Coca cola marketing strategies Essay

1.1  Marketing management Marketing is about meeting needs of target markets profitably. The key to professional marketing is to understand their customers’ real needs and meet them better than any competitor can. 1.1:DEFINITION OF MARKETING : Marketing is a social process by which individuals and groups obtain what they need and want through creating and exchanging products and values with others. (Philip Kotler) Marketing is the analysis, planning, implementation, and control of carefully formulated programs designed to bring about voluntary exchanges of values with target markets for the purpose of achieving organizational objectives. It relies heavily on designing the organization’s offering in terms of the target markets’ needs and desires, and on using effective pricing, communication, and distribution to inform, motivate, and service the markets. (Philip Kotler) Definition of American Marketing Association: Marketing (Management) is the process of planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion, and distribution of ideas, goods, and services to create exchanges that satisfy individual and organizational goals. Marketing management has the task of influencing the level, timing, and composition of demand in a way that help the organization achieve its objectives. Marketing management is essentially demand management. Marketing managers manage demand by carrying out marketing research, planning, implementation and control. Within marketing planning, marketers must make decisions on target markets, market positioning, product development, pricing, distribution channels, physical distribution, communication, and promotion. Marketing work in the customer market is formally carried out by sales managers, salespeople, advertising and promotion manages, marketing researchers, customer service managers, product and brand managers, market and industry managers, and the marketing vice-president KEY POINTS: a) Managerial Process involving analysis, planning and control. (The view of marketing as social process is not of interest to us as managers) b) Carefully formulated programs and not just random actions. (A charity organization sending volunteers out to collect money – this is not marketing, it is selling) c) Voluntary exchange of values; no use of force or coercion. Offer benefits. (A Museum, seeking members, tries to design a set of benefits that are appealing to potential members.) d) Selection of Target Markets rather than a quixotic attempt to win every market and be all things to all men. e) Purpose of marketing is to achieve Organizational Objectives. For commercial Sector it is profit. For non-commercial sector, the objective is different and must be specified clearly. Market : A market consists of all the potential customers sharing a particular need or want who might be willing and able to engage in exchange to satisfy that need or want. Marketers: When one party is more actively seeking an exchange than the other party, we call the first party a marketer and the second party a prospect. A marketer is someone seeking one or more prospects who might engage in an exchange of values. A prospect is someone whom the marketer identifies as potentially willing and able to engage in an exchange of values. Marketers do not create needs. Marketers influence wants. Marketers influence demand by making the product appropriate, attractive, affordable, and easily available to target consumers. They also communicate their offering to prospects. Society influences wants. People living in different societies prefer different types of food items, different types of apparel and even different types of jewellery. A product is anything that can be offered to satisfy a need or want. Offering and solution are synonyms to the product in marketing context. A product or offering can consist of as many as three components: physical good(s), service(s), and idea(s). Value is the consumer’s estimate of the product’s overall capacity to satisfy his or her needs. Marketers offer value to a consumer when the satisfaction of customer’s requirements takes place at the lowest possible cost of acquisition, ownership, and use. Marketing management: Marketing management takes place when at least one party to a potential exchange thinks about the means of achieving desired responses from other parties. The Marketing Concept The marketing concept holds that the key to achieving organizational goals consists of being more effective than competitors in integrating marketing activities toward determining and satisfying the needs and wants of target markets. The marketing concept rests on four pillars: target market, customer needs, integrated marketing, and profitability. Target market No company can operate in every market and satisfy every need. Nor can it always do a good job within one broad market. Customer needs Some marketers draw a distinction between responsive marketing and creative marketing. A responsive marketer finds a stated need and fills it. A creative marketer discovers and produces solutions that customer did not ask for but to which they enthusiastically respond. Integrated Marketing When all the company’s department’s work together to serve the customer’s interests, the result is integrated marketing. Integrated marketing takes on two levels. First, the various marketing functions-sales force, advertising, product management, marketing research, and so on – must work together. Second must be well coordinated with other company departments. The company is doing proper marketing only when all employees appreciate their impact on customer satisfaction. To foster teamwork among all departments, the company carries out internal marketing as well as external marketing. External marketing is marketing directed at people outside the company. Internal marketing is the task of successfully hiring, training, and motivating employees who want to serve the customers well. In fact internal marketing must precede external marketing. It makes no sense to promise excellent service before the company’s staff is ready to provide excellent service. Profitability The ultimate purpose of the marketing concept is to help organizations achieve their goals. In the case of private firms, the major goal is profit. Marketing managers have to provide value to the customer and profits to the organization. Marketing managers have to evaluate the profitability of all alternative marketing strategies and decisions and choose most profitable decisions for long-term survival and growth of the firm. Marketing Concept of Coca cola: The basic proposition of Coke’s business is simple, solid and timeless. When Coca cola bring refreshment, value, joy and fun to their stakeholders, then they successfully nurture and protect their brands, particularly Coca-Cola that is the key to fulfilling our ultimate obligation to provide consistently attractive returns to the owners of our business. Target market Coke’s commercials basically based on young generation it is the target market of coke because they want to represent Coke with the youth and energy but they also consider about the old people they then as a co-target market. Major segments Major segments are basically those people who take this drink daily and those areas where the demand is higher than the other areas. There are so many people who take this drink daily and those people who take weekly and those who take this drink daily and those people who take weekly and those who take less often are always there as well. So, their basic segments are those people who take this drink regularly. Factor affecting sales There are so many factors, which affects the sale of coke. Here we are discussing three major factors which effects coke. Per capita income Competitors Weather Per capita income- First we will discuss about â€Å"Per capital income†. This is major factor that affects the sale of this soft drink. Because which every passing year budgets are becoming very strict and tight in order to purchase things. So the disposable incomes of the people are coming down. They spend heavily on rents, utilities, and basic necessities and after that when they get extra money they think about this soft drink. So the decreasing per capital income effects badly in selling and production of this soft drink. Competitors- Coke’s major competitor is â€Å"PEPSI† and there is no hesitation to say this because, everyone knows that and all the other cold drinks, water, coffee, tea is the competitors. Weather- Weather is the third major factor in effecting the Coke’s selling. In underdevelopment market so the coke’s consumption in summers is 60% and in winters is 40%. Major Customers Need: First of all the majority don’t care that what they are going to have. In other words, they don’t care before drinking that whether it is â€Å"Pepsi† or Coke. They don’t actually differentiate between these two brands in order to their tastes. Consumers basically drink what they get. They believe on â€Å"What Cold they sold†. Consumer’s availability in brands is basically works like Push availability Pull Consumer demand For this reason, Coca-Cola has provided their coolers & freezers in the market. They have maximum number of coolers and freezers in the market. They provide this infrastructure free of cost just to provide child coke to their consumer, which they want to be purchases. The salesman & Mechanics regularly visit all the shops where coke has its infrastructure to check that either it is in proper condition or not, if not then they immediately change or repair it. 1.2 TOPIC RELATED CONCEPTS 1.2.1FLAVOURS OF CANS AVAILABE IN INDIA The Coca-Cola company offers almost all its carbonated drinks in the form of cans for the convenience of the customers both in product satisfaction and pricing. The company is always looking to innovate and come up with , either complete new flavours or new form of cans. The following are available in cans in India. IN COLA SECTION Coca-cola, diet Coke and thumbs up are available in 330 ml priced at Rs.20 per can.Coca- Cola is the original cola, diet coke is introduced with less than 1 caloroie, and thumbs up is know for its strong fizzy taste and its cofident, mature and uniquely masculine attitude. This brand clearly seeks to separate the men from the boys. IN LEMON SECTION Lime n lemoni Limca can cast a tangy refreshing spell on anyone, any where. Limca has livd up to its promise of refreshment and has been the original thurst choice of millions of consumers for over 3 decades. Sprite, a global leader in the lemon lime category, is the second largest sparkling beverage brand in India. IN ORANGE SECTION Internationally, Fanta the ‘orange’ drink of the Coca-cola company, is seen as one of the favorite drinks since 1940’s. Fanta entered the Indian market in the year 1993. Over the years Fanta has occupied a strong market place and is identified as ‘The Fun Catalyst’. 1.2.2 AVAILABILITY OF FIT CANS Coca-Cola fit cans are available in 330ml quantity of various flavours such as Coke, Diet Coke, Thumbs up, Sprite, Limca priced at Rs.20 per can. Cans are mostly available in super markets, hypermarkets as customers prefer them to grab them while shopping or take away home. Chapter 2 METHODOLOGY OF STUDY 2.1 NEED OF THE STUDY To know the various strategies adopted by the company. To know the performance and effect of the schemes on retailers perception. This will help the company to give the new schemes in the peak seasons like in summer to increase sale of glass bottles and juice mobile bottles. 2.2OBJECTIVES OF STUDY The main objective of this Fit Cans project is to study the sale of cans in the market. To advertise the various products of the company. To find out the present sales status of Fit Cans i.e. Thumsup, Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Limca, Fanta, at the retail outlets in the area. To collect data from retailers for the analysis and to know the opportunities where there can be more sale. To ensure the availability and visibility of the product. 2.3SCOPE OF THE STUDY By this study company can know its sales. This study helps the company to know the actual sales and position of cans in the market. This study helps the company to modify its distribution strategy of the fit cans. The study helps to find out the problems faced by retailers & distributors. 2.3 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY This project is helpful to find out the sale trends of the coke products and its effect on consumer value and satisfaction. This study provides an insight to the company that what kind of strategy must be adopted in order to increase the sales and satisfaction o the consumer. This project directly deals with the interaction of different kind of retailers. 2.4 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY The research includes the study which was descriptive in nature. It basically aims about how Coca-Cola fit cans are doing in the market. The study includes two methods- (a)PRIMARY (b)SECONDARY Primary includes the following ways- †¢Observation †¢Survey The data was collected through a structured questionnaire. 