Essay on Suicide

In the Aftermath of Teenage Suicide: A Qualitative Study of the Psycho social Consequences for the Surviving Family Members Committing suicide in the teenage years can be perceived as the ultimate rejection of family, of significant others, and of society. This article examines the causes and effect of suicide in the youth of Sweden. In its study, topics such as the background of where signs of com/suicide-speech-outline/">suicide are visible, methods of suicide, and results of suicide.The bereavement process after a suicide may differ qualitatively from other types of losses with prolonged reactions of grief and loneliness, greater feelings of shame, and perhaps most importantly, the prolonged search for the motive behind the suicide. This study examines the topic of teenage suicide through methodical and scientific evidence. In examining this article, the psychiatry of consequences of suicide and how an outsider’s perspective can be used to benefit and heal what was once a b roken family and the people affected by the death.This study’s main purpose was to interview surviving members that had lost a teenager by suicide to increase the understanding of the circumstances that these families are living under and to generate hypotheses to be tested in future research. The study examines how the family will search for monitory signs and clues to make sense of the tragedy at hand. Studies of family reactions following teenage suicide are hampered by the psychological difficulties of approaching the families and recruiting an unbiased sample of survivors.Most interview studies involve samples that are either compromised by a high attrition rate, or based on survivors who organize and actively work through the crisis in support groups for suicide survivors. They derived their study from a larger research project on teenage unnatural deaths in which all teenage suicides were identified and the results were based on file material alone. They used another m ixed method where professionals involved in the aftermath were interviewed to investigate suicide survivors and also parents and siblings.Since all suicide victims were financially dependent on their families and none of the deceased had established a family of their own, the study’s definition of a family was the persons living in the same household as the deceased at the time of the suicide. Persons included by this definition were biological parents, stepfathers, stepmothers, and siblings. To examine the family, a mutual trust and understanding had to be established with the respondents and critical self-reflection.The family had to make it known what was allowed and where the line was so the interviewers didn’t cross it. Because the study is a hypothesis generating study, all interviews were started with broad questions and were closed with questions such as, â€Å"What do you think of this interview? † The most poignant theme of the interviews was the searc h for the â€Å"why? † which still preoccupied most of the parents. This search became more salient when the suicide had come unexpectedly.Most of the teenagers had disguised their suicidal ideation not only from their families, but from other adults and peers. Nearly all parents expressed anger at being deceived, a deception that denied them the opportunity to provide parental support. Most teenagers and their families had lived a pro-social life, which had only increased the confusion and unanswered questions. Several had been known as a â€Å"pride to any parent. † Nonetheless, they still faced problems such as a broken love affair, fear of pregnancy, or difficulties with friends.The families had trouble seeing why what seemed like such trivial teenage problems had transformed into a matter of life and death. In hindsight, they reproached themselves for their ignorance. Even long after the suicide had occurred, families were still struggling to move on. Some parents had entertained the idea of committing suicide themselves, but decided against it since they know all too well the consequences for their actions. Most teenagers who commit suicide do not express suicidal feelings or otherwise hint at forthcoming suicide.To avoid â€Å"bothering† others, many families had withdrawn from casual socializing. The sense of being deceived results in low self-esteem and nourishes feelings of inferiority and shame. Many of the bereaved appeared to be imbedded in silence. Unfortunately, younger siblings had received little help to work the crisis through. These children are more likely to be burdened than older siblings and need more time, more persistence, and an uncompromising readiness by the adult to deal with the most difficult questions.Help needs to be directed as direct help to siblings and parents, as well as to the family as a whole. A teenager suicide is a devastating trauma for the surviving family as a whole and the absence of sustainab le explanations to the suicide is a predominant issue in the grief process. The prolonged social and psychological isolation of the families in grief should be challenged. There is a need for better understanding and treatment schemes for families who have lost a teenage family member in suicide, and especially for the younger siblings who are often forgotten.

Essay Social Security

Social Security Issue The current Social Security system should be replaced by a mandatory private pension system. The current system entails workers being forced to give a certain percentage of money out of their pay checks to Social Security. This tax money is used to pay benefits to retired people, disabled people, survivors of workers who have died, and dependents of beneficiaries (SSA). To most, this system sounds unfair because workers put in hours of labor for a paycheck that religiously has money taken out for someone else’s retirement, disability, etc. however, people for this system believe this benefits everyone because workers are not in control of their own specific retirement fund so poor decisions cannot be made. In reality, people should be able to control the fate of their own retirement funds because they can decide when the money is necessary, which can be done by making the change to a private pension system. The current Social Security system creates a lot of concern because of the accelerating demographic factors (NCPA). Life expectancy is increasing faster than expected — in 1940, a 65-year-old man could expect to live another 12 years, today it's 15 years; the fertility rate is falling faster than expected — from 3. 6 children for a typical woman of child-bearing age in 1960 to just two today; and the elderly portion of the population is expected to rise from 12 percent today to 20 percent by 2050 — increasing the number of retirees from 34 million to 80 million† (NCPA).The decreasing working population combined with the rising elderly population means the number of elderly people needing benefits will be greater than the number of working people providing the money for those benefits (NCPA). Because of these statistics, the favor for a private pension system is growing so workers can save their taxes for their individual retirements.With a private pension system as opposed to the current, honored system , the working class has more control over their retirement funds because for one, they would be earning the money for themselves, and two, the money would be in a private account for them. With the money accumulating in a private account, it is not exposed to risk. â€Å"These federally regulated personal accounts would allow individuals to invest only in diversified, approved utual funds and not in single stocks or highly volatile stocks† (Procon). In addition to its added personal safety, a private system would help the economy. â€Å"Privatizing Social Security into individual investment accounts would boost economic growth by injecting money back into America's failing financial system† (Procon). With the economic growth this would cause, there could be a possible decrease in unemployment rates, pulling the economy out of the current recession.In conclusion, the switch from the current Social Security system to a mandatory private pension system is ideal not only f or the working class, but also for the environment. Even with the criticism that a private pension system would tempt workers to make poor decisions with their retirement funds, people should have control over the money they make and be able to determine their own fate. Working for a paycheck that loses a percentage of its total to be given to the current retirees, the disabled, etc. s unfair and will discourage the working class. A private pension system that will actually save an individual’s own money will be more motivating to work towards and will better prepare him or her for their elderly years. Works Cited NCPA. â€Å"Social Security Problems Accelerating. † NCPA. org. National Center for Policy Analysis, 2012. Web. 18 Mar. 2012. . Procon. â€Å"Privatize Social Security. † Procon. org. Procon, 13 Mar. 2012. Web. 18 Mar. 2012. . SSA. â€Å"Social Security. † Ssa. gov. Social Security Administration, Mar. 2012. Web. 18 Mar. 2012. .

