Basketball

Ball B-ball is an athletic game, normally played on an indoor court in which two contending groups of five players each endeavor to score by tossing a swelled ball with the goal that it drops through one of two containers suspended, at each finish of the court, over their heads. The group scoring the most such tosses, through field objectives or foul shots, dominates the game. In light of its consistent activity and incessant scoring, ball is one of the most mainstream observer just as member sports in the world.Court and TeamsThe estimations of American and global b-ball courts contrast somewhat. The b-ball court is a rectangular zone going in size from around 94 ft by 50 ft to around 74 ft by 42 ft. At each finish of the court is a vertical backboard, estimating for the most part around 6 ft by 4 ft. Every backboard is tied down to a divider, suspended from the roof, or in any case mounted so its lower edge is around 9 ft over the court.Portrait of the University of Michigan varsity bas ...

Total Operations Processing System Samples †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Examine about the TOPS-Total Operations Processing System. Answer: As indicated by the contextual analysis, British Rail bought another PC framework for improving the presentation of its cargo tasks known as TOPS-Total Operations Processing System. The TOPS assistants gave continuous data of the activities occurring nearby. Additionally, the execution of TOPS empowered the people to report assets precisely. TOPS-the cutting edge innovation programming helped in illuminating the issues of work force, modern relations, specialized and administrative issues. These elements added to the effective execution of TOPS (Camison and Villar-Lpez 2014). Further, British Rail actualized a team approach in which a little gathering of individuals are together to achieve a transient assignment. It helped the workers of British Rail in creating communitarian connections in a key and composed manner. English rail could address the issues with their hands-on-understanding. In any case, the versatile team additionally confronted issues, for example, disappointment. There were representatives whose commitments and commitments went unrewarded (Kotter 2012). Setting and culture are significant in hierarchical change. Each association experience diverse level of the change. Changing the way of life is straightforwardly connected with force and administration. In view of the contextual analysis, British Rail representatives offered various degrees of help and duty towards the association. Be that as it may, there were various degrees of consolation, inspiration and preparing required to get adjusted to the progressions made by themanagement in the tasks. The change procedure may come up short if the change technique is contrary with the way of life and setting (Camison and Villar-Lpez 2014). From the contextual investigation, it is obvious that the market more likely than not been spare if the TOPS framework was executed previously. Themanagement confronted certain obstruction by the representatives while working with the trend setting innovation TOPS. Thusly, it must be an exercise for the associations that before bringing change, the representatives must be prepared with the working of programming so they can promptly acknowledge change (Kotter 2012). References Camisn, C. also, Villar-Lpez, A., 2014. Authoritative development as an empowering influence of mechanical advancement capacities and firm execution. Diary of business examine, 67(1), pp.2891-2902. Kotter, J., 2012.Change Management versus Change Leadership What's the Difference?. [online] YouTube. Accessible at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ssUnbrhf_U [Accessed 21 Mar. 2018].

Management Changes Within British Airways - Free Essay Example

Introduction Air travel industry is considered an outsized industry throughout the world. This industry has experienced major growth in the last 50 years due to general improvement in technology. The outcome has been a firm decline in fares and costs, which has encouraged traffic growth. This demanding traffic has made the industry grow at a speedy pace. However the speedy growth had its swindles in terms of the changes that airline industry had to go through. Organizations in the industry went through drastic and somewhat dramatic changes in the past one decade. This decade saw the businesses going through change management programs to gain and keep competitive advantage in the industry. This particular dissertation is focused on the case study of British airways and the change management program that it went through in order to gain competitive advantage. British Airways is one of the highest earning airlines in the world. It is famous for its culture f leadership, virtues and employees welfare. Chief Executive of British Airways plc, Bob Ayling started extensive change management programs in the organization in the late 90à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s. These programs were started despite the fact that BA was earning record profits back then. Some of these changes brought positive changes in the organization, however most of the changes were perceived negatively among the employees. The negativity eventually led to strikes and low morals. (Balmer et al., 2009) These problems were majorly blamed on the poor leadership of Ayling, as well as the change management programs that the company went through. Ayling, on the other hand argued that these change management programs, including cost cutting and outsourcing of major departments, were indeed necessary for long term benefit of British airways. (Harvey and Turnbull, 2006) The introduction part wi ll now focus on defining history of British airways as well as focusing on Aylingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s change management programs and its effects on the organization as a whole. Post Merger Following the merger of British European Airways and British Overseas Airways Corporation which bent British Airways, the company had many problems and issues.   One of the issues met by the company is in terms of cultural perspective. The outcomes of culture become mainly apparent in mergers, acquisitions and cross national operations, where not only dissimilar organizational cultures but also organizational cultures entrenched in different national cultures meet.(Carleton and Lineberry, 2004)   Research indicate that when workers from dissimilar cultures interrelate and, especially, when one culture is required to adopt the procedures and policies of the other culture, upsetting tensions come out.   And this occurred between the staff of the two merging industries (BEA and BOAC).   This issue can be explained as (Betancourt and LÃÆ' ³pez, 1993). Another issue or problem faced by British Airways was ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“forced manageme nt systemà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?.  The company put into practice a very inflexible management system which made the system of conversant with rules.   Likewise, another issue was incapability of the management of the new organization to satisfy and see the requirements of their consumers.   The organization gave importance on its limited management concentrates and approach on preserving its various routes which resulted in unsatisfied consumers.   These conflicts and issues had a very negative outcome on the new organization.   British Airways earned the reputation of being the most disreputable company after the post merger.  (Carleton and Lineberry, 2004) In addition, the company could not handle the increased burden of flights and customers. In the late 80à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s the company was rated as most unpunctual airline and customers were advised to avoid travelling on it. (Eckel et al., 1997) Management changes within British Airways: In order to modify its reputation, British Airways decided to go for à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"CHANGE MANAGEMENTà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢. Businesses, companies, and working organizations have incorporated change into their work system in order to be aggressive and be more competent to satisfy customer or clients needs.   (Hayes, 2002) The Conservative party Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher selected John King in early 1981 to be the Chairperson of British Airways plc. During the management of John King, he forced changes resulting in several routes bring axed as well as selling off the cargo planes and service. The company also cut 20,000 workers as part of the change process.   In 1982, Colin Marshall became the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of British Airways plc. In this period, British Airways produced its first additional profit which was the outcome of the cost-cutting actions implemented by John King. Colin Marshall decided to pay attention to its customer service in order to ensu re that company carries on making profit. Marshall hired Consultants to collect data about workers and customer attitudes. The outcome of this evaluation showed that there is a significant gap between what was delivered by BA staff what the consumer actually required. Another management plan was the transformation of the system from staff- oriented to customer oriented through the formation of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“customer is kingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? environment within the company. (Heifetz and Laurie, 2002) Marshall also investigated that the workers had an internal problem in terms of having a harmonious and good working relationship; therefore, he decided to generate more unity among the British Airways workers by putting into practice the Staff Development Initiative which anticipated the long-term and inherent cultural development and change in British Airways. The program was intended on having more efficient staff members who could offer excellent and quality service to its consumer. (Pine and Gilmore, 1998) This cultural education training lasted until the late 1990s; it created the awareness for the workers to do their job according to customerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s requirements. Marshall also started Awards for Excellence in 1987.   The goal of this initiative was to award high performers and inspire the workers to always do their best in offering services.   