Statement of Purpose Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

Statement of Purpose - Essay Example In addition, this paper will pay attention to the critical financial policies at native country with a view of establishing a stock market that is currently non-existent. Moreover, the focus of the studies is to examine how theoretical financial knowledge can be used to enhance growth in the financial sector. Additionally, a close focus on building relevant knowledge and skills that would spur economic growth to a desirable level will receive prominence. Also, attention will be given to enhancing the work experience to new graduates in order to bridge the gap between theoretical foundation and practical reality within the finance sector. In addition, today there is a great financial transformation that that requires constant research and expertise that is provided for through further studies. The financial challenges in any economy continue to mount every day, for instance, Angola faces threats of the imbalance trade so as many other developing countries. As a responsible finance specialist, the focus is to explore possible financial solutions that face the third world nations. In addition, the knowledge gained should translate to better and competent financial policies that would open doors for economic prosperity. It is sad that knowledge and skills obtained at graduate has done little to improve our local financial policies. This work will attempt to give a new dimension to the relevance of finance graduate

Leadership of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leadership of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk - Term Paper Example A real leader is capable of doing different tasks guided by his vision and reason coming from the historical experience. To make it plain, â€Å"leadership is the result of a complex set of interactions among the leader, the followers and the situation† (Cited in Byrne 20). Thus, a leader follows the most optimal way to succeed paying much tribute to his environment and the focal goals in mind. There are no leadership perspectives without goal-setting and planning elaborated by a leader. On the other hand, it is vital to touch upon the types of leadership and the notion of an effective military leadership. The question is that the efficiency in the way a military leader follows comprises a global perspective along with the national ideals. There should be a detailed understanding of what the nation longs for and why such a problem stays unsolved. Byrne identifies effective military leadership as â€Å"the ability to inspire others to willingly participate in the achievement o f a shared vision set out by the leader and to assist them throughout that transformational journey† (25). Hence, these solitary traits seem to be apparent in Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. First of all, he was a leader able to make a significant change against the Muslim perspective. By establishing the National Assembly in Turkey, he gained support of the Turkish majority in turning Turkey into a secular nation-state (Polelle 44). It was one of the first steps toward modernization throughout Turkey. Second, Ataturk broke the ice of the misconception in a larger Turkish society. He was successful in his leadership skills due to the fact that he possessed all types of transformational leadership evident in his â€Å"vision, courage, rhetorical skills, determination and integrity† (Byrne 25). This is why every single step he did toward progress in providing reforms was more than just a breakthrough. It gave grounds for further modernization and constructive development of Turkey . Secularization and improvement in education were the two main goals of Ataturk’s mission. The thing is that the reforms were aimed at the following prospects, namely: secular governance, the replacement of Arabic script with Roman characters, monogamy, creating an industrial infrastructure, opening three western-mode state universities, establishment of a civil code in accordance with the European norms and standards (Reisman 7). These reforms were hard to implement without keeping a strict eye on their execution. Today, there is hardly a national leader to complete all these reforms within a short span of time. To say more, Ataturk believed that a republican idealism would become a new civic religion for Turks (Hanioglu 182). His intellectual capacity made him believe in that Turkey may reach the new heights in its overall development once the religious views on governance came in place. The moral side of the question was at stake. Mustafa Kemal was aware of that and could wait for some time to make Turks share the idea of republican idealism versus solely religious construct. Here, his rhetoric and courage complement his vision at the outset and ability to integrate toward new dimensions of national development of Turks. This is why he managed to create a new nation of Turkey based on the most progressive principles of civilian life. The authority of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk is too significant for every Turk, as he dared to transform â€Å"

Issues facing the functions of Operations Management

Issues facing the functions of Operations Management Operations management is the business function Responsible for Planning, Coordinating and controlling the resources needed to produce a companys goods and services. It involves managing human capital, machineries , technologies , information and many other resources. Operations management is the central core function of every company . even though the company is big or small, provides physical goods or services ,every company has an operating function , the role of operations management function is to transform companys raw inputs in to the finished outputs such as products or services. Inputs include human capitals, technology, Materials and Processes such as building and equipments. Outputs are goods and services which the company produces. Operations management is responsible for combining and coordinating all the available resources required to produce a proposed product or services. This include designing, the product, deciding the whole required resources , scheduling, inventor y management , quality control and job design, The Transformation Process Diagram History of Operations Management Operations management did not emerge as a formal field of study until the late of 1950s and early 1960s, It was Scholar , who recognize that all productions system face a set of problems and to stress the system approach to viewing operations process. In 1700s , the industrial revolution had a significant impact on the way gods are produced today. Prior to this movement products were made by hand by skilled people at their shops or their homes. Each product was unique . but industrial revolutions changed all that invention of machines helped to replace human power to machine power . in 1900s scientific management were introduced .it is an approach to management that focused in improving out puts restructuring jobs and selecting acceptable levels of worker out put. Scientific management brought the concepts of analysis and measurement of the technical aspects of work design. In 1980s operations management saw a huge developments Just in time concept were designed by Japanese to achieve high volume production using minimum level of inventory . this is achieved through coordination of flow of materials so that the right parts arrives at the right place at right time in the right quantity. As the customers demand in higher quality products and