Hong Kong Waste Problem

Hong Kong has an imminent waste problem. Here you can learn about what municipal solid waste is, how significant our waste problem is, and how the Government tackles the problem. The Waste Problem Hong Kong generates several types of solid waste. It includes municipal solid waste (MSW), which comes from domestic, commercial and industrial sources; construction waste, which arises from construction, renovation and demolition activities; and other special wastes such as chemical waste and livestock waste. †¢ More on waste in Hong Konghttp://www. epd. gov. k/epd/english/environmentinhk/waste/waste_maincontent. html Municipal Solid Waste Municipal solid waste includes waste from domestic premises and public facilities, commerce and some types of industry, but excludes construction waste and chemical waste. Each year, more than 6 million tonnes of MSW are generated, over half of which is disposed of in the three strategic landfills. Unfortunately, the generation of MSW has been growing at a much faster rate than expected, and our consumption-led lifestyle is putting enormous pressure on these landfills. The three existing landfills will be full, one by one, in the mid to late 2010s. If the waste loads continue to increase, there will be a need to allocate an additional 400 hectares of land to develop new landfill sites to meet our waste disposal needs up to 2030. Clearly, Hong Kong needs a more sustainable way to deal with waste. To address our waste problem, the Government published â€Å"A Policy Framework for the Management of MSW (2005-2014)† (Policy Framework) in December 2005. The Policy Framework sets out a comprehensive strategy for the management of MSW in the next 10 years. It consists of a series of policy tools and measures to tackle the waste problem head on. †¢ More on municipal solid wastehttp://www. gov. hk/en/residents/environment/msw. htm †¢ Information on the Policy Framework for the Management of Municipal Solid Waste (2005-2014)http://www. epd. gov. hk/epd/msw/htm_en/content. htm Construction Waste The high levels of construction activity in Hong Kong generate equally high levels of inert or recyclable waste and non-inert or organic waste. Both hese forms of waste pose challenges to the maintenance of our landfill programme, and need to be managed carefully. Under the polluter-pays principle, the Environmental Protection Department operates the Construction Waste Disposal Charging Scheme, whereby construction waste producers pay appropriate charges for the disposal of their waste. The Government is also encouraging the industry to sort and recycle waste as far as possible, and to plan and build more efficiently to minimise waste. Mo re on construction wastehttp://www. gov. hk/en/residents/environment/constructionwaste. htm Waste Reduction and Recycling You can participate in a number of waste reduction programmes. The Wastewi$e Label under the Hong Kong Awards for Environmental Excellence, for example, helps Hong Kong businesses and organisations in adopting measures to reduce the amount of waste generated within their establishments or through the products and services they provide. It provides members with free advice on waste management techniques and rewards their efforts through public recognition. You can also help the recycling of domestic waste by participating in the Programme on Source Separation of Domestic Waste and separating waste using the waste separation bins on housing estates and deposit rechargeable batteries in designated collection boxes. †¢ More on waste reduction and recyclinghttp://www. gov. hk/en/residents/environment/wasteredrecyc. htm

Letter Assignment Draft

The cell is the biological basic unit to life .Every existing animal or plant owes its life to the cell. Cells cannot be seen with naked eyes but with the help of equipment called the microscope.   It is the environment that surrounds different, other existences that are in many ways autonomous, merely, independent but also as well as dependant of each other; oop! Let’s avoid the contradiction and go through this basic† Life The entire body of humans is made up of cells-very different many cells- In fact millions and millions of them each with a distinct purpose. It is important for an official of health for instance to understand some, if not all of these cells. [1] The nucleus; the whole make-up of the cell, every single function and set-up is â€Å"coded for† or dictated by this system.   Amazingly the system uses a diverse nature in the name of genes.   Depending on species each individual has a different number of them (genes), each responsible for a different nature or set up; loading to the formation of a specific cell structure/organelle. As a senior health officer, the understanding about genes is of help in solving problems such as DNA tests. To some extent, such an understanding on genes is also essential in ascertaining and analyzing blood samples before transfusion takes place. The Mitochondria is the energy power.   For every single process there is the energy required.   The source of this energy is the mitochondria.   This organelle breaks down the food through its myriad set of enzymes and packs the product, energy, as pockets of potential power.   Power that will in times of need be converted to Kinetic energy in motion/activity. The endoplasmic reticulum.   Some rough, some smooth.   The rough has the ribosomes, hair like structures in the formation of proteins.   Proteins that make-up the other structural cell existence.   These proteins will also be used in repair of worn out parts of the cell.   Simply; the whole cell has a protein make-up.   The smooth endoplasmic reticulum; they are involved in lipid fats and ions transport. Heavy convoluted branched throughout the cell they leep the cell well stacked in the lipid supply. The Golgi apparatus; they pack processed proteins. Packaging them ready for delivery via the cell and settings them to wherever they are required. [2] Then there are the assembly units in the form of tiny microscopic cylinders called the ribosomes. These are units that form/ manufacture proteins from simple forms (raw materials) in the form of amino acids. These ribosomes are hinged on the endoplasmic reticulum. They give it the appearance of a rugged structure hence the name rough endoplasmic reticulum The lysozymes are a set of enzymatic organelles. They break-down/ digest complex material that has been ingested by the cell. The ingestion of food particles is done by the micropinocytatic vesicle; it engulfs or surrounds a â€Å"palatable substance† and practically makes it â€Å"part of the cell† The lysozymes later on leak the enzymatic content, which digests the engulfed particle. The cell has a sound and dependable character. Integrity. The above unit structures can and will be found in a living cell. [3] The distinction however is slight depending on whether it is a plant or animal cell; 1. The cell membrane is common to plant and animal cells, aquering the organelles; into a defined environment. Acting as the skin 2. The plant cell however has the additional protection of a cell wall. A â€Å"skin† covers to the outermost. This affords plants the rigid nature. The plant cell also has other unit structures like;- a.Chloroplasts; responsible for the trapping of light rays and channeling this energy to the manufacture of food. They give plants that distinction color. b.Food vacuole; the food store in plant cells. c.The water vacuole; a distinct store for water. [4] The cell has it all the organizational set-up each structural unit being a department that functions on its own, as well as one that condinates with the other departments. As a government health officer therefore it is important to ensure that all cells of a human body are functioning properly as the malfunctioning of only one cell might affect the whole body. There is a catch however, that the nucleus; that structural unit that has genes which code/ demand for specific roles to be played by different structural units of the cell. The genes dictating what happens in the cell, fostering both individual talent (departmental autonomy) and team-work (between departments) are the management. The top tier of the cell that does the â€Å"decision† making. The departments/units that form the crux of this cell industry are not far from many existing department especially in the government sector. In function at least. The powerhouse of energy; mitochondria the system that fuels the assembly is likened to the accounts department. The paymaster and motivator. What about the other assembly points, ranging from the â€Å"energy reactions† like the chloroplasts that will provide energy for carbohydrates, protein and vitamin formation. The reticulum system playing the role of transportation and Logistics. The micropinocytotic vesicle doing the sourcing of raw materials. The sublime procements officer. The golgi apparatus; ever packaging and branding processed material. Like any other industry; there is always a better way to present product to the client. The security system cannot be understated. Setting up the perimeter. Defining the limits off the area covered by the industry in the form of the cell membrane and cell wall. You stare at that life so invisible to the naked eye, but surprise is all you have got when that simple nature of life typifies our complex organizational nature. [5] xxxxxxxxxxxxxxENDxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx This letter should be addressed to a senior government official in the health sector like the Medical Officer of Health. These are the paramedics on the ground on whose fingers and skills hundreds of thousands of people depend for the health to be something to reckon with. They are the researchers, policy makers, the trainers etc. The nature, components and functions of the cell will help him in effecting his roles in a more efficient and effective manner. References Campbell, N. (2004): Biology 7th edition, Benjamin-Cummings Publishing Company, New York Mashburn, L. M and Whiteley, M. (2006): Special Delivery: Vesicle Trafficking in Prokaryotes. –   Mol Microbial 61 (4): 839 – 46.                         [1] Campbell, N. (2004): Biology 7th edition, Benjamin-Cummings Publishing Company, New York [2] Mashburn, L. M and Whiteley, M. (2006): Special Delivery: Vesicle Trafficking in Prokaryotes. –   Mol Microbial 61 (4): 839 – 46. [3] Mashburn, L. M and Whiteley, M. (2006): Special Delivery: Vesicle Trafficking in Prokaryotes. –   Mol Microbial 61 (4): 839 – 46. [4] Campbell, N. (2004): Biology 7th edition, Benjamin-Cummings Publishing Company, New York [5] Mashburn, L. M and Whiteley, M. (2006): Special Delivery: Vesicle Trafficking in Prokaryotes. –   Mol Microbial 61 (4): 839 – 46.

