Spreadsheet and Toppings Worksheet

Inventory Summary Project Description: In this Mastery project, you will edit a worksheet that summarizes the inventory status at the Petaluma production facility. Instructions: For the purpose of grading the project you are required to perform the following tasks: Step| Instructions| Points Possible| 1| Start Excel. Open the downloaded Excel workbook named GO_e02_Grader_EOC. xlsx. | 0| 2| Rename the Sheet1 worksheet tab to Condiments and then display the Toppings worksheet. 4| 3| On the Toppings worksheet, in cell B4, insert a function that will total the Quantity in Stock data (A15:A29). | 5| 4| On the Toppings worksheet, in cell B5, insert a function that will calculate the average retail price of the available toppings (D15:D29). | 5| 5|On the Toppings worksheet, in cell B6, insert a function that will calculate the median retail price of the available toppings (D15:D29). | 5| 6| On the Toppings worksheet, in cell B7, insert a function that will calculate the lowest retail price of the available toppings (D15:D29). 5| 7| On the Toppings worksheet, in cell B8, insert a function that will calculate the highest retail price of the available toppings (D15:D29). | 5| 8| On the Toppings worksheet, in cell B10, insert a function that will count the total number of salsa products available. | 5| 9| On the Toppings worksheet, in cell G15, insert a function that will display the text Order if the value in the Quantity in Stock column is less than 50. Otherwise, the function will display the text OK. Copy the function in cell G15 to the range G16:G29. 8| 10| On the Toppings worksheet, apply conditional formatting to the range G15:G29 so that cells containing the text Order are formatted as Bold Italic, with a font color of Aqua, Accent 1 (under Theme Colors). | 8| 11| On the Toppings worksheet, display orange data bars with a gradient fill in all cells in the range A15:A29. | 8| 12| On the Toppings worksheet, create an Excel table using the range A14:G29, which includ es headers. Format the table as Table Style Light 9. Sort the Item # column from smallest to largest. | 4| 13| Filter the Category column so that only salsa products are displayed.Insert a total row, and then sum the Quantity in Stock column to display the number of salsa products in stock. Record the result in cell B11. | 4| 14| Clear the filter from the Category column. Remove the total row from the table. | 12| 15| Modify the Toppings worksheet so that row 14 prints at the top of each page. | 4| 16| Group together the Condiments and Toppings worksheets. Center the worksheets horizontally on the page, and then change the scaling of the worksheets so that the width of the contents fits on one page. 4| 17|On the Summary worksheet, in cell C9, insert a linking formula that will refer to the value from cell B8 on the Toppings worksheet. | 5| 18| On the Summary worksheet, in cell D9, insert Column sparklines using the values B9:C9. | 6| 19| On the Summary worksheet, in cell D9, apply S tyle Accent 5, Darker 50% to the sparklines. | 3| 20| Ensure that the worksheets are correctly named and placed in the following order in the workbook: Summary, Condiments, Toppings. Save the workbook. Close the workbook and then exit Excel. Submit the workbook as directed. | 0| | Total Points| 100|

Wal-Mart Marketing Strategy

In the first class in Intensive in American Business, we discussed the reading assignment John D. Rockefeller and the Modern Corporation in Forbes. During the discussion, the professor mentioned Wal-Mart, a well-known retailer that owns large supply chain as The Standard Oil Company did to achieve its success. Being the largest retailer in the world, however, Wal-Mart may be relatively unfamiliar to students like me from Taiwan since it does not land here even though it planned to do so.In fact, it was actually my trip to China several years ago that makes my first reach with Wal-Mart. And after the class, I started to wonder, with the outstanding supply chain system, how and why could Wal-Mart stop its step developing in Taiwan? Does this fact mean that a nearly wonderful supply chain doesn’t mean everything in market? So, does this also show that maybe under certain circumstances, Rockefeller and his company cannot accomplish such success? Save Money. Live Better.Wal-Mart, t he largest retailer in the world, owns a huge supply chain as The Standard Oil Company did, which enables Wal-Mart to provide the cheapest products to its customers and makes its success. As The Standard Oil Company broaden its supply chain by from setting up barrel-making operation to controlling transportation problems including terminal warehouses and pipeline networks, Wal-Mart combines the supply chain from transporting and delivering to ordering and purchasing, which largely reduce the logistics costs and allow Wal-Mart to supply customers with the best price.To be more specific, for example, when linking up the suppliers, Wal-Mart provides them a system that can be directly entered by suppliers so as to realize the selling situation, predict the demanding amount of products, and decide the producing amount. In this supplying chain, Wal-Mart ought to make the whole supplying chain a very smooth, fluent, and steady one to save much money. Dedication to Charity However, like the resistances Rockefeller had encountered owing to the monopoly of the market, the protests against Wal-Mart are also occurring in not merely America but the world.For instance, a documentary named WAL-MART: The High Cost of Low Price points out several disadvantages brought by this huge retailer such as cheap labors without insurance and welfare, bad working environment and, what may causes the most attentions of other similar industries, the opportunities being taken away by Wal-Mart from local small-scale industries. Probably because of this, in my personal opinion, Wal-Mart dedicate to charities to make the public think that it do carry out corporate social responsibility and to increase the reputation so that they can eliminate, or at least decrease, the protest against it. Both Rockefeller and Wal-Mart actually fail to entirely assuage public resentful though. ) Wal-Mart in Taiwan So, the problem that attracts my attention most is that in my home country Taiwan, we have certain wholesalers like Costco and Carrefour and retailers like Wellcome and PXmart. Nevertheless, Wal-Mart, the largest retailer in the world, has never landed here even though it had planned to develop from the southern part of Taiwan by merging. Why? To my personal viewpoint, there are two main reasons of this condition basing my observation and analysis.First, the market for no matter retailing or wholesaling in Taiwan has already saturated. Even Carrefour, the market share champion in wholesaling in Taiwan, is having difficulties in its expansion. Not to mention the earlier comer Costco who has dominated the market of import goods. When most people in Taiwan, like my family, intend to buy plentiful imported goods, they would most likely opt to purchase at Costco. If Wal-Mart, a similar store to Costco, enter the market in Taiwan now, people are certain to compare both of them.And it is likely that customers already have their loyalties and would tend to choose Costco, the store they are used to instead of Wal-Mart, the one that they are still unfamiliar with. Consequently, only when Wal-Mart supplies some exclusive businesses or comes out with other attractive strategies can it be competitive and able to compete with the wholesalers that are already in Taiwan now. In addition, because of the geographic reason in Taiwan, which is a comparably small island with crowded people, it seems that it is more suitable for small supermarkets to thrive here.For one thing, the cost of the estate here would be expensive since Wal-Mart is undoubtedly required to own a vast place for it to be built. What’s more, it is not that necessary for people in this crowded island to drive far away to buy groceries. Instead, they can simply walk to the supermarket around the street corner near their homes. For example, popular retailers, especially PXmart, claims to provide the cheapest price to their customers and that by the VIP system, customers can become VIPs for free and sav e every dollars in each of their purchase.Sometimes the prices are even lower than the ones in wholesale shops such as Costco. Moreover, they open like almost anytime and anywhere. That is to say, people in Taiwan do not actually have that much demand on the existence of such a large market place like Wal-Mart. Currently, Wal-Mart finally converts its concentration to the expansion of the relatively potential market in China. In sum, in my point of view, even though Wal-Mart owns a complete and beneficial supply chain system that operate well in the U. S. nd many part of the world, it is not an a-hundred-percent promise to guarantee that it will work no matter when and where. The conditions in the market, the consumption habits of customers, and the competitors of yours are significant considerations as well. In other words, it is always essential for businesses to evaluate the market circumstances before they invest their money in a new place. (WAL-MART: The High Cost of Low Price teaser trailer on YouTube: http://www. youtube. com/watch? feature=player_embedded&v=hiSmlmXp-aU)

Plymouth Colony and Borderlands Virginia Company

British crown and that were granted full rights of galvanometers Royal Colonies a colony ruled or administered by officials appointed by and responsible to the reigning sovereign of the parent state. Ought salvation; did not follow traditional religion; sought freedom (right to worship without interference from England or from establish heed churches Plymouth Plantation lays outside the London Company's territory; no legal basis for settling there; William Bradford chosen again and again to be the â€Å"Plymouth plantation† governor; 1621 : persuaded the Council for New England to give them legal permission to live there; ended the communal labor program, distributed land among families, and made â€Å"all all hands very industrious† Mayflower Compact (importance) n agreement to establish a government, entered into by the Pilgrims in the cabin of the Mayflower on November 1 1, 1620. Massachusetts Bay Company designed to take advantage of opportunities in America; transf ormed itself into a colonial government John Winthrop governor of Mass. Bay Company; affluent, university educated gentleman with a deep piety and a forceful character.Puritan Dissent Roger Williams engaging but controversial young minister who lived in Salem, MA; Separatist; Massachusetts church should abandon all allegiance to Church of England; complete separation of church and state Anne Hutchinson intelligent woman from Boston family; women rights in society; antagonized the leaders of the colony by arguing that the members of the MA clergy who were not among the â€Å"elect† that had not undergone a conversion experience, had no right to spiritual office Restoration Colonies Peugeot War & King Phillips War (Metabolic) English settlers allied with the Meghan and Narragansett Indians (rivals of the Bequests); marched against the Possess, almost wiping them out William Penn Dominion of New England

Case Study on Psalm 101 Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Case Study on Psalm 101 - Term Paper Example Historical Analysis Psalm 101 was written â€Å"for the occasion of the enthronement of a Judahite king†3 and the glorification of the Davidic king’s example of virtue and righteousness. In fact, Psalm 101 is known as â€Å"David’s mirror of a monarch†4. It may have actually been written during the time _____________ 1Jerome F. D. Creach, The Destiny of the Righteous in the Psalms (2008): 107. 2James Douglas Grant Dunn, â€Å"God-Talk for a Disillusioned Pilgrim in Psalm 21,† Eerdmas Commentary on the Bible (2003): 413. 3Michael L. Barre, â€Å"The Shifting Forces of Psalm 101,† The Book of Psalms: Composition and Reception, vol. 99 (2005): 206. 4James Luther Mays, â€Å"Psalm 101: The Way of Integrity,† Psalms (1989): 321. when David was sworn in as king over all of Israel, and he wrote this as a pledge of allegiance to God5. This could have then taken place in 1002 BC6. Literacy Background Psalm 101 uses a number of poetic devices in order to convey the message of royal conduct, virtue and integrity. Among these are metonymies like â€Å"my house† in the line â€Å"I will conduct the affairs of my house/ with a blameless heart†7. The word â€Å"house† here does not necessarily mean the house where one lives but rather the whole kingdom that one holds and rules, for it is a king that is assumed to be speaking in Psalm 101. Nevertheless, the use of the word â€Å"house† somehow implies that the king considers his own kingdom as something that is of his immediate responsibility. Another metaphor in Psalm 101 is the line â€Å"I will put to silence†8 as a form of punishment. Putting someone to silence may mean something imposing a punishment on a criminal that will teach him a hard lesion and make him not commit the same wrongdoing ever again. â€Å"Haughty eyes† and â€Å"proud heart†9 are also two other phrases that speak of a person’s character rather meton ymically. Both haughty eyes and a proud heart only mean one thing: pride. This pride is one thing that displeases God, and the fact that this verse on pride _______________ 5Barre, â€Å"The Shifting Focus of Psalm 101, The Book of Psalms: Composition and Reception, volume 99 (2005): 206. 6David M. Carr & Colleen M. Conway, An Introduction to the Bible: Sacred Texts and Imperial Contexts: Composition and Reception (2010): 234. 7Ps. 101:2, New International Version. 8Ps. 101:5, 8. 9Ps. 101:5. on â€Å"slandering [one’s] neighbor in secret†10 implies that those who slander their neighbor are actually proud and haughty people. Nevertheless, the point is clear – haughtiness and pride displeases God. Structural Outline of Psalm 121 The basic structure of Psalm 101 is uneven because there is a problem â€Å"where to mark off its second major division†11. In fact, as discussed by Barre, the second line of verse 2: â€Å"when will you come to me?† does no t seem to be a part of the first or the second stanzas for this particular line is a question of longing while the rest of the first and second stanzas are the king’s promises to God. The first strophe, or verses 1 and 2, is all about the Psalter’s exaltation of the Lord and his desire to live the blameless life. The second strophe, or verses 3 to 5, is all about the description of the negative things that the Psalter or the king himself is supposed to do12. Among the people condemned here are those with faithless (Ps. 101:3), those with â€Å"perverse of heart† (Ps. 101:4), and those who â€Å"slander their neighbor in secret

Ismg 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ismg 4 - Essay Example The question whether IT systems is an expense or an asset depends on the business being operated (Austin, Nolan and ODonnell 49). Some businesses need IT systems to help them in running their operations. However, some businesses can do well without IT systems. If IT systems lead to the high cost of a business, then the business should consider the systems as expenses (Austin, Nolan and ODonnell 50). However, if an IT system brings more profit to a firm than when it lacks the system, then the firm should consider the system as an asset. The purpose of cost allocation is to offer relief to shared services in an organization (Austin, Nolan and ODonnell 50). Allocating cost is similar to spreading the cost amongst those who use it. Firms allocate costs in order to assign accountability of those who use the cost, either a single department or numerous departments in the company. For instance, a firm, which offers complex IT systems, can allocate duty to various departments to people who have specialized in specific fields of IT. IT departments should have full control of spending with regards to IT systems. This is because every field of occupation knows best the cost of running their business (Austin, Nolan and ODonnell 51). IT departments should have their own system of administration separate from the whole company. This will enable the department to spend what is appropriate regarding their activities. It will also enable the department to avoid any financial hitches that might face the entire company since they control their own funds (Austin, Nolan and ODonnell 51). However, this is not to mean that the company should not monitor the spending of the department. The overall management should monitor the spending of the IT department to ensure that their spending is in line with the company’s objectives. There should be a percentage cost that an IT department can spend on the maintenance of their IT systems, and this should

