Scandinavian Airlines and Lufthansa Essays

Scandinavian Airlines and Lufthansa Essays Scandinavian Airlines and Lufthansa Essay Scandinavian Airlines and Lufthansa Essay Lufthansa: Going Global, but How to Manage Complexity Strayer University Business Administration Capstone – BUS 499 #004016 September 5, 2010 Describe the type of international strategy the company has chosen. An international strategy is a strategy through which the firm sells its goods or services outside its domestic market (Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson, 2009). Lufthansa tends to follow a transnational strategy that will help grow the company internationally and in their own country. Since the September 11 terrorist attacks airlines have been struggling to stay in business. The fear that passengers have is slowing diminishing but it is still affecting the airlines. Airlines have been forced to enforce many regulations and fees adding to their financial struggle. With any international strategy comes a risk. Lufthansa seems to have managed to survive many risks all while being one of three airlines where their debt is to the point of bankruptcy if they have not started it already. Since mergers are illegal across country boarders the response from Lufthansa was an alliance with Star Alliance (Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson). Star Alliance is an alliance that is made up of a partnership amongst several airlines, in an effort to offset costs and create value. The alliance has been a constant balancing act. The alliance was done to help reduce Lufthansa’s debt but has come with many challenges in managing the alliance with Star Alliance. The plan was to increase the revenue side of Star Alliance by keeping passengers’ loyalty to fly with them. Since the late 1999, Lufthansa has been running according to the value –based management. The aim of the value-based management approach applies to all planning, steering and monitoring processes in order to achieve a purposeful, long-term and continuous increase in enterprise value in investor’ and lenders interest (Lufthansa Investor Relations). Explain what means the company has used to expand internationally The biggest move that Lufthansa has done to expand internationally and help reduce their debt and increase revenue was to join with Star Alliance. Star Alliance is a group alliance with Lufthansa and airlines like Air Canada, United and SAS Scandinavian Airlines, just to name a few. They are a good option for intercontinental business travel. The alliance helps to reduce costs by coordinated flight schedules, have common lounges and baggage handling. Lufthansa has a few more cost saving strategies in place. While it does affect their employees, they have a cost saving structure resulting from slightly lower wages, they have smaller planes adjusted to the traffic density a reduced services level, an operating base in second-tier airports, and point-to-point-services so that the on time in the air is greater for â€Å"network† airplanes (Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson, 2009). They have also restored antique planes. Lufthansa has some of the newest built planes in their fleet but the rebuilt airplane is for the airplane enthusiast. Enthusiasts wait months and pay C259 ($400. 00) for a bumpy hour long ride on a 1936 Junkers-52 propeller plane (Lufthansa’s Labor of Love). To ensure safety of the passengers the planes are re-built every winter. Identify and describe the elements and objectives of Lufthansa’s cooperative strategy A cooperative strategy is a strategy in which firms work together to achieve a shared objective (Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson, 2009). The alliance that Lufthansa has with Star Alliance is almost by definition a cooperative strategy. The airlines that are in the alliance are all working together to cut costs and develop and grow each of their own airlines. The alliance is a partnership that works for all involved to include the right to leave the alliance. Lufthansa is the leading member in the Star Alliance (Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson). Lufthansa’s value-based management adds viable recognition of cooperative strategy. Lufthansa has a joint venture with Star Alliance that gives Lufthansa strength in its network in the transatlantic traffic. These networks have been used to gain the shared objectives of those in the alliance. Describe the uncertainties and challenges related to operating beyond the company’s national boundaries Having a stable airline is the key to a successful airline. If the airlines in the Star Alliance are not stable they will lose their place in the market. Many think of Lufthansa as the leader and integrator, because the biggest member, United Airlines, was preoccupied for more then three years with emerging from Chapter 11 bankruptcy procedures in the United States. With United Airlines otherwise occupied, Lufthansa was driving the revenue side thus implemented through â€Å"code sharing† leading to higher utilization of planes and infrastructure and sometimes economies of scale in purchasing and sales (Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson). One of the biggest challenges that Lufthansa, actually all airlines, are dealing with is global warming. This is something that most businesses do not need to think about. Airlines claim 3 percent of carbon dioxide comes from the air traffic but because of the higher altitude of the planes they number is rapidly growing and by 2020 the emission from air traffic might increase by 20 percent (Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson). Describe the potential risks of cooperative strategies The decision to be involved in a cooperative strategy is a risk in itself. You are trusting other firms to work with you in order to accomplish mutual goals of financial and organizational stability. One risk is the risk of trust. There is always a risk of one of the firms becoming involved in unethical practices for their own selfish gain. The firms have to trust that the alliance they have developed is based on productive and positive motives. The firms involved in the alliance have to be in it for the good times and bad. Another risk is the entrepreneurial risk. If any of the partners is not making available resources, that can not only bring down that company but it can bring down the value of the alliance. The purpose of the alliance was to develop services and products that would be productive to the alliance. Explain the use of organizational structure and controls to effectively support Lufthansa’s strategy. An organizational structure specifies the firm’s formal reporting relationships, procedures, controls and authority, and decision making processes and organizational controls guide the use of strategy, indicate how to compare actual results with expected results, and suggest corrective actions to take when difference is unacceptable (Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson, 