
Unlike in the past, multinationals are increasingly adopting to raising funding in capital markets abroad rather than at home. This is largely owing to the increasing rate of globalization, and the various benefits drawn by the firms. Among the benefits of global companies such as Toyota, Siemens, and British Petroleum raising capital in the US include a better standard of governance in the US capital markets…..
International Finance Case Study
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British Airways Total Quality Management Case Study
British Airways Total Quality Management
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Assignment Overview
Total Quality Management (TQM) has an important role in any company; with the implementation of this program, companies can continuously improve their performance. Thus, organizations will be able to considerably meet their internal and external clients’ needs in terms of services and product quality, and develop an efficient and profitable business.
The paper below analyzes how this concept was implemented by British Airways, since it is among the first companies to implement such a program.Anca MADAR, Implementation of total quality management Case study: British Airways, Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov Series V: Economic Sciences
Summarize the implementation of TQM by British Airways and the outcomes.
Provide suggestions to improve implementation and results.
Comment on how effective it would be if British Airways employed Six Sigma techniques.
British Airways Total Quality Management Case Study
Assignment Expectations
Use the information provided in the Background readings. Do any additional research as necessary.
Review the information in the British Airways case study and become familiar with the products and processes.
There is no set response to the case questions, so do not hesitate to think outside the box.
It is essential to provide a well-written paper with detailed analysis.
Quality Management (TQM) is the organization-wide management of quality that includes facilities, equipment, labor, suppliers, customers, policies, and procedures. TQM promotes the view that quality improvement never ends, quality provides a strategic advantage to the organization, and zero defects is the quality goal that will minimize total quality costs. While this special topic on TQM is not a comprehensive discussion of all aspects of TQM, several key concepts will be discussed.
An important basis for justifying TQM practice is understanding its impact on total quality costs. TQM is rooted in the belief that preventing defects is cheaper than dealing with the costs of quality failures. In other words, total quality costs are minimized when managers strive to reach zero defects in the organization. The four major types of quality costs are prevention, appraisal, internal failure, and external failure.
Prevention costs are the costs created from the effort to reduce poor quality. Examples are designing the products so that they will be durable, training employees so they do a good job, certifying suppliers to ensure that suppliers provide quality in products and services, conducting preventive maintenance on equipment, and documenting quality procedures and improvements. In a traditional organization that does not practice TQM, prevention costs typically comprise the smallest percentage of total quality costs.
A good example of good product design occurs in all Honda products. Honda produces a wide variety of items, including automobiles, ATVs, engines, generators, motorcycles, outboard motors, snow blowers, lawn and garden equipment, etc. To say the least, Honda engines last a long time. For example, Honda Accords typically run for well over 200,000 miles.
Employee training is also a very important prevention cost. For instance, employees in a vegetable/fruit packaging warehouse need to know what a bad vegetable/fruit looks like, since customers will not want to find spoiled produce in the store. Lifeguards at a swimming pool must know proper procedures for keeping swimmers safe. In many circumstances in both manufacturing and service businesses, the training of employees can make an enormous difference in preventing defects.
Supplier selection and certification are critical prevention activities. A product or service is only as good as the suppliers who partner with an organization to provide the raw materials, parts and components, and supporting services that make up the final products and services that the end customers receive. For example, a home furnishings store might use an outside subcontractor to install carpeting, but if the subcontractor fails to show up on time, tracks mud into the customer’s home, or behaves in a rude manner, the store’s reputation will suffer. Similarly, a car manufacturer who purchases defective tires from a supplier risks incurring high costs of recalls and lawsuits when the defects are discovered.
Preventive maintenance is necessary for preventing equipment breakdowns. Many manufacturing companies use sophisticated software to track machine usage, and determine optimal schedules for regular machine maintenance, overhauls, and replacement.
Documenting quality is a necessary prevention cost because it helps the organization track quality performance, identify quality problems, collect data, and specify procedures that contribute to the pursuit of zero defects. Documentation is important to communicating good quality practice to all employees and suppliers.
Appraisal costs are a second major type of quality cost. Appraisal costs include the inspection and testing of raw materials, work-in-process, and finished goods. In addition, quality audits, sampling, and statistical process control also fall under the umbrella of appraisal costs.
Inspection and testing of raw materials is very important, since substandard raw materials lead to substandard products. Raw materials used for a bridge determine the strength of the bridge. For example, soft steel will erode away faster than hardened steel. Moreover, the concrete bridge decking needs to be solid, as concrete with air pockets will erode and crumble faster, creating an unsafe bridge.
Finished goods and work-in-process inventory also need inspecting and testing. For example, worker error is quite common in the home construction industry, and this is why inspections occur frequently on newly constructed homes during and after the construction process is complete. Building inspectors ensure that the house has the proper framing, electrical, plumbing, heating, and so forth.
Quality audits and sampling are also important appraisal costs. Quality audits are checks of quality procedures to ensure that employees and suppliers are following proper quality practices. With sampling, a company can ensure with confidence that a batch of products is fit for use. For example, a wooden baseball bat manufacturer may test 10 out of every 100 bats to check that they meet strength standards. One weak bat can signal that quality problems are present.
Statistical process control (SPC) is the final type of appraisal cost. SPC tracks on-going processes in manufacturing or service environments to make sure that they are producing the desired performance. For example, a restaurant might statistically track customer survey results to make sure that customer satisfaction is maintained over time. In manufacturing windshields for automobiles, SPC might be used to track the number of microscopic air bubbles in the glass to make sure the process is performing to standard.
Internal failure costs are the third category of quality costs. This cost occurs when quality defects are discovered before they reach the customer. Examples of internal failure costs include scrapping a product, reworking the product, and lost productivity due to machine breakdowns or labor errors. Internal failure costs are typically more expensive than both prevention and appraisal costs because a great deal of material and labor often has been invested prior to the discovery of the defect.
If a book publisher prints 10,000 books, then discovers that one of the chapters is missing from every copy, the cost of reworking or scrapping the books represents a major loss to the company. It would have been much cheaper to have procedures in place to prevent such a mistake from happening in the first place.
In the case of internal failure cost due to machine failures, FedEx and other courier services cannot keep up with demand when a conveyor belt breaks down in the package distribution center. Major delays and costs occur when such incidents occur. Other examples include a road construction company having a road grader break down, a tool and die shop having a CNC machine break down, and a farmer having a combine break down during harvest time.
External failure costs are the fourth major cost of quality. External failure costs occurs when the defect is discovered after it has reached the customer. This is the most expensive category of quality costs. Examples include product returns, repairs, warranty claims, lost reputation, and lost business. One spectacular example of external failure cost was when the Hubbell telescope was launched into space with mirrors that were ground improperly. When the telescope was turned on, instead of a magnificent view of stars, planets, and galaxies, the scientists could see only blurred images. The price of correcting the problem was over USD 1 billion.