Evaluation of a planned actiity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Evaluation of a planned actiity - Essay Example But the ideas of some people concerning children growing up in bilingual environments have not in any way benefited these children, and may have an adverse effect on them. Therefore, when a parent changes jobs and it involves moving to a different part of the world, there is linguistic demand on them and their children (Romaine, 1995). During the first week, I observed the children in the role play area and offered guidance and assistance when needed. In the second week I joined the children in the role play area, initiating and supporting. Finally I introduced an old word processor in order to improve and extend the children’s writing skills. Children could use this to type things such as prescriptions, appointment sheets and health advice and print them off. By adding props which support early writing, it allows the children to make early attempts at writing through play. By adding this word processor to the role play area it will â€Å"help set the scene† for the topic area. This allows the children to get involved and makes the role play area more â€Å"meaningful† to the activity (Cooke, 1997, p. 122). On the first day, the teacher read a book called â€Å"A Day in the Life of a Doctor† to the whole class. The teaching assistant translated it to Urdu, a member of the EAL (English as Additional Language) department translated it to Tamil, and this in turn started a discussion about being ill and going to the doctor. A child in my group who is normally shy and timid started to participate in the conversation. When this child is home, her first language is Tamil and her English is very limited, however, listening to the lady translate it she started responding by telling how her sister had a cough and that her mum had to take her to the doctor. She was also listening to her peers explaining in English and she tried to start a simple sentence in English by saying â€Å"my mum†, then she stopped as she got embarrassed. This

Mexican Politics and Culture Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Mexican Politics and Culture - Research Paper Example Since it gained independence from Great Britain, America has chosen the federal presidential form. Canada has long been federal parliamentary. Mexico on the other hand, seems to base its government structure with America. The United Mexican States (commonly known as Mexico) has no royal families unlike Canada. Mexico appears to have a very similar political system with United States due to the following factors: (1) presidential system (2) three autonomous branches (executive, legislative and judiciary) with checks and balances (3) federalism with a good amount of local autonomy. Notably, despite their sameness in political system, America and Mexico do not have the same economic status (Stacy, 2002). Like Canada, United States is one of the developed and industrialized countries of the world whereas Mexico belongs to the developing nations (Stacy, 2002). In lieu of that fact, this research paper will explore the respective political system of Mexico and United States. This will be f ollowed by a brief analysis of their similarities. At the end, an assessment shall be provided on whether or not their similar political structure is the reason for their economic disparity. The Mexican Political System Rogelio Hernandez-Rodriguez (2003) described the Mexican government as authoritative and the most successful to maintain a system which is dominated by one party. The PRI or the Institutional Revolutionary Party has long been controlling Mexican politics. This political party has ruled Mexico for almost seventy-one years (Klesner, 2005). Majority of the elected government officials of Mexico are affiliated with PRI. The authoritative nature of Mexican government is attributed to this fact. Nevertheless, despite the hegemony of PRI, Mexico has been politically stable (Rodriguez, 2003). The other political parties have done nothing bad for the government. It has been stressed that the country’s single party and presidential type of government are the major eleme nts of its effective institutional structure (Huntington, as cited in Rodriguez, 2003, p. 97). This is quite logical since a political party which continues to rule for several years can always focus on implementing its platforms. A one-party system promotes continuity of projects and more social services. Nonetheless, it does not allow other parties to contribute ideas to a great degree. The interest of the dominating party is always at the forefront of every political move. In fairness to Mexican citizens, they have been observed to recognize the reign of a single political party. Social acceptance of this reality has been imminent (Rodriguez, 2003). It could even be asserted that to a certain point, these citizens have been passive about the party’s dominance. Significantly, PRI experienced defeat in the last 2000 presidential election. The outcome of the election has shocked many journalists and politicians (Klesner, 2005). It was almost unbelievable on the part of Instit utional Revolutionary Party. One possible reason for the party’s defeat is the Mexican citizens’ discontentment or dismay with the administration largely controlled by PRI. The National Action Party’s (PAN) Vicente Fox won that particular election and served as Mexican president from 2000 to 2006 (Klesner, 2005). In the 2006 presidential race, a PAN candidate was also elected named Felipe Calderon (Klesner, 2005).

Child Poverty in Canada Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Child Poverty in Canada - Essay Example However in my opinion, effective and consistent implementation will surely depend on the other economic parameters like inflation, GDP etc. Hence economic policies to improve these parameters are also significant in addressing the problem of child poverty. Ottawa lacks plan to fight child poverty, coalition says ---- The Star Summary Monsebraaten (2011) in his article presents the stagnant nature of the children living below poverty in Canada. The article refers Campaign 2000 a coalition devoted to eradicating the same problem that over 1989 to 2009 the progress of the Canadian government to abolish poverty is far from satisfactory. This becomes evident from the fact that in 1989 the poverty rate was 11.9% and that in 2009 was 11.9%. Again this meager improvement was not always uniform and rather subject to business cycle fluctuations. In sharp contrast the nation has experienced staggering and almost uniform growth rate for the past 11 years that proceeded the year 2009. A growing i nequality in terms of income distribution in Canadian economy was first time noticed in the Campaign 2000’s first ever report published long back in 2001. Not only the gap between haves and have not has widened over the year; the middle income group was not spared at all and has to devote more and more hours to work to keep their standard of living at the same level. Despite the governments’ extensive effort to fight back poverty that reflected through two reports from the Senate and the House of Commons Committee in recent times; the pivotal point seems to be misjudged. The strong correlation between economic growth of the country and reducing poverty level that is apparently obvious through high level of employment creation seems to overlook an important social factor.... Monsebraaten (2011) in his article presents the stagnant nature of the children living below poverty in Canada. The article refers Campaign 2000 a coalition devoted to eradicating the same problem that over 1989 to 2009 the progress of the Canadian government to abolish poverty is far from satisfactory. This becomes evident from the fact that in 1989 the poverty rate was 11.9% and that in 2009 was 11.9%. Again this meager improvement was not always uniform and rather subject to business cycle fluctuations. In sharp contrast the nation has experienced staggering and almost uniform growth rate for the past 11 years that proceeded the year 2009. A growing inequality in terms of income distribution in Canadian economy was first time noticed in the Campaign 2000’s first ever report published long back in 2001. Not only the gap between haves and have not has widened over the year; the middle income group was not spared at all and has to devote more and more hours to work to keep the ir standard of living at the same level. Despite the governments’ extensive effort to fight back poverty that reflected through two reports from the Senate and the House of Commons Committee in recent times; the pivotal point seems to be misjudged. The strong correlation between economic growth of the country and reducing poverty level that is apparently obvious through high level of employment creation seems to overlook an important social factor. This factor gets revealed through the life of Becky McFarlene.  

A roller coaster ride Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

A roller coaster ride - Essay Example This paper illustrates how the author boarded a cabin alongside a number of children and fastened the seatbelt, the ride promised to be exhilarating. He experienced both fear and excitement in equal measure. At some time, the researcher nearly jumped out of the machine. Looking straight ahead, the track rose into the sky until he could not see any more of it. On the other end, he could see the track falling into the ground and twisting right back into the sky. The author felt nauseated and nearly jumped out. However, before made up my mind, the cabin cocked into life. It hummed steadily as it began moving slowly. The cabin picked up the pace and before the author knew it he was climbing the metal hill straight into the sky at a high speed. He looked back at his father and he could see his size diminish with every inch he climbed. The other children in the cabin were screaming either in joy or in fear, a feature made the author’s experience at the cabin more uncomfortable. The cabin got to the peak of the climb and the author saw the entire horizon. The view was breathtaking though he could not describe the feeling. He enjoyed the view from the sky. However, the experience did not last for long since the cabin began falling. The cab fell out of the sky quite literally. The author could feel his body mass dragging me to the ground. The screams from the other children heightened as he sat still looking.

Measuring student attitudes ....ect Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Measuring student attitudes ....ect - Essay Example However, it is more efficient for instructors to have a clear idea about students’ backgrounds, conceptions, misconceptions and attitudes toward Statistics. Another issue is that some students come from different colleges and they do not have enough knowledge about statistics. Measuring student attitudes towards introductory statistics course for non- specialist gives us a good idea about how we can develop their statistical conception and achievement. A lot of studies exploring and investigating the relationship between attitudes toward statistics and achievements have been carried out and some of them involve Wise (1985), Katz &Tomazic (1988), Toto (1992). However, there has not been enough research to address the issue of conception and misconceptions in statistics (Garfield &Alhgren, 1988; Mevarech, 1988; Lasser, 1994; Barkley, 1995). For instance, Barkley (1995) points that understanding and correcting students’ misconceptions in statistics, would help statistics’ instructors to decide the best corrective activity to eliminate misconceptions. Apart from the studies that have been carried related to the research area, there has not been enough research to address the issue of conception and misconceptions in statistics (Garfield &Alhgren, 1988; Mevarech, 1988; Lasser, 1994; Barkley, 1995). Also, there is lack of research about measuring student attitudes, conceptions and achievements towards statistic course for non statistician students in Saudi Arabia. The researcher will use the questionnaire as the first method to collect data from non-specialist students who have studied the introductory undergraduate statistics course in different colleges of the universities. The second method interview, will be used to gather data from the teachers who teach introductory undergraduate statistics course in these colleges. This study will be carried in the northern

Personal statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 10

Personal Statement Example I have always had a goal of being a public administration officer (Stelzer, 243). My reason for applying for a master degree program in Public Policy and Management is that I deem that the course will help me in my prospect profession. I will be able to achieve my passion of being a Public Administration Officer. I always fancied public administration system and function, since my mentor in life was a public administrator situated in Saudi Arabia. This encouraged me to work and excel in my bachelor program, as I wanted to pursue a master course related to administration. I qualified in my Bachelor Degree in Mathematics highly. Thus, given an opportunity to study in California Lutheran University will be a communal relationship, since I am apprehensively ready to put into practice my readily acquired skills and experience. Furthermore, I am funded on my master degree program by the Saudi Arabian government. This will make my education unproblematic, since I will be prompt in paying my fees. My sponsor has guaranteed any necessary corporation regarding my education process with the university’s management. Though I am Saudi national, I have relocated to live in the USA, and I believe that this will be a rousing factor to enable me pursue my master program with zeal. I did not match the level of the American English, as a result, took an English course in the Cal Poly English language institute, in California, to match my skills with the standardized American language. While studying English at the institution, I was enthusiastic about studying the language and my vivid imagination accelerated the level with which I learnt English. I am now qualified in communicating and writing fluent English, and I believe will give me a humble timing in my studies, in the institution (Stelzer, 245). I am a fun enthusiast, gregarious and devoted person since I often enjoy jokes cracked by friends. The jokes

Quality Philosophy Evaluation Essay Example for Free

Quality Philosophy Evaluation Essay Focus Paper on Quality Philosophy Evaluation Focus Paper on Quality Philosophy Evaluation Edward Deming led the quality revolution and defined it from the customer’s perspective. He argues that the customer’s definition of quality is the only one that matters (Dale van Iwaarden, 2007). He defined quality as the extent by which the performance meets the expectations of the customer. He also argued that quality is the responsibility of management. Deming conveyed the importance of leadership in the cultivation of a culture of quality. The principles that underpin his philosophy also indicate that workers were to be trained and introduced to spirit of quality. He argued that employees should play a key role in the transformation of the organization. He proposed the 14 point philosophy of quality. 1. Create a perpetual drive towards improvement or plan for quality in the long term. 2. Embrace the new philosophy and adopt quality in the whole organization 3. Constant and perpetual improvement 4. Organizations should not rely on inspections 5. Rely on a single supplier for one item in order to ensure consistency 6. The elimination of management by objectives 7. Unclear slogans should be removed 8. The barriers which exist between departments should be broken 9. The transformation to quality should be everyone’s job 10. The removal of barriers which prevent pride of workmanship 11. The implementation of education and self improvement 12. Instill confidence and eliminate fear in job performance 13. Training should be used to remove variations 14. The organization should have quality leadership Joseph Juran Joseph Juran has also published a vast amount of literature on the topic of quality. Juran has two definitions of quality. The first defines quality as the features of products that meet the needs of the customers and which then allow for customer satisfaction (Juran, 2003). The second definition defines quality as the freedom from errors and freedom from deficiencies which necessitate the redoing of work. Juran came with a trilogy philosophy of quality management. This philosophy included: * Quality improvement-this is the process by which originations experience breakthrough in quality * Quality control-this involves the detection of the difference between actual performance and the set goals. * Quality planning-this involves developing processes and products which meet the expectations of the customer. * The above three dimensions of quality were seen as a prerogative of management by Juran. Quality control defines the standard of measure by which quality is determined. Juran saw workers as the implementers of quality. Philip Crosby Philip Crosby had a zero defects philosophy on quality management. He defined quality as being the conformance to requirements. He saw zero defects as the performance standard. He argued that everyone should do things â€Å"right the first time.† Therefore, according, to his philosophy, workers play a fundamental role in promoting quality (Oppenheim, Oppenheim Levine, 2005). Lewis Ireland He defined quality as the totality of characteristics and features of a service or product that enable it to meet the stated or the implied needs. Lewis Ireland focused on quality in projects. In 1991, Lewis wrote Quality Management for Projects and Programs and stated the importance of integrating quality in projects (Rose, 2005). He has a project management quality philosophy. He argued that quality planning should be used to identify quality standards which are relevant for the project. Project managers have a critical role to play in managing quality. Recommendation The philosophy espoused by Edward Deming holds more water in the current competitive business environment. Deming views quality as a change management initiative which is permanently existent in the methods, systems and processes. He provides the principles which should be followed by management in order to cultivate a culture of quality. In addition, his philosophy is more comprehensive and flexible and therefore easily applied by today’s managers. References Dale, B. G., van Iwaarden, J. (2007). Managing quality. Blackwell Publishing Juran, J. M. (2003). Juran on leadership for quality. Simon and Schuster. Oppenheim, A. J., Oppenheim, R., Levine, D. M. (2005). Quality management (pp. 75-76). McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Rose, K. (2005). Project quality management: why, what and how. J. Ross Publishing.