Boeing Case Analysis Essay

William Boeing founded the Boeing Company in 1916 in Puget Sound, Washington. William had modest goals as a young Yale engineering graduate, first making it big in the timber industry. When the Wright bothers showed the world the idea of flight, William was intrigued. He then decided that it was time that he should enter into the field of aviation. Boeing and his friend Conrad Westervelt teamed up to create a more practical plane after witnessing the Wright brother’s creation and further advances. Their first plane was a twin-float seaplane, aptly named the B & W, after their initials. Boeing’s company had its big break when the United States joined World War II. His company became one of the main manufacturer’s for the military’s aircraft division. The Boeing Company continued to be a major military plane supplier and then went into the civilian aircraft division. Through these successes, Boeing grew into the company that it is today. The Boeing Company is one of the world’s largest aerospace firms. They are also the world’s largest manufacturer of commercial jetliners and military aircraft. Boeing is divided into various business units which are: Commercial Airplanes, Military Aircraft and Missile Systems, Space and Communications, the Boeing Capital Corporation, Connexion by Boeing, Air Traffic Management, and Boeing Technology. Through these distinct business segments, Boeing operates in more than 70 countries and does business with over 140 countries. They operate approximately 14,000 aircraft, and nearly 75% of the world’s fleet use Boeing jetliners. The primary aircraft that Boeing sells are the 717, 737, 747, 757, 767, and the 777. The newest aircraft, the 7E7, is expected to be in service by 2008 and it will be the next generation of commercial aircraft. The industries that Boeing competes in are: aircraft, aircraft parts and equipment, guided missiles and space vehicles, aircraft engines and engine parts, space vehicle equipment, and computer integrated systems design. The SIC codes are 3721, 3728, 3761, 3724, 3769, and 7373 respectively. We will be focusing on the aircraft industry with SIC code 3721. The headquarters have recently moved from Puget Sound, Washington to Chicago, Illinois. They are now located at 100 North Riverside Plaza, Chicago, Illinois, 60606. Boeing has branches across the world, but most of them lie in the United States. There are 30 facilities in the US, 3 in Australia, 2 in Canada, and they also have locations in England, Germany, China, and the United Arab Emirates. (See Figure 1 in appendix) Mission Statement When researching Boeing Company, we did not find a mission statement, but they do have core strategies, competencies, and values. These are: run healthy core businesses, leverage strengths into new products and services, open new frontiers, detailed customer knowledge and focus, large-scale system integration, lean enterprise, leadership, integrity, quality, customer satisfaction, people working together, a diverse and involved team, good corporate citizenship, and enhanced shareholder value. The mission statement that we created is as follows: Our mission at Boeing Company is to ensure customer satisfaction by delivering detailed customer knowledge and focus on airlines, space agencies, and the military. We will be a good corporate citizen, and maintain a leadership position in our businesses by preserving the highest quality available. We want to maintain and enhance shareholder value through running our Aircraft, Military, Space, and Technology segments with a diversified and involved team of employees who work together. And, through the use of breakthrough technologies and engineering, we will continue to be a world leader, which is important to our customers and business partners of the world. Components of Mission Statement The mission statement addresses customers with the statement: detailed customer knowledge and focus on airlines, space agencies, and the military.  This shows their commitment and focus upon what kinds of customers they will target. The mission addresses products and services with the statement: running our Aircraft, Military, Space, and Technology segments. This shows their commitment to the specific businesses. These are the main business segments in which Boeing competes. The market is addressed with: world leader, which is important to our customers and business partners of the world. This is the geographic area that Boeing serves, and that is the entire world. Technology is addressed with the statement: the use of breakthrough technologies and engineering. Boeing is renowned for its commitment to advanced technologies and engineering. This is an integral part of their mission statement. Boeing’s concern for survival, growth, and profitability is mentioned with: maintain and enhance shareholder value. These are the very words that every company should strive for. This is the overall focus of their operations. The mission statement addresses philosophy with: ensure customer satisfaction by delivering detailed customer knowledge and focus. Boeing’s philosophy is important because it gives a sense of belonging to customers. The self-concept component is addressed with the statement: maintaining a leadership position in our businesses and preserving the highest quality available. Again, Boeing is renowned for its leadership and engineering accomplishments. These are the basis for Boeing’s success. The statement that mentions public image is as follows: being a good corporate citizen. This is another of Boeing’s strengths. They continually support the local communities that they serve and are very active in volunteerism. The mission addresses the employee component with the statement: with a diversified and involved team of employees who work together. Boeing is very committed to their employees by having the very best and brightest individuals working for them. They also value their employees by offering various continuing education classes. External Analysis: Opportunities Economic The economy itself, has been improving since the terrorist attacks, and as such, air travel is increasing as well. This will allow the industry to begin easing back into pre-attack production levels for aircraft. Social, cultural, demographic, and environmental One opportunity available is with the development of highly efficient engines. This is a very large opportunity for the industry as the costs of fuel are rising and the available natural resources are continually being diminished. Also, the future of jet engines is being developed into non-combustion engines. The future of engines is in pulse, whereby the reaction takes place with a pulse, rather than continuously which provides greater efficiency. Political, legal, and government This opportunity exists with the ability of firms to merge to reduce costs. This has been a very popular method in the industry to facilitate growth and product development. Also, with more free trade agreements, the industry can obtain a cost advantage with new suppliers in other countries. Technological The entire industry has the ability to stream ahead by equipping planes with wireless internet access and new and improved guidance software. With up to  the minute information on weather and other pertinent information, the industry can better serve their customers. Competitive The industry is very competitive and with the recent mergers, the industry has time sensitive opportunities to take market share away from other companies. Thus, the other firms in the industry pose as opportunities for the firms in the industry to be on guard to take advantage of each other whenever possible. External Analysis: Threats Economic The terrorist attacks have caused airlines to delay the purchase of new aircraft, and they have also started to delay the retirement of aircraft. Also, with the decline in passenger travel post 9/11, the airlines are having trouble making enough money and they are shutting down routes. The shutting down of the routes has decreased the need for new aircraft. The industry has also been vulnerable to businesses cutting their air travel. Again, this is related to terrorism. A big business does not want to lose their top executives from hijackings. Social, cultural, demographic, and environmental The increase in the amount of telecommuting software has decreased the need for business travel. Also, because of the terrorist attacks, many people are using alternate means of travel. Political, legal, and governmental The industry is facing large, class action lawsuits from the terrorist attacks. Airlines and manufacturers have to set aside money for this and are thereby unable to fully focus on their businesses. Technological The biggest technological threat is falling behind the competition with technological advances. The industry has the ability to take advantage of the companies that lag behind in the implementation of new technology. Competitive As stated with the social, cultural, demographic, and environmental, the industry faces competition with telecommuting. They also face competition from the push for high-speed train lines. This alternate way of travel has seen success around the world, and there are plans for construction of these already in the works. With the lingering threat of more terrorism, many people are using buses to go from one place to another. Competitive Profile Matrix A competitive profile matrix identifies a firm’s major competitors and its particular strengths and weaknesses in relation to a sample firm’s strategic position. The ratings are as follows: 1 major weakness, 2 minor weaknesses, 3 minor strengths, and 4 major strengths. (Figure 2 in the appendix) By comparison Boeing Company, Airbus, and Lockheed Martin are very similar in their critical success factors. These are all aerospace companies competing in the global market. These three companies all compete for contracts with various airline companies and governments. In the Competitive Profile Matrix, the most critical success factor we chose was product quality with a weighted score of 0.25. Product quality is very important for these companies. Without good quality none of these companies would hold any ground competing with each other. In this, Boeing Company, Airbus, and Lockheed Martin all rated a 4 because they all have a great product quality. The second most critical success factor is market share. It is weighted score is 0.20. This is important because it shows how much of the market wants your business. We rated Boeing with a 4 because our company has a big part of the market and they are also well known like a household name. Airbus and Lockheed Martin we rated as a 3 because they are not too far behind us in this area. Price competitiveness, financial position, and customer loyalty are all tied with a weighted score of 0.15. Airbus comes in with the highest with a ranking of 4 in price competition. This is because Airbus has the lowest prices compared to Boeing and Lockheed Martin. Boeing and Lockheed Martin are both rated a 3 with their prices being about the same. When it comes to financial position, Boeing is on top with a 4, while Airbus has a 3 and Lockheed Martin a 2 respectively. This is because Boeing is a very strong company that has been in business for years and continues to grow every year. Customer loyalty is also a critical success factor for these companies. Airbus and Lockheed Martin both rate a 3 while Boeing takes a backseat with a 2. From this we see that Boeing needs to be more loyal to their customers because Airbus and Lockheed Martin could have a chance taking over Boeing’s business. The final critical success factor is management. We weighted this with a score of 0.10. All three companies have a rating of 3. This means all three are in very good competition with each other when it comes to their management teams. Boeing, Airbus, and Lockheed Martin all have great management that will keep them all on top of their game and in good competition with one another. Boeing is in very good standing with their competitors having a total score of 3.45. Airbus is following Boeing closely behind though with a score of 3.40 which shows they are gaining momentum in the industry. Lockheed Martin is behind both their competitors with a total score of 3.10. In conclusion, Boeing Company is ahead of the competition and rises above their competitors. External Factor Evaluation An external factor evaluation matrix identifies the industry-wide opportunities and threats. Weights are assigned to the various opportunities and threats based on how well the subject company are responding to the threats and opportunities. The ratings are as follows: 1 = poor response, 2 = average response, 3 = above average response, and 4 = superior response. (Figure 3 in the appendix) The main opportunities that we identified were technological