2.5 Sampling plan Sampling unit: Owners of the retail outlets. Sampling size: 76 OUTLETS Population : 100 OUTLETS Sampling procedure: Simple Random sampling Chapter 3 INDUSTRY PROFILE AND ORGANISATION POFILE 3.1 BEVERAGE ITS CONCEPTUAL ANALYSES Definition of Beverage A drink, or beverage, is a liquid specifically prepared for human consumption. In addition to basic needs, beverages form part of the culture of human society. Types of Beverage Water Despite the fact that most beverages, including juice, soft drinks, and carbonated drinks, have some form of water in them; water itself is often not classified as a beverage, and the word beverage has been recurrently defined as not referring to water. Essential to the survival of all organisms, water has historically been an important and life-sustaining drink to humans. Excluding fat, water composes approximately 70% of the human body by mass. It is a crucial component of metabolic processes and serves as a solvent for many bodily solutes. Health authorities have historically suggested at least eight glasses, eight fluid ounces each, of water per day (64 fluid ounces, or 1.89 liters), and the British Dietetic Association recommends 1.8 litters. The United States Environmental Protection Agency has determined that the average adult actually ingests 2.0 liters per day. Alcoholic Beverages An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol, although in chemistry the definition of an alcohol includes many other compounds. Alcoholic beverages, such as wine, beer, and liquor have been part of human culture and development for 8,000 years. Non-alcohol Beverages Non-alcoholic beverages are drinks that would normally contain alcohol, such as beer and wine but are made with less than .5 percent alcohol by volume. The category includes drinks that have undergone an alcohol removal process such as non-alcoholic beers and de-alcoholized wines. Non-alcoholic Variants: a. Low alcohol beer b. Non-alcoholic wine c. Sparkling cider Soft Drinks The name â€Å"soft drink† specifies a lack of alcohol by way of contrast to the term â€Å"hard drink† and the term â€Å"drink†, the latter of which is nominally neutral but often carries connotations of alcoholic content. Beverages like colas, sparkling water, iced tea, lemonade, squash, and fruit punch are among the most common types of soft drinks, while hot chocolate, hot tea, coffee, milk, tap water, alcohol, and milkshakes do not fall into this classification. Many carbonated soft drinks are optionally available in versions sweetened with sugars or with non-caloric sweeteners. Hot Beverages Hot beverages, including infusions. Sometimes drunk chilled. Coffee-based Beverages Cappuccino Coffee Espresso Cafà © au lait Frappà © Flavored coffees (mocha etc.) Latte Hot Chocolate Hot Cider Mulled cider Tea-based Beverages Flavored teas (chai etc.) Green tea Pearl milk tea Tea Herbal Teas Roasted Grain Beverages Other: Some substances may either be called food or drink, or accordingly be eaten with a spoon or drunk, depending on solid ingredients in it and on how thick it is, and on preference: Soup Yogurt (Greenhalgh, Alison) 3.2 INDUSTRY PROFILE Industry Overview The soda drink and bottled water industry in the US includes about 3,000 companies that manufacture and distribute beverages, with combined annual US revenue of $70 billion. Coca-Cola and PepsiCo hold more than 50 percent of the market, following strong consolidation in the past decade. Only a few other companies have annual revenue above $500 million. Most are local or regional manufacturing and bottling operations with annual revenue under $100 million. Competitive Landscape Demand for non-alcoholic beverages is driven by consumer tastes and demographics. The profitability of individual companies depends on effective marketing. Large manufacturers have economies of scale in production and distribution, with average annual revenue per production worker close to $1 million. Small companies can compete by producing new products, catering to local tastes, or selling at lower prices. Products, Operations & Technology Nonalcoholic beverages include sodas (carbonated soft drinks, or CSD), bottled waters, juices, and a large variety of mixtures. Sodas account for about 60 percent of the market. The manufacture and distribution of most  national soda brands, including Coke and Pepsi, is a two-tiered process. The primary manufacturer produces flavored syrup called concentrate that is sold to local bottlers who manufacture and distribute the finished product. In a typical bottling operation, the flavored syrup, corn syrup (sugar), and filtered water are mixed in appropriate proportions, carbon dioxide gas is injected, and the finished soda product is poured into bottles or cans, which are capped, labeled, and packaged.(Beverage Manufacture and Bottling:2008). HISTORY Soft drinks can trace their history back to the mineral water found in natural springs. Bathing in natural springs has long been considered a healthy thing to do; and mineral water was said to have curative powers. Scientists soon discovered that gas carbonium or carbon dioxide was behind the bubbles in natural mineral water. The first marketed soft drinks (non-carbonated) appeared in the 17th century. They were made from water and lemon juice sweetened with honey. In 1676, the Companied Lemonades of Paris were granted a monopoly for the sale of lemonade soft drinks. Vendors would carry tanks of lemonade on their backs and dispensed cups of the soft drink to thirsty Parisians. PACKING INNOVATIONS: By the mid-1800s, soft drinks sold in Canada were packaged in 8-ounce (227.2 ml) round-bottom bottles for about 25 cents a dozen, except ginger beer, which was sold in draught form from wooden kegs. Wired cork closures were used until about 1884 with Codd’s Patented Globe Stoppers (25 types in all). Such closures were replaced by the Hutcheson Spring Stopper. The crown cap was introduced around 1905 and improved versions are still widely used, although they are gradually being replaced, especially on larger containers, with reclosable screw caps. Other packaging innovations since the mid-1960s include canned carbonated beverages, nonreturnable glass bottles and containers made from rigid plastics. However, an effort is being made, often through provincial legislation, to increase the use of returnable glass containers. The Soft Drink Bottling Industry Over 1,500 U.S. patents were filed for a cork, cap, or lid for the carbonated drink bottle tops during the early days of the bottling industry. Carbonated drink bottles are under a lot of pressure from the gas. Inventors were trying to find the best way to prevent the carbon dioxide or bubbles from escaping. In 1892, the â€Å"Crown Cork Bottle Seal† was patented by William Painter, a Baltimore machine shop operator. It was the first very successful method of keeping the bubbles in the bottle. Automatic Production of Glass Bottles In 1899, the first patent was issued for a glass-blowing machine for the automatic production of glass bottles. Earlier glass bottles had all been hand-blown. Four years later, the new bottle-blowing machine was in operation. It was first operated by the inventor, Michael Owens, an employee of Libby Glass Company. Within a few years, glass bottle production increased from 1,500 bottles a day to 57,000 bottles a day. Home-Packs and Vending Machines During the 1920s, the first â€Å"Home-Packs† were invented. â€Å"Home-Packs† are the familiar six-pack beverage carrying cartons made from cardboard. Automatic vending machines also began to appear in the 1920s. The soft drink had become an American mainstay. (Inventors: 2003). Milestones of Industry: In the industry’s early years the number of carbonated-beverage plants increased steadily, most serving small regional markets. In 1929 the industry was made up of 345 production plants and the value of shipments reached $12.3 million. By 1960 the number of plants had increased to 502 and the value of sales to $172.7 million. Subsequently, consolidation began, prompted by improved production, packaging and distribution facilities. By 1973, 337 plants were in production and the value of shipments was $484 million. In 1985, with sales of about $1.8 billion, the industry had 187 plants in production. Production volume has also increased dramatically: in 1939, soft-drink bottlers produced about 162 million litres of carbonated beverages; by 1967, production passed 758 million litres; in 1986, shipments were estimated at over 2.1 billion litres; and in 1998 that figure rose to 3.5 billion litres. A Timeline of soft drink invention: 1798 The term â€Å"soda water† first coined. 1810 First U.S. patent issued for the manufacture of imitation mineral waters. 1819 The â€Å"soda fountain† patented by Samuel Fahnestock. 1835 The first bottled soda water in the U.S. 1850 a manual hand & foot operated filling& corking device, first used for bottling soda water. 1851 Ginger ale created in Ireland. 1861 The term â€Å"pop† first coined. 1874 The first ice-cream soda sold. 1876 Root beer mass produced for public sale. 1881 The first cola-flavored beverage introduced. 1885 Charles Aderton invented â€Å"Dr Pepper† in Waco, Texas. 1886 Dr. John S. Pemberton invented â€Å"Coca-Cola† in Atlanta, Georgia. 1892 William Painter invented the crown bottle cap. 1898 â€Å"Pepsi-Cola† is invented by Caleb Bradham. 1899 The first patent issued for a glass blowing machine, used to produce glass bottles. 1913 Gas motored trucks replaced horse drawn carriages as delivery vehicles. 1919 The American Bottlers of Carbonated Beverages formed. 1920 The U.S. Census reported that more than 5,000 bottlers now exist. Early 1920’s The first automatic vending machines dispensed sodas into cups. 1923 Six-pack soft drink cartons called â€Å"Hom-Paks† created. 1929 The Howdy Company debuted its new drink â€Å"Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Sodas† later called â€Å"7 up†. Invented by Charles Leiper Grigg. 1934 Applied color labels first used on soft drink bottles, the coloring was baked on the face of the bottle. 1952 The first diet soft drink sold called the â€Å"No-Cal Beverage† a gingerale sold by Kirsch. 1957 The first aluminum cans used. 1959 The first diet cola sold. 1962 The pull-ring tab first marketed by the Pittsburgh Brewing Company of Pittsburgh, PA. The pull-ring tab was invented by Alcoa. 1963 The Schlitz Brewing company introduced the â€Å"Pop Top† beer can to the nation in March, invented by Ermal Fraze of Kettering, Ohio. 1965 Soft drinks in cans dispensed from vending machines. 1965 The resealable top invented. 1966 The American Bottlers of Carbonated Beverages renamed The National Soft Drink Association. 1970 Plastic bottles are used for soft drinks. 1973 The PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) bottle created 1974 The stay-on tab invented. Introduced by the Falls City Brewing Company of Louisville, KY. 1979 Mello Yello soft drink is introduced by the Coca Cola Company as competition against Mountain Dew. 1981 The â€Å"talking† vending machine invented. (Mary Bellis: 2005) BEVERAGE INDUSTRY IN INDIA: A BRIEF INSIGHT In India, beverages form an important part of the lives of people. It is an industry, in which the players constantly innovate, in order to come up with better products to gain more consumers and satisfy the existing consumers. BEVERAGE INDUSTRY IN INDIA The beverage industry is vast and there various ways of segmenting it, so as to cater the right product to the right person. The different ways of segmenting it are as follows: Alcoholic, non-alcoholic and sports beverages Natural and Synthetic beverages In-home consumption and out of home on premises consumption. Age wise segmentation i.e. beverages for kids, for adults and for senior citizens Segmentation based on the amount of consumption i.e. high levels of consumption and low levels of consumption. If the behavioral patterns of consumers in India are closely noticed, it could be observed that consumers perceive beverages in two different ways i.e. beverages are a luxury and that beverages have to be consumed occasionally. These two perceptions are the biggest challenges faced by the beverage industry. In order to leverage the beverage industry, it is important to address this issue so as to encourage regular consumption as well as and to make the industry more affordable. Four strong strategic elements to increase consumption of the products of the beverage industry in India are: The quality and the consistency of beverages needs to be enhanced so that consumers are satisfied and they enjoy consuming beverages. The credibility and trust  needs to be built so that there is a very strong and safe feeling that the consumers have while consuming the beverages. Consumer education is a must to bring out benefits of beverage consumption whether in terms of health, taste, relaxation, stimulation, refreshment, well-being or prestige relevant to the category. Communication should be relevant and trendy so that consumers are able to find an appeal to go out, purchase and consume. The beverage market has still to achieve greater penetration and also a wider spread of distribution. It is important to look at the entire beverage market, as a big opportunity, for brand and sales growth in turn to add up to the overall growth of the food and beverage industry in the econom Market Structure Product Variation Company Share (%) Cola Drinks: Thumbs Up 29 Coca Cola 25 Pepsi 18 Non Cola Drinks: Fanta 9 Mirinda 8 Limca 9 Overall Colas 62 Lemon: Cloudy 7 Clear 3 Orange 17 Mango 3 Soda 8 Indian Product Range Flavour Ingredients Pack Product Company Cola Cola Flavour carbonated water sugar 200Ml. 300Ml. 500Ml. 1 Litre 1.5 Litre 2 Litre Coke, Thumsup RC Pepsi Coca-Coal RC cola Pepsi Orange Orange Flavour + Carbonated Water+ Sugar 200Ml. 300Ml. 500Ml. 1 Litre 1.5 Litre 2 Litre Fanta Mirinda Coca-Cola Pepsi Fruit Juice Mango Pulp+ Treated water+ sugar 250 ML Maaza Minute Maid Pullpy Orange Slice Tropicana Appy Fizz Real Coca-Cola Pepsi Appy Fizz Dabur Cloudy Lemon Lemon Flavour + Carbonated Water+ Sugar 3 200Ml. 300Ml. 500Ml. 1 Litre 1.5 Litre 2 Litre Limca LMN Mirinda Lemon Nimbooz Coca-Cola Parle agro Pepsi Clear Lemon Lemon Flavour+ Carbonated Water + Sugar 200Ml. 300Ml. 500Ml. 1 Litre 1.5 Litre 2 Litre Sprite 7’Up Dew Coca-Cola Pepsi HISTORY OF CARBONATED BEVERAGES IN INDIA: India with population of more than 100 crores is potentially one of the largest consumer markets in the world after China. The consumer market can be defined as the market for products and services that are purchased by individuals as households goods for their personal consumption. Soft drink  is a typical consumer product purchased by individuals to quench thirst and secondly for refreshment. Searching for the point of Indian soft drinks we first document on Gold Spot, this was the first brand soft drink in India. It was introduced by PARLE during later part of 40’s. Cola giant, Coca-Cola was the first foreign soft drink to be introduced in India in 1965, Coca-Cola make a very good beginning and dominated the whole scheme right from the word go. It (Coca-Cola) faced no competition at that