service , companies were forced to focus on quality in order to remain competent. Total Quality Management is a philosophy developed by quality gurus such as W Edwards Deming , that aggressively seeks to improve product quality by eliminating defects and making quality an all- encompassing organizational philosophy . with TQM every one in the company is responsible for the quality . Supply Chain Management system has been introduced in the same period to manage the flow of material and information from suppliers and buyers of raw materials al the way to the final customer. The objective is to reduce cost and improve q uality and service delivery by every one in the chain .Supply chain management became famous with the development of information technology and E commerce . electronic Commerce can occur between business known as Business to Business(B2B) , between business and customer ( B2C) and Customer to Customer(C2C) which makes up highest percentage of transaction in between business and customers . Today operational management environment is very different from what it was just few years ago. Customers demands better quality, greater speed and low cost. In order to succeed , companies have to be master s of the basics of operations management. Advanced information technology tools and software are being used to identify the resources needed to coordinate all activities involved in producing and delivering products to customer s. to gain advantage over their competitor companies are continuesly looking for ways to better respond to customers . it needs companies a deep knowledge about their customers and to meet their demands . The development of Customer Relationship Management has made it possible for the companies to understand the customers needs . Another characteristics of todays Operation management Environment is the increased use of Cross Functional Decision Making that requires coordinated interaction and decision making between the different business functions of the organizations. Employees from each function must interact and coordinate their decisions. this requires employees to understand the roles of other business functions and the goals of the business as a whole , in addition to their own expertise Service Vs Manufacturing Operations Operations can be divided in to two main categories, service operations and manufacturing operations. Manufacturing operations producing physical and tangible goods which can be stored in to the ware house before they are required, but in service operations products are intangible products that cannot be produced ahead of time. In manufacturing operations firm customers doesnt have direct contact with the operations . customers contact will be redirected through dealers , distributors and customer care centers . for example a customer is buying a computer in a super market never comes in to contact with the manufacturing company. But in service organization the customer will be typically present during the creation of the service. Car service centers, Hospitals , fast food centers are some examples of service operations. There are some manufacturing organizations provides service as part of their offering , and some service operations organizations produces physical goods that they deliver to the customer during service delivery. A barber shop may sell their own hair care products to their customers Operations management Decisions Operations management decision can be divided in to three levels . that is Strategic , Tactical and Operational Strategic Decision Making: this decision are long term decision which set directions for the entire company . they faces questions such as what will be the vision of the organizations what market the company should concentrate ,how the company should compete win the field etc. these levels of decision are made by companys topple level executives only Tactical Decision Making: short term decisions focus on particular departments are being taken in tactical decision making level. this is the level which makes decision of how ,and why questions , such as how many products should be manufactured and which technology has to be used , and how will be the quality of the product etc. Operational Decision Making: This level of decisions mainly used for day to day issues. Such as work scheduling, replacement, maintenance etc. Decision making Levels Hierarchy OPERATIONAL Role of an operations manager Operations managers are responsible for managing activities which will be a part of the production of goods and services. Their responsibilities can be divide in to two categories , Direct and Indirect Responsibilities, Direct Contains managing both the operations process, embracing design, planning, control, performance improvement, and operations strategy. Their indirect responsibilities are interacting with those managers in other functional areas within the company they have direct or indirect responsibilities on operations. Such areas include marketing, finance, accounting, personnel and engineering. Operations managers responsibilities are : Human resource management the people working in an organization to create a good or service or provide support to those who do. Man Power and Human Resource Management are a key resource of all organizations. Asset management A Companys buildings, Machinery, material and Inventory are directly connecting with the operations functions. Cost management most of the costs including fixed and variable cost of producing goods or services are directly related to the costs of acquiring resources, moving them or delivering them to the end user . For many organizations in the private sector, cost cut through efficient operations management gives them a critical competitive edge. Even organizations in the non-profit sector, the ability to manage costs is no less important. Decision making is an important responsibility of all operations managers. Decisions should be made in: Designing the operations function Analyzing the operations function Improving the operations function Controlling an Operating The five main kinds of decision in each of these relate to: The processes, which is used to produce products or services The quality of Products or services The quantity of Products or services The inventory , which is used to produce or supporting the production of goods or services Human resource management, including recruiting, scheduling, Performance Appraisal etc. A Case Study Maharaja Electricals PVT Ltd Maharaja Electricals Pvt Ltd is an ISO 9001 company based on Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India . Since its establishment with a single plant at Chennai before 15 years they remained the major suppliers of Mixers in South India. They collect completed spares from local manufacturers with strict quality checking and assemble them in their assembling units. They have experienced engineers and technicians in both electrical and mechanical disciplines. The company now has 20% of the South Indian mixer market. The major attraction to Maharaja Mixers is the low prices since all components are indigenously developed but still with quality assurance. Most of the middle class families always prefer Maharaja just because of their easily affordable costs. Now to cop up with the increased customer requirements from neighboring states, especially from Kerala, the company is planning to install a new plant in Palaghat, the border area between Tamil Nadu and Kerala. They are planning for an assembly lne with a conveyor belt to minimize the total time required for assembling. They prefer a U-shaped assembly line which may