advances in aircrafts, new forms of alliances, Raytheon and Lockheed Martin are still recovering from merger integration, economies are getting better, air travel increasing, new engine developments, and customers comfort. The threats that we identified were not staying up to date with current technological advances, decreasing defense spending, teleconferencing with high speed trains, airline aircraft needs decreasing, and terrorist attacks. The opportunities were weighted .05 for technological advances in aircrafts, .15 for new forms of alliances, .05 for Raytheon and Lockheed Martin are still recovering from merger integration, .05 for the economies are getting better, .05 for air travel increasing, .10 for the new engine developments, and .10 for customers comfort. The threats were weighted .05 for not staying up to date with current technological advances, .10 for the decreasing of defense spending, .10 for the teleconferencing and high speed trains, .05 for airline aircraft needs are decreasing, and terrorist attacks. The weights are representative of the importance the opportunities and threats represented to Boeing. They were determined by considering the impact that each one has on the industry and how well Boeing is conditioned to react to the situations presented. We felt that the most important factors were the new forms of alliances, and terrorist attacks. These two factors are paramount to the industry and all of its counterpart’s success. If these factors are not addressed by the industry then there is a chance that the industry might start declining in nature. We rated each of the opportunities based on how well Boeing has been  positioning itself in the market. Boeing’s technological advances in aircrafts had a major response because of its wireless internet access and new and improved guidance software; we rated this a 4. Also, Boeings response to customer comfort was rated a 4. This is because Boeing is responding very well to what the customers expect from them. This does include the comfort everyone wants. We felt that new forms of alliances, air travel increasing, and new engine developments all were above average; we rated these a 3. This is because the forms of alliances are very important. By having new forms of alliances this could help the company to become stronger. The importance of air travel is also very important to both the industry and to the company. Boeings response to this is above average because they are responding very well to the increase of air travel since September 11th. Also, the importance of new engine developments is above average because Boeings response to this is very high. They are on their way to provide different types of engines that are very efficient. Finally, Raytheon and Lockheed Martin are still recovering from merger integration and economies are getting better we rated these each a 2. This is because Boeings response could have been way better then it actually was considering the top competitors are still recovering from merger integration, especially when the economies are getting better. The response to threats has been equally impressive. The threat of terrorist attacks has been very successful for Boeing. The fact Boeing is creating new and improved aircrafts, to help against terrorist attacks while in the air, is a major impact; we also rated this a 4. Not staying up to date with current technological advances and the threat of teleconferencing or high-speed trains was rated a 3. This is because Boeings response to each of these is above average. Being a threat to the industry does not necessarily make it a major weakness for Boeing. They are responding very well by keeping up with all the technological advances that the industry creates. Also, the response to other competitors is above average. Finally decreasing defense spending and airline aircraft needs decreasing were rated both a 2. We believed each of these responses were just plain average. Nothing seems to be changing for the spending but the airline aircraft needs are being implemented a little at a time . The final score, 3.05, that was obtained from the external factor evaluation matrix shows that Boeing is way above average when reacting to opportunities and threats. Internal Analysis: Strengths Management The biggest strength of Boeing is in its people. With more than 160,000 employees, Boeing has a vast number of highly skilled workers. This is enhanced by Boeings commitment to continuing education. They offer an on-site training program and encourage employees to constantly improve themselves. Boeing offers various courses intended to increase employee competency, productivity, and well-being. The main areas of study are: Industrial Skills, Certification, Engineering, Computing, Leadership, and Business Awareness. This employee enrichment program takes place in the Boeing Learning Centers. According to Boeing statistics, in any given 24 hour period, 336 employees will be taking one of 3200 courses being offered, 80 will be taking a class on their own time through the Boeing Learning Together Program, and there will be instructors teaching classes from more than 1600 on and off hour training courses. The Boeing Learning Together Program is considered to be one of the largest corporate tuition-reimbursement programs in the world. In 2002, 23000 employees earned degrees in 1500 concentrations tuition-free. The management of Boeing is also engaged in leading the company into lucrative contracts and partnerships that leverage the company on the business front. Be it the bidding of a contract, development of new technology, or delivery of equipment, the management of Boeing is there every step of the way. And, through its global scope, Boeing can hedge against practically any type of disruption imaginable. Another aspect of the Boeing Company is its corporate citizenship. Boeing is  very committed to the local areas where they are located. The consistently provide cash donations, in-kind services, and employee involvement whenever possible. Last year, Boeing employees volunteered 250,000 hours of their time to community causes, which is equivalent to $3.8 million in free labor. They also operate the world’s largest employee-owned charitable organization. In 2001, the total amount raised by the company and employees was an astounding $92.7 million. Marketing Perhaps the biggest strength for Boeing is simply its name. Boeing enjoys overwhelming success because of its brand name awareness. The marketing department set out on this goal more than 50 years ago, and Boeing’s success is a direct result of that campaign. Marketing for Boeing can be seen on magazines, television, the internet, and through word of mouth. They have also recently created a radio broadcast called â€Å"Forever New Frontiers† which is geared towards developing a positive image of Boeing. They have consistently garnered respect from many high profile trade and business magazines praising their commitment to the environment, employees, and business partners. Boeing also has a very successful marketing campaign when it comes to attracting employees. They are very open and are always looking for bright, energetic people to come and work for them. Because of the benefits associated with being employed at Boeing, attracting new employees is easy. This is one of the core concepts of the Boeing Company, and they promote this by stating, â€Å"the strength and competitive advantage of Boeing comes from its employees. Success can also be shown through the fact that nearly 75% of the world uses Boeing built airliners. Out of 10 Boeing aircrafts only 7 are exported overseas. This is not something that can be accomplished without a successful marketing campaign. The loyalty and brand recognition of Boeing is a very large part of their success. Finance/Accounting Boeing is one of the world’s largest suppliers of commercial aircraft, and as such, they are very well positioned in the aircraft industry. In 2002, they booked $28 billion in revenue from their aircraft division. This makes up nearly 53% of Boeing total revenues, with 47% coming from their other businesses. This breakdown has been one of Boeing’s strategies to diversify their operations. In 1993, the commercial aircraft segment made up 80% of their revenues. All together, Boeing booked 54.1 billion in revenue for 2002, which was a slight decrease from 2001. The Boeing Capital Company is a very valuable asset to the company. This is a service provided by Boeing to their business partners, which provides competitively priced financing options. Through creative financing option, thousands of customers can afford to purchase Boeing’s products and services. Handling purchasing, leasing, and many other financial aspects of their clients needs. Boeing also has a very large amount of account receivables. At the end of 2002, they had $104,173 billion in backlogs. This figure does not include any foreign government contracts, which is a significant amount for Boeing. Outside this figure, the foreign government backlog was $34.7 billion. Also, at the end of 2002, Boeing had cash and cash equivalents of $2,333 billion, and they had long term debt obligations of $28,565 billion. Boeing is a very strong company overall. The changes in accounting procedures resulted in a decreased net income from one year to the next. Even though net income was lower, it is still going to be strength because the accounting change was necessary. A major part of this accounting change happened when they chose to expense their stock options. This will probably become an SEC requirement in the near future, showing they are ahead of the game. (Figure 4 in the appendix) Production/Operations The production and operations department is a very large part of Boeing. These are the brain centers of the company. Through the use of a diversified product line and very talented employees, Boeing excels in their businesses. Using thousands of suppliers, manufacturing sites, and technology development centers, Boeing can distribute their products very efficiently. This enables Boeing to compete at the lowest cost and offer the best quality. It is stated that in 24 hours, they will make 4,650 shipments of spare parts to airlines, 15,000 suppliers will provide parts to Boeing facilities, they will export $53 million of goods and services to customers worldwide, and Boeing satellites will provide one-third of the world’s satellite communication services. Boeing also uses its own proprietary software and satellite transmission service for managing production lines and equipment deliveries. In a 24-hour period, more than 8 million emails will circulate through the Boeing network. This will keep all stages of product development, construction, and delivery under a close eye. Since Boeing offers an internet-based purchasing platform, they can reach thousands of customers instantly. Another aspect of Boeing Company is with its implementation of special design and build process. Boeing essentially created its own form of manufacturing and assembly line in order to reduce turnover time and to increase employee productivity. Through the implementation of these practices, they have effectively reduced lead-time, cycle time, inventory, and defects. For the 717, these processes have cut the overall final assembly time in half. This has also been complimented through the direct investment in new technologies. Research and Development This is essentially the backbone to Boeing’s success. It is where all of Boeing’s greatest work is invented, tested, and implemented. Since this department is so important, they have it separated form the rest o f the company and named it Phantom Works. It is headquartered in St Louis, but it exists as a virtual department with 4500 employees working together at any given time on 500 projects. This department is constantly developing new products and technologies and is considered to be the most secret place of the company. The research and development budget is significant to the company as exemplified by Boeing’s commitment of $1.639 billion dollars. This is equal to 3% of 2002 sales, and is a needed expense for Boeing to continue to offer the very best in quality and performance. This amount covers the design, development, and testing of defense systems, new commercial aircraft, and space programs. Computer Information Systems The biggest impact of this area is in sales. Boeing is considered to be one of the top five internet sellers. Their statistics state that in 24 hours, they will sell more than $2 million of products over the internet. This is a very important factor to Boeing’s success. They have successfully developed a way for clients to securely purchase Boeing products. Because of its ability to receive financing from Boeing Capital, clients can make Boeing a one-stop source for all of their needs. Another strength of