2009). In any business organizational structure and controls are important. Organizational structure develops a chain of command making everyone involved responsible. Lufthansa is no different. Lufthansa is part of the organizational structure of Star Alliance. The formal organization has the CEO who is in charge of legal, HR/Training and finance and strategy and then the corporate office who runs commercial, products and services, loyalty marketing and information technology (Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson). Lufthansa at one point had an integrated corporation and now has six business lines. The business lines are related in the area of shared products and markets and help develop their economies of scale. Their executive board is responsible for managing the company and their goal is growth and adding value. Corporate Profile, 2009) Describe what strategic leadership actions should be recommended for developing human capital at Lufthansa. Human capital refers to the knowledge and skills of a firm’s entire workforce (Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson, 2009). Human capital is the most important aspect in a business. Any business will essentially fail if t hey do not take time to invest time and energy into improving their employees. Lufthansa should continue to invest time in developing and training staff and the management teams to ensure that they have the highest knowledge and the best developed skills. This will not only help Lufthansa but it will help the alliance because of all the changes, additions of the partnerships and acquisitions. It is important for Lufthansa’s strategic leadership to create a positive culture for the continued training and development to build continued success. The investment of building development programs not only build knowledge and skills but it motives employees to want to learn, it can boost internal core values and morals and promotes Lufthansa vision and organizational goals. Lufthansa is operating in a very diverse area with being part of the Star Alliance. It is important for them to develop their employees to fit the needs of the alliance as well as Lufthansa. Describe what strategic leadership actions should be recommended for establishing an effective organizational culture at Lufthansa. Having a strong and positive organizational culture is important to any business. An Organizational culture consists of a complex set of ideologies, symbols, and core values that are shared throughout the firm and influence the way business is conducted (Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson, 2009). Lufthansa used to be known for a strong culture based on pride, the positive image of the company in Germany, its reputation for engineering excellence and ongoing training and educational activities. However, in 2001 there was a pilots strike that showed the changes within the company and the unhappiness of the employees toward the company was not as good as they thought. The management teams should make sure they are fully aware of the diversity within the segments of the business. They need to make sure they are communicating any messages, training or even promotions to fit the different cultural diversities within Lufthansa. All the employees should be involved in solutions to problems, to include the discovery of them, within their core position. It is also necessary for the leadership to make sure they are leading by example not just in working but in ethical practices. It is the leadership’s responsibility to encourage all employees on all levels to follow their lead. Improving an organization’s culture will do nothing but increase the company’s value and the opinion of its employees; from simply an employee working for a paycheck, to an employee who feels they have worth. The employees then will want to invest time and energy into the company. Describe what strategic leadership actions should be recommended for promoting an entrepreneurial mind-set at Lufthansa. Lufthansa main goal, like any other business, is to maintain financial discipline and health. Because of the crisis from 2001-2004, the gearing increased from 36 percent in 2000 to 85. 4 percent in 2005 and because of that the operating goals are dominant and Lufthansa has learned to focus its cost cutting on the cash flow impact (Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson, 2009). Lufthansa should continue to lead by allowing its acquisitions to keep their identities and brand but operate with limited control. Investing in developing their training of their staff and managers will help in maintaining that financial discipline by having well rounded and educated employees who will limit the mistakes they could be making without the knowledge and training. It is important for Lufthansa to have an entrepreneurial mindset to gain the advantage over its competitors and even for keeping the lead within Star Alliance. With Lufthansa having an entrepreneurial mindset they are showing that they are a committed business that will focus on gaining financial growth and developing more and stronger value to the business. They should be involved in strategic entrepreneurship and focus on opportunities in the external environment of the business. They should make sure that all the segments have the means to grow innovatively and reward them when success is apparent. Lufthansa is one of the world’s largest airlines with 424 aircrafts and 39,500 employees. They transport approximately 55. 5 million passengers every year; they have sales revenue of 39. 1 billion dollars and have been a member of Star Alliance since May 1997 (Lufthansa a Star Alliance Member). This all shows the current success of Lufthansa and that their entrepreneurial mind set is going in the correct and positive direction. Describe what strategic leadership actions should be recommended for reducing complexity at Lufthansa. It is important for Lufthansa to have knowledge of all the segments in the division’s internal operations. Top management must stay well versed in global economics with the fluctuating prices of oil, the competition, and increasing no-frills airlines. Because of the alliance with Star Alliance they have pushed themselves into the center of the world of complexity. It will be important for them to keep a well rounded culture by having diversity in top management to include females in top positions. The top management team must have knowledge of their European counterparts in order to stay on top. Not only will top management have to deal with the complexity but they will have to work hard to remain a part of the world’s leading airline. The top management team can be used to make strategic decisions along with CEO and ensure that the decisions are followed not by just the employees but by members of top management. Maintaining the knowledge and training that Lufthansa had developed is a must. Because of the high priced competitive market, Lufthansa’s segments will need different cost structures and support financially. They will need to monitor the acquisitions, partnership and alliances to make sure that there are no unnecessary expenses and that no one is being non-productive. References Corporate Profile (2009), Retrieved September 3, 2010 from lufthansa- cargo. com/content. jsp? path=0,1,19142,91382,99001 Hitt, M. , Ireland, D. R. Hoskisson, R. E. 2009), Strategic Management: Competitiveness and Globalization, Concepts and Cases. Ohio: Cengage Learning. Lufthansa a Star Alliance Member (2010), Retrieved September 3, 2010 from staralliance. com/en/about/airlines/lufthansa/ Lufthansa Investor Relations (2009), Retrieved August 24, 2010 from http://investor- relations. lufthansa. com/en/fakten-zum-unternehmem/group-strategy. html Michaels, D. (2008). Lufthansa’s Labor of Love: Restoring Some Really Old Junkers, Retrieved August 25, 2010from http://online. wsj. com/article/SB121357457537975947. html? mod=hps_us_inside_today