Chesapeake Energy Corporation

natural gas† {Chesapeake Annual Report, 1998, p. 1}. Recently, Chesapeake finished the transformation from an aggressive exploration company focused on developing short-reserve life, to a lower-risk, longer reserve life natural gas producer. Chesapeake†s operations are focused on â€Å"developmental drilling and producing property acquisitions.† These operations are â€Å"concentrated in three major areas: the Mid-continent, the onshore Gulf of Mexico and far northeastern British Columbia, Canada† [Chesapeake Annual Report, 1998, p. 1]. Aubrey K. McClendon is Chesapeake†s Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and Director. Tom L. Ward is the President, Chief Operating Officer and Director. â€Å"McClendon met cofounder Tom Ward in the 1980†³s. Both were independent oil producers; they teamed up in 1983† [Morgenson, p. 2]. They each have more than 16 years of experience in the oil and natural gas industry. All other members of the management team have multiple years of experience in the industry. Chesapeake has concentrated on expanding its holdings in natural gas since the company†s incorporation in 1989. Chesapeake thinks that natural gas will be the fuel choice of the 21st century. The company has been highly competitive in both its exploration activities and efforts to increase its inventory of undeveloped leasehold land. This combination should enable Chesapeake to remain a competitive force in the energy producing industry. New technology in the oil and gas industry has made exploration and production more profitable. This is key for the survival of American businesses that compete with OPEC and other foreign cartels that have very low production costs. New technology, including three-dimensional imaging, which has greater resolution than the previously existing technology, will enable Chesapeake to detect reserves more accurately. Also, horizontal drilling has enabled companies to drain more than one reserve at a time. With profits continuing to be squeezed within this industry, new technology is necessary to help American businesses compete on a global scale. The oil and gas industry is truly a global market. The industry boosted gains in 1999 from increased production efficiency and a decrease in the current supply. U.S. firms, along with OPEC, have voluntarily reduced their total production, which has increased the price. OPEC currently supplies approximately 40% of the world oil production. If OPEC chooses to produce at a lower output, Chesapeake could easily increase production with its low production costs and huge reserves. Many other nations are emerging as competitors, such as the former Soviet Union and Latin American countries. The continuing increase in supply from other nations would potentially saturate the market, causing lower prices and lower profits. Demand is expected to rise only slightly more than two percent through the year 2005. The outlook for this industry is for increased competition domestically (from smaller companies) and internationally from emerging nations. The U.S. has superior technology, which will help keep profits up as supply increases and demand remains relatively constant. Natural gas makes up 72% of Chesapeake†s revenue. They usually sell the product to third parties and are not dependent on any one buyer. Less than 10% of their revenues are generated from two buyers. Governmental Regulations – Operational and Labor Relations The oil and gas industries are subject to considerable government regulation. These laws and regulations are primarily directed toward â€Å"the handling and disposal of drilling and production waste products and waste created by water and air pollution control devices† [Chesapeake 10-K, 1998, p. 10]. The oil and gas industry is accountable to numerous government agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of the Interior, the Department of Energy, the State Department and the Department of Commerce. Virtually every aspect of operations is subject to complex and ever changing regulations. The oil and gas industry is tightly regulated in regard to labor relations by government department and agencies, including the Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA) and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Some states have their own state sponsored occupational safety plans, while the remainder must comply with federal OSHA regulations. Some of the topics covered under OSHA include personal protective equipment, hazardous communication (HAZCOM) and safety process training. Chesapeake had 453 employees as of March 15, 1999. None of these employees were represented by organized labor unions. The company considers its employee relations to be good [Chesapeake 10-K, 1998, p. 13]. Unocal (NYSE: UCL) employed 7,880 people as of December 31, 1998, of which 575 were represented by various U.S. labor unions [Unocal 10-K, 1998, p. 12]. Both companies are subject to new laws and regulations regarding the environment and labor. Chesapeake and Unocal cannot predict what adverse financial conditions the new laws and regulations will bring. However, short-term and long-term costs will increase as companies improve existing operations to become and remain compliant with government regulations. As a result, all companies in petro-chemical industries are experiencing tremendous difficulty operating profitable businesses. Several businesses have ceased operations as a result of increased regulation coupled with poor profit margins. Chesapeake is at a higher risk regarding this scenario since most of its operations are domestic. Unocal, although a U.S. based company, operations are concentrated primarily overseas, and therefore experience increased leniency regarding environmental and labor regulations. During the last two years, Chesapeake Corporation took a significant hit in terms of earnings, stock price and credit ratings. Positive 1996 earnings turned to a loss in 1997 and tumbled to a bigger loss of $10 per share in 1998. This earnings decline caused the stock price and credit rating to plummet. The company also faces a class action lawsuit stemming from alleged violations of federal securities laws. Top management and directors are accused of using insider information to sell personal holdings in the company at artificially inflated prices. Chesapeake had very disappointing years in 1997 and 1998 as evidenced by the fall in the stock price. The company underwent a substantial repositioning to increase natural gas holdings and reduce risk. As a result of this repositioning, Chesapeake incurred considerable debt and is dependent on the market prices of oil and natural gas to increase, and in effect, improve profit margins. Additionally, in 1997, Chesapeake changed their fiscal year end from June 30th to December 31st. As part of the repositioning, Chesapeake increased long term debt over $400 million to a total of $920 million, coupled with a short-term indebtedness of $25 million. This increased borrowing drastically reduced the company†s ability to obtain additional financing. Standard Poor†s and Moody†s placed Chesapeake on review with a negative outlook. The ability to meet obligations for this additional debt will depend on the production and financial performance of the company, market prices of oil and natural gas, and general economic conditions. Common Size Income Statement Analysis Chesapeake had an extremely large write-down of assets (impairment) as a result of reduced oil and gas prices during the past few years. This charge increased operating costs by over $1.2 billion during 1997-98 with 72% of that cost coming in 1998. The asset write-down, combined with expense increases in production, marketing and interest, were the main contributors of total operating costs to be over three times total revenue. The result was 1998 EBIT of ($920) million, and a non-existent ROE, since the company had a net loss approaching $1 billion. Unocal†s ROE was 5.9% in 1998 and 25.1% in 1997. The impairment cost reported by Chesapeake is questionable because of the very large amount that was charged. In perspective, Unocal with over $5 billion in property assets recorded an impairment charge of $97 million during 1998. If oil and gas prices rise in the near future, the impairment costs may be reversed giving the impression that the company is doing very well. Future investors of Chesapeake equities should consider this fact prior to making any investment decisions. Chesapeake had a $140 million reduction to both sides of the balance sheet. The repositioning of the firm focused on increasing inventory of natural gas reserves, â€Å"the fuel of choice for the 21st century† [1998 Annual Report, pg. 18]. Oil and gas properties nearly doubled from 1997 to 1998, totaling $2.2 billion. However, nearly $1.6 billion was depreciated, depleted and amortized. Additionally, cash decreased nearly $100 million, short-term investments were liquidated, and paid-in capital exceeded $1.1 billion over the past two years to provide additional cash for purchases of gas reserves. As a result, total property, plant and equipment was 85% of total assets in 1998 compared to 77% in 1997. In comparison, Unocal†s PPE was 66% and 64% of total assets respectively. Long-term debt increased over $400 million in 1998, totaling $920 million compared to $510 million in 1997. The $920 million was 113% in relation to total liabilities and owners equity of $813 million. In 1998, current liabilities were $131 million compared to current assets of $118 million. This resulted in a reduced current ratio of .90 from a 1997 ratio of 1.42. The Unocal current ratios during 1998 and 1997 were 1.01 and 1.29 respectively. Chesapeake has relied primarily on cash flow through financing activities during the past few years. Cash flow from operations was approximately $95 million in 1998 and $180 million in 1997, while cash flow from financing was $365 million and $278 million respectively. Sales accounted for $378 million in 1998 and appear to be rising approximately 35% annually from 1996 and 1997. However, an accurate comparison is unavailable because of the change in the company†s fiscal year end. Low oil and gas prices forced Chesapeake to borrow, sell equity, and liquidate short-term investments in order to continue operations and invest in oil and gas properties. The company is dependent on the rise of prices during 1999 to continue operations and provide shareholder wealth. The company has several restrictions from being able to borrow additional funds. Additionally, the price of stock has dropped from a high of $34 in 1996 to a low of $.63 in 1998. This has further reduced the company†s ability to generate cash. The current ratios for Chesapeake Energy are as follows: 1.00 (June 96), 2.03 (June 97), 1.42 (December 97), and .90 (December 98). Current liabilities remained constant over this period, ranging from a high of 19% (June 96) to a low of 15% (June 97), with the current level at 16% of total assets. Extreme levels of change in current assets caused the current ratio to fluctuate drastically. Current assets declined from a high of $297 million (31% of total assets) to a current low of $117 million (15% of total assets). This decline in current assets caused the deterioration of the current ratio. The acid test ratios are as follows: .94 (June 96), 2.00 (June 97), 1.37 (December 97), and .81 (December 98). As previously mentioned, current liabilities remained constant. Net accounts receivable remained flat as a percentage of total assets: 9% in 1996, 7% in 1997 (Both June December), and 9% in 1998. Marketable securities were sold off during the past three years, decreasing from 11% ($104 million) of total assets to zero. Cash decreased from 13% ($124 million) of total assets in 1997 (both June December) to 4% in 1998. The combination of severe decreases in both cash and marketable securities are the reasons that the acid test ratio decreased so dramatically. The quick ratios are as follows: .96 (June 96), 2.00 (June 97), 1.38 (December 97), and .86 (December 98). As mentioned previously, current liabilities remained constant and current assets declined. As with the current ratio, the main reason for the deterioration of the quick ratio is the continued loss of current assets. The above ratios and the reasons for their poor trends indicate Chesapeake is currently in a liquidity crisis. This, in combination with the increased debt liabilities, is an extreme warning to both investors and management. This condition also adds to the suspicion that assets are being sold off to fund current debt obligations. The firm†s ability to meet its obligations with cash, as they come due, is approximated by the cash flow liquidity ratio. As previously mentioned, solvency improved and then deteriorated as indicated by the current and quick ratios. The trends are confirmed when looking at cash flow. From 1995 to 1997, Chesapeake†s cash flow liquidity improved from 1.47 to 1.8. 1997 to 1998 showed a large drop in liquidity from 1.8 to 0.95. The company†s financial statement data gives an indication as to why. From 1995 to 1997, short-term solvency improved from 1.47 to 1.8. When looking at the data, cash from operations rose from $55 million in 1995, to $139 million in 1997. The 1997 rise was due to a change in the accounting period. During this same period, cash on hand rose from $56 million to $123 million and marketable securities rose from zero to $13 million. While cash was increasing, current liabilities rose from $75 million to $153 million. Current liabilities doubled during this period, while cash flow increased 150%. The larger increase in cash flow, relative to short-term obligations, accounts for the improvement in solvency during the 1995 to 1997 period. During the 1997 and 1998 periods, liquidity deteriorated as shown by the decrease in the cash flow liquidity ratio from 1.8 to 0.95. The data indicates that cash from operations dropped approximately 32% to $95 million. When looking at the Cash Flow Statement, the large decrease in operating cash is mainly due to the large net loss incurred during the period. At the same time, cash dropped 76% to $30 million while marketable securities fell to zero. Much of the cash appears to have gone to fund the company†s payables and accrued liabilities. Current liabilities were reduced 15% to $131 million. The larger reduction in cash flow relative to current obligations accounts for the deterioration in short-term solvency. The cash flow data confirms that Chesapeake†s liquidity suffered severe deterioration. A reduction in current liabilities is a good sign, but the little amount of cash generated and being used to fund current obligations is not enough. Cash assets are being used to fund these obligations as well. In comparison to the industry debt ratio of .31, Chesapeake ended with a debt ratio of 1.31 in 1998 compared to .71 in 1997. The long-term debt to total capitalization ratio increased from .64 in 1997 to 1.37 in 1998, while the industry average was .44. The tremendous increase in debt was attributable to significantly lower oil and gas prices during the past three years, and a failed drilling venture known as the Louisiana Trend. The company was forced to liquidate assets and take on a substantial amount of debt to meet operational expenses and increase oil and gas field reserves. Chesapeake was added to the Standard Poor†s â€Å"CreditWatch with negative implications† [Yahoo Finance, Nov. 14, 1999] in December of 1998. The low price of fuel during fiscal years 1996 through 1998 was the primary reason for Chesapeake†s troubles. The debt incurred has covenants restricting the company from seeking additional debt and from paying dividends to preferred stock holders. Principal on a large portion of the outstanding debt is not due until 2004 allowing the company time to improve operations. This will also give fuel prices a chance to rise, which is determinant to the company†s survival. The industry average for times interest earned is 5.2, while Chesapeake†s operating profit was ($856) million. The ratio equated to well below zero in 1997 and 1998. In 1998, interest payments were more than $68 million. The financial leverage index could not be computed since there was not a return on equity. Chesapeake overextended their credit by substantially financing with debt and has jeopardized their ability to make obligated payments for their debt and fixed costs. Chesapeake Energy Corporation natural gas† {Chesapeake Annual Report, 1998, p. 1}. Recently, Chesapeake finished the transformation from an aggressive exploration company focused on developing short-reserve life, to a lower-risk, longer reserve life natural gas producer. Chesapeake†s operations are focused on â€Å"developmental drilling and producing property acquisitions.