For the duration of that year, Brainwaves, a proposal system was also launched. The change process imposed by Marshall was in co-operation with Lancaster University to provide MBA course for its workers. This was the part of the cultural education training by British airways to make its workers more efficient. (Prokesch, 1995) Furthermore, the organizational structure of British Airways was also modified to a much slimmer and flatter structure. Five sections of the organization started direct reporting to the Chief Executive Officer and eleven profit centers were formed. This structural replacement aimed at improving s taff communication and integration. The performance-related pay was also brought in by the management. The change process also comprised major investments in ground facilities, planes, and Information Technology. (Grugulis and Wilkinson, 2002) Putting people first program The management also started a program for its staff called à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Putting people firstà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?. The program was focused on training the staff become more customer oriented. It was a one day seminar delivered by consultants hired by British airways. In the start the program only included staffs that were directly in contact with the customers. However with the passage of time the program was extended for all employees. The program covered the topics of being a winner or loser, owning the problem, being attentive and empowerment. (Street, 1994) With this help of this program staff was given a chance to become involved in decision making. They were encouraged to make any suggestions that could improve the customer service. This was followed by training the staff to own the problem rather than putting blame on each other. The whole trainings program helped the company dramatically, staff turnover reduced to a great level and customer satisfaction increased. (Tushman and Oà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢Reilly III, 2006) This successful implementation of this program led to several other training programs being launched by BA management and staff. These programs included à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“A day in the lifeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“to be the bestà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?. These two programs also met success and British airways started seeing itself getting ahead of the industry. Winning for customer program This program was launched in 92/93 by the company. It was completely focused on listening to customerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s views and making changes in the company accordingly. This program was basically a loyalty program for customers as well as gaining feedback from them. (Dowling and Uncles, 1997) This program was also somewhat successful as it gave the company insight into companyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s service from customerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s eyes. Managing people first program Another program launched in the same era was à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“managing people firstà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?. This program was focused on increasing trust among employees, emphasizing the importance of leadership and feedback. (Bruce, 1987)The program brought in positive changes among the employees. They started trusting each other and delivering the job with more efforts. The leadership aspect of the program helped the managers understand their employees better and leading the organization into better changes. The history of British airways clearly stated that a culture of change existed in the organization. These changes were perceived positively by the employees. These changes also helped the organization get on the top back then. In the case study section of the dissertation, change management programs and its consequences by Ayling will be discussed to understand and analyze that scenario. Research question The primary research question of this research study is, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“To explore the extent to which change management is necessary for a firm to achieve sustainable competitive advantageà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? Additionally, the secondary research question is to examine the change management initiatives previously taken by British Airways to attain competitive advantage and profitability. Research aim and objective of this study The main objective and strategic aim of this piece of study is to explore the role and significance of Change Management in this era of globalization and changing market needs by taking the case study of British Airways in specific. To understand à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“whatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? went wrong and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“whyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? it went wrong in the leadership of Ayling Analyze the data and come up with findings regarding change management programs Conclude if change management is necessary for a firm to gain competitive advantage Literature Review The process and practice of globalization and developments with the new technologies are merely few stimuli which continually compel business organizations to transform. Business organizations must be considerate and prepared of the vibrant inner and exterior environment in which they manage their operations. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The great challenge facing organizations today is change: employing, retaining and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" most prominently à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" developing managers, and effectively managing organizational changeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?. (Brandenburg and Binder, 1999) There exist three different verities of change which an organization can experience. These three according to him are smooth incremental change, bumpy incremental change and discontinuous change. In the first variety the organization go through a smooth transition and such a change process is perceived by its managers as inherent to the organization. In the second variety there may be oppositions to it, however according to him it is more like the movement of the continents, where faults are generated and bumps are created. In such a case the created faults readjusts the process and a balance is created with time. (Grundy, 1998) The third and the last variety is a discontinuous one, in which the change process is abrupt. This abrupt change could be in the strategy, culture or the structure of the organization. During the process of change there can be people who may resist it. This resistance in general comes from the individuals, who may oppose individually or as a group. The rationale behind this is that the individuals do not want to come out of their current state. As an example someone might already have convinced himself that he has already got what he wanted, so why to accept the new things? Or there might be some heavy investments involved which may be stop to proceed. What does managing change means? Change management is a planned activity intended at getting the best results from the transformation process. It is about managing the changes that are outcomes of the selected approaches. This is done in such a way so that the results and effects go along with the organizational framework. Devising a strategy is also the part of change management. Such a process and procedure is unique and specific to a certain organization. It is rare that a process devised for an organization do fit to the other. Although this can happen, however the probability is quite low. The procedure for change management and the measures that are element of a specific approach are exclusive and exact to a particular organization. Every organization has its own needs; their resources and circumstances differ, culture changes, relationships and clients requirements become specific, and their ambitions, objectives and aims may differ(Mullins, 2007). It is about discovering options and selecting pathways. (Horton, 2000) According to George Bernard Shaw à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Development is unattainable without change and transformation, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? Managing change means a systematic procedure of taking into consideration the global circumstances disturbing an organization; in addition to specific state of affairs within the organization. The change management technique scrutinizes the existing environment and procedures with high attitude to firm culture, organization design, communication, job design, personnel, infrastructure, knowledge and skills. The most important and significant meaning of change management is the term referred to as the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"task of managing changeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢. The term itself is used in two contexts. Firstly, it means to make changes in an intended and systematic manner. Secondly, this refers to as managing the reactions for the implemented processes. The acknowledgment of the requirements for timely ad justment to external stimulus has evolved the concept of the learning organization; an organization which is capable of continuous adaptation to the environment. At last, change management refers to an area of constituency of professional performance and the connected body of knowledge that has grown up inside and around the issues. There are several ways for change management, as an example, consulting firms offer a range of services to smooth out the process whereas the business schools recommend training in its theory and practice. (Kouzes et al., 1987) (Kanter, 1989) Approaches to change Management The planned approach to change management is tightly linked to managing and recognizing the procedures intended to make organizations more progressive. All these procedures attempt to offer smooth transition and attempt the productivity with the least confrontation. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"Change plansà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ formulate the tangible outcomes, guide decision making, help to control the procedures and provide protection around uncertainties. There are six change management approaches to deal with this resistance and reaction. (Hayes, 2002)These six approaches are as following Communication and Education: The most significant ways to prevail over conflicts and resistance is through prior education and awareness. This helps in beforehand observing and perceiving the intensity of the change by the work force. The result of this will lead to suppression of rumors and uncertainties involved during the phase. Involvement and Participation: Wherever the initiators do not have the entire data and information they require designing the change and transformation and others have substantial power to oppose. When workers are mixed up in the change attempt they are more likely to involve in the transformation rather to oppose it. Support and Facilitation: Where people refuse to give in to change due to regulation problems, managers can set off possible resistance by encouraging workers during complex times. Managerial support facilitates employees compact with anxiety and fear during an evolution period. The source of resistance is likely to be the unawareness. Thus support and facilitation approach is connected with condition of counseling, special training and time off work. Agreement and Negotiation: Within an organization somebody or some group may drop out during the transformation process. Managers can fight resistance by giving incentives to workers who are not in opposition to the change and the transformation process. This agreement and negotiation approach will be suitable where those resisting change are strong enough. Co-option and Manipulation Approach: Somewhere there are other procedures which are too exclusive. Schlesinger and Kotter proposed that an effective management technique is to co-opt with counters of change effort and transformation process. This