British Petroleum Analysis Essay

Introduction William Knox D’Arcy founded BP plc, formerly known as British Petroleum, in 1909, they are a global company specializing in oil and gas, headquartered in London, England. BP has continued to grow since its inception, and now employs over 80 thousand people in 70 countries worldwide (Company History,N.D.para1). According to CNN money BP is ranked number six among other global 500 companies (Fortune Global 500.BP.n.d.). Its key strengths are in oil and gas exploration and production; the refining, marketing and supply of petroleum products; and the manufacturing and marketing of chemicals. It supports all its businesses with high quality research and technology (Company History, N.D.para3). External Environment Economic Trends Knowledge is power and the more aware you are of trends within the economy, the more successful you will ultimately be. BP is just one of many companies in the oil and gas industry making an impact on environmental trends. A common goal amongst competitors within this industry is to locate oil and bring it to consumers, due to some of the economical trends this goal is also shifting. The economy is more favorable to lower gas prices, lower carbon emissions, and fuel efficiency. Companies within this industry have to balance the needs of development and the needs of the economy while trying to protect the environment. BP has two main areas of operation, one being the exploration and production of oil and the other being refining and marketing (BP,PLC(BP), N.D.para1) Currently BP like many others in the industry are focusing on ways to lower carbon emissions, and finding new resources of low-carbon energy. One of the ways BP is helping bring these goals and trends into fruition is the utilization of shale oil. Shale oil resources are being discovered all throughout the United States. Shale oil has helped lower gas prices (Oil and Gas,2013.,para3). BP recently purchased Chesapeake Energy Corp’s position in the Woodford Shale-gas play in Oklahoma for 1.75 billion; with this purchase they can expand into shale gas and are hoping to add 200 million cubic feet into production (Major Oil, Meet Shale. 2008,para2) According to BP they are taking various steps in finding ways to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emissions. One of the ways BP is reducing carbon dioxide emissions is through solar energy, since solar power is carbon free. BP is one of the worlds leading companies within the solar industry, offering various products for consumer’s homes and businesses. BP recently started working with Home Depot to offer solar lighting. BP is also focusing on natural gas, which is making up about 40% of BP’s Portfolio and they are continuing to expand to areas that have a high dependency on carbon, such as the United States, Mexico, and parts of Korea. Wind farms are also sparking debate as BP is looking to expand into this area as well to offer carbon free electricity (What Is BP Doing. N.D.para 23-27). Another economic trend that affects BP as well as the gas and oil industry as a whole is interests rates, exchange rates, and the rate of inflation. There are many factors to consider when looking at the relationship between these rates and gas prices. For example, if these rates were to be raised it would affect the consumers and the manufacturing costs, which would lower the amount of time and money people spend driving, creating less demand for oil, causing the prices to drop. The same would work if the rates lowered, establishing an influx for consumers, which would result in more traveling and higher demand for gas, causing the price to rise (Parry,P.,2013.Para4). Political/ Legal There are several factors in the oil and gas markets that are affected by politics and legalities. One of the main factors is political unrest in the Middle East. The ongoing efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan have driven the gasoline prices to all-time highs. More recently the civil war attacks in Syria are causing problems with development of Iraq’s gas and oil supplies. The Syrian forces have focused these attacks on the energy sector in an  attempt to take away their wealth since oil is main revenue. Due to this focus the attacks have been primarily on oil export pipelines, power generation and transmissions. Luckily, most of the attacks are not occurring in the southern parts of Iraq where the largest supplies of oils are found (Iraq: Syria War Spillover Hinders Oilfields, Pipelines.2014.para3-4). Oil spills into the oceans are a major factor on the politics side of the oil and gas industries. One of the major spills by BP’s Deepwater Horizon drill in 2010, not only took its toll on the company and the industry, but tourism, wildlife, and beaches were all heavily affected in the Gulf areas. Due to the Deepwater Horizon disaster BP is on a five-year probationary period, and there are new safety measures being implemented across the industry, there are new training procedure, risk management processes and equipment (BP gets record fine for Deepwater Horion, 2012.para2). Demographics Demographics refer to a company’s consumers as well as employees. The oil and gas industry consumer base can be related to just about everyone, with the retail aspect of the gas station including gum, drinks, snacks, etc. Gasoline in general is targeted to people that are of age to purchase gasoline generally public over the age of 16, which is the legal driving age. According to the BP website they offer careers in various fields such as business infrastructure, commercial, engineering, operations, sales and support, and technology just to name a few. BP has employees in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and North and South America (Career Areas.N.D). Employee talent within the oil and gas industry can impose a problem industry wide. Since training employees in these fields can be very costly, it is expensive to train new employees, and industry leaders generally offer top level pay and incentive packages to retain their employees. (Vogt,C. ND.Talent Retention in the Oil & Gas Industry.para1) Technological Trends Technology is the center focus of all companies within the gas and oil industries. Technology affects everything from safety operations, locating resources, and converting products to lower-carbon products. The main focus of technology within BP is safety, and has been since the Deepwater Horizon drill spilled 4.9million barrels of oil into the water of the Gulf of Mexico killing 11 men (BP gets record fine for Deepwater Horizon,2012. Para2). Due to Global warming BP along with their competitors are searching for ways to minimize greenhouse gas emissions. Carbon Capture is a popular method amongst the companies in this industry. Carbon Capture focuses on capturing waste carbon dioxide from sources such as fossil fuel power plants that have an excess of waste. Once the carbon waste has been captured it is transported to storage sites to be released where it cannot re-enter and damage the atmosphere (Sadler, T., 2013.para7). The Keystone Pipeline is another way technology can help the United States achieve energy and independence. The Keystone Pipeline will run from Alberta, Canada down through the Midwest United States ending in Texas. The Keystone Pipeline project has the goal to prove all oil produces in the US access to oil refineries, which in the long run would cut out the Middle East as our biggest supplier (Kalen, S.2012.para2.). Socio/Cultural There are several social and cultural impacts on the oil and gas industry. The main factor is the rising domestic energy prices. Gasoline prices are high resulting in the consumer paying more for gas, in turn reducing the amount of money available for other consumption, meaning people are driving less (McKillop,A.2012.para1). Another factor is government assistance with fuel bills. There are numerous resources to provide help with electric and heating bills, these programs are provided on the federal and state levels for most of the United States. These programs help suppliers such as BP to receive payment for the services, instead of uncollected bills. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) receives funding from the Federal Department of  Health and Human Services (DHHS). There are several sources available such as weatherization assistance program and the home energy assistance program (HEAP). Although most of these programs receive funding from the state and federal government, there are not enough sources for everyone who needs them. Global BP is an international company specializing in the oil and gas industry. BP no longer just deals with oil and gas as shown by their main business activities which include the exploration and production, refining and marketing and the distribution of energy as well as BP alternative energy. BP is ranked in the top tier of the their competitors such as Exxon, Anadarko, Chevron, Conoco Philips and Shell. Within this industry BP owns several labels as well including, Castrol, Arco, Aral, AM/PM and Wild Bean Cafà © (Our Brands.N.D.para1). BP is the third largest publically traded oil company ranking behind two of its major competitors: Exxon and Shell. BP is the largest gas producer in the United States with fifteen processing plants; they are also considered a top refiner (BP at a glance.2013.para1). Porters Five Forces Barriers to Entry The Barrier to Entry level for the oil and gas industry is high. The oil and gas industry is very difficult to enter just because of the start up costs alone. Some of these start up cost would be the drills, trucks, gas station locations, employees and the technology used to locate the resources in the ground or the oceans. Entering into the industry as a specialist such as offering drilling services to the major companies is more common and feasible. The major barrier to entry into this industry is funding, the majority of companies within this industry have been around for a very long time, such as BP, which was established in 1909. Brand loyalty is a huge factor in high barrier entry, since most of these large companies have a loyal customer base. BP is a very well established company and has been building their large customer base for decades. As defined by Hill and Jones brand loyalty is a consumer preference for products by a certain company (Hill, C., Jones, G. 2012pg58.para2) Suppliers Bargaining Power The bargaining power of suppliers is the ability suppliers have to raise input prices or to raise the cost of the industry. In BP and the oil and gas industry the suppliers bargaining power is high, because there are realistically no substitutes of the product (Hill, C., 2012pg65.para2). There are a variety of oil and gas companies globally, however a few companies dominate the industry: BP, Shell, Exxon, etc. Buyers Bargaining Power According to Hill and Jones the bargaining power of byers is their ability to negotiate lower prices charged by companies within an industry. They also