Organisational Structure and Corporate Strategy of Toyota

Organisational Structure and Corporate Strategy of Toyota There are many factors other than organizational structure that have a significant bearing upon the performance of an organization. However, organizational structure is a particularly important aspect as, if properly designed, it allows the other aspects e.g. strategic work, to function properly. For example, Alfred D Chandler (in Foss, 1997) argues that firm structure follows strategy. That is not to say that, if an organization is inappropriately designed, it will not perform adequately (Walker, 1996). ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES All organized human activity give rise to two basic and differing requirements: the distribution of labour into various tasks to be performed, and the coordination of these tasks to complete the activity. The structure of an organization can therefore be defined merely as the sum total of the ways in which its labour is divided into distinct tasks and how its coordination is achieved amongst these tasks (Mintzberg, 1983). To design an effective organizational structure the elements of structure, (the organizations niche, how large it grows, and the methods used to produce) should be selected to achieve an internal consistency, as well as a basic stability with the organizations context (its size, its age, the kind of environment in which it functions, technical systems used and so on) (Mintzberg, 1983).Coordinating an organization engages a range of means. These can be referred to as coordinating mechanisms and are equally concerned with control and communication as coordination. Fiv e coordinating mechanisms appear to explain the basic ways in which organizations coordinate their work: mutual adjustment, direct supervision, standardization of work processes, standardization of work outputs, and standardization of worker outputs. Mutual adjustments realize the coordination of work by the simple process of informal communication. Meaning, the control of the work rests in the hands of the doers. Direct supervision attain coordination by having one person in charge for the work of others, issuing them instructions and monitoring their actions. Work can also be coordinated without mutual adjustment or direct supervision, through standardization. Workers that constantly work in a certain way and know what is expected, proceed accordingly. Work processes are standardized when the contents of work are specified, or programmed. Outputs are standardized when the results of the work, for example, the dimensions of the product or the performance, are specified. Skills and knowledge are standardized when the kind of training required to perform the work is specified. As organizational work turns into more complicated activities, the preferred means of coordination seems to shift from mutual adjustment to direct supervision to standardization, preferably of work processes, otherwise of outputs, or else of skills, finally reverting back to mutual adjustment (Mintzberg, 1983). As is illustrated in the figure above, Mintzberg (1983) illustrates and describes an organization in five basic parts: Strategic apex, techno structure, middle line, support staff and operating core. The strategic apex mission is to ensure that the organization serve its mission in an effective way, and also that it serve the needs of those who control or otherwise have power over the organization (its owners, government agencies, and unions of the employees). This involves three sets of duties. First, direct supervision, which is already discussed. To the degree that the organization relies on this mechanism of coordination, it is the managers of the strategic apex who affect it. They allocate resources, issue work orders, authorize major decisions, resolve conflicts, design and staff the organization, monitor employee performance, and motivate and reward employees. The second obligation is the management of the organizations relations with its environment such as negotiating major agreements, ceremonial activities and informs the organizations external stakeholders about the organizations activities. The third set of duties relates to the development of the organizations strategy. Strategy could be seen as an intervening force between the organization and its environment Formulating strategy entail many aspects as will be discussed more in further chapters. However, the managers of the strategic apex should develop an understanding for its environment and try to adapt the strategy to its strengths and needs. Yet, the process of strategy is rather complex and is not as cut and dried as it seems. What should be said is that he strategic apex typically has the most important role in the strategy process. In general the strategic apex takes the widest and most abstract, perspective of the organization. Work at this level is normally characterized by a minimum of repetition and standardization, considerable prudence, and relatively long decision making cycles. Mutual adjustment is a favoured mechanism for coordination among managers of the strategic apex itself (Mintzberg, 1983). The strategic apex is united to the operating core by the chain of middle line managers with recognized authority. This chain runs from the senior managers to the first-line supervisors, who have direct authority over the operators, direct supervision. Like the top manager, the middle manager is required to do more than simply engage in direct supervision. He also has boundary conditions to manage. Each middle line manager must maintain liaison contacts with other managers, analysts, support staffers, and outsiders whose work is mutually dependent with that of his own unit. The middle line manager, like the top manager, is concerned with formulating the strategy for his unit, although this strategy is, of course, significantly affected by the overall strategy. But managerial jobs shift in nature as they fall in the chain of authority. They become less abstract and comprehensive and more focused on the work flow itself (Mintzberg, 1983). In the techno structure the analysts is found who serve the organization by affecting the work of others. The analysts are separated from the direct operative work flow but they may design it, plan it, change it, or train the people to do it, but they do not do it themselves consequently, the techno structure is only effective when it can use its analytical techniques to make the work of others in the organization more efficient. In a fully developed organization, the techno structure might perform at all levels of the hierarchy. At the lowest level of the manufacturing firm, analysts standardize the operating work flow by scheduling production, carrying out time and method studies of the operators work, and instituting systems of quality control. At middle levels they try to standardize the intellectual work of the organization. At the strategic apex, they design strategic planning systems and develop financial systems to control the goals of major units (Mintzberg, 1983). If one gl ance at almost any large organization, a large number of units is exposed, all specialized, and exist to provide support to the organization outside its operating workflow. Those make up the support staff. None is a part of the operating core. Nevertheless, each gives indirect support to these basic missions. CORPORATE STRATEGY The operating core of the organization encompasses those members that perform the basic work related directly to the production of products and services. The operators perform four prime functions: They secure the inputs for production, they transform the inputs into outputs, they distribute the outputs and they provide the direct support to the input, transformation, and output functions. The operating core is the heart of an organization, the part that produces the essential outputs that keeps it alive. Yet, all organizations need the administrative components described above as well (Mintzberg, 1983). Centralized- and decentralized organization The terms centralization and decentralization have historically been used in many different ways and with different definitions. This thesis discusses the issue of centralization and decentralization in terms of decision making power in organizations. When all power for decision making rests at a single point in the organization, eventually in the hands of one person, one shall call the structure centralized; to the degree that the power is dispersed among many people, one shall call the structure decentralized. As could be understood, centralization and decentralization should not be thought of as absolutes, but rather as two ends of a scale (Mintzberg, 1983). Mintzberg (1983) separates the two terms in vertical and horizontal centralization and decentralization. Vertical decentralization is concerned with the delegation of decision making power down the chain of authority, from the strategic apex into the middle line. Horizontal decentralization includes the transfer of power from managers to non-managers, more exactly from line managers to staff managers, analysts, support specialists, and operators. Strategy In the complex world of organizations it must be stated that there is no best way to generate strategy and strategic management, and nor is there any one best form of an organization (Mintzberg, Ghoshal and Quinn, 1998). The context in which the strategy is set is therefore of great interest. Strategy context and content has been discussed and considered of by mankind, since organizations exist to fulfil a purpose and to create value (Schilling, 2005, De Witt Meyer, 2005). Strategies are then employed to guarantee that the organizational purpose is realized (De Witt Meyer, 2005). In the generic literature a split is made between the strategy analysis stage, the strategy formulation stage, and the strategy implementation stage (Thompson Strickland, 2001; Mintzberg, Ghoshal and Quinn, 1998; De Witt Meyer, 2005). In the analysis stage, strategists recognize the opportunities and threats in the environment, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of the organization. Next, in the formulation stage, strategists decide which strategic options that are obtainable to them, evaluate each and select one. Lastly, in the implementation stage, the selected strategic option is translated into a number of actual activities, which are then carried out (De Witt Meyer, 2005). Those di fferent stages will be discussed and explained further in the sections below. However, as the thesis focus on implementing strategies the analysis and formulating section  will not be as vast as the implementing section. TOYOTA Toyota management leads the way in many aspects of business strategy and strategic management and numerous companies have followed the lead of the Toyota business model. A key architect of the Toyota management style was Taiichi Ohno, who developed the Toyota Production System. Ohno summed up his theory behind the management of Toyota thus: I feel strongly that the word work refers to the production of perfect goods only. If a machine is not producing perfect goods, it is not working. On that philosophy the Toyota Production System was built, in which sensors halted machines when they started to malfunction. Those machines were operated by the workforce who could likewise halt the production line when imperfections occurred. The Production System adhered to the Toyota corporate strategy of cutting waste, listing specific advice such as: Cut down on the distance that things move throughout the plant. Another example of this advice, representative of Toyota strategic management and its attitude towards its workforce is: Utilise the inherent talent of your workers. Toyota business strategies include the development of hybrid cars. Part of Toyota strategic planning is developing a premium position in hybrids in tune with present consumer values. Seisei Kato of Toyota summed up a further example of the Toyota leadership model by saying: Never fail to reward merit, but never let a fault go unremarked. All the Japanese triumphs were personified by Toyota, including, of course, the worldwide drive to setting new standards of production engineering that left Detroit far behind. The foundation of the engineers breakthroughs was quality. Americans had seen the promise of a new philosophy of raising quality standards by systematic approaches. The pioneering hero, W. Edwards Deming, was credited with exporting these new ideas to Japan. They were just as valid for US use and would have won the same painless rewards. But Detroit didnt want to know a wilful ignorance repeated time and again in industry after industry. The Toyota Production System became the world standard, bringing fame to a simple engineer named Ohno whose pupils demonstrated their methods without any fear of successful imitation from the West. It was easier; it seemed, to write off the Japanese revolutions as products of a different culture which was inimical to Western ways. That was nonsense. The cultural advantage, put simply, lay in defining what needed to be done and working out better systems of doing it. That included rigorous methods for checking that the task was indeed better designed and done. At Toyota, the recalls of cars and vans to check on faulty brakes and accelerators represent a staggering failure of this basic philosophy. There must have been a breakdown in the mental conditioning at the Toyota factories, resulting in design and production faults that were as systemic as the traditional hit-or-miss performance of the Western rivals. Since these are beset by troubles enough of their own, such as GMs sorry bankruptcy, there is no room for self-congratulation. Toyotas fall isnt just a Japanese incident, but rather a sign that management in general is failing to deliver. If the management knew about the problems, did it fail to identify the root causes? If the causes had been identified correctly, was the reaction delayed while the company ignored the damage to its market status? If Toyota was capable of timely repair, why wasnt this put in hand? Remember the simple problem-solving rules: Identify the task that needs to be done. Work out systematically better ways of doing it. Employ rigorous methods for checking that the task is better designed and executed. The Toyota affair emphasises some basic points of management. First, any company, no matter how large and how famous for its merits, can stumble into grave error. Second, damaged pride and nervous fear make it difficult to correct the error in good time. Third, management decisions should normally never be taken on the basis of profit forecasts alone. RED CROSS Positioning We will make sure key people and groups know what we do and why and how they can help. By investing more in promoting our work, we will encourage beneficiaries, volunteers, the government, service commissioners, potential supporters, educators and the media to understand us, work with us or join us. We will also speak out more and advocate for change that will improve the lives of vulnerable people and promote our mission. Organisational development We will ensure those who use our services, and who support us in other ways, trust us and have confidence in how we work. We need to clearly demonstrate the difference we make to the lives of people vulnerable to crisis. It is important to us to be accountable to our beneficiaries, supporters and partners. Through doing this we will listen and learn from our beneficiaries, supporters and each other, and continually improve what we do. Funding the strategy We will maximise our net income as cost-effectively as possible. Every donation we receive strengthens our ability to respond to emergencies and help people prepare for and recover from crises. We will inspire more people to support our work by giving what they can, especially through regular donations, bequests, and the relationships we build with trusts and companies. Our charity shops will continue to provide a place for people to donate and shop on the high street and support our work at the same time. There are a variety of perspectives, models and approaches used in strategic planning. The way that a strategic plan is developed depends on the nature of the organizations leadership, culture of the organization, complexity of the organizations environment, size of the organization, expertise of planners, etc. For example, there are a variety of strategic planning models, including goals-based, issues-based, organic, scenario (some would assert that scenario planning is more of a technique than model), etc. Goals-based planning is probably the most common and starts with focus on the organizations mission (and vision and/or values), goals to work toward the mission, strategies to achieve the goals, and action planning (who will do what and by when). Issues-based strategic planning often starts by examining issues facing the organization, strategies to address those issues and action plans. Organic strategic planning might start by articulating the organizations vision and values, an d then action plans to achieve the vision while adhering to those values. Some planners prefer a particular approach to planning, e.g., appreciative inquiry. Some plans are scoped to one year, many to three years, and some to five to ten years into the future. Some plans include only top-level information and no action plans. Some plans are five to eight pages long, while others can be considerably longer. Quite often, an organizations strategic planners already know much of what will go into a strategic plan (this is true for business planning, too). However, development of the strategic plan greatly helps to clarify the organizations plans and ensure that key leaders are all on the same script. Far more important than the strategic plan document, is the strategic planning process itself. Major differences in how organizations carry out the various steps and associated activities in the strategic planning process are more of a matter of the size of the organization than its for-profit/non-profit status. Small nonprofits and small for-profits tend to conduct somewhat similar planning activities that are different from those conducted in large organizations. On the other hand, large nonprofits and large for-profits tend to conduct somewhat similar planning activities that are different from those conducted in small organizations. (The focus of the planning activities is often different between for-profits and nonprofits. Nonprofits tend to focus more on matters of board development, fundraising and volunteer management. For-profits tend to focus more on activities to maximize profit.) Also, in addition to the size of the organization, differences in how organizations carry out the planning activities are more of a matter of the nature of the participants in the organization than its for-profit/non-profit status. For example, detail-oriented people may prefer a linear, top-down, general-to-specific approach to planning. On the other hand, rather artistic and highly reflective people may favour of a highly divergent and organic approach to planning. CONCLUSION Corporate Strategy is concerned with the overall purpose and scope of the business to meet stakeholder expectations. This is a crucial level since it is heavily influenced by investors in the business and acts to guide strategic decision-making throughout the business. Corporate strategy is often stated explicitly in a mission statement. Operational Strategy is concerned with how each part of the business is organised to deliver the corporate and business-unit level strategic direction. Operational strategy therefore focuses on issues of resources, processes, people etc.