† These operations are â€Å"concentrated in three major areas: the Mid-continent, the onshore Gulf of Mexico and far northeastern British Columbia, Canada† [Chesapeake Annual Report, 1998, p. 1]. Aubrey K. McClendon is Chesapeake†s Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and Director. Tom L. Ward is the President, Chief Operating Officer and Director. â€Å"McClendon met cofounder Tom Ward in the 1980†³s. Both were independent oil producers; they teamed up in 1983† [Morgenson, p. 2]. They each have more than 16 years of experience in the oil and natural gas industry. All other members of the management team have multiple years of experience in the industry. Chesapeake has concentrated on expanding its holdings in natural gas since the company†s incorporation in 1989. Chesapeake thinks that natural gas will be the fuel choice of the 21st century. The company has been highly competitive in both its exploration activities and efforts to increase its inventory of undeveloped leasehold land. This combination should enable Chesapeake to remain a competitive force in the energy producing industry. New technology in the oil and gas industry has made exploration and production more profitable. This is key for the survival of American businesses that compete with OPEC and other foreign cartels that have very low production costs. New technology, including three-dimensional imaging, which has greater resolution than the previously existing technology, will enable Chesapeake to detect reserves more accurately. Also, horizontal drilling has enabled companies to drain more than one reserve at a time. With profits continuing to be squeezed within this industry, new technology is necessary to help American businesses compete on a global scale. The oil and gas industry is truly a global market. The industry boosted gains in 1999 from increased production efficiency and a decrease in the current supply. U.S. firms, along with OPEC, have voluntarily reduced their total production, which has increased the price. OPEC currently supplies approximately 40% of the world oil production. If OPEC chooses to produce at a lower output, Chesapeake could easily increase production with its low production costs and huge reserves. Many other nations are emerging as competitors, such as the former Soviet Union and Latin American countries. The continuing increase in supply from other nations would potentially saturate the market, causing lower prices and lower profits. Demand is expected to rise only slightly more than two percent through the year 2005. The outlook for this industry is for increased competition domestically (from smaller companies) and internationally from emerging nations. The U.S. has superior technology, which will help keep profits up as supply increases and demand remains relatively constant. Natural gas makes up 72% of Chesapeake†s revenue. They usually sell the product to third parties and are not dependent on any one buyer. Less than 10% of their revenues are generated from two buyers. Governmental Regulations – Operational and Labor Relations The oil and gas industries are subject to considerable government regulation. These laws and regulations are primarily directed toward â€Å"the handling and disposal of drilling and production waste products and waste created by water and air pollution control devices† [Chesapeake 10-K, 1998, p. 10]. The oil and gas industry is accountable to numerous government agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of the Interior, the Department of Energy, the State Department and the Department of Commerce. Virtually every aspect of operations is subject to complex and ever changing regulations. The oil and gas industry is tightly regulated in regard to labor relations by government department and agencies, including the Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA) and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Some states have their own state sponsored occupational safety plans, while the remainder must comply with federal OSHA regulations. Some of the topics covered under OSHA include personal protective equipment, hazardous communication (HAZCOM) and safety process training. Chesapeake had 453 employees as of March 15, 1999. None of these employees were represented by organized labor unions. The company considers its employee relations to be good [Chesapeake 10-K, 1998, p. 13]. Unocal (NYSE: UCL) employed 7,880 people as of December 31, 1998, of which 575 were represented by various U.S. labor unions [Unocal 10-K, 1998, p. 12]. Both companies are subject to new laws and regulations regarding the environment and labor. Chesapeake and Unocal cannot predict what adverse financial conditions the new laws and regulations will bring. However, short-term and long-term costs will increase as companies improve existing operations to become and remain compliant with government regulations. As a result, all companies in petro-chemical industries are experiencing tremendous difficulty operating profitable businesses. Several businesses have ceased operations as a result of increased regulation coupled with poor profit margins. Chesapeake is at a higher risk regarding this scenario since most of its operations are domestic. Unocal, although a U.S. based company, operations are concentrated primarily overseas, and therefore experience increased leniency regarding environmental and labor regulations. During the last two years, Chesapeake Corporation took a significant hit in terms of earnings, stock price and credit ratings. Positive 1996 earnings turned to a loss in 1997 and tumbled to a bigger loss of $10 per share in 1998. This earnings decline caused the stock price and credit rating to plummet. The company also faces a class action lawsuit stemming from alleged violations of federal securities laws. Top management and directors are accused of using insider information to sell personal holdings in the company at artificially inflated prices. Chesapeake had very disappointing years in 1997 and 1998 as evidenced by the fall in the stock price. The company underwent a substantial repositioning to increase natural gas holdings and reduce risk. As a result of this repositioning, Chesapeake incurred considerable debt and is dependent on the market prices of oil and natural gas to increase, and in effect, improve profit margins. Additionally, in 1997, Chesapeake changed their fiscal year end from June 30th to December 31st. As part of the repositioning, Chesapeake increased long term debt over $400 million to a total of $920 million, coupled with a short-term indebtedness of $25 million. This increased borrowing drastically reduced the company†s ability to obtain additional financing. Standard Poor†s and Moody†s placed Chesapeake on review with a negative outlook. The ability to meet obligations for this additional debt will depend on the production and financial performance of the company, market prices of oil and natural gas, and general economic conditions. Common Size Income Statement Analysis Chesapeake had an extremely large write-down of assets (impairment) as a result of reduced oil and gas prices during the past few years. This charge increased operating costs by over $1.2 billion during 1997-98 with 72% of that cost coming in 1998. The asset write-down, combined with expense increases in production, marketing and interest, were the main contributors of total operating costs to be over three times total revenue. The result was 1998 EBIT of ($920) million, and a non-existent ROE, since the company had a net loss approaching $1 billion. Unocal†s ROE was 5.9% in 1998 and 25.1% in 1997. The impairment cost reported by Chesapeake is questionable because of the very large amount that was charged. In perspective, Unocal with over $5 billion in property assets recorded an impairment charge of $97 million during 1998. If oil and gas prices rise in the near future, the impairment costs may be reversed giving the impression that the company is doing very well. Future investors of Chesapeake equities should consider this fact prior to making any investment decisions. Chesapeake had a $140 million reduction to both sides of the balance sheet. The repositioning of the firm focused on increasing inventory of natural gas reserves, â€Å"the fuel of choice for the 21st century† [1998 Annual Report, pg. 18]. Oil and gas properties nearly doubled from 1997 to 1998, totaling $2.2 billion. However, nearly $1.6 billion was depreciated, depleted and amortized. Additionally, cash decreased nearly $100 million, short-term investments were liquidated, and paid-in capital exceeded $1.1 billion over the past two years to provide additional cash for purchases of gas reserves. As a result, total property, plant and equipment was 85% of total assets in 1998 compared to 77% in 1997. In comparison, Unocal†s PPE was 66% and 64% of total assets respectively. Long-term debt increased over $400 million in 1998, totaling $920 million compared to $510 million in 1997. The $920 million was 113% in relation to total liabilities and owners equity of $813 million. In 1998, current liabilities were $131 million compared to current assets of $118 million. This resulted in a reduced current ratio of .90 from a 1997 ratio of 1.42. The Unocal current ratios during 1998 and 1997 were 1.01 and 1.29 respectively. Chesapeake has relied primarily on cash flow through financing activities during the past few years. Cash flow from operations was approximately $95 million in 1998 and $180 million in 1997, while cash flow from financing was $365 million and $278 million respectively. Sales accounted for $378 million in 1998 and appear to be rising approximately 35% annually from 1996 and 1997. However, an accurate comparison is unavailable because of the change in the company†s fiscal year end. Low oil and gas prices forced Chesapeake to borrow, sell equity, and liquidate short-term investments in order to continue operations and invest in oil and gas properties. The company is dependent on the rise of prices during 1999 to continue operations and provide shareholder wealth. The company has several restrictions from being able to borrow additional funds. Additionally, the price of stock has dropped from a high of $34 in 1996 to a low of $.63 in 1998. This has further reduced the company†s ability to generate cash. The current ratios for Chesapeake Energy are as follows: 1.00 (June 96), 2.03 (June 97), 1.42 (December 97), and .90 (December 98). Current liabilities remained constant over this period, ranging from a high of 19% (June 96) to a low of 15% (June 97), with the current level at 16% of total assets. Extreme levels of change in current assets caused the current ratio to fluctuate drastically. Current assets declined from a high of $297 million (31% of total assets) to a current low of $117 million (15% of total assets). This decline in current assets caused the deterioration of the current ratio. The acid test ratios are as follows: .94 (June 96), 2.00 (June 97), 1.37 (December 97), and .81 (December 98). As previously mentioned, current liabilities remained constant. Net accounts receivable remained flat as a percentage of total assets: 9% in 1996, 7% in 1997 (Both June December), and 9% in 1998. Marketable securities were sold off during the past three years, decreasing from 11% ($104 million) of total assets to zero. Cash decreased from 13% ($124 million) of total assets in 1997 (both June December) to 4% in 1998. The combination of severe decreases in both cash and marketable securities are the reasons that the acid test ratio decreased so dramatically. The quick ratios are as follows: .96 (June 96), 2.00 (June 97), 1.38 (December 97), and .86 (December 98). As mentioned previously, current liabilities remained constant and current assets declined. As with the current ratio, the main reason for the deterioration of the quick ratio is the continued loss of current assets. The above ratios and the reasons for their poor trends indicate Chesapeake is currently in a liquidity crisis. This, in combination with the increased debt liabilities, is an extreme warning to both investors and management. This condition also adds to the suspicion that assets are being sold off to fund current debt obligations. The firm†s ability to meet its obligations with cash, as they come due, is approximated by the cash flow liquidity ratio. As previously mentioned, solvency improved and then deteriorated as indicated by the current and quick ratios. The trends are confirmed when looking at cash flow. From 1995 to 1997, Chesapeake†s cash flow liquidity improved from 1.47 to 1.8. 1997 to 1998 showed a large drop in liquidity from 1.8 to 0.95. The company†s financial statement data gives an indication as to why. From 1995 to 1997, short-term solvency improved from 1.47 to 1.8. When looking at the data, cash from operations rose from $55 million in 1995, to $139 million in 1997. The 1997 rise was due to a change in the accounting period. During this same period, cash on hand rose from $56 million to $123 million and marketable securities rose from zero to $13 million. While cash was increasing, current liabilities rose from $75 million to $153 million. Current liabilities doubled during this period, while cash flow increased 150%. The larger increase in cash flow, relative to short-term obligations, accounts for the improvement in solvency during the 1995 to 1997 period. During the 1997 and 1998 periods, liquidity deteriorated as shown by the decrease in the cash flow liquidity ratio from 1.8 to 0.95. The data indicates that cash from operations dropped approximately 32% to $95 million. When looking at the Cash Flow Statement, the large decrease in operating cash is mainly due to the large net loss incurred during the period. At the same time, cash dropped 76% to $30 million while marketable securities fell to zero. Much of the cash appears to have gone to fund the company†s payables and accrued liabilities. Current liabilities were reduced 15% to $131 million. The larger reduction in cash flow relative to current obligations accounts for the deterioration in short-term solvency. The cash flow data confirms that Chesapeake†s liquidity suffered severe deterioration. A reduction in current liabilities is a good sign, but the little amount of cash generated and being used to fund current obligations is not enough. Cash assets are being used to fund these obligations as well. In comparison to the industry debt ratio of .31, Chesapeake ended with a debt ratio of 1.31 in 1998 compared to .71 in 1997. The long-term debt to total capitalization ratio increased from .64 in 1997 to 1.37 in 1998, while the industry average was .44. The tremendous increase in debt was attributable to significantly lower oil and gas prices during the past three years, and a failed drilling venture known as the Louisiana Trend. The company was forced to liquidate assets and take on a substantial amount of debt to meet operational expenses and increase oil and gas field reserves. Chesapeake was added to the Standard Poor†s â€Å"CreditWatch with negative implications† [Yahoo Finance, Nov. 14, 1999] in December of 1998. The low price of fuel during fiscal years 1996 through 1998 was the primary reason for Chesapeake†s troubles. The debt incurred has covenants restricting the company from seeking additional debt and from paying dividends to preferred stock holders. Principal on a large portion of the outstanding debt is not due until 2004 allowing the company time to improve operations. This will also give fuel prices a chance to rise, which is determinant to the company†s survival. The industry average for times interest earned is 5.2, while Chesapeake†s operating profit was ($856) million. The ratio equated to well below zero in 1997 and 1998. In 1998, interest payments were more than $68 million. The financial leverage index could not be computed since there was not a return on equity. Chesapeake overextended their credit by substantially financing with debt and has jeopardized their ability to make obligated payments for their debt and fixed costs.