External failure costs also occur when the wrong meal is delivered to a restaurant customer, when a computer breaks down shortly after it was purchased, when the wrong kidney is removed from a patient, and when a poorly designed automobile causes the death of drivers and passengers. Because of the enormous costs of internal and external failures, all companies should strive for zero defects. Successful TQM practice dictates that pursuing zero defects will result in the minimization of total quality costs by spending more on prevention and appraisal activities in order to reduce the much higher costs of internal and external failure.
British Airways Total Quality Management Case Study
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British Airways Total Quality Management Case Study
Among the top goals of modern organizations is the improvement in the efficiency of operations. The increase in operational efficiency of the firm ties in to the improvement of performance, an increase in the quality of products and services, as well as an increase in profitability. One of the metrics and procedural strategies used by organizations to ensure the achievement of the listed improvements is the use of Total Quality Management approach.
This approach is a philosophy within business management that ensures the improvement of the quality of products and services offered to consumers through a firm-wide incentive to manage quality in the entire organization (Madar, 2015, p. 126). This paper looks into an example case of British Airways by highlighting a number of quality problems and the process of implementing Total Quality Management in the firm.
Quality problems facing British Airways
Prior to the implementation of a Total Quality Management approach to improving the operations of British Airways in September of 1988, the company had a number of issues that were perceived to be behind the inefficient operations at the organization. These problems were the focus of the TQM program in an attempt to increase quality at British Airways. The following section contains an outline of these quality problems facing the organization.
Engineering based company
Since the formation of British Airways, the company had been operating primarily as an engineering-based firm. The focus of operations in the company hangars was the main contributing factor to the operational focus on the engineering element of the business (Madar, 2015, p. 128). This was problematic for the company since the processes from the engineering operations were not directly measurable from the satisfaction of their customers. In essence, therefore, by focusing mainly on engineering processes, British Airways was flying blind to the quality expectations of the consumers of their services.
Absence of quality control measures
Prior to September 1988, British Airways did not have in place a system to monitor the quality of operations across the firm. While there may have been individual processes to monitor the service delivery or the manufactured parts in the engineering division, there was no firm-wide incentive to have a measure of quality control for the entire organization. This has been a particularly problematic concern since any attempts at progress did not have conclusive measures to determine progress. The various quality concerns and measures to rectify the problems would not be efficient without quality control measures in the organization.
Absence of cost control measures
A significant cause of losses for any business venture is high and uncontrolled costs. In the generation of the Total Quality Management plan, it was a requirement to collect data on the various costs affecting British Airways (Madar, 2015, pp. 128 – 129 ). This was instrumental in the development of a focused plan that could help increase efficiency in the operations of the organization. The costs involved in the implementation of Total Quality Management in British Airways included monetary costs, time costs, and labor costs among others. The identification of such costs that ate into the resource allocation of the organization occurred in order to stamp out unnecessary costs, ensure efficient allocation of resources, and therefore better overall management.
Summary of implementation of TQM by British Airways
The implementation of Total Quality Management in British Airways has been a long and continuous process. This process began with the privatization of the company in 1987, and the benefits from the project have continued to trickle down to date. There was only one way to achieve the new vision by management, which was the creation of a leaner firm that would be a global leader through better management of resources and development of relationships between the managers, staff, and the customers. This way was to employ better management strategy, of which Total Quality Management approach carried the day…..
British Airways Total Quality Management Case Study
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Vignette Analysis II
Your response to each vignette should be 1-2 pages per vignette for a total of 5-6 pages for the entire assignment plus a title and reference page.
Do not copy and paste the vignettes into your written response
Vignette Four
Albert and Paula are an African-American couple seeking counseling. Albert and Paula have been living together for several years. Albert wants to either resolve certain problems or break up the relationship. Paula is very anxious about being deserted, and she agrees to come for counseling as a couple. Paula feels unappreciated, and she does not feel that Albert cares for her in “the way I would like.” She initially tells you the following: “I try so hard to do what I think Albert expects.
It’s really important that I please him, because I’m afraid that if I don’t, he’ll get fed up and simply leave. And if he left, I imagine all sorts of terrible things happening. First of all, I feel the constant threat of being left. I need someone to rely on – someone who will listen to me, who I know cares for me and accepts me the way I am, who wants to be with me, and who will approve of what I do.
I feel I must have this in the person I live with. If I don’t, this just proves that the other person doesn’t love me. I need to be loved. My parents didn’t love me, they never gave me the approval I needed to have, and I think that this alone is more than enough for me to bear.”
Albert responds with the following: “Frankly, I’m so tired of always feeling that I must prove myself and my constant love for Paula. No matter what I do or say, I typically end up feeling that I’m not enough and that regardless of what I do, it just won’t measure up. I’m tired of hearing that I don’t care. I’m sick of being made to feel that I’m insensitive.
I hate being made to feel inadequate, and I don’t want to constantly feel that I have to weigh everything I say for fear that I’ll offend Paula and make her upset. I just can’t stand having people be upset at me – it makes me feel lousy and guilty – as if I should somehow be more than I am, that I ought to be better than I am. If I can’t get over being made to feel inadequate around Paula, I want out!”
Assume that Albert and Paula comes to you for personal therapy and that all you know about them is what they told you above. Answer the following questions on how you might proceed with this couple within a Cognitive-Behavioral frame of reference:
1. From the perspective of rational emotive behavior therapy, some of the following could be identified as Paula’s irrational beliefs. Show how you would demonstrate to her that they are self-defeating attitudes that are the direct cause of her misery:
• I must please Albert, and if I don’t he’ll leave, and the consequences will be horrible!
• I must have someone to rely on, or else I can’t make it on my own!
• I must have someone to show me caring, love, and approval, and if I don’t get this, life is hardly worth living!
• If I don’t get what I want from life, then life is damn unfair!
2. Again as an REBT therapist, how might you work with Albert’s irrational beliefs? How would you teach him to dispute them? How would you show him that these beliefs are at the root of his problems?
• I must prove myself, I must be able to meet another’s expectations of me – and if I don’t, I’ll feel inadequate, guilty, rotten, and deficient as a person!
• If I don’t meet Paula’s needs, I’m made to feel inadequate.
Vignette Five
Fourteen-year-old Candy, her father, and her mother are sitting with you in your office for an initial counseling session. Her father begins: “I’m just at the end of my rope with my daughter! I’m sick and tired of what I see her doing to disrupt our family life. I’m constantly wondering what she’ll pull next in her long line of antics. She’s gone to the Colorado River with some guys who are older than she is, in outright defiance of my order not to go. She’s done any number of things she knows I disapprove of, and the result is that she’s suspended from school for three weeks or until she gets some counseling.
This was the last straw. Candy knows what my values are, and she knows that what she’s doing is wrong. I just don’t know how to convince her that if she doesn’t change, she’ll come to a bad end.” Candy’s mother is rather quiet and does not list complaints against Candy. She generally agrees that Candy does seem defiant and says she does not know how to handle her.