reduce the total installation space. Also workers at different workstations can be close so that one can help others or even handle others work when one is absent from the seat. The conveyor stops for a specific interval of time so that each work station can complete its work within that time slice. This is the time for which the basic structure of the product is available to a workstation; called Cycle Time. The main problem here is to identify the various steps involved in total assembly of a mixer. Then the cycle time for the conveyor is to be calculated. Determining the minimum number of workstations and calculating t he efficiency of the line is also a concern. The company procures the following spares from local suppliers with strict quality control in bulk. Electrical motor assembly Plastic base to fix the assembly Rubber bushes to be fixed at the bottom of the base Electrical lead to the power supply Plastic cover for the motor assembly On/off switch on plastic cover Speed regulator Plastic circular rotator Jar attachments Cardboard packing box Screws of various sizes With their ample experience in assembling the company has identified time requirements for each fixations and a linear order for assembling process. That is tabulated as follows. Process Map Theoretical Approach of the Problem, Pareto chart, Pareto Theory A Pareto chart is a bar graph. The lengths of the bars represent frequency or cost (time or money), and are arranged with longest bars on the left and the shortest to the right. In this way the chart visually depicts which situations are more significant. In the following Pareto diagram compares the available time, performance time and idle time comparison of six work stations. The diagram clearly shows at work station 1 there is no idle time for the conveyor belt. So employees with high skills and speed must be posted here. Workstation 1 is the critical point in this assembly unit since all other assembly works pre requires this assembly. Currently the assembling units are installed in an assembling unit where assembled parts are shifted from one place to another manually. It is observed with clock stop analysis that 15 minutes are required solely for shifting components to next shifting unit. Clearly here we can apply so called Pareto Principle in the situation. This principle is famed with the name of Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto who created a mathematical formula to describe the unequal distribution of wealth in his country, observing that twenty percent of the people owned eighty percent of the wealth. The principle is also known as 20-80 rule , the Law of Vital Few and principle of factor sparsity. Later the Management thinker Joseph M Juran adopted the idea to Management Principles. Jurans assumption is that most of the results in any situation are determined by a small number of causes. For example 20% of the customers determine 80% of the sales in a trade fair. Here in our problem 30% of the total time is required for just transferring components from one table to another. Reducing this time substantially can save total assembling time and thus can improve efficiency of the total system. So installation of a conveyor belt in the factory is a better alternative. Solution The precedence requirements clearly mention which tasks are to be completed before starting a new one. In the above table before covering the motor assembly with an outer cover ( Task D ) the motor assembly must be fixed on a plastic base (Task A) and electrical leads must be connected to the assembly(Task C). Similarly certain other tasks are also having precedence requirements. A work station is a place or a table where the conveyor stops for a cycle time with the basic structure on it. After that conveyor moves so that the basic structure goes to the next work station where it can perform additional fittings. The first thing is to identify the task with highest cycle time. It is normally called bottle neck task. The conveyor at least has to stop this much of time for a workstation. The cycle time cannot be les than the duration of this task. In Mahararajas case connecting electrical lead to the power supply to the motor assembly is the bottle neck operation. The cycle time is therefore 6 minutes as per the table. If the cycle time is kept less than this Task C cannot be completed. Then determining the minimum number of workstations is the next problem to be solved. Theoretically the minimum number of workstations can be calculated by dividing the total time requirement with cycle time. So here as per the table the total task time is 30 minutes and the cycle time is 6 minutes. So Minimum number of workstations = 30/6 = 5 work stations. Then the next problem is to determine which tasks are to be assigned to which work stations. Here we have to use some heuristics. In this case the heuristics selected is called the Longest Operation Time (LOT) rule. According to this rule the top priority is assigned to task with longest operation time. In this case Task C is the longest task with an operations time of 6 minutes. This task has the highest priority assignment over first workstation. The table also shows that it has no precedence requirements ie no other task need to be completed to begin Task C. so task C can be assigned to the first workstation. An entry can be made to the following table. Heuristics Steps Workstation Prioritized Task Assigned Task Task Time Remaining Time Remaining Eligible Task 1 1 C C 6 0 0 The only prioritized task for workstation 1 is task C and that is assigned to first workstation. The cycle time is 6 minutes and that is equal to the time requirement of task C. so no remaining time is left for other tasks to perform in this work station. So no more tasks can be assigned to first workstation. At the next step the tasks assigned to the second workstation are to identified. From the table the next task with longest operation time requirement is task A which also requires no precedent operations. The task is to fix the motor assembly with the electrical lead(fixed at workstation 1 by task C) on a plastic base. Heuristics Steps Workstation Prioritized Task Assigned Task Task Time Remaining Time Remaining Eligible Task 1 1 C C 6 0 0 2 2 A A 5 1 0 Since task A requires only 5 minutes, 1 minute is excess at the second workstation. But since we have no tasks which require 1 minutes only no other tasks can be assigned here. At the next step we have longest tasks D, F or H with en execution time of 3 minutes. But F and H have pre requirements. For task F task D must be completed. For task H, tasks B,E,F and G are to be completed. At this point of time both pre requirements are not satisfied. The pre requirements of task D are completion of task A and C which is already accomplished. So the preference goes to task D. Heuristics Steps Workstation Prioritized Task Assigned Task Task Time Remaining Time Remaining Eligible Task 1 1 C C 6 0 0 2 2 A A 5 1 0 3 3 D D 3 3 B Here after assigning Task D 3 minutes are remaining. From the table all tasks with 3 minutes operation time requirement also have pre requirements of completion of other tasks. So the next preferable job is task B whose time requirement is only 2 minutes. Heuristics Steps Workstation Prioritized Task Assigned Task Task Time Remaining Time Remaining Eligible Task 1 1 C C 6 0 0 2 2 A A 5 1 0 3 3 D D 3 3 B 4 3 B B 2 1 0 The next step is to assign task in work station 4 , here we can consider task F and Task h with longest path of 3 minutes ,.But task h have pre requirements so task F can be assigned in work station 4 Heuristics Steps Workstation