Managing the change within GM Essay Example

Managing the change within GM Essay Managing the change within GM Name: Course: Date: We will write a custom essay sample on Managing the change within GM specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Managing the change within GM specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Managing the change within GM specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Managing the change within GM Introduction General Motors is a multinational automotive corporation based in America. It is also the largest automaker in the world. The corporation has its headquarters in Detroit, Michigan. The company was established in 1908 as the holding company for Buick, which was based in Michigan. During the period of the 1920s, the sales of the company surpassed those of Ford to set the corporation as the largest manufacturer of automobiles. Most of the success of GM had been attributed to the management style. This style integrated concepts like planned obsolescence whereby a car’s style would be changed on a regular basis. In addition, they also used a tiered structure for pricing of different brands. This would be invaluable towards setting the brands to reach different niches in order to limit their competition. The rise of Japanese automakers in the 1980s threatened the dominance of GM. The boom of SUVs (Sports Utility Vehicle) countered this threat in the North American Market (Freeland, 2001: 98). However, after 2001 the sales began to decline. Toyota surpassed the organization in 2007 as the globes largest vehicle maker in terms of sales. GM was given loans from the Canadian and US governments in order to stay afloat. However, the organization was forced to file for Bankruptcy in mid 2009. The bankruptcy deal also entailed a requirement to discontinue or sell off several brands such as the Hummer brand. Accordingly, GM would focus on restructuring and continue with its business activities. The organization would focus on the four core brands in the United States; Buick, GMC, Cadillac and Chevrolet. The process of managing change can be challenging for any organization. Change management means the process of getting the corporate to accept the change, have an understanding of the elements of change and proper execution of the change. The benefits of this change include improvement in the organizational structure, good corporate relationships and saving on costs (Schermerhorn, et al., 2000: 102). GM has to make radical changes within the organization in order to deal with the crisis that has built over time. In addition, the process of change should be continuous in order to make the actual change effective (Burnes, 2009: 85). Forces for change The circumstances that bedeviled GM create the need for change. External forces Competition In 2008, GM sold close to 2.9 million cars in America ahead of Toyotas 2.2 million. GM still leads in the American Market. However, the market share has been on a steady decline from the 30 percent in 1999 a total of 5 million vehicles to 22 percent in the year 2008. Toyota has posed as a major competition for GM. Competition is a chief driving force for the acquisition of majority market share (Ball, 2010: 78). In comparison with competitors such as Toyota, GM vehicles were not as fuel-efficient. This caused losses to the organization because of the rise in fuel prices. This was to the advantage of Toyota leading to losses for GM. Toyotas demand for cars also increased over time to become higher than that of GM. This became the driving force towards change in GM (Hayes, 2010: 56). Financial crisis The global economic downturn affected leading companies including GM. The global financial crisis affected GMs financial standing. This in combination with other factors led the corporation to bankruptcy. Internal forces Financial constraints GM was ravaged by financial problems since 2006. The financial problems were primarily caused by poor financial policies. GM made limits to the $6 billion in car operating losses because of the $2.2 billion it had made to finance the vehicles. The organization therefore had liabilities that exceeded the assets. The condition worsened over time leading to a bankruptcy declaration in 2009. Poor financial policies can lead an organization to bankruptcy (Rugman, 2010: 96). These financial constraints therefore created the need for change. Management The management at GM had a lax mentality towards their competition. This is because they had established themselves as the market leaders. The culture within the system also caused a hindrance to modernized approaches towards change. Culture The culture at GM is described as one that is set in the traditional system since its inception in the 1900s. Culture refers to the enduring ideas, attitudes, behavior, traditions and attitudes that are shared by a large section of people to be transmitted from one generation to another. On the other hand, organizational culture can be described as an organization’s personality. Organizational culture offers guidance on the feelings and activities of employees. GM has an organization that is mainly centralized and bureaucratic. Therefore, the structure created the need to have top-down systems of control. They aimed at removing the unnecessary and redundant procedures. The corporate consolidated the purchasing offices from the initial 25 in the US to a single purchase office. Therefore, the organization became more bureaucratic. Organizations such as GM that have the centralized system make it compulsory for management to be composed of many people. The leadership style of man agement also plays a key role in the definition of the culture of the organization (Alvesson, 2002: 56). Cost GM spent more money on the production and manufacturing its cars. Compared to the main competitor Toyota, GM spent more money on manufacturing. Toyota built more vehicles at a lower cost. The company was manufacturing at a rate of 7 percent faster than GM. Therefore, Toyota would benefit from between $300 and $500 per car cost advantage. In 2005, Toyota operated at full capacity. Therefore, the company earned an average profit of $1488 per car I profit and GM lost $2300. Therefore, GM had increased costs leading to losses (Crumm, 2010: 56). Leadership GM had a vertical system of leadership. The high levels of management made key decisions on the requirements of the subordinates. Therefore, it was a one-way street. CEOs, top executives and CFOs, were in charge of key decisions from middle management to individual dealerships. The executives also made decisions on the desires of customers without their feedback. This management style also contributed to the failure (Griffin, 2011: 64). Changing the culture at GM Change management entails a holistic process of planning, consultations and effective implementation. The changes to be made at GM must be realistic, measurable and achievable. Responsibility for the process of change lies on the executives and management. They are tasked with the role of facilitating and enabling change within GM. The culture and systems at GM create the need for change. The rate of change within organizations such as GM is not constant (Senior Fleming, 2006: 78). The conditions at GM however require continuous change in order to reestablish the company as the global