frequently involves choosing leaders of the resisters so that instead of opposition they lead to a contribution in the process. Implicit and Explicit Coercion: Implementation speed is a necessity but should be used as a final option. The process should be made as smooth as possible however the managers can clearly or perfectly compel workers into tolerating change effort by making clear that resisting change can lead to firing, losing jobs, demotions or transferring employees. Framework of change This idea is about the procedure for change management and transformation process, presenting proposals and getting feedback for change. This is further than a beginning step to the real action of accomplishment. There is requirement to comprehend how considered choices are completed and proposals are evaluated within the. The framework of change management used throughout this thesis is presented in Error: Reference source not found. This model investigates further how organizations make the movement from the current to the future state. In particular, we will look at the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"Three Step Modelà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ developed by Lewin based on unfreezing the organization, moving and sustaining the change. (Lewin, 1980) CULTURE The first section culture of the change management framework include authenticating the case for change and transformation process and how the shared service/BPO initiative will add to comprehending the organizations premeditated goals, and readiness of both employees and organization and assessing the capacity to incorporate change. Impending blockers must be recognized and articulated with agreed-upon approaches and strategies thus the initiative is not disrupted. ORGANIZATION The second section wraps the design of the new world, comprising the operating model, role definitions, organizational structures, governance and competency frameworks, and decision-making frameworks. Realistic steps should be used to design effective and realistic interfaces between the retained organization and shared service/BPO capacity. LEADERSHIP The third step in the wheel aims to simplify how the firm will be led, and to furnish the leaders to carry out their leadership roles. Specific and detailed activities comprise how the leader ship team will work together both during implementation of shared services/ BPO, defining the role of the leadership team, and consequently, and the roles and responsibilities of individual leaders. Achievement like this may identify the requirement for coaching and/or training of leaders and potential leaders. PEOPLE CAPABILITY The fourth step of the cycle of change management framework intends to ascertain the competencies and skills necessary and how to gather those requirements, comprising gap analysis, skills audits, career planning and job and role definitions. Participation of talent who will lead the new firm is key to the success of this movement. EXECUTION The fifth step of the cycle of change management framework ensures freedom of the new form. It comprises hard deliverables in the form of milestones, project plans, budget analysis and progress reports, and soft deliverables in the shape of stakeholderà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s management and communications. CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT The sixth and last step of the wheel of change management cover up life post-change and comprises processes and frameworks (e.g., balanced scorecards, performance management, and reward alignment) to determine the success of the changes, and means to make sure that opportunities for advance improvement are acted upon in a timely manner and identified.   Significance and benefits of Change management in the Organizations: Benefits of Change Management: ACCEPTING ENVIROMENT It is significant for the organization to assess, understand, and measure the dynamics in its exterior environment such as government, society and customers in order to predict and set up an appropriate relationship with these assorted performers like society, customers and government. Hence, managers by deliberating the subject of change management can better be ready to understand anything is going on in this environment. This is a major significance of change management in business organization. STRATEGY FORMULATION IMPLEMENTATION TO DEVELOP COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE It is very important to knowing the collision of change an inappropriate level on its own interior dynamics, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"where the main objective is to seek competitive advantageà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢. This is the significance of change management in business organization. EMPLOYEES The employees are the beneficiaries of change process. One such continuous apprehension of senior managers is to make organization highly consistent; therefore workers ought to be high performing and trained one in todays twitchy competitive new world. There is need of trained, reliable organization and high performing work practices. This is significance of change management in organizations. TECHNOLOGY ISSUES Technology is realized as the engine of development in todays new world. May be the greatest challenge for modern organizations is the integration and acquisition of technology in its approach, structure and procedure. As such the apprehension of top managers is how to avoid and mitigate organization being outdated and how to absorb and cope the collision of communication technologies and changing information which have determinedly influencing consumption behavior and production process. This is another major benefit of change management in the organization. Significance of Change Management Implementation The peak five well recognized approaches of change management and significance of change management in the organization, which, when implemented properly, permit organizations to decrease risk and increase IT effectiveness and efficiency. The practices comprise of: Producing the top bottom approach to endorse the requirement for a culture of Information technology change management process that implements a zero tolerance approach to illicit changes across the whole enterprise. It will create significance of change management inside and outside the organization. Examining and monitoring the number of unintentional outages frequently to avert illegitimate changes and maintain maximum control on information technology variations. It will also create significance of change management in the modern organization. Put into practice risk mitigation changes executed and authorized by identifying well-defined change preservation windows and implemented them. The significance of change management will explore through it. Determine change success rates and using them as standard for key information technology management performance gauge. This is one of the major significance of change management. SWOT ANALYSIS OF BRITISH AIRWAYS British Airways is engaged in air services operations both in international and domestic airfreight. It provides various services ranging in commercial flights service for passengers around the globe, cargo freight and mail services and other auxiliary services. British Airways primarily runs its business in Europe and in United States. Located in Harmondsworth, Middlesex, it employs 42, 755 people in all its departments. British Airways facilitates flight reservation and booking using the online net services in which customers can easily access. Trying to appear competitive and maintain its integrity as one of the best airlines which emphasizes quality customer services, BA strives to create high-end terminal facilities and other services involving comfortable of customers while onboard. BA reaches out to 570 in about 134 countries. Such magnitude of operations offers customers with variety of destinations with world-class services that cater customers ranging from explorers to exec utives. Strengths British Airwaysà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ strengths include the first-rate new fleet of aircrafts purchased to accolade comfortable traveling of passengers. This move was made to counter the wretched state of travel and complaint received by the previous fleet used by British Airways. The magnitude of Airwaysà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ operations allows them on pro over their competitors by servicing to a wider variety of customers. Moreover, on the level of knowledge and skills, BA operational research claimed that analytical skills performed by the members of the company and employees become its strengths. The strong customer focus develops expertise in customer areas while in purchasing high-end software for air services and wide selection of it strengthens the companyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s business orientation. Weaknesses One of the many weaknesses on organizationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s business and services is the lack of marketing strategy that will help reinforce its competitive standards, more so, to win customers loyalty. Despite the great infrastructure hosted the company, BA needs to carry out better market schemes to attract more customers. Hence, competitive package for customer service must be afforded in order to make the airline more attractive to its clients, prompting an opportunity of earning large revenues. Furthermore, on knowledge and skills management, limited knowledge of simulation software and simulation development, knowledge lost through high level of internal staff moves, teams adopt solution approaches aligned only to their skills, and lack of involvement in choice of software and difficulty to enhance specialist airline software are weaknesses which the company must be aware of. Threats The threats are not necessarily be found outside of companyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s environment but can be an internal. Internal threats as seen in management centralized and bureaucratic system and all poor decision-making. Moreover, the companyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s focus on national and local problems pose a threat since much more problems which it neglect found in the global scheme. It neglects the global problems instead focusing deeply on the national and local level. The global problems greatly offer tremendous threats if and when companies will ignore such. Moreover, globalization can be an opportunity and strength but can also be a threat if not to be keen and vigilant of its tricks and treachery. Further, rapid changes on technology and customersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ behavior can also be a threat if mistakenly interpreted and remedied. Opportunities   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   The availability of immense services and products pose an opportunity to utilize them properly. The global changes can be an opportunity to work with while ignoring certain opportunities can be a weakness. In BA, virtual reality could provide a new use for simulation, obtaining network software and share expertise through special interest groups are opportunities which can be utilized and used to further enhance the companyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s business. Technological