Prioritized Task Assigned Task Task Time Remaining Time Remaining Eligible Task 1 1 C C 6 0 0 2 2 A A 5 1 0 3 3 D D 3 3 B 4 3 B B 2 1 0 5 4 F F 3 3 E,G In work station 4 task F have used only 3 minute. to utilize the remaining time in work station 4 , task E, or t ask G can be assign in work station 4 , Task E is assigned in work station 4 Heuristics Steps Workstation Prioritized Task Assigned Task Task Time Remaining Time Remaining Eligible Task 1 1 C C 6 0 0 2 2 A A 5 1 0 3 3 D D 3 3 B 4 3 B B 2 1 0 5 4 F F 3 3 E,G 6 4 E,G E 2 1 G The next step is to assign suitable task in next work Station . next suitable task which can be assigned in workstation 5 is task G . Heuristic Steps Workstation Prioritized Task Assigned Task Task Time Remaining Time Remaining Eligible Task 1 1 C C 6 0 0 2 2 A A 5 1 0 3 3 D D 3 3 B 4 3 B B 2 1 0 5 4 F F 3 3 E,G 6 4 E,G E 2 1 G 7 5 G G 2 4 H,I,J Task G will take only 2 minutes to complete the task . work station 5 can be assigned for some other tasks , next available tasks are Task H, I ,J , the longest path among these three tasks are with task H of 3 minute . So we can assign task H in work station 5. Heuristics Steps Workstation Prioritized Task Assigned Task Task Time Remaining Time Remaining Eligible Task 1 1 C C 6 0 0 2 2 A A 5 1 0 3 3 D D 3 3 B 4 3 B B 2 1 0 5 4 F F 3 3 E,G 6 4 E,G E 2 1 G 7 5 G G 2 4 H,I,J 8 5 H H 3 1 I,JÂ   Here after there are two tasks left . Task I, Task J, But to do the Task J , Task I must be completed . so Task I can be assigned in to work station 6 Heuristics Steps Workstation Prioritized Task Assigned Task Task Time Remaining Time Remaining Eligible Task 1 1 C C 6 0 0 2 2 A A 5 1 0 3 3 D D 3 3 B 4 3 B B 2 1 0 5 4 F F 3 3 E,G 6 4 E,G E 2 1 G 7 5 G G 2 4 H,I,J 8 5 H H 3 1 I,J Â   9 6 I,J I 2 4 J Task L have used only 2 minutes to complete the task, that is it remains 4 minutes in work station 6 , so we can assign Task J in work station 6 Heuristics Steps Workstation Prioritized Task Assigned Task Task Time Remaining Time Remaining Eligible Task 1 1 C C 6 0 0 2 2 A A 5 1 0 3 3 D D 3 3 B 4 3 B B 2 1 0 5 4 F F 3 3 E,G 6 4 E,G E 2 1 G 7 5 G G 2 4 H,I,J 8 5 H H 3 1 I JÂ   9 6 I,J I 2 4 J 10 6 J J 2 2 Â  0 Assignments of Works to the work station Work Station 1 2 3 4 5 6 Total Available Time 6 6 6 6 6 6 36 Performance Time 6 5 5 5 5 4 30 Idle Time 0 1 1 1 1 2 6 The last table shows that at least 6 workstations are required which is different from the calculated theoretical minimum. Efficiency of the assembly line is performance time/ available time X 100 Here 30/36 X 100 = 83.33 %. Ideal efficiency is 100 %. Recommendations It is recommended to use U shaped Conveyor belt and 3 work stations should be in one side and the remaining 3 workstations should be in other side so that the idle work station can help the busy work station. The conveyor belt can be drawn as below

Fertility Drugs Essays -- Research Papers Pregnancy Conception Papers

Fertility Drugs Most men and women are raised thinking that eventually they will marry and have children. What happens when a couple gets married and wants to have a child and finds out that after several times of having unprotected sex there is no pregnancy? The finger is usually pointed at the woman but in some cases it can be due to the man. In a woman's case, the problem is usually that she is not ovulating normally and in a man's case he might have low sperm count. These are the problems that are most heard of but there are other factors that can cause infertility. An anxious couple quickly turns to science to try and find a solution to their problem. Although taking fertility drugs is the "solution", it can be quite strenuous for the couple. The couple has to submit to an emotional roller coaster , possible financial hardship, and a love life that sounds more like supply and demand. Some couples get so tied up with conceiving a child that they do not enjoy what they're doing but rather do it o n demand. "Their marriages are sometimes threatened to the point of divorce."(p.16, Carr) "there is a definite relationship between infertility and stability and happiness in marriagemore than one-half of the couples who seek divorce are childless and the majority of infertile couples eventually apply for divorce."(p.16, Carr) When a couple is trying to conceive they will often have feelings of frustration and discouragement. As we see, making the decision of seeking help using fertility drugs requires that both parties be supportive of each other and really work together to achieve their goal. "Between 15 and 25 percent of all couples in the United States are infertile. If you've had unprotected sex for more than 12 months (if... ...rinologist). (www.infertility.about.com) For an application, list of requirements, or basic information about the organization you can visit http://www.fertilityfoundation.org Although this paper is long it does not provide nearly all the information available about infertility. This paper can be seen as tool. There's no doubt in my mind that taking fertility drugs is a very big decision. What I learned from this research is that many eager parents put their own health at risk in order to have a baby. Overall, success depends on each case individually and on the severity of your condition and age. Bibliography About, The Human Internet. http://www.infertility.about.com . (17 May 2001) Baby Center, Cradle and all. http://www.babycenter.com . (17 May 2001) Carr, Delta Genevieve. Fertile and Infertile Marriages. Xerox University Microfilms: USA, 1975.

American studies

Parrington is credited to be the person who founded American studies due to his winning Pulitzer Prize in the American thought. American studies are an interdisciplinary discipline which deals with the studies of united stated. Incorporated in the American studies are disciplines like economics, literature, history and women’s culture. Also included in the American studies are the film and urban studies as well as the culture of United States. Traditionally, it was believed that knowledge was meant for men and thus was discriminatory.The modern American studies have challenged that in that in today’s culture and practice, women have been given equal opportunity to pursue careers in all fields which were earlier male dominated. Also, the traditional setting of studies segregated the aliens on basis of race and color. The modern studies have challenged this believe by incorporating all individuals in the scholarship arrangements. Critics in favor of traditional approach a rgue that incorporating multiculturalism in American studies may deny the students from experiencing their real culture.This has been challenged by modern studies with scholars arguing that multiculturalism would lead to democracy in America thus is beneficial. Traditional studies also had dismissed some scholarly projects which have been lately accepted by the modern studies. Modern studies also allows interdisciplinary work and which has led to more women being accepted as equal partners by their male counterparts (Kessler-Harris Alice, para 2). This paper will thus focus on the patterns the American studies have taken and the importance of multicultural integrated studies to both the students and the United States.American studies history, patterns and its implications American studies dates back to the 1920s and 1930s but was more profound during the Second World War and also during the post war era which fostered a climate of patriotism and nationalism. The war led to the need of defending the values of the United States which led to the alteration of most of the careers and this also