Friday, May 31, 2019

Compare and Contrast A Withered Arm by Thomas Hardy and The Monkeys Pa

Compare and Contrast A Withered Arm by Thomas Hardy and The Monkeys Paw by W.W. JacobsIn this assay I am going to explain the similarities and differencesbetween The diminish leg and The monkeys paw. Both of these textswere written before 1914 by two different people. Thomas Hardy wroteThe withered arm and W.W. Jacobs wrote A monkeys paw.The withered arm is a short story about a milkmaid who had an affairwith a high class farmer. When the farmer gets a bare-ass wife, themilkmaid becomes jealous.In a nightmare, the milkmaid who is c totallyed Rhoda Brooks sees the newwife she had been obsessing over for the past few days in a horrific wraith gloats over her new husband. In this nightmare Rhoda grabsthe apparition and feels her arm as if it were real as she throws thespectre to the floor. The ghost is g atomic number 53 when she looks down. Thefarmers new wife, the next day, finds a new mark on her forearm inthe shape of a hand in the same place that Rhoda had grabbed theapparition . Rhoda and Gertrude, the farmers wife soon become earnestfriends as her arm becomes increasingly more serious. EventuallyGertrude persuades Rhoda to get her to take her to a wizard calledconjurer Trendle who is a local magic man. Eventually Rhoda takes herand conjurer Trendle gives her advice but does not give a solution toher trouble. They return home to the village.A year later after Rhoda and her son had left the village Gertrudsarm is becoming steadily worse and she is using all types of potionsand magick on it but nothing seems to make it any worse so she goes tosee conjurer Trendle for one last time. This time he gives her asolution, she must touch the neck of a recently hanged man while thebody is... ...ellin the rural reach of A withered arm.The time frame for each story is also different, the monkeys paw alltakes place over a few weeks where as a withered arm has the storylasting for over a year. The time frame they are set in gives them abig difference as it distingui shes one from the other easily.I think that the story which is most striking out of these two has tobe The monkeys paw. This story is a better length to not take a whileto read and the plot seems better as a whole. Each character seems tohave obviously different personalities that they use all the time andthese are distinctly separate from the characters of a withered arm. Ilike the way that the ending of this story is a cliff hanging, we arenot told what Herbert looks like after he was brought back to life weare just told about the sigh of dismay from Mr Whites wife.

Thursday, May 30, 2019

Bibliography of Geoffrey Chaucer ::

Bibliography of Geoffrey ChaucerGeoffrey Chaucer was born in the early 1340s, in approximately 1343. Little is known about Chaucers early life. fit to Microsoft Encarta, in that location is relatively strong try out to support the fact that he attended one of the three grammar-schools either St. Pauls, St. Mary-le-Bows, or St. Martin-le-Grands. The next reliable bit of selective information places him, at around the hop on of fourteen, as a page in the household of the wife of Prince Lionel, the third son of Edward III. He apparently held this position for a long time (Mirosoft)According to Grose, Chaucers first foray into the Kings Business appears in October of 1360, when he couriered letters from the Calais to England during peace negotiations there. For this service he held the official title of shop clerk of the king attached to the mortal of Prince Lionel. In this way, Chaucer began to service to his king. In 1368, Chaucer was awarded a royal pension for life, indicating a long and valued service to his liege (Grose 23). He served as sort of jack-of-all-trades.The altogether known facts about Chaucers life between 1358 and 1367 are that he was imprisoned in France during the Hundred Years War and was change in March 1360, for sooner large sum. In this time Chaucer also married Philippa Roet, lady-in-waiting to the queen. She bore at least two children.Between 1368 and 1367, Chaucer undertook nearly a dozen diplomatic missions to Flanders, France and Italy. umteen were important indeed many were so secret that they were not mentioned in the histories of the time at all. In 1381, Chaucer was sent to get by with marriage negotiationsBibliography of Geoffrey Chaucer Bibliography of Geoffrey ChaucerGeoffrey Chaucer was born in the early 1340s, in approximately 1343. Little is known about Chaucers early life. According to Microsoft Encarta, there is relatively strong evidence to support the fact that he attended one of the three grammar-schools eithe r St. Pauls, St. Mary-le-Bows, or St. Martin-le-Grands. The next reliable bit of data places him, at around the age of fourteen, as a page in the household of the wife of Prince Lionel, the third son of Edward III. He apparently held this position for a long time (Mirosoft)According to Grose, Chaucers first foray into the Kings Business appears in October of 1360, when he couriered letters from the Calais to England during peace negotiations there. For this service he held the official title of clerk of the king attached to the person of Prince Lionel. In this way, Chaucer began to service to his king. In 1368, Chaucer was awarded a royal pension for life, indicating a long and valued service to his liege (Grose 23). He served as sort of jack-of-all-trades.The only known facts about Chaucers life between 1358 and 1367 are that he was imprisoned in France during the Hundred Years War and was ransomed in March 1360, for rather large sum. In this time Chaucer also married Philippa Roet , lady-in-waiting to the queen. She bore at least two children.Between 1368 and 1367, Chaucer undertook nearly a dozen diplomatic missions to Flanders, France and Italy. Many were important indeed many were so secret that they were not mentioned in the histories of the time at all. In 1381, Chaucer was sent to deal with marriage negotiations

Wednesday, May 29, 2019

Astrocyte-Neuron Lactate Shuttle and Hemodynamic Brain Scans Essay

Astrocyte-Neuron Lactate Shuttle and Hemodynamic Brain ScansHemodynamic brain scans such as Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) have been of immense gain in the neuroscience fields in illuminating the components and modulation of brain function. However, these hemodynamic brain scans have afforded utility without brain scientists truly understanding the mechanism by which they produce signals. Previously, it had been accepted without verification that the images produced by such techniques were direct results of neuronal activity. However, new techniques in canvas brain function have revealed that when astrocyte activity is inhibited, hemodependent brain scans do not function (Halber 2008). Additionally, other studies have demonstrated that astrocytes display finely tuned responses to stimuli (Halber 2008) which are consonant to communication with distributively other in networks via calcium-wave propagation. In light of thes e new findings in regards to astrocyte function and communication, their influence on hemodynamic brain scans would offer much limpidity to our current understanding of neuropathology and neuromodulation. General Findings of Astrocytic Influence on Brain ScansBoth PET and fMRI scans are hemodependent brain scans. However, the mechanism by which each works do differ from each other by which fundamental principle of blood flow they measure. In fMRI, a BOLD-signal (blood-oxygen-level-dependent) measurement is utilized which is thusly translated into working images. PET scans require a radioactive labeled tracer which accumulates in areas of activation. These active areas are then expressed in imaging techniques that fork out the level of activation. However,... ...arch 2009. doi10.1016/j.tins.2008.11.005Mo. (2008, June 20). Starring role in the brain for astrocytes Web log post. Retrieved from http//scienceblogs.com/neurophilosophy/2008/06/astrocytes_starring_role_in_the_brain.p hpSchummers, J., Yu, H., & Sur, M. (2008). Tuned responses of astrocytes and their influence on hemodynamic signals in the visual cortex. Science, 320, 1638-1643. doi 10.1126/science.1156120Segelken, R. (2004). CU laser microscopy technique settles brain chemistry debate, could aid studies of Alzheimers, stroke damage. Cornell Chronicle. Retrieved from http//www.news.cornell.edu/chronicle/04/7.1.04/astrocyte-neuron.htmlVaishnavi S.N., Vlassenko A.G., Rundle M.M., Snyder A.Z., Mintun M.A., Raichle, M.E.,(2010). Regional aerobic glycolysis in the human brain. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U SA. 107, 1775717762. doi 10.1073/pnas.1010459107

Free Catcher in the Rye Essays: Symbols and Symbolism :: Catcher Rye Essays

Symbolism in The Catcher in the Rye J. D. Salingers The Catcher in the Rye, published in 1951, is his best piece of work. The tarradiddle is about a sixteen-year old young man by the name of Holden Caulfield. Holden is being expelled from Pency Prep and decides to leave three days early. He chooses to not go home, enabling his parents to receive the letter that his head master at Pency Prep wrote to his parents about his expulsion. He chooses to hang around in New York until Wednesday, when he is passage to be able to return home. Throughout the three days, Holden is having a difficult time describeing out who he is. Throughout the novel, the reader is presented with m some(prenominal) distinguishable symbols. The symbols are clearly seen by Holdens constant repetition of their importance. The symbols are so important and their symbolism is directly related to the major themes of the novel. Allie, Holdens young brother who died some(prenominal) years earlier, was a major symbol t hroughout the story. When Holden remembers incidents from his past involving Allie, his attitude changes, such as when he writes the composition about Allies baseball glove or when Holden broke his hand after punching all of the windows after Allie died. I slept in the garage the night he died, and I broke all the goddam windows with my fist, hardly for the hell of it. (39) He feels that Allie was one of the few people who were not phony in a world full of phonies. More importantly, Allie represents the innocence and childhood that Holden strives to find throughout his three-day journey. In Holdens opinion, Allie represents the purity that Holden looks for in the world. Holden admits that he admires Allie more than he admires Jesus, and even prays to Allie at one point, rather than Jesus. Allie is Holdens role model, whom he judges the reside of the world according to. When Allie dies, it creates turbulence in Holdens life. At several points during the course of the novel, Holden asks as to what happens to the ducks who are normally on a pond in rally Park, when winter comes and the water freezes. On page 60, Holden asks, You know those ducks in that lagoon right near Central Park South? That little lake? By any chance, do you happen to know where they go, the ducks, when it gets all frozen over?

Tuesday, May 28, 2019

Common Vulnerabilities Facing IT Managers Essay examples -- Informatio

Vulnerabilities are like a thorn in the side of every single organization doing business today. In the IT military personnel vulnerabilities are bugs or flaws, a weakness, or an exposure of an application, system, device, or service which could lead to a failure of confidentiality, integrity, or availability (Liu & Zhang, 2011). They are to companies today what the inexorable plague was to Europe in the 1300s. It doesnt even matter if the organization is connected to the internet or not its still vulnerable to or so type of attack. Regardless of what a company actually produces and what its mission statement states their number one internal concern is vulnerability. How do IT Departments and IT Managers combat these threats? both company has some type of Cyber Security team or department. Cyber security is defined by the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team as protecting that information by preventing, detecting, and responding to attacks (McDowell & Household er, 2009). Every year companies spend billions upon billions of dollars in cyber security assessing and combating possible vulnerabilities of their organizations hardware and software systems, transmission media, local area networks, encompassing area networks, enterprise networks, Intranets, and Internet. This paper will evaluate 3 companys networks and assess their vulnerabilities. Company AWeebles, Inc has several hundred employees in their principal(prenominal) office and two hundred at the shipping plant just a few miles away. The LAN or Local Area Network uses ascorbic acid gb/1000gb connectivity speeds over Ethernet circuits. Local Area Networks cover small geographical locations and enable individual computers to communicate with each other to share information (Pang, 2011). The Wid... ... outdoor(a) IP address.Works CitedLiu, Q., & Zhang, Y. (2011, March). VRSS A new system for rating and scoring vulnerabilities. Computer Communications, 34(3), 264-273. Retrieve d June 08, 2011, from Computers & Applied Sciences Complete.McDowell, M., & Householder, A. (2009, May 6). Cyber Security Tip ST04-001. In US-CERT. Retrieved June 08, 2011, from CSEC610 9041 Webliography.Valacich, J, & Schneider, C. (2012). Information Systems nowadays Managing in the Digital World 5th Edition. (pp. 12-37). Pearson. ISBN-13 978-0-13-706699-5.UMUC. (2011). Custom Textbook for CSEC 610 (pp. 1-13). Hoboken, NJ John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ISBN 978-0-470-92331-3.Pang, L. (2011). The vulnerability of information systems in CSEC610. Course module 2 stick on in University of Maryland University College CSEC 610 9041 online classroom, archived at http//webtycho.umuc.edu