She says she becomes very upset at seeing her husband get angry and worried over the situation, and she hopes that counseling will help Candy see some of what they see. Candy appears very withdrawn, sullen, and not too eager to open up in this situation with her parents. She is in your office mainly because she was brought in by her parents.
Assume that Candy and her family comes to you for counseling and that all you know about them is what they told you above. Answer the following questions on how you might proceed with Candy and family within an Choice Theory/Reality Therapy frame of reference:
1. Assume that in an individual session with Candy she does open up with you, and you find out that her father’s presentation of the problems is correct. In fact, matters are worse than he imagined. Candy tells you that she has recently tried marijuana and is considering having sex with her 18 year-old boyfriend. Using the Choice/Reality Therapy framework, how might you proceed in working with her? What might you want to say to her? . What would you be inclined to tell the parents? What would you not tell the parents?
2. Your central task as a reality therapist is to guide Candy toward making an honest assessment of her current behavior and to help her evaluate the results of her behavior. Show how you will attempt to do this. How will you respond if she resists looking at her own behavior, insisting that her problems stem from her demanding and moralistic father, who is driving her to rebellion?
Vignette Six
The Kline family consists of Gail and George, both in their early 40’s, their two daughters, Jessie, 10, Jaimi, 12 and their son Gary, age 16. Gary is on probation for using and selling drugs on campus. The court ordered him to undergo therapy. It was suggested that the entire family be involved in family therapy.
According to George, the one who is responsible for the family’s problems is his wife, who, he says, is an alcoholic. George, a businessman who does a great deal of traveling, is convinced that he is doing all he can to hold the family together. He comments that he is a good provider and that he does not understand why Gail insists on drinking. He feels that Gary has gotten everything that he ever wanted, and he maintains that the young people of today are “just spoiled rotten.”
The father says that his eldest daughter, Jaimi, is the best one of the bunch, and he has no complaints about her. He sees her as being more responsible than his wife. He views his younger daughter, Jessie, as pampered and spoiled by her mother, and he has little hope for her.
George is willing to give family counseling a try and says he hopes that the therapist can straighten them all out. Jaimi doesn’t want to come, because she is not the problem. Gary is very reluctant to appear, even for one session, because he feels sure that the others in the family will see him as the source of their problems. To satisfy the conditions of his probation, Gary would rather see a therapist privately, regardless of what the court wants.
Assume that this family comes to you for counseling and that all you know about them is what they told you above. Answer the following questions on how you might proceed with this family within an Family Systems Therapy frame of reference:
1. If you believed in the value of seeing the family as a unit, how might you go about getting the entire family to come in? Assume that all agreed to attend one session. What would be your focus, and what would you most want to achieve in this family session?
2. What are the key dynamics of the family as a system? How you would work with this family, discussing any problems that you might expect to encounter?
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Vignette analysis II
Introduction
The diversity that characterizes humans ensures that the behavioral mannerisms bear distinctions from one another. In an effort to bridge this gap and enhance understanding of one another for peaceful coexistence, the field of psychology has devised means of helping people recognize their differences and understand them for more trusting relationships to be built and encourage dialogue.
Vignette four
Albert and Paula have, in their relationship not fully understood the emotional needs of one another and in her quest to always have somebody by her side, Paula has instead smothered Albert. Paula’s need to always get approval for everything she does and her attention craving antiques can be traced back from her development from earlier ages. Her neglect as a child has left her always in need of being recognised, her actions approved of and having someone constantly by her side.
She is also afraid of being alone and is always quick to blame herself for other people’s decisions. Albert on his end feels smothered by the constant needs of Paula that he has his mind set on leaving should the situation not change. In this case, the couple needs to apply the rational emotive behavior therapy to help work through their issues.
Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy.
The central focus of the therapy will be the address of unhealthy emotions on Paula’s side and the understanding of the power of interpretation of events and emotions for both of them (Bennett and Pearson, 2015). In this case Paula has to understand that despite the human need to feel loved, the over expectation of the same could lead to people leaving as they are likely to feel smothered by the same. She needs to accept herself first as she is and not gauge her personal worth by the decision of someone to stay with her.
She also need to understand that the choice to leave is usually a personal one and that in her effort to ensure that Albert stays, she has made it an emotional journey for him. She needs to develop healthy and rational thoughts on her personal worth based on what she is as a person and not on what she thinks or believes other people think of her.
In the development of these emotive behaviors, she is more likely to let go of her beliefs or her interpretation of her childhood experiences with her parents to fully understand that her personal worth should not be based on her ability to please others or be pleased by others but by her ability to recognize her true worth on a personal level.
She needs to put her be flexible in her thoughts and actions as well as be accepting of uncertainties as life is full of unpredictability and unsatisfied moments. She also needs to develop high tolerance when faced with frustrating situations in addition to accepting herself as an individual instead of basing herself worth on her ability to make people stay.
Albert on the other hand is tired of the feelings that he undergoes every time in the hands of Paula of being made to feel inadequate. He is fed up with her insatiable behavioral mannerisms that put pressure on him to always step up when he thinks he has done his best. He however wants the relationship to work or move out. In his admission of desire to remain in the relationship, it is advisable for him to be more flexible in his thought and acts towards Paula. He also needs to change his beliefs about his position in the relationship as he holds a vital place in Paula’s heart.
All in all, the couple needs to learn to be more tolerant of one another and to try and appreciate each other more on an individual level then as a couple in order to increase their self-worth (McLaren, Doyle and DiGiuspepe, 2016).
Vignette five.
Candy has a communication problem with her parents as she feels they are being unreasonably strict on her and hence she engages in conduct that upsets her parents in rebellion. Her recent use of marijuana and her plans to engage in sexual relations with her older boyfriend are all signs of her acting out against what she believes are right in her actions against what she terms as her parents’ unfair restrictions……
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Ethical Issues Analysis
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Case Analysis Book: Thinking Critically About Ethical Issues. 9th edition. Vincent Ruggiero Case 1: The Government pg 168 #5. A number of groups have urged restrictions on child labor. For example, they believe that no one under age 16 should be permitted to work in manufacturing; mining, agricultural and construction industries; that hours of work should be limited in all jobs for workers under the age of 18; and that no one under 21 should be allowed to have any contact with pesticides.
Question: Discuss the moral considerations attending this proposal.b. Identify the moral issues.
Identify the parties involved.
And infer their interests.
Discuss this case in terms of finding common ground in the diversity of interests you identify.
Case#2: pg108 #4e)
An English teacher in a two-year technical college has several students in his composition course whose ignorance of the English language has proved invincible. He has given them extra work and extra counseling from the first week of the semester. They have been diligent in their efforts to improve. Though they are in a construction technology program and will undoubtedly be employed in jobs that require little writing skill, the composition course is required for graduation. In the instructor’s judgement, the students would not be able to pass the course legitimately if they took it three times, so he raises their F grades to Ds.