trends provide ample opportunities to various business domains, however, if it will be taken for granted, opportunities can be a threat or weakness. Maximizing the global trends is a great opportunity to hold on to. Methodology The proposed methodology for this dissertation is case study research. Case study research is a common and popular method of conducting research in the field of social sciences. In this methodology, an event, individuals, or group are investigated and explained. This in depth investigation focuses on defining the particular instance in either descriptive or explanatory manner. (Hartley, 2004) The methodology is not merely storytelling; rather it describes and explains the event in much detail so the reader could understand the reasons for that event/instance. The case studies are building with multiple sources of data and evidence. They are usually focused on one aspect of the organization rather than the whole organization itself. (Merriam, 1998) Case study method is quite useful if one wants to understand and estimate the impact of a certain event. It is important to understand that case study methodology can only be used when rich amount of data is available so the case can actual ly be built using it. (Eisenhardt, 1989) Although it is quite popular method of conducting the research, it has its weaknesses as well. Researchers have criticized it because they feel that this method lacks reliability. The reliability is questioned when case study is build using the secondary data. This criticism states that the research cannot be relied on as it lacks researcherà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s own research efforts, and the case is built on the research that was already available. (Stake, 1995)However there are more strengths to this methodology than weaknesses. The method is particularly praised due to its usefulness in providing a holistic view of an event or phenomena. It is also admired due to multiple sources of data and evidence that are used to build case study, as it provides multiple insight into the phenomena. (Gillham, 2000) Types of case study Researchers have devised and explained several categories of case studies. One of the popular models used to explained categories of case studies is by Yin. He defines these categories in terms of the number of event and single or multiple methods of analysis. Type 1: Single case design and single unit of analysis Type 2: Single unit of analysis and multiple case designs Type 3: Single case design and multiple units of analysis Type 4: Multiple case designs and multiple units of analysis Yin has also devised three types of case study, Exploratory: Used for new topics and reveals the facts about a certain event. This type of research is normally the first one and sets direction for future research. Researchers agree that this research is more related to What question rather than the Why question. Descriptive: This type of case study research focuses on a clearly define problem or research question. Its focus is on How and Who question Explanatory: the last type of case study research is explanatory, which focuses on Why question. It is usually build in exploratory and descriptive research and tries to find out preseason for an eventà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s occurrence. (Yin, 2008) This particular research will be built on using explanatory case study method. As we already know what happened in British airways due to change management programs, however we need to search the question of Why it happened? Sources of Data for case study In order to build up a case study, data needs to be collected. This data gathering can either be primary or secondary. The primary data can include interviews, direct observations, and participantà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s observations. On the other hand secondary data can include documentations, archived records, and published papers (Yin, 1993) The writer will use secondary data in this research and will avoid usage of primary data. There are several reasons for this, which are given below, There is a rich amount of secondary data available on this particular event. The change management programs at British airways and Ayling leadership happened a decade ago, and a lot of research has been done in this regard. The explanatory case study will be build on those researches, some of them are explanatory, and descriptive. Others include published papers, newspaper articles and web based resources. Another reason for avoidance of primary data is that the event happened a decade ago and it will be very hard to find people who would like to talk about it now (interviews, questions). Since the event is in the past, researcher cannot conduct primary research by being part of it (direct observations, participant observations) Usage of secondary data allows the researcher to include the research that has already been done on the particular topic. Previous researchers, which have gone through the scrutiny of reliability and validity, will save the writer a lot of time. The last but certainly not the least reason for avoidance of primary data is the nature of research question. The research question is focused on all the events that occurred in past, as well as reaction and consequences of those events. Now the research question is focused on analyzing the events and its consequences and building a explanatory case study. This can only be done using the secondary data. data gathering and analysis techniques In order to collect the secondary data the writer plans to use these sources, Published papers on British airways change management programs and its consequences Web based sources including British airways website, online articles, and other documents Books written on change management, and British airways Newspaper articles The data will be analyzed using the analytical models such as SWOT. This model is used to assess Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of a particular event, project, organization etc. (Hutt and Speh, 1992) The SWOT analysis will help determine the environment that surrounded British airways during the change management programs. Once the data has been collected, and analyzed using the SWOT tool, it will be compared with the literature of change management. The implication of change management at British airways will be compared with the theories that exist in literature.

George Frideric Handel was the Greatest Composer - 772 Words

Frideric Handel was the greatest composer during the Baroque period, one of his famous works was â€Å"Julius Caesar† the opera seria. George Frideric Handel was born on February 23, 1685 in Halle, Germany. Handel was known as the greatest composer during the Baroque era. Handel was most famous for the Messiah a English Ontario. This great composer also wrote the great opera seria known as â€Å"Julius Caesar† which was performed first in London, England in 1724. The opera seria quickly became popular and was toured in several other cities. George was a very talented composer but, unlike many others he didn’t come from a family with a long line of musicians. At very early age Handel had his mind set on studying music even though his father†¦show more content†¦According to history, Ptolemy XIII was Cleopatra’s brother who was the sole Monarch of Egypt. Cleopatra and Julius Caesar were in love but, she wanted Caesar to help her kill Ptolemy . In th e opera Pompey and Caesar were at war. Pomey lost the war and went back to Egypt where he was killed by one of his own men. Cornelia the widow of Pompey was tortured in Ptolemy’s harem. Sextus , the son of Cornelia was upset that Ptolemy was doing this to his mother. The aria starts in ritornello form as Sextus seeks revenge against Ptolemy, the aria here represented with a recitative as the orchestra sets the mood. Handel wanted to show the â€Å"affects† of the music to portray anger, as Sextus sings â€Å"La giustizia† which is in ABA form. Handel shortens the ritornellos in section A, so that the singer can take a breathe. The music at this point is very vigorous and words are sung in more angry tones during this section. Handel does this by using fast scales and high notes. An example, when Sextus sings â€Å"traitor† it is sang with a long high note. Sextus feeling confident pauses for a moment to finish the final cadence. The section B of the aria is also in ritornello form with a continuo accompaniment. The opera brings in the female voice with a high note as she sings â€Å"punire un traditor† at the end of the cadence. Handel uses ritornello form through out the opera, and used an up tempo to express the emotion between the two characters. Italian operas were very popular in London, withShow MoreRelatedEssay on George Frideric Handels Water Music948 Words   |  4 PagesGeorge Frideric Handels Water Music Not only is George Frideric Handels Water Music extraordinarily beautiful, it also helped to establish the orchestral suite as a legitimate art form. Written to be performed outside instead of in a theater, it remains one of the most outstanding compositions in Handels catalogue. Even though it is somewhat overplayed, the Water Music continues to be a very popular work of art. By nature of the venue this great work was to be performed in, Handel hadRead MoreThe Life and Musical Influence of George Frideric Handel1752 Words   |  7 Pages George Frideric Handel was born musically inclined. As a child he was deprived of musical instruments because his father wanted him to pursue the law profession. However, George was allowed to take music lessons from a local organist, by the name of Friedrich Wilhelm Zachau, after Handel had impressed the Duke when he played the organ at the chapel. In his following years, Handel would travel to many places, accepting many different musical occupations. As Handel traveled, he was introduced toRead MoreEssay about Handel and Bach Comparisons840 Words   |  4 PagesJacob Zeller Professor Davidson History of Music 114:01 15 November 2012 Bach v. Handel When thinking of composers, whose works changed the world of music forever, many names may come to mind. Among those on that list, both Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel are figures whose effect on music has been felt worldwide. Born in the same year, these composers have much in common and many differences that illustrate their importance to their era and music as we see it today. Their individualismRead MoreThe Baroque Period and Famous Composers Essays1249 Words   |  5 PagesThe Baroque Period and Famous Composers The baroque period was characterized by a heroic, dramatic and emotional theme. With well know names like Rembrant, Bach, Pennini, Caravaggio, Bernini, Tintoretto, Velasques, Poussin, Handel, and Rubens, the period produced many popular pieces of music and art. The art of the period was filled with movement, light versus shadow, and the use of the whole surface. 