The Women of the Qing Dynasty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Women of the Qing Dynasty - Essay Example Many women were abused verbally and physically by their in-laws and spouses. Women were expected to be obedient toward men in their birth and marriage families. Ethnic Han Chinese women belonging to the upper and middle classes would have their feet bound. This practice was implemented as a way of ensuring that their mobility is limited and they remain close to home. Besides, bound feet were also considered as a symbol of beauty and femininity particularly among the elite class. This is the reason why poor families often felt tempted to bind the feet of their daughters. They thought that doing so, their daughters would be identified with rich families and the chances of her getting married into a rich family would be optimized. The practice of foot binding was very painful as the girls had to go through a series of painful developments. First, foot binding broke their arch bones. Their feet were tied into the lotus position with a long cloth strip. Bound feet deterred these women fro m working in the fields, so the families used this practice to symbolize that they were too rich to have their daughters work in the fields. Many women painters and poets emerged during the early Qing dynasty. However, it was not until the 17th century that women were identified as professionals and their artwork’s sale was considered a respectful means of livelihood (Yuho, 1993). He Shuangqing was a famous poet of the Qing dynasty. Ropp (2002) describes her background, talents, and features in the book in these words, â€Å"He Shuangqing, style name Qiubi, came from Danyang (in the southwestern part of today’s Jiangsu Province) in the Qing dynasty. Born into a peasant family, she lived in the vicinity of Siping Shan. Very beautiful, multitalented, and a lover of literacy works, she was married in 1732 into a poor family of woodcutters surnamed Zhou† (Ropp, 2002, p. 219). Having a

Reflection5 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Reflection5 - Assignment Example Mentalese is the global grammar that is found in all languages. In order to master language, all a child needs is to code the details of their native language(s) to the innate mental language (Clark et al., 45). Since mentalese has the ability to combine noun and verb phrases, a child is able to master language(s) by identifying the verb and noun phrases found in their native language. Consequently, the children are able to identify the grammatical patterns and structure of their native language. However, nurture also plays a very important part in learning language, especially in terms of understanding the sentence structure. The period between birth and six years represents a crucial period for language development and is referred to as the automatic acquisition stage. From six years to puberty, further acquisition of language can be acquired but will be impaired. The first few months after a child is born represent a time when the brain develops synaptic connections that are necessary for grasping information and other skills. However, as people grow older, the synaptic connections are lost and that is why it is difficult for adults to learn new languages. But while the ability to learn new languages wears off, other systems like the reproduction system are developed. Therefore, the reason why language is innate, is because while babies are faced with many linguistic challenges when they are born, they automatically manage to learn their mother tongue. Additionally they lack the necessary linguistic stimulus to learn a language but still learn it. Simply, there is a poverty of

A Management Report On L Oreal Marketing Essay

A Management Report On L Oreal Marketing Essay INTRODUCTION The Management report that I am presenting here reflects a complete analysis of LOreal With some very significant aspect of the companys profile including companys overview and history. Also a brief idea about its products, and their brands. No business in this planet is free from weaknesses, which actually comes within the organisation and threats that acts as the external factors as a result of the business environment where it operates. We all know that SWOT analysis is actually an important instrument or an ideal measuring parameter of any organisation to determine its present value in the competitive business environment. Moreover to plan a strategic move in order to deal with any incompetences of the business. Therefore it becomes utmost important for this report to spill the beans on the internal strengths and weaknesses of the organisation followed by the external growth opportunity, and their rivals which is a threat for the organisation. In short we have to apply SWOT analy sis in order to get a transparent and true picture of the LOreal. Which I have attempted to present in a form of an ideal Management Report, as much as possible.https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGIfsTHsi-Rflbdu7UgfuEWTbtRzP6o8PuB92Umb7aFjfjlPLTX6hCQ9DsJJnrvNRVWl0XKgvuuU99zvVHA_DcGG5SsmqQvG4gQg3f77BZ5tyLPsKgN2A2UA9CKdbaJwllI-GbfDFkSb_z/s320/logo_l_oreal.jpg The business world today is far more dynamic than we can ever think of; hence it calls for the evaluation of all the factors of the business, be it internal or external, technical or social. All these important aspects of the business need to be evaluated at frequent intervals. Therefore the dynamic nature of the business and the requirement of this report have made it compulsory to critical analysis the decision making factors and strategic policies in the wake of the globalisation and redefined business paradigm. Nevertheless in response to the present culture the feedback of LOreal has been given an equal importance in this report. In order to determine and deal with the effectiveness of response, in terms of current business scenario. The scope of any improvement in the responses from LOreal are dealt with great care and understanding. And this area of the report forms the