altered the view of the whole world on academics. The traditional method of the American studies was explained by the use of myth and symbol.Scholars advocating for this form of system claimed to have identified some recurring themes which were being used in American texts. Such recurring texts were meant to illuminate and esteem the American culture which was unique (Levander Caroline, para 3). During the myth and symbol era which was in led to innovation of American studies, white men Protestants were the scholars. Their aim was to try to understand and single out the American exceptionalism. In so doing, they left out everybody else.This mode of studies emerged during the cold war period and was seen as an effort to justify the dominance of America after the Second World War and also to celebrate the exceptionalism of America. This was the first shape the American studies took in the 1950s. However, the politics of 1960s led to the transformation of the academic field as well as the society at large. After this transformation, women and racial diversity as well as other workers were recognized. This creation story is criticized on the ground that it failed too acknowledge the scholarships which characterized the post war years.Also this traditional approach of studies does not acknowledge the fact that American studies were invented long before the cold war era. American studies emerged in 1930s and was being practiced by many scholars both within and outside the myth and symbol academy. The concerns of these scholars paved way for today’s American studies (Maddox Lucy, pp 12). The Marxism school of thoughts helps in explaining the different patterns that the American studies have gone through to the currents multicultural form of scholarship.However, they are not distinct and tend to overlap at various intervals. The first school of thought is that of Karl Marxism. This school focused on the struggle existing between capitol and labor as well as the tradition of politics which engaged in scholarship and which motivated people to pursue their craft. Scholarship in this period was founded on recognition of the negative impacts of the industrial capitalism and class divisions which were profound in United States. The practitioners of those days were the public intellectuals and were involved in both the politics and social matters.This group of scholars advocated for a socialist tradition as they termed industrial capitalist to be hostile and against democracy (May Elaine Tyler, para 4). These academic practitioners engaged in fields which were emerging known as the academic mavericks challenged the state of the studies in practice and also expanded the scope of the study both in method and also in content. In doing this, they first explored the unique characteristic of American culture. During this era, America was thoug ht to be an inferior extension of Europe.The intellectuals of the time had ignored the literature of America since it was viewed to be of low standards. The practitioners had a task to retrieve and restore American literature from the set academic considerations margin. American literature was legitimized and instituted within the academy of learning. Post war critics however focused their analysis on the text but the researchers sought to base their analysis on the literature’s history as well as the cultural changes. Focusing on the cultural diversity led to emergence of the modern multicultural American studies (May Elaine Tyler, para 6).Evolution of American studies is also credited to the historians of the 1920s and 1930s. Unlike their counterparts in literature, these historians focused their study on government, politics and the prevailing wars. Some of the historians focused their attention on the democratic spirit exhibited by American people as they were fighting th e aristocracy of the Europeans and also the monopoly of the American capital. A study by Mary Beard acknowledged the role of women in history making unlike in traditional setting where women were not recognized.Democracy which emerged in United States at this era led to more minorities being given a chance to exercise their abilities thus the emergence of American studies (Kessler-Harris Alicev, para 5). Another school which explains the pattern the American studies have taken is the Leo Marxism School which takes a myth and symbol approach. This school emerged during the cold war time. The political and intellectual culture which had earlier developed started to wane after the Second World War. During the cold war, Americanism and democracy as well as capitalism and established institutions were classified together.During this era, international affairs and official activities took the central stage of the United States. This in turn led to the destruction and elimination of capita lism which in turn led to United States being described as classless by some intellectuals and policy makers. Elimination of social classes led to the cohesion of America thus setting it apart from all other states (May Elaine Tyler, para 9). The effects of post war period led to many changes occurring in the American studies.This era was characterized by institutions building and full institution of interdisciplinary fledging enterprises. Interdisciplinary field was more visible during this period which saw most of the scholars identifying with it. American studies were incorporated in the universities, at home as well as abroad during this period. During this period, regional associations emerged which were managed through grants from the public and also from private funding. The need for an informed nation and the values the country was deriving from this informed nation led to an increase in interest in the studies.This saw United States becoming the market leader in offering st udies (Guernsey Lisa, para 3). The traditional believe about scholarship was that only the people considered to be ‘intellectuals’ were in a position to make important decisions concerning the direction the state was to take. This was meant to esteem the uniqueness of the United States and in doing so, the intellectuals left out all other people. The minority groups mostly the blacks were also not considered as being capable of contributing to the overall development of the country.With the current or modern American studies program, this has been challenged in that America is a multicultural country and as such the contribution of every person is necessary to ensure its growth. Introduction of American studies program led to a more informed people in the country thus more development making the United States to be ahead of all other states in terms of development (May Elaine Tyler, para 11). Traditional approach to scholarship also advocated for maintenance of a nation al identity by ensuring that all minor groups and aliens were alienated from the American studies.However, this has been proved to be erroneous in that the introduction of black history has not so far been troublesome in the country. Such inclusion has also led to changing and shaping and avoiding dominance by one particular group especially the whites and has helped in promoting the notion of a common vision in the country. Also, the traditional believe was that women were a minority and could not contribute to the general growth of the economy. This is erroneous since accomplishments of great women such as Jane Addams have not posed any threat in terms of gender and class divisions.Whereas the traditional approach to studies fostered divisions and racism, the modern form of study program fosters more unity in the country (Guernsey Lisa, para 7). Conclusion American studies have evolved over long period from the time when it was believed that the minorities and women were not to be integrated into the country’s form of scholarship to the modern integrative form of scholarship program. American studies have also been adopted by different countries and thus has helped in forging more cooperation and understanding among nations.Recognition that all individuals have a right to pursue their careers without any form of discrimination on either gender, racial or even color and integration of multiculturalism in American studies have helped in shaping and the superiority of the modern American studies. Work cited: Guernsey Lisa: A Movement in the Mirror: American Studies in the 1970s. Retrieved on 5th January 2009 from, http://xroads. virginia. edu/%7EMA95/guernsey/chap1_1. html Kessler-Harris Alice: Cultural Locations: Positioning American Studies in the Great Debate. (1992). Retrieved on 5th January 2009 from,http://xroads. virginia. edu/%7EMA95/guernsey/kharris. html Levander Caroline: The Changing Landscape of American Studies in a Global Era. Retrieved on 5th January 2009 from, http://www. clir. org/activities/digitalscholar2/levander11_11. pdf. Maddox Lucy: Locating American Studies: The Evolution of a Discipline. 1999. Published by JHU Press, ISBN 0801860563 May Elaine Tyler: The Radical Roots of American Studies†: Presidential Address to the American Studies Association. 1995. Retrieved on 5th January 2009 from, http://academics. eckerd. edu/instructor/junkinwf/SyllabiF06/griggscm/AM401/May. htm

BMW vs Mercedes Essay

Bayerische Motoren Werke AG Bayerische Motoren Werke AG ( English: Bavarian Motor Works), commonly known asBMW or BMW AG, is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. BMW is headquartered in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. It also owns and produces Mini cars, and is the parent company ofRolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad. In 2012, the BMW Group produced 1,845,186 automobiles and 117,109 motorcycles across all of its brands. BMW is part of the â€Å"German Big 3† luxury automakers, along with Audi and Mercedes-Benz, which are the three best-selling luxury automakers in the world. History BMW was established as a business entity following a restructuring of the Rapp Motorenwerke aircraft manufacturing firm in 1917. After the end of World War I in 1918, BMW was forced to cease aircraft-engine production by the terms of theVersailles Armistice Treaty.[5] The company consequently shifted to motorcycle production in 1923, once the restrictions of the treaty started to be lifted,[6] followed by automobiles in 1928–29.[7][8][9] The first car which BMW successfully produced and the car which launched BMW on the road to automobile production was the Dixi, it was based on the Austin 7 and licensed from the Austin Motor Company in Birmingham, England. BMW’s first significant aircraft engine was the BMW IIIa inline-six liquid-cooled engine of 1918, much preferred for its high-altitude performance.[10] With German rearmament in the 1930s, the company again began producing aircraft engines for theLuftwaffe. Among its successful World War II engine designs were the BM W 132 and BMW 801 air-cooled radial engines, and the pioneering BMW 003 axial-flow turbojet, which powered the tiny, 1944–1945–era jet-powered â€Å"emergency fighter†, theHeinkel He 162 Spatz. The BMW 003 jet engine was tested in the A-1b version of the world’s first jet fighter, theMesserschmitt Me 262, but BMW engines failed on takeoff, a major setback for the Emergency Fighter Program until successful testing with Junkers engines.[11][12] Towards the end of the Third Reich BMW developed some military aircraft projects for the Luftwaffe, the BMW Strahlbomber, the BMW Schnellbomber and the BMW Strahljà ¤ger, but none of them were built.[13][14] By the year 1959, the automotive division of BMW  was in financial difficulties and a shareholders meeting was held to decide whether to go into liquidation or find a way of carrying on. It was decided to carry on and to try to cash in on the current economy car boom enjoyed so successfully by some of Germanyà ¢â‚¬â„¢s ex-aircraft manufacturers such as Messerschmitt andHeinkel. The rights to manufacture the Italian Iso Isetta were bought; the tiny cars themselves were to be powered by a modified form of BMW’s own motorcycle engine. This was moderately successful and helped the company get back on its feet. The controlling majority shareholder of the BMW Aktiengesellschaft since 1959 is the Quandt family, which owns about 46% of the stock. The rest is in public float. Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz (German pronunciation: [mÉ›Ê Ã‹Ë†tÍ ¡seË dÉ™s ˈbÉ›ntÍ ¡s]) is a German automobile manufacturer, a multinational division of the German manufacturer Daimler AG. The brand is used for luxury automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is headquartered in Stuttgart, Baden-Wà ¼rttemberg, Germany. The name first appeared in 1926 under Daimler-Benz but traces its origins to Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft’s 1901Mercedes and to Karl Benz’s 1886 Benz Patent Motorwagen, which is widely regarded as the first automobile. Mercedes-Benz’s slogan is â€Å"Das Beste oder nichts† (English: â€Å"The best or nothing†). Mercedes-Benz is part of the â€Å"German Big 3† luxury automakers, along with Audi and BMW, which are the best selling luxury automakers in the world. Karl Benz in Mannheim, Germany  made the 1886 Benz Patent Motorwagen, which is widely regarded as the first automobile Mercedes-Benz traces its origins to Karl Benz’s creation of the first petrol-powered car, the Benz Patent Motorwagen, financed byBertha Benz[3] and patented in January 1886,[4] and Gottlieb Daimler and engineer Wilhelm Maybach’s conversion of a stagecoach by the addition of a petrol engine later that year. The Mercedes automobile was first marketed in 1901 by Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft. The first Mercedes-Benz brand name vehicles were produced in 1926, following the merger of Karl Benz’s and Gottlieb Daimler’s companies into the Daimler-Benz company.[1][4] Throughout the 1930s, Mercedes-Benz produced the 770 model, a car that was popular during Germany’s Nazi period. Adolf Hitler was known to have driven these cars  during his time in power, with bulletproofwindshields. Most of the surviving models have been sold at auctions t o private buyers. One of them is currently on display at the War Museum in Ottawa, Ontario. Mercedes-Benz has introduced many technological and safety innovations that later became common in other vehicles.[5] Mercedes-Benz is one of the best known and established automotive brands in the world, and is also one of the world’s oldest automotive brand still in existence today in 2014, having produced the first petrol-powered car.[6] For information relating to the famous three-pointed star, see under the title Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft including the merger into Daimler-Benz. PRODUCT MIX OF BMW BMW is one of the preeminent luxury car manufacturers in Europe, North America, and the world today. BMW produces several lines of cars, including the 3 series, the 5 series, the 7 series, the Z line (driven by Pierce Brosnan as James Bond in Goldeneye), and the new X line, BMW’s â€Å"sport activity† vehicle line. In addition, BMW is now selling Rovers, a British car line anchored by the internationally popular Land Rover sport utility vehicle, and will begin selling Rolls Royce vehicles in 2003. Sales of all the BMW, Rover, and Land Rover vehicles have been on the rise globally. High-profile image campaigns (such as the James Bond promotion) and the award-winning BMW website (where users can design their own car) continue to increase the popularity of BMW’s products. PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE BMW cars typically have a product life cycle of seven years. Motorcycles BMW began production of motorcycle engines and then motorcycles after World War I.