can raise costs by demanding better services and higher quality products (Hill. C. Jones., G. 2012.page63-64). Right now in the oil and gas industry the balance of power is resting in the hands of the buyer because of economic crisis and oversupply of product. Since oil is considered a commodity and generally all companies within the industry use the same methods for drilling, the buyer is able to seek the lower prices and more rewarding contracts. Substitute Product Threats Substitute product threats include the products provided by companies or industries as a whole that can meet the needs of customers. The oil and gas industry does not just mean fuel to run our vehicles, which would mean substitutes would include fuels such as gas, coal solar and wind power, nuclear energy and hydroelectricity. Although there are many areas concerning oil and gas, the threat of substitute products are low, there really are no other sources to compare. Competition The companies in the oil and gas industry operate in a consolidated industry, where the industry is dominated by a small number of companies. BP’s biggest competitors are Exxon, Anadarko, Chevron, and Phillips anytime any of these companies make a move within the industry it warrants a response movement from its competitors. The competitions of the oil and gas industry have high exit barriers, because the demand for the product is static due to the face that all refineries can do the same thing†¦. produce and refine products. Firms Strategies Business Strategy According to Hill and Jones the business level strategy â€Å"encompasses the businesses overall competitive theme, the way it positions itself in the marketplace to gain a competitive advantage and the different positions strategies that can be used in different industry settings, for example; cost leadership, differentiation, focusing on a particular niche or segment of the industry or some combination of these† (Hill, C., Jones, G., 2012 pg.10). According to BP they compete in both business to business and business to consumer markets with a customer base in over 70 countries. BP uses differentiation in several ways but the major use of this method was the use of technology to transform oil rigs to digital platforms. BP strives to ensure the best quality and safety standards, and also modified their safety standards after the Deepwater Horizon drill disaster in 2010. BP is considered a leader in the marketplace. They are ranked as the 6th largest company by market capitalization. (Facts and Figures.n.d.) has competitive prices with other companies in the industry, the prices as a whole usually are pretty even across the board and usually only fluctuate by a few cents. Corporate Level Strategy Corporate level strategy deals with what areas companies should be dealing with in order to maximize profitability (Hill,C 2012. Page10 para3). According to BP they try to create a platform for growth and increased value over long periods of time while continuing to grow and explore new venues. They will continue their research to develop top-level safety and risk management standards, and continue to develop technology to locate and access hydrocarbons and ways to properly extract them. BP will continue to make its presence in the industry known by exploring alternative energy, spending about one billion per year for this research. The current CEO of BP, Tony Hayward, stated at BP’s annual strategy presentation that he â€Å"would be surprised if we saw opportunities at the corporate level†¦it is not something I am terribly focused on† (Crooks, E.2010 para#12) Technology Strategy Technology is at the center of everything BP does, it is used in safety precautions discovery, recovery, efficiency and low carbon future development. According to BP they employ over 500-safety and risk specialist working with managers in the field to help improve decision-making regarding standards (BP and Technology.N.D.para1). BP uses a technology called seismic imaging, which is at the forefront of technology in the industry. Through the use of seismic imaging, sound waves are used to determine where oil reserves are in the ground. This procedure gives BP a major head start in discovering oil and gas and pinpointing where to drill. With a focus on a lower carbon future BP’s main area of growth focusing on wind and biofuels because they have the most potential. Firms Competences Tangible Resources BP’s human resource management gives its employees opportunities to see many ways to excel within the company. Throughout their career human resource management personnel will benefit from a broad base of support and training. Personal support is also available through team leaders, mentors, and fellow employees. Among these employees BP also has teams of engineers developing new and safer means of creating energy. BP has employees that deal with safety measures within the company along with the environment. BP’s employees will also act as an essential partner to the business. The employees will also work on real world projects helping the company reach goals in improving organization and human capital resources. BP’s physical resources were used during the massive oil spill in 2010. The physical resources that were used during this time were mainly manpower. The man-power used were numerous employees, volunteers, and other organizations. Since the oil spill happened in the middle of the ocean, the toxins within the oil spread throughout the Gulf, along with making its way to the US. Over 30,000 people responded to this major oil spill working to collect oil, clean up beaches, take care of animals and plant life effected, and performed other various duties. Another physical resource that BP uses is the natural resource of oil and gases. BP is currently in the production The  Chirag Oil Project. This project has started operations, increasing production from a giant oil field in the Azerbaijan sector of the Caspian Sea. Its major physical resource would have to be its massive oilrigs and pipelines. These rigs and pipelines help extract and transport the oil and gases that have been found and gathered. According to the NASDAQ Annual Income Statement, BP has gone up 29% since 2009 to 2012 in its Current Liquidity Ratio, and the Cash Liquidity Ratio has gone up about 12% from 2009 to 2012. The reason BP’s liquidi ty ratio has risen the past years is due to the current liabilities. The company’s income has lowered after the massive oil spill. The company has lost large amounts of income due to the spill by having to provide cleaning crews, settlements to the people affected by the spill, and the loss of business from consumers. The loss of consumers came due to the negative view of the company after the oil spill in the Gulf. Since, the Gulf oil spill, the company now stresses the importance of development without polluting the environment. Finding alternative forms of energy like solar and hydrogen is part of that vision. This development also brings in more funds to the research and development. The liability caps and the role they may have played in encouraging moral hazard. Just as bank deposits are guaranteed by government deposit insurance, and large banks themselves are probably to big to fail, liability for property damage from oil spills off US waters is limited to $75 million (plus cleanup costs), based on a 1990 law passed after the Exxon Valdiz spill. This presumably mitigates drillers’ incentives to manage environmental risk. Indeed, oil companies enjoy a very cozy relationship with their ostensible guardians; as the NY Times noted, â€Å" decades of law and custom have joined governmen t and the oil industry in the pursuit of petroleum and profit.† The federal agency that oversees drilling, the Minerals Management Service, rakes $13 billion a year in fees in what amounts to a public-private partnership. The business benefits of applying a consistent approach to knowledge management have been significant. BP business managers attributed hundreds of millions of dollars of added value as a direct result of using this approach. A practical example of this has been in the cost reduction in the construction of European retail sites. At the beginning of 1998 a challenge is set of reducing the build costs of retail sites in Europe by 10%. The Alliance (a joint venture between BP and  Bovis) is responsible for the management of these activities in Europe. The Alliance was engaged in the benefits of knowledge management and invited the BP KM Team to help them achieve this outcome. Step change in costs was delivered in 1998 (savings of $74 million) due to the harvesting and sharing of knowledge between the project engineers in Europe. This gave BP Downstream Retail competitive advantage in the Mature European Marketplace. Project engineers in Venezuela, China, Poland, and Japan are now also leveraging this knowledge on a global scale. Similar examples of increased performance have come from BP’s KM application in speeding up business restructuring, developing new oil & gas fields, improving plant productivity and accelerating new retail market entry. Intangible Resources BP has a negative reputation among consumers and other people throughout the world. Due to the massive oil spill and the company almost going bankrupt, its CEO and board of directors have tried to bring a more positive look to the company, by searching for new forms of clean energy. The company has always been known for its big production of oil for numerous countries worldwide. Since the oil spill the company has been implementing a higher and more intense safety standard. Although, BP has a negative reputation, it has a well-known name in the oil and energy business. Some may think that BP is too large to fail due its name and some government backing and funding. BP has been in the oil industry since 1909, starting out drilling in Persia. Along with BP having the largest pipeline in the world has brought solar power to remote villages in the Philippines due the hard work of its employees. BP has used technology throughout its business to keep up with the changing times and the demand for fuel and energy. It has scientist finding new forms of low-carbon energy while reducing BP’s own contributions to carbon in the atmosphere. Under this new banner BP took bigger and bigger steps towards addressing climate change. It installed solar panels at its service stations, brought solar power to remote villages in the Philippines, helped bring hydrogen-fuelled buses to London and introduced new, cleaner types of motor fuel. It created a unit, BP Alternative Energy, devoted to making from all the various types of low-carbon energy viable, large-scale and profitable business. These low-carbon energy sources are solar, wind, natural gas, and biofuels. Along with these new low-carbon  energy sources being made, BP has also unveiled a new way of extracting oil, producing more oil and extending the life span of its oilrigs. The new technology would be beneficial for oilfields worldwide. The