Global warming Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Global warming - Research Paper Example By definition, global warming refers to the average increase in air temperature of the globes surface and ocean. This increase has been estimated to have started in 1950. A term used as a synonym for global warming is climate change. According to facts it is a clear and unmistakable fact that the earths temperature is rising. Global warming is not just about two different summer seasons, but it involves changes occurring on the environment, weather and atmosphere. It is thought interms of decades and not seasons. The term global warming can be misleading as it can be wrongly thought to mean that thing are going to be hotter, yet in some cases situations are stormier, drier, or colder. Due to the fact that all things are linked such as temperature, wind and rain, global warming affects the earth in regards to both biology and hydrology. Each year in the past 37 year has experienced warmth that is higher than that of the 20th century on average. The earth has experienced the 12 warmest years ever in history with 2012 being the hottest year ever recorded in the United States. The average surface temperature increase has been over one degree Fahrenheit from 1800s with the last three decades being the worst (Union of Concerned Scientists, 2014). As observed by scientists, the earth’s history on variability is vast with instances such as the cold temperatures compared to ice age, to being as hot as easy bake oven. As projected by scientists, temperatures are expected to increase by an average of 2-11.5 degrees Fahrenheit’s by the end o f 21st century (Trimarchi 2014). As stated by Environmental protection Agency, the earth’s temperature is a balance between the suns heat that leaves and the amountstays on the planet. The earth becomes warm when it absorbs heat from the sun and it is made cooler when the suns heat is reflected back. A lot of factors are responsible for earth’s energy balance, some of which include variation in the green house

Compensation and Benefit Strategy Research Paper

Compensation and Benefit Strategy - Research Paper Example On analyzing the human resource activities in the organization, it was transpired that the main reason why the employees quit their job is that the compensation and benefit packages paid to them are below average as compared to other organizations. Though many of the work positions in the company involve hazards, and people in various departments are putting in extra working hours, the management does not pay them proper compensation at parity with the nature of work. At the present stage, the company is unable to retain its loyal employees due to disparities and inadequacies in the pay structure and they have to sustain heavy expenses on recurring recruitments, which can be avoided if they evolve a proper pay structure that also recognizes high performance. Holland Enterprises is a prestigious company over the last 35 years, employing over 3500 people. In order to retain its image and to receive continued work support of employees with required experience, the company needs to revie w and rethink its compensation policies to sustain their business and profitability in a competitive environment. The management also has to recognize that, on the one hand, they are losing competent workforce for want of reasonable remuneration, while on the other hand, they are spending a lot of money to carry out recruitment. Considering the present circumstances and all the pros and cons of the issue, I have drafted a proposal for raising the compensation and planned certain benefit strategies for the employees, which are aimed to attract efficient workforce towards the company and help in retaining them in the organization in future. The proposal explores the basic components of the compensation and benefit strategy on factors such as compensation and benefit philosophy, pay structure architecture (pay grades, pay ranges, and pay width), ratio of base pay to incentive (bonus) pay, emphasizes on external equity or internal equity, principle type of benefits to include deferred c ompensation match, health insurance, vacation and sick leave, etc. Holland Enterprises has immense potential to increase their output if the organization can use the information contained in the proposal to appropriately raise the compensation of their employees and implement the benefit strategies. Compensation and Benefit Philosophy Employees are the most valuable assets in every organization and, therefore, their satisfaction and well being are very important. Fair and effective compensation system is an integral component in achieving employee satisfaction to help the company retain them for a longer period. Therefore, the management needs to ensure that an effective system of pay, which is at par with market competitive base pay programs as well as variable pay programs are prevalent in the company. There is no denial of the fact that â€Å"compensation and benefits affect the productivity and happiness of employees,† which in turn will enable the organization to â€Å" effectively realize its objectives† (Compensation & Benefits, n.d, par. 5). The management should consider that they are paying what they deserve. The principle of a good compensation philosophy is to attract and motivate efficient employees and to help in the retention of experienced employees who already know well all the specific requirements of the company and their job responsibilities. To achieve these objectives, the

''The Odyssey'' and ''The Iliad'' Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

''The Odyssey'' and ''The Iliad'' - Essay Example It is a tale of a brave warrior Odysseus, King of Ithaca, who gets lost after winning the famous Trojan war of Troy. This war is of historical significance because the Greek soldiers entered Troy by hiding in a huge horse made up of wood and then took their enemies by surprise. The story encompasses twenty or more years that he spent away from his family which are filled with his encounters with people and various exotic elements of the nature including God of Sea, Goddess Calypso, Circe, King of God, Zeus, his daughter Athena and many more interesting characters. Homer starts the adventures of Odysseus with the Trojan war of Troy which starts as a revenge against the people of troy for kidnapping Paris who was a cousin of the wife of Odysseus. The ten years of the war which bring untold miseries and grief to people of Troy are equally devastating for the soldiers of Odysseus who are killed. The war is also significant because the warriors of Odysseus rape Cassandra, the priestess of the temple of Goddess Athena. This invoked the anger of the Goddess Athena who asked Poseidon, the God of Sea to avenge Cassandra’s rape by drowning the fleet of Odysseus. Meanwhile Zeus, father of Athena also gets angry at the fact that Odysseus and his soldiers had killed innocent people and unnecessarily went on pillaging the city of Troy. So he uses his divine powers so that Odysseus is not able to return to his kingdom but is waylaid by various elements which prevent his return to Ithaca. Homer has superbly interwoven the great epic with elements of nature and characters, both human and super human that play important roles to carry forward the story in the most amazing and interesting narration. Despite the intervention of the elements, Odysseus again escapes the death but becomes a prisoner of sea nymph Calypso who is much enamoured by him. After one year with Calypso, he is released at the bequest of Zeus, who is the King of Gods. Homer