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However, George was allowed to take music lessons from a local organist, by the name of Friedrich Wilhelm Zachau, after Handel had impressed the Duke when he played the organ at the chapel. In his following years, Handel would travel to many places, accepting many different musical occupations. As Handel traveled, he was introduced to manyRead MoreBaroque Music764 Words   |  4 Pagesis how Baroque music is defined. The Baroque era in music is not a set style in music but many diverse styles which may be broken down into at least three dis tinct periods. A renewed interest in art and music was experienced throughout the Renaissance which then led to the Baroque era which was more of a transitional stage leading up to the maturity of classical music in the Classical era which began as Baroque ended. Many people believe that the word baroque came from two different places. Some believeRead MoreHandelian Influence on Music888 Words   |  4 Pagesremembered composer or musician changed the way we think and see the world. They give us new ideas, and music is a wonderful way to convey moods and emotions. Each also slightly changed music itself. Handel was one of the greatest of these people. He was a superior composer who largely influenced and expanded music. Background George Frideric Handel was born in Germany, but found his future in England as a composer. Stanley states that: â€Å"Handel was by training and temperament a composer†¦ Like MozartRead MoreThe Vivaldi s The Four Seasons2082 Words   |  9 PagesVivaldi’s The Four Seasons Music during the Baroque era was regarded as a powerful form of communication that could invoke any emotion in the audience members. This philosophical belief was derived from a revival of the ideas of the Greco-Roman culture. As a result of these ideas, composers believed that they could also affect their listeners through the power of melody, harmony, rhythm, and stylistic details. The emphasis on communication was reflected in the major styles and components that wereRead MoreThe Baroque Era Essay examples571 Words   |  3 PagesThe Baroque Era The Baroque era was a unique period in music that began during the 1600s and ended around 1750. The word baroque is define by Merriams Collegiate Dictionary as, of, relating to, or having the characteristics of a style of artistic expression prevalent esp. in the 17th century that is marked generally by use of complex forms, bold ornamentation, and the juxtaposition of contrasting elements often conveying a sense of drama, movement, and tension. The word baroque has

The Effects of Symbolism in Kate Chopin’s Writings Essay

Critics know Kate Chopin for her regionalist short stories and her often-radical depiction of sexuality in her work. She was able to write very radically and without any qualms because of the influence of her mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. All three were widows and independent women, which caused Katherine O’Flaherty, born in 1851, to grow up as a smart and strong woman. Most of the women she wrote about in her stories also shared these characteristics. After she graduated at seventeen, she spent the next two years as the â€Å"belle of St. Louis society†. Katherine O’Flaherty married Oscar Chopin in 1870 and â€Å"for the next decade, [Kate] Chopin pursued the demanding social and domestic schedule of a southern aristocrat, her†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"At the ‘Cadian Ball,† the prequel to â€Å"The Storm,† is the story of how the couples in â€Å"The Storm† decided on their fates. The story opens with Bobinà ´ t, a poor farmer, thinking of the ‘Cadian ball. He decides that he does not want to go, but he will because he knows that Calixta will be going, and so will Alcà ©e. Calixta is a beautiful woman of Spanish ancestry and she will be the belle of the ball. Alcà ©e is a wealthy aristocrat, and Bobinà ´t is afraid that if he does not go and prevent Alcà ©e from sweeping Calixta off her feet, he will succeed and take Calixta away from Bobinà ´t. Meanwhile, Alcà ©e is at his plantation where his crops for the year have all died. Although his peers had expected him to feel like a failure, Alcà ©e is unusually quiet and his pseudo-girlfriend Clarisse is worried. One night he rides away unexpectedly, headed for the ‘Cadian ball. Clarisse finds this out from a slave and sets off to follow him there. At the ball, Calixta and Alcà ©e steal away to a quiet corner and start to cuddle and kiss when Clarisse interrupts them, claiming that there is trouble at home. Alcà ©e goes w ith her, leaving Calixta by herself until Bobinà ´t shows up and walks her home. On their walk home, Calixta tells Bobinà ´t that she will accept his marriage offer if he asks her, which causes Bobinà ´t toShow MoreRelatedEssay about Symbolism of â€Å"The Storm1512 Words   |  7 PagesKate Chopin wrote the short story â€Å"The Storm† one of her most bold stories and did not even intention to publish it (Cutter 191). The two main characters in the story are Calixta and Alcee. They both used to be attracted to one another in previous years, but now they are both married to someone else. After Alcee arrives to Calixta’s house looking for shelter they are driven into a passionate moment. In the story â€Å"The Storm† the storm has a significant meaning; without it the affair of Calixta andRead MoreEssay about The Awakening1491 Words   |  6 PagesAwakening nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The novel, The Awakening by Kate Chopin, was written in the late nineteenth century in St. Louis after her husband Oscar died of a severe illness. Her book appeared in 1899, after she was idolized by many novels written by Darwin and Sarah Orne Jewett. Her first attempts at writing were just brief sketches for a local newspaper that was only short descriptions of her life in Louisiana. 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Chopin’s story, as displayed in its title is quite short; while in comparison, de Maupassant tells a much more detailed account of the beleaguered Loisel’s, who must learn from the self-centred Madam Loisel. With de Maupassant’sRead MoreChopin VS Thurber and Relationships2545 Words   |  11 PagesIn the stories â€Å"The Secret Life of Walter Mitty† by James Thurber (Clugston, sec. h1.1) and â€Å"The Story of an Hour† by Kate Chopin (Clugston, sec. h2.1) escapism is a similar theme with in both these stories, yet there is a slight variance in how each of these authors place these characters into their escape from reality, relationships, and everyday chaos. In each of these stories the author shows the characters escaping the realities of the relationship, one through Walter Mitts’ daydreams, and th eRead MoreThe Story of an Hour and a Rose for Emily Essay2219 Words   |  9 PagesCompare Contrast The Story of an Hour and A Rose for Emily Kate Chopins The Story of an Hour and William Faulkners A Rosefor Emily both characterize the nature of marriage and womanhood bydelving into the psyches of their female protagonists. Also, althoughChopin makes no clear reference to geographic locale in The Story of anHour, both authors usually set their stories in the American South, whichimpacts these characterizations. These two tales share many other points ofreference in common

Marketing of Fiat Company Samples for Students †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Marketing planning of Fiat Company. Answer: Introduction Marketingplanning involves deciding on themarketing strategies that the firm will use to help it to attain its overall strategic objectives (Kotler and Armstrong, 2010). Through strategic planning, the firm is in a better position to decide what it wants to do with each business strategy so that overall goals and objectives are achieved in its operations. The business will be able to launch a new product or build sales for the existing product. As such, this marketing plan outlines the strategies that can be adopted by Fiat, an Italian automobile manufacturer operating in Brazil. The marketing plan covers the following aspects: marketing analysis, competitive analysis, brand analysis, objectives and goals as well as marketing mix analysis. This plan outlines the steps that can be taken by the company in order to increase its car sales in Brazil. Marketing/Industry Analysis The major notable aspect about the automobile industry in Brazil is that the market is significantly growing as the customers now have access to loans from different financial institutions in order to buy cars (The Brazil Business, 2017). The car market is a growing sector in Brazil, as credit has become more available for consumers who want to buy a car. This makes Brazil the 4th best-selling car nation and this has influenced different companies to bring their products to the country. The market is attractive for the automobile manufacturers since it is comprised by quite a number of potential customers who can buy the vehicles offered by Fiat in this particular case. The other aspect about the automobile industry in Brazil is that it heavily relies on imports despite the fact that it has the largest industry in Latin America (The Brazil Business, 2017). On the other hand, it can also be noted that the cars in Brazil are generally expensive compared to North America and this has an impact on the buying potential of the customers. On top of this, the automobile industry in Brazil has been affected by poor performance of the economy. For instance, in 2015, the sales of cars, buses, heavy and light trucks were 2,570,000 units and this represented a decline of 26.7% as compared to the previous year 2014 (The International Trade Association (2016). This trend is likely to continue like that which calls for holistic measures by Fiat Company to boost its car sales. This can be achieved through continuous research about the needs and interests of the consumers so that the company can design its brand in such a way that it can appeal to the interests of many people. The company can customize its vehicles such that they can satisfy the needs of the customers. It is also important for the company to conduct research about the operations of the other competitors so that it can implement better strategies that gives it competitive advantage over them. It is important for the company to be proactive by scanning the environment and making contingent plans that can be implemented in case change is required in its operations. The environment in which Fiat operates is dynamic hence the need for Fiat to constantly improve its operations so that it keeps pace with all the changes that may take place within it. Competitive Analysis Fiat is the best-selling automobile brand in Brazil since the company records high sales volumes annually (The Brazil Business, 2017). This simply means that the company does not operate in isolation since there are other actors in the automobile industry. In order to plan effective marketing strategies, it is imperative for the firm to find out what it can do about its competitors so that it can gain competitive advantage over them (Strydom, 2006). The automobile industry in Brazil is comprised of more than 20 competitors and some of them include the following: Chevrolet, Hyundai, Toyota, Ford, Nissan, Renault, BMW as well as Mercedes Benz among other top automobile brands (The Brazil Business, 2017). Identifying the firms competitors is very important since it helps the firm to have knowledge about other actors in the automobile industry. This stage should never be taken for granted since it gives the company some form of guidance in formulating its business strategies that can hel p it to gain competitive advantage. The next stage in conducting competitor analysis is that company should then put measures in place that enables it to assess the objectives, strategies, strengths and weaknesses of the competitors as well