Boeing’s website is that it caters to all people. Retired employees, current employees, clients, and even children can go to the website and find all the information that they need. This is important because it shows that Boeing has a true commitment to its employees, clients, and everyone in between. The website gives employees and retiree the ability to check in their benefits and retirement accounts, while children can play games, and learn about the history of flight. Internal Analysis: Weaknesses Management The major weakness of Boeing’s management is in its format. They operate with a mechanistic management style. This means that they have a very hierarchical, ridged, and semi-autocratic way of dispersing orders down  through management. This style is a direct reflection of its military heritage. The problems of this management style lie in the fact that it does not promote the free flow of ideas. The orders are simply made at the top of the chain and dispersed downward through the rest of the company. This then causes problems when management tries to motivate and lead their employees. With the orders coming down from the top, the employees do not have the ability to provide input into the decisions. This causes friction between the employees and management and it does not work very well in the business world today. This type of management can and will lead to employees revolting, quitting, or striking. The free flow of information between management and the employees is integral to the company’s future success. Marketing We determined that the biggest marketing weakness for Boeing lies in its ultra secret business practices. This is good for research and development, as it will promote a competitive advantage, but when Boeing is marketing products, they need to be straight forward. This is also a direct result of their management style. Also, because of the nature of their work and products, they do need to be secretive, but their internal policies and procedures can be too secretive. One example of this lies with the marketing of a new military product. They marketed it as an answer to the military’s problem of transportation, but upon testing, found that the product was rife with mechanical problems. This was after the military had already ordered the product. Finance/Accounting Boeing has been hit with the brunt of the economic slowdown in its commercial aircraft division. With the state of the airlines in the balance, Boeing has seen its full year aircraft division’s profit significantly eroded. Because the United States is the main consumer of their aircraft, until the economy begins improving, and airlines see a pickup in travelers and profits, Boeing  will continue to see financial weakness from this division. They are projecting a 2 to 4 year decline in the profitability of this division. The ratio analysis shows the difficulties that Boeing has been experiencing from the economic downturn. Production/Operations The main production weakness stems from the management style. Because of the mechanistic management style, the first-line employees feel alienated. The vertical and horizontal communication typically associated with manufacturing firms is not present with Boeing employees. This leads to low morale among employees and low productivity. This is a significant problem for Boeing because it undermines their reputation. This aspect of the company also had to make significant alterations to its production line. Because of the terrorist attacks, they had to retool their assembly lines so that they could reduce their production. This also required the elimination of several positions. This is certainly not a positive practice for any company, but it was required for the continued success of the company. Research and Development We have determined the weakness in Boeing’s research and development as being a slow response time. We believe that Boeing has become lackadaisical in their commercial aircraft development. We feel this is true because of the astonishing surge of their main competitor. Boeing has always been then number one company in the aircraft industry and they essentially held a monopoly over the industry. Because of this, they did not respond fast enough to the threat of competitors. This is exemplified through the fact that its main competitor has shipped more aircraft than Boeing for three years in a row. This is a major problem because they are losing customers. While they are planning on rolling out  the most efficient aircraft named the 7E7, they do not expect to have it in service until 2008. This provides a huge advantage to competitors that have been working on similar projects. Computer Information Systems The weaknesses associated with their technology lies in their leadership abilities. Boeing has been a leader in the technology field of aircraft and aerospace; however, they have been slipping behind their competition. This is a very strong weakness, because a competitor has taken over in fly-by-wire avionics. This is a very integral part of flying an aircraft. This technology is what is used to determine routes, receive weather updates, find their bearings, and receive information pertinent to flights in progress. Internal Factor Evaluation The internal factor evaluation is used to evaluate the major strengths and weaknesses of a company. There are weights assigned to strengths and weaknesses based on how the company responds to them. The ratings are: 1 = poor response, 2 = average response, 3 = above average response, and 4 = superior response. (Figure 5 in the appendix) The key strengths we identified were highly skilled workers, companies corporate citizens, name recognition, Phantom Works, internet sales, and Boeing’s web-site. Along with strengths, we also identified weaknesses of Boeing Company. The key weaknesses are mechanistic management style, ultra-secretive business practices, economic slowdown, production communications, slow response time, and technology. The strengths were weighted: .15 for highly skilled workers, .05 for companies corporate citizens, .10 for name recognition, .05 for Phantom Works, .10 for internet sales, and .05 for Boeing’s web-site. The weaknesses were also evaluated and weighted accordingly. The weaknesses weighted scores were .10 for mechanistic management style, .05 for ultra-secretive business  practices, .10 for economic slowdown, .05 for production communications, .05 for slow response time, and .15 for technology. These weights show the importance of the strengths and weaknesses of Boeing Company. These are determined by how important the quality is to Boeing and how much of an impact each has against other business competitors. We felt the most important factors were highly skilled workers and technology. These two factors are very important to Boeing’s structure and its well being as a company. If these two factors are not evaluated accordingly, this could put a damper on the company’s competitiveness. We rated the strengths and weaknesses based on how Boeing Company positions itself against its competitors. Its highly skilled workers, the company’s corporate citizenship, and name recognition have been successful strengths for Boeing and make the company what it is today. We rated all of these with a 4 because they have been such successful strengths. Phantom Works, internet sales, and Boeings web-site have also helped with the success of the company. We felt that these played a key role but we rated these a little lower with a 3. We thought the minor weaknesses of Boeing Company were ultra-secretive business practices, economic slowdown, production communications, and technology. Since these were only minor we rated them with a 2. We also rated some major weaknesses. These included mechanistic management style and slow response time, which we rated as a 1. By using these scores in the internal factor evaluation matrix, we came to a total score of Boeing Company being a 2.75, which is slightly above average. They are above the average company when it comes down to strengths and weaknesses and how they deal with them. Although Boeing needs to stay on top of their game, a slight trickle downward could result in trouble for their business. Existing and Potential Problems The three potential problems that we identified for Boeing are: reducing costs, travelers demanding point-to-point travel, and a lack of contracts. These are problems because Boeing is a major producer of aviation products and thus, these problems are directly related to their success. If they do not address these problems, they will have a difficult time maintaining their competitive edge and solvency. Costs have been a problem simply because of the economic downturn. Boeing is not making as much of a profit on their business, and they are maintaining their current staff, production, and various expenses. These are problems because they are having a negative effect on Boeing’s income. If they are earning less profit on their products, they simply cannot maintain current production and staff levels. Also, because of the rising costs associated with employee benefits, utilities, and specifically parts, Boeing has to be more aggressive in cost cutting. We believe that Boeing has not been as successful as they could be in eliminating specific costs associated with parts. Another problem that we identified for Boeing is in its response to customer demand with point-to-point flights. This is a newer development in the aviation world due to customers wanting less crowded, more direct flights. Point-to-point flights are simply direct paths to destinations. This eliminates the need for layovers and therefore, more security checkpoints, which have been increased drastically post 9/11. Customers have realized the importance of this procedure, but they also do not take kindly to the constant search and seizure procedures. Boeing has been developing aircraft to cater to this demand, but we believe that they could increase their exposure in a more efficient, timely matter. The final problem that we identified for Boeing is in its bidding process. Boeing has lost and has been losing very lucrative contracts from the United States government, airlines, and the armed forces. This poses a problem not only for income reasons, but also for the company’s perception. If they continually lose contracts, it may be seen in the consumer industry as very negative. Each contract that they lose will put more doubt into the minds of companies that do business with them. This also has a huge impact on their commitment to be an industry leader. Their competitors have an even greater advantage and motivation for securing contracts with Boeing’s business partners. We believe that Boeing needs to redefine itself in the market place in order to overcome this hurdle. Internal-External Matrix The internal-external matrix is also known as a portfolio matrix because it involves plotting organization divisions in a schematic diagram. It is based on two key dimensions: the internal factor evaluation total weighted score on the x-axis and the external factor evaluation total weighted scores on the y-axis. On the x-axis of the internal-external matrix, an internal factor evaluation total weighted score of 1.0 to 1.99 represents a weak internal position, a score of 2.0 to 2.99 is considered average, and a 3.0 to 4.0 is considered strong. Similarly, on the y-axis, an external factor evaluation total weighted score of 1.0 to 1.99 is considered low, a score of 2.0 to 2.99 is medium, and a score of 3.0 to 4.0 is high. The internal-external matrix is divided into three different regions. The first region is described as grow and build and can use intensive or integrative strategies. The second region is described as hold and maintain. This region can use market penetration and product development strategies. The third and final region is described as harvest or divest and this is where successful organizations are able to achieve portfolio of businesses. (This is figure 6 in the appendix) Boeing Company is part of the grow and build strategies and the three strategies appropriate for this are horizontal integration, backward integration, and market penetration. This is because the internal factor evaluation total weighted score is 2.75 and the external factor evaluation total weighted score is 2.75 causing it to fall into quadrant II. Alternative Strategies As determined by the IE Matrix, Boeing fits into the category of grow and build strategies. Thus, the three strategies that we have determined to be the best for Boeing are: backward integration, horizontal integration, and market penetration. We believe that Boeing can be successful with any or all of these strategies because they are in-line with the mission statement, they will fulfill their needs, and they will solve or reduce their exposure to the previously identified problems.