Common Vulnerabilities Facing IT Managers Essay examples -- Informatio

Vulnerabilities are like a thorn in the side of every single brass section doing business today. In the IT world vulnerabilities are bugs or flaws, a weakness, or an exposure of an application, system, device, or service which could lead to a failure of confidentiality, integrity, or approachability (Liu & Zhang, 2011). They are to companies today what the black plague was to Europe in the 1300s. It doesnt even matter if the organization is connected to the internet or not its still vulnerable to some type of attack. Regardless of what a company actually produces and what its mission statement states their number one internal concern is picture. How do IT Departments and IT Managers combat these threats? Every company has some type of Cyber Security team or department. Cyber security is defined by the United States Computer tinge Readiness Team as protecting that information by preventing, detecting, and responding to attacks (McDowell & Householder, 2009). Every year companies spend billions upon billions of dollars in cyber security assessing and combating possible vulnerabilities of their organizations hardware and software systems, infection media, local area networks, wide area networks, enterprise networks, Intranets, and Internet. This paper will evaluate 3 companys networks and assess their vulnerabilities. Company AWeebles, Inc has some(prenominal) hundred employees in their main office and two hundred at the shipping plant just a few miles away. The LAN or local Area Network uses 100 gb/1000gb connectivity speeds over Ethernet circuits. Local Area Networks cover small geographical locations and enable individual computers to communicate with each separate to share information (Pang, 2011). The Wid... ... external IP address.Works CitedLiu, Q., & Zhang, Y. (2011, March). VRSS A new system for rating and scoring vulnerabilities. Computer Communications, 34(3), 264-273. Retrieved June 08, 2011, from Computers & Applied Sciences C omplete.McDowell, M., & Householder, A. (2009, May 6). Cyber Security compass point ST04-001. In US-CERT. Retrieved June 08, 2011, from CSEC610 9041 Webliography.Valacich, J, & Schneider, C. (2012). Information Systems Today Managing in the Digital World 5th Edition. (pp. 12-37). Pearson. ISBN-13 978-0-13-706699-5.UMUC. (2011). Custom Textbook for CSEC 610 (pp. 1-13). Hoboken, NJ John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ISBN 978-0-470-92331-3.Pang, L. (2011). The vulnerability of information systems in CSEC610. route module 2 posted in University of Maryland University College CSEC 610 9041 online classroom, archived at http//webtycho.umuc.edu