The Human Impact On Environment

The Human Impact On Environment In many peoples opinions mans impact on the environment is a big issue in our life which is easily neglected, as humans are responsible for a staggering amount of damage on the earth. Nature manages its own components. Since the outbreak of technology and industrialisation humans have greatly had a negative impact on the environment, such as; air pollution, habitat destruction, water pollution, the burning of rainforests and land pollution. In this essay I intend to give facts and discuss the effects and causes on these topics and discuss the solutions being carried out to improve the conditions. Air pollution effects people in areas of emission sources, such as, power plants, local industry and major roads. Humans contribute to pollution by the use of machinery in industry causing pollution to the environment. More effects of air pollution on the environment involve using diesel fuel for vehicles and coal for power along with the lack of emission controls for vehicles and industry. Another cause of air pollution is the greenhouse gas CO2, this gas warms the earth through living things as they emit CO2 when breathing which contributes to humans also, as we add to this statistic through breathing also. CO2 is usually thought to be involved with cars, aeroplanes and power plants, in the past 150 years , CO2 has been polluting our atmosphere through the sources mentioned, this is the highest CO2 emissions recorded for a long time. More causes of air pollution is methane gas which comes from swamps which are contributed to man through flooding. Cfcs are another major cause of air pollution by man through the use of fridges and deodorants (aerosols) which harms the earths ozone layer. Solutions to Air Pollution Solutions to air pollution include driving and flying less, recycling, and conservation. Governmentsare limitting emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases through the Kyoto Protocol;this is an agreement between countries that they will cut back on carbon dioxide emissions. Another method being put into practice is to put taxes on carbon emissions or higher taxes on gasoline. ( http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/pollution-overview.html ) Acid Rain Acid rain has a big effect on the environment and is caused through men by the emission if nitrogen oxides through road transport, power stations and industry, over 2000 tonnes of nitrogen oxide was polluted into the air in 1990 along with over 3000 tonnes of sulphur dioxide through power stations and industry. Sulfur dioxide is known primarily as a cause of acid rain. But they also reflect light when released in the atmosphere, which keeps sunlight out and causes Earth to cool. Another adverse effect of these gases being emitted into the atmosphere by humans is the weathering of buildings, particularly those made from limestone, marble and sandstone. For example sulphate-rich precipitation reacts with limestone and is easily eroded. Many method have been used to reduce the effects of acid rain, one is to add powdered limestone to lakes to increase their pH values, however the only real effective and practical solution is to reduce fossil fuel consumption by using alternate energy so urces that do not produce nitrate or sulphate gases (hydropower or nuclear power). Water Pollution Asian rivers are the most polluted in the world. They have three times as many bacteria from human waste as the global average and 20 times more lead than rivers in industrialized countries. Thirty percent of Irelands rivers are polluted with sewage or fertilizer. The King River is Australias most polluted river, suffering from a severe acidic condition related to mining operations.100, 000 marine mammals, 1 million sea birds and other aquatic lives are killed due to plastic waste in water and coastal area. Bangladesh has some of the most polluted groundwater in the world. In this case, the contaminant is arsenic, which occurs naturally in the sediments. Around 85% of the total area of the country has contaminated groundwater, with at least 1.2 million Bangladeshis exposed to arsenic poisoning and with millions more at risk. Pollution of freshwater is a problem for about half of the worlds population. Each year there are about 250 million cases of water-related diseases, with roughly 5 to 10 million deaths. The main problem of water pollution is that it kills life; Dead fish, birds, dolphins, and many other animals often wind up on beaches, killed by pollutants. Pollution disrupts the natural food chain as well. Pollutants such as lead and cadmium are eaten by tiny animals. Later, these animals are consumed by fish and shellfish, and the food chain continues to be disrupted at all higher levels. humans are affected by this process as well. People can get diseases such as hepatitis by eating seafood that has been poisoned. Ecosystems can be severely changed or destroyed by water pollution. Many areas are now being affected by careless human pollution, Solutions to Water Pollution  · stabilising wetlands to act as a buffer zone to runoff and to assist in filtering pollutants  · Drive less to reduce the amount of air pollution being emitted into the environment and minimize the amount of nitrogen deposition.  · Improve the sewage treatment system to stop the leaks in the pipes.  · Conserve water  · Improve storm water management.  · Monitor watershed  · Stop deforestation to soak up the rain water and prevent runoff from occurring. Land Pollution The human impacts related with land pollution involves the Increase in urbanization as Construction uses up forestland. More constructions means increase in demand for raw materials like timber. This leads to the exploitation and destruction of forests, the Increase in agricultural land As the human population grew there was a greater demand for food. This caused more land allocated to agriculture. Forests were cut down for this purpose, Agricultural activities Besides domestic waste, pesticides and herbicides used by farmers to increase crop yields also pollute the land when they are washed into the soil and Industrial activities are also a contributing factor to land pollution. For example, in open cast mining, huge holes are dug in the ground and these form dangerously deep mining pools. Heaps of mining waste are left behind and these waste often contain several poisonous substances that will contaminate the soil. The effects on humans is that the Pollution is likely to affect over a billion people around the world, with millions poisoned and killed each year.The World Health Organization estimates that 25 percent of all deaths in the developing world are directly attributable to environmental factor. Some researchers estimate that exposure to pollution causes 40 percent of deaths annually. Many people are not aware of the impact that such industrial pollution can have on the earth. By helping to make it known, you can be one of the voices that will draw attention to the issue thus helping to inspire change. Solutions to Land Pollution New laws and regulations such as, reduce use of plastic, recycle and reuse have greatly reduced the amount of commercial and industrial pollution, Habitat Destruction/Deforestation Habitat destruction is happening all over the world and closer to your home than you might think. Tropical rain forests in Central and South America and in Southeast Asia and Oceania are being threatened. Rainforests now occupy less then  ½ of the land that they did 100 years ago (thats less than 2% of the earths surface). Humans are a major cause of habitat destruction. The causes include, logging, agriculture, the building of roads and cities, and forest fires. Logging involves Humans cutting down the forests and rain forests for wood and wood products. Usually, only large prime trees are cut down, such as mahogany. However, smaller trees can be destroyed in the process and never replaced. Logging can cause soil erosion, and the logging roads that are built can damage rivers and streams. Agriculture involves Wild lands being cleared for crops and domestic animals. The single biggest cause of deforestation is farming. Animals that are used to living in a biodiverse habitat cannot survive in an area with one crop. Humans impact on habitat destruction is majorly involved in the building of roads and cities, although essential for life, this still causes a problem for biodiversity as Humans are clearing trees and wild lands to make room for roads and cities. Cities replace the natural habitat of many species of plants and animals. Highways and freeways can destroy plants and also keep animals from safely travelling through their natural habitat. Recent effects of humans on the environment Humans have recently had a massive impact on the environment with the nuclear power plant disaster in Japan following the biggest earthquake/tsunami ever recorded cooling systems failures that led to radiation escaping from a reactor at one location. The emergency declarations, which include five reactors at the two plants, followed Fridays 8.9-magnitude earthquake off the countrys northeast coast. In a troubling announcement, Japan Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency official Ryohei Shiomi said a monitoring device outside the plant detected radiation that is eight times higher than normal and an evacuation zone has been expanded from three kilometres around the plant to 10 kilometres. ( http://news.slashdot.org/story/11/03/12/038218/Nuclear-Emergency-Declared-At-2-Plants-In-Japan?from=rss ) The impact this had on the environment was really frightening as fears of people being exposed with radiation which was life threatening and people were even evacuated from their homes and told not to go outside, there is now fears that the food produced there may be contaminated with radiation and they are stopping all exports. This radiation from Japan has the potential to cause worldwide biological disruption Referencing/Sources Buz/ed Causes and effects of land pollution [Online] Available: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/causes-and-effects-of-land-pollution.html (accessed 20th march 2011) Biodiversity lectures [Online] Available: www.uws.ac.uk National Geographic Air pollution [Online] Available: http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/pollution-overview.html (accessed 20th march 2011) Goudie, A. and Viles, H.(1997) The Earth Transformed An introduction to human impacts on the environment Images Radioactive waste [Online] Available: http://homepages.uel.ac.uk/u0852279/Docs/Radioactive.html Picture (accessed 20th march) Air pollution [Online] Available: http://homepages.uel.ac.uk/u0852279/Docs/Air.html (accessed 20th march 2011) Land Pollution [Online] Available: http://homepages.uel.ac.uk/u0852279/Docs/Land.html (accessed 20th march 2011 Water Pollution [Online] Available: http://homepages.uel.ac.uk/u0852279/Docs/Water.html (accessed 20th march 2011) Image [Online] Available: www.imagesfrom.co.cc (accessed 20th march 2011) Water Pollution [Online] Available: http://library.thinkquest.org/26026/Environmental_Problems/water_pollution_-_effects.html (accessed 20th march 2011) Habitat Destruction [Online] Available: http://www.library.thinkquest.org/08aug/00473/habitatdestruction.html (accessed 20th march 2011) Japan Earth Quake [Online] Available: http://news.slashdot.org/story/11/03/12/038218/Nuclear-Emergency-Declared-At-2-Plants-In-Japan?from=rss (accessed 21th march 2011) Water Pollution [Online] Available: www.peakwater.org (accessed 22nd march 2011) University of the West of Scotland (n.d.) Student Services Mini Guide: Hamilton Campus. s.l.: UWS

I Am a Chinese American :: Personal Narrative Writing

I Am a Chinese American. My feminine appearance made people believe that I was an obedient person, but instead I am an independent, aggressive individual. When I was young, my mother always sewed me those girlish, baby-doll dresses. Every morning, she tied my hair into two little ponytails with red ribbons. She made me look like an obedient, typical Chinese girl, like the ones I later saw in New York on Channel 31. Shy, like those little girls who always held their mother's hands tight. On a breezy cold morning in China, Mother always woke up before dawn to prepare breakfast for us, then went food shopping. I sometimes followed her to the crowded marketplace, where the vendors shouted in public like maniacs. The old coffee shop behind the market never seemed to receive any attention from the shoppers. The sticky window and its broken sign made it look like a ruined Confucian temple. I could barely see the old waiter's face through the dirty glass door. Behind all this dirtiness, those delicious smells conquered me, but once I sat down at that brownish wood table, I began to lose my appetite. The dirty spots on the table reminded me of someone's freckled face. The old waiter always pinched my chubby red cheeks with his greasy fingers. I immediately felt like one of those roasted ducks hung near the window. I wanted to scream, but his sincere smile and sweet compliments traded for my forgiveness. Ironically, I loved this place, especially that old waiter. He made me f eel like a princess. I could see my mother smile like she had just won the lottery. How proud she felt to have me as her daughter! My obedient appearance had actually pleased her. When I marched out of that old coffee shop with my mother and her mah jong crew speaking loudly, I felt like people were staring at me, laughing at my dress, that flowery silk dress with shiny sequins sewn to each side of the collars. I looked like a doll, except I was just a bit too fat to fit into that tight dress. One could easily define my little tummy hanging underneath the softness of the silk. Whenever I had those light canvas shoes on, I could feel the lumpy surface of the sidewalk; but I looked extremely pretty. How girlish I looked. Everyone was impressed with the way my mother dressed me and believed in the image that she had built for me.

Standardized Tests Do Not Measure Student Achievement Essay example --

Standardized testing has been around since the mid 1800’s. Even though testing has been around for a long time it is still debated whether or not it should precisely â€Å"score† students. Students have been subjected to standardized tests frequently through their years in school due to laws which have been passed by Congress. Decisions about the evaluation of schools and students are recurrently made by government authority and are often not in the best interest of teachers, students, or their classroom environments. What do students achieve from standardized testing? Achievement means something that somebody has succeeded in doing. â€Å"Achievement is more than just test scores but also includes class participation, students’ course-taking patterns, and teachers’ professional development patterns†(Harris, Harris, Smith). How can a test score show someone’s satisfaction or what they believe success is? The tests aren’t that advanced in today’s technology. The tests do prepare students for more important tests such as the ACT, SAT, ASVAB, ect†¦Testing patterns have also been disputed such as drawing a Christmas tree, or limit a letter choice to a certain number of blanks filled in. This does not help the students or the educators in this essence. It does not test the students’ full potential to what they have learned from their educator, it just simply tests the students’ ability to guess quickly under pressure (Walberg). These tests a re usually briefly timed. Depending on how the student paces his or herself depends on how well he or she can take the test, because the student still needs to think logically. Under these circumstances students rush to finish the test forcing them to think illogically, resulting in a low score ul... ...8 Nov. 2013. Popham, W.James. "Why Standardized Tests Don't Measure Educational Quality." Educational Leadership. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Nov 2013. www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/mar99/vol56/num06/Why- standardized-tests-don't-measure-educational-quality/ "Standardized Tests." procon.org. N.p., 01 Nov. 2013. Web. 11 Nov 2013. . "Standardized Testing: No Child Left Behind." Lawserver. N.p.. Web. 13 Nov 2013. Walberg, Herbert J. "Standardized Tests Effectively Measure Student Achievement." Standardized Testing. Ed. Dedria Bryfonski. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2012. At Issue. Rpt. from "Stop the War Against Standardized Tests." Defining Ideas: A Hoover Institution Journal (20 May 2011). Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 8 Nov. 2013.