Knowledge Economy in The UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Knowledge Economy in The UK - Essay Example Knowledge as a 'product' has acquired many management executives to research it in a broad spectrum where its governance has become a major concern in building international strategy, innovation and performance. Knowledge as a 'tool' examines the outcomes of knowledge processes, and what we mean by knowledge economy is to make the best out of this 'tool'. Knowledge economy is a product of strategical organisational fields that possess the capability to fulfill human capital inputs by increasing number of technologies (Brusoni et al, 2001). At an institutional level knowledge economy defines various levels to which regional or organisational policies are shaped in context with economic regimes. With knowledge comes innovation and a knowledge-enabled organisational environment adopts and implements knowledge strategies and develops knowledge culture in order to sustain competitiveness in the long term. However, the extent to which a knowledge economy is possible depends upon the organisation's primary levels of knowledge and innovation it can sustain (Hyde & Mitchell, 2000). Under the heading of knowledge economy lies increasing competitive pressures which are the outcomes of deregulation and internalisation. Governing knowledge under strategic management has bee... of knowledge not limited in a specific cultural context, but entails cross-cultural origins where integrating effects within and between organisations are managed. Gratton et al (1999) suggests that various research measures on a knowledge economy are dependent upon the influences that are acquired through appropriate use of knowledge with expertise that brings credibility to the HR department (Gratton et al, 1999: 13). Strategic HRM Perspective of the Organisation The SHRM focuses on four main perspectives that question existence of the organisation for resource allocation, in-house limitations governed through market relations, internal organisation and labor markets and competitive advantage (Foss, 2005: 24-25). Though performance management (PM) initiates knowledge management (KM) by controlling and aligning the most competent individuals to deploy other workforce in the interests of organisations, but it follows some views to regulate performance. Firstly, it closely monitors employee performance and competencies to specify behaviors, skills and knowledge for employees. Then there are monitoring outputs that allows employers to decentralise control and finally there are high-velocity environments to assess employees contribution in various components of the PM system like goal setting, evaluation, training and development etc (Gratton et al, 1999: 61). The resource based perspective of SHRM is to visualise the capabilities of organisation in the light of a bundle of tangible and intangible resources required to sustain in the market competition. It is the management that analyses the accumulated stock of knowledge, skills and abilities that the organisation possess in terms of human resource (Mabey et al, 1998: 76). Since KM varies according to spatial

Strategic implementation plan for Apple Inc Research Paper

Strategic implementation plan for Apple Inc - Research Paper Example This research will begin with the statement that the strategy implementation is a fundamental task in turning the mission and vision of a company into reality. The implementation process of a strategy encompasses a series of actions and tasks which ultimately established the intended change within the organization. However, in order to successfully implement a plan, the resources required as well as the time frame required need to be identified appropriately. Apart from the identification of resources and time, it is also important to define or set a parameter on the basis of which the implementation process will be monitored. Apple is arguably one of the most flourishing companies of the world and has one of the most noteworthy brand names of the modern era. The new product launch of the company is an awaited event across the globe and customers have high anticipations from the products of the company. Furthermore, the financial performance of the company is also exemplary. However, the success of the company can be attributed to two main factors; the presence of innovation in every division the company and the visionary leadership of Steve Jobs. The company headquartered at California, USA operates in almost every part of the world. As of 2013, the company had 408 retail outlets spread across 14 countries of the world. The competitors of the company are Samsung, LG, Nokia, Panasonic and Sharp to name a few. The company targets only higher income group and as a result of that, the market size of the company is limited.... It is believed that the company will be able to tap that segment of consumers in the market who give high priority to the after sales service of a product (Binder & Witt, 2011). As mentioned earlier the company has been losing significant sales volume due to poor after sales service. Therefore in order to get rid of this, the company proposes to develop an online service platform where the products will be serviced. In this platform, any kind of software related issues will be resolved by the company itself and the user do not have to physically visit the store or service centre. The users need to connect their phone to the network and need to give the access of the phone. The service engineers on the other side will gain control of the phone through remote access and will be able to make the necessary modifications and restorations. However development and implementation plan is a complex task and requires time and resources. Functional Tactics The functional tactics undertaken by a company plays a critical role in the implementation process of a strategy. The first and foremost concern pertaining to the implementation process of any strategy in the organization is to convert the current strategies into actions throughout the entire organization. The functional tactics in this context is principally responsible for identifying the specific and immediate action that the company must take so as to ensure proper implementation of the business strategy. In this context, the objectives of the company are to implement an online service platform and in order to implement it the following are the financial tactics or the immediate action that the company needs to take. The first task and

Employment Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Employment Relations - Essay Example It started due to poor conditions of labor and compulsory cruel over time for the labor. During the period of 1970s Labor movement was taking notice of racisisam and its affect it had on the labor and the labor policies. The trade union consisted of 11.5 million members. There were pamphlets and dvds which were offered starting from Brent trade council which showed the highlights of the movement. It was also talking about the work which the employers of George Ward were doing in order to fight for the trade unionism. The movement was supported by the conservative party, the national association of Freedom and police and the court. Here it is also important to talk about the trade union leadership which was basically giving vocal support to their members but they were not prepared properly in order to provide support to their members until the bitter end came of the strike, which made the strikers stop and accept the court action against them. Grunwicks was basically a photograph fact ory that was located in Brent, North London and it was run by the anti union employer named as George Ward. There were many strikes and work done earlier as well in order to gain the recognition for the workers however it 1976 the strike ked by Jayaben Desai started with 137 workers supporting his work. Though the end result which they had to face was they all being sacked but it was a proper strike ever that took place thus it was successful in at least starting a cause even if they had to face failure in the beginning. Local citizens, advice bureau and even Apex joined them so that an official recognition is given to the strike. The strikers were new and they had never been involved in anything which was against the rulling class but here they were not only against the ruling class but they were also fighting a battle which was between the trade movements and the people who was ruling them. Political aspect of this strike was clearly visible to the strikers who got the results and and answer very quickly. There were many solidarity actions which were spreading around the trade union movement as the strike lasted for a longer period of time and it became a very common thing around. People around boycotted the Grunwick factory and people were stopped to send photos to them for processing, even George Ward was not successful in stopping the strike. Many workers and members of other departments also joined hands with them which include local postal workers who became members of the union of postal workers and they stopped delivering posts. There were also some water and electricity cut offs but Apex and TUC was not involved in it and it was not evening supporting that. (Socialist Appeal ). All the actions of the postal workers were stopped as ordered by the union but Len Murray still attended one meeting of TUC that took place in Brent. The act of Mass picketing started in June 1977 and there were almost 3000 pickets. Police became very active as well who arrest ed almost 84 people. There was almost a civil war atmosphere created as there were scenes which were to familiarize the minor strikes and the atmosphere was just like a civil war atmosphere. 12000 pickets basically blockaded the factory for almost six hours where the branches of the

Heidelberg Project Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Heidelberg Project - Research Paper Example The Heidelberg Project has persisted despite this notion. Hope Among the Ruins 3 Hope Among the Ruins: The Heidelberg Project and Urban Renewal Detroit belongs to the phantom legacy of American cities whose best days have always seemed to lay ahead. From its earliest days, Detroit has been a â€Å"city of the future† that never quite got there, starting with the imposition of the grid system in the 18th century to the near-mania for urban renewal of the 20th century. In a sense, Detroit’s â€Å"renewal† has been just around the corner ever since the Depression era, from which David Sheridan claims the city has never fully recovered (Sheridan, 1999). Economic disparity and the blight that accompanies it are part and parcel of this lamentable phenomenon, symptoms of a seemingly unattainable future. In this reality, all that’s left to those who live in poor and forgotten neighborhoods is a form of aesthetic protest that makes itself felt by decorating the bli ghted landscape, by reminding those in power that giving over rundown buildings to artistic expression can, in a real sense, bring about â€Å"urban renewal.† A sardonic comment The persistence and popularity of Tyree Guyton’s Heidelberg Project is a spectacular manifestation of what has been called an angry artistic expression of frustration over willful civic neglect. Guyton’s organic creation is what Robert Zecker has called a sardonic comment on â€Å"the poverty existing in the parts of postindustrial cities that have all but been abandoned by cash-starved civic governments† (Zecker, 2008). The art that was created from abandoned houses and refuse â€Å"were often harsh critiques of the abandonment many Detroiters felt, facing vacant 4 houses; weedy fields overgrown with discarded refrigerators and baby buggies; and a city administration incapable of offering city services†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Ibid, 2008). But the Heidelberg Project is more than just conf rontation, it is a revolutionary gesture that says the future is not a thing that mayors, city councils and chambers of commerce bestow on a city. Guyton and those who have followed his example have reserved for themselves the power to effect change†¦even if change comes via the imposition of polka dots. Evidently, the city of Detroit, which dismembered the project on two occasions came to agree, if only in a tacit way. The city â€Å"gave up on its original goal of bulldozing the Heidelberg Project houses and finally started marketing (Guyton’s) artistic creations as tourist destinations† (Ibid, 2008). Art as urban renewal In a very real sense, the Heidelberg Project became art as urban renewal, though it didn’t start out that way. The notion of art and architecture sanctioned by the city was turned inside-out in Detroit. If it wasn’t bulldozed or razed and rebuilt as part of an ambitious political initiative, renewal couldn’t be considered l egitimate if it didn’t come out of an urban planner’s computer. This was the way Detroit had always planned for progress. But the throngs of locals and out-of-town tourists that experienced Guyton’s creations, and the newspaper and journal articles that chronicled the project, could hardly be ignored. And when the Detroit Institute of Art accepted some samples of the project as exhibits, there was no denying that traditional concepts of urban renewal and civic identity had been