Monday, May 27, 2019

Skil Corporation

Harvard Business School 9-389-005 op y September 15, 1988 Skil dope On March 23, 1979, Emerson electric automobile Company acquired Skil Corporation, a manufacturer of take turn up spring s flowercocks, for $58 one thousand thousand. With gross gross revenue of $2. 6 billion in 1979, Emerson Electric produced a tolerant range of electrical car automobileal and electronic outputs and systems. tC Emerson Electric Company Emerson Electric, in briefer a manufacturer of electric motors and fans, had gradu each(prenominal)y expanded into a broad range of consumer and industrial crossroads.It classified its businesses into commercial and industrial components and systems consumer sobers (including man- movable electric tools) and g everywherenment and defense products (see elude A). table A Sales and Pretax Income of Emerson Electric by Business Segments ($ millions) 1978 Pretax Income No Sales Commercial and industrial Consumer Government and defense Intertroupe sales $1,3 80 698 176 (20) $201 123 21 1979 Sales Pretax Income $1,570 865 199 (20) $232 141 24 starting time Company annual reportsEmersons business units manufactured products principally in galvanising and electronic fields, such as electric motors, controls, drives, and heating, ventilating, and air conditioning equipment. The company in any case manufactured might chain sayings, gas cutting and welding equipment, vacuum cleaners, bench spot tools (which it change to Sears), and opposite consumer goods. Do With a stated goal of cosmos the so- makeed best-cost producer in as many of its commercializes as possible, Emerson stressed cost reduction. Emerson be best cost as the lowest-cost producer of towering-quality products, making its products a superior node value.Each division was measured on growth and return on invested capital. Cheng G. Ong wrote this cocktail dress in collaboration with Professor Michael E. Porter on the basis of published materials and interviews with company executives. It is intended as a basis for class discussion kinda than to illustrate effective or ineffective handling of an administrative situation. Copyright 1988 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College. To order copies or request permission to reproduce materials, call 1-800-545-7685 or write Harvard Business School Publishing, Boston, MA 02163.No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, subroutined in a spreadsheet, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or oppositewisewithout the permission of Harvard Business School. 1 write or poster is an aggression of copyright. emailprotected harvard. edu or 617-783-7860. 389-005 Skil Corporation op y Emerson had embarked on a program of acquisitions to meet its aggressive goals of growing sales 15% each year and doubling earnings by 1981. Previously, Emerson had acquired only monetaryly successful companies and had retained existi ng management.With the Skil acquisition, it broke precedent. Carried by a high uply profitable electronic twitch company, Skil had registered mediocre financial performance. Because of Emersons major position in the chain saw assiduity with its Beaird-Poulan Division, for antitrust reasons Emerson had to divest Skils $20 million in chain saw sales on acquiring Skil. From Emersons perspective, Skil was a turnaround situation. Chuck Knight, CEO of Emerson, wondered if Skil would represent a successful new diversification approach or prove that Emersons past acquisition philosophy had been correct.Jim Hardymon and Bill Davis, Emerson veterans installed as Skils new president and marketing vice president, had a much to a lower placetakeing problem. Faced with stiff challenger from total darkness & Decker, Sears, and emerging Japanese competitors, Hardymon and Davis had to forge a new strategic direction. tC The man-portable indicator scape Industry The power tool industry consisted of portable and unmoving tools powered by electricity, gaso product line, or air. Stationary tools such as table saws, mob saws, radial arm saws, super grinders, and sanders were large, heavy units mounted on floor stands. Portable tools were hand held and in the main powered by an electric motor.The gasoline-powered chain saw was one of the few portable tools with a nonelectric engine. Pneumatic power was largely restricted to automotive tools such as grinders, buffers, impact wrenches, drills, and hammers. In 1979, portable electric power tools accounted for the majority of industry volume. No Portable electric power tools came in a wide range of sizes, prices, and qualities. Principal products were saws ( orotund, reciprocating, sabre, or jig) drills (corded or cord little, rhythmic or hammer) and sanders (disc, orbital, belt, or combined sander/grinders). Other products included outers, planes, roto hammers, impact wrenches, polishers, and rumpdrivers. demonstr ate 1 shows domestic U. S. sales of portable tools by type of tool. A typical company product line consisted of close cc tools plus accessories, for which a variety of sizes and price locates were available. The portable power tool market was meet increasingly segmented by price point. Circular saws, for example, ranged in price from $24. 99 to $199. 99 with typically 20 price points in between, each point designating a certain level of quality, durability, horsepower, and other product features. A typical manufacturer had 15 models. DoPortable electric power tools were used principally for woodworking, metalworking, or automotive repair. Power tools could be by and large divided into maestro ( similarly called industrial) and consumer categories. Professional tools were designed for heavy-duty use and had higher horsepower and a longer useful life. They were markedly superior in quality and precision to those designed for the consumer market. For example, the gears for a prof essional saw were made of steel, whereas consumer saw gears were made from powdered metal, a lower-strength material. Professional tools interchange at higher prices and gross margins than consumer tools.For example, tour a professional drill retailed at $100 or to a greater extent, a consumer drill typically cost less than $50. The average gross margin for a consumer drill was 37% compared with 45% for a professional drill. Within both markets, the range of price, quality, and size gradations was wide. As consumer tools were go more sophisticated and of higher quality, however, the traditional distinction between consumer and professional tools was blurring. As a result, more and more tradespeople and other professionals were buying consumer tools, in particular in developing countries where both markets were served through with(predicate) with(predicate) the same impart. Copying or neb is an encroachment of copyright. emailprotected harvard. edu or 617-783-7860. Skil Corpo ration 389-005 op y Product improvement in portable power tools took several forms. First was the use of bombing power. Although the first cordless drill, driven by nickel cadmium batteries, was introduced in the primaeval 1960s, cordless tools did not become commercially successful until the archaeozoic 1970s. Cordless tools were oecumenically less powerful than corded ones because of the limits of battery power and lightweight motors. They were generally regarded as consumer tools.As battery technology improved, professionals began victimisation cordless tools for quick touch-up jobs while using corded professional tools for the main job. By the new-fashioned 1970s, sales of cordless tools were growing rapidly. tC The second improvement was the availability of lighter materials, such as aluminum, magnesium, and plastic. For example, Skil and foreboding(a) & Decker, leading U. S. competitors, had pioneered the use of high-strength plastic in consumer tools and had lowered th eir costs remarkablely. shaft of lights were to a fault being redesigned for improved ergonomics and balance.Japanese and European manufacturers had taken the lead in creating tools with better-fitting handles and improved gripping surfaces, thus providing better control for the user. Producers were also designing tools to be more energy efficient. Safety was the final area of development. Saws and other tools increasingly had features such as impact resistance, safety switches, and guards. commonly, using a team of four to vi engineers, the design development for a new tool took two to four years, at a cost of $200,000 to $700,000 a year. Manufacturing a new model mandatory $250,000 to $800,000 in tooling. Buyers NoProfessional buyers of tools were a highly diverse multitude that included metalworkers, structure contractors, carpenters, plumbers, electricians, and farmers. They were concerned with performance, quality, durability, and service. They were very knowledgeable or so portable electric power tools, which were a lot the primary tools used in the professionals work. Tradespeople frequently purchased what they perceived as the best individual tool of each type and were only moderately influenced by the brand name. Portable electric power tools were also used in manufacturing firms for production activities and plant maintenance.Users in factories were generally less concerned than tradespeople active a tools quality and generally purchased whichever brand was available at their come out stores. Sales to the professional segment were growing steadily at 8% per year. Do Consumers were mainly hobbyists and do-it-yourselfers who bought al nighly drills and circular saws. Consumer users tended to be more price conscious than professionals and more susceptible to brand advertising and promotions. The consumer segment had big(p) rapidly in the early 1970s and by 1979 accounted for half the U. S. power tool market.The growth rate for consumer too ls vary greatly by individual product category. For example, between 1978 and 1979 alone, sales of cordless tools grew 50%. In the United Kingdom, the do-it-yourself market was growing at 23% annually and the industrial market, at about 2%. The do-it-yourself market in Europe was projected to grow at a similar rate. In 1979, the portable electric power tool market was approaching $2,350 million worldwide, with about $868 million of that in the United States. Western Europe represented about one- one-third of the world market and Japan, 12. %. Table B shows the sales distri only whenion of portable electric tools by geographic region. Developed country markets were similar in their impart and product varieties, although safety and electrical standards differed. In Europe, the industrial segment had traditionally dominated, and shocking & Decker had pioneered the introduction of consumer tools. European tool designs tended to be more stylish than the Statesn ones. In Europe, tools w ere used in the first place on concrete, and in the United States, on wood. 3 Copying or add-in is an attack of copyright.emailprotected harvard. edu or 617-783-7860. 389-005 World Portable Electric Power Tool Market in 1979 (sales by geographic region) Region Dollar sales United States Western Europe Japan/Far East Latin America Canada Australia Other derive 37. 0% 34. 5 12. 5 3. 7 3. 1 2. 2 7. 0 100. 0% Units 40. 0% 32. 2 12. 5 3. 3 3. 3 2. 2 6. 5 100. 0% impart op y Table B Skil Corporation No tC on that point were 15 separate distribution convey for power tools, ranging from specialized industrial outlets to mass merchandisers. Exhibit 1 gives estimated sales and growth rate by channel.Traditionally, industrial suppliers supplied professionals with their job needs and carried a broad range of higher-priced tools. Consumer channels such as hardware stores and mass merchandisers carried tools for consumers. With the advent of the do-it-yourself market in the mid-1970s, consu mers also began shopping at more industrial channels such as lumber and building materials add together stores. These do-it-yourself consumers demanded higher quality and more features in their tools. By 1979, these stores were being partially displaced by home centers, which catered to both professionals and consumers.A substantial volume of professional tools was increasingly interchange through consumer channels. There were important product and price point overlaps between the high-price consumer channels and the contractor and mill proviso outlets. Industrial channels included plumbing supply, electrical supply, contractor supply, automotive repair, tool rental, mill supply, and lumber/building materials supply outlets. Consumer channels included mass merchandisers, hardware stores, home centers, and new outlets such as catalog showrooms and buying clubs.Consumer channels had not developed fully outdoor(a) the United States and Europe but were emerging in Japan. Industrial channels generally purchased at a time from manufacturers consumer channels were served direct, through wholesalers, or via buying groups. Both types of channels provided node assistance, while manufacturers supplied service and repairs through company service centers. Fast service was a steadfast factor in stimulating sales, especially to tradespeople who relied on their tools for their livelihoods. Do Industrial Channels Contractor supply. In 1979, there were about 750 contractor supply stores in the United States.These stores supplied building contractors with a variety of products, ranging from fasteners and tools to generators and building materials. This channel stocked a complete line of portable power tools from many diametrical manufacturers, including at least the top two brands for each tool. ordinarily independent or part of small chains, contractor supply outlets purchased portable power tools directly from manufacturers. It was a common practice for manufacturers to train the contractor supply outlets sales force in selling their new tools to tradespeople and contractors at job sites.Portable electric power tools represented 20% to 30% of a contractor supply outlets thorough business and were generally priced below tools change through other industrial channels. Mill supply. Mill supply stores were usually small, independent outlets buying directly from manufacturers. In 1979, there were about 1,100 mill supply houses in the United States. These outlets 4 Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. emailprotected harvard. edu or 617-783-7860. Skil Corporation 389-005 op y carried a broad line of products for factories, ranging from food to work clothes to tools.Although power tools comprised only 1% to 2% of make sense sales for mill supply stores, they were the nigh important channel for portable electric power tool sales to factories. Mill supply stores carried a trammel line of portable power tools, selecting their assortmen t from only a couple of manufacturers. They sold mostly drills and grinders for metalworking and maintenance. Mill supply stores expected fast pitch shot of tools from manufacturers since customers often purchased tools on the spur of the moment. Portable power tools were usually sold at abovemarket prices. tC Tool specialists.The 300 tool specialists in the United States were mostly independent single outlets whose primary buyer groups were general contractors and manufacturing workers. In 1979, sales of portable power tools were $45 million, growing at an estimated 5% annually. Tool specialists carried the sterling(prenominal) number of product lines, especially low-volume tools. The tools carried were usually the brand attractor, pricey, of professional quality, and sold at prices similar to those of contractor supply outlets. Electric-powered tools constituted about 30% of total sales. plumb and electrical supply outlets.In 1979, there were about 700 plumbing and 1,800 ele ctrical supply outlets in the United States. Although several electrical supply chains were large and some were consolidating, plumbing and electrical supply outlets were usually small, independent stores Graybar, Westinghouse, and General Electric maintained national electrical distributorships. These outlets carried a hold in line of high-priced tools, especially reciprocating saws and drills, for sale to plumbers and electricians, respectively. Tools represented a minor (1% to 2%) portion of their total business.These outlets normally stocked only one or two brands and bought directly from the manufacturers. No Lumber/building materials supply outlets. These outlets stocked products similar to those in contractor supply stores, but concentrated more on materials. They carried a limited line of portable electric tools, those most in demand by contractors. Automotive distributors. These distributors supplied a wide range of products to the automotive service industry. The portable power tools they carried, such as grinders and impact wrenches, represented less than 1% of total sales. Tool and equipment rental outlets.These outlets rented higher-priced tools such as roto hammers and large sanders to tradespeople, contractors, or do-it-yourselfers for the occasional job. There were a few national rental companies. Consumer Channels Do mint merchandisers. Department stores such as Sears, J. C. Penney, and Montgomery Ward and discount merchandisers like K Mart were the largest sellers of portable power tools, accounting for almost 40% of U. S. consumer portable power tool sales in 1979. Sears sold private-label tools low its craftsman line, which was primarily manufactured by vocalizer Company.Sears was the most significant single consumer outlet for portable electric power tools. Montgomery Ward and J. C. Penney sold unforgiving & Decker, Skil, and Rockwell products down the stairs those brands and private labels. Department stores carried low- to mid-pri ce point products for the middle market, while discounters concentrated on low-price point items. mass merchandisers generally carried a narrow range of branded consumer tools. Sears offered the broadest line of all consumer channels. Sears, for example, stocked six to ten circular saws, while K Mart stocked two.Discount merchants frequently engaged in aggressive promotional campaigns, and tools were often highly discounted, sometimes to the level of the wholesale price of 5 Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. emailprotected harvard. edu or 617-783-7860. 