company is using new technology everyday as they find new and safer ways to create energy extract, and store oil. The company has used innovations to help with its image in the public eye. They have begun turning used oil and gathered oil from the massive spill to asphalt to be used on roads. Proof-of-concept testing confirmed that the product could meet technical requirements. BP worked with transportation and environmental officials from several states to conduct tests on using the material for highway paving projects. Along with the reuse of oil to asphalt, there has been a movement in the restoration of the Gulf Coast with hard and soft containment booms as well as segregated plastics also were gathered in staging areas along affected area and then sent to waste-to-energy facilities or recycled into new plastic products. One program developed during the Deepwater Horizon incident resulted in routing skimmed fluid s to oil reclamation facilities. The fluids were then sent through a recovery process, which was able to reclaim and convert some of them into marketable petroleum products. Value-Added Chain BP’s inbound logistics activities are comprised of a series of many pipelines, oil tankers, and other forms of transportation that move the extracted crude oil to refining plants worldwide. The company’s massive global operations make efficient and effective logistics that help keep the costs of transporting crude oil low. This efficient global network of transporting crude supply makes more cost advantage for BP in the long run. Light transport is BP’s way of outbound logistics as it utilizes its global networking to perform this logistic. The large supply and distribution logistics network allows BP to perform its light transport and distribution of refined oil with great efficiencies, which help in lowering costs for BP. By lowering the costs of transport of refined oil BP would be able to conduct more research and upgrading the low-carbon energy research. Also this would give the company bigger budget to expand its new technology for creating a safer drilling process. BP’s main operation is refining crude oil brought in from throughout the world. The refining activities of this  company are distributed strategically around the world, with close proximity to its demand markets. With its refineries strategically placed BP has the ability to reach maximum efficient balances between its inbound and its outbound logistics. BP positions its refineries to have proximity to their oil and gas fields while also being to those energy markets. The company markets its oil and gas through its vast global retail network, which is made up of mainly its BP Service Stations. BP has excelled in sales due to its advertising campaign by using the latest social media and television commercials. Another form of advertising many people have seen from BP is though the news stations, by doing positive actions BP is making a better name for itself, which markets BP’s commitment to sustainability and cleanliness in the biotic area in spite of its past failures. The company has rebranded itself as to appear more-green friendly in today’s energy market. It has went as far changing its name from British Petroleum to BP, by which inferring but not stating it stands for â€Å"Beyond Petroleum†. This campaign includes a new look that asserts the company’ commitment to sustainability. The advertised commitment to sustainability and green energy has created a competitive advantage for BP. Competitive Advantage Factors If it is these resources and capabilities, in all their various forms, that create the potential for competitive advantage, the question about how they can actually create it remains. The initial answer is that they must be developed, coordinated and then deployed in such a way that the company can provide goods or services more economically than others or be able to satisfy customers’ needs and wants better than rivals, the ideal being a combination of the two. Whether such competitive advantage yields good profit streams, however depends on a second set of judgments and decisions. The actual products/services to be provided are: the nature and size of the customer market chosen, and the competitive nature of that marketplace. The ability to repeatedly get this right is another set of capabilities. If this is done correctly, the ensuing competitive advantage and its profit stream may not be sustainable. Competitors, anxious to share in the profitable opportunity, the company has uncovered will seek to follow suit. BP has two basic ways of doing this, either directly imitating the product/service or by providing a good/better alternative. In the product/market arena there  are myriad ways of achieving this. Products may be reverse-engineered to discover their component parts and how they were made. Service delivery can be sampled repeatedly until the key elements are identified, and then replicated. Marketing expenditure can be matched, alternative distribution channels found. Even in-company resources and capabilities can be readily emulated or copied. Good competitor analysis can rapidly identify anything from newly installed IT systems to specialist machine tools that have provided a competitive edge. It can uncover new sales or marketing techniques, component sourcing arrangements, specialized service training, supplier partnerships, outsourcing deals and even which alliances or joint ventures are providing new knowledge. All provide keys to imitation or substitution. Widespread recognition of this has led many companies to despair of achieving sustainable competitive advantage. For example, during the 1980s, many financial institutions spent billions on IT systems that would give them a market edge, only to watch rivals buy better, newer, faster equipment that negated any brief advantage they had. In the 1990s, retailers launched credit and loyalty cards to build marketing databases, only to watch rivals do the same. Each apparent advantage quickly turns into just another entry ticket to play in the game. SWOT Analysis A SWOT analysis of BP will show their strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats. BP is one of the largest vertically integrated oil and gas companies in the world (Research and Markets, 2010A). They are investing millions in research and development. Times and demand are changing, more and more consumers are going green, and to stay in competition with other companies they need to come up with something different. In 2010, BP is the company behind the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Because of this crisis the company needed to do something to gain the peoples trust. In the past BP has made serious communication mistakes with its stakeholders. BP’s crisis communication was a weak link in its crisis management strategy (Valvi & Fragkos, 2013). Strengths The strength of the company comes from demand, marketing, brand, and research and development. The company’s operations primarily include the exploration and production of gas and crude oil, as well as the marketing  and trading of natural gas, power, and natural gas liquids (Research and Markets, 2010B). BP is ranked at the world’s 3rd largest energy company and is positioned as a multinational oil company headquartered in London (Essay UK, 2013A): Since 2012 BP will have invested $500 million into marketing in the US in an attempt to revamp its brand (Bhasin, 1012, para 1) As I sit here watching the 2014 winter Olympics, I have seen several commercials about BP partnering with the United States, part of its marketing campaign. BP is the number one leading vertically integrated company, involved in upstream, midstream and downstream oil businesses (Bp, plc swot analysis, 2013, pg.5). BP upstream technology programs, involves investing in incremental improvements and new technology that can transform the industry. The new technology will strengthen in exploration, deepwater, giant fields, and gas value chains (â€Å"Our major technology,† N.D, para1). Many people today are concerning themselves with the environment. BP is developing alternative energy, including solar. BP has invested in solar, wind, and biofuel power, trying to provide power without harming the environment (Hitchcock, 2012). Because of upstream technology flagships, BP has been able to maximize resources, increase recovery rates; real-time data technologies are enabling safety, reliability and efficiency across operations (â€Å"Our major technology, N.D., para2). The company began construction of a new high-performance computing (H PC) center in Houston (Bp,plc swot analysis, 2013, pg.4). BP was awarded a contract to unlock high pressure oil and gas resources in deep water, and planned on investing $100 million over 10 years to set up the International Center for Advanced Materials (ICAM) to fund research into fundamental understanding and use of advanced materials, from self-healing coatings to membranes, across the energy industry The advantages that BP has with being a vertically integrated businesses allows them completive advantage from other companies in the global oil market, It provides control over the entire value chain, enabling the company to produce products which are used at different stages in the value chain (Bp,plc swot analysis, 2013,  pg.5). Weakness Between the years 1965 and 2010 BP has spent millions from the many problems endured: ranging from oil rigs capsizing, hazardous substance dumping, refinery explosion, corrosion in pipelines resulting in insulating agent leakage propane price manipulation, North sea helicopter accident, and finally Deepwater Horizon well explosion (Andrews, 2010). From these problems many died, while others were injured. The Deepwater Horizon well explosion was the worst. Congress accused the company â€Å"of withholding data from the ocean floor and blocking efforts by independent scientists to com up with estimates of crude flowing into the Gulf each day†. The US government has named BP as the â€Å"responsible party† for this incident (Andrews, 2010, pg. 20). In November 2012, BP reached an agreement with the US government to pay $4 billion to resolve all federal criminal claims arising out of the Gulf of Mexico incident, leaving BP with a bad reputation, burdened cash flow, which could impede its ability to invest in new opportunities, and deliver long-term growth (Bp,plc swot analysis, 2013, pg.6). The company has experienced a decline in profits. FY2012 recorded operating profit was $19,733 million, a decrease of 50.4% compared to FY2011. The net profit was $11,582 million, a decrease of 54% compared to FY2011. The decrease in the operating and net profits of the company affected the overall profitability of the company (Bp,plc swot analysis, 2013, pg.7). You would think this was the straw that broke the camels back. Not only did it affect the company but it also compacted several states. How would BP ever recover? They will be paying for many years to come. Opportunities BP has been disposing many