Audience Analysis Essay Example for Free

Audience Analysis Essay Communication is one of the most important skills that an individual can possess when presenting to a group of people. The audience should always be focal point of the presenter as communication is an important foundation and can often determine the success or failure of a message being received. When communication is done properly it can build respect and trust between groups and help identity the issues at hand. The presenter must have a good understanding of the audiences culture in order to effectively communicate with the group. In this assignment I have been asked to present quarterly sales information in an in-person meeting to a group of stakeholders that includes managers, salespeople, and customers. I have been asked to answer a number of different questions before I present my information to the audience. The following questions will be answered in this paper. 1.What are audience characteristics you need to consider?2.What communication channels would be appropriate and why?3.What are some considerations that you must keep in mind given the diversity of the audience?4.What would you do to ensure that your message is effective?Before you can prepare a presentation you must consider the characteristics of your audience. I know that my audience consists of managers, salespeople, and customers of this particular organization. Because I have identified my audience I now have a better understanding of the audiences knowledge of the subject. I also understand their interest in the subject; I understand that the different groups of individuals may only be interested in certain results of the quarterly sales information that is being presented. Managers and salespeople may have different subject knowledge than the customers. I will needs to address the different needs of all parties in attendance. I will have to customize certain parts of my presentation in order to address the specific needs of each group within the audience. I will also need to understand what the audience is expecting to learn from my presentation. I should be able to meet and exceed their expectations and the audience should walk away with their questions answered and explained as well as have a better understanding of the quarterly sales information that was presented to them. Because this is an in-person meeting certain communication channels are more appropriate than others. Power-point presentations would be an appropriate method of communication between the presenter and the audience. This is an effective method because it not only allows the presenter to discuss the statistics; but will also allow the present to show the audience the statistics in detail and all together as a group. Printed handouts or documents are another method of communication that would be considered appropriate in an in-person meeting. This method allows the audience to take part in reading the information provided and also gives them something to take with them from the meeting for future reference. Because the majority of the information is being presented orally, the presenter must consider their own body language and speech effectiveness to the audience. Body language and speech are both very important as the audience will be feeding off of the enthusiasm of the presenter. If the presenter gets the attention of their audience it is important to keep it in order to effectively communicate the information. Because there is diversity in the audience certain considerations must be kept in mind when presenting quarterly sales information. Each group will have different levels of interest in the information being presented. The customers will probably not have the same level of interest in certain aspects of the presentation as the managers and salespeople. Another consideration that the presenter must keep in mind is the information that is being communicated to the group. There is a certain amount of statistical data that the organization might not want all the members of the audience to know about. This information might be better presented in a managers only meeting. Other considerations that a presenter may want to keep in mind given the diversity of the audience is the average age, gender, culture background, education, economic status, and group memberships of the attending audience. These considerations individually may not have a big impact on the methods of communication chosen b y the presenter, but together will allow the presenter to understand the diversity of the audience to which the information is being communicated. To ensure that the presentation is a success and the information is received effectively I would make sure that I have a concrete agenda and use it. I would also make sure that I interact with the audience, for example when presenting the sales data I might ask the audience if anyone has any suggestions to help increase the sales in a particular area. I would ask some open-ended questions to help encourage audience participation. I would also ask the audience to participate in constructive group discussions and would frequently check for group consensus on particular issues and decisions. At the end of the meeting I would survey the group through E-mail, fax, letter to ensure that the information that was presented was received and understood. I would also make myself available to answer any questions that may need clarification on an individual level. References Locker, K., Kienzer, D. (2008). Business and Administrative Communication (8th edition). McGraw-Hill, 2008 New York, NY. Retrieved from the University of Phoenix web-site. Payne, B. (2008). Effective group Communication. Retrieved on April 24, 2009 from the world wide web at: http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/DPI/nreninf.nsf/childdocs/-C835B1CE4BC7F1D04A2568B30004FC37-4FEBC5DEBF535AC1CA256BC8000410EB-5D3323C8EDE7C7EB4A256DEA00294D0A-B59DCFB30DB614C3CA256BCF000AD4E0?openPearson, Allyn Bacon (1995-2009). Demographic Characteristics of Your Audience. Retrieved on April 24, 2009 from the world wide web at: http://wps.ablongman.com/ab_public_speaking_2/24/6223/1593259.cw/index.html . Copyright  © 1995 2009, Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Allyn Bacon. McGee, J. Important Characteristics of your Audience. Writing and Designing Print Materials for Beneficiaries: A Guide for State Medicaid Agencies. Health Care Financing Administration, Baltimore, MD. HCFA Publication Number 10145. October 1999, page 66, and the Plain English Network Web site at http://www.plainlanguage.gov. Retrieved from the world wide web on April 26, 2009 at: http://www.talkingquality.gov/docs/section3/popups/characteristics_pop.htm