389-005 Skil Corporation op y the tool to a hardware-store. Customer service was generally limited, although Sears offered aftersales service. Hardware stores. Independent hardware stores and chains offered a broad range of consumer tools and accessories, and some professional tools, often from several manufacturers.Hardware stores offered high levels of customer purchase assistance and service. Manufacturers sold d irect to hardware chains and buying groups or through wholesalers. In 1979, there were 5,000 hardware stores serviced by 200 wholesalers. Manufacturers frequently engaged in cooperative advertising with this channel. Sales of portable power tools through hardware stores had been static. Home centers. Home centers were an emerging channel in 1979. They carried a wide range of merchandise connected to the home, including tools, lumber, lawn mowers, and general hardware.Home centers carried broad lines of tools at a number of price points but tended to avoid the lowestpriced consumer lines. Home centers offered customer purchase assistance and service. They had partially replaced traditional lumberyards. Other Channels tC Both consumers and professionals shopped at home centers. Consumer-oriented centers carried fewer product lines and lower-priced items than professional home centers or hardware stores. Home centers competed with mass merchandisers for consumer sales. Home center sale s were $83 million in 1979 and growing rapidly at 12% to 14% per annum. NoOther littler channels included government supply agencies, military supply stores, catalog showrooms, agricultural and farm supply outlets, premium and incentive supply outlets, hobby stores, and general merchandise stores. Marketing Most companies maintained a sales force to call on the channels. The sales forces provided training to the outlets sales teams and present tools at job sites and in the store. They also maintained the companys product displays. Tools were sold to each channel using antithetical price lists with assorted discount structures. High-volume channels could qualify for volume discounts.Cooperative advertising with major channels was a common promotional practice by manufacturers. Catalogs and point-of-sale merchandising at industrial channels supplemented co-op advertisements. altogether the manufacturers also participated in trade shows. Do Competitors that targeted consumer users engaged in heavy media advertising. Exhibit 2 gives the advertising expenditures of major manufacturers. Manufacturing Portable electric power tools generally consisted of an outer shell, an electric motor, and screw machine parts such as gears and shafts, switches and attachments.The manufacture of portable electric tools knobbed fabrication and assembly of these components. Parts fabrication technologies included machining, die casting, metal stamping, and heat treatment. The motor housing and tool handle were often made of mould plastic. Professional tools usually had more aluminum diecast parts than consumer tools. Purchased materials, machining, diecasting/ cast, motor win ding and assembly, and final assembly were the most significant costs in manufacturing. Diecasting and molding were subject 6 Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright.emailprotected harvard. edu or 617-783-7860. Skil Corporation 389-005 op y to the most significant economies of scale. In-house di ecasting and molding reduced costs by about 20% over purchased components. The costs of molding, machining, and diecasting depended on the volume per part. The cost of motor and final assembly was determined by the volume per product family, that is, product lines that could be produced with the same manufacturing process. Purchased materials were the least scale-sensitive of the cost elements, with cost falling by only 3% when volume was doubled.Table C gives an approximate breakd aver of manufacturing costs for a typical manufacturer. Table C Breakdown of Manufacturing Costs Consumer Tool 56% 5 5 14 20 100% 43% 25 14 10 8 100% tC Purchased materials Machining Diecasting and molding Motor assembly Final assembly summarize Industrial Tool No Manufacturers could achieve significant cost savings through automation. Single-task machines like screw machines and grinders were being replaced by machining systems. A typical machining system cost $400,000, but the cost could be very much higher.An automated motor production line cost $3 million and required that a million motors be produced a year to break even. Hitachi, a Japanese competitor, and several European manufacturers had invested heavily in automation and developed lines of tools from common base designs. Table D shows estimates of the percentage of total manufacturing cost, with and without automation, represented by each part of a circular saw with annual production of 100,000 units. Table D Estimates of Manufacturing Costs Saw Without Automation (% Unit Costs) 25. 0% 23. 0 5. 0 2. 0 1. 5 Do Housing MotorElectrical Bearings Packaging With Automation (% Unit Costs) 20. 0% 20. 0 5. 0 2. 0 4. 0 Manufacturers varied in their levels of integration, but none were completely integrated. The largest manufacturers produced attachments such as saw blades or feet for jigsaws, which smaller manufacturers purchased from outside suppliers. No tool manufacturer possessed the technology or scale to produce all the nece ssary components. Critical components that directly affected the performance of the tool (i. e. , parts that required machining or diecasting) were generally fabricated in-house.Most manufacturers also produced the motor, which consisted of two basic parts, the armature and the field. Proper balancing of the 7 Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. emailprotected harvard. edu or 617-783-7860. 389-005 Skil Corporation op y armature was critical to the performance of a tool. A motors power depended on the number and size of the laminations. Because of the high cost of the equipment and the long changeover time per model, lamination stamping was extremely scale-sensitive. A lamination press cost between $750,000 and $1 million, and a set of tooling dies cost $250,000.Production of about 10 million of a particular lamination size was required to break even. Typical motors required 10 to 20 laminations each. Manufacturers could purchase all the main components for power tool s from specialized suppliers who sold to a variety of industries. Many supplier industries were mature, and some components were sourced from abroad. The components most often purchased included batteries, direct-current motors, metal stampings, plastic resins and parts, powdered metal parts, switches, cord sets, motor laminations, saw blades, ball bearings, and packaging.The cost of most purchased materials was determined by the general volume purchased. Table E gives an approximate breakdown of costs as a percentage of sales for a typical manufacturer. Estimated Costs as a Percentage of Sales tC Table E Materials and supplies Direct labor Indirect labor and overhead Advertising disbursal Sales force expense Competition 35%53% 6%8% 10%22% 4%10% 4%8% No In the 1960s and early 1970s, more than 70 manufacturers worldwide made portable electric tools, with approximately 20 located in the United States and the balance in Europe and Japan. Until the mid-1970s, competition in ower tools was largely domestic. Except for Black & Decker and Skil, few competitors exported or manufactured abroad. When manufacturers began selling in foreign markets, they differed in their marketing approach to buyers in antithetic countries. U. S. manufacturers produced a different and wider line of products in their foreign plants compared with that produced for U. S. sale. Japanese manufacturers tended to offer the same range of products worldwide from plants in Japan. Table F lists the brand dower of dollar sales in the world market in 1979. Table F Brand Share of World Portable Electric Power Tool Market, 1979Company 31. 1% 11. 1 10. 7 8. 3 7. 1 5. 0 4. 3 3. 5 2. 6 1. 9 1. 5 1. 4 1. 0 1. 0 9. 5 Do Black & Decker Makita Bosch Hitachi Skil AEG singer Milwaukee Metabo Rockwell Peugeot Fein Elu Ryobi Others Percentage 8 Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. emailprotected harvard. edu or 617-783-7860. Skil Corporation 389-005 op y In 1979, there were approximately a doze n manufacturers of portable electric power tools competing in the U. S. market. Of these, seven were U. S. companies. Exhibit 3 shows the share of major companies by distribution channel in the United States.Black & Decker had a U. S. market share estimated at 40% to 43% of total dollar sales. Sears Roebuck was in second position, with an estimated 16% to 20% market share. Skil was third with about 15%. The balance was held by Milwaukee, Rockwell, small specialist producers, various private-label manufacturers, and some emerging foreign competitors. In the industrial tool segment, Milwaukee was market leader with approximately 25% market share. Black & Decker was second with an estimated 20% market share. In third position was Skil with about 15%. Exhibit 4 lists selected financial data for the major U.S. portable electric tool manufacturers. tC Black & Decker Manufacturing Company. Black & Decker manufactured a broad line of electric and cordless portable power tools, portable air tools, and stationary and gasoline-powered equipment. In the late 1960s, Black & Decker moved into lawn care and began manufacturing lawn mowers and hedge trimmers. A chain saw company, McCulloch Corporation, was acquired in 1974. McCulloch began manufacturing mope engines in 1979. In the same year, Black & Decker introduced its hand-held rechargeable vacuum cleaner. In 1979, worldwide sales were $1. billion. Portable electric tools represented about 75% of Black & Deckers overall sales. The companys goal was a yearly 15% growth in sales and earnings per share. In 1979, Black & Decker appointed the first person outside the Black and Decker families to head the company. No Black & Decker was known as the worlds oldest and largest power tool manufacturer. Black & Decker segmented the portable power tool industry into consumer and professional markets. Its product line was extremely broad and consisted of 280 models designed specially for either the professional or consumer markets.The company was best known for its consumer drills and industrial sander/grinder. Black & Deckers line was designed around approximately 200 motor sizes. 1 Table G shows Black & Deckers sales by market category. Black & Decker sold to virtually all distribution channels, including national merchandisers such as K Mart, J. C. Penney, and Montgomery Ward. It had an extremely strong position in consumer channels, especially in low-priced drills and saws. In industrial channels, Black & Decker had established leadership in most product categories in mill upply outlets by focusing on the largest regionally dominant distributors where they were the sole line. The companys products were in more than 70% of all U. S. homes. In the United Kingdom, Black & Decker had a 90% market share. Black & Deckers distribution system involved more than 100,000 outlets worldwide. The company sold direct, through wholesalers to smaller outlets and via its network of 104 company-own service centers in the Unit ed States and 221 in 45 foreign markets. Black & Deckers service centers were supplemented by several hundred allow service centers operated by independent local owners.Do Black & Decker enjoyed an extremely strong brand reputation among both consumers and industrial users. Black & Deckers tools were priced below most of its competitors. The company spent heavily on print and prime- time television advertising. Its worldwide advertising budget for 1978 was $47. 3 million, a 20% increase over 1977. Black & Decker had 31 plants in 10 countries. The company was largely nonunion, with only one unionized plant. Manufacturing was divided between professional and consumer tools. Each division produced tools for its own market. Black & Decker plants were partly automated.The company required a three-year payback on its investment in automation. In 1979, the company began replacing single-task machines with machining systems. The machining system comprised four units, an voluntary sawing m achine, a facing and centering unit, and two tracers. 1In 1979, Black & Deckers U. K. company had reduced its number of models from 130 tools to 50. 9 Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. emailprotected harvard. edu or 617-783-7860. 389-005 Skil Corporation op y In late 1978, the company began to standardize its motors and armature shafts. Its U. K. plant produced 3. million consumer motors with one standard field lamination and one armature shaft the different power requirements were achieved through variations in the windings, produced on an automated winding line. Black & Decker had developed its own production function system, a combination of conventional flow-line techniques and group technology, in which machine tools were grouped around the production needs of components rather than components distributed among successive production processes. To reduce its work-in-process inventory, the company relied on computerization to organize the flow of parts through its plants.Black & Decker first adopted group technology and related automation in the mid-1960s. It applied the technique to the production of 7 ? -inch power handsaws, with a resulting decrease in direct labor from one hour per saw to 30 minutes and a 16% reduction in selling price. Black & Decker was one of the most vertically integrated manufacturers in the United States. Table G tC Foreign subsidiaries were responsible for marketing and product development in their markets. Research and development was conducted in the United States and four other countries on a budget exceeding $15 million.Each manufacturing facility had its own engineering staff. Black & Decker transacted 60% of its total business outside the United States. Black & Deckers distribution of sales by geographic area is shown in Table G. scattering of Black & Decker Sales By Market Category (percent) 1978 1977 63% 28 9 63% 28 9 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 $531. 9 480. 0 193. 2 $386. 4 414. 5 159. 0 $311. 4 361. 7 1 38. 5 $277. 8 334. 5 135. 9 $249. 0 293. 2 111. 7 67% 25 8 No Consumer products Professional products Service 1979 By Geographic Area ($ millions) Europe United States Pacific 1976 63% 26 11 1975 58% 31 1 Source Black & Decker Annual Report, 1979. Do Sears Roebuck & Company/Singer Company. Sears Roebuck & Company operated 866 retail stores, 1,388 miscellaneous other stores (mostly catalog stores), and 14 catalog merchandise distribution centers. Sears also provided after-sales service at its retail centers. Positioned as a general-line retailer, Sears carried a broad mix of lines directed at the middle-class customer. Many Sears products were sourced from outside vendors and sold under a variety of Sears brand names. Sears had by far the highest sales of power tools of any single retailer.Sears own brand, Craftsman, had been an established trademark for more than 55 years. Craftsman portable power tools were seen as a consumer line and priced moderately. Sears excellent reputation f or service was a major Sears advantage in selling power tools. Portable power tool sales at Sears had been flat. Singer manufactured all of the portable power tools for Sears, which for more than 40 years had been its sole tool customer in the United States. Singer also produced lawn and garden appliances and floor care products for Sears. In 1979, Singers total sales were $2. 9 billion. The company also manufactured sewing machines, furniture, and air conditioning and heating equipment for consumers, and aerospace and marine systems for the government. 10 Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. emailprotected harvard. edu or 617-783-7860. Skil Corporation 389-005 op y Singer manufactured 50 models of portable power tools in two plants. Its pricing was on a known-cost basis. Sears paid Singer an agreed-on markup over its actual costs, which were disclosed to Sears. Sears owned most of the specialized tooling.In 1979, Singer and Sears marketed power tools for the first ti me in Brazil under both the Craftsman and Singer trademarks. Singer was believed to enjoy above-average favorableness in power tools. Rockwell International Corporation. Rockwell International was a diversified company operating in the automotive, aerospace, electronics, energy, graphics, textile, and power tool industries. Rockwell had entered the power tool business in the early 1960s with the acquisition of Porter Cable, a well-respected industrial portable tool manufacturer, and Delta, an industrial stationary tool company.The company then marketed professional tools under the Rockwell label. tC Rockwells power tool division was estimated to hold just over 6% of the market. Rockwell tools had been sold through industrial channels until the late 1970s, when the company began marketing a new line of tools to consumers through mass merchandisers, hardware stores, and other retailers. Rockwells new product line matched Black & Deckers. Rockwell set out to aggressively grow the busi ness through heavy advertising. The company advertised to end users through comparative advertisements in trade and consumer magazines.Rockwells bench top (stationary) power tools became quite popular among consumer users, although progress in portable tools had been modest Rockwell produced a line of 130 tools in three plants. It had both company-owned service centers and a network of authorized independents throughout the United States and Canada. Components had been standardized so that 80% of the repairs involved 40% of the parts, lessening inventory requirements. Rockwell entered the U. K. market with its line of consumer tools in the late 1970s and suffered losses.In 1979, Rockwell took a $35 million write-off in consumer tools. No Milwaukee Tools. Milwaukee Tools was a subsidiary of Amstar Corporation, the largest producer of sweeteners in the United States, with sales of $1,056. 