of its assets to concentrate more on its strengths. So far they have sold $38bn worth of assets since the Deepwater Horizon catastrophe, and plan to sell of approximately $10bn more of assets by the end of next year (BBC News, 2014 para 17 & 19). BP has several external opportunities, including by acquisition in the North Sea area, BP’s  future profit by acting in the suitable boundaries area in the Russia region, implement plan to achieve alternative energy methods insist of Hydrogen, natural gas, wind and solar investment (Nhid, 2011, pg. 9A). Not to mention numerous investments. Threats Many of BP’s threats are external, mainly from the Deepwater Horizon reputation, other threats are: environmental activist, legal and political issues, which will increase the cost of operations for the company investment (Nhid, 2011, pg. 9B), and ethics. The oil, gas, and petrochemicals industry is highly competitive. High competition puts pressure on accessing new opportunities, license costs, and product prices, affects oil products marketing, and requires continuous management focus on reducing unit costs and improving efficiency, while ensuring safety and operational risk is not compromised. The implementation of group strategy requires continued technological advances and innovation including advances in exploration, production, refining, and petrochemicals manufacturing technology (Bp,plc swot analysis, 2013, pg.9). Conclusion In conclusion, BP start up company was British Petroleum, providing gas and oil. The company is evolving with research and development in other avenues. BP has had its ups and downs in the company, the latest being Deepwater Horizon oil spill. From this catastrophe they needed to take a step back and look at things in a new light Through all of this they are ranked number six among other global companies specializing in oil and gas, the third largest publically traded oil company, the world’s third largest energy company, and the number one leading vertically integrated company, who employs over 80 thousand people. Since the cost of training top-level employees is expensive, BP offers an attractive incentive package to keep them with the company. As gas prices soar, and transportation changing the company needs to also change with the demand. BP is in the process of finding new resources of low- carbon energy to lower carbon emission. BP is one of the worlds leading companies within the solar industry, working with Home Depot offering solar lighting. Within the industry BP owns several labels. BP doesn’t have an official mission statement, but provides several different statements called: â€Å"what we do†, â€Å"What we stand for† & â€Å"What we value† (â€Å"Mission statement of,† 2013 para 1) â€Å"What we do: †¨We find, develop and produce essential sources of energy. We turn these sources into products that people need everywhere. The world needs energy and this need is growing. This energy will be in many forms. It is, and will always be, vital for people and progress everywhere. We expect to be held to high standards in what we do. We strive to be a safety leader in our industry, a world-class operator, a good corporate citizen and a great employer. We are BP. What we stand for: †¨Above everything, that starts with safety and excellence in our operations. This is fundamental to our success. Our approach is built on respect, being consistent and having the courage to do the right thing. We believe success comes from the energy of our people. We have a determination to learn and to do things better. We depend upon developing and deploying the best technology, and building long-lasting relationships. We are committed to making a real difference in providing the energy the world needs today, and in the changing world of tomorrow. We work as one team. We are BP. What we value: Safety Respect Excellence Courage One Team† (â€Å"Mission statement of,† 2013 para 2-4) With the amount of money the Deepwater Horizon disaster costs the company, BP had to figure out how they were going to survive. Through SWOT analysis, and research and development they are coming up with ways to help the future grow the company. Recommended Strategic Action People in the U.S. who weren’t aware of BP, before 2010, their brand became well known after the Deepwater oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. It left BP with a bad reputation. BP needs to continue to re-build their image. Although there are many environmental challenges, BP is adapting to the  needs of a more sustainable society, wanting to be an energy company, rather than an oil company, they need to continue to keep the consumer in mind. BP R & D team continues to come up with new ideas and ways to improve the environment by providing solar, and wind energy, hydrogen, and natural gas. They have sold many assets, continue to sell more, and invest in various projects, they may want to look donating to private organizations to help communities. In their mission, BP claims they value safety; they need to use scenarios before starting a project with safety top priority. Reference: Andrews, P. (2010). Bp where did it all go wrong?. Andrews UK: AUK New Authors. BBC News. (2014, February 4). Bp boss warns of uncertainties due to scottish vote . Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business Bhasin, K. (1012, February 3). Silverpop official site. Retrieved from businessinsider.com BP.n.d.Retrieved January 26,2014. www.money.cnn.com/magazines/gortune/global500/2013/snapshots/6327.html BP at a Glance.2012. Facts and Figures. Retrieved from January 29,2014. www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/about-bp/bp-at-a-glance.html BP and Technology.(n.d.).BP and Technology. Retrieved from January 29,2014. www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/about-bp/bp-and-technology.html BP gets record fine for Deepwater Horizon (2012). Loss Prevention Bulletin, (228).3 BPPLC(BP).n.d.Retrieved by January26,2014 www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/companyProfile?symbol=BP Bp,plc swot analysis. (2013). London EC1R 3DA United Kingdom: Marketline. DOI: www.marketlineinfo.com Careers.n.d.Careers. Retrieved by February9,2014. www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/careers.html-Careers/BPGlobal Career Areas.n.d.Careers.Retrieved from February9,2014. www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/careers-areas.html CNN Money(2013). Retrived from www.money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/global500/2013/snapshots/6327.html Company History.n.d.Company History. Retrieved by February9,2014. www.bp.com/sectiongenericarticle.do?CategoryId=6120002&contentId=6000555 Competitive advantage factors- http://prezi.com/vbkiw9bb5kpw/bp-case-analysis/ communication strategies:a case of british petroleum. Industrial and Commercial Training, 45(7), 383-391. Retrieved from ww.emeraldinsight.com/pricelist/us/usprice Crooks,E.(2010,March) Bp’s strategy presentation: growth, cost cuts, biofuels, M&A and more. Retrieved from blogs.ft.com/energy-source/2010/03/02/bps-strategy-presentation-growth-cost-cuts-biofuels-ma-and-more/#axzz2sb5ot8Uy Darbonne,N.(2008).Major Oil, Meet Shale.Oil and Gas Investor,2008(8),11. Essay UK. (2013). British petroleum (bp) swot analysis. Retrieved from www.essay.uk.com Financial ratio-http://www.nasdaq.com/symbol/bp/financials?query=ratios Frank,D., Neault, N., Skalicky, A., Cook, J., Wilson, J., Levenson, S.,& Berkowitz, C., (2006). Heat or Eat the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program and nutritional and health risks among children less than 3 years of age. Pediatrics, 118(5),e1293-302. Hill,C., Jones, G. (2012) Essentials of Strategic Management.3Ed. 58-66 Hitchcock, P. (2012). Everything’s gone green: The environment of bp’s narrative. Imaginations Journal, 3(2), 104-114. Retrieved from www.csj.ualberta.ca/imaginations Human resources-http://www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/careers.html Innovation- http://www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/gulf-of-mexico-restoration.html Iraq:Syria War Spillover Hinders Oilfields,Pipelines.2013. Retrieved by January30,2014. www.voanews.com/content/iraq-ofifical-sassyria-war-spillover-hinders-oilfields-pipelines/1839415.html Kalen,S. (2012). Thirst for Oil and the Keystone XL Pipeline. Creighton Law Review, 46(1),1-25 logistics inbound-http://www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/about-bp/company-information/our-business-model.html Management philosophies-http://www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/about-bp/company-information/our-business-model.html Marketing and sales- http://www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/careers.html McKillop,A. (2012). Oil Prices and Economic Growth: Are Oil Shocks a Thing of the Past?. Energy and Environment, 23(8),1353-1356. Mission statement of bp. (2013). Retrieved from wwwstrategicmanagementinsight.com Nhid, M. P. (2011, 2 28). Bp market analysis and strategic marketing recommendations. Retrieved from www.academia.edu Oil and Gas.2013.QFinance.retrieved by January 27,2014. www.qfinance.com/sector-profiles/oil-and-gas operations- http://www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/about-bp/company-information/our-business-model.html Organizational resources-http://www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/about-bp/company-information/our-business-model.html Our Brands.(n.d).Different Personalities, One Purpose. Retrieved from January26,2014. www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/about-bp/our-brands.html Our major technology programs. (N.D). Retrieved from BP.com Outbound logistics-http://www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/about-bp/company-information/our-business-model.html; http://prezi.com/vbkiw9bb5kpw/bp-case-analysis/ Physical resources-http://www.dosomething.org/tipsandtools/11-facts-about-bp-oil-spill Reputation-http://www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/about-bp.html; Research and Markets. (2010). P plc swot analysisi. Retrieved from researchandmarkets.com Sadler,T.(2013). Carbon Capture and a commercial Market for CO. International Advances in Economic Research, 19(2),189-200.doi10.1007/s11294-013-9401-8 Technology-http://www.bp.comglobal/corporate/about-bp/bp-and-technology.html; http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-19497064 What is BP Doing.n.d.Retrived by January28,2014. www.bp.com/sectiongenericarticle.do?categoryId=9011364&contentId=7025801 Vogt, Crystal. Talent Retention in the Oil&Gas Industry Retrieved from smallbusiness.chron.com/talent-retention-oil-gas-industry-14645.html-TalentRetentionintheOil&GasIndustry/chron.com

Case Study Analysis of Casual Togs