Question: Identify the consequences of the action taken… and decide whether the action represented the greater good.
2. Identify the moral issues and the parties involved
3. Discuss the case with respect to the principle of utility…
4 …. Identify the benefits and burdens that pertain to the parties affected?
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Ethical Issues Analysis
Case 1
There are various moral issues involved in this case. The first moral issue is child labor. Child labor is considered a moral issue because it not only denies children their childhood but it could lead to potential harm both physically and mentally. Child labor robs children of dignity and also denies them the opportunity to develop normally and get an education (Tanveer, Manzar & Khan, 2016).
The second moral issue is poverty. It is notable that child labor is common among the poor who do not have access to adequate education and other life opportunities (Tanveer, Manzar & Khan, 2016). The government is responsible for addressing poverty as a moral issue instead of just issuing restrictions on child labor.
The parties involved in this case include the children and young adults aged below 21 years, the government, the groups lobbying for restriction of child labor and the companies employing the children in the various industries identified as being unfit for child labor.
Each of these parties has different interests. The children may not have any other choice but to work in order to earn a livelihood. This may be influenced by their backgrounds which do not allow them to live normal lives like other children such as going to school. The government may be under pressure to fight poverty in the country and by restricting child labor, the poverty burden is likely to increase.
This would lead to higher expenditure in taking care of such children. The lobby groups’ interests is to protect the rights of children from exploitation and harm from doing work that is inappropriate for their age, hence their lobbying activities. The hiring companies on the other hand may be benefiting from cheap child labor and may not be interested in eliminating it.
Finding a common ground would require the formulation of plausible solutions to each of the party interests identified. In this relation, the various interests need to be studied with consideration of how effectively they can be satisfied while eliminating the moral issue (Ruggiero, 2015). The government and the lobby groups must work with the families of the children to understand the reason why they are working at that age.
They should then develop strategies that would ensure that the children can be provided with what they need to live normal lives. Collaborating with hiring companies to consider hiring adult employees is also imperative and this may be achieved by government subsidies to reduce the cost of human capital incurred by the institutions. This should then be accompanied by sanctions to ensure that companies employing child labor are prosecuted. This way, they would stop relying on children for cheap labor…..
Ethical Issues Analysis
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Product Management and Situation Analysis
This Case Assignment focuses on Volkswagen’s emissions scandal and related brand management and business ethics issues.
Product Management and Situation Analysis
Case Reading
A mucky business; the volkswagen scandal. (2015, Sep 26). The Economist, 416, 23-25.
Boston, W., & Houston-Waesch, M. (2015, Oct 15). Volkswagen suspends another top engineer; berlin orders recall; transport minister says recall of tainted diesel cars is mandatory. Wall Street Journal (Online).
Danny, Hakim, Kessler, A. M., & Ewing, J. (2015, Sep 27). As VW pushed to be no. 1, ambitions fueled a scandal. New York Times. De Cremer, D., & de Bettignies, H. (2013). PRAGMATIC BUSINESS ETHICS. Business Strategy Review, 24(2), 64-67.
Here are some articles on brand equity and brand management.
Keller, K. L. (1993). Conceptualizing, measuring, and managing customer-based brand equity. Journal of Marketing, 57(1), 1-22.
Helm, S., & Tolsdorf, J. (2013). How does corporate reputation affect customer loyalty in a corporate crisis? Journal of Contingencies & Crisis Management, 21 (3), p144-152.
Product Management and Situation Analysis
PROMOTION MANAGEMENT & SWOT ANALYSIS
Here is the brief overview of this cumulative Session Long Project (SLP). In this research project, you would work as a marketing consultant to develop a feasible marketing plan for your client. You would conduct both secondary research in SLP1 and SLP2 to glean the necessary information for your marketing plan in SLP3 and SLP4.
It is important to conduct quality market research on your focal product/company in order to develop realistic and workable marketing plans. Generally speaking, there are two types of research. One is secondary research, which refers to data collection using existing sources, and the other is primary research, which is your own data collection for the specific study at hand. The purpose of market research is to collect usable information to make more informed decisions on the business problem, thus increasing the chance of business success in the marketplace.
The final format for this cumulative session long project;
A list of topics for the whole project;
The continuity and connections among SLPs 1-4.
In this module SLP 2, conduct SWOT analysis for your charge based on the situation analysis in SLP1. This is the second step of this cumulative research project. Be sure to revise the sections in SLP1 and include them in this paper following the marketing plan outline provided above.
Product Management and Situation Analysis
SWOT Analysis
A thorough situation analysis in the Module 1 SLP is the foundation for a SWOT analysis. Develop statements of the company’s internal strengths and weaknesses, and external opportunities and threats. If there is any question as to whether a fact or issue is external (these lead to opportunity and threat statements) or internal (these lead to strength and weakness statements), ask this key question, “Would this issue exist if the company did not exist?” If the answer is yes, then the issue should be classified as external.
Note: Remember that alternative marketing strategies and tactics are not opportunities. Opportunities and threats exist independently of the firm. Strategies and tactics are what the firm intends to do about its opportunities and threats relative to its own strengths and weaknesses.
The SWOT will play a critical role (along with an in-depth understanding of target market needs/preferences and competition) in the development of goals, objectives, and marketing strategies and programs. Key strengths need to be matched to opportunities and converted to capabilities that help serve customer needs better and lead to competitive advantage.
Goals, strategies, and program ideas stem from an attempt to convert weaknesses into strengths and threats into opportunities. Some alternatives will also come from thinking about how to minimize the repercussions of weaknesses and threats that cannot be converted, and/or how to avoid them altogether. Follow the instructions below to identify strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats.
Product Management and Situation Analysis
A. Strengths and Weaknesses (Internal)
Think about internal conditions; those things that management has some control over that are relevant to future success and effectiveness. The task is to identify internal strengths, which must be taken into consideration as management plans for the future.
Remember, a strength is any internal characteristic that improves effectiveness. Look for factors that help the company improve positioning in the marketplace, enhance financial performance, and most importantly, fight off threats and take advantage of opportunities in the external environment.
A weakness is any internal characteristic that limits effectiveness, performance, and the ability to accomplish objectives, meet threats, and take advantage of opportunities.
It is also important to point out that a particular fact about the internal environment may have a weakness and a strength dimension. For example, we might say that the company’s technical skills are of the highest quality and this is a strength, but since these skills are possessed by only a few employees, it is also a weakness in that we need more people with such skills and would be hurt if a few key people left the company.
Using the following 16 internal factors to stimulate your thinking, list all of the company strengths you can think of for each category. Then review the same list of 16 internal factors and develop a list of company weaknesses. (You may not have access to all of the information below, but try your best to identify at least five of them for your project).
Product Management and Situation Analysis
Internal Factors
The following categories of internal factors are commonly used to generate a list of specific company strengths and weaknesses. This list is to be used to stimulate your thinking about internal strengths and weaknesses.
Management leadership/capabilities.