4 million in 1979. Milwaukee had been producing portable electric tools since 1924 and was acquir ed by Amstar in 1976. Amstars Industrial Products Group consisted of Milwaukee and other companies producing hoists, jacks, fluid joints, couplings, and other industrial tools and equipment. Sweeteners accounted for 84% of Amstars sales, although it was want greater diversification.Sugar prices were severely depressed in 1979 and were expected to be soft for the next few years. Milwaukee concentrated on tools for the professional market. Its line consisted of about 280 models of portable electric tools manufactured in three plants. The Milwaukee Sawzall and drill were the companys best-known tools. Milwaukee sold through more than 5,000 distributors in the United States and Canada serving industrial channels. It had a very strong brand image in the professional market and a good position in all industrial channels, especially plumbing and electrical supply outlets.Milwaukee had established a strong position in contractor supply in high-priced drills and reciprocating saws. Milwauke es tools were priced above other brands. Do Makita Electric Works Ltd. Makita Electric Works (Japan) was originally a motor repair shop. It entered the power tool market in the 1950s. By 1979, its annual sales approached $250 million, with international sales accounting for about 45%. Makita concentrated on tools for the professional market, especially for woodworking. The company had 250 professional-quality tool models in its product line.There were strong similarities in Makita tools sold in domestic and overseas markets. Makita priced its tools aggressively, sometimes 20% to 30% below prevailing market prices for the normal professional tools. Makita had pioneered the introduction of lower-priced materials on professional tools (for example, plastic versus metal housings). To sell its tools, Makita had to convince users they were as good as conventional tools but less expensive. 11 Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. emailprotected harvard. edu or 617-783-7860. 8 9-005 Skil Corporation op y Makita manufactured tools in two plants located in Japan. Dedicated equipment manufactured specific product families. The cost-conscious company awarded employees for recommendations on cost savings or new product ideas. In Japan, Makita had 400 salespeople selling directly to retail outlets. Makitas sales in the U. S. market had self-aggrandising from less than $10 million in 1976 to approximately $25 million in 1979. Makita was making a major push for U. S. market share, combining high quality with aggressive pricing.In 1979, Makita sold primarily through industrial channels, although it had an aggressive direct sales force selling at job sites. Robert Bosch Gmbh. Robert Bosch (West Germany) was the second-largest portable electric power tool manufacturer in the world. The company manufactured a variety of products and equipment, ranging from automotive parts to production machinery and systems. In 1979, sales of portable electric power tools were appr oximately $400 million $22 million were in the U. S. market. tC Bosch had a very strong position in Europe and distributed through all channels.The company manufactured about 250 models in six plants located throughout Europe. In the United States, the company concentrated on the professional segment. In 1979, it acquired Stanley Tools portable power tool business in the United States. Stanley was a strong brand name in routers. Hitachi. Backed by Japans largest electrical manufacturer, Hitachi had portable electric power tool sales in 1979 of $175 million, commanding about 40% of the market in Japan. Sales in the United States were less than $1 million. No Hitachis power tools were of industrial quality, primarily for metalworking.The company was regarded as an industry leader in several tools. Tools were designed for the world market and manufactured in one plant located in Japan. Others. AEG Telefunken of Germany was an established manufacturer of portable electric power tools in Europe. Ingersoll-Rand, a U. S. manufacturer, also produced portable electric tools under its Millers Falls brand. Skil Corporation Skil Corporation was founded in the 1920s in Chicago. Its original product was the circular saw, which it invented, but gradually it expanded into other power tools.Skil had a long history of introducing new products. It had a number of industry firsts or near firsts to its credit, including an early cordless drill, the first portable electric saw, and the first consumer electric hedge trimmer. Do Skil entered the Canadian market in 1946. In the 1950s, Skil invented the roto hammer but, while retaining manufacturing rights, sold the patents to Hilti, a company in Liechtenstein, to raise cash. In the 1960s, the company began producing lower-priced tools for consumers. During the same period, Skil began manufacturing in Europe and Australia.In the 1970s, the company entered markets in the Far East and Latin America. In the 1960s, Skil developed an electr onic switch and formed a new company, Capax, in the terminateherlands to produce and supply electronic switches to Skil and other power tool manufacturers. Various competitors soon used electronic variable speed switches to control speed in many tools. The Capax subsidiary was still highly profitable. Since its inception, Skil had been managed by members of one family that had controlling quest in the company.Under increasing competitive pressure, Skils financial results had not been 12 Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. emailprotected harvard. edu or 617-783-7860. Skil Corporation 389-005 op y stellar, although inform profitability had improved in recent years. Exhibits 5, 6, and 7 give recent Skil financial results. Products Skil served both the professional and consumer markets. It had a broad product line, including all significant types of tools in numerous shapes and variations at all price points. In the United States, more than 130 models employed 11 moto r frame sizes.Skil also had about 150 different European models and about 75 for the rest of the world. Its circular saw line remained Skils single strongest product area. The company also had good positions in mid-priced drills and roto hammers. tC Skil engineers were encouraged to aggressively develop new models, and the company strove for the best product performance rather than commonality with other models. New designs were released for manufacturing at one of Skils plants. In 1978, Skil had 93 engineers and technicians employed in its research laboratories.Expenditure for research and engineering was approximately $2. 7 million. Skil product designs varied in different countries according to local needs. In circular saws, for example, Skil had seven different U. S. saws, two European versions, two Canadian versions, and two for other export markets, totaling 35 models using 12 different motors worldwide. Skil had a higher percentage of professional tools in its product mix tha n Black & Decker. Skil tools were predominantly metallic, with cut steel gears and metal housings. Channels No Skil sold through all the distribution channels for power tools.Skil was well established in hardware stores and had a strong position in circular saws in contractor supply channels due primarily to a worm drive professional saw that was the industry standard. Skil tools were also sold through department stores. The companys major domestic accounts were with Montgomery Ward and J. C. Penney, which represented 10% of its sales in the United States. Skils sales force serviced all its distributors except the mass merchandisers, who were sold to direct, and hardware stores, which were served through wholesalers.The company had 2,200 customers, including 200 wholesalers, which serviced hardware stores. From the beginning, the company had established service centers throughout the country. In 1979, it had 76 company-owned service centers and 427 authorized service stations throug hout the United States. Marketing Do Skils 150-person sales force was broadly specialized by channel. Merchandising techniques included self-contained displays that show-cased promotional tools to the consumer. Skil seldom advertised (except in cooperative programs with channels), relying more on product publicity.Occasionally the company sponsored sales promotions and consumer media advertising campaigns in magazines, newspapers, and television. Manufacturing Skil manufactured products in 13 plants throughout North America, Western Europe, and Australia. Plants were dedicated to either component fabrication or assembly. Components plants were generally single-function facilities for such activities as diecasting, screw machining, saw blade manufacture, and motors production. The most popular motor frame size was manufactured in five 13 Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright.emailprotected harvard. edu or 617-783-7860. 389-005 Skil Corporation op y plants located in four countries, with annual production ranging from 50,000 units to 800,000 units per plant. Annual motor production in other frame sizes varied from 12,000 units to 870,000 units per plant. In the United States (Illinois, Arkansas, and New York), three feeder plants produced components and four manufacturing plants produced different products. The Netherlands had two plants, one for electronic switches, as did Canada Australia and Brazil (a joint venture) had one each.Skil plants were partly automated with motor winding lines and some machining centers. Skils newest plant in Heber Springs, Arkansas, had opened in 1979. International Do No tC Skil sold tools on a worldwide basis, with its greatest international strength in Europe. The companys worldwide operations were divided into three regions the United States, Europe, and Other. Each was supreme and had plants that produced the full product line for that region. A network of country managers was responsible for sales and service in each country. 14 Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright.emailprotected harvard. edu or 617-783-7860. Skil Corporation U. S. Portable Electric Power Tool Market in 1979 Product Sales by Distribution Channel ($ millions) Consumer Mass Merchandisers Circular saws Drillscorded Drillscordless Jigsaws Orbital sanders Belt sanders Roto hammers Sander/grinders Planes Miscellaneous Parts/service Total Percentage growth $ 40 36 3 21 19 11 6 2 29 22 $189 2%4% Industrial Hardware/ Home Centers $ 37 37 9 12 7 6 3 1 37 42 $191 Mill Supply Contractor Supply Plumbing/ Electrical $ 20 46 2 3 5 8 4 26 1 14 15 $144 2%3% $ 36 32 3 3 2 8 6 0 2 11 12 $135 2%3% $2 25 2 2 1 1 3 2 13 11 $ 62 2%3% Others/ Service Total $8 19 1 1 3 1 19 2 18 75 $147 $143 195 20 42 37 35 32 59 6 122 177 $868 Do No tC Product op y Exhibit 1 389-005 15 Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. emailprotected harvard. edu or 617-783-7860. 389-005 U. S. National Consumer Advertising of Portable Electric Tools by Leading Manufacturers, 19751979 ($ thousands) 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 $2,613. 5 178. 7 1,793. 5 590. 1 51. 2 $4,479. 3 3,506. 1 973. 2 $6,487. 6 12. 8 6,339. 4 135. 4 $6,208. 3 5,560. 1 648. 2 $1,222. 258. 4 345. 3 618. 3 $870. 6 318. 6 396. 0 156. 0 $2,147. 3 761. 4 1,252. 7 77. 0 56. 2 $320. 5 217. 7 102. 8 $1,038. 5 270. 8 767. 7 $1,769. 8 584. 4 1,169. 7 15. 7 $2,541. 7 950. 1 1,425. 2 164. 6 1. 8 $3,808. 1 926. 4 1,608. 2 1,163. 8 109. 7 $4,252. 7 699. 8 2,712. 2 771. 2 69. 5 $940. 3 106. 4 256. 9 577. 0 $1,800. 4 153. 6 1,645. 0 1. 8 $852. 7 848. 2 4. 5 $1,342. 2 1,217. 7 13. 8 110. 7 $2,724. 9 99. 9 1,839. 3 699. 9 85. 8 Rockwell Total Magazines Network TV Spot TV Outdoor Newspaper $1,396. 8 434. 2 927. 9 33. 3 1. 4 No tC Black & Decker Total Magazines Network TV Spot TV Newspapers Sears Total Magazines Network TV Spot TV Radio Outdoor op y Exhibit 2 Skil Corporation Skil Total Magazines Network TV Spot TV Radio Outdoor Source Lead ing National Advertisers, Inc. , National Advertising Investments. Includes companies spending $25,000 or more on the combination of national magazines, newspaper supplements, network TV, network radio, spot TV, and outdoor advertising. The data do not include cooperative advertising by retailers, the cost of which is shared by manufacturers. DoNote No data on advertising expenditures for portable electric tools were available for Bosch, Milwaukee, and Makita. 16 Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. emailprotected harvard. edu or 617-783-7860. Skil Corporation U. S. Portable Electric Power Tool Market in 1979 Brand Sales by Distribution Channel ($ millions) op y Exhibit 3 389-005 Hardware/ Home Centers Skil Black & Decker Milwaukee Rockwell Bosch AEG Millers Falls Makita Hilti Singer Wen Total $8 54 9 107 11 $189 $ 44 115 6 14 2 10 $191 Mill Supply $ 12 93 11 13 7 3 2 3 $144 ContractorSupply Plumbing/ Electrical Others/ Service Total $ 26 36 33 11 10 3 5 11 $135 $1 13 35 2 3 2 2 4 $62 $ 15 63 10 5 5 2 1 4 32 9 1 $147 $106 374 95 54 25 10 10 24 32 116 22 $868 Do No tC Company Mass Merchandisers 17 Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. emailprotected harvard. edu or 617-783-7860. 389-005 Selected Financial Information on Portable Electric Tool Manufacturers ($ millions) 1976 Black & Decker Sales Net income ROS % Debt/equity % ROE % Capital expenditures 1978 811. 7 51. 7 6. 4 0. 22 13. 4 29. 4 959. 9 66. 2 6. 9 0. 20 15. 6 38. 3 1,205. 0 94. 4 7. 8Skil CorporationINSTITUTE OF BUSINESS MANAGEMENT SKIL CORPORATION CASE ANALYSIS STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT SECTION C engagement 3 INSTRUCTOR ABDUL QADIR MOLVI DATE 12TH MARCH, 2013 Q1. What is your analysis of structure of possible Electric Power Tool Industry? According to the Porters fivesome Forces Analysis the industry is moderately attractive. Q2. How the industry structure is changing? Are these changes for better or worse? The power tool industry consisted of portabl e and stationary tools with wide range of sizes prices and qualities.The industry was becoming increasingly segmented by price point, with each point representing a certain level of quality. The power tools were broadly divided into two categories professional/industrial and consumer. The professional tools were superior in quality and therefore were sold at higher prices and greater gross margins than the consumer tools. However, as the consumer tools were becoming more sophisticated and of better quality the distinction between both the categories started to blur.As technology was improving the trends of usage of power tools changed (corded tools were replaced by cordless ones). The other improvement was the availability of lighter materials (aluminum, magnesium and plastic). This helped in lowering the costs of production. Also, energy efficient tools were developed and safety was emphasized as an area of development. All the occurring changes reflected growth potential in the po wer tool industry.Some of the changing factors which indicated the potential for development, betterment and growth of the industry include the increasing emphasis on quality, safety, more energy efficient products, advancements in technology and wide ranges of product with varying prices. Q3. What was Skils competitive dodge in 1979? How would you evaluate its relative position? In 1979 Skil Corporation had 76 company owned service centers and 427 authorized service stations throughout United States. It followed a lower-priced tools strategy for its consumers.Also, it differed in its strategy while catering to each countrys (where it exported or manufactured) particular needs. The corporation encouraged its engineers to aggressively develop new models and strive for the best product performance. Skil scantily advertised its products and relied mostly on product publicity. It catered to both professional and consumer markets. Initially, circular saws were strongest product among th e contractor supply channel because of the industry standard for a professional saw which any other competitor did not match.The circular saws remained Skils strongest product area. The evaluation of Skil Corporations relative position indicates that it was focusing on new products in existing markets. In short, it was inclined towards new product development. Q4. What strategic options does Skil Corporation have? According to the analysis of Porters cardinal Competitive Forces Model the industry was moderately attractive. On the other hand we can also notice that the competition was extremely fierce in the industry by analyzing the brand shares given in the caseCompany Percentage Black & Decker 31. 1% Makita 11. 1% Bosch 10. 7% Hitachi 8. 3% Skil 7. 1% AEG 5. 0% Singer 4. 3% Miiwaukee 3. 5% Matabo 2. 8% Rockwell 1. 9% In this situation its not just merely selection and implementation of a strategy that matters but also the right selection (out of the options) and adequate implemen tation along with follow-up. Following were the strategic options for Skil Corporation * To go for mergers & acquisitions in order to increase sales and profitability. To use defensive strategies in order to put obstacles in the path of would-be challengers and fortify the companys present position while undertaking actions to discourage rivals from even trying to attack. * To use best-cost strategy. This strategy would have enabled Skil to create strong market presence by giving buyers more value for the money. * To go for divestment. Q5. What strategy will you recommend to Skil Corporation? Skil can gain its strong position back in the market if it follows certain strategies such as * Focusing on a particular segment or broadening its distribution horizon to more than just the departmental stores.In short, Skils relative position in the market of only around 7% share (1979) is clearly due to the company trying to please more markets than it is capable of and hence, focus and inte gration could ensure a better position to an extent. * Considerably more spend on consumer advertising. According to the figures shown in Exhibit 2, it is quite evident that the advertising spend of Black & Decker in 1978 was approximately 300% more than Skil Corp.