Introduction The present-day business environment is characterized by increasing competitiveness in different industries. In this regard, it is vital for organizations to ensure that all their functions or departments are aligned towards being ahead of their competitors (Rugman et al., 2012). There is a wide range of problems that may adversely affect the progress and competitiveness of organizations. These include structural problems, communication, management issues and failure to embrace change. Given that there is no fixed approach to management that is ideal for all organizations, each company has to ensure that it adopts the most ideal approach, which can be determined by several factors in the internal and external factors that are specific to the company (Hill et al., 2014). Businesses also need to ensure that they are flexible enough to promptly change in response to the adjustments that might be taking place in the tastes and preferences of their clients or even the tactics that their c ompetitors in the industry are using. Companies that are not flexible enough might fail to maintain their relevance towards their target market segments and lose their competitive edge (Carter et al., 2013). This report presents a case analysis of Casual Togs, a women’s apparel company that is known for its moderately priced products. Most of the company’s products are blouses, shorts and knit dresses. In the analysis, the report highlights the problems that are being faced by the company and the factors that might have contributed to these issues. The importance of addressing these issues in a business is that it provides a guidance or basis for formulating strategies that will help to improve the company’s performance. The report also provides recommendations for Cy, Casual Togs’ principal stockholder, on the changes that he needs to make in the company. It also provides recommendations on how the company should change its management practice, structure and response to change, so as to avoid a recurrence or the problems it faces. The major problems facing the firm With reference to the case study of Casual Togs, there are a number of problems that are currently being faced by the company. One of these is that many of its products are being returned by consumers because of their low quality. For any business, the quality of products that are offered to clients is among the key attributes that determine its performance in the market (Bhardwaj & Fairhurst, 2010). For Casual Togs, this also led to the loss of a major portion of its old loyal consumers. It also posed a challenge to the company in attracting new clients. Consequences of this issue include a drop in the company’s revenue and its overall brand position in the industry. It has also been outlined in the case study that the company also faces stiff competition from companies that have long been in the apparels industry as well as new upcoming ones. Another issue that faces Casual Togs lies in the human resource department. The company has failed to attract the necessary skills for it to run successfully. This is evidenced by the halt in the construction of the company’s distribution centre in the middle of the construction, which was attributed to the fact that the company did not get a qualified person who could supervise the construction project. In addition to this, two of the company’s designers resigned. This contributed to a drop in the company’s overall production in its nine centres by approximately 15%. The fact that Andy Johnson, the company’s budget manager and Sol Green, the market analyst could not speak to one another also clearly depicts a communication flaw among the employees in the firm. Judy, who was the company’s vice president, is also depicted in the case study as being aggressive in her communication with other employees. There are several incidents mentioned in the case study that highlight the failure by a section of the company’s executives and employees to embrace change. For instance, Judy objected most of the proposed changes, arguing that they were either too expensive or that they had been suggested by incompetent individuals. Another incident was when Andy rejected suggestions that were made by Bill Smith, his assistant, on new approaches that could be used in the collation and analysis of daily sales printouts so as to make better sales forecasts. Even though there are several other issues that are faced by Casual Togs in its operations, three main issues have been outlined in this section. These include the decline in the company’s competitiveness, human resource issues and the resistance to change among a section of the company’s staff. Causes of the Problems The first problem about the company is the fact that it is losing its old customers, and more of its products are being returned as a result of either poor quality or late delivery to customers. For any business to effectively win over the loyalty of its target customers, it has to be dependable in terms of the products and services it delivers (Dervitsiotis, 2011). Prolonged incidences of poor quality products and services or inconsistencies tend to repel customers. As earlier mentioned, there is high competition on the apparel and fashion industry, which also increases the purchasing power of buyers. Failure of one company meet consumer expectations, regardless of how slightly the gap may be, will make even the loyal customers to switch brands (Talib et al., 2011). Late delivery of products to customers also denotes the incompetence of the department that is concerned with the delivery of the company’s products. Another issue that is affecting Casual Togs lies in the human resource management approaches. With reference to the case study presented, there is evidence of a lack of equal of opportunities for career advancement in the company. An example is Andy, who had worked with the company for 15 years without any promotion because was not related with the other managers and was also of a different nationality. According to Choi et al. (2012), one of the causes of employee turnover is the failure of organizations to provide all the employees with a chance to attain their ultimate career goals. The aggressive nature with which Judy addresses employees in the organization also intimidates the employees and lowers their self esteem. This has an adverse effect on the organizational commitment of employees and has and ultimately, affects their levels of productivity (Adler, 2013; Lutgen-Sandvik & Tracy, 2012). The issue of rigidity and failure to embrace change has also contributed to the problems being faced by Casual Togs. One of the organizational aspects that have led to this is the fact that Cy, the company’s president gave all the departmental heads the freedom to make decisions that they considered to be fit for the organization. Whereas it can be argued as an approach that is relevant to the present-day business environment, it poses a challenge to decision making when rapid change are to be made because the opinions of every departmental supervisor have to be considered (Myers et al., 2012). These factors have affected the effectiveness with which Casual Togs adjusts in response to the changes in the market, leading to its dwindling performance. This shows the need for organizations to be flexible enough to maintain its relevance to the target markets (Dervitsiotis, 2011). This section has presented some of the main factors that have led to the existence of the issues that faced by Casual Togs. These include the failure of the company to adhere to quality in the design of its products and the failure to motivate employees, which adversely affects their levels of commitment. Several measures have to be put in place to ensure that the earlier mentioned issues have been overcome. Suggestions for changes to be implemented by Cy, Casual Togs’ President In regard to the issues that have been earlier identified, there are different approaches that ought to be used to change the current situation of the organization. With regard to the quality issues that have led to a loss of clients by the company and increased returns of goods, the direct measure that has to be taken is to ensure that the designers of the company’s apparel products pay attention to detail so as to enhance the quality of the products (Bhardwaj & Fairhurst, 2010). There is also a need to intensify the quality management process to ensure that defective products are minimized (Rosenfeld, 2012). As presented in the case study, market research that is carried out mainly focuses in the levels of sales that should be expected in certain seasons. However, it is also vital for the organization to incorporate the on-going trends in fashion so as to effectively address customer needs (Witell et al., 2011). Human resources in any organization are among the most valuable assets, and have a key contribution towards its overall success. However, it is vital for organizations to motivate them so as to increase their productivity and organizational commitment (Bratton & Gold, 2012). One of issues that are evident at Casual Togs is that employees from a certain nationality are more likely to be promoted than the other employees. In this regard, Cy, the company’s president, needs to ensure that an equality policy is implemented to provide all employees with an equal chance of promotion within the organizational ranks (Giuliano et al., 2011). This will not only motivate employees to work more, but will also attract talented job seekers. The management meetings that were held between managers and other departmental leaders within the organization were informal, marred with emotionally charged arguments, shouting and door slamming. This is a clear indication of the failure to recognize authority an order during these meetings. It is also quite unlikely that such meetings met the intended objectives. To avoid recurrence of such scenarios, the company’s president needs to change the way board meetings are held from informal to formal (Diefenbach & Todnem, 2012). This will instil a sense of order, and will increase the possibilities of attaining the goals set to be met in the meetings. In the presented case, there is evidence of interference of departmental operations by managers or vice presidents of different departments. An individual from a different department could question an action carried out in another department that has no connection to his. Whereas there is need for cross-functional communication and cooperation within an organization (Hongjun & Yajia, 2012), such interferences as those depicted at Casual Togs are destructive. To limit this, the company’s president needs to change the structure of the organization (Deb, 2009). Suggestions to prevent future issues at Casual Togs To prevent future problems from occurring at the organization, it is necessary for Casual Togs to ensure that it makes the necessary adjustments. These include structural changes, management practices and their response to changes taking place in the competitive environment. Suggestions for change are provided in further detail below.Management PracticeThere are a number of changes that ought to be made in the management practices of Casual Togs. The individual in management that raises concern in the case study is