as the reaction patterns (Kotler and Armstrong, 2010). The marketing managers at Fiat Company need to gain understanding of their competitors objectives as well as philosophy of doing business so that they can anticipate their reaction to different changes that can take place in the environment in which it operates. The other issue that should be taken into consideration by Fiat Company is that it should gather as much information as possible about the weaknesses and strengths of the competitors so that it can formulate strategies that give it competitive edge over them. It is also important for the company to select the companies to attack using the knowledge about their weaknesses as well as strengths. The company can also consider the strategy of offering vehicles that save fuels and that are also environmental friendly. This is likely to boost its sales since the vehicles offered will appeal to the interests of many people. The other plan that should be adopted by fiat is to review the price of its vehicles downwards so that it can be in a position to attract many buyers. This strategy is known as overall cost leadership where the company strives to achieve lower production and distribution costs which ultimately lead to lower prices of the final products offered in the market (Cant, 2007). The other strategy that should be adopted by Fiat Company pertains to product leadership where it strives to provide superior value by offering continuous stream of leading edge products and services (Kotler and Keller, 2006). The marketing leaders should also be open to new ideas and work towards new solutions so as to be in a better position to attract many customers as well as to create loy alty among the already existing consumers. These strategies help the company to gain a large market share. Customer Analysis Fiat offers different types of vehicles including small cars, light and heavy trucks to different customers in the market. However, it can be seen that there are quite a number of attributes that are sought by the customers when they make decisions to purchase the different types of vehicles offered by the firm. The following plans should be considered by Fiat Company in its operations so that it can gain a large market share. According to Cant (2006), the customers are attracted to the product by various attributes hence the need to conduct what is termed customer value analysis in order for the marketers to gain understanding of what the consumers really want. This type of analysis focuses on what benefits the target customers value and how they rate the relative value of various competitors offers (Kotler and Armstrong, 2010). In this case, Fiat Company should continuously identify the values that are of interest to the targeted customers so that it can be able to modify them in such a way that they continue to attract them. Consistency in upholding customer value will significantly help the company to create loyalty among the consumers. The other issue is that the company should put measures in place that enables it to assess the performance of the competitors on the identified attributes that are valued by the consumers. In this case, the company should focus on attributes such as efficiency as well a s environmental friendliness of the cars offered to different customers since these are more valued by the customers than any other factors. In order to carefully analyse the customer base, it is essential for Fiat Company to conduct market segmentation on the basis of different factors. Basically, market segmentation involves the division of customers on the basis of their interests towards a particular product or service (Cant, 2007). The company should target the customers on the basis of their level of income since it has been observed that Brazils economic performance has a bearing on their buying behaviour of different cars. The company should focus on selling small cars that are efficient and environmental friendly since these are easy to maintain. It is also important to take into consideration the factors such as benefits that are likely to be obtained by the customers from purchasing the vehicles offered by the company. When the marketers know the customer preferences, they are then in a position to design their marketing strategies in such a way that they will appeal to the interests of many people. Brand Analysis A brand is a term or symbol that identifies the product or services of the seller and differentiates them from those of the competitors (Kotler and Armstrong, 2010). In most cases, the consumers view a brand as the most important part of the product and it helps to give value to it. The other element is that branding helps the customers to identify with the product and they expect to get the features what they desire from it. For instance, Fiat brand is comprised of different vehicles such as Punto as well as Fiat 500e, X and L series. This brand stands for legacy and discovery and it also helps people to be in charge of their own destiny (Fiat, 2017). Therefore, effort should be made to ensure that the brand is constantly improved in order to give the consumers maximum satisfaction from using. Engine performance should be constantly improved as the consumers seek to define their destiny through the use of this brand. The company should also ensure that brand visibility is enhanced through constant improvement of various design features of the vehicles offered to different clients. The vehicle should look attractive to the potential buyers so that they can make informed decisions to purchase it. The marketers should conduct research in order to gather the views of the customers so that they can relay them to the manufacturers for consideration when they produce other vehicles. This will help the company to improve the appearance of the vehicles and they are likely to be appreciated by many people which will help it to generate more sales. In the long run, the company will be able to gain large market share over the other competitors in the automobile industry. The company should also utilise effective advertising to enhance brand visibility so that many customers can gain awareness of its existence. Whilst it is important for the company to use conventional forms of advertising such as print and electronic media, it is important for it to harness the use of outdoor advertising since this enhances brand visibility. The company should use billboards that are erected along major highways in the country as well as other busy and strategic locations like garages to increase Fiats brand visibility to different potential customers. This significantly helps the customers to identify with the brand and they are constantly reminded about it as they always see it in different places while performing other errands. Objective and Goals Objectives and goals are usually set in order to determine what the company really wants to achieve in its operations (Strydom, 2006). As such, Fiat should put measures in place in order to achieve certain objectives that can help it to gain a large market share against the background of many competitors operating in the same industry. Thus, the major objective is for the company to increase its sales of motor vehicles to different customers. For instance, the total sales of vehicles by all automobile marketers in Brazil represented a decline of 26.7% as compared to the previous year 2014 (The International Trade Association (2016). This implies that Fiats sales were also not spared from this negative development in the market. As such, it should put measures in place to increase the sales of its vehicles by about 19 % in order to offset the negative sales that have been witnessed in recent years. This can only be possible if the company puts measures in place to attract the customers so that they can buy its model brand. This will help to boost the sales of different vehicles to the targeted customers which also helps the company to generate more revenue in its operations. This will also improve its viability and sustainability in the long run. Customer retention strategies should also be implemented through offering product support services. When the customers have bought the vehicles offered by Fiat, the company should have a responsibility to offer follow up services to retain them. For example, Fiat holds regular telephonic interviews with owners and also receives different views from the buyers about what they expect from the company. This goes along with the aspect of creating loyalty among the targeted customers. This is the objective that should be considered by the company where it can implement loyalty programs so as to be in a position to create mutual trust with the customers. These programs can include free vehicle services to the customers that are deemed as loyal to the organisation. This strategy can also help the customers to attract other potential buyers which help the company to gain competitive advantage over other rival players in the sector. Marketing Mix Analysis Marketing mix involves the use of the following elements: product, price, place as well as promotion to design strategies that can be used by the company to attract customers for its offerings (Strydom, 2006). Fiat company should make concerted efforts to make sure that the product is designed in such a way that it appeals to the interests of the targeted customers. In other words, the company should strive to make sure that customer satisfaction is achieved from its operations. Product value should be enhanced so as to help the customers to identify with the product. In most cases, the targeted consumers are influenced to make decisions to buy a particular product as a result of its price. It is therefore imperative for Fiat Company to ensure that the prices of the vehicles offered to the customers in Brazil are reasonable and affordable. It is important for the company to make sure that the customers derive value for money by paying fair prices while at the same time deriving value from the vehicles purchased. The element of place is also very important in determining the marketing mix of the product offered by the company. In this particular case, it is imperative for Fiat Company to make sure that the vehicles it offers are readily available in the market. The customers usually do not enjoy a situation whereby they face numerous challenges to access a particular product in the market since this can deter them from purchasing it. The company should open distribution centers in major strategic places that can be easily accessed by many people. The element of promotion is also very important for the company since this can positively influence the customers to buy the vehicles it offers. Different forms of advertising should be utilised by the company in order to reach many customers as well as to raise their awareness about the brand offered by the company. The other promotional strategy is to offer price discounts on selected brands so as to attract new buyers. This will help the company t o gain competitive advantage since it can generate more revenue from increased sales of the products offered. Overall, this is one of the major objectives of the company to increase its sales following a recent decline that has been attributed to poor economic conditions obtaining in Brazil over the past three years. Conclusion In conclusion, it can be observed that Fiat Company needs to implement an effective marketing plan in a bid to increase its car sales in Brazil which have been affected by the recent negative performance of the countrys economy. As noted, the automobile industry in Brazil is characterised by competition since there are also other players with similar offerings. The other issue is that since the competitors are varied, it is imperative for the company to segment the market on the basis psychographic as well as income level factors since these mainly influence the buying behaviour of the consumers especially for products like cars. Effort should also be made to implement loyalty programs that are meant to retain the customers. This gives the company competitive advantage such that it can be in a better position to grab a large market share in this particular sector. Above all, the marketers within the company should take steps to constantly conduct market research so that they are awar e of the needs of the customers in order to design suitable products. References Cant, J. (2000), Introduction to marketing, CT: JUTA Fiat 2017. Official website. https://fiat.com/ Fiat 2017. Fiat our Legacy. https://www.fiatusa.com/en/fiat-nation/fiat-history/ Kotler, P. Armstrong, G. (2010). Principles of marketing. Cape Town, CT: Pearson. Kotler, P. Keller, K.L. (2006). Marketing Management, 12th Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Strydom, J. (2006). Marketing principles. CT: JUTA. The Brazil Business 2017, Top 20 Brazil car Brands. https://thebrazilbusiness.com/article/top-20-car-brands-in-brazil The International Trade Association, 2016. Brazil Automotive Industry. https://www.export.gov/article?id=Brazil-Automotive-Industry