Organization structure and management systems.
Facilities, equipment, and materials.
Technical skills and expertise.
Dedication, morale, and motivation of employees.
Capacity to meet demand—production capacity, including excess available for growing demand.
Marketing effectiveness/efficiency—advertising, personal selling, public relations, products/services, prices, distribution, marketing research and planning, customer service, warranties, sales support, sales promotion, etc.
Ability to deliver what the market wants.
Ability to deliver in a timely manner.
Image and reputation as perceived by customers and within the industry.
Customer (and potential customer) perception—likes, dislikes, and perceptions of service, quality, etc.
Financial performance—sales, market share, customer satisfaction/loyalty, and profits.
Financial situation—availability of capital, internal funding, financial stability, etc.
Cost of operations—high cost vs. low cost, rising costs, costs compared to competition (manufacturing, distribution, etc.)
Geographic location(s).
Other relevant competencies/resources that translate into strengths that have not been mentioned. Also, any weaknesses we have missed related to a lack of competencies and/or resources that are needed in the future.
Product Management and Situation Analysis
B. Opportunities and Threats (External)
Think about the most significant trends in the organization’s external environment that will have an impact on future success. The challenge is to identify relevant opportunities and threats outside management’s control that must be taken into consideration during the planning process. You will need to list and describe the factors/issues forming industry trends that may influence future efforts one way or the other, either as a positive force (opportunity) or as a barrier (threat).
An opportunity is the result of some trend or fact in the external environment that represents a marketplace and/or financial performance advantage. It may indicate a new direction, product or service, and/or resource requirement for the company. It represents an attractive arena for marketing action in which the company would enjoy a competitive advantage.
A threat is the result of some trend or fact in the external environment that represents an area of concern for management. It represents a challenge posed by an unfavorable trend or development that would lead, in the absence of effective marketing action, to the erosion of the company’s or industry’s position. A threat may:
Directly or indirectly affect the business.
Indicate an area to be avoided.
Demand a strategic response.
Represent an opportunity if responded to properly.
It should be pointed out that a particular trend in the external environment (for example, mergers/acquisitions, technological advancements, and/or a recent change in the way competitors operate and what they are offering the market) can imply both a threat and an opportunity. Sometimes in strategic planning we say that behind each threat (or problem) lies an opportunity.
Or an optimist in strategic planning will look at threats and try to turn them into opportunities. Thus, it should be remembered that if management can adapt properly to a threat (such as mergers and acquisitions), this trend may be viewed as an opportunity as well as a threat.
Review the following 13 categories of external environmental trend factors and list the trends or issues that are relevant to the company and industry. Then translate each factor identified into a specific opportunity and/or threat statement. That is, what are the implications of each environmental trend or issue outside the company in terms of specific opportunities and/or threats? (You may not have access to all the information below, but try your best to identify at least five of them for your project).
Product Management and Situation Analysis
External Environmental Trend Factors
The following categories of external environmental trend factors are commonly considered in the planning process. They are used to develop a specific list of company opportunities and threats. This list is to be used to stimulate your thinking about opportunities and threats in the external environment.
Mergers and acquisitions—(e.g., among customers, potential customers, suppliers, competitors, and/or within the industry).
Competitive trends—specific competitive strategies and programs, or recent changes such as lower prices or new products.
Economic trends—forces and changes in the economy such as inflation, interest rates, recession.
Market/industry trends—size of firm related to industry, financial performance of the industry compared with the firm, size/growth rate of current and future potential market characteristics and trends in markets and industry.
Customer and potential customer attitudes—preferences, expectations, problems, wants, needs, etc. What changes are anticipated?
Legal trends—government regulations and policies.
Societal/lifestyle trends—changes in people’s values, attitudes, and activities.
10. New products/services—on the market.
11. Supply sources.
12. Declining or increasing productivity—in the industry or economy.
13. Other industry trends not previous mentioned that are relevant to the future.
Product Management and Situation Analysis
Based on the detailed discussion of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, use SWOT tables for the SWOT analysis. In other words, first state the facts based on your research, and then summarize the findings in a SWOT table. Note the examples below and follow the “best statements” to describe the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for your company and charge in SWOT table(s).
Examples
Not Useful Statement
Better Statement
Best Statement
Internal Strengths
Customer loyalty/brand image
We have a strong brand image.
We have a 42% market share and our brand is known worldwide.
Our global market share has grown from 25% to 42% over the past four years. Independent surveys show our quality and image is rated No. 1 in our industry in the U.S. and Asia and No. 2 in Europe behind XYZ.
Sales/ Distribution
Our distribution is the best in the industry.
Our product is available in more locations than our competitors’.
Our extensive distribution network provides product within 10 miles of the home or work location of 95% of our target market. Our competitors only achieve this level for 40%-65% of the market.
Internal Weaknesses
Product cost
Our costs are high.
Our major competitors, ABC and XYZ, produce in China for less cost.
Our labor costs average $40/unit (in Detroit) vs. $12/unit for our competitors (in China). With product market prices of $120/unit we barely break even.
Product Life
We have product problems.
Our product life is less than the competition.
Typically, our product fails after one year. Our major competitor’s product lasts 2-3 years. Customers are willing to pay 50% more for our competitors’ product.
External Opportunities
Alternative Distribution College Campus
We can leverage new distribution channels.
Internet could be used to increase sales to college students.
Direct Sales (via campus Intranet) and on-campus kiosks would more than double our coverage of our targeted Generation Y market.
Export Growth via Strategic Alliances
Export markets can help us grow.
Europe and Asia provide good opportunities to grow by partnering.
Strategic alliances with ABC in Europe and XYZ in Asia would allow us to double international sales in two years.
External Threats
Substitutes
Substitutes are a threat.
ABC’s new sugar-free sweetener may hurt us.
In six months, ABC’s sugar-free sweetener has achieved 20% market share. Its share is expected to grow to 40% by next year.
Mergers
Competitor mergers could hurt us.
Competitor XYZ is expected to acquire ABC.
If XYZ acquires ABC, it will dominate the distribution network and limit our access.
Check the following link for some exercises to better understand SWOT elements.
Use the following outline to organize your paper. Note that the letters “a, b, c…” and the numbers “i, ii, iii, iv…” below are used to show the major issues you need to include in your paper, but should not be used to format your paper.
III. SWOT Analysis (3-6 pages)
Strengths and Weaknesses (Internal)
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities and Threats (External)
Opportunities
Threats
SWOT Table
Note: Use double-spaced, black Verdana or Times Roman font in 12 pt. type size. Include a title page and references. Revise your Module 1 SLP based on the feedback from your professor and your additional research, and include the Module 1 SLP in the Module 2 SLP.
Explain clearly and logically the facts about your company and charge, and use the required reading to support your positions on the issues. Do not repeat or quote definitions. Your use of the required reading to support your opinions (that is, contentions or positions) should demonstrate that you understand the concepts presented.