Judy, the vice president. Her aggression towards employees, as well as her interference with operations across all departments within the organization, has to be addressed. Given that she is among the majority shareholders in the company and related to the president, there is no possibility of sacking her from the position she holds. Instead, she needs to be encouraged to attend management seminars so as to improve her employee management approach (Bratton & Gold, 2012). R ather than being autocratic in her management and aggressive in communicating with other employees in the organization, she needs to change and become a persuasive or democratic in her management and assertive in communication (Adler, 2013). In persuasive management, managers provide a clear explanation to their employees as to why they have made a certain decision. In democratic management, employees are allowed to make suggestions in the decision making process, and the opinion with the highest votes is selected (Hill et al., 2014). By being assertive in communication, points or arguments are firmly put across to other employees, but respect is still maintained (Adler, 2013). Cy’s approach of management is too lenient to departmental heads within the organizations. This has also affected the way in which he handles suppliers, who often take advantage of his leniency to secure tenders even though they are supplying products at a higher price. Even though his consultative approach to management allows departmental heads to take part in decision making, there is still a need for him to exercise authority, especially when holding meetings with them (Diefenbach & Sillince, 2012).Structural ChangeBefore making a suggestion on the structural changes that ought to be implemented in the organization, it is vital to describe the organizational structure of Casual Togs as depicted in the case study. Based on the informal nature of meetings between departmental heads and the company’s president and the lack of a clear hierarchy of authority in the firm, it can be argued that the organizational structure of the company is adhocratic (Deb, 2009). Even tho ugh such a structure is ideal in encouraging creativity and innovation among employees and effectively adjusting with the changes in the market, it also has several demerits. These include a difficulty to solve routine problems that may arise in the organization, an unclear line of authority and high exposure of the organization to risk (Diefenbach & Todnem, 2012). With reference to the case study, even though Judy is the vice president, she seems to have more authority that the company’s president, Cy. In this regard, the company needs to consider changing its structure to a more formal and well structured bureaucratic structure (Dervitsiotis, 2011). Even though such structures are known to limit innovation and creativity within the organization, it may be ideal for Casual Togs for a number of reasons. These include easing the decision making process, reduction of the exposure to risk and the acknowledgement of a certain structure of authority that has to be adhered to (Bratton & Gold, 2012). Implementing such a structure is likely to eliminate the emotionally charged informal meetings’ scenarios and also the interference of individuals like Judy in all organizational departments.Responding to Changes in the Competitive EnvironmentBased on the fact that the apparels industry is highly competitive and dynamic, it is also necessary for the company to be flexible enough and ready to implement changes that will maintain its relevance to the target markets (Rugman et al., 2012). One of the measures that have to be undertaken to attain this objective is to intensify market research and carry it out on a regular basis. This could be through seeking customer feedback or studying the changing trends through observation. Market research also involves studying the tactics or strategies that are being used by competing companies in the industry (Witell et al., 2011). It is through these market research efforts that the Casual Togs will be able to adjust its product designs and marketing strategies to fit the market preferences while at the same time ensuring that it effectively competes with other players in the market. Maintaining a competitive edge in the industry also depends on the skills that the company has in its human resource force (Dervitsiotis, 2011). It is important for Casual Togs to hire employees that are not only qualified, but also innovative enough to come up with designs that will be well accepted by the target markets. Innovation can also be nurtured among employees in the organization by utilizing appropriate motivational and reward strategies (Wright et al., 2012). Workers at Casual Togs also need to be informed on the inevitability of change in organizations, and why they should always be ready for it. By so doing, resistance to change among employees will be reduced. Some of the changes that may need to be implemented at Casual Togs include technological advancements in the production of its apparel and alteration of product designs to reflect the needs in the market (Myers et al., 2012). Conclusion and RecommendationsConclusionThis report has presented a case study analysis of Casual Togs, a fashion business that mainly deals in the manufacture and distribution of women’s apparels. After two decades of operation, the company’s performance in the market dropped due because of a number of reasons, which have been highlighted in the report. One of these is the poor quality of products, which led to an increase in the volume of returned products. It also led to the withdrawal of many old customers. Another issue that has been identified is the failure to keep employees motivated enough to increase their organizational commitment. The causes of these issues at Casual Togs have also been presented in the paper, as well as some suggestions on how the president of the company can make the necessary changes to improve the situation at the company. Suggestions that have been provides comprise of management changes, structural changes and how the company can respo nd faster to changes and competition in the market. Further recommendations that can improve the company’s brand position are presented hereunder.RecommendationsIn order for the company to appeal to a wider market and increase its returns, it needs to consider expanding its product line. As opposed to the current products that only target ladies, Casual Togs can also consider introducing men’s and children’s clothes. As presented in the case, the products that the company distributes are mainly shorts, blouses and some knit dresses. Introduction of other female apparel like skirts, trench coats and pants can also be advantageous for the company. The case has also highlighted the high costs of production that the company incurs. Though some of these costs are inevitable, the company can reduce the overall costs by using appropriate lean production strategies, which are aimed to minimize the cost and maximize production. Some of the approaches that can be used include minimization or even elimination of errors in the design and production of products and standardization of work processes. In terms of human resource management, the company needs to ensure that it hires and strives to maintain talented and innovative employees that will contribute towards its progress in the market. Some of the approaches to motivation include offering them a reasonable remuneration and rewarding them for unique contribution. Given that the fashion industry is quite competitive, failure to motivate and retain skilled employees may tempt them to cross over and work for competitor companies, which may be detrimental for Casual Togs. References Adler, G., 2013. Management Communication. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Bhardwaj, V. & Fairhurst, A., 2010. Fast fashion: response to changes in the fashion industry. The International Review of Retail, Distribution and Consumer Research, 20(1), pp.165-73. Bratton, J. & Gold, J., 2012. Human Resource Management: Theory and Practice (5th edition). London: Palgrave. Carter, M.Z., Armenakis, A.A., Feild, H.S. & Mossholder, K.W., 2013. Transformational leadership, relationship quality, and employee performance during continuous incremental organizational change. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 34(7), pp.942-58. Choi, S., Cheong, K.K. & Feinberg, R.A., 2012. Moderating effects of supervisor support, monetary rewards, and career paths on the relationship between job burnout and turnover intentions in the context of call centers. Managing Service Quality, 22(5), pp.492-516. Deb, T., 2009. Managing Human Resource And Industrial Relations. Excel Books. Dervitsiotis, K.N., 2011. The challenge of adaptation through innovation based on the quality of the innovation process. Total Quality Management & Business Excellence, 22(5), pp.553-66. Diefenbach, T. & Sillince, J.A., 2012. Crossing of Boundaries–Subordinates’ Challenges to Organisational Hierarchy. Research in the Sociology of Organizations, 35, pp.171-201. Diefenbach, T. & Todnem, R., 2012. Reinventing Hierarchy and Bureaucracy: From the Bureau to Network Organizations. Bingley: Emerald Group Publishing. Giuliano, L., Levine, D.I. & Leonard, J., 2011. Racial Bias in the Manager-Employee Relationship An Analysis of Quits, Dismissals, and Promotions at a Large Retail Firm. Journal of Human Resources, 46(1), pp.26-52. Hill, C., Jones, G?. & Schilling, ?M., 2014. Strategic Management: Theory: An Integrated Approach. Mason: Cengage Learning. Hongjun, L. & Yajia, G., 2012. Study on Chain Companies Human Resources Management. Information and Business Intelligence, 267, pp.227-32. Lutgen-Sandvik, P. & Tracy, S.J., 2012. Answering Five Key Questions About Workplace Bullying How Communication Scholarship Provides Thought Leadership for Transforming Abuse at Work. Management Communication Quarterly, 26(1), pp.3-47. Myers, P., Hulks, S. & Wiggins, L., 2012. Organizational Change: Perspectives on Theory and Practice. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Rosenfeld, S.A., 2012. Competitive Manufacturing: New Strategies for Regional Development. New Jersey: Transaction Publishers. Rugman, A.M., Oh, C.H. & Lim, D.S., 2012. The regional and global competitiveness of multinational firms. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 40(2), pp.218-35. Talib, F., Rahman, Z. & Qureshi, M., 2011. A study of total quality management and supply chain management practices. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 60(3), pp.268-88. Witell, L., Kristensson, P., Gustafsson, A. & Lofgren, M., 2011. Idea generation: customer co-creation versus traditional market research techniques. Journal of Service Management, 22(2), pp.140-59. Wright, B.E., Moynihan, D.P. & Pandey, S.K., 2012. Pulling the Levers: Transformational Leadership, Public Service, Motivation, and Mission Valence. Public Administration Review, 72(2), p.206–215.