recommendation and suggestion part. In addition it winds-up with the conclusion of the entire Management Report as a whole. http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reportinfo.asp?report_id=334974t=dcat_id= LOREALS OVERVIEW HISTORY The name says it all; LOreal is the worlds renowned and biggest cosmetics and beauty Product Company. The company was founded by Eugene Schueller in year 1909. But now the company is controlled by the founders daughter Lilliane and in year 2009 LOreal has celebrated its 100 years of relentless service to the mass. Initially the company was registered as Societe Francaise de Teintures Inoffensives pourCheveus, in year 1909 in the days of it formation, but years later it was then named as LOreal. The company has four strong pillars of their entire business portfolio, namely Consumer Products, Luxury Products, Professional Products and Active Cosmetics. LOreal operates in some 130 countries with a complete range of 27 beauty products, in different segments of their business. To help LOreal achieve their goals and objective a dedicated strong team of 67,662 employees are engaged in the project of attaining the desired mission of LOreal. A century of expertise in the field of beauty care products is completely driven with innovation. That is reason why LOreal invests some 1/3 rd of their revenue is devoted to their RD department. LOreal holds a stake of 19.5 % in Sanofi/Synthelabo. Apart from this, a holding company Gesparal has 51% of LOreal share and the food giant from Switzerland Nestle hold the balance 49% of the Gesparal The success of LOreal stands on the strong foundation of 5 key area of expertise, Hair care, Hair colour, Skin care, Make-up and Fragrances. The revenue generated from LOreal is estimated to be more than 50% from outside of Europe. Acquiring other brands is one of the vital activities, in which LOreal is focusing to a great extent. LOreal has been a great platform for the young breeding talents through their global recruitment strategy. LOreal follows an equal opportunity program, therefore as a result of that its employee are from 110 nationalities, a classic example of cosmopolitan environment diversity Management. 97% of the LOreal factories are ISO approved. And LOreal operates 38 factories all over the world, manufacturing some 4.9 billions units in 2009. LOreal has the list following brands which includes Internal Analysis Strengths Unique vision The company was with a passion and a quest to transcending the border to make the world beautiful. The credit of outstanding success of the LOreal as a company goes without doubt to the vision of the concept of working as a team, which operates under the truly outstanding Director Lindsay Owen-Jones. Worlds prestigious Brand This French company has brought a revolution in the beauty product industry. A giant in manufacturing of some world class cosmetic for example Lancà ´me, Vichy and the brand for the mass like The body shop, Laboratories Garnier and Maybelline. The other brand includes Ralph Lauren Fragrances, Gemey Maybelline, Sanofi/Synthelabo Giorgio Armani Parfums, Soft Sheen-Carson, Galderma, and many more Strong RD Department The biggest asset or strength of the company is their relentless effort in RD department, which keeps a continuous effort toward finding new and innovative products in the field of beauty and cosmetics market. This contributes a great deal in the competitive market like beauty product industry, in not just making new customer but retaining old customer as well by offering a brand new product to their customer at frequent intervals at a global platform. Multiple product range LOreal has a strong product collection presence in the beauty product industry. Starting from hair care to skin care and from fragrances to styling products. The companys multiple product division like Consumer Products, Luxury Products, Professional Products and Active Cosmetics has made it unique in the global scenario. Dermatological Pharmaceuticals advancement The next great strength of the LOreal group is advance level of activity in the dermatological and Pharmaceuticals sectors, giving them a position of nano-technology patent holder in United States. Sound distribution channel Apart from this LOreal has a sound distribution channel and logistic department which helps a proper and smooth supply of its products, ensuring that the products are available to the maximum customers. The most expensive products and luxury items are distributed through duty-free shops and the department stores. And the hair care products are sold maximum from the hair salons. And the active cosmetics department sale their product via multiple beauty outlets and from pharmacies as well. Advance Advertisement strategy The strong advertisement strategy from LOreal puts the company miles ahead from its competitors. By understanding the requirement of the customer it succeeds it bringing to their customer the right product, through the deadly combination of marketing advertisement strategy. Weaknesses Organisational structure The company has grown enormously big, and there are various division and sub-division of the organisation, this has made the organisational sector a bit decentralised one, owing to its gigantic size. At times it becomes impossible to find out the exact division responsible for the pitfalls of the company. Low profit margin The company has got a numerous rivals, and to compete in the challenging market, the product pricing is considerably low compare to the other companies, and many times the profit does not meet the expectation of their own margin. To a great extent advertising and marketing of a high-end nature is highly a reason to a low return. Lack of control. The co-ordination and the control of LOreal is somewhat lacking due to its gigantic size. This is again observed as a negative point and as a setback. External Analysis Opportunities Infinite field The main fields of expertise of LOreal is the product of beauty care which truly provides an edge and a never ending opportunity to concentrate and keep developing and specialising in the various aspect of beauty care like hair colouring styling, skin care cosmetics and fragrances as well. Brand image The name of LOreal is more than enough for its consumers, because its been a leading brand in the fields of beauty for ages. The brand name itself gives LOreal a great opportunity to develop its business abundantly. Patent Rights Another great advantage is the chunk of their market share in this particular industry in which they operate. It gives them advantage to have the world class brands and various patent registered in their names. This gives them an edge over their rivals because the customer cannot get the same cosmetics in other brands. Threats Growing Competition The field of beauty product industry is vast; therefore everyday a new organisation is born. This raises the bar of growing competition for LOreal Economic turmoil The economics downturn is been witnessed very often