Review of George Orwells Homage to Catalonia Essay

Review of George Orwells Homage to Catalonia - Essay Example I could not help thinking that it would be even luckier not to be shot at all"i. These revelations remained with Blair for the rest of his life. These are the origins of Homage to Catalonia, and a later article called "Looking back on the Spanish War", in which a clear description of Orwell's "Here, we are, soldiers of a revolutionary army, defending Democracy against Fascism, fighting a war which is about something, and the detail of our lives is just as sordid and degrading as it could be in prison"ii. He also felt that he needed to write a story which told the tale of the war from the perspective of a soldier, not a journalist: "Throughout the fighting, I never made the correct 'analysis' of the situation that was so glibly made by journalists hundreds of miles away."iii. Orwell clearly despises this kind of journalism which distanced itself from the events. In fact, he had gone to Catalonia with the intention of writing a serious of articles about it, but quickly changed his mind: "I had come to Spain with some notion of writing newspaper articles, but had joined the militia almost immediately, because at that time and i n that atmosphere it seemed the only conceivable thing to do"iv. Or Orwell begins Homage to Catalonia, not with an account of the political events, or even to his decision to join the army, but with an account of meeting another foreigner fighting on the Communists' side: "It was the face of a man who could commit murder and throw away his life for a friend - the king of face you would expect in an Anarchist, though as likely as not he was a communist"v. He emphasizes how this was clear in his personal memory because of its intimate connection with "That period of the war - the red flags in Barcelona, the gaunt trains full of shabby soldiers creeping to the front, the grey war-stricken towns farther up the line, the muddy, ice-cold trenches in the mountains"vi. This launches the chapter into a very descriptive narrative of the Scene in Catalonia when Orwell/Blair signed up to the army. Much of it these passages read like 'scene setting' in a novel: churches are being demolished, shops and even bootblacks are collectivized, and everyone calls each oth er 'comrade', and says 'hello' instead of 'good day', a communist paradise: "I believed that things were as they appeared, that this was really a workers State, and that the entire bourgeoisie hadfledI did not realize that great numbers of well-to-dowere simply lying low".vii. Despite of this positive image of the town, where people are free, Orwell is careful to remind us that this is a nation in conflict: "There was something of the evil atmosphere of war. The town had a gaunt untidy look, roads and buildings were in poor repairthere was a shortage of coal, sugar and petrol, and a really serious shortage of bread"viii. He also underlines that many of those fighting in the war were civilian militias, poorly trained and idealistic, rather than like an army; even the clothes were unlike an organized army: "Everyone's clothes followed the same general plan, but they were never quite the same in any two cases"ix. The second chapter

ESL Cause and Effect Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

ESL Cause and Effect - Essay Example Those native in a country expect that immigrants should get integrated into the society. One of the ways this is expected to be achieved, is by having those individuals learning the language of the country and with respect to America, students are required to study English (Kessler& Quinn, 1982). Thus it was thought necessary that the way to assimilate different culture is through making English the uniform language of instruction. The assimilationist orientation was institutionalized by reducing public funding to private and church associated schools and banning bilingual programs in public schools. Bilingual textbooks were burnt with teachers were fired, taken to court, and convicted for clearing up concepts in childrens own native languages. Language minority students display low accomplishment in English only classrooms. When compared with the national norms, they are behind in every subject areas. In addition to losing their native languages, these students exhibit low achievement in English only classrooms. When compared with the national norms, they lag behind in all subject areas. A large number of them eventually drop out or are pushed out of school (Kessler& Quinn, 1982). Classrooms are full of students representing diverse cultural, ethnic, and national origins. They speak one of the many different immigrant languages back home, and have diverse religious, socioeconomic, and educational backgrounds. This means that different approaches would be required but this becomes quite difficult. School failure of language minority students is was attributed to childrens supposed inadequate intellectual, cognitive, and linguistic abilities. It was widely believed that knowing two languages resulted in mental confusion, subdued cognitive and academic development, and led to low achievement of language minority students. Another commonly held belief was that some ethnic groups were genetically

Presptus Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Presptus - Essay Example With these improvements, many developed nations in the West have tapped into the Third World market because of the cheaper labor cost. In some Middle East nations, especially the OECD member countries, there have been increased rates in migration due to â€Å"regional conflict, the restrictions placed on other immigration channels, asylum seekers and family reunion† (Chalamwong, 2004, p. 3). In order to meet the work demands in these nations, some of these OECD nations have opened their doors to the entry of skilled and the highly skilled laborers, most especially those who have expertise in information and communication technology. With the contribution of these workers, the competitiveness of the nations in the world market has been maintained. As more nations have also taken advantage of this cheap labor market, the inevitability of a multi-cultural work place has come into fruition. In these labor markets, many opposing and essentially different cultures can often be found in the same workplace. The challenge that this workplace has created is on how management can merge various cultures into one cohesive and dynamic work force. In order to achieve a productive, dynamic, and even peaceful work environment, the manager has to come up with ways to blend these cultures while still maintaining perspective and while respecting each culture’s unique attributes. The changes that the manager has to implement will eventually decide the success of any project or any business in the current global economy. Despite the trends in globalization, unemployment has still been persistent in many parts of the world. The pressures of migration have increased because of these unemployment ratings. Moreover, most developing countries suffer from high unemployment rates and these rates are continuing to climb. For the OECD member nations, there is a