Sunday, May 26, 2019

Amway Japan Essay

Amway lacquer Limited Executive Summary In 1996 Amway Japan Limited (AJL) was the leader in direct selling market, and the most successful company within the entire Amway group. In the first half of1997, AJL experienced a net sales decline of 11. 6% and net income to 27. 6% from the first half of the previous year. The Japanese economy and declining value ofthe Yen relative to the U. S. sawhorse has decreased AJLs sales volume and profit margin. The Japanese government recently passed laws that confused AJLs electrical distributors and discouraged potential consumers from buying certain crossroad lines.Furthermore, AJL suffers from a negative public image with over 70% of their customer base having either a neutral or negative opinion of the company. In order to rebuild growth in the second half of 1997 and achieve AJLs long-term sales goal of ? 300 billion by FY2000, the sideline strategies must be implemented. AJL must strengthen the overall Amway brand image in Japan by promo ting high quality products with a competitively graceful price. In addition, AJL needs to target their public-relations campaigns to specific groups by promoting individual products and product lines to build upon their brand equity.AJL will undertake a focused extensive distributor training program which emphasizes distributor ethics, techniques on building correspondent down-line relations, and a greater understanding of Japans door-to-door sales laws and regulations. AJL will breakthe internal marketing strategy by extending target-marketing initiatives toward specific demographic distributor groups to add upon their success with the Artistry cosmetic brands. AJL will successfully capture their whim to reach their target revenue goals by implementing the solutions offered above.

Saturday, May 25, 2019

Barclays: Matt Barrett’s Journey †Winning Hearts and Minds Essay

The fact that Barclays is one of the four most dominant retail and commercial banks in the U.K. says a lot about its reputation. This party has faced umteen challenges between the time periods of 1980-2000. Matt Barrett has several great ideas to turn this company around, and the factors that should be considered are essential to the success of his outline.Social/DemographicThe Company initiates pricy guest relationship skills. They have built personal relationships with one out of five personal customers, and have direct relationships with 25% of the businesses in the U.K. On the downside, the companys cost base is much higher than its competitors. The plan is to change the core infrastructure of the company in order to build a stronger customer base. Becoming more competitive and religious offering value to its core products will give Barclays the competitive edge it needs to help increase profit and pull out new clients.TechnologicalBarrett and his Executive Committee (ExC o) team have plans to restructure the company by shifting its culture. In order to shift the culture, the mind-set of the employees has to change. Barrett promoted junior talent to join his ExCo team to give the company fresh innovative ideas. These new ideas will give solutions to replace the incompetence of traditional strategies that are no longer useful. The company also did an analysis on the industry and company data to figure out which segments were making money, and which ones werent. A value-based management approach gives the ExCo team an opportunity to take on challenges and risks, and make strategic decision about what segments to add, and what to take away.EconomicConsidering that Barclays is a reputable company, and the fact that an estimated 20% of its profits are generated outside of the U.K it would be ideal for the company to expand to gain exposure. The company is the ninth largest bank in Europe, and already has a customer base in the country. Developing a secon d home market in continental Europe would allow the company to create a larger customer base, whence increasing profit.Environmental/GeographicBarclays is located in a stable economy with a strong domestic franchise. The only crutch is that they need a strategy to compete with new entrants. The U.K. accounts for 80% of the companys profit, so plans to restructure core products will require a dynamic strategic plan. Using different tactics to differentiate product/customer markets will help aid in maximizing the economic value of the company and improving these products by offering value to clients will aid in creating a stronger customer base.Political/Legal/Governmental Barclays is the first foreign bank to file with the Securities and Exchange boot in Washington D.C. This is an advantage to the company on a global scale because banking laws are enforced according to SEC regulations. On the downside, the company whitethorn be overlooked by firms who are looking to establish offs hore accounts in order to bypass these regulations.

Friday, May 24, 2019

Naturalistic Observation Essay

? Naturalistic Observation In order to study human development and perform naturalistic observation I went to the mall. I selected a 9-year-old discolour daughter as the subject for my observation. I observed the subject for 30 minutes. During my observation the subject was not interrupted and was not aware of my study. The fillefriend was outgo time with her mother and brother at the mall. She was enjoying herself. She played some games with her brother. The games included jumping and running.During one of the games the girl had a short conversation with her brother. After that the girl started drawing pictures in her notebook. Mother of the subject had a real satisfied expression on her face when she saw the drawing her daughter made. During the whole observational period the girl looked relaxed and happy. The approximate height of the subject is 4ft 2in, the approximate weight is 70 lbs. She was well-dressed, her clothes were new and tidy. The girl was physically develop according to her age.During my whole observation the subject was very active, the girl was running and jumping, it was obvious that she had a good coordination. The child was also drawing pictures in her notebook, so I came to the end that both her gross motor skills and fine manipulative skills were developed properly. Cognitive development of the subject was on a sufficient level. I observed the girl when she was buying an ice cream, she saw that one of the portions was on the bigger plate, but she chose one on the smaller plate because she liked the shape of it more.The girl was suitable to understand that if something changes in appearance it does not mean that the quantity of it changed. harmonize to Piagets guess of cognitive development, the girl was on the concrete operational stage. It is the very important stage, because the child starts thinking logically and operationally. Being on this particular stage is suddenly adequate for children at the age of 9. The girl was emotionally and socially well developed. She obeyed the rules of the game and the rules of the mall while playing.During my observation the girl demonstrated that she was able to work in a team with her brother. She was friendly and well socialized. According to Eriksons stages of social and emotional development this kind of behavior means that the girl was on the school age stage. It is absolutely normal to be on this stage of social and emotional development at the age of 9. After my observation I came to the result that the subject meets the milestones and stages for the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development.Judging from the drawing that the girl made we can assume that the girl is gifted. According to my naturalistic observation there is nothing unusual in the development of the girl. According to her age she is absolutely adequate. The observation was a very interesting and informative process. It gave me the opportunity to apply different theories of develop ment. The biggest advantage of this psychological method is the opportunity to observe the subject in the natural surrounding and watch his natural behavior.To sum up, during my naturalistic observation I applied Piagets theory of cognitive development and Eriksons theory of emotional and social development. Both of these theories gave me the opportunity to understand the subject better. According to my observation, all physical skills of the girl were developed properly. After analysis I came to the conclusion that the subject is on the concrete operational stage of cognitive development, and on the school age stage of social and emotional development. The girl is normally developed according to her age.