Paraphrase the facts using your own words and ideas, employing quotes sparingly. Quotes, if absolutely necessary, should rarely exceed five words.
Academic papers at the master’s level should include citations and references. Look at different sources, especially credible and reputable resources such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Businessweek, and The Economist, to find the information for your paper. Also use Trident University’s online library databases such as ProQuest and EBSCO to find the information for your project. Your discussion on each topic should be a synthesis of the different sources. Taking shortcuts on the number and quality of your sources will result in a poor-quality marketing plan that will be of no use to your client.
Also, it is important that you reference your sources throughout the text of your marketing plan. Take the following paragraph as an example:
“As a result, telephone interviewers often do not even get a chance to explain that they are conducting a survey (Council for Marketing and Opinion Research, 2003), and response rates have steadily declined (Keeter et al., 2000) to reported lows of 7% (Council for Marketing and Opinion Research, 2003). This decrease presents a problem because not only does it increase the cost of conducting telephone surveys, but it also leads to questions concerning the generalizability of the results (Struebbe, Kernan & Grogan, 1986; Tuckel & O’Neill, 2002).”
There are different citation and reference formats such as APA, MLA, or Chicago. No matter which format you adopt for your marketing plan, make it consistent throughout the plan.
Also note: The marketing plan should use third person business writing. Avoid “we,” “our,” and “you.” Do not use contractions in business writing.
Product Management and Situation Analysis
Here are some guidelines on how to conduct information search and build critical thinking skills.
Your paper consists of arguments in favor of your opinions or positions on the issues addressed by the guidelines; therefore, avoid the following logical fallacies:
Your SLP should not simply be a list of facts. Take the facts you find about the company, the charge, and the environments that the company faces, and explain how you think those facts will affect the financial future of the product or brand in your charge. The emphasis in grading your paper will be on the breadth and depth of your discussion of each topic, critical thinking, the clarity of your discussion, and the proper organization of the paper.
Below is a partial answer to the above homework questions by one of our writers. If you are interested in a custom non plagiarized top quality answer, click order now to place your order.
Product Management and Situation Analysis Essay
Promotion Management
Extensive market research is crucial to acquire pertinent information on the client company. Such information is useful in the creation of a situational analysis, which then enables the development of a SWOT analysis for the company. Ultimately, in order to conduct effective promotion management through a feasible marketing plan, there has to be an effective analysis of the internal and external factors affecting the firm. The section below outlines such factors affecting Apple Inc.
SWOT Analysis
Strengths and Weaknesses (Internal)
Strengths. Apple Inc. possesses a number of essential internal factors that fit into the category of strengths. These factors represent things inside the company that management has some level of control over, and which improve the effectiveness of the company.
Impressive brand reputation. The listing of Apple Inc. as the most valuable brand in the world presents an image of the reputation the company enjoys across the globe. Owing to such stellar valuations, as well as the global knowledge about the brand, Apple Inc. is in a strong position to control various aspects that hinge upon such an impressive reputation (Reuters, 2018). For example, the company may launch a new product and it will instantly gain global recognition and attention owing to the relation with the Apple brand. The management may make use of such reputation to develop a far-reaching marketing plan or incorporate cutting edge and risky incentives that other corporates may not attempt.
Strong financial performance. Apple Inc. is currently among the top most profitable firms in the world. The high levels of revenues combined with an increase year on year cash flow and a healthy profit margin provide for a financially strong firm. Apple Inc. has a vast reserve of cash and cash equivalent assets. This provides a key strength for the firm by way of availing extensive financial assets (Jurevicius, 2017; Securities and Exchange Commission, 2017). Such assets prove useful in growing the company through funding of research and development initiatives, acquisition and mergers, and development of impactful advertising and marketing campaigns.
Excellent business and design skills. A key element in Apple Inc.’s management is the stellar ability to design beautiful and usable products and to manage such a business behemoth efficiently. Such skills provide an advantage over their competitors who may not have the capacity to produce great products and at the same time manage the business aspect of the company effectively. These factors provide a competitive advantage over other firms that do not have such human resource assets.
Advertising and marketing abilities. Apple Inc.’s marketing and advertising campaigns are among the most impactful and with a high return on investment. Given the financial and human resources at their disposal, the company is able to budget for high impact campaigns. With the right workforce in place, the company is able to manage the marketing budget efficiently in comparison to competitors such as Samsung who use a larger share of their revenue, with a much lower brand recognition (Jurevicius, 2017).
A Loyal fan base and extensive distribution channels. Another strength for Apple Inc. is the loyal following it enjoys. With such a strong followership, the company is assured of constant growth in the sales of its products. In addition, the extensive direct and indirect distribution networks across the globe serve to ensure the customers are always within reach of the products they require.
Weaknesses. The weaknesses of Apple Inc. refer to the internal factors that limit the effectiveness of the company to perform efficiently, accomplish the various objectives, neutralize threats, and take advantage of the various available opportunities.
High pricing. A key element behind the loss of numerous potential customers for Apple is the high price tag for its products. While the premium pricing attracts customers with the ability to spend high amounts, it locks out millions of customers who could also boost the company’s revenue stream due to the large numbers that could translate to large volumes in terms of sales.
Incompatibility with other devices and operating systems. A major weakness of the products from Apple Inc. is that they are incompatible with third-party accessories, as well as other operating systems. Users and analysts have coined the term “Apple world” to refer to the use of products, software, accessories and services by Apple or its partners. Such a tight control over usage limits the number of people who purchase the products for lack of other required devices or failure to integrate with their existing ones.
Product Management and Situation Analysis
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Burberry’s Mobile Marketing Campaigns
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Case Assignment
Imagine you have been hired as a consultant to the VP of marketing for Burberry. The VP wants to get an objective opinion from someone outside the company who is familiar with current digital marketing basics.Your job is to write a short memo of 750 -1,500 words critically analyzing Burberry’s mobile marketing strategy. Note that the company has decided to use mobile social platforms to reach its target markets.
Read and cite required articles listed above, including additional research you have done, to address the following issues:
• Evaluate the assumptions behind Burberry’s mobile marketing campaigns, with a brief introduction of the company mobile marketing efforts.
• Analyze the effectiveness of Burberry’s mobile marketing campaigns by applying relevant branding and promotion concepts. Also specify the criteria you use to evaluate the effectiveness.
• With the increasing popularity of mobile media and social media, what would you recommend to Burberry regarding its mobile promotion strategy? Explain why.Do not spend a lot of time digging in the company’s website and do not just rehash what the company did; instead, introduce a critical perspective.
Focus on the Case articles as well as relevant background reading. There are no right answers; after all, you do not have inside information. You will be evaluated on your understanding of the background materials and your logic reasoning. In particular, show your understanding of the way a change in target market affects the company’s promotion strategy.
Also, give some thought as to how Burberry’s mobile marketing meshes with other elements of its marketing program, for example, merchandising (product management), channel management, and pricing.