leader over its competitors. Change incorporates a three-step process that is sequential. Unfreezing of the forces of restraint that cause maintenance of the status quo Movement of the organization towards a new status Refreezing of the organization in order to consolidate the changes The process of change in GM One of the changes that can be implemented at GM is complete decentralization of the system. A decentralized system refers to a system whereby management places significant decision-making authority to local and frontline managers instead of reserving all authority in decision making at the top. This will reduce the constraints of the bureaucratic system at GM. In addition, GM had adopted this system in earlier years, and it proved to be a success. However, the change to a centralized system in the 1990s led to its downward trend. One of the major benefits of a decentralized structure is the high level of flexibility towards problem solving and quick and effective solutions. It also allows the requirements of consumers to be met. The failure of GM to manufacture products that saved on fuel cost during the increase in fuel prices was an indicator that the organization lacked contact with the consumers. However, because of the challenges of a decentralized system, the management must maintain open communication lines with management at the grass root level in order to keep focus on the common mission and vision of the organization (Robbins Coulter, 2005: 121). Decentralization for GM will be beneficial in order to spread responsibilities within the organization and increase the capabilities of leadership of the additional managerial ranks. The organization must also integrate innovation and technology within the system in order to achieve maximum results. Cost cutting GM has to formulate a strategy that will reduce the overall cost of production. The process of cost cutting requires an effective strategy. Strategy formulation should also consider all the factors that affect the financial aspect of the organization. The company also has to set targets towards cutting overall costs. However, the process of cutting cost should not affect the quality of output. GM has already undertaken some strategies to reduce costs such as the offloading of some of its Marques like the Hummer and Saturn. This has caused it to focus on the main products in the US. However, the overseas holdings of Daewoo and Opel are still maintained. These cost-cutting processes will help the organization to save on costs and reduce losses. Challenges affecting the change process at GM Management may want to maintain the status quo at the corporation. GM has maintained a long history of a decentralized approach of management. The top-down approach limits the mediums of effective communication between employees and management. In addition, the employees have maintained poor communication with their leaders because of this system. However, management may want to maintain the current conditions with the fear of losing power and authority. Therefore, changing the system to a decentralized one may prove difficult for the executives that are accustomed to the vertical style of management. In addition, the employees under this system may not be empowered toward using the decentralized system. This is because the management under a centralized system did not place enough trust in them. Therefore, for change to be successful, GM has to empower its workforce. The employees will therefore play an active role towards the implementation of the change program (Yuki, 2002: 62). Cost cutting measures may face numerous challenges particularly from the United Auto Workers (UAW) union. This prevents the organization from lowering the wages up to a certain level. The organization also has to keep plants in operation at minimal capacity. Lack of consultations and involvement of the employees might lead to poor choices and derail the process of change (Barger Kirby, 2006: 51). Change sustainability Sustaining change refers to the involvement of refreezing behavior at new levels as long as it benefits the organization. Sustaining change at GM will be essential towards reorganization and increasing profits. It is also crucial to recognize that not all the changes may work for the company. The main aspects of sustaining change include stickability and spreadability. Stickability refers to the extent to which the gains that are achieved in sections of the organization are maintained and built (Carnall, 2008: 54). Spreadability refers to the extent to which new processes and methods that lead to gains can be applied in other areas. It is therefore essential for GM to consider these aspects in the process of change. Management plays a crucial role towards ensuring that the advantages accrued from changes in cost and decentralization. Management can also reduce the restraining forces in order to achieve commitment and reduce restraint. In addition, the employees will increase their level of commitment. A strong implementation climate will also foster sustainability. Management can empower the members of staff to implement the changes (Storey, 2004: 83). Conclusion General Motors faces numerous challenges in efforts towards reestablishing its corporate image. The company has undertaken various processes towards changing its bureaucratic system and reducing costs. However, these processes have been relatively ineffective. The implementation of the above changes and management system will be beneficial towards redeeming the level of profitability of the organization. If GM maintains these momentums of change, the benefits will be accrued in the long-term. Management of this change will also affect the process of implementation and actualization of the changes. References Alvesson, M 2002, Understanding organizational culture, SAGE, London. Ball, D 2010, International business: the challenge of global competition, McGraw-Hill Irwin, Boston. Barger, N, Kirby, L 2006, The challenge of change in organizations: helping employees thrive in the new frontier, Davies-Black Publishing, Mountain View, Calif. Burnes, B 2009, Managing change a strategic approach to organisational dynamics, FT Prentice Hall, Harlow. Carnall, C 2008, Managing change in organizations, Financial Times Prentice Hall, Harlow. Crumm, T 2010, What is good for General Motors? solving America’s industrial conundrum, Algora Pub, New York. Freeland, R 2001, The struggle for control of the modern corporation: organizational change at General Motors, 1924-1970, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Ukgriffin, R 2011, Management, South-Western/Cengage Learning, Australia. Hayes, J 2010, The theory and practice of change management, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke. Robbins, S Coulter, M 2005 Management, Pearson Prentice Hall Upper Saddle River, NJ. Rugman, A 2010, The Oxford handbook of international business, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Schermerhorn, J, Osborn, R, Hunt, J 2000, Organizational behavior, Wiley, New York. Senior, B, Fleming, J 2006, Organizational change, Prentice Hall/Financial Times, Harlow, England. Storey, J 2004, Leadership in organizations: current issues and key trend, Routledge, London. Yukl, G 2002, Leadership in organizations, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ.