Thursday, May 23, 2019

Talent Is Overrated

Charles Bobb ALS 101 Professor Jeffrey Levine December 2, 2009 Talent Is Overrated What Really Separates World- Class Performers from E realone Else By. Geoff Colvin Senior Editor at Large, ample deal Talent Is Overrated by Geoff Colvin is a motivating book that puts outstanding performance into view. It presents a solid case that great performance does not come in the beginning from inwrought talent, or even hard work, as is supposed by close to people.The realistic value of the book comes from the practical function of the thesis. In talk of the town about world class figure skaters, he said that top skaters work on the jumps they ar worst at, whereas average skaters work on those they are already good at. In his words, Landing on your butt twenty thousand times is where great performance comes from. Each of those hard landings is able to initiate a lesson. Those who learn the lesson can move on to the next hard lesson. Those who dont pay the price and learn the lesson nev er progress beyond it.In other words, hard work and dedication is necessary but not sufficient in itself for developing higher take performance at any endeavor. All great performers get that way by working long and hard, but hard work and long hours obviously dont make people great. Many people work long and hard and stay mediocre. The meat of the book describes what the author calls hand practice, and presents supporting curtilage in a convincing manner. It matters what kind of practice, not just how long and how much sweat is spilled.Supportive on definition of innate talent Before con arrayring establish for and against the talent account, we should be as clear as possible about what is meant by talent. In eitherday life people are seldom precise about what they mean by this term users do not specify what form an innate talent takes or how it might exert its influence. reliable pitfalls have to be avoided in settling on a definition of talent. A very restrictive definition could make it impossible for any likely evidence to demonstrate talent.For example, some people believe that talent is based on an inborn ability that makes it certain that its possessor will excel. This criterion is to a fault strong. At the other extreme, it would be possible to make the definition of talent so vague that its existence is trivially ensured talent might imply no more than that those who reach high levels of carry throughment differ biologically from others in some undefined way. Yet those who believe that innate talent exists also go for that early signs of it can be used to predict future success. 1) There are many reports of children acquiring impressive skills very early in life, in the apparent absence of opportunities for the kinds of learning experiences that would normally be considered necessary. (2) Certain relatively rare capacities which could have an innate basis (e. g. , perfect pitch perception) appear to fall out spontaneously in a few children and may increase the likelihood of their excelling in music. (3) Biological correlates of certain skills and abilities have been reported. 4) Some especially compelling info comes from the case histories of autistic, mentally handicapped people classified as idiots savants. Practice makes perfect The best people in any sketch are those who devote the just about hours to what the researchers call deliberate practice. Its activity thats explicitly intended to improve performance that reaches for objectives just beyond ones level of competence provides feedback on results and involves high levels of repetition.For example Simply hitting a bucket of balls is not deliberate practice, which is why most golfers dont get better. Hitting an eight-iron ccc times with a goal of leaving the ball within 20 feet of the pin 80 percent of the time, continually observing results and making appropriate adjustments, and doing that for hours each(prenominal) day thats deliberate practice. Consi stency is crucial. As Ericsson notes, Elite performers in many diverse domains have been prove to practice, on the average, roughly the same amount every day, including weekends. Evidence crosses a remarkable range of fields. In a study of 20-year-old violinists by Ericsson and colleagues, the best group (judged by conservatory teachers) averaged10, 000 hours of deliberate practice oer their lives the next-best averaged 7,500 hours and the next, 5,000. Its the same story in surgery, insurance sales, and virtually every sport. More deliberate practice equals better performance. Tons of it equals great performance. Tiger Woods is a textbook example of what the research shows.Because his father introduced him to golf at an extremely early age 18 months and promote him to practice intensively, Woods had racked up at least 15 old age of practice by the time he became the youngest-ever winner of the U. S. Amateur Championship, at age 18. Also in line with the findings, he has never st opped trying to improve, devoting many hours a day to conditioning and practice, even remaking his swing twice because thats what it took to get even better. The business side The evidence, scientific as well as anecdotal, seems overwhelmingly in favor of deliberate practice as the source of great performance.Just one job How do you practice business? Many elements of business, in fact, are directly practicable. Presenting, negotiating, delivering evaluations, and deciphering financial statements you can practice them all. , they arent the essence of great managerial performance. That requires making judgments and decisions with broken information in an uncertain environment, interacting with people, seeking information can you practice those things too? The first is going at any task with a clean goal Instead of merely trying to get it done, you aim to get better at it.Report writing involves finding information, analyzing it and presenting it each an improbable skill. Chairi ng a board meeting requires understanding the companys strategy in the deepest way, forming a coherent view of coming market changes and setting a tone for the discussion. Anything that anyone does at work, from the most basic task to the most exalted, is an improbable skill. Why? For most people, work is hard enough without pushing even harder. Those extra steps are so difficult and painful they almost never get done. Thats the way it must be. If great performance were easy, it wouldnt be rare.Which leads to possibly the deepest question about greatness? trance experts understand an enormous amount about the behavior that produces great performance, they understand very little about where that behavior comes from. The authors of one study conclude, We still do not know which factors encourage individuals to engage in deliberate practice. Or as University of Michigan business school professor Noel Tichy puts it after 30 years of working with managers, Some people are much more mot ivated than others, and thats the existential question I cannot answer why. The critical reality is that we are not hostage to some naturally granted level of talent. We can make ourselves what we will. Strangely, that idea is not popular. People hate abandoning the notion that they would coast to fame and riches if they found their talent. But that view is tragically constraining, because when they hit lifes inevitable bumps in the road, they conclude that they just arent gifted and give up. Maybe we cant expect most people to achieve greatness. Its just too demanding. But the striking, liberating news is that greatness isnt reserved for a preordained few.It is available to you and to everyone. A Mnemonic System for Digit Span One social class Later. (2002) * Chase, William G. , * Ericsson, K. Anders Abstract With 18 months of practice on the digit-span task, a single subject has shown a steady improvement from 7 digits to 70 digits, and there is no evidence that performance wil l approach an asymptote. Continuous improvement in performance is accompanied by refinements in the subjects mnemonic system and hierarchical organization of his recovery system. (Author).Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Psychonomic Society, (20th), Phoenix, AZ, 8-10 Nov 79. Talent without deliberate practice is latent and agrees with Darrell Royal that potential means you aint done it yet. In other words, there would be no great performances in any field (e. g. business, theatre, dance, symphonic music, athletics, science, mathematics, entertainment, exploration) without those who have, through deliberate practice developed the requisite abilities Colvin duly acknowledges that deliberate practice is a large concept, nd to say that it explains everything would be simplistic and reductive. Colvin goes on to say, Critical questions immediately present themselves What exactly ineluctably to be practiced? Precisely how? Which peculiar(prenominal) skills or other assets must b e acquired? The research has revealed answers that generalize quite well across a wide range of fields. Talent is overrated if it is perceived to be the most important factor. It isnt. In fact, talent does not exist unless and until it is developed nd the only way to develop it is (you guessed it) with deliberate practice. Colvin commits sufficient attention to identifying the center of attention components of great performance but focuses most of his narrative to explaining how almost anyone can improve her or his own performance. He reveals himself to be both an empiricist as he shares what he has observed and experienced and a pragmatist who is curious to know what works, what doesnt, and why. I also appreciate Colvins repudiation of the most common misconceptions about the various dimensions of talent.For example, that is innate youre born with it, and if youre not born with it, you cant acquire it. Many people still believe that Mozart was born with so much talent that he req uired very little (if any) development. In fact, according to Alex Ross, Mozart became Mozart by working furiously hard as did all others discussed, including Jack Welch, David Ogilvy, Warren Buffett, Robert Rubin, Jerry Rice, Chris Rock, and Benjamin Franklin. Some were prodigies but most were late-bloomers and each followed a significantly different process of development.About all they shared in common is their commitment to continuous self-improvement through deliberate practice. Colvin provides a wealth of research-driven information that he has rigorously examined and he also draws upon his own extensive and direct experience with all manner of organizations and their C-level executives. Throughout his narrative, with great skill, he sustains a personal rapport with his reader. It is therefore appropriate that, in the final chapter, he invokes direct address and poses a series of questions. What would cause you to do the enormous work necessary to be a top-performing CEO, Wall Street trader, jazz, pianist, courtroom lawyer, or anything else? Would anything? The answer depends on your answers to two basic questions What do you really want? And what do you really believe? What you want really want is fundamental because deliberate practice is a heavy investment. Corbin has provided all the evidence anyone needs to answer those two questions that, in fact, serve as a challenge.It occurs to me that, however different they may be in almost all other respects, athletes such as Cynthia Cooper, Roger Federer, Michael Jordan, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Lorena Ochoa, Candace Parker, Michael Phelps, Vijay Singh, and Tiger Woods make it look so easy in competition because their preparation is so focused, rigorous, and thorough. Obviously, they do not win every game, match, tournament, etc. Colvins point (and I agree) is that all great performers make it look so easy because of their commitment to deliberate practice, often for several years out front their first vic tory.In fact, Colvin cites a ten-year rule widely endorsed in chess circles (attributed to Herbert Simon and William Chase) that no one seemed to reach the top ranks of chess players without a decade or so of intensive study, and some required much more time. The same could also be said of overnight sensations who struggled for years to prepare for their big get about on Broadway or in Hollywood. The book adds a few paragraphs or two to the Jack Welch entry in the annals of business history. Neutron Jack unploughed people from getting too comfortable, once explaining that it wasnt 100,000 General Electric (GE) employees he eliminated, it was 100,000 GE positions. His radioactive personality aside, Welch had remarkable success grooming top somatic leaders. The equity value of companies run by Welchs proteges including GE, 3M, Home Depot and Honeywell may well exceed some national budgets, so it is interesting to learn what qualities Welch encouraged as a mentor.Welchs 4Es of l eadership help explain how he generated so much value over the years for his grateful shareholders. Krames extracts leadership ideas from Welchs track accede and makes them quick and handy. Although the book is more useful than original, we find that the articulation of the 4Es, and the profiles of Welchs proteges make it a solid addition to any business library. Colvin leaves no doubt that by understanding how a few become great, anyone can become better and that includes his reader.This reader is now convinced that talent is a process that grows, not a pre-determined set of skills. Also, that deliberates practice hurts but it works. Long ago, Henry Ford said, Whether you think you can or think you cant, youre right. It would be tragically constraining, Colvin asserts, for anyone to lack sufficient bureau because what the evidence shouts most loudly is striking, liberating news That great performance is not reserved for a preordained few. It is available to you and to everyone.

Wednesday, May 22, 2019

A Synopsis of the Movie Edward Scissorhands Essay

Edward Scissorhands (1990) tells us a story about an artificial man, Edward Scissorhands, who was made by a lonely inventor in his mansion atop a hill near a small town. Long after his inventors death, Edward is brought into society by Meg, a local resident and encounters many new and interesting things as he attempts to depart in civilization. The text explores concepts of belong to groups or communities and a sense of belonging in relationships shown by Edwards endless struggle to find clarity and purpose. A sense of isolation tin can capture from ones difference to others, whether it be physical, mental or spiritual. Edwards hands made out of sharp scissors are iconic of his legal separation from the rest of society. They create a physical barrier between him and others which greatly limits the amount of physical contact Edward can have with others and the rest of the world and in turn creates a sense of isolation. This is carefully and noticeably communicated by Burton throug h the use of colour and contrast. Specifically, Edwards initial costume is completely black leather, decorated with metallic element studs and rings.His hair is jet black and very messy and his face is pale white. This along with Edwards mansion, a dark place riddled with cobwebs and falling apart, so far away from society, juxtaposes fantastically with the bright and vibrant colours of the town, the houses and the clothes and outfits of the townspeople. He in fact only finds a sense of belonging when he is shown kindness and outreach by Meg. She gives him clothes to wear, which although do not seem to break his theme of darkness and dullness, do still symbolise his inclusion and belonging in their society. She also offers him purpose, letting him use his scissors to trim her garden hedges and in doing this, she turns what Edward, among others, fears to be tools of destruction into tools of creativity and resultantly breaches the barrier between Edward and the world. This gives him a sense of belonging within Megs family and the rest of the community.A sense of belonging can also be achieved though relationships with others. Edward finds love when he first lays look on Kim, Megs daughter. At first she is quite intimidated by Edward and does not quite feel as if he belongs there moreover she gradually warms to him as everyone else does and shows him deserved kindness, fashioning him feel as if he does belong. However this feeling of connection is eventually lost when Edward is falsely accused by Joyce of sexual harassment and framed for robbery due to his innocence and loyalty to Kim (I did it) because you asked me to. He is driven out of town after further misunderstandings in which he accidentally hurts few people and it becomes clear that he cant quite belong their because of the sole fact that the vast majority of the townspeople cant seems to understand him.His escape from the town and its community is symbolised by Edward tearing off his clothes to rev eal his original apparel. Burton uses a motif in the mental picture the falling of snow-like ice shards as Edward makes ice sculptures with his Scissorhands. This is used to symbolise both Edwards connection with Kim and his final state and residence in the film. In a key scene, Kim dances under the falling snow and this is basically the exact moment she falls for Edward. When he is driven away, he spends his time making sculptures and this has the effect of making snow over the town. Kim as a grandmother tells us Before he came down here, it never snowed and after, it did. The snow is metaphoric of the lack of warmth in his life, as he longs for Kims love. Edwards journey of belonging is full of changes. Through his experiences we can learn and see that one can attempt to belong somewhere, whether they seem to belong there naturally or not but they may not truly succeed.