in many countries for example USA, and Britain, this could possible be a great threat to the business opportunity and profit margin of LOreal. Many of the LOreal products are in the top line, which the basic customer will find it expensive especially in the times of credit crunch and recession. http://loreal.exteen.com/20080805/swot-analysis-l-oreal http://www.oppapers.com/essays/Loreal-Swot/149358 The impact of globalisation on LOreal Global expansion is at the heart of LOreal growth strategy. This French cosmetics and toiletries giant have experienced unmatched growth and success in the sector with an unparallel global expansion into new beauty-product markets. And these plans are executed under the sharp and judicious direction of Owen Jones, the chairman of the company. The business goes global because of its strategic vision, some 16 years back LOreal used to pocket 75% of the revenue from the sales of Europe, major from France, but by 2004, a total of 85% of its revenue generated, were outside France, we can cite this as a classic example of ideal globalisation. LOreal is a real global leader in every segment of its industry. Globalisation means inviting tougher rivalry with the international player at a global level. Therefore it has to be backed up with a mastermind global strategy that will give a cutting edge at a worldwide level, and a brand image of the organisation. But in order to internationalise, a business has to initiate lot of innovative and latest business tactics, at regular intervals for instance global entry strategy, proper marketing mix, standardisation, or adaptation of international policy and procedure etc. Let us analyse the global strategy that has put LOreal miles ahead of its rivals in the beauty industry. From the research and findings I have realize certain strategic decision making and policies formation of LOreal which can be said as the influence of globalisation. Acquisition strategy. To dream LOreal beyond the French borders is the milestone, as told to the fortune audience, and was considered to be his smartest move as CEO. As he told the Fortune audience, The defining moment for me was when I decided LOreal must become a world company and not just a French one. (Chairman LOreal) In the battle to reign global beauty market, LOreal has developed a winning formula, Consolidation which is considered as a lethal weapon to support their competitive strategy. The mastermind strategy of Owen Jones to buy local cosmetic brands, give it a facelift, and sell it in the international market has helped LOreal to gain a good market share in the beauty industry. Lets take a brief look at all the acquisition of LOreal. Maybelline LOreal makes a risky investment of $758 millions to acquire Maybelline in 1996, it head quarters were shifted to New York. The product line like nail polish and lipstick were given a complete transformation and launched with exciting new colours. The sales figure reflects a big rise in 2003, where 56% of total sales came from outside US. In Japan it become the hottest selling beauty products amongst teens, the products like curls mascara and volume express line were in growing popularity all over. Soft-Sheen- Carson A leader in hair care industry soft sheen was acquired by the giant LOreal in year 1998, and later on it went to acquire Carson product an ethnic manufacturer in hair and skin care. The mastermind Owen then merged two companies to form soft sheen- Carson in august 1998. The potential market of hair care product was targeted by LOreal. This was a global move to cover half of total African market, and currently LOreal control 41% of South African market. Kiehl Jones went further to buy Kiehl, a small cosmetics firm exactly going in contrast with the regular LOreal brand and products. Jones find it extremely interesting that the firm is doing exceptionally good. It main emphasis is on product quality, for the rest LOreal gives a bouncing life to the product by giving it a new look and proper product placement makes it well presentable in the international market at selected European stores. And these are done without ads or promotions. Shu Uemura To get a strong foot hold in Japan, LOreal went on further to takeover Shu Uemura as a part of strategic alliance with Japanese Shu Uemura, a cosmetic company rapidly stretching its presence in China and other Asian countries. The Body Shop LOreal gave a shocking surprise by gobbling up The Body shop in year 2005, such a small port folio. But it was strategic decision for going global and increasing its brand port folio when the company decided to go for a  £ 650m purchase of the ethical beauty retailer. This has a strong presence with 2550 outlets all over UK. Indeed a very smart move by the by acquiring this port folio, LOreal has built its ethical image in the market at a global level. And to book an image that the company is going natural and minimise its carbon footprints. Others Mininurse Yue-Sai are two small organisations that were respectively bought in 2003 2004 by LOreal as a strategy of global expansion, but now are performing excellent in the local cosmetic markets. Canan a specialist in hair care was a recent acquisition from Turkey in late 2007. In the recent past LOreal has been concentrating on higher end port folio. As a result to push its salon market, three more acquisition has been witnessed, Columbia Beauty Supply, Beauty Alliance and Malys. The purchase of YSL Beautà © is a step to give weight to its Luxury division. While to earn some brownie point on the dermatology market CollaGenex was acquired as well. Looking into the market latest trends for natural beauty remedy In a hunt to increase it footprints in natural and organic arena. Sanoflore was the next deal to freeze, which will give LOreal an additional brand in its Active Cosmetic Division. Therefore Sanoflore will join its group with Dermablend, La RochePosay, Ombrelle and SkinCeu ticals. But as the competition intensify, the company is looking ahead to have more acquisition in Asia market as well and make a strong presence in the world of beauty market by the instrument of this acquisition policy and growing as well in the port folio management. And in future it will continue to seek more acquisition targets in the emerging market. http://www.scf-online.com/english/24_e/international_24_e.htm http://www.fortune.com/fortune/ceo/articles/0,15114,372136-1,00.html Strong logistics efficiency In the run to support the global recognition and other manufacturing strategies, the company has to depend on the strong logistic effiency. The availablity of the product to the end user is extremely vital to any organisation, LOreal is no exception, and therefore ensuring the product available to the outlets for everlasting satisfaction of the customer is one of the major goal of LOreal. It an has got an extremely strong distribution channel and logistic department, maintained by centrex the centre of supply chain management. LOreal partner group is developed with the