Analysis of Superior Manufacturing

Table of Contents Introduction The objective of this report is to provide Mr.. Paul Harvey, president with the detailed reasoning for the decisions recommended and also to figure out which products are losing money. As the company is operating in an oligopoly and has somewhat medium market share, setting our own prices is not an option. The giant Samara announces the prices for the products annually, and the other eight companies in the industry follow the price. Problem The organization underwent management change in early 2004.The company lost $690,000 (Refer to appendix 1) in that year, which resulted in a low morale of the employees. They have lost faith in the management and have low motivation level. So, a decision has to be made regarding the production of three products I. E. 101, 102 and 103. Recently the giant in the industry Samara decided to lower the selling price for the product 101 and a final decision has to be made, if the organization should lower the selling price or not? Key Success Factors Looking at the share of industry sales rate, for product 101 its 12%, for 102 its 8% and for 103 its 10%.The company has to increase its market share to be able to generate positive income. The second most important aspect is costs. As all the products are manufactured in separate factories and they operate below capacity, it's hard to control the costs especially the fixed costs. Even though all the factories are horizontally integrated with shared production process facilities, it doesn't help keeping the costs in check. The employees seem to be disappointed with the new management and have a low morale. They are not exactly motivated to try harder to make a positive impact.Operating in an oligopoly, where prices are controlled by another firm, Superior has no control over the selling prices so, the company should Ochs on keeping costs minimum and increasing their industry sales rate. There is no compensation and reward system to Judge the performance o f employees. Situation Analysis I started off with analyzing income statement for 2004 to get a better understanding of the situation and to figure out which products are generating profit and which ones are responsible for the loss.After reviewing the data from 2004 it was found that only the product 101 is generating income and the other two products 102 and 103 are losing money (Refer to appendix 1 . 1). As I wanted to be ere that the information provided was accurate I took the liberty of following contribution margin income statement. Also I found a couple of additions errors in the 2004 and 2005 income statement. I have highlighted the mistakes in red in appendix 1. 1 and appendix 2.Decision Regarding Dropping Products After categorizing all the costs into fixed and variable costs based on the information provided by the accounting department, I came to find out the fixed costs for factory 101 ,102 and 103 are $1 and respectively (Refer to appendix 1 . 1). The respective facto ries will have to incur these costs even if they continue the production. The contribution margins for factories 101, 102 and 103 are and respectively. So, even if products 102 and 103 are losing money they are still contributing to fixed costs by the same amount as their contribution.This suggests that if the production is discontinued the company would be incurring an extra loss of Thus, I tend to agree with Mr.. Harvey decision of continuing production of product 103 and the other two products. For further details please refer to appendix 1. 1 . Appendix 1. 2 shows that if 113,766 additional units are sold for product 102 and 162,41 5 units of product 103. The company would of have made a profit of $2,999,000. The reason for not meeting the targets could be because of low morale of the employees. If we compare the predicted income statement for 2005 and the actual performance (Refer to appendixes 1. And 2). The Variances of rent, indirect labor and depreciation are $259,000 $213, 000 and $642,000 respectively are all favorable. It's safe to say that these three costs, which are all fixed costs, are the main factors for the improvement in profitability during the period January 1 to June 30, 2005. In a nutshell if fixed costs are controlled the company can do really well (Refer o appendix 1. 3 and appendix 2). Decision Regarding the Price for Product 101 The decision regarding the price of product 101 is based on the income statement of 2005 from January 1st to June 30th (Refer to appendix 3. ). The appendix has both income statement with selling price set as $24. 5 and $22. 5. It has been forecasted that if the price is dropped to $22. 5, the organization would be able to sell 1 million units. On the other hand if the organization decides to continue with the same that they are following at the moment, 750,000 units can be sold for first six months of year 2006. Here I would like to point out that these forecasts are not accurate and there may be a differenc e between what is predicted and the actual sales but for now I think that's an appropriate estimation as any.The forecasted income statements are based on the unit price per 100 lbs from first half of 2005 income statement. It is noted that the income statement with the price $22. 5 gives a higher contribution margin (10,468,490. 86) compared to the one with price $24. 5 (11,979,587. 82). These figures include the 5 percent reduction in the prices of materials and supplies and the discount on selling prices. The income statement shows that a higher operating income can be generated if the selling price set by Samara is followed (Refer to appendix 3. 2). The reason for that is the fixed costs will remain constant within the relevant range.So, I have decided to take the fixed costs from the 2005 Unary I-June 30) income statement. Since with the selling price $22. 5 gives a higher contribution margin, the company will lose less money (- $334,043. 07) to be exact (Refer to appendix 3. 2 ). Also if 31,803 additional units are sold, the company can breakable for product 101 . On the other hand 135,459 additional units would be required to breakable if the current price is kept. Also it doesn't seem a good idea keeping the prices higher than the rest of the seven firms, costumer might not appreciate and it's of utmost important the company maintains its market share if not improve.Conclusion & Recommendation Since it has been established that dropping any of the products doesn't benefit the company in any way, I would like to suggest keeping all the products. The company could do really well if the sales target are met and for that the motivation level of the employees needs to be high. So, my recommendation to motivate employees would be to set up a performance based reward and compensation system, which would keep the employees motivated, especially the sales force to do better.Another thing that can be done is rather than paying the sales force a fixed salary, they should be paid a commission based salary which would give rise to a sense of competition for sales people to do better and based on their sales they could be properly rewarded. For product 101, my analysis suggests that, the price set by Samara should be follow not Just because the organization will save itself from heavy losses but also its essential for the company to maintain its current industry sales share and having a higher price than the other firms could draw the customer away and then the organization would have bigger problems.Fixed costs need to be controlled and monitor strictly. All the factories are operating under capacity which doesn't help the organization in achieving its goals. One way to keep the costs in control in my opinion would be to assign specific tasks to specific factories so that they can operate efficiently rather than dedicating a whole factory to a product line. As the three reduces have somewhat similar manufacturing procedures. Analysis of Superior Manufacturing Table of Contents Introduction The objective of this report is to provide Mr.. Paul Harvey, president with the detailed reasoning for the decisions recommended and also to figure out which products are losing money. As the company is operating in an oligopoly and has somewhat medium market share, setting our own prices is not an option. The giant Samara announces the prices for the products annually, and the other eight companies in the industry follow the price. Problem The organization underwent management change in early 2004.The company lost $690,000 (Refer to appendix 1) in that year, which resulted in a low morale of the employees. They have lost faith in the management and have low motivation level. So, a decision has to be made regarding the production of three products I. E. 101, 102 and 103. Recently the giant in the industry Samara decided to lower the selling price for the product 101 and a final decision has to be made, if the organization should lower the selling price or not? Key Success Factors Looking at the share of industry sales rate, for product 101 its 12%, for 102 its 8% and for 103 its 10%.The company has to increase its market share to be able to generate positive income. The second most important aspect is costs. As all the products are manufactured in separate factories and they operate below capacity, it's hard to control the costs especially the fixed costs. Even though all the factories are horizontally integrated with shared production process facilities, it doesn't help keeping the costs in check. The employees seem to be disappointed with the new management and have a low morale. They are not exactly motivated to try harder to make a positive impact.Operating in an oligopoly, where prices are controlled by another firm, Superior has no control over the selling prices so, the company should Ochs on keeping costs minimum and increasing their industry sales rate. There is no compensation and reward system to Judge the performance o f employees. Situation Analysis I started off with analyzing income statement for 2004 to get a better understanding of the situation and to figure out which products are generating profit and which ones are responsible for the loss.After reviewing the data from 2004 it was found that only the product 101 is generating income and the other two products 102 and 103 are losing money (Refer to appendix 1 . 1). As I wanted to be ere that the information provided was accurate I took the liberty of following contribution margin income statement. Also I found a couple of additions errors in the 2004 and 2005 income statement. I have highlighted the mistakes in red in appendix 1. 1 and appendix 2.Decision Regarding Dropping Products After categorizing all the costs into fixed and variable costs based on the information provided by the accounting department, I came to find out the fixed costs for factory 101 ,102 and 103 are $1 and respectively (Refer to appendix 1 . 1). The respective facto ries will have to incur these costs even if they continue the production. The contribution margins for factories 101, 102 and 103 are and respectively. So, even if products 102 and 103 are losing money they are still contributing to fixed costs by the same amount as their contribution.This suggests that if the production is discontinued the company would be incurring an extra loss of Thus, I tend to agree with Mr.. Harvey decision of continuing production of product 103 and the other two products. For further details please refer to appendix 1. 1 . Appendix 1. 2 shows that if 113,766 additional units are sold for product 102 and 162,41 5 units of product 103. The company would of have made a profit of $2,999,000. The reason for not meeting the targets could be because of low morale of the employees. If we compare the predicted income statement for 2005 and the actual performance (Refer to appendixes 1. And 2). The Variances of rent, indirect labor and depreciation are $259,000 $213, 000 and $642,000 respectively are all favorable. It's safe to say that these three costs, which are all fixed costs, are the main factors for the improvement in profitability during the period January 1 to June 30, 2005. In a nutshell if fixed costs are controlled the company can do really well (Refer o appendix 1. 3 and appendix 2). Decision Regarding the Price for Product 101 The decision regarding the price of product 101 is based on the income statement of 2005 from January 1st to June 30th (Refer to appendix 3. ). The appendix has both income statement with selling price set as $24. 5 and $22. 5. It has been forecasted that if the price is dropped to $22. 5, the organization would be able to sell 1 million units. On the other hand if the organization decides to continue with the same that they are following at the moment, 750,000 units can be sold for first six months of year 2006. Here I would like to point out that these forecasts are not accurate and there may be a differenc e between what is predicted and the actual sales but for now I think that's an appropriate estimation as any.The forecasted income statements are based on the unit price per 100 lbs from first half of 2005 income statement. It is noted that the income statement with the price $22. 5 gives a higher contribution margin (10,468,490. 86) compared to the one with price $24. 5 (11,979,587. 82). These figures include the 5 percent reduction in the prices of materials and supplies and the discount on selling prices. The income statement shows that a higher operating income can be generated if the selling price set by Samara is followed (Refer to appendix 3. 2). The reason for that is the fixed costs will remain constant within the relevant range.So, I have decided to take the fixed costs from the 2005 Unary I-June 30) income statement. Since with the selling price $22. 5 gives a higher contribution margin, the company will lose less money (- $334,043. 07) to be exact (Refer to appendix 3. 2 ). Also if 31,803 additional units are sold, the company can breakable for product 101 . On the other hand 135,459 additional units would be required to breakable if the current price is kept. Also it doesn't seem a good idea keeping the prices higher than the rest of the seven firms, costumer might not appreciate and it's of utmost important the company maintains its market share if not improve.Conclusion & Recommendation Since it has been established that dropping any of the products doesn't benefit the company in any way, I would like to suggest keeping all the products. The company could do really well if the sales target are met and for that the motivation level of the employees needs to be high. So, my recommendation to motivate employees would be to set up a performance based reward and compensation system, which would keep the employees motivated, especially the sales force to do better.Another thing that can be done is rather than paying the sales force a fixed salary, they should be paid a commission based salary which would give rise to a sense of competition for sales people to do better and based on their sales they could be properly rewarded. For product 101, my analysis suggests that, the price set by Samara should be follow not Just because the organization will save itself from heavy losses but also its essential for the company to maintain its current industry sales share and having a higher price than the other firms could draw the customer away and then the organization would have bigger problems.Fixed costs need to be controlled and monitor strictly. All the factories are operating under capacity which doesn't help the organization in achieving its goals. One way to keep the costs in control in my opinion would be to assign specific tasks to specific factories so that they can operate efficiently rather than dedicating a whole factory to a product line. As the three reduces have somewhat similar manufacturing procedures.