Facts About Eating Disorders And Gender Socialization

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Every time a girl is oppressed in a setting where she has the right to feel comfortable and safe in, it not only shows the young girl how society views her but

The Effects Of Bullying On A Person s Life - 994 Words

Bullying 101 Stenulson 4 interferes with a person’s life, is about power, not sex. The behavior can include being the target of sexual comments, homophobic insults, jokes, gestures, looks, or being touched in a sexual way. Cyberbullying usually takes place off of school grounds, or out of work. Cyberbullying utilizes all of modern gadgets of life; cell phones, instant messaging, videos, e-mail, chatrooms, blogs, social networking sites such as Facebook, to threaten, insult, harass, spread rumors, and impersonate others. Cyberbullying can happen 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and can allow bullies to remain anonymous, and go unpunished for their actions (Kaiser 1). Bullying can be placed in two categories. The categories are direct and indirect. Direct bullying is when a person is bullied openly, allowing the victim to identify their assailant. Indirect bullying is when the person doing the bullying tries to inflict harm without revealing their intention. Physical bullying is usually direct, but verbal and relational bullying, sexual harassment, and cyberbullying can be either direct or indirect (Kaiser 1). Now that I have discussed who can be bullies or victims of bullies and what bullying is, I will discuss where the bullying takes place. For the most part, bullying is a secret activity. For children, bullying is mostShow MoreRelatedBullying And Its Effect On Society1633 Words   |  7 Pagesmay be exploited is through the familiar conviction of bullying. Bullying has been entrenched in American society as a relevant issue for quite some time. The word â€Å"bully† derives back from as far as the 1530’s. In 1838, the novel, Oliver Twist, exhibited the first use of bullying within literary work. Years later, in 1862, the first account of bullying was reported. Over one hundred years following this, the first proposition of an anti-bullying law was constructed. As time has persisted, the issueRead MoreBullying And Its Effects On Society Essay1687 Words   |  7 Pagesbullied. Bullying is a behavior that hurts, harms, or humiliates a student, either physically or emotionally, and it recently happens while at school, in a community, or online. Those people that have encountered bullying often experience arduous phases due to all mistreatment they been inv olved in. For instance, bullying occurs in many different ways and affects plenty of characteristics in a all around portion such as; mental issues, health conditions, the features affected by bullying, and theRead MoreBullying Is The Third Leading Death Cause For Young People1256 Words   |  6 PagesINTRODUCTION Bullying is defined as a physical or mental victimization of a person by another person or group. Bullying is a major problem among teens in the United States today. During the 2007 -2008 school year over thirty-two percent of the nation’s students had reported a case of being harassed or abused by a fellow peer. Bullying causes a rapid declination is the victim s mental health. They suffer drastic, and dangerous behavior changes, mental issues that are similar to these could resultRead MoreThe Effects Of Bullying On The Person That Is Being Bullied1147 Words   |  5 Pagesstand! When someone is bullying you, they are using their strength to influence or intimidate you or someone else to do what they want to be done. They are this way to people that seem smaller and weaker to them. While some believe that bullying makes a person stronger, it actually damages the victim which can lead to a lowered self-esteem and suicidal thinking. Bullying is bad for everyone whether you a re old or young. It has long term effects for the rest of this person s life. There are differentRead MoreEffects Of Bullying On Kids : Do Actions Speak Louder Than Words? How Much Harm?1620 Words   |  7 PagesEffects of Bullying on Kids Do actions speak louder than words? How much harm can a word produce? Loser. Fatty. Nerd. Nobody. Worthless. Bullying has always been an issue in childhood and high school, but it isn t until this decade that the spotlight has really focused on the damage it produces in a child s life. In the past, adults just thought bullying was an innocent way kids expressed their feelings but now we have seen the true darkness in this problem. In 2007, almost a third of kids inRead MoreBullying : Bullying And Bullying941 Words   |  4 Pagesways to describe bullying. Stopbullying.gov states the definition of bullying is â€Å"unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance.† Webster’s dictionary portrays the definition of bullying is to frighten, hurt, or threaten (a smaller or weaker person): to act like a bully toward (someone), or to cause (someone) to do something by making threats or insults or by using force. Vio lenceproventionworks.org mentions A person is bullied whenRead MoreThe Good, The Bad, And The Ugly : Sides Of Social Media Essay1264 Words   |  6 Pagesdownside is the negative effects social media gives off. Cyber bullying is more prominent in today s world since smartphones have advanced and 73% of teens have access to them on a daily basis. At least 52% of young people are victims of cyber bullying; all of this negativity on social media leads teens to depression, loss of academic success, and also brings down their self esteem. Serious health problems, such as depression, have been linked as an effect of cyber bullying. This type of depressionRead MoreCyber Bullying Must Be Improved And Consistent1267 Words   |  6 Pages Amanda Bridges Ms. Shultz / Mrs. Seymore English 5th Period 28 January 2015 Cyber Bullying Have you ever been cyber bullied? The effects of cyberbullying are greater than many people have come to realize. Cyber bullies have been around for a long time, but technology now gives them a whole new way to get to their victims easier and faster. Cyberbullying is the use of information technology to repeatedly harm or harass other people in a deliberate manner (abouthealth). Cyberbullying happensRead MoreThe Causes And Effects Of Bullying1369 Words   |  6 PagesThe Causes and Effects of Bullying Bullying is defined as unwanted or aggressive behavior that causes someone to feel afraid or intimidated. This behavior could be something physical, verbal or something done electronically or through social media. If someone feels threatened by someone’s actions or words, it could be considered bullying, even if that was not the intent. In my Senior project paper, I will discuss the types of bullying, how to recognize bullying, how to report bullying, what to doRead MoreBullying Is A Major Social Problem1678 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time† (Bullying Definition | StopBullying.gov). Bullying has become a major societal problem throughout America. Many children are bullied at school, home, and even online. Every school in the U.S. is grappling with bullying each day. More than 160, 000 kids across the country are absent because they are afraid

Brave New World the Alienation of John in Both Cultures...