supplier and the for the smooth supply of raw-material, container or packaging , equipments, point of sale or promotional items LOreal depends on its suppliers for all its plants, factories and warehousing supplies. LOreal continuous try to maximise the performance the supply chain management in order to improve time limit, imroving responsiveness etc. Centrex monitors all procurement orders and deals with it. In order to assure that the required level of service is achieved logistic department and the supply chain management has received special attention to suport the compamys strategic vision. Strength of R D LOreal has one of the most strong Research and development team in the field of beauty product development. It attract some 3400 expertise in 30 different discipline from multiple nationalities to build a strong RD team. The company have invested 625 million dollars in just dermatological research and cosmetic department, in year 2009. A total of 18 research centers worldwide and 13 evaluation centres operates to achieve the long tern growth. Some 500 scientist worked day and night to discover 5000 formulas each year. LOreal has filed 647 patent in year 2009, and 35,000 patents are active worldwide. It has amlost 1000 active allaince with leading academic research institution LOreal invest 1/3rd of its budget to the advanced research projects which is 3% of it revenue generated goes to the Research and Development department. The company owns the product development centres at New York, Paris, Dubai, Rio-de-Janeiro and shanghai. Therefore LOreal exploiting its research department qui ckly capitalise on latest consumer trends worldwide. In short the RD department has contributed to a great extent in making this company where it is today, in terms of global recognition and acceptance. Branding strategy LOreal branding strategy has given a gaint leap in support of the globalisation, and has helped to spread the business not only in Europe but worldwide. The company has a global presence over 150 countries which is possible only because it hold a very good brand image. The company follows a powerful and efficient branding strategy, which makes it possible to generate a steady flow of revenue year after year. As a result of the global branding strategy the LOreal achieved the impossible dream of becoming the largest cosmetic in the world. Whilst the global economy was in a downturn mode still the company made successful sales both in Asia and Latin America. It would not be wrong to say that the company has succeeded reaching across the French boundaries due to it brand reputation. Global portfolio management. LOreal holds some of the best names of the prestigious brands portfolios for their varied range of beauty products under one roof. Some renowned names include Lancà ´me, Maybelline, The Body Shop, Vichy Laboratories, Matrix Ralph Lauren Fragrances and so on and so forth. LOreal is very careful with brand portfolio Management like the quantum of water mixing to the moisturising cream. With the world of brands under its roof the port- folio management team has to be extremely cautious and judicious to place each brand in the right segment so that it does not affect its other brand market. This is hitting the right audience with the right product. http://finance.mapsofworld.com/brand/value/loreal.html LOreal response With respect to various challenges posed by the global business environment, LOreal has always come up with a solution, to stay ahead in the international market. Let us analyse the effectiveness of LOreal responses with regards to national and international issues of the business world. Table showing the responses to the situation LOreal response Pros Cons 1. Acquire Shu Uemura To achieve a place in Asian industry, and a bigger sales graph Fails to cater the Japanese market 2. Purchasing of Nivea Mid-segments market is filled up. Expose to Biersdorf. 3. Generate opportunity in dermatological and cosmetic field More sale and new customer Risk of losing if there is no strong market for dermo-cosmetic area. 4 Introducing new products for gaining more mileage. Increase revenue by opening up a new market for all brands. Inviting rivalry and more competition. 5. Diversify into clothes and accessories Using similar technique to gain competitive advantg. High risk in the new field and global player to deal with. 6. Form a brand new line of LOreal cosmetic stores. Brand products to be easily available Loss of capital if the stores does not work out as per planned and fail to generate increased sales figure. 7. Keep a got stock of all the products to tackle supply issues. A happy customer, not loosing sales, and retaining customers. Stock loss due to expiry date. Additional holding and shipping cost. Recommendations and suggestion The recommendation for the LOreal is that they should design more products to suit the Japanese market, and even selling the same products to Americans as the American market are more in more requirement of the ethnic Asian touch trends, by giving the products a brand new look with its latest packaging tools to make it look more authentic. A large section of American market is untouched; LOreal should plan to consider tapping those markets as well launching a similar strategy as in the African expansion. So far the South American market is largely untapped. By taking a similar approach perhaps even designing products for South American ethnicities. Since diversity management is at the heart of LOreal it should take a plunge and diversify into clothing and accessories, with the wealth of rich experience similar to the beauty product industry. A step into dermo-cosmetics lines must be beneficial in towards the progress of the company because there is a massive demand for such product which is an alternative for plastic surgery. LOreals should take advantage of its research and develop related products which will lead them ahead of their rivals. Chain stores of LOreal must be there to generate more sales and to bring confidence to their customer when they see the LOreal store rather than buying the LOreals products from other retail outlet. This in actually an untapped niche for big chain of cosmetic stores, for the LOreal products, would be ideally to fill this gap for the niche market. CONCLUSION LOreal in spite of the growing competition has become a giant in its domain. It success rest on the four pillars of their entire business portfolio, namely Consumer Products, Luxury Products, Professional Products and Active Cosmetics. And the main reason of it success are strength of RD team, effective organization structure, strong distribution channels, Brand portfolio management, Acquisitions Branding strategy. LOreal has a number of rivals like Estee Lauder is the main threat. Proctor Gamble, Unilever and Revlon in hair care segment. Avon a hardcore competitors in Russia, and Nivea control the mid segment market. LOreal need to concentrate a bit more towards Men care items, and avoid too much rivalry.