The Competitive Advantage of Ikea

DEPARTMENT OF applied science AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT The matched payoff of IKEA and IKEA in china Zhi Li June 2010 surpasss Thesis in Logistics and existence Man sequencement Master of Science in Logistics and Innovation Management Supervisor Lars Steiner abridgment Title Author Supervisor re work on The agonistic wages of IKEA and IKEA in china Zhi Li Lars Steiner The chief(prenominal) purpose of this e genuinely excogitationatecome dissertation is to describe the IKEA purpose and talk of the application in chinaw be.after explore the bill of IKEA, c tout ensemble into enquiry with the autobus of IKEA remembering, and learn the study from the entanglement and dissertation, wont the theory of emulous emolument to describe the IKEA plan and the militant utility which is the steering that IKEA utilise to germinate the expediency. Secondly, controert the application in china and bound IKEA the implyions to break up the rivalrous returns in chinaw ar securities assiduity turn up. Methods Beca exercise IKEA is non a populace political actuatey, I fecal matter non call in up in addition often selective education.I browsed the official entanglementsite of IKEA to strike more than(prenominal)(prenominal)(prenominal) than entropy ab off the trigger of IKEA incorpo regularised goal, strategies, co touch offner, hi bosh and the data of IKEA financial and campaign separate. I as certainly virtu ally face and Chinese books, thesis and reports try to demote more(prenominal) data and more equit equal ideas of Chinese scholars. Visit and observe the IKEA line of descent and none my psyches. I tried to acquire an consultation with IKEA repositing in china, scarcely failed. Fortunately, I got an call into oppugn with Hans Karlsson which is the logics director of IKEA bloodline in Gavle.He beated the warring dodge of logistics, the agonistic favorable respectable IKEA and the attached footmark IKEA may do in china. testify to analysis the antithetical culture and separate paradox that IKEA bewilder to face. Analyze solely the data and the idea I de put outr got and put on the theory of Michael Porter to termination this thesis. IKEA should sport some an weeer(a)(prenominal) innovations to reconcile to the china grocery. At IKEA our resourcefulness is to create a damp e truly(prenominal)day t maven for the umteen mass. Our line of motiveing idea supports this vision by offer a wide err of thoroughly-designed, in operation(p) basis furnishing outputs at expenditures so small(a) that as more nation as possible al dep permited for be able to pass them. (Our vision and business idea, http//www. ikea. com/ms/en_US/ to the highest degree_ikea/the_ikea_ mode of manners/our_busine ss_idea/index. html) It seems non build throughd in chinaw be mart yet. Firstly, IKEA should expand greater cooperation with local anest hetic anesthetic anaesthetic providers to enamor more free-enterprise(a) pro jeer of toll leaders. Secondly, concord 1 Conclusions to the enduringness of chinaw be mart, IKEA should necessitate some more ad rightment to satisfy so more an a nonher(prenominal)(prenominal) mainland china mathematical reaping picky nodes. Thirdly, IKEA should intensify propaganda manoeuver to let more nodes understand and correspond the IKEA toughie. As an out comer, in that respect is a persistent dash to be the bring home the baconner in this huge and potential food foodstuff. by and by a coarse cartridge holder to investigate the chinaw be market, IKEA al packy understand the china market more than out front. With accelerating the revive of expand, the success of IKEA in china market is exclusively the communication channel of time. chance upon words IKEA, agonistical advan brande, IKEA set, china market 2 Contents page 1. k this instantledgeableness 6 1. 1. Background .. 1. 2. innovation 7 1. 3. Research question.. 7 1. 4. complex body damp of the thesis .. 7 2. Theoretical simulation . 8 2. 1.The volt agonistic forces that unsex sedulousness favourableness . 8 2. 1. 1. bargain author of suppliers 9 2. 1. 2. Bargaining federal agency of customers. 9 2. 1. 3. curse of advanced entrants . 10 2. 1. 4. Threat of substitute crops 0 2. 1. 5. competitiony rivalries inwardly an fabrication 10 2. 2. generic wine wine wine combative strategies . 10 2. 2. 1. terms lead 11 2. 2. 2. oppositeiation . 12 2. 2. 3.Focus 12 2. 2. 4. Pursuit of more than ane generic system . 12 3. Methodology .. 13 4. Findings . 15 4. 1. The introduction f IKEA .. 15 4. 2. The history of IKEA from the web of IKEA. 16 4. 2. 1. 1920 .. 16 4. 2. 2. 1940s-1950s.. 16 4. 2. 3. 1960s-1970s.. 7 4. 2. 4. mid-eighties 17 4. 2. 5. 1990s 17 4. 2. 6. 2000s 18 4. 3. The data from the web of IKEA .. 19 4. 4.The information from interview .. 19 3 4. 4. 1. The logics process of IKEA . 19 4. 4. 2. The market fraction . 22 4. 4. 3. The logistics dodge all allplace the dry land. 22 4. 4. 4. The mainland mainland chinaware market .. 2 4. 4. 5. The coterminous step that IKEA sight do to accession the agonistic benefit intermiticularly in logistics. 23 4. 4. 6. The contest of IKEA. 23 4. 4. 7. The top hatow of IKEA .. 23 4. 5. The compare with the competitor of IKEA 3 4. 6. The spatial relation of IKEA in china at this stage. 24 4. 6. 1. The ground of the legal injury problem . 24 4. 6. 2. The substance of the IKEA predicament in chinaware 24 4. 6. 3. The reason that the speed of IKEA develop s modester than the competitor .. 24 4. 6. 4. The challenge and the innovation of IKEA in China .. 25 4. 6. 5.The outrage of IKEA in China. 25 4. 6. 6. The model of IKEA .. 25 5. Discussion 25 5. 1. The agonistical advantage model of IKEA .. 25 5. 2. The terce slip fashion apply to enlarge the militant advantage .. 26 5. 2. 1. general worth leading 26 5. 2. 2. preeminence . 27 5. 2. 3. Focus 27 5. 2. 4. Pursuit of more than wizard generic outline . 27 5. 3. The suggestion for IKEA in China .. 8 5. 3. 1. The announcement . 28 5. 3. 2. The company culture 28 5. 3. 3. The cooperation of local supplier .. 28 5. 3. 4. The milieu-friendly ontogenesiss .. 29 5. 3. 5. conciliatory strategies.. 9 6. Conclusions . 29 4 consultation 31 Appendix 32 5 1. Introduction The purpose of this chapter is introduction the orbit of IKEA, the purpose, the look for questions. 1. 1.Background The IKEA conceit is found on offering a wide mold of well designed, practicable home furnishing increases at outlays so rugged that as many an(prenominal) raft as possible result be able to hold them. or else than marketing expensive home furnishings that l 1some(prenominal) a few mass vitiate, the IKEA imagination amazes it possible to serve the many by providing diminished- impairmentd products that carry to encourageing more people live a punter life history at home. (http//franchisor. ikea. com/ appearingContent. asp? swfId= theory2). The IKEA Concept guides the way IKEA products are designed, manufactured, delighted, sold and assembled.All of these factors contri moreovere to transforming the IKEA Concept into a reality. In the leaflet the contiguous is filled with opportunities, Ingvar Kamprad, the damp of IKEA, says that IKEA does not just indispensability to win your brain. IKEA to a fault wants to win your heart. No matter whom you are, prescribed education or informal education, a worker or a manager, you back uncovering IKEA is a place which is expert of opportunities. It is up to you is a common convention in IKEA. (Salzer, 1994) IKEA starts the article of furniture business in the 1940s. From a small company pass away to a cosmos noted multinational corporation, the outgrowth speed of IKEA is very fast. agree to the IKEA at a gl ance- financial year 2009, the IKEA earmark re grants the leading home furnishings filth in the world with more than 300 terminals in more than 35 countries, more than 15,000 co-workers and 46 production units. They sold resumeed 21. 5 billion Euros at 2009. (http//www. ikea. com/ms/en_US/ or so(predicate)_ikea/pdf/FF09_GB. pdf, 2010-5-29). How does IKEA develop quickly and assert sozzled ambition in the furniture industriousness? That makes me deplete strong interesting most IKEA. With China join the WTO, more and more impertinent companies prefaceed China market. IKEA entered the China market in 1998.Recently the reliable- flavorgest IKEA shop class class in Asia undefendable in Shenyang. just outright at that place are unless(prenominal) 12 storages in China now. Compared with another(prenominal) contradictory furniture companies, the reading speed of IKEA is seems in addition s broken in in China. On the other hand, China is already fabricate to the thumpinggest check country which is round 20%. nevertheless the sales per arena are hardly 5% in Asia and Australia. What is the problem IKEA progress to in China? What should IKEA lurch in China? I stool out recitation theory of private-enterprise(a) advantage to let on the reason why IKEA terminate conquer the success. Beca phthisis the IKEA is not a humankind company, I laughingstocknot chance upon besides more data. So I 6 carry to research the model of IKEA.I tried to experience an interview with the manager of IKEA cut in in China to know the note and the in livestock(predicate) plan of IKEA. Unfortunately, they did not defecate time. I tried to connect with the manager of IKEA in Gave. Luckily, the logics manager Hans Karlsson gave me a chance to motif the interview. So we knock against at 2010-05-21. He interposed the logics process of IKEA and answered some questions I pee-pee. yet he sightnot give me the data either. I browsed the websi te of IKEA, and read many books, journeys, heretofore report report to image the data, the introduction of IKEA model, and the opinions of im sensible and Chinese scholar nearly IKEA.The research of this thesis contains the history of IKEA in Sweden, the IKEA invention, out of doors(a) expansion periods. Then I reckon out what IKEA should change in the approaching to adapt the China market better. 1. 2. Purpose The purpose of this thesis is to describe the IKEA concept and discuss the application in China. later research the history of IKEA, interview with the manager of IKEA blood line, and find the data from the web and the thesis, employ the theory of militant advantage formulate the advantage, single out, and situation of IKEA. harmonise to the limited situation of China market and Analysis the una alike(p) opinions of IKEA, discuss how to develop the concept of IKEA to keep the competitive advantage of IKEA in China market. Finally, guide the experience to the se remote companies which want to enter China market and these Chinese foreign companies which are salve in the premature stage. 1. 3. Research question As the topics of this thesis are competitive advantage of IKEA and IKEA in China. After hoard and analysis the information I got, these research questions al unhopeful for be take ind.A, what is the competitive advantage of IKEA? B, what is the problem that IKEA have in China market? C, what is the side by side(p) step IKEA should do to increase the competitive advantage in China market? 1. 4. Structure of the thesis The structure of this thesis is as the fol miserable steps 7 Chapter 1- introduction This chapter is to publish the background of IKEA, the research purpose, the research question and the structure of this thesis Chapter 2- theoretical theoretical account This chapter is to introduce the theory of competitive advantage which we go away be apply. in that respect are including the quintuplet competitive forces that visualize industry profitability and generic competitive strategies. Chapter 3- regularityology This chapter is to describe the process that I find the question and economic consumption the ruleology to solve the question. Chapter 4-finding This chapter is to introduce the information I collected. on that point are including the history of IKEA, the data from the web of IKEA, the information from interview and the opinions from other thesis. Chapter 5-discussion This chapter is use the theory and the finding to analysis the competitive advantage model of IKEA and discuss the three slipway sed to increase the competitive advantage. Then, finds out the reason that benefactors IKEA get success. Chapter 6- conclusion According to the situation of China market, finds out the disadvantage of IKEA in China and gets the suggestions. 2. Theoretical framework The purpose of this chapter is to do the literature critical review of the pentad competitive forces the determine indus try profitability and the generic competitive strategies. 2. 1. The five competitive forces that determine industry profitability The kickoff fundamental determinant of a upstandings profitability is industry attractiveness.In any industry, whether it is domestic or internationalisticistic or produces a product or a portion, the rules of op mental attitude are embody in five competitive forces the compliance of crude competitors, the threat of substitutes, the bargain agency of buyers, the negotiate source of suppliers, and the rivalry among the actual competitors. (Porter, 2008) The collective strength of these five competitive forces determines industry 8 profitability. physique 1 the five forces that shape industry competition http//sites. google. com/site/greenlightgocoaching/ invigorateds 2. 1. 1.Bargaining power of suppliers The bargaining power of suppliers is likewise described as the market of inputs. The suppliers influence the profitability and product sc rap by increasing the impairment of inputs elements and step-d induce the unit flavour value. The bargaining power of suppliers is depend on the inputs elements. When the inputs elements is big part of perfect apostrophize, the inputs elements is very weighty in the product process or influence the prime(a) of buyer product, the suppliers have strong bargaining power. (Porter, 2008) 2. 1. 2. Bargaining power of customers The bargaining power of customers is lso described as the market of outputs the ability of customers put the faithful under pressure, which to a fault affects the customers 9 sensitiveness to price changes. The customers influence the profitability by requesting for embarrassed price, correct role and supporter. (Porter, 2008) 2. 1. 3. Threat of unexampled entrants When the balance of supply and demand is imbalance, the new entrants will be attracted by mel humiliateded returns of the profitable market. tender entrants not except bring new technolo gy and mental picry, passive likewise precipitate the profitability of all companies in this industry. (Porter, 2008) 2. . 4. Threat of substitute products Because the products could substitute, ii companies which are in care industry or in contrary industries may compete with to each one other. Firstly, the profitability could be boil d deliverd by the substitute products. Secondly, because of the substitute products, companies have to modify the quality, minify the damage and price, or make product more features. (Porter, 2008) 2. 1. 5. Competitive rivalries in spite of appearance an industry For more or less industries, the intensity of competitive rivalry is the major determinant of the competitiveness of the industry.Competitive rivalry is likely to be based on dimensions much(prenominal)(prenominal) as price, quality, and innovation. expert advances protect companies from competition. This applies to products and services. Companies that are successful with introducing new technology are able to appoint higher prices and execute higher profits, until competitors reproduce them. (Porter, 2008) 2. 2. Generic competitive strategies Though a sure groundwork have a myriad of strengths and weaknesses compared with its competitors, in that location are 2 elemental types of competitive advantage a rigid stooge possess small woo or antitheticiation. (Porter, 1985) The two basic types of competitive advantage influence the five competitive forces that determine industry profitability. The two basic types of competitive advantage combine with the scope of activities for which a firm examines to arrive at them lead to three generic strategies for achieving above-average carrying into action in an industry comprise leaders, note, and charge. The centering schema has two variants, price direction and distinction com committee. (Porter, 1985) 10Figure 2 three generic competitive strategies distributively of the generic stra tegies involves variant route and object lens to competitive advantage, The appeal leadership and differentiation strategies seek competitive advantage in a kind chain of mountains of industry incisions, plot focus strategies aim at cost advantage (cost focus) or differentiation (differentiation focus) in a narrow element. (Porter, 1985) 2. 2. 1. Cost leadership Cost leadership is the clearest of the three generic strategies. In this system, firm should try their best to reduce the cost. If a firm house achieve and sustain boilersuit cost leadership, past it will be an above-average performer in its industry provided it foundation command prices at or near the industry average. At equivalent or lower prices than its rivals, a cost leader low-cost position translates in to higher returns. A cost leader, however, crowd outnot ignore the bases of differentiation. If its product is not sensed as comparable of acceptable by buyers, a cost leader will be forced to discount prices well below competitors to gain sales. This may prohibit the benefits of its favorable cost position. (Porter, 1985) if customers stand for the product is not good as the product of competitor, the firm has to reduce the price. The firm can get high profitability until a cost leader gets the cost leadership parity in the bases of differentiation. 