20 Informative Essay Topics Topics on Strategic Marketing Management

20 Informative Essay Topics Topics on Strategic Marketing Management If you are tasked with writing an essay of your own, it can be difficult to figure out where to start. That is why you will find a set of twenty great informative essay topics below quite useful: Why Students in MBA Programs Do Not Learn Proper Execution of Plans How the Thought Process that Implementation is Less Intellectually Demanding and Fit for â€Å"Grunts† Results in Improper Handling of Even the Best Strategic Plans How Management Learns to Make Plans, But to Never Involve Themselves in Execution Why Ownership over Change Processes Is Vital for Proper Execution How Change is Impossible without Defined Actions and Strategy Execution from Management How Execution is the Responsibility of All Managers Why Execution is the Key to Successful Change How Fast Change Implementation Results in Poor Execution How Company Culture Can be Taken into Account When Executing Change Management Why Many Mergers and Acquisitions Fail Why Leadership is Not as Important as Learning to Execute How Company Policy Impacts Success or Failure of New Strategies and Changes within a Company How Company Culture Impacts Success or Failure of New Strategies and Changes within a Company How Organizational Structure Impacts Success or Failure of New Strategies and Changes within a Company How Company Controls Impacts Success or Failure of New Strategies and Changes within a Company How Incentives Impacts Success or Failure of New Strategies and Changes within a Company How Operating Procedures Impacts Success or Failure of New Strategies and Changes within a Company Why Actionable Steps are Necessary for Change and Strategy Implementation How to Implement Strategic Marketing Management for the IT Industry Maintaining Strategic Marketing Management for Manufacturing Besides selecting a topic, it is equally important to find supporting evidence which you can look for in out 10 facts on strategic marketing management. In addition, you should consult an article on informative essay writing. These topics are not only a great place for you to start learning more and picking a topic of your own, but below you will find a sample essay from the list above that can help you gain a better understanding of the writing process. Remember that this is only meant as a guide to help you while you work on your specific requirements. Informative Sample Essay on Maintaining Strategic Marketing Management for Manufacturing In order to maintain excellence in a manufacturing plant, companies need to be able to measure the performance of their maintenance program to capitalize upon these measurements in order to highlight which areas require improvement. This needs to be a continuous process of identifying those areas and subsequently implementing ideal solutions for the improvement in question. In a maintenance environment, all aspects of the maintenance department need to be benchmarked against what is considered to be â€Å"best practice†. In order to determine benchmarks and best practice, it is important to review key performance indicators. This allows for a standardization of maintenance management results to can be compared and benchmarked across the board. Maintenance systems can be structured in such a way that they not only meet with best practice but they measure maintenance accurately and ensure performance is efficient and effective. Modern benchmarking is a way to determine how best to maximize productivity within a company and simultaneously minimize costs. This functions as a continual search for best practice, and the regular adaptation of new practices that result in superior performance. This can only be achieved through the investigation of current practices of organizations in an effort to gain a competitive advantage. This new knowledge is something that can be applied to the company in order to achieve higher performance and to meet any gaps existing in current business performance. Not only will standardization of best practice and the implementation of computerized maintenance management systems help the plants to stay competitive, it will also enable the companies to optimize their resources. To meet these demands companies can implement a coherent maintenance management policy for best practice that results in improved performance and reduced operational costs. The most important factor in this best practice relates to the standardized implementation of new technology. The overall improvement to maintenance management can be achieved through the implementation of a standardized Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) as part of the fundamental information resource used by the companies and the technology management staff. This system offers a variety of support-related information and can assist management in their decision making. The development of CMMS is essential for maintenance managers as it offers fast management solutions in tandem with the ability to predict future outcomes based on the historical performance data for the company in question. Maintenance optimization is greatly facilitated when companies implement a management strategy of best practic e in conjunction with the implementation of CMMS. Today this software is widely integrated in manufacturing plants around the world and when properly examined, can provide a means of improved maintenance inspections and services and improved administration. It is the objectives of CMMS to reduce downtime for the company by scheduling preventative maintenance, to improve maintenance costs for the company, and to store historical records of past performance of the companies used to plan and budget other maintenance in the future and to simultaneously generate maintenance reports. Some of the biggest problems that maintenance managers in this study faced can be rectified with the implementation of CMMS. The first problem encountered includes little or no support from management for the implementation of maintenance practices, but CMMS reports are able to highlight the reduced cost and levels of downtime that would be imperative to receiving the required support. The second biggest problem is inventory problems and the need to reduce the amount of spare parts the company has while also maintaining spare parts on hand. The implementation of CMMS would control spares by eliminated non-value adding activities within maintenance. When the maint enance department no longer conducts unnecessary maintenance, it is simpler to order spare parts and to schedule maintenance as necessary. References Anderson, Carol H, and Julian W Vincze.  Strategic Marketing Management. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2004. Print. Ansoff, H. Igor.  Strategic Management. New York: Wiley, 1979. Print. Birkinshaw, Julian M.  Strategic Management. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Pub., 2004. Print. Chernev, Alexander.  Strategic Marketing Management. [Chicago, Ill.]: Cerebellum Press, 2012. Print. Dess, Gregory G, and Alex Miller.  Strategic Management. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1993. Print. Hitt, Michael A, R. Duane Ireland, and Robert E Hoskisson.  Strategic Management. Cincinnati: South-Western College Pub., 1999. Print. Hrebiniak, Lawrence G.  Making Strategy Work. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Wharton School. Pub., 2005. Print.