Risk Management of Legal Issues Affecting E-Commerce free essay sample

Risk Management of Legal Issues affecting E-Commerce Introduction Risk management is the ability to identify, assess, and prioritize risks depending on the threat they poses on a business and the resources available. Most organizations are operating their business online nowadays. Many industries such as banking, insurance, selling of goods, offering of certain services are turning their operations online. E-commerce has many challenges that threaten to make any organization conducting online business to fail. The ability to identify, asses, and come up with solutions to the risks in the e-commerce industry is essential in ensuring success of the organization. One of the major challenges of e-commerce is the legal implications among others. Due to the nature of online business that it is worldwide and that many people can access it, legal matters are a crucial issue in the commerce. E-commerce business is growing rapidly leaving the legal systems in a struggle to adapt to the growing industry. We will write a custom essay sample on Risk Management of Legal Issues Affecting E-Commerce or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Likewise, e-commerce organizations need to come up with new procedures and rules for the business. The growth poses many issues on regulation and many legal questions. How do authorities regulate digital content? Can national laws of a country apply in the web business? Can there be protection of privacy and protection of data in the internet? (Shah, Nagree, 2001) For any of the organizations in the online business, managers need to be aware of the legal issues. Given that for any business, the government tries to impose regulations, managers need to be aware of these regulations to be able to succeed in the business. The e-commerce rapid growth makes the laws to change from time to time to include the changes in the business. Therefore, managers need to be familiar with the changing laws and have a deep knowledge of the law to be able to make the best decisions for the organization in terms of legal issues. Improper decisions when it comes to legal matters can lead to the failure of a business. Non-compliance with the laws may lead to many legal consequences including the government forcing the organization to close or hefty fines, which may lead to many losses leading to the failure of the business. Therefore, the management needs to be aware of the legal concerns of the business to ensure compliance of the law is a daily routine of the organization. One example of the laws on e-commerce that affect the company is copyright laws. The copyright laws pose many threats to the survival of the business. Therefore, the management need to identify these risks, asses them, and develop ways of mitigating them to avoid them affecting the organization largely (Spindler, 2007). The process of risk management involves many other processes. The first process of risk management is to identify the risks. In the case of e-commerce and the copyright issues, the management has to find the risks that copyright issues present to the business. The identification of the risks that copyright issues pose must be at all the stages of the project. When a new product is available, the organization must look at the copyright issues in the first place. When there is a small problem regarding the copyright issues of any product or the website itself, the management must identify the small problem before it becomes a major problem threatening the product. Therefore, any organization must have large personnel for risk identification including a large and informed legal counsel to provide the necessary counsel on copyright issues (Bouridis, 2010). The second step to risk management is analysis of the risk. Analysis of the risk is paramount in making sure that an organization deals with the risk to avoid complications. The analysis involves prioritization, communication with the relevant teams to reduce the threat. In the case of copyright issues, once the team responsible has identified a problem on copyright of a new product, the team must go forward to analyze the real threat that the problem pose to the business. The team must consider other risks and evaluate them thus prioritizing which risk to cover first and which risk can wait. Once the team has identified the risks that need immediate attention, then they can go forward to communicate with other teams responsible for the product. In case the problem is with the website, the team must communicate with the web developers and other parties involved seeking the way forward to address the problem (Shah, Nagree, 2001). The third step to risk management is envisaging the consequences of the actions that an organization takes for a certain risk. The responsible teams must envisage the possible outcomes of any of the actions they take to tackle any problem. A problem with the copyright issues invites for certain actions from the responsible group. The group must look at all the possibilities of the action it takes. By looking at the future possibilities of an action, the group can decide on the best course of action. For example, there might be two actions the responsible group can take to deal with a problem, the group should look at both the actions and decide on the best that will even avoid such problems in the future but not just the action that best solves the problem now (Bouridis, 2010).. The management has to plan for the risk. The steps above call for the planning of risk. Some risks are urgent, others must be immediate, and others essential. All these risks require special attention. Therefore, the management must plan on how to al with the risks depending on their categories. The risks have a varying degree of risk, some have a high risk, others a low risk and others medium risk. The management must plan on how to deal with the risks depending on their degree of risk (Spindler, 2007). The management must also track the risk. The management needs to have a program that evaluates a risk from time to time. Tracking the risk from time to time ensures that the organization has the knowledge of new developments on the risk. The knowledge of new developments on the risk ensure that the organization takes immediate action when necessary for a development that they did not expect in envisaging the consequences that the risk they took for mitigating the risk has (Nasir, 2004). The last step to risk management is control of the risk. The control of risks must go in hand with the management of a project. In case of a new product in the market, the management of this new project must go in hand with the control of the risk that the product poses. The copyright issues of a new product in e-commerce pose risks to the business; therefore, as the management manages the new product, it must endeavor to control the risk that copyright issues pose. The management can do this by planning, and taking sequential preparation to the control of the risk (Shah, Nagree, 2001). Legal Concerns in E-Commerce There are many legal concerns in e-commerce. The major legal issues in e-commerce involve; contracts, security, authentication, privacy protection, data protection, intellectual property rights, domain names, jurisdiction, liability, and taxation. Other legal issues in e-commerce are content regulation, advertisement, electronic payment issues, and foreign direct investment. All these legal factors affect the business in one way or the other. The legal concerns pose risks to the business that may threaten the profits of the company, lead to legal complications, or even lead to the closure of the business. For a business to succeed, any organization that conducts its business online must take special consideration to the legal concerns. The ability of an organization to deal with the legal concerns will be crucial in determining the success of the business. Considering the ever-growing use of the internet for commerce, the legal issues are the major challenge for the e-commerce organizations. The management has to have the knowledge on the legal issues and come up with a plan that will ensure that the organization is able to mitigate these problems (Spindler, 2007). One of the most important legal aspects that an e-commerce organization must take into consideration is the contracts. Parties in that conduct business online must come up with proper ways to reach agreements online to ensure that the contracts are solid. The identity of parties is a major concern in online contracts. The parties mostly do not have prior knowledge of each other posing uncertainties in the authority of the party, legitimacy, and the authority to enter contracts. Although digital signatures are there to help in identifying parties online, different countries have different rules on the digital signatures. Therefore, digital signatures between parties of different countries may bring problems to contracts that they make. Problems in contracts attract legal complications in the organization. The contractual complications may even lead to complications in terms of intellectual and property rights (Bouridis, 2010). Jurisdiction Laws For e-commerce, customers are throughout the world. The law states that if any organization acquires a customer from another country, then the organization must defend the litigation arising from the country. An organization must review any content that it places on the website of its operations to comply with the jurisdiction laws of the country the organization markets, sells, or promotes its goods and services. If the organization does not review the content, a person may sue the organization by the jurisdiction of that other country. Given that e-commerce