Assignment Expectations Regarding Your References and Defense of Your Positions
Write clearly, simply, and logically. Your memo should be 750-1,500 words long, excluding title pages and references, but quality of writing is more important than length. Use single space, black Verdana or Times Roman font in 12 pt. type size.
Check the following link for business memo format:
Back up your positions or opinions with references to the required reading found in the Module 1-2 Backgrounds. In using those references, demonstrate your understanding of the concepts presented. Rather than grading on how much information you find, emphasis will be on the defense of the positions you take on the issues.
Also remember that:
• The “why” is more important than the “what.”
• The defense of your positions on the issues is more important than the positions you take.
Do not repeat or quote definitions. Your use of the required reading to support your opinions (that is, contentions or positions) should demonstrate that you understand the concepts presented.
Do not include definitions or summaries of the readings, or simply describe what the company did. Instead, your responses to the questions should be analytical and should demonstrate that (a) you understand the principles from the background reading and (b) you can apply them to this particular case. Vague, general answers will not earn a good grade.
Avoid redundancy and general statements such as “All organizations exist to make a profit.” Make every sentence count.Paraphrase the facts using your own words and ideas, employing quotes sparingly. Quotes, if absolutely necessary, should rarely exceed five words.
When writing an academically oriented paper, you will uncover many facts about the product. If you paraphrase the facts, cite the sources in your text and link those citations to references at the end of the paper.
Here are some guidelines on how to conduct information search and build critical thinking skills.
Your paper consists of arguments in favor of your opinions or positions on the issues addressed by the guidelines; therefore, avoid the following logical fallacies:
Mobile marketing spending is increasing in recent years due to the popularity of smartphone and mobile commerce. Burberry is starting to use the mobile apps to reach the target market. Burberry is the first brand to use a ‘Snapcode’ on Snapchat as it looks to give visitors in its stores access to exclusive content.
Read the following articles related to mobile app marketing campaign by Burberry, mobile app design, and the digital marketing trends. Note that you can find the articles without links in our online library databases using the search box on
Burberry launches on kakao (2015). Newton: Questex Media Group LLC. Burberry launches global partnership with line. (2015, Feb 05). M2 Presswire.DeMers, J. (2014, Aug. 15).
L2 think tank: Burberry runs lunar new year WeChat campaign (2016). Chatham: Newstex.
Magrath, V., & McCormick, H. (2013). Marketing design elements of mobile fashion retail apps. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, 17(1), 115-134.
O’Reilly, L. (2012, Sep 20). Burberry to put mobile first in mix. Marketing Week (Online).
Roderick, L. (2015, Sep 18). Burberry in snapchat first as it premieres new fashion collection online. Marketing Week (Online).
Roderick, L. (2016, Apr 04). Burberry uses first ever snapcode to let in-store customers unlock online snapchat content. Marketing Week (Online).
This series of Web pages explains that product decisions over which firms have control are forces that determine the financial health of a product or company:
The following articles explain and illustrate branding:
Aisner, J. E. (1999) More than a name: The role of brands in people’s lives. Working Knowledge for Business Leaders Series. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School. Retrieved from http://hbswk.hbs.edu/archive/2598.html
Beyersdorfer, D., et al. (2011 January/February). Preserve the luxury or extend the brand? Harvard Business Review. 89:1/2(January/February):173-7.
Clark, D. (2011 March) Reinventing your personal brand. Harvard Business Review. 89:5 (March):78-81.
Edelman, D. C. (2010). Branding in the digital age. Harvard Business Review. 88:12 (December):62-69.Introduction to brands (n.d.). Marketing Teacher. Retrieved from http://www.marketingteacher.com/introduction-to-brands/
Klein, K. E. (2008). A practical guide to branding. Bloomberg Businessweek (June 9).
Fournier, S. (1998). Consumers and their brands: Developing relationship theory in consumer research. Journal of Consumer Research. 24:4(March):343-372.
These articles address the question of celebrity endorsements:
Stone, M. (2012). How Retailers’ Love Affair With Celebrities Will Blossom In 2012. Forbes (January 4).
Check the professional market research reports from IBISWorld database to find the industry analysis for your cumulative Session Long Project.
IBISWorld Overview (n.d.). IBISWorld, Inc., New York, NY.IBISWorld Forecast (n.d.). IBISWorld, Inc., New York, NY.IBISWorld Data and Sources (n.d.). IBISWorld, Inc., New York, NY.IBISWorld Navigation Tips (n.d.). IBISWorld, Inc., New York, NY.
Check the following links for proper APA citation and reference format:
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Burberry’s Mobile Marketing Campaigns
Internal Memorandum
January 15, 2018
To: VP of marketing, Burberry
CC:
From: Your Name, Marketing Consultant
Re: Opinion on the digital marketing efforts by Burberry
Mobile marketing efforts
Burberry, a luxury clothing and apparel design, production and sales company, is among the top businesses in its industry. The firm, whose headquarters are in London, England and with operations around the globe, uses a variety of operational and marketing models to ensure they remain a top brand. With competitors such as Chanel, Gucci, Dior, and Louis Vuitton, Burberry has to employ innovative solutions to engage consumers and push for purchases. In the recent past, Burberry has adapted to the use of mobile technology in a bid to push for the increase in market share and sales for the brand.
A unique approach by Burberry to the marketing of their brand and merchandise has been the use of mobile marketing. The use of mobile marketing refers to various approaches used by companies to lure and inform their customers about their products and services. In using this method, the targeted customer is one who uses a mobile device for communications, media usage, learning, and entertainment. The methods used in mobile marketing are designed for the mobile device with a smaller screen size. Given the increasing size of the mobile phone market, as well as the constant rise in the number of mobile users, such targeted mobile marketing efforts by corporates are expected to have a large impact.
Assumptions behind Burberry’s mobile marketing campaigns
A first assumption is the continued growth of the mobile market. By investing heavily in mobile marketing Burberry assumes and heavily believes in the growth of the number of users of mobile devices. With this assumption, the company relies on the increasing numbers to upsurge the sales. In addition, the company assumes that their consumers are among the growing number of people who prefer having a mobile device such as a tablet, iPad, or smartphone in addition to a computer or laptop. This is in addition to those who are assumed to use mobile devices as their primary means of accessing information (Nagao, 2015).
Despite these assumptions having research data to back them up, they still are assumptions since there are a number of Burberry customers who prefer to visit the traditional brick and mortar shop as opposed to using the various e-commerce alternatives (Nagao, 2015). The assumption that the use of mobile devices will continue to rise may also be halted with the introduction of an alternative form of technological communication that may render devices such as the smartphone obsolete.
Another assumption by the company is that their online presence mirrors the sales. While the various online digital campaigns have been relatively successful, the use of online metrics and numbers may not accurately reflect the expected sales figures. Such figures as the number of daily or monthly visitors to a given webpage, or the number of clicks on an online advertisement, the number of likes on social media postings, or the number of followers may not necessarily translate to sales. However, as per Burberry’s reports, the firm’s sales have increased since the launch of the mobile marketing campaigns (Burberry PLC, 2017)….