Many and Much

Many and Much Many and Much Many and Much By Maeve Maddox This post is in response to a reader’s email: Please I want to know the usage of many and much. Both words have more than one function in English, but a common challenge for ESL learners is how to use many and much with countable and uncountable nouns. Countable nouns have singular and plural forms. Countable nouns are so called because they can be counted as individual items. Many, in the sense of â€Å"a large and indefinite number,† is used with countable nouns: many cats many apples many books many countries many people Uncountable nouns are construed as singular. They are not used with a number. Much, in the sense of â€Å"a great amount of,† is used to qualify uncountable nouns: much coffee much rice much disagreement much wrangling much love The word much can also function as an adverb and as a pronoun: adverb Thank you very much. I am much indebted to you. Julie scored much higher on the exam than I did. pronoun Much of our success derives from teamwork. Though much is taken, much abides. He’s not much to look at. In the plural, many can be used as a pronoun in the sense of â€Å"many individuals†: He is only one candidate among many. Among their captives are many of our nation. Many are called, but few are chosen. Governed by the article the, many can be used as a noun to designate â€Å"the masses,† â€Å"the multitude,† â€Å"the general public,† or â€Å"the hoi polloi†: Until that happens, the  few  practice lawful plunder upon  the many. The needs of  the many  outweigh the needs of the few. Making the Economy Work for the Many, Not the Few Note: â€Å"The few,† in the sense of â€Å"a small, privileged elite† is often used as the opposite of â€Å"the many.† Related post: Hoi Polloi Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Definitely use "the" or "a"Broadcast vs Broadcasted as Past FormRunning Errands and Doing Chores