time. COCA COLA entered India in the year 1993 in collaboration with PARLE INDIA LTD. Three of four groups of Indians companies who had the required production capacity started their own brands of Cola, Lemon, Orange, but failed to achieve their goal on a national basis. India always has love and hate relationship with MNC’s which gave a significant opportunities to soft drink industries in India when Coca-Cola decided to windup its operation in 1977 rather than bowing to the Indian government insisting on:- Dilution of equity, as the government felt that lots of foreign currency was being wasted. Manufacturing of the top-secret concentration in India. Disclose of the chemical composition of the essence. This left a large vacuum in the popular soft drink market, and a vista was opened to any company with the requisite, technical, marketing and organizational skills. The exit of Coca-Cola from India in 1977 accelerated the growth of several Indian Soft Drink. New soft drink in the form of Tetra pack entered the market among Frooti, Jump-In and Treetop were the prominent once. Till 1977 their equipped bottling plants and the distribution network a longing to be of no use. It took them one year to develop new formula to survive and gradually came up with Campa, Lemon, Orange and Cola that order. CONSUMPTION PATTERNS AND POTENTIAL OF MARKET: The majority of urban and suburban Indians consume non-alcoholic store bought beverages â€Å"less than once a day† suggesting a large untapped market potential. In order to increase consumption and penetration of such beverages however, manufacturers will have to address the two primary reasons why some Indians abstain entirely, that is, health concerns and undesirable taste – as highlighted in Boston Analytics’ survey of 8300 people across 15 cities. Approximately 120 billion liters of beverages are consumed by Indians every year, but only 5% represent store-bought packaged beverages. The majority of Indian consumers (75%) still consume non-alcoholic store-bought beverages ‘less than once a day’, highlighting a large untapped market opportunity, particularly in the carbonated drinks and juice or juice-based markets (estimated to be worth $1.5 Billion and $.25 billion respectively). While consumption frequency decreases with age, it is found to increase with income levels, except in the top-most economic strata of society. Health concerns remain the primary reason for not consuming non-alcoholic store-bought beverages at all. Yet of the 40+ brands covered in Boston Analytics’ study, none held a definitive position in this regard either positively or negatively. Boston Analytics’ study also revealed that 29% of those who consume non-alcoholic store bought beverage beverages do so at a fixed time during the day, suggesting that carbonated beverages have become a part of life for a significant portion of the Indian consumer market. Product taste is the primary driver of brand choice for carbonated, juice-based and sports/energy drinks. While consumptions patterns are somewhat similar across different tiered cities, reasons for not consuming non-alcoholic store bought beverages vary considerably. This study has implications for both the marketing and product development of carbonated, juice based and sports/energy drinks. Significant opportunities exist for manufacturers to expand these markets through both greater consumption and greater penetration. There are numerous initiatives which manufacturers, distributors and marketers can take in order to increase their market share in these product categories. For example: o Non-alcoholic beverage brands do not appear to be positioning themselves or differentiating themselves along the brand attributes that matter most to consumers in terms of product/brand selection and reasons for consuming and/or not consuming As with most product categories in India, consumption behavior and preferences differ dramatically across cities in India. While  Tier 1 cities (or the largest metros in India) report the highest consumption, significant differences exist among these cities, e.g., in terms of the time of day store-bought non-alcoholic beverages are consumed, preferred brands for carbonated beverages, reasons for consuming a particular product type, etc.). Such differences demonstrate the need for carefully targeted marketing campaigns that appeal to the needs, behaviors and preferences of local communities. TRENDS: Top Carbonated Beverages Industry Trends Consolidation: With overall growth of the beverage market slow, national companies have grown through overseas sales and acquisitions. Coca-Cola now owns 20 major beverage brands, PepsiCo 15. Cott, the largest private-label soda maker, has grown in recent years through the acquisition of local bottlers. Brand Management To distinguish their products from the large number of available competitors, manufacturers have relied heavily on using familiar brand names for new products. For example, Coca-Cola now comes in several different versions that are sugar- or caffeine-free or both, but all under the Coca-Cola label. Gatorade and Tropicana orange juice are now available in many different versions. PepsiCo has agreements with Starbucks and Lipton to use their brand names on new beverages. Private-Labels Amid the perception by consumers that colas don’t taste different, private-label sodas continue to be popular with budget-minded consumers and local supermarkets. Even though they’re priced lower than national brands, private-label sodas have higher margins for grocers because they’re cheaper to produce and don’t have heavy marketing costs. Cott has a large share of the private-label market, mainly because it supplies Wal-Mart, the nation’s biggest retailer. Economies of Scale Coca-Cola bottlers in North America have started an independent company expected to save money by giving them greater leverage in negotiations for contracts with suppliers and giant retailers. Projections indicate it could save about $100 million over the next few years through centralized bulk purchases of various goods from aluminum cans to vending machines. The company will also deal with major customers, such as Safeway, which now deals with several different bottlers. Packaging To increase convenience and consumption, beverage manufacturers are constantly experimenting with new product packaging. Coca-Cola introduced new packaging that conveniently fits 12 cans or bottles on a refrigerator shelf. The Fridge Pack was first used by a regional bottler, which saw sales of 12-packs increase 25 percent with the new packaging. In addition to Coke, the bottler has also applied the concept to Dasani water bottles. 3.3 Coca-Cola industry profile: COMPANY PROFILE: Coca-Cola, the product that has given the world its best-known taste was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on May 8, 1886. Coca-Cola Company is the world’s leading manufacturer, marketer and distributor of non-alcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups, used to produce nearly 400 beverage brands. It sells beverage concentrates and syrups to bottling and canning operators, distributors, fountain retailers and fountain wholesalers. The Company’s beverage products comprises of bottled and canned soft drinks as well as concentrates, syrups and not-ready-to-drink powder products. In addition to this, it also produces and markets sports drinks, tea and coffee. The Coca- Cola Company began building its global network in the 1920s. Now operating in more than 200 countries and producing nearly 400 brands, the Coca-Cola system has successfully applied a simple formula on a global scale: â€Å"Provide a moment of refreshment for a small amount of money- a billion times a day.† The Coca-Cola Company and its network of bottlers comprise the most sophisticated and pervasive production and distribution system in the world. More than anything, that system is dedicated to people working long and hard to sell the products manufactured by the Company. This unique worldwide system has made The Coca-Cola Company the world’s premier soft-drink enterprise. From Boston to Beijing, from Montreal to Moscow, Coca-Cola, more than any other consumer product, has brought pleasure to thirsty consumers around the globe. For more than 115 years, Coca-Cola has created a special moment of pleasure for hundreds of millions of people every day. (Source: www.Coca-Colaindia.com) OBJECTIVE OF COMPANY: The Company aims at increasing shareowner value over time. It accomplishes this by working with its business partners to deliver satisfaction and value to consumers through a worldwide system of superior brands and services, thus increasing brand equity on a global basis. They aim at managing their business well with people who are strongly committed to the Company values and culture and providing an appropriately controlled environment, to meet business goals and objectives.(Source: www.Coca-Colaindia.com) COCA-COLA PERFORMANCE IN INDIA Net operating revenues for the 4th quarter 2009 were 7,5 billion USD. Strong volume growth was achieved in key emerging markets, with 29% in China, 20% in India, and 8% in Brazil. Coca-Cola could achieve good volume growth even in developed markets, namely in France with 12% and in Germany with 3%. PRODUCTS OF COCA COLA: 1. Coca Cola 2. Thums up 3. Limca 4. Fanta 5. Sprite 6. Mazaa Competitors 1. Pepsi 2. Mirinda 3. Mountain due 4. Appy fizz 5. Tropicana Competion from substitutes 1. Fruit juices of unorganised market 2. Coconut 3. Mineral water TIME LINE TOF COCA COLA ORIGIN GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT Year 1894: A modest start for a bold idea In a candy store in Vicksburg, Mississippi, brisk sales of the new fountain beverage called Coca-Cola impressed the store’s owner, Joseph A. Biedenharn. He began bottling Coca-Cola to sell, using a common glass bottle called a Hutchinson. Biedenharn sent a case to Asa Griggs Candler, who owned the Company. Candler thanked him but took no action. One of his nephews already had urged that Coca-Cola be bottled, but Candler focused on fountain sales. Year 1899: The first bottling agreement Two young attorneys from Chattanooga, Tennessee believed they could build a business around bottling Coca-Cola. In a meeting with Candler, Benjamin F. Thomas and Joseph B. Whitehead obtained exclusive rights to bottle Coca-Cola across most of the United States for a sum of one dollar. A third Chattanooga lawyer, John T. Lupton, soon joined their venture. Years 1900-1909: Rapid growth The three pioneer bottlers divided the country into territories and sold bottling rights to local entrepreneurs. Their efforts were boosted by major progress in bottling technology, which improved efficiency and product quality. By 1909, nearly 400 Coca-Cola bottling plants were operating, most of them family-owned businesses. Some were open only during hot-weather months when demand was high. In the 1920s and 1930s: International expansion Led by Robert W. Woodruff, chief executive officer and chairman of the Board, the Company began a major push to establish bottling operations outside the U.S. Plants were opened in France, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Belgium, Italy and South Africa. By the time World War II began, Coca-Cola was being bottled in 44 countries. In the 1940s: Post-war growth During the war, 64 bottling plants were set up around the world to supply the troops. This followed an urgent request for bottling equipment and materials from General Eisenhower’s base in North Africa. Many of these war-time plants were later converted to civilian use, permanently enlarging the bottling system and accelerating the growth of the Company’s worldwide business. In the 1950s: Packaging innovations For the first time, consumers had choices of Coca-Cola package size and type-the traditional 6.5 ounce Contour Bottle, or larger servings including 10, 12 and 26 ounce versions. Cans were also introduced, becoming generally available in 1960. In the 1960s: Introduction of new brands Sprite, Fanta, Fresca and TAB joined brand Coca-Cola in the 1960s. Mr. Pibb and Mello Yello were added in the 1970s. The 1980s brought diet Coke and Cherry Coke, followed by PowerAde and Fruitopia in the 1990s. Today scores of other brands are offered to meet consumer preferences in local markets around the world. In the 1970s and 1980s: Consolidation to serve customers Advancement in technology led to global economy, retail customers of The Coca-Cola Company merged and evolved into international mega chains. Such customers required a new approach. In response, many small and medium-size bottlers consolidated to better serve giant international customers. The Company encouraged and invested in a number of bottler consolidations to assure that its largest bottling partners would have capacity to lead the system in working with global retailers. In the 1990s: New and growing markets Political and economic changes opened vast markets that were closed or underdeveloped for decades. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Company invested heavily to build plants in Eastern Europe. As the century closed, more than $1.5 billion was committed to new bottling facilities in Africa. 