Tuesday, May 21, 2019

Lean Operations – Dell

Lean Operations Today Case of dell Computers Co. pic Instructor C. Liassides Thessaloniki, 18/5/10 City College, Business 2ab saltation Semester Lean Operations Today Case of dingle Computers Co. A corporation is a living organism it has to continue to shed its skin. Methods carry to change. Focus has to change. value have to change. The sum total of those changes is transformation. Andrew Grove There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all told. scratch F. Drucker AbstractAs the pitch manufacturing philosophy has gained a lot of attention in the modern industry, this paper will analyze some basic concepts of lean trading operations and the grandness of Lean Thinking in a competitive marketplace. However, besides providing its advantages, the paper will have a close look at some some common managerial mistakes in weaponing lean operations. Further much, through the real life case of Dell Company we will see how lean operations b ecome in practice and what difficulties may arise. Table of Contents Introduction3Literature Review Lean Operations3 Dell Lean to the Bone6 Conclusion8 Reference List9 Appendix11 Figure 111 Introduction For the last few decades thither has been a great talk some lean operations. Many companies have decided to implement lean operations as a result of the international competition and the shift from batch crosswayion to more personalized, individual production. However, even though the carcass promises numerous advantages, companies out there still fail to take a crap the best out of it and in roughly cases experience various losses.The reason for such misfortune lies in the superficial examination of lean operations. To be more straightforward, one thing is to talk about it, and one thing is to implement it. Therefore, throughout the paper we will discus the basic concept of lean operations and some components of lean operations that managers usually tend to oversee. Furthe rmore, establish on the real life company, Dell Computers, we will see what lean means in practice, what be its biggest advantages, yet also what be its disadvantages and how it might suffer in the future. Literature Review Lean OperationsIt all started after the WWII when the competitive Japanese market was recovering from the war crises. At that condemnation the economy was experiencing raw material leakage, fluctuating guests demand, and no capital for automation. The need for a contrary production approach was necessity (Percy and Rich, 2004). The fist ones with a different production approach were Eiji Toyado and Taiichi Ohno of Toyota Motor Company who developed a lean production system ( i. e. Toyota Production System or TPS) or differently known as Just-In-Time (JIT) system (Stuart and Boyle, 2007).The system was nothing secret. It meant find the waste, eliminate the waste, have trucks relinquish split moments before theyre needed (no inventory), and know the demand (Levans, 2006). Further on, as the manufacturing industry grew, many different elements and techniques had started to adding up to the definition of lean, including six-sigma quality, visual display, defect prevention, one-piece flow, Kanban, apparatus time reduction, quality at source, just-in-time supply, preventative maintenance, value analysis and value stream mapping, etc. (Stuart and Boyle, 2007). harmonise to Womack et al. 1990), depending on the type of manufacturing process, lean includes all these practices, but in different degrees of importance and intensity. Nevertheless, lean system as an operational system also has to manage on how to integrate all the those elements so they keister fit and work to dispirither in order to attain waste reduction, production and quality advancement, as well as high workforce elaborateness (Stuart and Boyle, 2007). Regarding to Womack and Jones (1996), this integration of elements in a working cell that reduces waste, improves prod uctivity and quality, and enforces workforce engagements is called Lean Thinking.Therefore, based on the success of processes used at Toyota, Womack and Jones (1996), proposes 5 key doctrines of the lean enterprise approach (see appendix, Figure 1) (Carnes and Hedin, 2005). The fist principle is called Value Stream Mapping (VSM). It is the process of mapping the material and information flows of all components and sub-assemblies in a value stream that includes manufacturing, suppliers and distribution to the customer (Seth and Gupta, 2005 p. 44). Once, we have mapped all wasteful activities1 we do-nothing start the process of elimination of those activities in either value stream (Percy and Rich, 2004).The third principle is making the value flow run constantly (Carnes and Hedin, 2005). In other words, avoiding batch production and inventory queues by finding things moving. According to Percy and Rich (2004), this is usually done by using modular designs, cellular working, gene ral purpose machines, quick changeovers, multi-skilled operators, etc. The forth principle is basing flow on customer demand (pull). This principle is founded on the Kanban or differently, Work Flow Control system which states that materials are released into production only when the customer demands them ( i. e. nly when needed) (Percy and Rich, 2004). Finally, the fifth principle implies uninterrupted improvement and pursue of perfection (Carnes and Headin, 2004). However, according to Professional Engineering (2005) this is just the first step in the lean process. The great thing is how to make it stick over a long period of time. Regarding to Professional Engineering (2005) the problem is that the companies nowadays are too static. After they implement lean operations, they tend to sit and wait for the things to happen. However, what Vasilash (2000) points out, lean operations are like a journey with no end (p. 3). In order to get the positive results, companies need to be con stantly committed to the lean operations that they are running. There is no such a thing as Whew We are done. Thank God its over. As Vasilash (2000) states it is never over or if it is, than our implementation of lean operations was of no use. But besides being continuous, a company in order to be lean has to have lean workforce (Carnes and Hedin, 2004). This is the part of lean where the importance of caution infrastructure comes in place. According to Vasilash (2000), lean is a behavior rather than a product.How a grouchy machine is being used and weather the machine is lean, depends primarily on the management infrastructure (the way that the manager organizes his workers). For example, if we put our grandmother behind an extra hi-tack computer that can do a billion things at the same time is not the same as if we would have a computer scientist. In the first case we would get much less machine utilization than in the second one. Therefore, we can say that it is the manager a nd the workers are the ones that makes the process lean. At the same time, it is not true that machines are un authorised.It is just that people within an memorial tablet are fundamental part of lean operations. Regarding to Vasilash (2000), comparing to products, information, supplier/customer, and process flow, management/trust and people are weighted as more important ( e. g. 50% comparing to 1. 6, 1. 8, etc. ). Moreover, Vasilash (2000) continues and states that before we start the process of implementation the fist thing that we should consider doing is building trust among the workers and managers and have them functionally organized. It is almost impossible to perform kaizen (Process/Flow) without considering management/trust and people.However, organizing workforce, building trust and commitment is not an easy thing to do. In other words, it is one of the biggest problems of lean operations (Percy and Boyle, 2005). Regarding to Carnes and Hedin (2004), numerous companies wo rldwide experience the problem of employees and management resistance. These resistances come from lack of upper management support, poor employee training, resistance to change, etc. After all, we are not all Japanese. Dell Lean to the Bone As we have already mentioned in the introduction One thing is to talk about lean operations, and some other is to implement them.Therefore, the following discussion will focus on how some major world corporations, such as Dell, have managed to successfully implement lean operations and get the best out of it. Back in 1984, the founder of Dell Computers Company, Michael Dell, came up with an extraordinary and amazing idea Selling PCs directly to consumers, avoiding retail stores and limiting customer support, thus offering radically lower prices than the competitors (Kharif, 2005). Soon afterwards, the company grew at an amazing speed becoming a multibillion company and a leader in the industry (Chopra and Sodhi, 2004).However, what actually h as made the company a leader in the industry is the implication of its Direct approach, mostly being based on the Toyota Production System (TPS). The company takes orders directly and than builds product according to the order (Kharif, 2005). According to Breen and Aneiro (2004), in order to make the built-to-order process run smoothly, Dell relies on its unique supply chain systems. As the orders come directly form the customers (demand pull), Dell is able to know the exact demand for a particular product at any operating market and thus alert the suppliers.The way it alerts the suppliers is by connecting all suppliers and suppliers suppliers together, so when the information about sold product arrives, everybody is dealing with it (Pritchard, 2002). By doing this, the company manages to keep its inventory direct at the lowest possible points. As Michel Dell argues, when dealing with inventory it is all about flow (Pritchard, 2002). Manufacturing plant in Limerick, Ireland is one of the rare hyper-efficient factories in the world.Regarding to Breen and Aneiro (2004), it has no warehouse, assembles nearly 70,000 computers every 24 hours, has two hours of inventory in its factories, and a uttermost of just 72 hours across its entire operation. In other words, by keeping its stock for as little time as possible, the company manages to keep costs to the minimum and makes sure that the customer gets the brand new parts. Furthermore, other characteristics of the Dell business model that goes along with the TPS are employee commitment and continuous improvement (Pritchard, 2002) A key part in the organization is people.According to (inside) Dell has a highly skilled workforce and puts a strong emphasis on education. (p. 16). As a result, workers show more pride in the quality of their work and are willing to share ideas for make headway improvements (Kharif, 2005). Therefore, since there exists great employee commitment continuous improvement in order to gain co mpetitive advantage becomes unproblematic task. Regarding to Pritchard (2002), Dell is constantly working on improving its production process. One of the newer innovations is Dells PC cases that do not require any screws (snap shot system).This system simplifies assembly and at the same time improves reliability. At the end we can see that even though the Dells Direct computer simulation is based on the TPS, it takes it to the new level. Its financial model is the companys most powerful weapon on the market. The model creates a cash-convention cycle of 36 negative days by receiving payments from customers right away through credit separate the company is able to pull products directly form the supplier and builds and ships the product within 4 days (Breen and Aneiro, 2004). In other words, Dell is able pay its operation costs through suppliers.Another important aspect of the Direct Model is the management of supply-chain risk. Dell minimizes delay-related risk by using high-cost air transportation to deliver important parts from Far East, while for less expensive parts keeps some inventory that is shipped from the US on the regular basis. Moreover, Dell has some high-value suppliers in Asia on which it can rely on when needed (Breen and Aneiro, 2004). However, nowadays, there are too many academics out there suggesting that the Dells Direct Model is actually in crisis. They argue that it may no longer be an asset, but become a liability.One of such critics of the model is Berry Zellen (2004) who states that the biggest problem in Dell model is that the company is forgetting the basics of lean operations. As the years go on and the competition increase, the system is getting more and more mixed which may result in terrible consequences. According to Gottfredson and Aspinall (2005), in 70% of lean cases with an increase in complexity meant rising costs and hindering the advantage growth. The catch is either to keep things simple and target what customers ac tually need or to raise the prices. In Dells case the company is doing merely what it should not.It increases the complexity but keeps the prices low (Zellen, 2004). This managerial move according to Zellen (2004) may have a detrimental effect on the companys further growth. The reason why is because slowly in the USA (Dells biggest market) computers are becoming a commodity (e. g. Apple) and the market is moving on to the new level leaving all non-followers in a horrible financial struggle. Conclusion As we have seen so far, the bottom line of lean operations is have flexible technology, break down operations to the basic elements, frequent materials movements, speed, and most importantly Simplicity.Without simplicity, companies like Dell that once where the leaders of lean operations are expected to experience some profit losses in the near future. The reason is that the company has forgone some of the basic principles of the lean philosophy Constant expediency and Keeping thin gs Simple.