Managing Diversity and Equal Opurtunity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Managing Diversity and Equal Opurtunity - Essay Example According to this theory, discrimination is categorised into realistic, social and consensual discrimination. Realistic competition refers to a type of discrimination is driven by self-interest, which a person or group of people intend to obtain things like food, shelter, customers or territory among others. This form of discrimination is perpetuated when one group, which is often advantaged favours its members to enable them receive or obtain more same resources as compared to the others (Blank and Citro, 2004, p. 57). Social competition on the other hand is a kind of discrimination driven by desire for self esteem. The intention of this discrimination is to achieve positive social status for members of one group or groups as compared to other disadvantaged groups. Finally, consensual discrimination refers to a kind of discrimination based on desire to be excellent or accurate. This type of discrimination reflects legitimate and stable hierarchy status of a specific group of people. Example of this form of discrimination is racism, where certain race feels more superior as compared to the others. It is worth noting that discrimination can be perpetrated anywhere by any person or group of persons. ... evident during hiring and firing, compensation, classification of employees or assignment, recalling, laying off, promotion, transfer, testing and recruitment of employees. It is also evident during utilization of company’s resources, apprenticeships and trainings, pay, fringe benefits, retirement plans or disability leave of employees. Discrimination behaviour or action is evident when bosses become harder on certain employees than others based on irrelevant characteristics such as gender, race, height, weight, sexual orientation, physical disability or age. This is unethical especially if one losses or suffer damage like not getting well deserved promotion or pay hike. Discrimination takes many forms and are based on what Cahn (2002) refer s to as irrelevant characteristics such as age, disability, genetics, religion, race/ colour, sex or nationality. Examples of different forms of discrimination are listed as follows. If a person decides to donate to help disadvantage membe rs of the society like helping the orphans, but decides to donate less to others out of racist attitude, the person acts discriminately even if he benefits the recipients. Excluding students from an educational institution, training program, loan, student group, opportunities or scholarships on the basis of age or colour is some form of discrimination. Excluding people from housing, contracting/leasing or obtaining a loan on the basis of sex or age is also discrimination (Lucas, 2009). Refusal to give (advance) credit or perpetuating unequal loan terms for people because they are people from a different religion or gender is also discrimination. In the past, the government of the day in countries like South Africa and Papua New Guinea develop policies of racial discrimination during the era of

Employee benefits Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Employee benefits - Assignment Example include, vacation and sick leave, health insurance, pension plans and proper remuneration according to the local standards on minimum wages and working duration. The organization executes annual health and safety day where health consultants and safety experts advise the employees and carry out health assessments on employees. Besides, the employees are informed on safety compliance and health as well as compliance to environmental protection. The blood pressure of employees is measured and fresh up massages. The company allows a maximum of 6 months of sick leave for its employees but with no pay. The company has a policy of not forcing its employees to work; the only remedy for this is to deduct salaries. The directors are paid compensation in terms of pension plans, stock option plan at market price among other related benefits. The employees are offered an employee Benefit Plan 401(k) as well as single employer plan, health insurance cover which is deductable from their basic pay (Finance Week 23). The health insurance for employees is compulsory for all permanent employees. The temporary or contract employees are required to organize for their own personal health insurance prior to signing their employment contracts. The executive employees have other benefits which tied onto performance but majorly linked to the stock options plans. The executive employees receive the highest compensation in the company depending on the extent of output of the organization and its investments. Richemont Swiss offers life insurance to its employees, which is optional and deductable from the basic pay of employees. This comes after an agreement with the employees from the deduction on their pay. Besides, the organization has other health benefits such as dental benefits, long term disability for the employees in line of duty, temporary disability benefits such as accident and sickness, death benefits which comprise of travel accidents with exclusion of life assurance. The

Government Legislation Essay Example for Free

Government Legislation Essay There are certain laws that companies must follow in order to stay in business. Legislation means simply law. There are 3 main laws that businesses need to follow, these are: 1. Health and Safety (1974) This is probably the most important bit of legislation that was passed relevant to a business. If a business does not coincide with the law about health, then potentially the customers could fall ill, or possibly die, leaving the company in ruins. Everything has to be put into it to maintain a high standard of hygiene etc Health also has to be maintained with the workers. 2. Discrimination Tahir Hussains example of discrimination is a very good one. He was unemployed and was well qualified. Hed applied for numerous jobs, but was not getting any offers for an interview. He was quite upset by this and so decided to test the system. He sent in two application forms to every business he originally sent applications in for, one with his own name, and the other one saying that it was from a white middle aged lady. What he found out was that the white lady received far more offers of an interview than he did. He launched 12 claims of race discrimination and won 4 of them, and partly won 5 more. 3. Employment Employees working under a contract of employment are protected against unfair dismissal.