Midtern take home assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Midtern take home assignment - Essay Example Marx believed that in this kind of system, the laborers are oppressed. They work a lot and yet they get very little. On the contrary, the capitalist hardly works at all and yet they get almost everything. And it is in these circumstances that Marx made the aforementioned statements. Due to oppression, people needed something to believe in. They feel weak and powerless against the system. They believe that there is nothing they can do. That change is beyond their power. And because of this desperation, the people needed to believe that there is a higher power. They need to believe, even if they don't understand why the system is so unfair, that all this is part of a greater plan. That someday, they will be at ease. They need to believe that someone out there is aware and sympathetic of their misery. That someone out there would give them comfort. Thru religion, the oppressed find hope. As such, Marx believed that religion is a response to oppression. This is the reason why he said that religion is "The sentiment of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions." Without a 'heartless world' or 'soulless condition', religion would not emerge. If people where truly satisfied with the current state of things, they would not look for other places for happiness. They would not turn to religion of hope and comfort. In this context, Marx also said "Religion is the sigh of the oppressed cre... Hence, to believe in a certain religion is the only thing that the oppressed can do to make them feel better. "It is the opium of the people" Marx said. And we all know that opium is a narcotic drug. And we are aware what narcotic drugs can do. They provide an illusion of happiness, a fantasy. They make you feel better without solving the problem. To Marx, this is what religion provides to the people. The happiness that religion provides is not real, only momentary and most importantly, it does not solve the problem of oppression. Since religion provides happiness and hope to the people, for the meantime, they are contented. This prevents them from seeing the situation for what it really is. Instead of questioning the system, their attention is diverted to religion. Because of this, Marx also believed that the capitalist actually uses religion to pacify the people and maintain the system. I think the capitalist are aware of how significant the laborers' contribution is to the whole production. And without laborer cooperation, the whole economic system will fall. So the capitalist encourage the development of religion to keep laborers happy. And if they are happy, they continue to work for the system. They don't realize that the system is actually unfair to them. They are actually being oppressed by this system. Second Part: Explain why the socialization of means of production would eliminate the need for religion. In a capitalist system, the capitalist owns the machineries and materials which the laborers use for production. As a result, bulk of the profit goes back to the capitalist. If there is a socialization of means of production, said machineries and materials would be owned by the people themselves. In turn, the

The Main Principles Of Learning And The Action Theory Essay

The Main Principles Of Learning And The Action Theory - Essay Example Principles of learning are derived from the following learning theories: action, cognitive-gestalt, experiential, facilitation, holistic, reinforcement, sensory stimulation learning theory. In this respect, we shall analyze them according to the theories they are most tightly interwoven with. The main principles of learning based on the action theory state that no effective learning can be presented without proper action-application experience. In most cases small 'action learning sets'** are created in order to give the learners an opportunity of applying their knowledge on practice, making mistakes and learn from them without having to deal with unwanted consequences of their decisions. Cognitive-gestalt learning is based on insights and problem-solving. However, unlike the first theory, it puts stress on the learner’s individual ways of interpreting problem situations. Experiential theory speaks of a four-stage process of learning material (concrete experience, active experimentation, abstract conceptualization, observation, and reflection). A great benefit of this theory is that despite all of the stages are being necessary, an individual can choose (consciously or subconsciously) the most suitable one to contribute more efforts to it. Besides, stages can be repeated one by one as many times as it takes to exclude all of the mistakes. Principles of learning used in a facilitation theory are based on the acknowledgment of the fact that a human being is naturally eager to learn and perfect oneself. Thus, here learning process includes polemics with a teacher in an attempt to find as many answers as possible and, what is more important, to research a topic instead of simply remembering the facts given. Such an approach is commonly used in humanitarian education.

Design a Professional Development Program Essay

Design a Professional Development Program - Essay Example Research supports that the best professional development program is one that is data-driven, constructivist by nature, results-oriented, and job embedded. (State of Vermont DOE, 2010) A successful professional development approach must be standards based and aligned with carrying forth the school’s overall mission and vision; while at the same time meeting the professional and personal needs of the staff, as well as the students and stakeholders. It requires reflection on the past with the goal of instituting initiatives to improve the quality indicators that will impact the future. (Mahaffey, Lind, &Derse) At the beginning, many factors must be taken into consideration. The school must do a careful self-assessment comparing data from the student performance indicators, as well as from the performance evaluations of the staff. Several factors will arise from this needs assessment: interests, current skill sets, values, challenges, strengths, and limitations. It will provide an overall health assessment of the school as a whole as well as an individual picture of each staff member. (Educause, 2006) There are four major areas of development that professional development plans focus on: literacy, numeracy, teaching skills, and student outcomes. Literacy learning comprises the five areas of reading, writing and spelling, adolescent literacy, and English Language Learners proficiency. Numeracy focuses on content and processing standards set by the individual states with benchmarks for Common Core State Standards. The next area is teaching skills which focuses on general teaching skills as well as response to intervention. The last area is student outcomes, which focuses on dropout prevention, school improvement, and using data. By taking a broad picture as well as microscopic view of these areas for potential improvement, the school as a whole, as well as each educator, will be able to identify specific needs to focus on for development. By comparing student performance achievement with outcomes generated by individual educators, as well as educator self-assessments, it is possible to set goals for development that will facilitate overall improvement and satisfaction among staff members. (Professional Development Tools, nd.) The next step is setting goals. One of the most successful ways to set goals is using the SMART plan. This plan outlines how to write goals that are subjective, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely. Through setting SMART goals, both long range and short range, it is easier to evaluate when these goals have been accomplished and it is time to move on to the next area of development. (Rose, 2006) SMART goals are specific and strategic; they focus on a certain area and zero in on ways to improve it; they are measurable with indicators showing success. They take into account for limitations such as budgets and the human condition; therefore they are achievable. SMART goals are relevant and rigorous as well as en courage innovations to produce the desired results. Finally, they provide the structure of a timeframe so as to keep the improvement process from frustrating itself. (SMART Goals, 2010-2018) (WEAC, 2011) Professional development must be committed to equity and excellence. It must take into account all the essential elements that will be involved in the process; curriculum,