[23] Its motorcycle brand is now known as BMW Motorrad. Their first successful motorcycle, after the failed Helios and Flink, was the â€Å"R32† in 1923. This had a â€Å"boxer† twin engine, in which a cylinder projects into the air-flow from each side of the machine. Apart from their single-cylinder models (basically to the same pattern), all their motorcycles used this distinctive layout until the early 1980s. Many BMWs are still produced in this layout, which is designated the R Series. During the Second World War, BMW produced the BMW R75 motorcycle with a sidecar attached. Having a unique design copied from the Zà ¼ndapp KS750, its sidecar wheel was also motor-driven. Combined with a lockable differential, this made the vehicle  very capable off-road, an equivalent in many ways to the Jeep. In 1982, came the K Series, shaft drive but water-cooled and with either three or four cylin ders mounted in a straight line from front to back. Shortly after, BMW also started making the chain-driven F and G series with single and parallel twin Rotaxengines. In the early 1990s, BMW updated the airhead Boxer engine which became known as the oilhead. In 2002, the oilhead engine had two spark plugs per cylinder. In 2004 it added a built-in balance shaft, an increased capacity to 1,170 cc and enhanced performance to 100 hp (75 kW) for the R1200GS, compared to 85 hp (63 kW) of the previous R1150GS. More powerful variants of the oilhead engines are available in the R1100S and R1200S, producing 98 hp (73 kW) and 122 hp (91 kW), respectively. BMW introduced anti-lock brakes on production motorcycles starting in the late 1980s. The generation of anti-lock brakes available on the 2006 and later BMW motorcycles pave the way for the introduction of electronic stability control, or anti-skid technology later in the 2007 model year. Automobiles The New Class (German: Neue Klasse) was a line of compact sedans and coupes starting with the 1962 1500 and continuing through the last 2002s in 1977. Powered by BMW’s celebrated four-cylinder M10 engine, the New Class models had a fully independent suspension, MacPherson struts in front, and front disc brakes. Initially a family of four-door sedans and two-door coupes, the New Class line was broadened to two-door sports sedans with the addition of the 02 Series1600 and 2002 in 1966. Sharing little in common with the rest of the line beyond power train, the sporty siblings caught auto enthusiasts’ attention and established BMW as an international brand. Precursors to the famed BMW 3 Series, the two-doors’ success cemented the firm’s future as an upper tier performance car maker. New Class four-doors with numbers ending in â€Å"0† were replaced by the larger BMW 5 Series in 1972. The upscale 2000C and 2000CS coupes were replaced by the six-cylinder BMW E9, introduced in 1969 with the 2800CS. The 1600 two-door was discontinued in 1975, and the 2002 was replaced by the 320i in 1975. The 1 Series, originally launched in 2004, is BMW’s smallest car. Currently available are the second generation hatchback (F20) and first generation coupe/convertible (E82/E88). The 3 Series, a compact executive car manufactured since model year 1975, is currently in its sixth generation (F30); models include the sport sedan  (F30), and fourth generation station wagon (F30), and convertible (E93), and the Gran Turismo. In 2014, the 4 Series will be released and replace the 3 Series Coupe and Convertible. The 5 Series is a mid-size executive car, available in sedan (F10) and station wagon (F11) forms. The 5 Series Gran Turismo (F07), which debuted in 2010, created a segment between station wagons and crossover SUV.[24] BMW’s full-size flagship executive sedan is the 7 Series. Typically, BMW introduces many of their innovations first in the 7 Series, such as the iDrive system. The 7 Series Hydrogen, having one of the world’s first hydrogen fueled internal combustion engines, is fueled by liquid hydrogen and emits only clean water vapor. The latest generation (F01) debuted in 2009. Based on the 5 Series’ platform, the 6 Series is BMW’s grand touring luxury sport coupe/convertible (F12/F13). A 2-seater roadsterand coupe which succeeded the Z3, the Z4 has been sold since 2002. Motorsport BMW has been engaged in motorsport activities since the dawn of the first BMW motorcycle in 1923. BMW has a history of success in Formula One. BMW powered cars have won 20 races. In 2006 BMW took over the Sauberteam and became Formula One constructors. In 2007 and 2008 the team enjoyed some success. The most recent win is a lone constructor team’s victory by BMW Sauber F1 Team, on 8 June 2008, at the Canadian Grand Prix with Robert Kubicadriving. BMW was an engine supplier to Williams, Benetton, Brabham, and Arrows. Notable drivers who have started their Formula One careers with BMW include Jenson Button, Juan Pablo Montoya, Robert Kubica and Sebastian Vettel. In July 2009, BMW announced that it would withdraw from Formula One at the end of the 2009 season.[27] The team was sold back to the previous owner, Peter Sauber, who kept the BMW part of the name for the 2010 season due to issues with theConcorde Agreement. The team has since dropped BMW from their name starting in 2011 . Public Relations Effective public relations need to play an integral part in BMW marketing strategy. It is important for BMW to maintain regular contact with all organisational stakeholders with the use of various marketing communication channels. Specifically, communication channels used in public relations include, but not limited to online press releases, annual reports, speeches,  and seminars. As part of their corporate social responsibility initiatives BMW management is also recommended to increase the level of its association with local charities in the UK such as Oxfam, NSPCC, or Cancer Research UK. Moreover, BMW management can initiate the development of identity magazine of the BMW Group which can cover the latest trends and news in local and global automobile industry and at the same time serve as an effective channel to communicate the marketing message to the target customer segment. Advertising Advertising can be defined as â€Å"the activity or profession of producing information for promoting the sale of commercial products or services† (Business Dictionary, 2013, online). BMW is recommended to be communicating its marketing message to target customer segment on the basis of using a set of advertising channels. Specifically, engagement in print and broadcast advertisement through channels popular amongst BMW target customer segment needs to be adopted as one of the cores of the marketing strategy. Advertising banners need to be displayed in locations in London frequently attended by BMW target customer segment such as Canary Wharf and City. Moreover, BMW marketing team is recommended to be improving the quality of point-of-sales advertising through supplying audio, video and image materials that motivate salon visitors to commit to the purchase. Sales Promotion Sales promotion involves offering short-term incentives for potential customers to commit to the purchase of products and services. BMW Group is recommended to use