Nuclear Tension Within North Korea and Iraq :: Korea Iraq Weapons Essays

Nuclear Tension Within North Korea and Iraq Introduction: In recent years the issue of nuclear armament has become a growing concern in world politics. The United States has taken on the self appointed role of world bully on this issue. Believing it self the sole country with the ability to keep nuclear weapons, while belligerently are striking out against other countries that pursue nuclear weapons, or are believed to have them in their possession. Using the events of 9-11 as its cause, the United States has launched a â€Å"War on Terrorism† in which it has bombed Afghanistan in hopes of â€Å"destroying† and â€Å"finding† the terrorists that attacked the United States. Following its strike against Afghanistan the United States turned its attentions to the dictator Saddam Hussein, and his alleged secret stockpile of weapons of mass destruction. Against the will of many other countries the United States invaded Iraq in hope of â€Å"sniffing† out the secret nuclear weapons. As the war was reaching it conclusion it became evident that the United States claims were wrong pertaining to Iraq’s supposed stockpile of illegal weapons. The United States has now invaded Iraq, torn apart its government and left a Viet-Nam type war raging with no real sense of conclusion, all based on a suspicion that Iraq was secretly holding weapons of mass destruction. North Korea near the end of 2003 declared that it has been secretly pursuing uranium enrichment to create nuclear weapons. They claim the reason for this illegal action is solely the fault of the United States, and that the pursuit is only for defense in the case of a United States attack. This paper will study the United States-North Korean relations over the past fifty years, and then analyze the ways in which the issue of nuclear armament is being dealt with. The end will briefly touch on a very similar situation that is arising in Iran, and the constant pressure the United States is putting to have Iran put in violation of the Non-Proliferation Treaty it entered into. History of US and North Korea Relations: The mutual mistrust and animosity between the United States and North Korea began in 1950 during the Korean War. On June, 25 1950 the Northern communists of Korea crossed the 38th parallel and attacked the southern part of Korea. North Korea was aided by Russia, who had supplied them with weapons and tanks.

Lululemon Athletica

Last week I read a story about yoga clothes-maker/fashion brand Lululemon and their fairly blatant disregard for any sort of overweight or plus-size consumers. In short, they admitted that selling to women who wear size 12 and smaller is an important business strategy for them, and that it's based on â€Å"design, capacity and operational perspective. † That video seems to only anger some customers more. One wrote in response, â€Å"On one hand you are bashing us for being fat and on the other hand bashing us for maybe trying to do something about it.Should my fat ass' squeeze nto a small size Just so I can say I own a pair†¦ no! † In a video, Chip Wilson, the founder of athletic label Lululemon has apologized for suggesting that women's fat thighs were to blame for a line of yoga pants being recalled for being too sheer lululemon has released the video statement below from CEO Chip Wilson. It's Just shy of a minute, and if you were expecting an apology, this isn't it. The message is confusing, and â€Å"I'm really sad for the repercussions of my actions† seems like an apology to lululemon employees, not the consumers.He closes with a cryptic request o â€Å"stay in the conversation. † What do you think? Are you buying it? So he ended up blaming the customer for the quality control problem within the company, and that's what enraged the customers So, the media spoke to lulu enthusiasts and the customers went right ahead and said we have no interest in buying lulu products any more. Lululemon doesn't have the obligation to manufacture yoga pants but blaming customers for their defective see through pants wasn't cool either. The rules: 1 . A second chance comes after one error, not several. 2. You don't turnNamaste into nasty unless you want a serious time out. 3. Never blame mommy's thighs for anything, ever. Just how bad things can get when you refuse to own up to mistakes and choose to blame and insult others instead. Wilson's eyes appear slightly moist, his voice shaking. He seems to be apologizing to his colleagues and appealing for calm, but fails to address any of his controversial comments specifically. The glitches cost the company millions of dollars, damaged its reputation and depressed its share price. The recall continues to weigh on the company's performance, resulting in late deliveries. Lululemon Athletica Last week I read a story about yoga clothes-maker/fashion brand Lululemon and their fairly blatant disregard for any sort of overweight or plus-size consumers. In short, they admitted that selling to women who wear size 12 and smaller is an important business strategy for them, and that it's based on â€Å"design, capacity and operational perspective. † That video seems to only anger some customers more. One wrote in response, â€Å"On one hand you are bashing us for being fat and on the other hand bashing us for maybe trying to do something about it.Should my fat ass' squeeze nto a small size Just so I can say I own a pair†¦ no! † In a video, Chip Wilson, the founder of athletic label Lululemon has apologized for suggesting that women's fat thighs were to blame for a line of yoga pants being recalled for being too sheer lululemon has released the video statement below from CEO Chip Wilson. It's Just shy of a minute, and if you were expecting an apology, this isn't it. The message is confusing, and â€Å"I'm really sad for the repercussions of my actions† seems like an apology to lululemon employees, not the consumers.He closes with a cryptic request o â€Å"stay in the conversation. † What do you think? Are you buying it? So he ended up blaming the customer for the quality control problem within the company, and that's what enraged the customers So, the media spoke to lulu enthusiasts and the customers went right ahead and said we have no interest in buying lulu products any more. Lululemon doesn't have the obligation to manufacture yoga pants but blaming customers for their defective see through pants wasn't cool either. The rules: 1 . A second chance comes after one error, not several. 2. You don't turnNamaste into nasty unless you want a serious time out. 3. Never blame mommy's thighs for anything, ever. Just how bad things can get when you refuse to own up to mistakes and choose to blame and insult others instead. Wilson's eyes appear slightly moist, his voice shaking. He seems to be apologizing to his colleagues and appealing for calm, but fails to address any of his controversial comments specifically. The glitches cost the company millions of dollars, damaged its reputation and depressed its share price. The recall continues to weigh on the company's performance, resulting in late deliveries.