At Kearney Luxury Report Essay Example for Free

At Kearney Luxury Report Essay October 2010 Confederation of Indian Industry The Mantosh Sondhi Centre 23, Institutional Area Lodi Road New Delhi – 110003 India Tel: + 91 11 24629994-7 Fax: + 91 11 24626149 Contact: Amita Sarkar, Senior Director (amita. [emailprotected] in) Jaya Gupta, Deputy Director (jaya. [emailprotected] in) A. T. Kearney Limited 1st Floor, Future Capital House Peninsula Corporate Park Ganpatrao Kadam Marg Lower Parel (W) Mumbai 400 013. India Tel:+91-22 4097 0700 Fax:+91-22 4097 0725 Contact: Neelesh Hundekari, Principal (neelesh. [emailprotected]); Hemant Kalbag, Vice-President (hemant. [emailprotected] com); Pameela Pattabiraman, Manager (pameela. [emailprotected] com) Subhendu Roy, Manager (subhendu. [emailprotected] com) This report has been jointly produced by Confederation of Indian Industry and A. T. Kearney Limited, the contents of which are meant only for information purpose of the reader. Readers are advised to conduct their own investigation and analysis of any information contained in this report, and not rely on the information contained in this report for any purpose. Neither Confederation of Indian Industry, nor A. T. Kearney make any representation regarding the accuracy or completeness of such information and expressly disclaim any or all liabilities based on such information or any omission thereof. No part of this report may be reproduced or distributed without the prior written consent of Confederation of Indian Industry and A. T. Kearney Limited. Copyright: CONFEDERATION OF INDIAN INDUSTRY. 2010, and A. T. KEARNEY, INC. 2010 iv FOREWORD The Luxury industry in India is no longer a new comer. Like many other industries in India, it is of great interest to both international and Indian players. International brands see India as an emerging luxury market which could become a significant part of their portfolio tomorrow. Indian companies also see the growth at the top end of the market as an opportunity to introduce premium offerings. This enthusiasm was reflected in the first moves of several iconic international brands in the last 5-7 years. Indian companies have also seen the opportunity and a handful of players are now very active in the space. Apart from luxury products such as watches, apparel, accessories, large Indian five star hotel chains, fine dining and spas, apart from luxurious houses, the latest luxury cars and yachts have expanded the definition of luxury. The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and A. T. Kearney have been active players in the luxury space. CII through its National Committee on Retail has played an active role in trying to create an industry forum for players in the luxury industry. CII brought the industry together to help organize the industry and create a forum for dealing with issues of common interest. A. T. Kearney, apart from serving clients in the luxury industry has also contributed to providing a robust fact base and perspectives on realizing the potential of the industry through their first study in 2007 (The Economic Times A. T. Kearney India Luxury Review 2007). Just when the industry was showing signs of coming of age in 2007, from the third quarter of 2008, the global recession dampened the hopes of the industry. The industry suffered internationally, and that acted as a brake on the emotional euphoria for a good 9-12months in India as well. Several players used that time to consolidate their position, right size their business, restructure real estate deals and become fitter. A few others suffered. Now with positive signs in the Indian economy, optimism about the industry is on the rise, as demonstrated by heightened market activity and consumer spending. However, key issues such as a relatively new market, duties, access to quality real estate etc continue to pose a challenge to exponential profitable growth. A few key questions keep bothering CEOs in the sector: How to make the luxury business a successful proposition in India? How big is the market really? When will the market be fully ripe? What operating models work and do they need to be customized for India? Given this backdrop, CII and A. T. Kearney decided to team up and take stock of the industry and address key questions that current players, potential entrants and other stakeholders have about the industry. Our desire was to study and understand the major changes in the industry in the last 3-4 years and the implications of these for the future of the industry.. With this end in mind, over the last three months, we conducted an exhaustive and comprehensive research of the industry. The A. T. Kearney team collated and analysed large amounts of data, interviewed several industry leaders and luxury consumers to develop all round insights on the industry. The report establishes the growth trajectory for the industry over the last three years, takes stock of the opportunities and the potential as well as the continuing challenges that it faces and estimates the likely potential over the next 5 years and recommends actions for industry players to undertake. We believe that this report will serve as an important step in the industry’s v journey of growth. It clearly confirms that the hope in the potential of the Indian luxury industry is not misplaced, that there is still a huge latent demand in the market and that India will be an important market and player on the global luxury platform. While the hope in the potential remains undaunted even after the recession, infrastructural and regulatory issues continue to impede the development. Like in all other sectors, though we are confident that the Indian industry will discover a uniquely Indian way of converting them into opportunities. We are grateful to all the industry leaders and consumers who spent time with us in sharing their perspectives and validating our hypotheses. We hope this study will act as a milestone in the evolution of the Indian luxury industry and will take the collective understanding of the industry a few steps forward. Confederation of Indian Industry A. T. Kearney vi EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Over the last two decades, post liberalization in the 90s, the new maharajahs of business have created some serious wealth in India. This new found prosperity has attracted luxury brands that were looking for new engines for growth to make up for slow growth in their traditional markets. While most industries are now coasting along smoothly, the small and emerging luxury industry players have not stopped reflecting on the past to ask some fundamental questions about the market. This report attempts to answer these questions through a wide and deep coverage of all segments of the luxury market in India. To get the most credible answers, we adopted a robust methodology with a large element of primary interviews and extensive data collection. We collated data from a variety of sources to size the market and understand the growth rates over the last few years. Indian Luxury Consumer passport to the elite segment of the society and conspicuous consumption is their way of announcing it to the society. The children are the bigger spenders, having been educated abroad and hence familiar with brands and the luxury way of living. Traditionally wealthy families/large industrialists: This group comprises two sub-segments the first is the traditionally wealthy families who have been consuming luxury for several decades and go for the finer things in life. The other sub segment comprises the promoters of some very large businesses which have come up in the last two decades and have created a disproportionate amount of wealth very quickly. Corporate executives: Senior executives of corporate India who are paid in excess of INR 1 crore (USD 225,000) and bankers who earn big bonuses epitomize this category. These executives are well traveled and are aware of brands. Most of this segment consists of people who are in their mid-late forties and represent some of the brightest minds in the country. Many of them though have come from middle class backgrounds and hence have a conservative approach on conspicuous spending. Other segments include self employed professionals, young professionals, expatriates, politicians and bureaucrats. A correlation between the size of the luxury market, the GDP/capita, number of HNIs and HNI wealth over the years 2004-2009 shows that in terms of importance the number of high net worth individuals is the most important driver. Interviews with leading luxury brands in India point to the fact that family wealth is a stronger determinant of spending than household income. The masstige phenomenon can also be observed very clearly in India. Luxury products in India are appealing to, and purchased by, middle-class consumers that do not fit the typical profile of an elite consumer segment. While Indian consumers talk about exclusivity, uniqueness and appeal to personal taste, the majority of the market is still far away from this and brand/logo/badge value drive luxury purchases very clearly. That said, traditional attributes such as high quality, heritage, longevity, the â€Å"stories† associated with brands are beginning to emerge as drivers of purchase. The mindset is still that of an â€Å"aspirer† not that of a â€Å"connoisseur†. The Indian luxury consumer is young 30-45 years old. While the average Indian luxury customer values High Quality, Exclusivity and Social Appeal as key drivers of luxury purchase, they are also very Price Conscious and often straddled with a â€Å"middle-class mindset†. The segments are composed primarily of: Medium size enterprise owners: This is the largest segment in terms of number these are typically the medium enterprise owners industrialists and traders who run businesses with revenues upwards of 50 cr. Their wealth is their vii The distribution of the rupee millionaires is a good indicator of the luxury consumer distribution in the country. While Delhi and Mumbai continue to be the mainstay markets for luxury consumption, there are several other cities with a large base of potential luxury consumers. We believe in the next 57 years, at least 5-7 new towns will get added on the luxury map of India. We also believe that the potential in Delhi and Mumbai has not been fully exploited and that there exists a few more micro markets within these cities that need to be tapped. Luxury Market 2007-2009 watches and jewellery as well wines, spirits and high-end electronics. This market has been estimated to be USD 1. 5 billion in 2009. Most luxury product categories have witnessed over 15% growth over the past 2 years performance of categories like Electronics, Wines and Spirits, Apparel and Jewellery has been exceptionally strong. The Indian luxury services market was severely hit by the recession over the past 2 years. Nonetheless, the India Luxury Services industry is considered to be one of the best in the world. Consumer interviews revealed that consumers prefer Indian hotel chains like the Taj, Oberoi or ITC even when International chains like the Hyatt, Hilton or Four Seasons have entered the country. The current Indian luxury assets market is estimated at USD 2. 45 billion. The growth of the Luxury Assets market is driven mainly by the phenomenal growth of the Real Estate and Automobile sectors. Latent Demand and Future Potential Our endeavor in this study has been to provide robust data on the size and growth of the Indian luxury market for stakeholders to consider, debate and if it makes sense to base their decisions upon. For sizing the market, Product, Price and (where possible brand also) filters are applied to isolate the luxury from the non-luxury in all segments. We err on the side of conservatism i. e.only pure luxury is included. Based on a category wise build-up, the size of the Indian luxury industry in 2009 is estimated at USD 4. 76 billion (at retail prices). This includes all luxury products, luxury services and luxury assets sold in India. The total luxury market has grown at a CAGR of 13% between 2007-09, with luxury products growing at 22%, services degrowing at 5% and assets growing at 18%. Luxury market in India The Indian luxury market is still very small compared to global standards. While India has one of the highest GDPs in the world, its luxury consumption, in absolute terms, is still very small. We believe that there exists a large latent demand in India, constrained by both demand side and supply side factors. On the demand side, there are several potential consumers in India who either do not buy luxury at all or do not buy enough of it from the local market. As we had mentioned, Rupee millionaires with incomes between INR 10-30 lakhs do not really spend on luxury. On the other side, supply of most luxury products in India is present is mostly present Mumbai, Delhi or Bangalore. However, wealth creation in the country is now no longer limited to these cities. It is taking place at a rapid rate in Tier I and Tier II cities like Ahmedabad, Pune and Hyderabad. The current market size for luxury products in the country is around USD 1. 5 billion. A regression based on India’s GDP per capita and Number of HNIs, indicates that the size of the Indian luxury products market should have been around USD 3-3. 5 billion. This implies that there is a latent demand of almost USD 1. 5-2 billion. As percentage of the current market size, India’s latent demand is estimated at 120-150% while for China it is estimated at only 10-15%. We have estimated the expected growth in the luxury goods market using a number of methods. Regression of the mar- Source: A. T. Kearney research and analysis The most visible segment of the luxury industry is the luxury products segment. This includes the most visible fashion luxury segments such as apparel, accessories, personal care, viii Country comparison based on GDP and # of HNIs 1. 2. 3. Source: Altagamma, A. T. Kearney research and analysis, Merrill Lynch Capgemini world wealth reports ket size for luxury products against the number of HNIs results in a growth estimate of 18%. Based on numerous interviews with luxury company CEOs, executives and industry experts as well as secondary research, a bottom-up build up of category wise growth rates leads to an average of 21%. Given this and considering the huge latent demand, we believe that India’s overall Luxury Market will grow 21% to become almost 3 times its current size by 2015. Projected growth of luxury market in India 4. Difficulty in reaching the target consumer: The scattered nature of the target population and absence of critical mass in India is a big concern for the industry. While luxury magazines have increased in maturity and volumes, they still reach only a small fraction of the existing consumers and a much smaller fraction of new consumers. Cost of reach is high, results uncertain and word of mouth continues to be best method to create a â€Å"buzz†. Consumer reservations about luxury purchases: India is faced with a low luxury penetration, with most of the rupee millionaires with income between INR 1030 lakh segment having the capacity but not the propensity to spend on luxury goods and services. Furthermore, there are reservations against buying lesser known brands as well as shopping in India. Infrastructure and regulatory constraints: Companies have to struggle with lack of credible real estate options, underdeveloped back end infrastructure like warehouses and logistics as well as regulatory restrictions on FDI and high import duties. Lack of talent: Absence of skilled manpower has hindered luxury players from being able to provide the same customer service experience as that in international locations. However, there are several ideas that could be used to address these challenges. To convert potential customers, who have the financial wherewithal, to luxury consumers, players should look at micro-segmentation of the population to identify specific â€Å"high potential† professions. Once identified, focused communication would be needed to reach out to them and convince them of the offering. Players also need to look at effective media vehicles to reach their target consumers. Consumer perceptions and reservations about shopping for luxury goods in India can be addressed by breaking the myth, getting high recall brands and bringing in â€Å"ladder brands†. To address the infrastructure and regulatory challenges, players can use smaller retail formats to increase store densities far above the global benchmarks in order to drive higher sales productivity. A multi-brand environment would also help players attract a critical mass of consumers and also lower the burden on each brand in terms of operating costs. Other options include mini high streets, collaborative efforts with competition for both retail and supply chain and airport retailing. Indian companies can capitalize on the regulatory. Source: A. T. Kearney research and analysis Luxury Industry Challenges Fundamentally there are four key challenges that any luxury player faces in India. ix restrictions imposed by the Indian government to enhance their presence in the market. The resource crunch needs to be addressed through the creation of a parallel education ecosystem similar to what has happened in the IT, ITES, airlines and fashion industry. Critical Success Factors There is no instant formula for success in the Indian luxury market. Everything about our country is different the consumer, the challenges and also opportunities for luxury players. The Indian consumer is in a state of flux evolving rapidly, but perhaps along a path that is inherently different from that taken by other developing economies. Several luxury players have managed to seize opportunities in the market early. We believe that the critical factors for success in this market include exploring formats that enable players to attract footfalls; getting the pricing right to encourage Indians to purchase locally; Providing a world class experience e.g. ambience and service; bringing in iconic brands as Indians still buy luxury products for brand value and not to make a fashion statement; getting the cost structure right by ensuring the cost base is justified by the sales realized; getting access to local expertise to get the best real estate deals; experimenting with new formats such as a luxury discounter (liquidation channel) that can help open the market by getting consumers exposed to last year’s collections at attractive prices and help them move up the ladder. While we believe there is a clear opportunity to make an impact in this market, a systematic, smart and careful approach is what will differentiate the winners from the losers in the long run. x.