21st Century: Coca-Cola today The Coca-Cola bottling system grew up with roots deeply planted in local communities. This heritage serves the Company well today as consumers seek brands that honor local identity and the distinctiveness of local markets. As was true a century ago, strong locally based relationships between Coca-Cola bottlers, customers and communities are the foundation on which the entire business grows. COCA-COLA: VISION VISION FOR SUSTAINABLE GROWTH PROFIT: Maximizing return to shareowners while being mindful of our overall responsibilities. PEOPLE: Being a great place to work where people are  inspired to be the best they can be. PORTFOLIO: Bringing to the world a portfolio of beverage brands that anticipate and satisfy peoples’ Desires and needs. PARTNERS: Nurturing a winning network of partners and building mutual loyalty. PLANET: Being a responsible global citizen that makes a difference. COCA-COLA: MISSION Create consumer products services and communications customers service and bottling system strategy process and tools in order to create competitive advantage and deliver superior value to- Consumers as a superior beverage experience. Consumers as an opportunity to grow profit through the use of finished drinks. Bottlers as an opportunity to make reasonable to grow profits and value added Suppliers as an opportunity to make reasonable when creating real value added in environment of system wide teamwork, flexible business system and continuous improvement. Indian society in form of contribution to economic and social development. RED CONCEPT: RED stands for Right Execution Daily. It is a survey method for the company to know their position in the market. ABOUT RED: To check the availability of the visi cooler provided by the company to the retail outlets for their products. To check the activation in various outlets. To check the branding order of the various products in the cooler. Survey has done in the four topics- Impurity Brand Order Availability Activation IMPURITY: There should be no impurity in the visi cooler of the company. Impurity here refers to that brand which is presented in the visi cooler other than coke’s product. Therefore no other product of any other company should be in the cooler. BRAND ORDER: The company has given a brand order to the market developers to arrange the different brands in a specific order in the cooler. The order should be in such a way- Thumsup Coca cola Sprite Limca Fanta Maaza Kinley Pet & Juice AVAILABILTY: Availability is done according the type of outlet. There are four type of outlet mentioned below. According to this market developer has to ensure the availability of the products in the particular outlet. ACTIVATION: Activation is important because it helps to boost the sales of the company. It is done through the Glow sign, Shelf display, flanges. Combo boards, Table tops .This boards usually gives to the E&D outlets .It helps to attract the customers. Rack with header is provided to the grocery stores. Market developer must ensure that all these activation elements must available at all the outlets. VARIOUS ACTIVATION ELEMENTS: 1. WARM DISPLAY RACK 2. SHELF DISPLAY SHELF DISPLAY DISPLAY OF RACK VISI COOLER OPTIONAL ELEMENTS:- 1. STANDEE 2. SIX MOBILE HANGER 3. VISI COOLER BRAND STRIP 4. WARM DISPLAY RACK 5. TABLE TOP RACK TYPES OF OUTLETS: The company has divided their outlets on the basis of the following criteria- Volume Channel Income group VOLUME There are four types of outlets according to the volume of sales of the outlet- Platinum – 1500 & above per year Diamond – 800-1500C/s & above per year Gold – 500-799C/s per year Silver – 200-499C/s per year Bronze – above 7C/s 9C/s 20C/s 30C/s CONCEPT OF RED: Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Pvt.Ltd. India division Under Eurasia Operating Group has been working on RED i.e. Right Execution Daily Since JAN 2006.Coca-Cola company believes that its success depends on their ability to connect with consumer by providing them with a wide variety of choices to meet their desires, needs and lifestyles choices, company success further depends on the ability of their people by execute effectively every day. MEASURING THE PERFORMANCE OF RED: To measure the impact of Right Execution Daily (RED) a survey (RED AUDIT) is done by third party (a consultant) every month. Third party conducts a survey by visiting all the RED activated outlets and benchmarks it on the prescribed Merchandising standards of RED. A monthly report is send to Hindustan Coca- Cola Beverages Private Limited. The report is called as To create the Red Report third party asks a set of question from the retailers which are as follows: Related to Visicooler: Is Cooler in the Hot Spot Location? Does it have all the products of Coca-Cola available? Is the display of the Coca-Cola display of the products in a standard such as sprite, Thums up, Maaza, Fanta and Limca†,) Is cooler working properly? Is the cooler pure? Related to Price Communication: Is there proper price display of the products? Related to product availability: All the brands should be present in the every distribution channel but main concern is that 300 ml should be present in the every channel and 600 ml and 1.5 liters per bottles should be present in the Eating and. drinking, convenience and Grocery shop. .PRE SALE CONCEPT This is a new concept by the company. In this concept company takes order one day before and then delivers the product to each route. So this gives more time to market developer to assure RED. This concept has so many advantages- This gives more time to the market developer for the activation & branding purpose. By this company can easily implement the RED concept in better way. Presale concept makes assure of more availability of the products in the market. This concept is easy in processing. By this concept market developer can arrange the product in better way. The Company can display its products in proper way so that customers can attract towards it. Chapter 4 Analysis of data 4.1 MARKET SHARE OF CANS Q.1 Which cans are more demanded by customers? Table no. 4.1 Type of can Respondents Percentage Coca-Cola 70 70 Pepsi Slim can 30 30 Total 100 100 Chart no.4.1 INTERPRETATION: From the above table It can be said that Coca-Coca fit cans has 70% market share where as Pepsi slim cans has only 30% market share. 4.2 ORDER PLACING Q.2 How many cases of cans do you order Table no. 4.2 No. Of cases Respondents Percentage 0.5-1 70 70 1-2 15 15 2-5 10 10 5& above 5 5 Total 100 100 Chart no. 4.2 INTERPRETATION: From the above table it can be said that 70% of retailers are placing order of 0.5-1 case, 15 % are placing 1-2 cases, 10% are placing 2-5 cases and 5 % are placing 5 and above cases of order. 4.3 EFFECT OF CHANGE IN PRICE AND QUANTITY ON CANS Q.3 Does the change in price and quantity of fit cans increase sales? Table no. 4.3 Opinion Respondents Percentage Yes 80 80 No 15 15 Cant say 5 5 Total 100 100 Chart no.4.3 INTERPRATATION: From the above chart we can say that 80% of retailers said that change in price and quantity have effect on sales of cans, 15% of them did not agree and 5 % of them said they cannot say. 4.4 MARKET DEMAND FOR VARIOUS FLAVOURS OF CANS Q.no.4 Which flavor of cans are more sold Table no.4.4 Flavour Respondents Percentage Coca-Cola 12 12 Diet Coke 20 20 Thumbs up 45 45 Sprite 8 8 Limca 8 8 Fanta 5 5 Total 100 10 Chart no. 4.4 INTERPRETATION: From the above chart we can say that thumbs up has 45% market share, diet coke has 20%, coke has 12% , fanta has 8%, and both sprite and limca has 8% respectively. 4.5 CHANNEL WISE AVAILABILITY Q.no.5 Channel wise availability of cans? Table no. 4.5 Type of channel Respondents Percentage Convenince 10 10 E&D-2 15 15 Grocery-1 65 65 Travel 10 10 Total 100 100 Chart no.4.5 INTERPRETATION: From the above chart we can say that 65% fit cans are available in Grocery-1, 15% in E&D-2, 10% in convenience, 10% in travel. 4.6 VPO WISE AVAILABILITY Q.no.6 VPO availability of cans?. Table no.4.6 Volume per outlet Respondents Percentage Platinum 45 45 Diamond 30 30 Gold 15 15 Silver 8 8 Bronze 2 2 Total 100 100 Chart no.4.6 INTERPRATATION: From the above chart we can say that 45% of cans are available in Platinum outlets, 30% in Diamond outlets, 15% in Gold outlets, 8% in Silver outlets and 2% in Bronze outlets. 4.7 NON RED OUTLETS AVAILABILITY Q no. 7 Availability of cans in non red outlets Table no. 4.7 Non red outlets Respondents Percentage Own cooler 20 20 Shared with Competitor 80 80 Total 100 100 Chart no. 4.7 INTERPRATATION: From the above chart we can say that in non red outlets 80% of them are shared with competitor, and 20% of them have own cooler. 4.8 FLOOR STOCK AT THE OUTLET Q no.8 No. of cases of floor stock maintained at the outlet Table no.4.8 Chart no. 4.8 INTERPRETATION: From the above chart we can say that 75% of retailers are maintaing 0.5-1 case of floor stock, 10% are maintaining 1-5cases of floor stock, and 15% are not maintaining any floor stock. Chapter 5 FINDINGS SUGGESTIONS& CONCLUSION 5.1FINDINGS: Coca-Cola had a very high customer awareness and demand. Retailers are very much satisfied with market developers behavior. Retailers are not allowing market developers to keep visi-coolers pure There are some loyal customer who prefer selling only Coca-Cola. 5.2 SUGGESTIONS: More promotional offers have to be introduced. Coca-Cola Fit cans should be promoted more in order to increase the sales. New schemes should be introduced for retailers in order to promote Fit cans. Market developers should be given some amount which can be used to provide credit facility to some retailers. Coolers should be provided in petrol bunks so that it will generate impulse purchase as traffic will be more in petrol bunks like siripuram h.p. The Company employees should make direct contact with the consumers, so that they may aware with  real situation of the market and consumers attitude towards the product. For this they can arrange awareness camps in different locations like recently they gave free  cokes in beach road Floor stock must be maintained so that consumers can enjoy continous supply. 5.3 CONCLUSION: This project is playing a very important role for the company. With the help of this project, company can know its opportunities in the market. Because in this project the survey is done by interacting with different kinds of people by which the attitude towards the product can be known. All the activation elements like maintainance of floor stock, rack display, standees etc must be available at all outlets . All these elements help the company in increasing the sales. Definitely when sales increase then profits also increases. With the help of this project company has increased its sale and also company can measure or check the performance of each retailers working with COCA COLA COMPANY. BIBLIOGRAPHY BOOKS: A. Philip Kotler (2009), â€Å"Marketing Management† Prentice Hall of India, New Delhi, Eleventh Edition. B. Bellur and Berkman (1987), â€Å"Readings in Marketing Management† Himalaya Publishing House, New Delhi, First Edition. C. Samars and Barmer Stanton â€Å"Fundamentals of Marketing† Mc Graw Hill Company, Ryerson, Eight Edition. D. Gupta and Rajan Nair (2002), â€Å"Marketing Management† Sultan Chand & Sons, New Delhi, Seventh EditionPhilip Kotler (2009), â€Å"Marketing Management† Prentice Hall of India, New Delhi, Eleventh Edition. E. Bellur and Berkman (1987), â€Å"Readings in Marketing Management† Himalaya Publishing House, New Delhi, First Edition. F. Samars and Barmer Stanton â€Å"Fundamentals of Marketing† Mc Graw Hill Company, Ryerson, Eight Edition. WEBSITES http://www.articlesbase.com/customer-service-articles/importance-of-customer-satisfaction-3242170.html http://www.coca-cola.com http://www.chemuturi.com/Measuring%20Customer%20Satisfaction-CMK.pdf http://www.google.com http://www.ko.com http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com http://www.wikipedia.org ANNEXURE QUESTIONNAIRE ON COCA-COLA FIT CANS 1.Which cans are more demanded by customers? a)Coca-cola fit can b)Pepsi slim can 2.How many cases of cans do you order? a)0.5-1 case b)1-2 case c)2-5 case d)5&above 3.Does the change in price and quantity of fit can increase sales? a)Yes b)No 4.Which flavour of cans are more sold? a)Coca-cola b)Thumps up c)Fanta d)Sprite e)Diet coke f)Limca 5.Channel wise availaibility? a)cConvenience b)E&D c)Grocery d)Travel-1 6.Volume per outlet wise availability? a)Platinum b)Diamond c)Gold d)Silver e)Bronze 7.Non RED outlet availability? a)Own cooler b)Competitor but shared 8.Floor stocks at the outlet? a)1case b)1-5case c)Nil

Business Intelligence Essay

As Business Intelligence (BI) becomes a critical component of daily operations, real-time data warehouses (DW) that provide end users with rapid updates and alerts generated from transactional systems are increasingly being deployed. Real-time data warehousing and BI, supporting its aggressive Go Forward business plan, have helped Continental Airlines alter its industry status from â€Å"worst to first† and then from â€Å"first to favourite†. Continental Airlines is a leader in real-time BI. In 2004, Continental won the Data Warehousing Institute’s Best Practices and Leadership Award. Big Problems Continental Airlines was founded in 1934, with a single-engine Lockheed aircraft in the Southwestern U.S. As of 2006, Continental (Houston) is the fifth largest airline in the United States and the seventh largest in the world. Continental has the broadest global route network of any U.S. airline, with more than 2,300 daily departures to more than 227 destinations. Back in 1994, Continental was in deep financial trouble. It had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection twice and was heading for its third, and probably final, bankruptcy. Ticket sales were hurting because performance on factors that are important to customers was dismal, including a low percentage of on-time departures, frequent baggage arrival problems, and too many customers turned away due to overbooking. Solution The revival of Continental began in 1994, when Gordon Bethune became CEO and initiated the Go Forward plan, which consisted of four interrelated parts to be implemented simultaneously. Bethune targeted the need to improve customer-valued performance measures by better understanding customer needs as well as customer perceptions of the value of services that were and could be offered. Financial management practices were also targeted for a significant overhaul. As early as 1998, the airline had separate databases for marketing and operations, all hosted and managed by outside vendors. Processing queries and instigating marketing programs to its high-value customers were time-consuming and ineffective. In addition, information that the workforce needed to make quick decisions was simply not available. In 1999, Continental chose to integrate its marketing, IT, revenue, and operational data sources into a single, in-house, enterprise data warehouse (EDW). The data warehouse provided a va riety of early, major benefits. As soon as Continental