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Operations Strategy at Galanz
The case study is about operations Strategy at Galanz
Students are to write about this case.
Read and analyze the case and apply the critical thought process as practiced during the in-class exercises. The case must be evaluated from an operations perspective.
Provide a high-level executive summary of the situation from a long term, strategic perspective. In this summary, also include comments as to how well the daily operations align with the company’s strategy. As in the business world, perfect information is not available. Only the facts as written in the case study are available for your analysis.
Develop an action plan and explain in detail the support for this plan, using operations as a basis for your decision. Note: there is no single correct answer for this part of the assignment. Building a strong operational business case from an operations perspective will earn maximum points for this element of the assignment.
Next, answer the questions at the end of the case. Your responses must be clear and concise in relation to concepts from the textbook and class discussions. Direct citations to sections of the text and possible direct pages are required.
It is anticipated that total responses will require approximately ten to twelve pages of typed text. A title page is required. Twelve-point font either Time New Roman or Calibri is required in M/S Word, double spaced with one inch or equivalent metric margins top, bottom and sides of pages.
Assignment scoring:
Content directly relates to concepts from class and the textbook. 20 points
The analysis reflects critical thinking and supports a business case 20 points
Operations based business case recommendation 20 points
Satisfying the format requirements for structure and length 20 points
Total points 80
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Case study – Operations strategy at Galanz
Guangdong Galanz Enterprises Group Co. Ltd., whose headquarters is in Shunde in Guangdong province of the South of China, began as Guizhou Down Product Factory. The company was founded in 1978 by Liang Qingde as a township enterprise that produced down feather products for export. Owing to increasingly rapid infrastructural changes, government restrictions, and increased business risks, Liang senior decided to halt the operations of the company and conduct market research on a new venture.
His research indicated that microwave ovens were a viable product to manufacture in China. Major factors behind this decision included the increasing growth of the Chinese economy, the stability of the product, and the low initial demand for the product and competition level in the market (Ng, Li, Zhao, Xu, & Lei, 2010, pp. 2 – 4).
Liang Qingde decided to take on the challenges of the microwave oven business head on and began the planning for the production in the early 1990s. Such challenges included finding suitable technical expertise, the purchase of expensive machinery from overseas, and the adoption of foreign technology that required a huge investment. Galanz commenced production in 1992, and by 1995, they were selling 250,000 ovens, taking 25.1% of the domestic market and the position of the leading Chinese manufacturer of microwave ovens (Ng, Li, Zhao, Xu, & Lei, 2010, pp. 4, 13).
In the beginning, the company suffered from the lack of any form of competitive edge. However, owing to the foresight and strategic thinking of the founder, the firm made due with the absence of a competitive edge by making use of the available resources: cheap labor and land. These resources allowed Galanz to produce their products cheaply and, therefore, sell them at a lower price in the market.
Considering the low income in China, as well as the projected economic growth, the low pricing approach endeared a large consumer group that was interested in obtaining convenient equipment, but who were still budget conscious (Ng, Li, Zhao, Xu, & Lei, 2010, pp. 3, 4). Galanz, using this strategy, ensured the increase of demand over the years, which surged to about 25 million in 2003.
The growing demand for microwave ovens led to the need for Galanz to change tact. For example, with the annual demand of 25 million microwaves in China, the company was unable to keep up with the capacity owing to the production limitation of a key component known as a magnetron, which was only 16 million annually.
As such, Liang Qingde decided to outsource its production to meet the current and long-term needs of the enterprise (Ng, Li, Zhao, Xu, & Lei, 2010, p. 4). Such strategies involved the decision to shift operational organization for the benefit of the firm. In this case, the firm adopted two tactics to aid with the long run strategy to continue growth and profitability.
In its chosen strategy of a low cost production approach, Galanz opted to use two tactics; Transfer of the production lines through OEM agreements, and launching of a price war in the markets. In a long-term view, Galanz collaborated with several firms within the supply chain to increase production capacity and reduce costs through OEM agreements. Such other partners included customers such as Fillony and suppliers in Japan and Europe.
The nature of such agreements extended to a number of competitors such as Toshiba, Whirlpool, GE, and Sanyo (Ng, Li, Zhao, Xu, & Lei, 2010, pp. 4 – 5). Such agreements involved the use of excess capacity of such firms and the low cost methods of Galanz to create a winning combination for all parties involved.
A second approach involved the launch of price wars in the microwaves market. After the successful use of low cost production, Galanz followed through with a price reduction strategy across the market, the goal of which was to gain a larger market share. This approach involved repeated price cuts in a bid to reduce the market share of their competitors. Galanz used an improvement model where they based the price of the microwave ovens on the unitary production costs as plotted on a growth curve (Ng, Li, Zhao, Xu, & Lei, 2010, pp. 5 – 6).
The expansion of production capacity allowed for additional cost savings and therefore added economies of scale. At the end of the price cutting strategy, the firm had managed to oust several competitors and solidify their position as the dominant players in the Chinese microwave oven market.
After the success of Galanz in its two approaches used in conquering the Chinese market, the firm looked to other strategies to grow. These included the adoption of a new pricing strategy, transformation of the operational and manufacturing approach, and a shift in the organizational structure. Galanz chose to use a new strategy based on the market acceptance of the products.
For the manufacturing and operational approach, the firm chose to shift from EOM to ODM. Such a move involved the production of magnetron in-house, increasing investment in R&D, and vertical integration of the supply chain to enhance self-sufficiency (Ng, Li, Zhao, Xu, & Lei, 2010, pp. 6 – 8)….
Operations Strategy at Galanz
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WorldCom Scandal
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Prepare a report describing what was alleged, what was proven, the major players, the outcomes in criminal and civil proceedings, if any, concerning the WorldCom debacle.
WorldCom was not just the biggest accounting scandal in the history of the United States—it was also one of the biggest bankruptcies of all time. The revelation that telecommunications giant WorldCom had cooked its books came on the heels of the Enron and Tyco frauds, which had rocked the financial markets. However, the scale of the WorldCom fraud put even them in the shade.
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Coca Cola social cause
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Tasks:
*Summarize your chosen global, publicly traded organization “Coca Cola”. Who is it? What does it do? Who does it do it to?
*Propose the social cause for your organization and how it supports the mission, vision, and values of the organization.
*Analyze the key strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT). How does your proposed social cause support the strengths and opportunities of your organization while helping your organization to overcome its weaknesses and threats.
Coca Cola social cause
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*Assess the ethical principles and frameworks used in making your selection. Include a discussion of the internal and the external impacts you expect to make with this choice.
*Evaluate any ethical challenges this social cause might present to your employees.
*Justify why it is important for your organization to actively participate in a CSR program and promote a global citizenship effort, including the contribution of the proposed social cause.
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