Total quality management Literature review

Total quality management Literature review Literature review The world experienced the quality revolution in the early 1990s. From that instance organisations were improving in overall quality of the organisation. The companies around the world competed with their quality of products and services, price and delivery. Organisations believed that by improving the quality, they can achieve lower cost, fewer failures and better marketability. In this period total quality management became popular. TQM is applied in organisations to improve its effectiveness, flexibility and competitiveness, by improving the overall quality of the organisation. It is focused mainly on continuous improvement. TQM is nothing but a philosophy and guide to organisations, which helps them in ways towards continuous improvement. TQM is a combination of system of systems. All the companies have not achieved competitive advantage or benefits using TQM is because of implementation and usage in the organisation. To be successful with TQM the indicators which are to be achieved by an organisation are the leadership, continuous improvements, internal or external co- operation, customer focus, learning, employee fulfilment and process management. http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/ViewContentServlet?contentType=ArticleFilename=Published/EmeraldFullTextArticle/Articles/0291030201.html http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/ViewContentServlet?contentType=ArticleFilename=Published/EmeraldFullTextArticle/Articles/1060120604.html http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/ViewContentServlet?contentType=ArticleFilename=Published/EmeraldFullTextArticle/Articles/0400140507.html http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/ViewContentServlet?contentType=ArticleFilename=/published/emeraldfulltextarticle/pdf/1760030104.pdf According to Hansson and Klefsjà ¶ (2003) TQM can be defined as a management system, which consists of three interdependent units, namely core values, techniques and tools. But the definitions for total quality management are vague. The aim of TQM is Zero defect and it mainly emphasis on quality. The core values of TQM which will lead to better quality in the organisation is summarised from the authors (Boulter and Bendell, 2002, Ehresman, 1995, Ghobadian and Gallear 1995, Hansson and Klefsjà ¶ 2003, 2006 ) it is divided into three parts, first the whole organisation has to committed and work towards common goal i.e. continuous improvement. Secondly the customers are to be focused, through better satisfaction in the products and services. The decisions made with regard to customers are to be given the highest priority by top level management. Thirdly the decisions must be taken with trusted facts and figures. http://demo1.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/ViewContentServlet;jsessionid=5FBEA684473F22B9FAE30638F23D3534?contentType=ArticleFilename=Published/EmeraldFullTextArticle/Articles/1060150201.html Boulter, L., Bendell, T. (2002), How can ISO 9000:2000 help companies achieve excellence? What the company think, Measuring Business Excellence, Vol. 6 No.2, pp.37-41. Ehresman, T. (1995), Small Business Success through TQM, ASQC Quality Press, Milwaukee, WI. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=MImg_imagekey=B6VC4-3VW1BRW-8-2_cdi=5944_user=138221_orig=search_coverDate=02%2F29%2F1996_sk=999759998view=cwchp=dGLbVlz-zSkzkmd5=a2afeab00d66a4e64f8e3a30e84385dfie=/sdarticle.pdf http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=MImg_imagekey=B6VCT-4MHPHMF-C-5_cdi=5963_user=138221_orig=search_coverDate=12%2F01%2F2007_sk=998169997view=cwchp=dGLbVzb-zSkWzmd5=e471fdc0aece7732196abd9705804b37ie=/sdarticle.pdf http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/ViewContentServlet?contentType=ArticleFilename=Published/EmeraldFullTextArticle/Articles/0291080901.html From the definition and study it is stated that the environmental management is a part of quality management. When the organisation is moving towards total improvement in performance, the environmental performance has its presence. Governments and agencies around the world created quality systems to help the organisations to achieve their quality objectives through quality management systems and environmental performance in environmental management systems. The QM and EMS share a common aim and values. QM and EMS are integrated now. According to Wilkinson and Dale, 1998 and Karapetrovic and Willborn, 1998 integration can be carried out in many different ways but, the results differ in terms of applying it and it is also called as system of systems. Wilkinson, G., Dale, B.G. (1998), System integration: the views and activities of certification bodies, The TQM Magazine, Vol. 10 No.4, pp.288-92 Karapetrovic, S., Willborn, W. (1998), Integration of quality and environmental management systems, The TQM Magazine, Vol. 10 No.3, pp.204-13. For example the ISO has developed management systems separately for quality management and environmental management i.e. ISO9000 for quality and ISO14000 for environmental management. Integration was done by the technical committee in 2004 between quality and environment systems. They had explored the common factors between two systems and modified ISO 14000-2004 to enable organisations to use both systems at once. This resulted in superior performance in many organisations. They introduced the PDCA which is common for both systems. Bernardo et al, 2008 http://demo1.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/ViewContentServlet?contentType=ArticleFilename=Published/EmeraldFullTextArticle/Articles/0510200405.html#idb31 Environmental management and quality management are parallel to each other. They have common factors like zero defects and no wastage and the process of implementation with corrective and preventive actions. But some basic value does not integrate, exactly with each other. QMS mainly concentrates on consumer requirements and on the other had EMS focuses on the environment. According to Chinn a new concept was formed in late 90s which was named as QEMS which means quality and environment management system. It has stated the common elements they worked upon. They are planning, objectives, management responsibility, communication, training, control of records and many others. So when an organisation need to equipped with total quality system, the EMS will also must be in place to monitor the environmental sustainability measures from the organisation. What is Benchmarking? In the present business scenario, quality has become a major criterion in all aspects of the organisation, so the managers have taken up quality improvement tools such as total quality management, quality function development and continuous improvement. The exertion of these tools is to discover the flaws in the organisational process. The next step is to convert these flaws and improving the component. Here the question rises of how to fix these inadequacies? Benchmarking is the way to fix them. As benchmarking is a quality improvement process. It is a systematic process of searching and monitoring the best practices in the sector. Benchmarking has been the concept of imitating the best practices in the industry. Organizations have to achieve cost benefits, better operations and better environment by which it induces the company to learn quickly and cheaply from adopting the best practices and performance standards from other companies in order to get better competitive advantage over its competitors. This can be extended anywhere because the ultimate goal is to be best in class. Benchmarking is commonly used tool in the organisations. This technique can be implemented in all sectors and it is due to increasing competitiveness. Benchmark means to a unit on a scale for measurement. It was a fashionable concept for the large manufacturing companies which predominantly uses quantitative economic parameters, such as inventory turnover, set-up times, lead time, direct labour time or working time, return on sales, return on equity are measured.(Miller et al.,1992). Nowadays benchmarking is used everywhere and it is used to measure any process, activity, procedure in an organisation which may be of products or services. Many authors and literatures have given many different forms of definitions for benchmarking. Definitions from Sarkis, Andersen and pettersen and Marosszeky and Karim are benchmarking means comparing the practices, operations, results of an organisation with the best organisation in the sector and adopt and practice the techniques used in there to improve ones own organisation. And it focuses on continuous improvement, in quality and helps to learn from the competitors. Through which the faults and breakthroughs in the organisation can be easily identified and systematically dealt with. It also helps in improving the overall quality and business environment carried out through learning from each other. It forms a continuous and systematic improvement in an organisations processes, products and services which are being monitored and adopted from the best practices globally or nation wide or in a particular sector. Benchmarking is used to achieve and maintain high level of competitiveness. It monitors the continuous improvement by the process of measuring the products, services and business practices against the best practices in the industry. The organisations strengths and weakness can be easily identified and measured with the best and toughest competitors in the industry. Best practices is finding and using the best ways to achieve the desired objectives in the organisation. It is done by imitating the practices and processes of the organisation who are leaders in the sector and measuring the ways it worked with. Benchmarking can be done in five steps for an organisation. Firstly the required data are collected in a planned manner from the organisation and the data is converted into a report format, which make it easy for analyzing the situation. After creating a report the gaps are to be detected and corrective action has to be implemented to fill the gaps. When the gaps in the organisation are corrected, review has to be done in regular intervals and reported. It is compared with best practice in the industry. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/04/02091848/1 Many organisations are not aware of what needed to be benchmarked. because of the lack of management knowledge. A key issue is that what to benchmark in business or an organisation. It is mainly used to compare and measure of business and product performance and how it is extended to the business processes. Determining the issues to be benchmarked is a critical issue. The following questions can aid to the question of what to benchmark with environment (Cassell et. al.., 2001) To find the critical factors which are of organisations success To find the process causing the trouble in the system To find the process which contribute to maximum customer satisfaction and in which the performance is not to the expectation Examine and define the competitive pressures impacting the organisation What the processes which have the greatest potential for differentiating in the business competitiveness? Environmental benchmarking The environmental benchmarking is derived from benchmarking and it mainly focuses on the natural environment. It helps the organisation to become green and eco efficient by adopting the practices from the leaders in industry. It is also a quality improvement tool and has become very essential to an organisation. They are used to achieve environmental performance in the organisation i.e. it helps the organisation to manipulate on the natural environment. It is adapted in many organisations due to the pressure from stake holders, public and authorises. According to Greeno and Robinson 1992, Demands on companies to measure, document and disclose information about environmental performance will become invasive.and environmental performance will become a critical factor to scrutinize. It is been predicted a decade ago, and the governments has now made it mandatory and bought it to the legislations that organisations must be environmental conscious and friendly. According to Szekely, et. al.., 1996, Makrinou et al 2008 and Mandaraka, et. al 2003 Environmental benchmarking is used by various organisation in their practices, process and in business operation to achieve environmental efficiency and environmental performance. The tool framed to rigorously concentrate on every activity of the organisation and examines and compares the process to achieve its objectives. The process is the elimination and rectification of weak activities and processes in the organisation and the objective is to identify and access the abilities and attributes in business to achieve maximum environmental performance. Most of the weak activities cause heavy pollution and burden to the environment. The weak process and activities are very dangerous to the environment and life. The world in has seen many industrial disasters in last two decades due to unhealthy practices and operations by the environment. The best examples are the Efficient and maximum usage of virgin materials in the organisation, recycling of waste, waste, treatment plant to neutralise end pipe discharge, maximum utilization of assets and machinery and power saving equipments and minimum usage of non renewable resource. Minor modifications in the process of operations in the organisations, will lead to lesser impact on the environment and can avoid these kinds of disasters in future. The improved process, practices and operations can be identified from the best practices. Benchmarking tools helps in finding the best practices in national and international level. Environmental benchmarking is an integral part of environmental management systems. This helps in setting up of goals and targets for an organization towards environmental efficiency. It also helps in monitoring the performance of the targets which are to be achieved towards better environment. It is one of the tools used in management systems like EMS (Bolli and Emtairah 2001). Environmental management system EMS is a management type system which aims in managing the environmental aspects of the organisation in a pro active way, and it directly relates to the organisations overall performance. It relates to the process, practices, products and services and day to day operations. The main objective of Ems is to continually improve the environmental performance of the organisation with overall performance. Ems is a collection of policies, statements, assessments, plan and actions which directly or indirectly affects the organisation and its performance. Organisations achieve environmental performance with Ems in a systematic manner. It is a continuous cycle which plans, implements, reviews and improves the practices and processes of the organisation for continuous improvement towards environmental sustainability. Ems mainly focuses on minimizing the environmental impacts of the organisation on the natural environment. The main objectives of Ems for the SMEs are It induces the organisation to have an environmental management system. It assists the SMEs in understanding the concepts of Ems in their operations, in order to help the management to adopt precisely. This reduces the impacts on natural environment and it is easy to comply with the regulation. This helps in cost savings and increased productivity. The third objective is developing a awareness with the SMEs entrepreneurs, regarding the importance of environment and the organisations impact on them. It helps the SMEs in creating a strong foundation to implement the international standards like ISO and EMAS in organisations. According to British standards institute, Ems is defined as the organisational structure, responsibilities, practices, procedures, processes and resources for determining and implementing environmental policy. According to BSI is nothing but an environmental policy which outlines the organisations commitment to the environmental performance. Many organisation in different countries follow and adopt the environmental management system such as BS8555, ISO 14000 series, EMAS, Green dragon. But in common it works on the Deming Cycle. Plan, what you are going to do, do what you planned to do, check to ensure that you did what you planned to do and act to make improvements. SMEs adopt EMS EMS is an unobserved quality. It can be examined only by the drivers, practices. The organisations are motivated to use EMS and its environmental strategies to increase their efficiency and legitimacy. It is very controversial because from the study of states those SMEs are not only motivated by the rewards and befits such as environmental performance, organisational/business performance and export orientation but they are pressurized to adopt EMS by their stake holders and institutional pressures. According to Khanna and Anton 2002 EMS becomes complete when they are more environmental practices is undertaken in the organisation. The environmental practices are the environmental policy, evaluation, training for employees, regular audits of internal and external in nature, environmental performance and benchmarking with the best practices, goals and targets and public report. Motivation and EMS Motivation is the driving force behind for an organisation to implement a management techniques or tool or system in their operations and business process. The factors and statistics which can be used to motivate the organisations to implement EMS in their organisation and in the same time become environmentally sustainable and reduce the impact on natural environment. The factors are the organisation can achieve compliance with the regulations of the government, it creates an eco friendly image to the stake holders and better marketability options and it also reduces cost with greater organisational performance. Export orientation In the globalised world export and import has taken the centre stage. Export orientation becomes imperative when organisation operates within or depends on the foreign markets. When the goods are carried out of national borders EMS becomes essential to meet the demands of the importing country and the needs of diverse customers. Buyers gain trust of exporters by looking into the operations and eco friendly procedures and facilities implemented in the organisation. EMS and organisational Performance A management system is framed and practiced in the business is to gain from the management practices. The gain or benefit can be in the form of monetary benefit or non monetary benefit. EMS and environmental performance EMS and pressure on SMEs SMEs are exposed to stakeholders pressure to adopt environmental management system. The stakeholders are person, group, organisation or the government which has a direct or indirect stake in the organisation and can or would be affected by the organisations policy, decision and operations. The stake holders for an SME are Regulatory pressure The regulatory pressure is created from the regulators, governments, insurers on the organisation to curb their pollution levels and employ eco friendly operations and which doesnt impact the natural environment. If the organisations fail, it is imposed with fines, penalties, strategic actions or even closure of firms. The regulatory pressure creates an opportunity for the organisation to become more competitive and capitalize of the situation. But when the regulation becomes stricter, the SMEs are compelled to implement costly pollution control technologies. Better pollution control leads to lesser insurance premiums and better credit options from the bank and financial agencies. Market pressure In this competitive world the organisations are concerned about the market share. Customers have become concerned about the natural environment and they have started to use the products and services of the organisations which are eco efficient and sustainable towards the environment. When organisation adopts EMS it increases organisations reputation. The market pressures drive the managers to adopt EMS to survive in the business and to stay competitive. Social pressure An organisation must have a better public image to survive and competitive in the market. To gain the image the organisation need to become environmental friendly and work towards continual improvement. The word social include the environmental organisation, community groups, labour unions and association which regards to trade. There is been a increase in awareness towards the natural environment in recent times because of industrial accident like Bhopal disaster and Exxon oil spill which shock the world. When an organisation does not implement EMS in their organisation the worst scenario of boycott of goods and it may damage the image in the business environment. Ownership pressure This pressure is imposed on the organisation by their share holders. In SMEs the share holders are in the form of partnership within the company. The pressure is on the organisation to adopt EMS with wide-range of tools and techniques to create an environmental friendly organisation. Organisation is prone to financial liabilities when it has a poor reputation in terms of environment and performance. Internal and external barriers to SMEs in adopting EMS Internal barriers are of resources, understanding and perception, implementation and attitudes and company culture. SMEs are lack of time from the management and staff, to concentrate on EMS implementation and maintenance. Staffs in SMEs lack managerial skill and it is not possible for SMEs to give training due to the constraint of limited resources. When there is an inexperienced or unskilled staff force it becomes difficult to implement EMS, because lack of understanding of the procedures, policies and legal compliances. Implementation of EMS is very cumbersome. Minor breaches in the implementation would cause a heavy loss of resources to the organisation and possible deregistration from the standards. SMEs have to concentrate on continual improvement and it is very difficult to adopt in every stage on the process. The external barriers are the obstacles and hindrances which arise from the external environment of the organisation. High costs of recruiting a consultant and verification/ certification is a major barrier to the SMEs. They are limited number of verifiers in each country and it becomes more expensive to hire. SMEs are not beneficial with EMS because of change in economic climate and Uncertainty which prevails within the market for the value of EMS standard. Benefits and disbenefits of SMEs adopting EMS Small and medium scale enterprises around the world share common characteristics. According to - SMEs around the world contribute 70 percent of pollution ie the SMEs cause great impact to the natural environment. So the EMS model was adapted to SMEs from large scales enterprises. SMEs adapting EMS face disbenefits or non materialization benefits from EMS in their organisation. They are being classified into three (i) resources (ii) surprises (iii) lack of rewards. SMEs characteristics are it lacks professionalism, lack of knowledge, is has started with a minimum capital, lack of skills and time. They also have the barrier of specialized staff and skills to co ordinate the EMS activities in the organisation. The SME has to rely completely on consultants for the certification and adaption on EMS. It is evident that, some may misguide and it results in negative results and wastage of resources for the organisation. SMEs have to incur cost of certification and implementation which is of high capital expenditure to the organisation. which is beyond reach for many organisations. The EMS surprises the SMEs with resources and time spent to implement system which are complex in nature. The other surprises are it is difficult to meet the expectations of all stake holders, it difficult to synchronise with other management