returned to profitability and ranked first in the airline industry in many performance metrics, Bethune and his management team raised the bar by escalating the vision. Instead of just performing best, they wanted Continental to be their customers’ favourite airline. The Go Forward plan established more actionable ways to move from first to favourite among customers. Technology became increasingly critical for supporting these new initiatives. In the early days, having access to historical, integrated information was sufficient. This produced substantial strategic value. But it became increasingly imperative for the data warehouse to provide real-time, actionable information to support enterprise-wise tactical decision making and business processes. Luckily, the warehouse team had expected and arranged for the real-time shift. From the very beginning, the team had created an architecture to handle real-time data feeds into the warehouse, extracts of data from legacy systems into the warehouse, and tactical queries to the warehouse that required almost immediate response times. In 2001, real-time data became available from the warehouse, and the amount stored grew rapidly. Continental moves real-time data (ranging from to-the-minute to hourly) about customers, reservations, check-ins, operations, and flights from its main operational systems to the warehouse. Continental’s real-time applications include the following: †¢ Revenue management and accounting †¢ Customer relationship management (CRM) †¢ Crew operations and payroll †¢ Security and fraud †¢ Flight operations Benefits In the first year alone, after the data warehouse project was deployed, Continental identified and eliminated over $7 million in fraud and reduced costs by $41 million. With a $30 million investment in hardware and software over six years, Continental has reached over $500 million in increased revenues and cost savings in marketing, fraud detection, demand forecasting and tracking, and improved data centre management. The single, integrated, trusted view of the business (i.e. the single version of the truth) has led to better, faster decision making. Continental is now identified as a leader in real-time BI, based on its scalable and extensible architecture, practical decisions in what data are captured in real-time, strong relationships with end users, a small and highly competent data warehouse staff, sensible weighing of strategic and tactical decision support requirements, understanding of the synergies between decision support and operations, and changed business processes that use real-time data. Questions 1.Describe the benefits of implementing the Continental Go Forward strategy. 2.Explain why it is important for an airline to use a real-time data warehouse. 3.Examine the following sample system output screen. Describe how it can assist the user in identifying problems and opportunities. Extracted from http://www.teradata.com/t/page/139245/ 4.Identify the major differences between the traditional data warehouse and a real-time data warehouse, as was implemented at Continental. 5.What strategic advantage can Continental derive from the real-time system as opposed to a traditional information system? Additional information on Continental Airlines extracted from http://www.teradata.com/t/page/139245/ Continental scores with Teradata and Hyperion Continental Airlines, the world’s sixth largest airline, was recently named the â€Å"most admired global airline† by Fortune magazine. But Continental wasn’t always so highly acclaimed. In 1994, it ranked 10th out of 10 airlines assessed by U.S. Department of Transportation metrics. The airline knew little about its important customers, set fares and schedules using conventional industry assumptions, conducted contract negotiations blindly and fought fraud only after the damage was done. Continental’s turn around dramatically demonstrates how a data warehouse implementation and strategic use of BI—in this case, Teradata and Hyperion, respectively—can enable a company to attain competitive advantage. In fact, Continental’s earned it Gartner’s 2005 BI Excellence Award. Continental developed an enterprise data model that simplifies the joining of different subject areas to provide a single view of information for the BI environment. The model can support any query a user asks. Twenty-seven source systems feed the data warehouse, including schedules, inventory, reservations, OnePass (Continental’s frequent flyer program) and employee/crew payroll. More than 1,100 people use Continental’s Teradata/Hyperion-based system. The single, integrated, trusted view of the business has produced benefits ranging from better, faster decision-making to more than $500 million in cost savings, as well as incremental revenue from many initiatives that required BI information. The CRM and marketing team at Continental offers a conservative estimate of $150 million in revenue gains and $25 million in cost savings and fraud prevention.

Business Policy

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE DUBLIN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND, DUBLIN MASTER OF SCIENCE (SINGAPORE) Business Policy BMGT 4025S STUDY GUIDE MSc14/15 FT / Singapore Copyright October 2012 1 Author: Dr Yousef Eiadat and Dr Richard Tan (2012) This manual was prepared for University College Dublin as a comprehensive support for students completing the above mentioned Degree programme.  © This publication may not be reproduced, in whole or in part without permission in from University College Dublin. Module Co-ordinator: Dr Yousef Eiadat & Dr Richard Tan Contact details Mobile: TBA Office: TBA Email: [email  protected] om. sg 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE Welcome message 1. INTRODUCTION a. Background details b. Module aims 2. MODULE OUTLINE a. Module learning outcomes b. Themes and topics c. Learning supports 3. MODULE DELIVERY SCHEDULE a. Session arrangements b. Student engagement c. Office hours arrangements 4. ASSESSMENT DETAILS a. Assignments b. Module assessment components i. Pre module ass ignment ii. Group project iii. Examination 5. GRADING a. University grading policy b. Grade descriptors for assessment components 6. CONCLUDING COMMENTS APPENDICES 5 6 10 12 16 19 21 3Welcome message Welcome to this unit on Business Policy. Dr Yousef Eiadat will be joining me in teaching this course. In this unit we aim to build skills in Strategic planning – the analysis behind strategic decisions, the crafting of strategies and the implementation of them to ensure organisational success. Strategy involves managing the interface between an organization and its external environment. To this end, the first three topics develop skills in strategic analysis, leading to consideration of the positioning of an organisation in its strategic environment.These cover internal and external analysis, and the options in setting strategic direction. This analysis is critical to successful strategy because success depends upon finding the right fit between the strengths and weaknesses of th e internal workings of the organisation and the opportunities and threats in the external environment. We will spend time ensuring that you can apply the main tools and techniques to the real world situation outlined cases. Should you require clarification on any matter pertaining to the module, please do not hesitate to contact me.Dr Yousef Eiadat Dr. Richard Tan Module coordinator, BMGT4008S 4 PART 1: INTRODUCTION This Study Guide is designed to provide you with details of the module (Business Policy, BMGT4025S), the learning outcomes, delivery and assessment arrangements. The Study Guide consists of 6 parts Part 1 gives background details to the subject area are provided and the broad aims of the module are set out. Part 2 consists of the module outline. In this part the (a) module learning outcomes, (b) the themes and topics to be explored are explained along with the (c) learning supports to be used.Part 3 gives details of the module delivery arrangements. It sets out the sessi on arrangements and the expectations in relation to your prior preparation and student engagement. Part 4 provides details of the assessment techniques used in this module explaining the assessment components, their rationale. Part 5 explains the UCD grading policy and grade descriptors drawing on the university document are given for each assessment component (i) Pre-module assignment, (ii) Main Assignment and (iii) Examination (closed book). Part 6 presents the concluding comments. a.Background to the Topic Strategic management is predominantly focused on creating effectiveness – it is concerned with the long-term compatibility between an organisation and its relevant external environment. Good strategies also create organizational flexibility. Managing the interface between the external environment and the organisation requires it to become flexible enough to respond to environmental changes. Strategic mistakes come from misinterpreting environmental trends or not reacting rapidly enough to changed industry conditions. The knowledge has a dramatic impact on a firm’s success. b.Module Aims The aim of this module is to provide students with an overview of the theory and practice of strategic management. The module is designed to deepen your awareness and 5 understanding of the factors that contribute to effective management of enterprises – large and small. The theory underpinning the firm and MNE is assessed and students are encouraged to develop an ability to critically evaluate its applicability in today's world. Among the topics covered on this course include: Theory and practice of business management. Theoretical developments are also evaluated for their relevance for the international manager.Key management issues and techniques related to business competitiveness. This includes varies variables that influence a firm’s competitiveness, role of culture, sourcing, doing business in specific regions in Pacific Rim etc. The modu le draws on the student’s prior learning and work experience, and combines insights from IB, Human Resource Management and other areas. The assessments have been designed with this in mind as detailed later in the study guide. PART 2: MODULE OUTLINE Module Title: Business Policy Module Code: BMGT 4025S No. of ECTS: 10 ECTS Learning Outcomes I.Undertake environment scanning processes and critically assess the impact on the organisation and their strategy. II. Identify and critically assess the significance of cultural issues on business and to critical evaluate the appropriate strategies to gain maximum competitive advantage. III. Critically assess the theoretical underpinnings of principal concepts, frameworks, and techniques of strategic management and describe the variety of factors that influence a firm's success. IV. Explain the strategic options available to firms in growth strategies and analyse the forces that affecting this decision.V. Identify emerging issues in mana gement. On completing the Business Policy module, students will be expected to be able to: i. Assess the potential of different strategies in the context of different cultures, risks and uncertainties. 6 ii. iii. iv. Expand on the complexities of Business. Identify business issues confronting companies planning to expand internationally. Illustrate how companies compete in markets. Module Text: Jones, G. R. , Hill, C. W. L. (2011), â€Å"Theory of Strategic Management with Cases†, International Edition, 10th Edn. Cengage.Learning Materials For this module, please read the assigned chapters in the prescribed text and the additional readings assigned (see list below). I. Hanson, D. , Dowling, P. , Hitt, M. , Ireland, D. , and Hoskisson R. , (2011), â€Å"The Management of Strategy Concepts†, 9th edn, Thomson Learning. II. Brooks, J. Weatherston and G. Wilkinson, (2011), The International Business Environment: Challenges and Changes, 2e Other useful sources: I. Academy of Management Journal II. Strategic Management Journal III. Journal of Marketing IV. European Journal of Marketing V. The Wall Street Journal VI.The Financial Times Students completing the International Business module are expected to participate in session discussions and learning activities and be familiar with recent developments in the business world. To facilitate this, the following source material is useful 1. The Economist 2. The South China Morning Post 3. The Straits Times 4. The Financial Times 5. Business Week 7 6. Fortune PART 3: MODULE DELIVERY SCHEDULE The module delivery relies on students’ ability to engage in prior preparation, to seek confirmation and clarification as appropriate and to be actively engaged during the sessions.Session Arrangements Each student is expected to attend and be prepared for all sessions. Table 1 below outlines the structure for the sessions. Table 1: Module Delivery Schedule – themes, readings, cases No. Theme /Topic title Te xt chapters articles/ Readings* Case / exercise TBA in lecture 1 1 Strategic Leadership: Managing the Strategy-Making Process for Competitive Advantage. Chap. 1 Dr Yousef Eiadat 2 External Analysis: The Identification of Opportunities and Threats. Chap. 2 Dr Yousef Eiadat 3 Internal Analysis: Distinctive Competencies, Competitive Advantage, and Profitability.Chap. 3 Dr Yousef Eiadat 4 Building Competitive Advantage Through Functional-Level Strategy. Chap. 4 Dr Yousef Eiadat 5 Building Competitive Advantage Through Business-Level Strategy. Chap. 5 Dr Yousef Eiadat 6 Business-Level Strategy and the Industry Environment. Chap. 6 Dr Yousef Eiadat 8 7 Strategy and Technology. Chap. 7 Dr Richard Tan 8 Strategy in the Global Environment. Chap. 8 Dr Richard Tan 9 Corporate-Level Strategy: Horizontal Integration, Vertical Integration, and Strategic Outsourcing. Chap. 9 Dr Richard Tan 10 Case Presentation/discussionTBA Dr Richard Tan 11 Corporate-Level Strategy: Formulating and Implementing R elated and Unrelated Diversification. Chap. 10 Dr Richard Tan 12 Corporate Performance, Governance, and Business Ethics. Chap. 11 Dr Richard Tan 13 Implementing Strategy in Companies that Compete in a Single Industry. Chap. 12 Dr Richard Tan 14 Implementing Strategy in Companies that Compete Across Industries and Countries. Chap. 13 Dr Richard Tan 15 Exam revision Dr Richard Tan 16 * Some chapters in the text are assigned for more than one theme. 