sales promotion in the UK market in an occasional manner in order to increase the levels of revenues for short-term perspectives. For example, 100th anniversary of BMW on March 7, 2013 can be specified as an appropriate occasion to announce 10% sales promotion for all BMW models. However, it is important to note that BMW needs to engage in sales promotions in the UK market only in an occasional manner, no more than once a year, because using sales promotion more frequently may cause depreciation of BMW premium brand value. PRICING STRATEGY The prices of BMW Group are based on a differentiated strategy. This means  that they charge extra for premium quality. This difference in prices is due to each cars different engine size, gear levels, fuel consumption, sports version. The pricing strategy that the BMW Group adopts is based on several key trends. One most important trend of BMW is labeled as â€Å"premium-tization†. Premium-tization trend of BMW causes polarization of markets. This trend triggers the consumers to demand and pay much higher prices for the perceived quality. SWOT ANALYSIS OF BMW GROUP A SWOT analysis will be used to see the various Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats of the BMW Group. Strengths: Strong marketing strategy. Customers recognize the strong brand name of BMW Group Company. Strong brand image i.e. BMW, MINI Cooper and Rolls Royce. Every 2 to 3 years BMW introduces its new version of cars i.e. constant innovation and technology. Weaknesses: There is an increasing number of duplicate spare parts of BMW and MINI Cooper. The manufacturing costs of BMW cars are very high as compared to its competitors. This is also a reason for high pricing of BMW cars. Not a mass market company like Toyota and their volumes are small. Opportunities There is an opportunity for BMW Group to increase further innovation and technology in their cars due to increasing competition in car industry. BMW Group should also look to make new collaboration with other car manufacturers i.e. introducing new brands. BMW Group should also look to produce cheaper cars by new innovation and technology. Expansion of the BMW Group in Asia Pacific, Asia, Africa and Australia. Threats Recession which has affected businesses in every part of the world. To maintain the same level of innovation and performance.  The growing competition in the automobile industry i.e. competitors of BMW Group include Mercedes, Audi, Jaguar, Ford, Lexus. The earnings of the BMW Group are Dollar dominated, so the increasing strength of Euro is another  threat for the company. DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL BMW Welt focuses on strengthening the dialogue with customers and visitors by showing a wide range of BMW cars and motorcycles, and providing vehicle distribution, particularly the creation of a special experience with regards to customer collection of an ordered vehicle. BMW Welt also offers shops with BMW auxiliary products, as well as a fully serviced gastronomic restaurant. In the meeting forum, BMW Welt offers conference rooms and the opportunity to stage media events. The building often houses exhibitions related to new BMW models and, since 2012, other BMW Group brands such as Mini and Rolls-Royce BMW plans a new distribution system for the 5-series sedan that will keep some of the vehicles allocated to dealerships in one of three locations around the country. The distribution system would give dealers pools of cars in three locations, said Miles. Rather than ship each dealership’s total monthly allocation to the store, some of the cars will be kept at BMW processing fa cilities on both coasts and in the South. â€Å"The basic principle is to make more of the inventory that exists available to sell and to reduce the dealers’ floorplan cost,† MERCEDES PRODUCT RANGE  VANS Mercedes-Benz Vans sets standards through perfection and meticulous attention to detail. Ground-breaking innovations and excellent value retention are decisive for the brand’s success. With its broad spectrum of offers the brand can really score points with the customer.The Mercedes-Benz Vans product spectrum includes vans, MPVs and camper vans for private and commercial use. Mercedes-Benz Vans stands for sustainable technologies. In particular the new Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, introduced in the spring of 2013, was equipped with technologies that make it even more frugal and environmentally compatible. Whether for a private or commercial customer – Mercedes-Benz Vans is focused on customisation according to the customer’s needs. Although each customer is different, one thing applies to all in the same measure: Mercedes-Benz Vans delivers the best possible solution. TRUCKS As part of the Daimler Trucks division, Mercedes-Benz Trucks has been a hallmark of premium quality for over 100 years now. It stands not only for reliability and economic efficiency, but also for first-class product and service quality and comprehensive expertise in the area of customer-oriented transport solutions. The high standard of quality applies equally to our Actros, Arocs, Axor, Antos and Atego truck series and to special-purpose vehicles from Mercedes-Benz Trucks. The latter include the Mercedes-Benz Econic and the legendary Unimog, for example. Our comprehensive range is rounded off by the Mercedes-Benz Zetros, which has been designed as an off-road truck for deployment in extremely rough terrain. BUSES The world’s first motorised bus was built in Germany by Karl Benz in 1895, some years before Gottlieb Daimler also started to build and sell buses in Germany as well. By 1898 both Karl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler, then rivals, were exporting their buses to Wales and England. Soon Daimler products were sold in the British Empire in a partnership with the British company Milnes. Milnes-Daimler developed a double-decker in 1902 and provided a bus for the first motorised bus service in the United Kingdom the following year. Though the company met success in selling buses throughout the British Empire, the partnership between Daimler and Milnes had to be undone due to the First World War. CARS Mercedes-Benz carries a full range of passenger, light commercial and heavy commercial equipment. Vehicles are manufactured in multiple countries worldwide. The Smart marque of city cars and Maybach luxury cars are also produced by Daimler AG. Between 2003 and 2009, Mercedes-Benz produced a limited-production sports car with McLaren Cars. The resulting Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren was an extension of the collaboration by which Mercedes engines are used by the Team McLaren-Mercedes Formula One racing team, which was then part owned by Mercedes. SWOT ANALYSIS OF MERCEDES Strength: 1. Mercedes Benz has a strong brand value and global leader in premium cars 2. Lack of capital constraints 3. Leader in innovation i.e. 1st to introduce diesel engines, fuel injection and anti locking brakes 4. More than $12bn allocated for R&D 5. Strong presence in motor sport under McLaren Mercedes 6. Manufactured and assembled in over 20 countries across the world 7. Mercedes holds patents on the majority of safety features Weakness 8. High maintenance cost of Mercedes Benz cars Opportunity: 1. Developing hybrid cars and fuel efficient cars for the future 2. Tapping emerging markets across the world and building a global brand 3. Fast growing luxury automobile market & increased income Threats: 1. Government policies for the automobile sector across the world 2. Ever increasing fuel prices 3. Intense competition from global automobile brands