involves people throughout the world, parties to a contract might come from different jurisdictions. If parties from different jurisdictions make contracts, it might lead to different interpretations of the contractual information. If the parties fail to honor the contract, there might be complications on which jurisdiction the other party should sue. A problem may arise still where the organization does not deliver goods or services as the customer would expect. The customer does not know which jurisdiction to use to sue the organization. The jurisdiction laws is a risk in e-commerce as these legal complications may threaten profits or even lead to total failure of the organization (Silver, 2002). An organization may face action because of its website in form of civil law suits, regulator’s action, or criminal prosecution. Many countries’ courts have a theory in which courts can exercise jurisdiction of the current country if the other party has minimum contacts with the country. The minimum contacts are in form of financial gain, physical presence, election of court through a contract or a stream of commerce. Even if there is no physical presence of an organization in a country, any person can sue you in that country if there are sufficient minimum contacts of the organization’s website with the people (Nasir, 2004).. Privacy and Security Issues In order to promote e-commerce, security is a crucial issue. Most online organizations keep sensitive information on the organization’s websites. The organizations must put in place adequate measures that will help safeguard the sensitive information of their customers. The organization must prevent any intruders from accessing the sensitive information they keep for the customers. The security threats to information in a company might originate both from internal and external. Hackers, Trojan horses, and viruses comprise the risk factors of information from external. Technical staff and other employees comprise the risk from internal. The laws require that all companies have adequate measures to prevent the security threats. There are privacy and security policies that the government imposes on the organization. The ability of an organization to provide high security to the information of their customers is crucial in the success of the organization. Organizations that can guarantee privacy and security of the customer’s information will have a large customer base as they have the trust of the customers. If a person discovers that there is insecurity of his or her information, or the some other person has the information from a website, the person can sue the organization (Silver, 2002). Online Terms and conditions, Policies, and Laws There are many online terms and conditions, policies, and laws by the government and other regulating authorities. Most of the terms and conditions are to shield the organization from liability from the use of the online content by the consumers. Governments are also forming legislation to strengthen the terms and conditions in the websites of organizations. The government legislation aims at protecting the consumers of online content. The legislation also aims at protecting the information of the users. Privacy policies in particular aim to push online organizations to ensure that they have strong security measures to protect the information of the consumers. Thus, the government and other regulating bodies through policies aim to avoid the disclosure of information by organizations through their websites. Policies and laws differ from one country to the other. Therefore, it is a challenge for organizations to comply with the differing policies and laws of the different countries (Sayer Deveaux, 2000). The policies, laws, terms, and conditions on online transactions ensure the following. One is ensuring that there are proper contracts through the internet. Two is ensuring the recording of retention obligations. Three is to ensure control of exchange regulations. Four is ensuring foreign protection of information. Any e-commerce organization ability to come up with proper terms and conditions and comply with policies and laws determines the success of the organization. Poor terms and conditions could lead to legal complications that the organization should not be liable for them. Non-compliance with policies and laws could lead to the authorities taking measures against the organization, which could affect the success of the organization (Sayer Deveaux, 2000). Intellectual property Rights The protection of the intellectual property is paramount in every online organization. The boundless non-regulation nature of the internet causes challenges to the protection of the intellectual property of any organization in the e-commerce business. Intellectual property rights include copyright laws, patent laws, design, trade secret, and trademark among others. Many countries have laws to protect the intellectual property rights but the efficiency of the laws in protecting the intellectual property rights is uncertain. Another challenge of the e-commerce organizations is crossing the property rights of other organizations. The organization need to put proper measures to ensure that no employee crosses the intellectual rights of another organization in conducting the business of the organization (WIPO, 2002). One of the challenges in intellectual property rights of an organization is determination of the subject matter of which to protect. E-commerce business is growing fast and there is advent of technology every day. Therefore, there is emergence of new intellectual property rights posing a challenge to an organization on how to protect its intellectual property best. For example, getting a patent for a new product might require some existing product. The organization might fail to get a way to protect its product best leading to losing information to other organizations through theft. In this case, the organization cannot even sue that other company because it does not have enough legal ground. The new product might require a product that the organization does not produce; therefore, getting patents for the new product might become complicated. The complications in acquiring intellectual property rights of new products that is common in e-commerce poses a risk of the organization losing the intellectual property (Shoniregun, 2000). Another challenge to the intellectual property rights is assertion of originality or novelty. Most of the laws on intellectual property require that the property be original or novel. Most of the web contents are almost similar in nature. An organization must prove to the authorities that the work is original which is hard because of the similarity of the web content. The use of the work in the internet would also hinder the claim of novelty or originality in applying for intellectual property rights. An e-commerce organization has to devote its attention in proving the novelty or originality to avoid infringement by other organizations with similar intellectual property rights. Enforcement of the intellectual rights is another major challenge that e-commerce organizations have. The internet eases the duplication of intellectual property even if they have intellectual property rights protection. The anonymous environment of the internet makes it very hard for an organization to get the infringer. The infringing material is also at a particular location for a very short while, making it even harder for organizations to get the infringer. The inherent territory nature of intellectual property rights makes it hard to determine whether there is infringement or not. The differences in laws of countries makes it hard it hard for organizations to enforce the rights since some action might constitute infringement in one country while the same action does not constitute infringement in another country. To restrain infringement in other countries, the organization has to file cases in these other countries. The process is time and money consuming (WIPO, 2002). Prevention of unauthorized Meta tagging and hyperlinking is another major challenge e-commerce organizations are having. Some hyperlinking constitute infringing of intellectual property rights. Meta-tags constitute infringing of trademarks. Hyperlinks that link an organization’s website to another organizations website constitute intellectual property infringement if the permissions for linking this other organization has not provide permissions for linking. If an organization uses a meta-tag similar to a meta-tag of another organization, this organization infringes on the trademark of the other organization. Recommendations to Mitigate Risks in E-Commerce Organizations After identification and analysis of risks, an organization needs to take the necessary actions to mitigate the risks. The legal issues being a major risk to e-commerce organizations, the organizations need to take the necessary action to mitigate the effects of the same. The intellectual property rights being the factor affecting e-commerce most need special consideration. An organization can take several actions to mitigate the risks. The ability of the organization to mitigate these risks determines the success of the organization (Barr, 2000. One of the ways that an organization can take as a precautionary measure is to have a strong and highly competent legal team. A highly competent legal team ensures that the organization has a strong legal base. A strong legal base is to advise the organization in major legal decisions. To avoid legal complications common in e-commerce organizations, all the decisions must have a strong legal basis evaluating all the possibilities of a particular action (Barr, 2000. The organization must train all its employees on the best practices to avoid legal complications. The organization needs to formulate rules to employees that will ensure that the employees do not perform actions that can put the organization on the wrong side of the law. The employees need to follow all the rules the organization sets in place. The only way to make the employees follow these rules is proper education on the legal issues and the benefits of compliance. To avoid the complications that jurisdiction brings, organizations need to adopt the rules and regulations that look universal. The organization can also place legal personnel in the countries it conducts major business. The personnel in these different countries will ensure that the problems in difference in laws of countries do not affect the organization (Sayer Deveaux, 2000). Organizations need to implement electronic systems like the electronic copyright management system that prevent infringement of intellectual property rights. The electronic systems will help reduce the risks in enforcement of the laws that an organization puts in place to prevent infringement of intellectual property (Barr, 2000). Conclusion Risk management of an e-commerce organization is paramount to the success of the organization. The organizations need proper risk management procedures to ensure that they reduce the risks. Legal issues of e-commerce business are many and require special attention from the management of the organization. Any e-commerce organization needs to consider all the above issues and observe the recommendations to ensure success of the organization and avoid the legal complications. 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