9Preparation Required in Advance of Sessions / Seminars In addition to the pre-course assignment, you are expected to have read the following topics in advance of meeting the module coordinator / course lecturer at the seminars. Student Engagement During the sessions, students are expected to be able to discuss issues arising from the assigned chapters and readings for the topics as scheduled above. Session participation is a vital element in the design of this module. Therefore, all students are expected to engage in class discussion and d ebate in order to facilitate the formation of their critical judgements.To support your learning, Power-Point slides will be available which (on certain occasions) may need to be upgraded / modified during or following the sessions depending on the issues raised. Office Hours We will be available before and after each class session, should you wish to meet us individually to discuss any aspect of this module. PART 4: ASSESSMENT DETAILS Assessment is undertaken to establish the extent of student learning on completing a module and according to Biggs and Tang1 (2009) it is the senior partner of teaching and learning.This module has three assessment components with specific weightings and marks awarded totalling 1002. The purpose of each assessment is as follows: †¢ Assessment 1 (the Pre-Course Assignment) aims to introduce and appraise International marketing in the world setting. It is also designed to focus your learning in preparation for the face to face sessions. †¢ Ass essment 2 (Assignment) is designed to critically appraise issues in Business policy, International strategy and formulate strategies. Biggs, J. and Tang, C. 2009, Teaching for Quality Learning at University, Maidenhead: Open University/McGraw Hill. As the Overseas Programme modules are worth 10 ECTS they should be graded out of 200 marks. 1 10 †¢ Assessment 3 (Examination) is the formal examination, which aims to get insights on your understanding of issues (theory and practice) addressed in the module. Students are expected to complete all assignments ensuring that they are submitted by the specified date. All submissions must be typed, be well laid out, written in an academic style with appropriate headings (introduction, main part and concluding comments) and sections.Please ensure that all submissions are entirely your own work – for UCD’s policy on plagiarism click on the link below (please see Appendix 2 for further information on Plagiarism and the policy o n the Late Submission of Coursework): http://www. ucd. ie/registry/academicsecretariat/plag_pol_proc. pdf The weighting assigned for each component is shown in Table 2a below. (* I = Individual; G = Group) Table 2a – Assessment Components Assessment components 1. Pre-module Assignment 2. Assignment 3. Examination Weighting 10% 40% 50% I / G* I I I Table 2b – Assessment datelines Assignment Deadlines Pre Course Assignment (PCA) Main Assignment (MA)Date Assignment Due 29 Oct 2012 30 Nov 2012 11 Module Assessment Components In the following pages, further details of each assessment component are presented along with expectations in relation to prior preparation and completion. 1. Pre-Module Assignment Assignment: Case analysis This assignment is a case analysis. Students are to answer the following case questions. Case 1: Wynn Resorts (Print) Q1: What are Wynn Resorts’ distinctive resources and competencies? Q2: What is the industry structure in which in which Wynn Resorts operates? Case 2: APPLE in 2008 (Print) Q1: Historically, what were Apple’s major competitive advantages?Q2: Using Porter’s five forces model how has the structure of the personal computer industry changed over the last 20 years? Assignments Guidelines: This is an individual assignment. The aims is to introduce and appraise International business in the world setting This is an essay discussion paper. As an essay, your work must not contain any headings (other than the question itself), graphs or illustrations. The report should have a cover and its main discussion shall not exceed six (6) pages. The cover page shall contain the student’s number and full name, and the title of this course.The report shall be in plain white paper and stapled on the top lefthand corner, no file is required. Font – Times New Roman or Ariel 12 pts and line spacing is 1. 5. A good quality work will requires: o o o o o Evidence of wide & relevant (and correctly referen ced) reading and research; Presentation of a balanced and well considered argument; Originality; Knowledge and understanding of key concepts; Analysis and level of argument, Good use of appropriate frameworks, theory or models; Good understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of models used; 2 o o A logical conclusion fitting the arguments presented and, Demonstration of a clear and concise writing style. Please see page 18 for assessment and grading standards. Students should familiarize themselves with the University’s policy on the late submission of coursework. This Pre Course Assignment (PCA) must be submitted in hard copy. See the PCA deadline in table 2B above. Please read the Grade Descriptors in the PCA Grade Descriptor table. 2.Main Assignment: Case analysis Assignment: Case analysis This assignment is a case analysis. Students are to answer the following case questions. Case 16 – Alarm Ringing: Nokia in 2010 (in textbook). 1. Describe Nokia’s vi sion and mission for its organization and how was it implemented? What suggestions can you provide (if any) that would or would have strategically positioned them in a competitive market? 2. Using the competitive forces model, what alarms should Nokia have identified in their strategic pursuits? 3.In Nokia’s current situation, what strategy and techniques do you suggest to better position them for future growth? 4. What should Nokia have done to compete technologically? 5. What generic business level strategy should Nokia pursues today? What actions the company have to take at the functional level to support this strategy? 6. Nokia when into a strategic alliance with Microsoft, explain what possible competitive advantages could Nokia gain from this relationship. What is Nokia’s new competitive positioning. 13Assignments Guidelines: This is an individual assignment. The aim is to critically appraise issues in Business and corporate level strategies formulation for the f irm. The report should have a cover, content and its main discussion shall not exceed twenty (20) pages. The cover page shall contain the student’s number and full name, and the title of this course. The report shall be in plain white paper and stapled on the top left-hand corner, no file is required. Font – Times New Roman or Ariel 12 pts and line spacing is 1. 5.A good quality work will requires: o o o o o o o Evidence of wide & relevant (and correctly referenced) reading and research; Presentation of a balanced and well considered argument; Originality; Knowledge and understanding of key concepts; Analysis and level of argument, Good use of appropriate frameworks, theory or models; Good understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of models used; A logical conclusion fitting the arguments presented and, Demonstration of a clear and concise writing style. Please see page 18 for assessment and grading standards.Students should familiarize themselves with the Univ ersity’s policy on the late submission of coursework. This Main Assignment must be submitted to your Programme Manager in hard copy. See the deadline in table 2B. Please read the Grade Descriptors in the Main Assignment Grade Descriptor table. 14 4. Examination: 5. The examination (3 hours) will focus on module themes and the material covered in the text, cases, assigned readings, videos and class discussions. For this, students are expected to demonstrate their understanding of theory and practice addressed throughout the module.The examination question format will be designed to allow you show your understanding of the topics discussed and also reveal your learning (new and prior). More specific guidelines regarding the examination paper format and questions will be provided during the final session. 6. Students will have the opportunity to ask questions about its design and style and be advised the type of answers expected. 7. A recent past examination paper is included in Appendix 3 of this Study Guide, please be prepared for slightly different style of question PART 5: GRADINGThis section of the Study Guide provides students with details of the UCD grading system and also explains criterion referenced grading (UCD Policy). Under criterion referenced grading, students are graded on the quality of their work without reference to other students (norm referenced). For instance, the submission that meets the required guidelines in terms of writing style, analysis, description and / or summary will be awarded according to the standards set out. All students’ work is graded to indicate the standard attained using the criterion referenced approach.Table 3: UCD Grading System Grade A+ A AB+ B BC+ Very good Excellent Description Grade Point 4. 2 4. 0 3. 8 3. 6 3. 4 3. 2 3. 0 15 C CD+ D DE F G Good 2. 8 2. 6 2. 4 Acceptable 2. 2 2. 0 Marginal Fail (unacceptable, no compensation) Fail (Wholly unacceptable; no compensation) 1. 6 1. 0 0. 4 NG Fail (Wholly unacceptable; no relevant attempt) 0. 0 More specific grade descriptors are set out for your assessment components in the following pages. Table 4 below provides descriptors for the Pre-Module Assignment – please read them prior to submitting your work.Table 4: Grade Descriptors – Pre-Module Assignment Grade Criteria Paper is exceptionally well searched. Extremely detailed and accurate with critical evidence A3 from a wide variety of sources that is all properly cited. Strong evidences of wide & relevant originality, knowledge and understanding of key concepts, analysis and level of argument. Exceptionally critical, relevant and consistent connections made between arguments, evidence, subtopics, showing excellent analysis. Presentation of a balanced and well considered argument.Demonstration of a clear and concise writing style. Paper is well researched in detail with accurate & critical evidence from a variety of sources B that is properly cited. Evidences of wide & relevant originality, knowledge and understanding of key concepts, analysis and level of argument. Consistent connections made between While the criteria detailed above refer to A – D grades (inclusive) only, please note that all bands will be used (A+, A and A-; B+, B and B- etc) for grading assignments. 3 16 vidence, subtopics, arguments & thesis / topic showing good analysis Some aspects of paper is researched with some accurate evidence from limited sources with C some citations. Some connections made between evidence, subtopics, arguments & thesis / topic showing analysis. -limited information on topic with lack of research, details or accurate evidence D -limited connections made between evidence, subtopics, counterarguments & thesis / topic -lack of analysis Table 5: Grade Descriptors – Main assignment Grade Criteria Paper is exceptionally well searched.Extremely detailed and accurate with critical evidence A4 from a wide variety of sources that is all properly cited. Strong evidences of wide & relevant originality, knowledge and understanding of key concepts, analysis and level of argument. Exceptionally critical, relevant and consistent connections made between arguments, evidence, subtopics, showing excellent analysis. Presentation of a balanced and well considered argument. Demonstration of a clear and concise writing style. Paper is well researched in detail with accurate & critical evidence from a variety of sourcesB that is properly cited. Evidences of wide & relevant originality, knowledge and understanding of key concepts, analysis and level of argument. Consistent connections made between evidence, subtopics, arguments & thesis / topic showing good analysis Some aspects of paper is researched with some accurate evidence from limited sources with C some citations. Some connections made between evidence, subtopics, arguments & thesis / topic showing analysis. -limited information on topic with lack of research, details or accurate evidence D limited connections made between evidence, subtopics, counterarguments & thesis / topic -lack of analysis While the criteria detailed above refer to A – D grades (inclusive) only, please note that all bands will be used (A+, A and A-; B+, B and B- etc) for grading assignments. 4 17 NB All students are advised to read the UCD Business School Code of Practice for Group work – see Appendix 1. TABLE 6: Grade Descriptors – Formal Closed Book Examination Grade Characteristics Answers are extremely detailed and accurate with critical evidence from a wide variety of sources.Strong evidences of wide & relevant knowledge and understanding of key A concepts, analysis and level of argument. Exceptionally critical, relevant and consistent in addressing the question and made between arguments, evidence, subtopics, showing excellent analysis. Presentation of a balanced and well considered argument. Demonstration of a clear and concise writing style. Answers have goo d detail with accurate & critical evidence from a variety of sources. Evidences of wide & relevant originality, knowledge and understanding of key concepts, B nalysis and level of argument. Consistent in addressing the question and made between arguments, evidence, subtopics, showing good analysis. Demonstration of a clear and concise writing style. C Some aspects of answers have good detail with some accurate evidence from limited sources. Address some aspect of the question and made between arguments, evidence, subtopics, showing good analysis. -limited information on topic with lack of details or accurate evidence. D -limited connections made between evidence, subtopics, counterarguments & thesis / topic. lack of coherent analysis. PART 6: CONCLUDING COMMENTS This Study Guide is designed to assist and guide your learning for this module. It is important that you read it regularly and do so in conjunction with the core text, the assigned readings and session materials. Should you need clarification on issues covered, please let me know during the seminar sessions. I hope you enjoy the module and wish you good luck with the rest of your study and for the future. 