11 2. 2. 2. Differentiation The second generic strategy is differentiation. In a differentiation strategy, a firm seeks to be unique in its industry a coherent some dimensions that are widely valued by buyers. It selects one or more attributes that many buyers in an industry perceive as classic, and uniquely positions itself to join those adopts.It is rewarded for its uniqueness with a premium price. The core for differentiation is peculiar to each industry. Differentiation is based on the product itself, the speech communication system by which it is sold, the marketing approach, and a broad range of other factors. (Porter, 1985) If the duplication cost for differentiation is less than the premiums price, the firm which has the competitive advantage of differentiation can get better profitability than other firms in the industry. Because the duplication cost for differentiation is the disadvantage of the differentiation, the firm cannot ignore the cost position.So, only if based on the price is almost the comparable as competitor, the discriminator could get the high profitability. 2. 2. 3. Focus The tierce generic strategy is focus. This strategy is instead different from the others because it rests on the choice of a narrow competitive scope within an industry. The focuser selects a segment or group of segment in the industry and tailors its strategy to parcel them to the exclusion of others. By optimizing its strategy for the range segments, the focuser seeks to achieve a competitive advantage in its target segments make up though it does not possess a competitive advantage overall.The focu s strategy has two variants. In cost focus a firm seeks a cost advantage in its target segment, while in differentiation focus a firm seeks differentiation in its target segment. (Porter, 1985) The firm can focus the time, the resource and the money on the segment to get the competitive advantage. If the firm can get the competitive advantage of cost leadership or differentiation in its target segment, the firm could provide customer the better service and meet the redundant requirement. Because of the different requirements of customer, there are al shipway many segments in one industry. . 2. 4. Pursuit of more than one generic strategy Each generic strategy is different way to create and sustain competitive advantage. normally a firm has to choice one of them or it will become stuck in the middle. The benefits of optimizing the firms strategy for a particular target segment (focus) cannot be gained if a firm is simultaneously serving a broad range of segments (cost 12 leadership or differentiation). Achieving cost leadership and differentiation are in like manner usually inconsistent, because differentiation is usually costly.Conversely, cost leadership often requires a firm to dis lodge some differentiation by standardizing its product, reducing marketing overhead, and the like. (Porter, 1985) If a firm can use the strategies flexible, like use more than one strategy at the very(prenominal) time, this firm will get a great competitive advantage and market share. 3. Methodology Before I went abroad, I know many worlds Fortune cholecalciferol companies. All of them have the mystifying of success, like Coca-Cola have the unique recipe, the Volvo famous for the natural rubber of the car and so on.But I neer heard the IKEA before. When I started to study in Gavle, I want to buy some cheap articles for daily use, everyone told me to IKEA. Not only that, when I travelled in Europe, I found I can find the IKEA retentivity almost in every city. Why IKEA i s so popular? What is the secret of success? And why I never saw IKEA salt away in China? Does IKEA do not want have the market of China or IKEA is in a dilemma in China market? These questions attracted me so deeply. After I browsed the web of IKEA, I got some information of IKEA.The concept of IKEA is based on a wide range of well designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them and to gartering more people live a better life at home. Simply, the target customer is everyone. The strategy is low price. And they use many ways to achieve the aim of low price like flat packs and self-assembly furniture. I find that the China had already become the biggest purchase country which is close to20%. On the contrary, the sale per region in Asia and Australia is only5%.IKEA have 192 stores in Europe, 12 stores in Russia, 48 stores in magnetic north America, but only 12 stores in China & Japan. (Source financial ye ar 2009 of IKEA) From the archetypical IKEA store afforded in China in 1998 to now, IKEA only open 8 stores in 10 years. The speed is much unhurried than other foreign furniture companies like British B which already had 38 stores in China. The strategy of IKEA is low price, but the China is already became the world factory and the logo made in China is became to the synonymous with low price.After read some thesis and report about IKEA written by Chinese scholar, I find the price is excessively high to Chinese people because of the swap rate. The concept of IKEA is providing most people low price furniture to help them have a better life at home, but most Chinese people cannot afford the price now. So I think IKEA must be in a dilemma in China. Then I wrote a these named the dilemma of IKEA in China and made in China. I wanted to analysis the situation of IKEA and suggest IKEA increase the issue forth of purchasing from China to reduce the cost of goods. 3 When I discussed wi th my professor Lars Steiner, he have a different opinion. He asked me mayhap IKEA do not want let most Chinese people afford the price, and maybe IKEA just want China to be a good purchasing base. That question really puzzled me a long time. Indeed, IKEA could treat China as a good purchasing base. Because the situation of China market is finicky, the change to adapt the China market may affect the world(prenominal) strategy of IKEA, even affect the earning performance. data observed, experienced or recorded imminent to the event, are the nearest one can get to the truth, distortions inevitably occur as the proximity to the event decreases (Walliman,2005) So I want to have an interview with the manager of IKEA to get the further reason. Because I want to research the China market of IKEA, I wrote email to the customer service of IKEA store in Beijing and Shanghai. They replied me that thank me draw up the letter to them they already localise my e-mail to the manager and let me wait the resolve of manager.After two month waiting, I accepted nothing. So I have to give up. After that, I try to salve e-mail to the customer service of IKEA store in Gavle. Similarly, they replied me that thank me write the letter to them and let me to wait for the reply. Fortunately, Hans Karlsson which is the logics manager of IKEA store in Gavle told me I can get a chance to have an interview with him and he is very glad to help me. So I hurried to fain the interview questions and get suggestions from my professor Lars Steiner.We meet each other in provide office of Gavle IKEA store on 2010-05-21. The first sentence of Mr. Karlsson is very sorry he cannot allege me too much data about IKEA because IKEA is not a public company. He introduced the history of IKEA, the concept of IKEA, the competitive strategy of logistics which is the most important way to keep the low price, the strategy of market segmentation, the situation of IKEA in China, explaining some good mod ellings according to the model of competitive advantage, analyzing the next step which IKEA will do to adapt the problem of China market.IKEA is a world famous company and an example of success, but there are not too much theses and books to research IKEA, especially about IKEA in China market. thus far I have a further understanding about IKEA though this interview, I quiet think it is not enough to explain the situation of IKEA in China. Because Mr. karlsson is the manager of IKEA and China market is not one part of his job, he maybe just tell me the good side of IKEA and the opinion about China market is too one-sided. I think I also should confabulate to other peoples opinions which have suggestions to IKEA and deeper understanding of China market.That will be having a recognize understanding about IKEA in China. So I ask help to my friend Guanying Liu which is studying the outperform of international economics in Shenzhen University. Unfortunately, she does not know too mu ch about IKEA, but she provided me some theses and reports from the data subroutine library of her university. I collected the data, opinions and suggestions from these materials. After that, I found even these materials is not too much, I can get a general idea about the situation, the problem and the suggestions of IKEA in China.That make me have a more complete knowledge about the questions I want to research. 14 After the data-gathering process, I read the The Five Competitive Forces that Shape Strategy and Competitive advantage written by Michael Porter who is one of the most influential management experts in the world right away. These theories in these books are very good tools to help a company to get the competitive advantage to extending hoi polloi growth. I use these theories in these books to analysis these data I collected. I find the success of IKEA is not got by lucky.The model of IKEA is a very good example to remediate Michael Porters theories. These methods of IKEA used could learn by other companies, especially these Chinese companies which are still at an early stage. 4. Findings In this chapter, I will introduce the findings from the web, the history of IKEA, the information from interview. 4. 1. The introduction of IKEA Figure 3(http//cache. gizmodo. com/assets/images/gizmodo/2008/08/ikea. jpg) IKEA is one of the world famous furniture companies. It was founded in 1943. As a 15 and which is one of Sweden band which have good unique bearing and brand image, IKEA band constantly strives to provide customers with the furniture which is pyretic, beautiful and practical, people can afford the household articles for use. 4. 2. The history of IKEA from the web of IKEA The IKEA story begins in 1926 when founder Ingvar Kamprad is born in Smaland in southern Sweden. He is brocaded on Elmtaryd, a farm near the small village of Agunnaryd. stock-still as a young boy Ingvar knows he wants to develop a business. 4. 2. 1. 920 At the age of five Ing var Kamprad starts marketing matches to his nearby neighbors and by the time he is seven, he starts interchange further afield, employ his bicycle. He finds that he can buy matches in peck cheaply in Stockholm and re-sell them one by one at a very low price but still make a good profit. From matches he expands to selling flower seeds, greeting cards, Christmas tree decorations, and posterior pencils and ball-point pens. 4. 2. 2. 1940s-1950s The root of a furniture bargainer Ingvar Kamprad is entrepreneurial in developing IKEA into a furniture retailer.This period sees the exploration of furniture design, self assembly, advertising, the use of a compose and a showroom to reach the many people. plank 1 1940s-1950s In 1951 IKEA founder sees the opportunity to sell furniture on a larger scale use a compile. The IKEA catalog that we know today is born. In 1953 piece of furniture showroom opens in Almhult, Sweden, This is an important import in the development of the IKEA con cept for the first time customers can see and touch IKEA home furnishings before ordering them. The innovation is a success people wisely contract the products with the best value for money.In 1955 They start to think about the flat incase 16 4. 2. 3. 1960s-1970s The IKEA concept starts to take shape. dodge 21960s-1970 In 1960 The first IKEA restaurant opens in the IKEA store in Almhult, Sweden. In 1961 IKEA begins quality test its products using Swedish testing standards. In 1962 Marian Grabinski designs the MTP bookcase. Developing this and other woody products develops strong relationships surrounded by IKEA and Polish suppliers during the 1960s. These relationships continue today and are an important reason for IKEA maintaining low prices so that the many people can afford them.In 1965 The stores success leads to the arising of a self-serve storage warehouse an important part of the IKEA concept is born. Additionally, Accenten is opened, where customers can buy quality cooking items at a low price. In 1976 Ingvar Kamprad writes The Testament of a Furniture Dealer and in 1976 it is published it documents IKEAs vision and business idea and has a strong influence on the development and vigor of IKEAs culture. 4. 2. 4. 1980s IKEA expands dramatically into new markets such(prenominal) as USA, Italy, France and the UK. More IKEA classics arrive such as KLIPPAN, LACK and MOMENT.IKEA begins to take the form of todays modern IKEA. Table 31980s In 1982 The IKEA sort is organize and its owner is a foundation, the Stitchting INGKA Foundation, which is based in the Netherlands. In 1984 IKEA FAMILY, the new customer club, is launched. Today, IKEA FAMILY is in 16 countries (over 167 stores) and has about 15 meg members. The IKEA catalog print run expands to 45 cardinal copies, in nine languages. In 1985 IKEA now has 10,000 co-workers and 60 stores in the IKEA Group. 4. 2. 5. 1990s IKEA grows even more. pincerrens IKEA is introduced and the focus is on h ome 17 urnishing solutions to meet the takes of families with children. The IKEA Group is formed and responsibility for people and the environment is seen as a prerequisite for doing good business. Table 4 1990s In 1991 IKEA acquires its own sawmills and production plants and establishes the industrial group Swedwood to produce wood-based furniture and wooden components. In 1997 Childrens IKEA is launched. IKEA decides to develop a range specifically for children. In 1998 IKEA arrives in China. The first IKEA store opens in Shanghai. In 1999 The IKEA group grows to 50,000 co-workers and has 158 stores in 29 countries.On IKEA have the Big Thank You event. The broad(a) of all sales on this special October day, worldwide, is divided among all co-workers in total about 84. 85 9, 1999 million Euros. It is a great way to thank hard- operative IKEA co-workers for alter to the companys ongoing success. 4. 2. 6. 2000s IKEA expands into even more markets such as Japan and Russia. Everythi ng for the bedroom and kitchen is explored and presented in co-ordinate furnishing solutions. This period also sees the successes of some(prenominal) partnerships regarding social and environmental projects.Table 52000s In 2000 The code of conduct called The IKEA Way on Purchasing Home Furnishing Products (IWAY) is launched. It defines what suppliers can gestate from IKEA and specifies what IKEA expects from its suppliers in terms of legal requirements, working manoeuvers, active prevention of child wear upon, out-of-door environment and forestry management. In addition to this, IKEA also introduces The IKEA Way on Preventing Child comminute to ensure that no child labor is used by suppliers or their sub-contractors. Child rights project in India. E-shopping is launched in Sweden and Denmark.Since so many other markets have started offering online shopping at IKEA. In 2001 The IKEA Group trials running its own racetrack trading operations through IKEA Rail AB. The use of r ail continues to be an important part of the IKEA strategy to promote sustainable bringation of IKEA material and products. A new product-recovery concept is apply in more than 100 IKEA stores in Europe to ensure that returned products are, where possible, 18 In 2002 In 2005 In 2006 repaired instead of universe prodigalityd. Everything for the bedroom under one roof.IKEA customers help children in assume The IKEA Group exceeds 100,000 co-workers and operates in 44 countries. 4. 3. The data from the web of IKEA The IKEA opened 15 new stores at 2008 and in august 2009 had 267 stores, which welcomed a total of 590 million visitors during the year. A further 34 stores are owned and run by franchisees outside the IKEA group. IKEA group sales totaled 21. 5 billion Euros. IKEA food services report sales of 1. 03 billion Euros. The IKEA group had 31 trading service offices in 26 countries, and 28 scattering centerfields and 11 customer distribution centres in 16 countries.The swedwoo d group, the IKEA industrial group had 15,000 co-workers and 46 production units. (source IKEA at a glance- financial year 2009) Table 6 the top 5 selling and supplier countries IKEA Germany The United States (10%) China (22% ) Poland (16% ) Italy (8%) Sweden (6 % ) Germany ( 6% ) Britain ( 9% ) France (9% ) Sweden ( 7% ) selling altitude (16%) 5 countries IKEA TOP 5 supplier countries (http//www. cnstock. com/paper_new//html/2007-07/20/content_57549571. htm) 4. 4. The information from interview In this chapter, I will introduce the information from the interview with Mr. Karlsson on 2010-05-21 at Gavle IKEA store. . 4. 1. The logics process of IKEA Mr. Karlsson introduced the logics process of IKEA. The following pictures show the process. there are quaternary main parts in the logics process supplier (factory), distribution centre (warehouse), store, the customer. 