Windows Vs Linux Comparison

Windows Vs Linux Comparison Linux and windows operating systems are software with programs and information needed to run and monitor the computer programs. An operating system is one of the most important computer programs which a computer can not run without them. Even though they are both important for computer programs, Linux and windows are two different operating systems and they have different features which basically differentiates them. (Web msdn.microsoft.com, online)[26th September 2010] This project will basically focus on the difference between Linux and windows, the importance of Linux and widows operating systems, the top 6 most important difference between Linux and windows and a summary table of the difference and similarities of the two and it will also cover the background of the two operating systems. OBJECTIVES This major of this project are; To discuss the difference between Linux and windows To discuss the importance of the two operating systems To discuss the top 6 most important difference between Linux and windows BACKGROUND STUDY Windows was introduced in 1983 by Microsoft and it has been there most success as it has been dominating other computer operating systems and it is the most preferred operating system by many people. .Ever since 1983 Microsoft has been improving windows operating system with the growth of technology. (Micheal, 2004, online) [26th September 2010] Linux operating system was introduced in 1991 by a student of Helsinki University (Linus Torvalds). The Linux operating system was derived from UNIX operating system. It was called the GNU/Linux because it is a combination of the Linux as the kernel and GUN system. The Linux operating was made free to everyone and also Linus Torvalds made the source codes available in the internet for educational purposes and also for improvements. Ever since Linux operating system was introduced 1991 the internet has been promoting the development of the Linux operating system, nowadays many companies are giving Linux operating system there support through the internet and this shows how successful Linux is growing. (Micheal, 2004, online) [26th September 2010] FINDINGS Key words; OPARATING SYSTEM: It manages and controls the hardware components for a computer. RAM: Random Access Memory. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LINUX AND WINDOWS OPARATING SYSTEMS This two operating systems where developed to achieve the same important aim being to provide computers with a software that has different programs to help run a computer. Considering the two main aspects of Information Technology being Hardware example Device Driver, Software example Software Applications, this two are different. . (Web msdn.microsoft.com, online)[26th September 2010] DEVICE DRIVER Most of Linux operating systems are built-in support for a device and it is not easy for one to add it in if they are using other distributions without the built in devices but for windows users is much easy for one to do it. THE SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS Windows and Linux operating systems both have similar softwareà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s like the internet browser, email client etc but looking at the important ones like the video mixing and others windows provides better than Linux. PORTABILITY The feature of portability is the one which boosts the Linux operating system to be better than windows as one can store an operating system to a CD and use it to boot from it with all features and softwareà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s needed and this CD is called a liveCD where as windows does not have this feature as they are trying to avoid sharing of illegal copies of there operating system. SECURITY Linux has an excellent security feature which is free from viruses and it is not easy to be hacked unlike windows which has many viruses and is easily hacked The most important top 6 difference between the two are; The Linux operating system provide its source code to the community through internet for them to improve it or even add more features to it, to make your computer work better where as windows does not provide ay source code to any one. All versions of Windows are provided by one company being Microsoft where as Linux is distributed by different companies like REDHAT, SLAKWARE etc. Linux operating system is very cheap for server uses and free for home users and one can use it as many as they want where as windows is very expensive and it also limits one to use the operating system with activations Linux operating system has an important feature called multitasking which enables one to run many process at ones where windows will limit one. The Linux operating system a symbol of a penguin for identification where as windows use a flag of four colures which are red, green, blue and yellow. Windows needs lot of memory(RAM) to run compared to the Linux operating system SIMILARITIES Linux and windows both hide operating system files in the directory which are not to be used by the user. They both support one scripting language which is the PHP and it can be used in windows and Linux Both Linux and Windows are multi operating systems They both support the use of device ports like; USB, parallel and serials They both allow user to choose there file security, which means they can share files in both operating systems with the use of networks. (Web odetocode.com,online)[26 September 2010] Windows and Linux operating systems are different as shown in the document and there many more different features of this two which are not listed above. The difference between the two operating systems The table below shows the difference between the two operating systems being the Linux and Windows (Web techrepublic.com) [26th September 2010] FEATURES LINUX WINDOWS Variants Red Hat, caldera, linuxPPC, SuSE Windows 2000, windows XP ,Windows vista, windows 7 Licensing FREE EXPENSIVE Performance Uses less memory so ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s faster. Uses less memory but more that Linux does so ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s a bit slow Security It is much save as it provides a every excellent security It easily hacked as does not have a very tough security Safety It is much safe as they are no known viruses for it. There are millions of viruses for windows operating system maybe it because it worldly used. CONCLUSION This report has compared Linux and windows by providing the difference and the similarities between the two. The two operating systems are both important to computer users and none of them is different to another, but we can say they are just fundamentally different to each other. (Web ibm.com) [26th September 2010] They are both operating systems and an operating system is one of the most important computer applications as it manages data in it, provides the users with the interface to use the computer and it also makes the computer to run which is one of the most important point of having an operating system on your computer.