Cell Phones: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

The prevalence of cell phones in American culture shouldn't come as much of a surprise to anyone. Cell phone use has risen In the united States from approximately 91,000 users 985 to In 2007 and n 2009 was somewhere In the neighborhood of 280,000,000, which means that approximately 90% of Americans own cell phones. And Americans arena the only ones. According to a February 2010 article on www. Cobwebs. Com, there are approximately 4. 6 billion cell phone subscriptions worldwide and that number is expected to surpass five billion by the end of the year.I had to wonder, what are the advantages and disadvantages of 90% of Americans (New York Times, May 13, 2010) and nearly 85% of the world's population using cell phones? I figure there had to be quite a few advantages for so many people to have cell phones, so I asked around. The number one answer I found was the convenience. Peoples' ability to be reached at all times, able to reach others at all times, and how fast communication with others has become. Can't reach someone by phone? Send a text. Text messages are delivered almost Instantaneously and there's no need to eave a message and Walt for a call back anymore.Many others cited having a cell phone In case of emergency. According to Pew Internet, In 2006, 74% of cell phone users reported using their cell phones in emergency situations. While cell phone bills are usually not lower than landlines bills alone, the long distance cost is significantly less for cell phone users. Long distance costs are included in the overall minute usage for most cell phone subscriptions, whereas many landlines providers charge by the minute for long distance calls. As cell phone technology advances, so o the tools available to cell phone users.A growing number of users report using their phones for such things as listening to music, checking email, keeping their daily calendars, making grocery lists, and even keeping track of daily calorie intake. (New York Times, May 13, 2010). There are many organizational tools available on the new generation of â€Å"smart phones† as well as many different navigational tools. GAPS locators In phones are subscribed to by many parents of underage cell phone users. Cell phones can also be used as cameras and video recorders and those photos and ideas are easily emailed to others or uploaded to sites such as Twitter and Faceable.Entertainment is even making the list of advantages to having a cell phone these days. As I mentioned previously, users can listen to music on their cell phones, but it doesn't stop there. Technology has advanced so much that users can now watch television shows and movies on their phones. So it seems I was correct about how many advantages must be out there, but what about the downside? The very first thought I had was about the ban on cell phones in schools and what a huge disruption cell phones must be In the classroom. That issue Is Just part of the larger issue of the widespread distract ion cell phones cause.Everywhere you go you see cell phones In use – In the coffee shop, the movie theater, the grocery store, even church, and while driving. Going back to the cost of cell phones, while heavy long distance users may notice a relief in their long distance landlines. There are costs for air time usage, text message usage, broadband usage, music purchases, games purchases, and app purchases, not to mention the dreaded overage costs. Some cell phone companies charge as much as sixty cents per minute or every minute of air time over your allotted plan.Add that to long contracts and hefty fees for canceling contracts and cell phones become quite an expensive venture. The ever-increasing technology is adding to these costs as well. Newer, smarter phones released every few months are of course attractive to users, but on top of the cost of upgrading phones on a regular basis is the added cost of the service provider's data package. In order to utilize these newer sm art phones, the data package is a requirement and on average costs something like an additional $30 ere month. Aside from financial impact, what about health impact?There seems to be quite a bit of worry over the radio frequency radiation given off by cell phones and cell phone towers. There is much argument about whether or not this sort of radiation is of any real concern, but according to www. Contemporaries. Com, there are many very serious health concerns to think about. There are reports that cell phone use can cause disturbances in sleep and concentration, fatigue, and headache. According to a BBC News report (wry. News. BBC. Co. UK), â€Å"Cell phones image key brain cells and could trigger the early onset of Alchemist's disease †¦Researchers have found that radiation from cell phone handsets damages areas of the brain associated with learning, memory and movement. † Reports linking cell phones to sterility in men, eye tissue damage, and increased chances of depr ession and cancer have also been published. In researching the negative effects of cell phones, I happened across some even more sinister effects. Take â€Å"setting† – â€Å"the act of sending, receiving, or forwarding sexually explicit messages, photos, or images via cell phone, computer, or other chital device.These messages, photos, and images are then often being further disseminated through email and internet-based social networking websites well beyond their original intended recipients. † (wry. Mass. Gob) There have been hundreds of reported cases of setting – a handful of those cases involving suicide and/or sex offense criminal charges such as child pornography in the cases involving high school students. According to www. Masc.. Com, 39% of high schools students admit to sending these types of messages and 48% say they've received them.Another very dangerous habit Americans have developed is talking on their cell phone while driving. Muff have four times the risk of being in a crash if you're on the phone while driving. † (www. Unfathomable. Com) What's even scarier are the results of a Car and Driver Magazine study that found testing while driving is much worse than driving while intoxicated. The results of this study showed that unimpaired, it took the test driver . 54 seconds to brake when indicated to do so. Add four feet to that time for legally drunk drivers, thirty six feet for drivers reading email and events feet for drivers reading a text. Http://www. Zinc. Com/id/31 545004/site/ 14081 545). According too report by the National Safety Council, 28% of accidents involve talking or testing on cell phones. I couldn't help but notice that the risks seem to outweigh the benefits considerably, but I also admit that I'm still addicted to my cell phone. There has been their use elsewhere and I think there needs to be much more, although, I'm not certain how feasible that would be to accomplish. At any rate, we all make our own choices and we all need to make smarter choices about our cell phone use.

The Fifteenth Amendment

The Fifteenth Amendment (Amendment XV) to the United States Constitution prohibits the federal and state governments from denying a citizen the right to vote-based on that citizen's â€Å"race, color, or previous condition of servitude†. It was ratified on February 3, 1870, as the third and last of the Reconstruction Amendments.In the final years of the American Civil War and the Reconstruction Era that followed, Congress repeatedly debated the rights of the millions of black former slaves. By 1869, amendments had been passed to abolish slavery and provide citizenship and equal protection under the laws, but the narrow election of Ulysses S. Grant to the presidency in 1868 convinced a majority of Republicans that protecting the franchise of black voters was important for the party's future. After rejecting more sweeping versions of a suffrage amendment, Congress proposed a compromise amendment banning franchise restrictions on the basis of race, color, or previous servitude on February 26, 1869.The amendment survived a difficult ratification fight and was adopted on March 30, 1870.United States Supreme Court decisions in the late nineteenth century interpreted the amendment narrowly, and by 1910, most black voters in the South faced obstacles such as poll taxes and literacy tests, from which white voters were exempted by grandfather clauses. A system of whites-only primaries and violent reprisals by groups such as the Ku Klux Klan also suppressed black participation.In the twentieth century, the Court interpreted the amendment more broadly, striking down grandfather clauses in Guinn v. United States (1915) and dismantling the white primary system in the â€Å"Texas primary cases† (1927–1953).Along with later measures such as the Twenty-fourth Amendment, which forbade poll taxes in federal elections, and Harper v. Virginia State Board of Elections (1966), which forbade poll taxes in state elections, these decisions significantly increased bl ack participation in the American political system.