Impact of Globalization on Management Education

IMPACT OF GLOBALIZATION ON MANAGEMENT EDUCATION – CURRICULUM TO CAREERS [pic] IMPACT OF GLOBALIZATION ON MANAGEMENT EDUCATION – CURRICULUM TO CAREERS Abstract The global techno –economic paradigm is changing at a pace that defies easy mapping. Emergence of global village and digital economy with internet connectivity is the order of the day. This results in fundamental changes in the way the business is organized and conducted in every functional area, globally and in India as well. On the domestic front, India’s economic growth, in recent years, has been impressive.This has been due to conscious move towards market based economy. The imperative question is how to sustain it and if possible, better it. Sustainability is possible by spurring innovation and creativity to move up the value chain. Indian business models need to be re oriented, incorporating the newer dimensions of risk and inclusive growth. Excellence is seen in few quarters and that is not en ough. Increasing complexity and consequent instability marks the emergent business environment that defies solution through traditional managerial tools.Further to have sustainability in business the role of manager is to be sensitized. But the current curriculum and pedagogies of management education needs a paradigm shift from transaction based approach to transformative approach. Knowledge ecology needs balancing with an integrated curriculum encompassing multiple skills. For equitable distribution and applied innovation we need to pick up transferable skills and reverse applied learning systems with top down approach.Hence there is a great need to be updated the curriculum to meet the changing needs of the components of globalization which should be incorporated into all areas of management like  basic courses, Core functional,   inter-functional courses,  Ã‚  integrated and value addition courses. The basic courses have to be rejuvenated so as to meet the dynamically chan ging global business trends. Core functional courses such as banking and insurance should be effectively managed to meet the global demand in banking sector.Inter-functional courses like mass communication and marketing embedded with finance are greatly evolving. Integrated and value addition courses  such as training on soft skills and value added skills like SAP, PEOPLESOFT etc to get job ready. Hence, the suggested framework will balance both theoretical knowledge and acquired skill which has been proven essential for the employability by the placement organization to meet the challenges of a globalized economy.

Dos and Donts of Writing a Law School Resume

Dos and Donts of Writing a Law School Resume Some schools require that applicants submit a law school resume, but even if not requested, you should most likely send one anyway. Why? Because a resume can give you an added chance to show the admissions officers that you’re prepared to come into their school and make a difference. Indeed, this short summary of your professional and personal qualifications can end up being a very important component of your file, so you want to dedicate some time to putting forth the best law school resume you can. What follows are some tips for preparing your law school resume, namely what you should and shouldn’t do. What You Should and Shouldnt Do 1. DO set aside a couple hours to sit down and think about all the things you’d like to include on your law school resume. Start by asking yourself these questions for information-gathering purposes. 2. DO organize your resume using the sections Education, Honors Awards, Employment, and Skills Achievements.   3. DO emphasize activities, hobbies, interests, or experiences that demonstrate personal drive, responsibility, determination, dedication, language proficiency, compassion, extensive travel (especially international), cultural experiences, and community involvement. 4. DO proofread your resume several times and ask someone you trust to do so as well. 5. DO worry about presentation. For example, if you’re putting periods at the ends of bullet points, make sure you do so for each and every one. For more tips on what you should be looking for besides spelling and grammar errors, see the Law School Resume Style Guide. 6. DON’T simply use a work resume that you’ve been using and updating for years. You need to gear your resume to law school admissions officers, who are looking for different things than potential employers are. 7. DON’T include â€Å"Objective† or â€Å"Summary of Qualifications† sections. These are great in work resumes, but they serve absolutely no purpose in a law school resume and only take up valuable space. 8. DON’T include activities from high school unless they are extremely significant, like winning a national debate competition or performing at a very high athletic level. 9. DON’T include activities you only did for a short time or a long list of insignificant summer jobs. You can sum up such things in just a sentence or so if you really want to include them. 10. DON’T go longer than two pages. For most law school applicants, one page is plenty, but if you’ve been out of school for a considerable amount of time or have an unusual number of significant life experiences, a second page is fine. Very few people should go to that third page, though.