Mission and vision of Dell

Mission and vision of Dell Firstly what a company need to do is to check for few things that is for example competitor analysis, self-evaluation and situation analysis. There should be a proper evaluation and ones the evaluation is done the objectives should be set. The objectives should be such that the work in line with the time-line. Both the short-term and long-term objectives need to be set. The after setting an objective a mission statement must be set, corporate objectives as a whole, Strategic business unit objectives which will involve both strategic and finance, and tactical objectives. One the objectives are formed on the basis of the objectives be analysed situational and upon that a strategy plan can be suggested. Plan will provide details of what are the objectives and can they be achieved. Strategy Evaluation: It is very important to have a SWOT analysis to know the strength, weakness, opportunities and threats both internal and external This will help us to make few changes in the strategy and even help to change the strategy. In corporate strategy, Johnson, Scholes and Whittington present a model in which strategic options are evaluated against three key success criteria: [3] Suitability Feasibility Acceptability STRATEGIC POSITION OF THE COMPANY We are going to talk about the company DELL Computers which is one of the leading companies which is dealing with the production and distribution of pcs and laptops to the for private,corporate and in the government sectors.It has acquired a large amount of the U.S market and it has now penetrated into the Asian markets leaving a competitive edge. Dell is ranking 12th in the global fortune 500 list of companies.so it is a successful global company and a pioneer of its field.It is the first of its kind to manufacture computers with an intel Pentium core 2 duo, dual core and now the latest quad core processor computers.Also it is worth noting that the company mekes huge profits with less amount of inventories with the help of the latest technology.When compared this aspect with its competitors then it can be noticed that many companies are still struggling to widen their processor ranges.So this company strategically builds around a strong intra and inter networking which helps the company to achieve a competitive edge.Also the laptops of Dell can be personalized and used for professional and private purposes.The customer can select a design that is unique to his or her laptop using the personalisation settings either online or in person at the shop.This is the unique feature provided by the sole company.Also the keys of the lap top can be designed in the way they are used to allow for more ease during the usage. This build-to-order approach allows the company to maintain low inventory levels and integrate emerging technologies into systems. MISSION AND VISION FOR DELL-CODE OF ETHICS The mission of dell is to make the optimum use of all the resources and other the macro ,micro and the internal environment in providing the best quality products and services and the best customer experience of the best value.It is considered to be a practical and a feasible mission as it talks about today and not the future.What is included in the mission is the customers and the services which means it is talking about the present . The vision of DELL is to provide structurally and functionally efficient computers to visually impaired individuals globally.It is the vision of the company and thinks about the future. The code of ethics for dell is to incorporate and inculcate social,economic environmental and corporate responsibility in all the activities of the company so as to deliver high values to the society from the company as a whole. STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATIONhttp://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQeSnn1MFmVrwWcHAqM0No11QLK3Xfifw3S5_N_X9G4ZUpLAdUt=1usg=__53BnH-BdW91zrDsaImwcxPGSp9c= Dell has targeted corporate relationship customers that had predictable, budgeted needs and that wanted a predetermined set of product models. The company also selected individual customers who were high-end, repeat purchasers with a preference for early technology adoption. Effective operations require powerful technical capabilities, customer knowledge, and the ability to fit into the customers organization and work processes their unique customer knowledge and customer relationships created a set of barriers to entry that others could not overcome.. Dell differentiated itself in the corporate market by developing a set of extremely effective customer-specific intranet Web sites. Each Web site was highly tailored to the customers individual situation. Dell worked with each customer to specify a particular set of product configurations that would work best in the customers network. Tailored offerings were specified and developed for each customer. At the same time, Dell used its dir ect links with both corporate and individual customers to get immediate review of the customer needs and to identify new generations of products and services. http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQXaU1GtjJ3TC0MMFIBLyfFn9yW-Vh_AvivuAKfhKLvRytykG4t=1usg=__Y_XDtLm7ogV4p8tc7qh06Y_MYPM= STRATEGIC IMPLEMENTATION WAYS Dell had to find a way of operating with no inventories in order to raise desperately needed cash. The basis of this model is to match the supply and chain demand in which all the managers from the sales, marketing,purchases,production collectively decide the companys activities.This gives Dell liquidity and responsiveness to match the supply and chain demand instantly to emerging customer needs and market trends. Supply chain managers employ a powerful set of strategy creation and change-management skills to successfully lead their companies. The key to successful implementation of the new business model is to utilize a team approach . These managers should be given detailed information that enables them to identify the causes of poor or good performance in their respective subunits. In this organizational structure, they will have the coordination and flexibility to make the many adjustments that come with the complex task of implementing the new business model. Dell has used the t eam approach very effectively not only in creating its masterful strategy but also in ensuring business model alignment on an ongoing basis. Dell makes computers in three hours but has a 60-day lead time for components. OUTLINE OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN Strategic Planning Framework: Scan the environment; Determine the criticla implications; Develop the desired future state; Assess the current state; Do a gap analysis; Develop the strategies to move forward; Outline implementation In order to balance the system, Dells top manufacturing and marketing executives meet weekly as a team to determine which products are makable that week. Dell manages demand by using day-to-day price changes and sales rep incentives to steer customer orders to the makable product Dell maximizes its capabilities by outsourcing component-part manufacturing. Dell invests heavily in the information technology infrastructure that could bridge the gap between them and the customers. Dell streamlines its operations and relies on its computer monitor suppliers to ship directly to the customer. As long as a supplier retains its strategic position, Dell will collaborate with it to achieve mutual success, but if a particular supplier loses its edge, Dell has the flexibility to respond quickly and customer focused to ensure Dell continued competitiveness. In addition, customers are important assets to Dell as the company as a whole. STRATEGIC PROCESS DELLs strategy is collapsing profit margins throughout the PC market, a dire development for rivals who cant keep up. DELL is pricing its machines not so much such as high-tech products but more like airline tickets and low margin commodities. DELL has tight competency with other big computer sellers like Compaq and HP. Social factors also affect the business environment of DELL. Computer companies have to acknowledge that in the Chinese culture, people are still unsure about credit card sales because of the huge expense of computers in China. Companies, then have to invest in door-to-door or face-to-face operations to gain consumers faith and consumers trust in the company and its product. DELL also has achieved the ISO 14001 Environmental Management System (EMS). DELL aims at product design, transportation and so on. As a part of DELLs ISO 14001 EMS, the organization implemented goals where by the goal is to improve internal business environment performance in a continuous improvem ent processes which are used to share successes throughout the company. DELL has positioned to extend its brand name beyond mainstream computer products by leveraging its reputation as an e-commerce leader. In the year 2000, Dell began to redefine itself as the company that knows how e-business works. It has shared its online sales expertise with a few large customers as they developed their own e-commerce capabilities. DELL faces some forces from its competitors in terms of Information Technology as the EDI tool gives very effective opportunities in reducing costs and it can establish the tight linkage between DELL with its suppliers and DELL with its customer. DELL started selling its own brand of handheld computers, called the Axim, at low price which can be considered as high potential and CEO, Mr. Michael Dell stressed how DELLs success lay in making it as easy as possible for someone to buy a computer. There are some applications that are currently being used by DELL and they are critical to the core operations of DELL business and the DELL direct which are its operational factors for success. Some applications that are currently being used by DELL that are valuable but are not considered for certain critical success. It is not surprising for Dell to determine where it wants to go in the future, it must assess where it is now as a part of the strategic planning process managers can call on the SWOT team for assessing Dell strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, a critical phase in the general planning process as it helps determine exactly where the organization is and what resources it may or may not have. Strength assessment identifies what the department tends to do well and can include a skilled, professional staff and a modern, well-equipped facility. Weaknesses denote what the company may not do so well or what diminishes its effectiveness. Inadequate financial resources may fit into this category. Opportunities reflect what the organization might seize upon to do better. This area could include increasing community interactions and taking advantage of particular grants. Finally, threats are environmental factors that may hinder performance as it could include a rising demand for se rvice or increased legislative mandates that can impact resources. Managers should consider SWOT analysis for issues both external to the organization, such as population growth and increased industrialization and internal to it, such as an aging workforce that might result in competing priorities for resources. SWOT analysis constitutes one of the most important aspects in the strategic management process THREATS DELLs threats are technological changes that are expected since technology can only get better. Global economy and increased competition in which DELLs financial ratios identifies that they are no match for their competitors. OPPORTUNITY DELL has many opportunities such as potential growth in overseas markets, the industry is still in a growth phase and the entering   to the new product markets. WEAKNESS DELLs weaknesses are single sourcing, new product market and reliance on corporate clients. STRENGTHS Strengths are internal resources and capabilities that have the potential to be core competencies. DELLs core competencies are their cost strategy. In consistent to being an integrated cost leader, DELL also produce high quality PCs by using their Direct Business Model approach and sells them directly to the customers. With this innovative process, DELL cuts out the intermediary, excluding the associated cost as the company can understand the customers needs better and can provide the most effective computing solutions to meet those needs. Just as in legal disputes, there is often a high risk-adjusted cost in waging price or market-share battles, the same as in litigation. Competition, a combination of the words cooperation and competition, has become quite popular in recent years. Many companies understand the vicious cycle of trading customers at lower and lower margins in order to gain market share or win on price. In terms of designing a competitive intelligence system, it doesnt have to be overly complex. You first need to define the competitive areas that are important at an offering, market and company level. Second, make someone accountable for monitoring each area. Third, determine the best sources to collect info competitor Web sites, trade journals, press releases, financial reports, etc. Finally, create a few pro forma competitive intelligence reports that you can use to evaluate and track trends and material changes. Dells ability to change prices and delivery times on the fly has been leveraged effectivel y to manage demand based on component availability over the common components. CONTROL AND MONITORING MEASURES To build customer intimacy and loyalty, Dell leverages its customers knowledge of their own unmet needs. Dells brand image was and is shaped by customer feedback. Identifying the linked set of assets enables Dell to select strategy-focused, asset-based balanced scorecard measures that support the customer intimacy value proposition include: Æ’ËÅ"  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Training dollars spent per full-time equivalent by customer segment to ensure that well-educated business segment managers provide state-of-the art advice to customers Æ’ËÅ"  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Number of collaborative customer-solution teams that motivate Dell to collaborate with its customers and jointly create technology solutions that fulfill any unmet customer needs Æ’ËÅ"  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Number of emerging technologies evaluated inspires Dells leaders to stay abreast of technology threats and opportunities that may alter the competitive landscape in the future. Word count:2169