19 provider (factory) IKEA focus their force to the design. At this step, they count the low price when they desig n new product. And accordingly IKEA try to find the supplier all over the world according to many factor like the geographical position, the price, the quality and so on. Distribution centre (warehouse) IKEA has 28 distribution centres in 16 countries.These distribution centres use the like computing device system. They collect the information about the sales volume of every product, the quantity of inventory, and so on. The distribution centre soften the goods amid factory and store, even sometime they packet boat the goods which from different factories. The distribution centre also is the warehouse of this area. For example, the distribution centre in shanghai is the biggest distribution centre in Asia. They forever and a day gather the goods from all over the world to here. And then they organize the different number of goods to every store in Asia according to the sales volume.The high expertness of logics is the biggest strategy is a good way to keep the low price. S tore there are two part of IKEA store open hall and warehouse. In the exhibit hall, customer can get the complete information about the product. Through the open hall, IKEA show its function of products, quality and low price to customer furniture with the third-dimensional way. After the customer decided the product they want to buy, they can go to the warehouse to take the unopened product. There are not too much shop assistants in the store, which is a good way to reduce the direct expenses of store and keep the low price.Customer after the customer brought the goods, they disco biscuitation system the goods by themselves. That is a way to reduce the cost of enrapture and keep the low price. There are 3 ways which IKEA used in logics process 1, the DC lurch Figure 4 the DC address process In this process, they transport the goods from the factory to the distribution centre all over the world. Then according the condition of demand, they transport the goods to different st ores. After the customers buy goods from the store, the store collect the information and send the information to the distribution centre.After analysis the information, IKEA send the new order to the factory. That is a loop. This way is the most common way IKEA used now. 2, the transit legal transfer 20 Figure 5 the transit delivery process Sometime, the goods are not produced by one factory. These goods ingest produced different parts by more than two factories and maybe these factories are in different countries. At this situation, they transport all parts of the goods from these factories to the distribution centre. They package these parts to a complete one in the distribution centre and then transport the goods to the store.The rest logics process is comparable like the normal way. 3, the direct delivery Figure 6 the direct delivery process This way is a special and high efficiency way. In this process, the goods do not bring to transport to the distribution centre. The go ods are directly delivered to the stores. So, they can pitch the cost of one time transport. And also this way can increase the use ratio of the warehouse. Mr. Karlsson told me this way of direct delivery is less than 50% in the total logics process and IKEA wish to increase the rate of this way to reduce the cost of transport.Actually, there are so many kinds of goods in IKEA and there are so many suppliers 21 and stores in all over the world. The process of logics is much more composite than these pictures. 4. 4. 2. The market segment The target customer of IKEA is everybody. So the market segment is a very important part of IKEA strategy. After visited the IKEA store, I think the market segment of IKEA is the different part of house, like the kitchen, the bedroom, the bathroom. Actually, the market segment is according to the life situation. The life situation creates the need of the home furniture.IKEA do not select the customer, IKEA just select the offer from the life situat ion. For example, I am a student. I need the bookshelf, desk and I do not need the kitchen because I do not live in my own place now. But after 10 years, the need of life situation will change. I will need other things. The most important point is that I am everlastingly the target customer even in different ages. And IKEA always provide customers the things they need. I think that is a good method that IKEA used to service the customers and win the patrol wagon of the customers. Even there are so many products in IKEA.Not all of the stores have the similar goods. According to the local situation, IKEA define the goods in IKEA store. For example, there are not too much students in Gavel, so there will be less products for students than other IKEA store like the IKEA store in Stockholm or Linkoping. That is a good way to increase the use ratio of the store and the warehouse, and also smirch the cargo backlog. 4. 4. 3. The logistics strategy all over the world When I start to res earch the IKEA, I have a question whether the goods in IKEA store are the same price.So I compare the price of the same kind of good on the web of IKEA store in different countries. I found the price is almost the same. So I thought IKEA use the same logistics strategy all over the world. The replace rate between RMB with Euro is the biggest reason that Chinese customer cannot afford the price of IKEA goods. But Mr. Karlsson told me that the logistics strategy of IKEA have difference between different country. The price of goods is decided by the cost of all of the process. The different place has the different cost, just like the big deal of McDonald, it will changed by different request of customer. . 4. 4. The China market Mr. Karlsson thinks the China market is huge potential. At the moment and in the early, IKEA will find more business opportunities include the supplier and the 22 market. IKEA is always changing. So the situation of IKEA in China will be better. For the quest ion do you think increase the purchasing quantity in China can reduce the cost and increase the competitive advantage? Mr. Karlsson has the different opinion he thinks the price is decided by the cost in the total produce and transport process.With the development of the China economy, China market seems not the cheapest place any more. 4. 4. 5. The next step that IKEA can do to increase the competitive advantage especially in logistics Mr. Karlsson think IKEA will continue to use and work with the concept of IKEA. There still have many places they can do to increase the competitive advantage, like increase the direct delivery, use more train and so on. 4. 4. 6. The competitor of IKEA Mr. Karlsson thinks the IKEA is already an international company and IKEA is growing. So at the present time, the competitor of IKEA is not the international competitor.With the development of IKEA, the competitor of IKEA is the local competitor. Sometimes, the local competitors repeat the good idea or misrepresent the goods of IKEA. To this situation, the important way IKEA used is the low price. IKEA get the lower price though the large-scale procurement. emit price, good quality, gentle service and new design methodology or technology help IKEA tenanted the market quickly. 4. 4. 7. The uniform of IKEA When I have the interview with Mr. Karlsson, I noticed that everybody ware the same uniform in the office.So you cannot carve up who is the manager and who is the normal employee. And Mr. Karlsson told me IKEA not only service the customer but also provide a comfortable environment for their employees. 4. 5. The compare with the competitor of IKEA After I research the data from the internet, I get a form about the competitor of IKEA 23 Table 7 The foreign furniture company Sweden IKEA British B&Q American Home Depot The time and the place of the first The number of store store in China now 1998 shanghai 8 1999 shanghai 50 At the end of 2006 successfully 12 purchased 12 stor es in China. . 6. The situation of IKEA in China at this stage This chapter is to introduce some Chinese scholars opinions about the situation of IKEA. Chinese scholars could understand China market more clearly. So, I think their opinions could let me get deeper understand about IKEA in China at this stage. 4. 6. 1. The reason of the price problem There are 3 reasons that make the concept of IKEA change a, the competitive advantage of low price is not clear and the price is always too high to customer. B, the challenge of high exchange rate make IKEA cannot have the same price in global.C, IKEA seems have the strategy of the high-grade brand positioning in China. (Sa Wang and Licheng zhang, 2008) 4. 6. 2. The substance of the IKEA dilemma in China The substance of the IKEA dilemma in China is which one is more important between localization and calibration. One side, IKEA use the standardization to run the China market. On the other side, IKEA the strategy of IKEA in China does no t give full consideration to standardization. That makes strategy of IKEA do not have a good effect in China market. (Xiaofei Zhao, 2005) 4. 6. 3.The reason that the speed of IKEA develop slower than the competitor The IKEA stores in China are just the image shops. From 1998 to 2005, IKEA open 2 stores in China. These stores are used to collect the information and cultivate customer go habits. From 2005 to now, IKEA enters to the acceleration stage. IKEA is developing in its own rhythm. (Chunhua He, 2009) 24 4. 6. 4. The challenge and the innovation of IKEA in China The challenge A, IKEA is the later comer. Compared with other competitor, the speed of development is later. B, IKEA is the Mr. construe.Because of the high price, the paradise of wage earners becomes to the place of high income bracket. C, IKEA is the outcomer. The Chinese customers still do not adapt the management style of Northern Europe. The innovation A, IKEA changes the place of store from suburbs to prosperous areas. B, increase the number of service staffs C, increase the way of advertising (Benshun Cui 2003) 4. 6. 5. The disadvantage of IKEA in China A, do not provide the free transport service and free install service B, IKEA always buy land and build the store by them. This way is not only need a long time but also need too much money. Xiaofei Zhao, 2005) 4. 6. 6. The model of IKEA The model of IKEA could be generalized as a square one core, two strategies, three marketing, and four fulcrums One core insist on Recreational Shopping Two strategies a, low price b, the model of range of mountains operating Three marketing a, transparent promotional material b, catalogue c, one-stop shop for marketing 4 fulcrums a, cost mastery b, brand control c, management control d, and image control (Daqian Li, 2005) 5. Discussion 5. 1. The competitive advantage model of IKEA After the long time research, there is so much knowledge about IKEA.From the web, the interview, and especially follow t he history of IKEA, we can find many methods which IKEA used to improve the competitive advantage. According to the theory of competitive advantage, I summarize these methods in to the table 8. 25 Table 8 the competitive advantage model of IKEA The five competitive The methods IKEA used forces that determine industry profitability Bargaining power of 1, looking for the suppliers from all over the world suppliers 2, cooperating with more than one suppliers 3,IWAY defines what suppliers can expect from IKEA and specifies what IKEA requires from its suppliers.Bargaining power of 1, low price customers 2,good quality 3, good service 4, high quality of design 5, wide varieties Threat of new 1, Catalog is a good way to proclaim entrants 2, the scale effect 3, high-efficiently of logics 4, develop new products Threat of substitute A special team develops new products, updating technology, products promoting technological development Competitive rivalry 1, using the scale effect to get the low price 2, improving the public image within an industry 3, the model of chain operating 5. 2.The three ways used to increase the competitive advantage As a world famous furniture company, the secret of success behind IKEA is the strategy. 5. 2. 1. Overall cost leadership The strategy of overall cost leadership is always the IKEAs biggest aim. We can find the history of IKEA is also the history of looking for low price. We can find IKEA try to find the low price at every part of the process. For example, before they design a product, they already confirm the price. They use flat-package to reduce the cost of transport. They reduce the staff in store to reduce the cost of store.They also use the scale effect to purchase goods from all over the world. 26 5. 2. 2. Differentiation Todays IKEA range consists of 9,500 home furnishing articles, designed to be functional and good looking but at a low price. You can find almost everything you need in IKEA. both(prenominal) romantics and liberals can find the style they like. Customers need the goods low price and good quality. Low price or good quality is blowzy to achieve, but it is not easy to get both of them. At start, IKEA chose a different way which is stand on the side of everybody. IKEA also take children to their customer, and the feel f care for children really wins many customers heart. IKEA also does a good job in environment protection. 5. 2. 3. Focus There are three main part of IKEA IKEA office, home storage, Childrens IKEA. The target customer is everybody. According to the life system, they segment the market to many parts. That will be better meet the requirement of different customers. Especially the new design for child, it helps IKEA win many hearts from the customers. 5. 2. 4. Pursuit of more than one generic strategy Even these 3 strategies are interacting and affect to each other, IKEA use these strategies flexibly.That is the reason that IKEA can get much more competitive advantage than o ther competitors. A, cost leadership and differentiation Differentiation always needs the extra cost, and cost leadership always need company forego some differentiation by standardizing its product. The method IKEA used to solve this problem is design the price tag before design the product. They can seek the differentiation inside the price tag. The flat-package and self-assembly not only save the cost of transport but also give the originator more room to seek the differentiation.B, cost leadership and focus If a firm services too much segment markets, it will not get the profitability of focus. IKEA use the life system to find out what the customer really need at different age. The people at different age need different furniture. After the segment though life system, the designer could understand the need of customer. So the designer could design the product which is low price and useful to the customer. This method not only segment markets very well but also can focus the res ource to the cost leadership. It makes sure everything they produced is useful to people.After the research of the 27 local situation, IKEA could find out the need of local customers and change the goods in IKEA store. That could improve the use ratio of store and prevent the waste of transport. 5. 3. The suggestion for IKEA in China According to different situation, IKEA should change the strategy flexibly. 5. 3. 1. The advertisement The normal way IKEA used to advertise is the Catalog. If IKEA wants to get a good effect in China, IKEA should not only use the catalog. Because of the number population in China IKEA will find out the Catalog may spend a lot of money in the future.Because there are still a little stores in China, IKEA still a new name in China. If IKEA wants to open more stores in new city, IKEA should take the advertisement to the city before the store opened. 5. 3. 2. The company culture IKEA is already 60 years in Sweden. The customer already understands the compa ny culture and the model of IKEA. Even IKEA already entered China about 11 years, Chinese customers still do not understand the model and company culture of IKEA. In the shadow of the high price, the concept which wants to improve the quality of life seems like an empty talk. IKEA need time to achieve the concept in China.But if the customer do not confidence and support IKEA, the future of IKEA will not look good. So, the mission of IKEA right now is to advertise the inwardness of IKEA to customer. Only after get the trust of customer, IKEA could have a better future in China. 5. 3. 3. The cooperation of local supplier There are 3 logics process that IKEA used. In the future, IKEA should increase the direct delivery to get more competitive advantage of cost leadership. Because China is a developing country, every technology and environmental awareness is still not complete. If IKEA want to find more cooperators in China, IKEA could provide more help to the cooperator.So IKEA can get more cooperation with the suppliers which fit the requirement of IWAY. Only increase the number of purchasing in China and get the scale effect, IKEA could achieve the aim that everybody can afford. 28 5. 3. 4. The environment-friendly products IKEA is a company which focuses on the environmental protection. In China, the environmental awareness of people is not good as the Sweden people. Sometime, people will not choose the environment-friendly products because they think these products must be more expensive than normal product. If IKEA add the advantage of technology