Aristotle and Virtue Essay Example for Free

Aristotle and Virtue Essay Aristotle believes that we need virtue, both of thought and of character, to achieve that completeness leading to happiness. This is the function: activity in the soul in accord with virtue, where soul is defined as what is in us that carries out our characteristic activity. Aristotle is right in believing we need virtue. The end of Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics Book I introduces the idea that since happiness is â€Å"a certain sort of activity of the soul in accord with complete virtue, we must examine virtue,† because doing so will allow us to closer analyze and understand how to study happiness. He goes on to identify two areas: virtues of thought and virtues of character. I believe the philosopher is right when he thinks that a good life requires harnessing both kinds of virtues. Virtues of thought are simpler to identify, as they include excellence in problem solving skills, abstract and rational thought, mathematics and the like. Virtues of character, which are also called ‘moral virtues’, seem to be more complex and are also an integral part of the completeness that Aristotle said was necessary for a good life. Some examples of these virtues are generosity and patience. Virtues of character are definitely good for the possessor as Aristotle states in chapter 6, â€Å"having these feelings at the right times, about the right things, toward the right people, for the right end, and in the right way, is the intermediate and best condition, and this is the proper virtue. † Finding that mean or middle ground, that balance or yin and yang, is essential to establishing a completeness which ultimately lead to happiness. One problem may be actually the path to virtue. The idea of pleasure without pain is not realistic in the mortal world. Everything on this plane is relative. Take, for example, two dogs: Dog A lives on the street and has all of his life. He has to find himself food everyday in alleys and has to deal with the weather. This life is good to him because it is his world and he does not know any better. As far as Dog A is concerned, he is in ‘heaven’. Dog B lives in a mansion with air conditioning and gourmet steaks that are given to him on a regular basis. This is all Dog B knows and he is not aware of anything else out there better than this (even though it surely exists), so this dog is in heaven also. Imagine their own individual and relative differences if they were to switch places. Dog A would go to a mansion atmosphere and the comfort of his life would dramatically improve, while Dog B’s life would be hell all of a sudden. This relation of pleasure to pain and how it is all relative makes one take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Nelson, W. Philosophy 1305 Proteus Classics Readings. Thomson Custom Publishing, Mason. pgs 81-122. Aristotle and Virtue. (2016, Dec 13).

Project Management and How it Relates to Purchasing and Supply Research Paper

Project Management and How it Relates to Purchasing and Supply Management - Research Paper Example In this scenario, project management processes are required to perform these operations successfully. The basic purpose of this research is to analyze project management in the context of its use in procurement and supply management. Procurement and Project Management Procurement is the most important element of a business industry. It encompasses a wide variety of aspects of project management such as acquiring material, goods, equipment, and services from external firms. However, procurement does not include other internal departments inside an organization. In view of the fact that procurement is a domain for which a project manager will be responsible for providing information and input, in various and possibly a number of firms, hence it is believed to be an area that the project manager does not own. Though, the project managers generally are not authorized to take part into contracts in support of the business organization, as well as they are not responsible for controlling t he contracts once they are prepared or in process. However, it is still a most important area which an organization must need to have knowledge of. In this scenario, the project Management Institute (PMI)’s Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOKÂ ®) outlines six key processes that deal with certain Project Procurement Management knowledge areas (Mochal, 2007). Plan purchases and acquisitions: This process of project management is concerned with identifying and determining the resources that need to be acquired for a project and when a project needs them. This area of procurement comes directly under the control and authority of the project manager, for the reason that the top management and organization’s purchasing committee do not... This paper has presented a detailed analysis of the project management function in the context of its role in procurement and supply chain management. Project management is a set of well-organized and synchronized processes, and each process is connected with another however the basic purpose remains to achieve a common goal. The research has shown that both the project management and supply chain management are similar disciplines. The research has also shown that if both supply chain management and project management are combined effectively then it can improve the performance and efficiency of a firm. This paper has also discussed various aspects associated with procurement and purchasing. This paper has also presented recommendations on how to use project management to improve procurement and supply chain processes. In short, the survival of successful project management depends seriously on the proper execution of the supply chain process, for the reason that well-timed, accurat e, and well-organized delivery of materials, equipment, supplies and resources are critical to success of project management. In order to make the procurement process a success, there is a need for reliable aftercare and organizational record, which should be carried out by a variety of professionals from the legal and financial settlement of purchases. In addition, even a project is in progress, the performance of the suppliers should be constantly assessed and, where essential, alternatives should be adopted.