18 Name of Module Co-ordinator, Dr. Richard Tan Date: Oct 2012 19 APPENDIX 1:You are advised to read the following important documents before you commence your studies on this module: 1. Guidelines for the Late Submission of Coursework This document provides a detailed outline of the rules and regulations surrounding the presentation, submission and marking of assignments. The guidelines provided must be adhered at all times to avoid an unnecessary loss of marks. Further details on www. ucd. ie/registry/academicsecretariat/late_sub. pdf 2. A Briefing Document for Students on Academic Integrity and Plagiarism.The University understands plagiarism to be the inclusion of another person’s writings or ideas or works, in any formally presented work (including essays, theses, examinations, projects, l aboratory reports, oral, poster or slide presentations) which form part of the assessment requirements for a module or programme of study, without due acknowledgement either wholly or in part of the original source of the material through appropriate citation. Further details please go to www. ucd. ie/registry/academicsecretariat/plag_pol_proc. pdf Plagiarism is a form of academic dishonesty.In any assignment, plagiarism means that you have presented information or ideas belonging to someone else falsely as being your own original thoughts on a subject. All assessments/projects submitted must be the result of your own work. The following statement must be included on the cover page of all assignments submitted: I declare that all materials included in this essay/report/project/dissertation is the end result of my own work and that due acknowledgement have been given in the bibliography and references to ALL sources be they printed, electronic or personal. Signed: Student name/s, stu dent number Date: 0 APPENDIX 2: Note to Students: Providing a copy of this paper does not signify that future papers will follow the exact same format. SEMESTER I EXAMINATION 210 Academic Year – 2009/10 MASTER OF SCIENCE (Singapore) MSc9/10 Full-Time BMGT 4025S Business Policy Professor John Benson Professor Brian Fynes Dr. Paul McGrath Professor Pat Gibbons* Mr. Richard Tan* Time Allowed: 2 Hours Instructions for Candidates Answer any TWO (2) questions. All questions carry equal marks. 21 Question 1 Write an essay explaining the concept of the Resource-based view in strategic planning and formulation.In your discussion explain and emphasise how resources and capabilities can lead to a competitive advantage. Also illustrate the five-steps describing the linkages between resource identification and strategic decisions that will lead to above-average returns. Illustrate your answer with reference to the Apple case study or from your group project. Question 2 In September 2001, two leading players in the global computer industry – Hewlett-Packard Company (HP) and Compaq Computer Corporation (Compaq) – announced their merger.HP bought Compaq for US$ 24 billion in stocks and it was the biggest deal in the history of the computer industry. However, the acquisition strategy to achieve strategic advantage and competitiveness did not succeed and the performance of the merged firms suffered. Identify and explain the reasons for HP’s decision to acquire Compaq. In your discussion provide insights as to the likely reasons for the poor performance after the firms merged. Question 3 When Apple launched its iPhone into the mobile phone market, many competitors responded and attacked. Describe and discuss why Apple was attacked by competitors.In your discussion you should consider and explain the concept of market commonality and resource similarity that increases the likelihood of an attack. Also offer insights into Apple’s competitor aware ness, motivation and ability that increases the likelihood of strategic action against others. Question 4 Strategic alliance is a primary type of cooperative strategy. This is an alternative strategy a firm could use to grow, develop value-creating competitive advantages, and create differences between them and competitors. Write an essay and explain in detail the 3 main types of strategic alliances.In addition, offer insights into the benefits for a firm entering into an alliance in the slow, fast and standard-cycle markets. Illustrate your discussion with any other examples you feel to be relevant. Question 5 Write an essay that explains in detail the concept of cost leadership strategy as a competitive strategy. In your discussion, explain and provide insights into the cost reduction strategies a company can adopt in order to achieve cost leadership within a strategic group. 22 Illustrate your answer with reference to competitive strategies in the Personal computer industry (Acer , Dell, etc) oOo 23

Components of Police Report

There are several components of a typical police report that need to be completed when filled in. First you will need to summarize and make sure to communicate in a clear and succinct manner. Second you will need to describe the scene and the state the alleged crime in occurring in. Also who was involved in the crime, as long as when and where did the crime take place with specific details. While filling out a police report, make sure you use simple language, because it might seem strange but if you state information using big words there are going to be people who will not understand what you are saying. Make sure you include all statements from any victims or witnesses, and have to be word for word from what they said. They will need to state the statement just to verify what we have them saying is accurate and they can’t change their story when it comes time to a trial or any other time. When gathering this information make sure you obtain all information regarding to witnesses or victims, regarding address, phone numbers, drivers license numbers, etc so we are able to contact them for any reason. Police Report for Scenario First I would summarize what happened, as well as describing the scene. I will entail that it happened in the parking lot of the shopping center. While my partner and I are on surveillance at a local office supply store we received a tip that a store might have been robbed after closing. Next we received a sketch of two Asian men who might have been involved in the other robberies in the surrounding counties. After receiving the sketch the dispatcher notifies us of a lady supposedly hearing a gunshot, so we head on over. When we arrive the lady informs us that she heard a gunshot and it was supposedly an Asian man who carried the gun. With having the sketch of an Asian man with some robberies we immediately took action with the one we saw coming out of the building. While taking action the Asian female is yelling at my partner and I concerned about her husband. We order to back to her car and she doesn’t obey our orders and becomes hysterical so we are required to restrain her and that requires the man to place in handcuffs. In contrast with my summarized report I will be including the female who heard the gunshots and saw the Asian man with the gun in his back pocket. I will also have to include any witnesses who saw the gunshot take place or the ituation outside in the parking lot. I will have to make sure to get statements from all the victims, which are the male and female Asian as well as the witnesses and have them sign it. I will need to make sure all information if accurate with each person in order to proceed with the report and turn it in. Sufficient Cause Yes, my partner and I had sufficient cause to be on a stake out at the office supply, because there was a call into for a robbery during the afterhours. When a call is called in to certain police officers than they have the right to go and check out what happened there and see if they can find anything out at the sight. They can stay there for a while to make sure no one is hiding from the police, so they can have a possible chance to catch the person. Violation of Rights In my opinion we did not violate the man’s civil rights. When a police officer has a sketch of a suspect for a robbery and they see someone coming out of the building where a call was made then they have the right to pursue in finding out if he was the suspect. A police officer wouldn’t be violating your rights just by asking you to get down on the ground with your hands on your head. How would the officers know for sure who the suspect would be, even if five Asian men came out of the building? They actually wouldn’t so they would be asking all of them to get down on the ground with their hands behind their heads. The police officers were only doing their job, by using the tip with sketch from the dispatcher as well as the call from the woman who heard the call. If the man’s rights were violated then I would take action with the police officers by writing them up if this was the first time offense or suspend them for second offense. As the chief I would know that my police officers wouldn’t just go up to any Asian man and suspect them of any actions without having probable cause to think they are the suspect. Collect Damages The wife shouldn’t be able to collect any damages, because she didn’t have to get out of her car and start yelling at the police officers and become hysterical. When she started yelling at us we ordered her back to her car and she wouldn’t listen, which then enables the police to take action, because she can become a threat to us. Anyone who is imposed as a threat to a police officer, we are allowed to restrain in order to get them under control. Racial Profiling I don’t believe we engaged in any racial profiling with this man. We received a sketch regarding an Asian man who is suspected to be involved in robbing some office stores. It could be considered racial profiling if we were suspecting him as a suspect and we had a tip with a Caucasian or African American male. I just don’t see how racial profiling could be involved with the scenario since we were taking action with an Asian man and that the same race we received the sketch with. Citizen Review Board I would not support the creation of such board, since we have nothing for the citizens to review about our department. We took actions regarding the tip and sketch we received as well as the call from the lady who heard a gunshot and saw an Asian man carrying one in his back pocket. Now, if we have no control over this board then go ahead and do it, but just to let you know we have nothing to hide and we do our jobs to the books. The type of civilian review board (CRB) that I would use has complaints investigated and reported to its board members within 60 days of having received a signed complaint. Within 120 days of having received the complaint, a hearing is held (usually before three board members), a decision on the complaint is rendered, sanctions are determined, and both the complainant and respondent are informed as to the disposition of the complaint. Due to special circumstances, the entire process can be permitted to extend to 180 days. The CRB will investigate and hear all complaints that concern the use of force, including shootings; deaths in custody; harassment; abuse of authority; and improper searches or detention. The CRB has the authority to broaden its reach to decide other types of complaints as well. For discourtesy complaints (including offensive language, derogatory remarks, and slurs) and procedural complaints (when the citizen cannot understand why the officer took a particular action), it is recommended that mediation be used. Such complaints are notoriously hard to prove and have an effect of resulting in a backlog of more serious complaints. And I would actually be reaching out to the community during the entire process, since I will need heir comments or complaints. In my opinion the advantage of this system would be that we could actually learn from what the citizens have to say. Not every comment is necessarily going to be a bad comment, it could be one that will catch our attention and open our eyes. Now the disadvantage of this system is that people could take advantage of it and comment on everything possible and make us seem like we aren’t doing our jobs the right way. There are some citizens who like to make others look bad and this could happen in our situation. References http://www.ehow.com/how_4441251_write-police-report.html

Art from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance

The transition from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance reflects a time of great change in the way of life at the time. During the Middle Ages life was in constant turmoil and bleak. After the Fall of the fall of the Roman Empire Europe suffered a multitude of tragedies, such as the black plague, Viking attacks and looting, and barbarian invasions. Throughout these hardships, the glimmer of hope that people clung to was the church. As dark times began to fade the people found a new hope â€Å"homo Faber est quisque fortunate Suae† This phrase is saying that each man is the creator of his own future. This is a juxtaposition to the common ideal in the Roman Catholic religion â€Å"God the Creator† and also exhibits the change in ideology between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. During the Middle Ages, there was a surplus in the faith of the Roman Catholic, this was in part because the primary unifying factor between the people happened to be religion. This allowed the Church to take more of an authoritative rule over society. Church officials kept records and acted as advisors to the monarchs. They were also the largest owners of land and even collected taxes, which greater added to their power and overall influence. There was also less of an emphasis on education during this era, and as a result, it leads to a majority of the population being illiterate. Surprisingly the illiteracy of the population, lead way for art to take a rather important role within society. Where there was such a heavy influence on the Church and religion the average person had no way of reading the bible, so paintings and other outlets of art helped get the churches ideas across through another platform. This is largely why the central topic seen within the art at the time revolves around the Roman Catholic Church. Another reason for the ideology seen within the art at the time is the use of art as a propaganda tool. Throughout time and in all societies you can see that art is one of the most useful forces in getting across ideas between all classes. Gothic and Byzantine art were the main inspirations for medieval architecture. The Byzantine influence can be seen in the Hagia Sophia, a cathedral commissioned by Emperor Justinian during the sixth century. This Humongous church was built in the city of Constantinople and became one of the largest cathedrals for years to come. The Cathedral has Large Granite columns, marble pillars, and beautiful religious mosaics, and possibly the most captivating its large dome. Although the original dome was too heavy and inevitably concaved, it was later rebuilt and improved in the late sixth century. One of the best examples of gothic influence on architecture at the time is the Notre Dame. The Notre Dame was built in Paris, France and initiated by the Bishop of Paris Maurice Sully. The Notre Dame is characterized by gorgeous stained glass windows, large flying buttresses (large arched external supports), and two towers one reaching 300 feet tall. The height and grandiose of these buildings were all just a symbol for the Catholic Church. â€Å"The Cathedral is an image of the City of God, the Celestial Jerusalem, an image of Paradise, as the liturgy for the consecration of churches affirms.† â€Å"The House of God must be illuminated by the rays of the sun, resplendent with a charity like Paradise itself because God is Light, the light who gives beauty to everything that exists†. â€Å"The stained-glass windows that separate us from the storms and let the light pour over us are the Doctors.† These are all but a few quotes that characterize the symbolism seen in the architecture at the time. At the end of the 11th Century, there was a campaign organized by the Western European Christians to reclaim the holy land, in particular, Jerusalem, from the Muslims who had conquered it at the time. The Crusades had a lot of positive effects on the western world as communication and supplies were reignited with the Middle East as it lead way for a lot of new technology and ideas in the west. Such as gunpowder, cotton, new spices, silk, and much more. The Crusades also began to use old Roman roadways to travel during the crusades and as trade routes as well. During the time of the Crusades feudalism also fell. The fall of feudalism gave way to more people becoming merchants because of the recent boom in commerce between the west and the Middle East. As the Merchant business boomed it also allowed for new career opportunities for prior serfs and peasants. It created jobs like bookkeepers, money exchangers, managers, and the making system. This newfound class mobility allowed the serfs to lead a better middle-class life as opposed to being at the bottom of the social pyramid within the feudal system. This change and exchange of new ideas and technology due to the crusades and also the Middle Ages as a whole was the catalyst for the renaissance. The Renaissance was a period in European history also known as the â€Å"rebirth† of European culture following the Roman Empire. This â€Å"rebirth† began in Italy of course. It began in Italy most obviously because of their geographic location. Italy being the boot of Europe was surrounded by water, which made it an excellent hub during the expansion of trade. Italy was the commerce capital between Europe and Eurasia, during this time period, from the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries. Painters, sculptors, and architects exhibited a similar sense of adventure and the desire for greater knowledge and new solutions. During the Renaissance, the artist was no longer regarded as mere artisans, as they had been to the medieval past, but for the first time emerged as independent personalities, compared to poets and writers. Many artisans merged mathematics with art, in order to become more precise in their measurements and to make sure an object was supported both rational ly and proportionally. However, Renaissance artists also placed human concerns and feelings at the center of their works. Such optimism combined with intellectual curiosity and increasing worldliness made it possible for art to be valued. Overall, the Renaissance art movement completely discredited the Middle Ages as being dead both intellectually and artistically, thus rendering the Byzantine, Romanesque, and Gothic style art as being without value. The Renaissance came from a revival of the Classical ideas, concepts, and knowledge. What had once been forgotten was once again the focus of society. It was also found that in Classical times artists enjoyed a much higher level of prestige than they did during the Middle Ages. Artists wanted to enjoy this status once again. The Renaissance took place over a long period of time. Maybe this is an indication of its immense popularity both then and now. However, the Italian Renaissance can be divided into three distinct periods known as Ea rly, High, and Late respectively. These stages were preceded by the Gothic art movement, which acted as a bridge between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, and was followed by Mannerism, which bridged the gap between the Renaissance and the Baroque. Mannerism hardly had an effect on the popular arts of the time and was not fit into the already neatly categorized art periods when historians looked back upon the era. Early Renaissance art took up most of the 15th century and was characterized by inspiration from antiquity. The movement was focused in Florence, Italy because this local had brought attention upon itself through various conflicts within the church and with its neighbors. The art form focused on the human body, space, and the laws of proportion when it came to architecture. The belief was that progress and development were the backbones of the evolution and survival of art. The primary painter of the time was Masaccio. His work was religious in nature and his inspiration came not from other painters but from the sculptor Donatello and the architect Brunelleschi. High Renaissance art was characterized by creating physical presence, drama, and balance than on the behavior and personality that were the focus of Early Renaissance art. The major painters of the time were numerous. There was Leonardo da Vinci, Donato, Bramante, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Titian. This period was short-lived, lasting from about 1495-1520 and served as a transitional period between early and late Renaissance. Howe ver, although brief, the art that flowed from this period was exceptional and some of the most famous artists ever produced work during this time. After all, these artists had such a command over their talents that they were able to produce any natural effect they desired and they had an intellect that allowed for balance and harmony along with fine detail, also was created a term for some of them, Renaissance man. The term Renaissance man has come to mean someone with exceptional skills in a wide range of fields. The description applies to many people during the Renaissance, but there are two outstanding candidates for the title. They are Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. The older man, Leonardo, is exceptional in that he excels in two entirely different disciplines, experimental science, and the visual arts. But on the artistic side alone, Michelangelo must be the man. He creates works, all of the highest quality, in the four distinct fields of sculpture, painting, architecture, and poetry. The late Renaissance began with the sack of Rome in 1527. Artists had to scramble to relocate throughout Italy, France, and Spain. This period led to what is now called Mannerism. Mannerism artists turned to produce paintings of people, often nudes, that were portrayed in strange poses and looking somewhat grotesque while odd themes were used and emotion looked horrifying. Michelangelo was the only painter from the High Renaissance to make into the late period. The growing emphasis on individualism during the Renaissance began a change of status for composers of music in society. Unlike their medieval predecessors, Renaissance composers were recognized more often during their lifetimes. The technology of printing permitted a much wider distribution of their works and enabled a larger public into the study of music. Even when spiritual music was still in a dominant position, secular music was becoming more common and its forms more cultivated than in the previous era. The repertoire of instrumental music became more varied, along with the i nvention of new instruments and many of the instruments of the period were improved. Humanism is considered to be the most significant intellectual movement of the Renaissance. As its name implies, humanism was a philosophy that was characterized by blending concern with the history and actions of all human beings, and their influences on the world with religious duty. Prior to Renaissance thinking, Medieval Europe considered life to be sinful that people should only be concerned about their duty to God and the afterlife. The humanists thought that every person has respect and worth and therefore should command the respect of every other person. The humanistic movement began during the early Italian Renaissance with the rediscovery of the writings of classical Greeks and Romans, which were not only models of literary style, but considered to be guided to the understanding of life. The Renaissance movement ushered in the use of oil paints. This was a boon to artists as, due to the sl ow drying time of oil paints, they could edit their paintings, making adjustments over a period of months. They could now focus more on the quality of light on their paintings and were also more in tune with the architectural accuracy of the buildings in the background of their work. Themes centered on Greek and Roman mythology as well as Biblical characters and the Madonna was a pre-eminent figure. When it came to depictions of the human body, the emphasis was often put on the nude form and the perfection of the body. Another important result of the Renaissance was that painters began to communicate more with poets, essayists, philosophers, and scientists. The boundaries between these disciplines began to blur and they began to share ideas with one another and recognized one another for the visionaries they truly were. What caused this rebirth of the visual arts is still unclear; the fourteenth century in Europe witnessed several catastrophic harvests, the Black Death (1346), and a continuing war between England and France. Hardly ideal conditions for an eruption of creativity let alone a sustained birth of paintings, drawings, sculptures and new buildings. Moreover, the Church, the biggest patron of the arts, was racked with disagreements about spiritual and secular issues. Prosperity was also coming to Northern Europe, as evidenced by the establishment in Germany of the Hanseatic League of cities. This increasing wealth provided the financial support for a growing number of commissions of large public and private art projects, while the trade routes upon which it was based greatly assisted the spread of ideas and thus contributed to the growth of the movement across the Continent. Allied to this spread of ideas, which incidentally speeded up significantly with the invention of printing, there was an undoubted sense of impatience at the slow progress of change. After a thousand years of cultural and intellectual starvation, Europe and especially Italy, was anxious for a re-birth. Overall, the Renaissance produced some of the most well-known art ever created in human history. It was a time of revival, of going back to something from the past that worked and bringing that past into new light. After more than five hundred years we still marvel at the works of artists such as Da Vinci and Michelangelo. Humanism downplayed religious and secular dogma and instead attached the greatest importance to the dignity and worth of the individual. This period was unique in its portrayal of the human body and in its enmeshment of art and science. It was proof that the old and the new can come together in harmony.

Technology and Jobs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Technology and Jobs - Essay Example In the article Roberts argues that Obama is mistaken to say that the loss of jobs is partly to be blamed on technology. With the era of globalization, outsourcing has been a necessary tool for several companies including American corporations. This is a major factor which contributed to the rise in unemployment in the United States. This, more than technology may be blamed for such economic woes. If a country stifles technological advancement because of the fear that it may result in job losses, then it just might come true. But it is true to the extent that it losses jobs to other countries only because it has refused technological change. The trend now is to go global and a country cannot achieve it without the latest technologies. In the case of Greece, Portugal, Spain and Italy, they were not able to cope with technological innovations, which resulted in a slow growth in the economy. This then resulted to huge debts, low investments and therefore few jobs were created. There was no confidence in the government. Like Roberts, one agrees that technology does not impede the growth of jobs; rather, technology creates jobs and makes the economy more