The Downfall Of Sophocles Oedipus The King - 815 Words

Name: Ebtesam Alenazi Class Name: Eng-1102 Instructor Name: Dr. Nader Date: 09 October, 2015 The Downfall of Oedipus In Sophocles Oedipus the King, the topics of fate and free will are exceptionally solid all through the play and. Both focuses could be contended to extraordinary impact. In old Greece, fate was thought to be a simple piece of everyday life. Each part of life depended and was based upon fate. It is nature conviction to accept that humankind does in reality have Free will and every individual can choose the result of his or her life. All Oedipus actions are given to him by God So, fate and free will control his downfall. Oedipus the King is an anecdote around a noticeable ruler torn by Destiny and the impact his own behavior has upon his fate. We can gain much from the disastrous story of Oedipus, why he unknowingly murders his dad, and to wed and has youngsters with his own mom. When Oedipus is educated of this prescience, he tries urgently to escape it by running from the place where he grew up and notwithstanding staying away from his assumed folks. In spite of the fact that he may not understand it, Oedipus own particular activities add to his Downfall; it is his egotistical irritability and his extreme pride that makes him settle on the choices that set the course of occasions that lead him to his own fate, as well as to the fate he was attempting so urgently to avoid. In spite of the wayShow MoreRelatedThe Tragic Downfall Of Oedipus The King By Sophocles924 Words   |  4 Pagesliterature, characters often have flaws that lead to a tragic downfall. One of these tragic flaws is hubris, which is defined as â€Å"exaggerated pride or self-confidence† (Merriam-Webster). This trait is most commonly found in characters who come to power and allow themselves to be consumed by their newfound hierarchy. The play Oedipus the King by Sophocles embodies the trait and displays it in different ways throughout the story. Oedipus is a victim of hubris as seen when he disregards the prophecyRead MoreOedipus-a Tragic Hero706 Words   |  3 PagesRunning head: Oedipus-A Tragic Hero Research Paper ENGL 102: Literature and Composition) Fall 2015 Melinda Meeds L26683811 APA Outline Thesis: In Sophocles’ â€Å"Oedipus†, Oedipus is exemplified as a tragic hero according to Aristotle’s definition because his story appeals to the reader’s humanity in the way he maintains his strengths after inadvertently causing his own downfall. I. Oedipus A. The noble birth. B. Describe Oedipus’ character. II. Tragedy A. 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Aristotle defines a tragic hero as a basically good and noble person who causes his own downfall due to a flaw in his character. Oedipus is a man of noble blood; his parents, who raised himRead MoreThe Tragic Hero of Oedipus Rex Essay1383 Words   |  6 PagesThe Tragic Hero of Oedipus Rex According to the ancient Greeks and Aristotle the hero is a person who possesses superior qualities of mind and body, and who proves his superiority by doing great deeds of valor, strength, or intellect. In Sophocles Oedipus Rex the main character Oedipus possesses these characteristics of a true hero, which in turn lead to his self-destruction. In the beginning of the play Oedipuss great intellect is made known by the chorus who see him as someone who hasRead MoreOedipus The King : Dramatic Irony Greatly Influenced The Audience s Perception Of Oedipus1017 Words   |  5 Pages Tenzin.Youden In Sophocles’ play â€Å"Oedipus the King†, dramatic irony greatly influences the audience’s perception of Oedipus. When creating Oedipus the King, Sophocles understood that his audience would know the outcome of the play before the completion, so he was determined to create a play, which was interesting, yet deliberately revealing at the same time. Sophocles purposely provided explicit scenes within the play that was incredibly ironicRead MoreOedipus As A Tragic Hero1094 Words   |  5 PagesIn the play Oedipus the King, Oedipus struggles to accept the truth and lets his temper over power him. He can be displayed as a tragic hero. His refusal to accept the truth led to Oedipus’ down fall. A tragic hero, as defined by Aristotle, â€Å"is a literary character who makes a judgment error that inevitably leads to his/her own destruction.† Sophocles’ Oedipus exemplifies Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero. In the play, Oedipus unknowingly has cursed the entire town of Thebes. He was cursedRead MoreAssessment Of Knowledge In Oedipus The King733 Words   |  3 PagesIn Sophocles’ play, â€Å"Oedipus the King†, he makes an assessment of knowledge and its effects on the human psyche. To him, knowledge can shape not only a person’s life, but their character, morals and ideals as well. The play emphasizes this through Oedipus, the main character, as someone whose life is impacted by his pursuit knowledge, which, in turn, transforms his character. Consequently, Sophocles’ assessment of knowledge, as a gift, burden, and an absolute truth, is ascertained through Oedipus’Read MoreThe Tragic Ending Of King Oedipus1060 Words   |  5 PagesMrs. Gauen 27 October 2014 The Tragic Ending of King Oedipus Following the victories of the Greeks invading the Persians at Marathon in 490 B.C. and Salamis in 480 B.C., Athens experienced a period of social optimism and period expansion during the first half of the fifth century B.C. The second half of the fifth century B.C. was also very successful in that Athenians tremendously developed culturally and intellectually. This was the era of Sophocles and a period where everything and anything seemedRead MoreOedipus The King Analysis896 Words   |  4 PagesIn Oedipus the King, Sophocles uses his protagonist, Oedipus, to explore his pursuit of knowledge, which leads to his tragic destruction. Oedipus is a favorable king who is determined to end the curse that has been brought upon the city because the murderer of his predecessor, Laius, still lies in the city. Ironically, Oedipus delivers the curse to the city because he murdered his father, Laius. Oedipus’s desire to gain knowledge and bring the murderer of Laius to justice, results in his downfall