Cursed to a life of isolation because of his appearance, values, and outrageous thoughts, John was alienated mentally, emotionally, and physically in both the Savage Culture and the World State Culture. Torn between keeping true to his virtues and conforming to society, the treatment of John highlights the values of both cultures in Aldous Huxleys Brave New World. Not looking like the rest of the Indians on the reservation hampered Johns ability to fit in with the Savage society. John wanted more than anything to be a part of the Indian culture, to be part of the ritual, to give his life. Why wouldnt they let me be the sacrifice? Id have gone round ten timesÂâ€"Ââ€" twelve, fifteen. John asked why, but he knew the answer. But they†¦show more content†¦You ought to have asked me first whether I wanted to meet them. John was sick of being shown to people and gawked at. The rift between Johns values and the rest of the civilized people was further split when Lenina tr ied to have John. Whore! cried John when he realized what she was doing, Damned whore! His beliefs were tested and he passed. The new world was so different than the reservation, Lenina and the rest of society was pushing him further and further away. They had mocked him through his misery and remorse, mocked him with how hideous a note of cynical derision! Fiendishly laughing, they had insisted on the low squalor, the nauseous ugliness of the nightmare What was paradise to some, was hell to John. The brave new world he had dreamed of was turning out to be a nightmare. Isolating himself from the rest of the world was his only escape. In a last attempt to change society, John halted a soma distribution by throwing the rations out of a window. But do you like being slaves? John didnt understand because he didnt have the same upbringing or beliefs as the rest of the people. Before long John had become a hermit, secluded in an abandoned lighthouse. After all, it was not to sing and enjoy himself that he had come here. It was to escape further contamination by the filth of civilized life; it was to be purified and made good; it was to actively make amends. To keep himself focused and away fromShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Aldous Huxley s Brave New World1278 Words   |  6 Pagesanother note, he said it is â€Å"a potent, even enriching.† Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley, expands on this idea of exilation. Throughout the novel, several characters are faced with being exiled, whether it be from their home or community. In particular, a man by the name of John seems to experience the bulk of it. John’s experiences show that being exiled is alienating and, at the same time, enriching, while also portraying the effects of a world with complete government control over technology andRead More`` Brave New World `` By Aldous Huxley1185 Words   |  5 Pagesanother note, he said it is â€Å"a potent, even enriching.† Brave New World, by A ldous Huxley, expands on this idea of exilation. Throughout the novel, several characters are faced with being exiled, whether it be from their home or community. In particular, a character named John seems to experience the bulk of it. John’s experiences show that being exiled is alienating and, at the same time, enriching, while also portraying the effects of a world with complete government control over technology and lifeRead MoreTar Baby And Brave New World Analysis2052 Words   |  9 Pagesand â€Å"Brave New World’. In the novel, â€Å"Tar Baby†, by Toni Morrison she uses allegory, symbolism, and theme nature vs civilization. To illustrate how the character Jadine in the novel is away from her native place, making her feel different. Whereas, in the novel, â€Å"Brave New World† by Aldous Huxley, who uses utopia, dystopia, symbolism, and the theme of identity to portray how the character John the Savage, does not fit into the World State or the Savage Reservation Society. Showing that both two-differentRead MoreIsolation In Aldous Huxleys Brave New World And The Kite Runner1543 Words   |  7 PagesWe all deal with alienation, both internal and external, throughout our lives: it is an unavoidable condition that universally afflicts all humans. However, oftentimes we can alienate ourselves from other people more than is necessary, putting a divide between us and the rest of humanity by no fault but our own. 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This story revolves around one character in particular that portrays the theme of self loathing loneliness the most, and that is John â€Å"theRead MoreReview Of Brave New World 1779 Words   |  8 Pages2H August 19, 2015 Novel Play Review Notes: Brave New World Key Quotation â€Å"Everyone belongs to everyone else, after all.† (149) The idea of complete access in Brave New World actually elucidates the confinement in which the citizens of the modern world are living in. Everyone must subject to one another’s desires and motives, seemingly being treated like property. Consequently, the fact that all the members of this society play both the role of master and slave demonstrates thatRead MoreMovie Analysis : The Movie Crash 1662 Words   |  7 Pagesand later on starts revealing the events that lead to the plot. For example, in the beginning you see different cultures interacting with each other on a certain level being very cautious about what a person does. 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Holding immortal love as the ultimate value of life, the speaker imagines a brave possibility of love transcending life for hisRead MoreThe Anti-Hero Essays2060 Words   |  9 Pages Introduction Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s Notes from the Underground (1864/2008) comes across as a diary penned by a self-described â€Å"spiteful† and â€Å"unattractive† anonymous narrator (p. 7). The narrator’s own self-loathing characterized by self-alienation is so obvious, that he is often referred to by critics as the Underground Man (Frank 1961, p. 1). Yet this Underground Man is the central character of Dostoyevsky’s novel and represents a subversion of the typical courageous hero. In this regard

Marketing Strategies of Nokia Samples †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Marketing Strategies of Nokia. Answer: Introduction The report focuses on the business activities and operations of Nokia. It is one of the largest companies in the mobile industry. In todays era, the company is increasing its revenue and profit by using effective strategies in the international market. It explains themarketing mix strategies of Nokia. Themarketing mix plays a significant role in order to overcome the competitors. It describes that how the firm uses SWOT analysis in the market. Nokia Company is a finish multinational communication, consumer electronics and information Technology Corporation which was founded in 1865. Its headquarter is located in Espoo, Uusimaa Finland. There are approx 101,000 employees employed in the company. In todays era, the firm is expanding and flourishing its business in more than 100 countries. It is the 415 biggest companies in the world measured by the revenue. It is one of the biggest vendors of the mobile phones in the world (Nokia, 2016). The corporation is dealing with various products such as tablets, VR camera, and mobile phones. Nokia renders its products in various countries such as China, India, Latin America, Japan, Europe and North America. The current position of the company is strong and dynamic. It is the fifth most valuable brands in the world. It focuses on the corporate culture, market segmentation and research and development to increase and maximize the revenue and profit of the firm. In todays era, Nokia is c reating and enhancing more mobiles phones with different size and functions. Corporate mission Mission statement is important and essential in Nokia to expand its business activities and operations in the international market. The mission statement includes the followings: To monitor and guide decisions making in order to attain long term goals and objectives. To protect the interest of the stakeholders in the world. To inspire and motivate organizational employees as well as members. The vision of the company is to make a strong position in the world and to attract more customers in the market. Core competencies and resources To gain the competitive advantages, core competencies and resources are important. The core competencies are the attributes which provide competitive benefits to Nokia. The company has several competencies but due to recent growth and success, the firm needs to monitor on the right and appropriate core competencies to beat the competitors in the world. The core competencies and resources include organizational culture, and research and development. The organizational culture is the effective tool to attract more customers in the international market. The value chain is also other source to run the business activities successful. The optimum utilization of resources can be done by maintaining core competencies within the organization. Along with this, innovative technologies are used by the firm to overcome the competitors (Gupta, 2013). Marketing microenvironment and its influence The microenvironment refers to the internal environment of the company which can influence the business activities adversely. The microenvironment can be controlled and managed by the firm. The internal environmental factors include customers, suppliers, the general public, distribution channels and competitors etc. These factors influence the performance and efficiency of Nokia. It can also affect the long-term success and growth of the firm. There is a close relationship between microenvironment and organization (Yam, 2016). These factors also help to build and develop a reciprocal relationship with customers in the international market. The microenvironment consists the followings. Suppliers: It is an important factor which affects the goals and objectives of the firm. Suppliers provide resources and products to the company. They also affect the strategy and policy of the firm. Market intermediaries: The intermediaries also affect the targets and growth of the firm. The marketing intermediaries include retailers, financial intermediaries, whole sellers and agencies. Customers: They are person who buy the products and services of the company. The customers influence the mission and vision of the company. Competitors: A rivalry is the company who manufacture the same products and services in the global market. Nokia should keep an eye on the strategies and policies of the competitors. Public: The public also influences the success and growth of the firm. Therefore, the company needs to focus on the internal environment in order to meet the long term targets and goals. Marketing macro environment and its influence Macro environment affects the profit and revenue of Nokia. Therefore, the company needs to analyze and evaluate the macro environment. It is also known as an external environment which encompasses the following factors such as political, economic, socio-cultural, technological, legal and environmental factors (Grhan-Canli, Hayran Sarial-Abi, 2016). These factors influence the operation and trading activities of the firm negatively. The two major categories of the external environment have been discussed below. Political factors: These factors include rules and regulations related to the import, export, and production. The company needs to focus on the political factors to fulfill the needs and requirements of the customers in the global market. Economic factors: The economic factors include interest rates, demand, taxes, exchange rates and buying the power of the customers. All these factors affect the growth and success of Nokia. The firm needs to focus on these factors to hit the competitors in the international market (Nachbaur, 2016). Current marketing mix Nokia uses marketing mix strategy to overcome the competitors and to accomplish the goals and objectives of the firm (Baker Saren, 2016). It also includes segmentation, targeting and positioning strategy which has been discussed below. Segmentation: Market segmentation is an effective and dynamic marketing strategy to divide the market into different groups. It helps to understand the needs, requirements, and desires of the customers in the global world (Wang, Hedman Tuunainen, 2016). The segmentation is done on the basis of high-income group, medium income group, and low-income group. There are various types of segmentation which include demographic segmentation, psychographic segmentation, and behavioral segmentation (Doz Wilson, 2017). Targeting: After segmentation, Nokia evaluates and identifies various groups and decide how many and which segment to be served. Under targeting, penetration and pricing strategies are used by the company to reach with its target customers in the world. Positioning: After segmentation and targeting strategies, marketers prepare positioning map to show the customers perceptions of their brands in the international market. All these strategies are used by the company to analyze and evaluate the strategies, plans, and policies of the competitors (Frattasi Della Rosa, 2017). Apart from this, 4 Ps are also used by the organization to overcome on the rivalries in the market which have been discussed below (Colagrossi, 2017). Product: The Company uses product strategy to differentiate its products from the competitors. It helps to increase the profit and revenue of the firm. Price: Nokia uses price strategy to beat the competitors and to attain the long term goals in the global market. It sets the appropriate prices of the products to increase the sale of Nokia products. Promotion: The promotion strategies are used by Nokia to attract the customers in the international market. It is the effective tool to reach with its target market. Place: This strategy is used by the company to find and analyze a right place to sale the products in the world. SWOT analysis SWOT analysis is an effective and dynamic tool to evaluate and identify the strengths and weaknesses of the competitors in the market. The firm must analyze and identify the risks and challenges of the market to achieve the mission and vision of the firm (Bohlin Inha, 2017). The SWOT analysis stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats which have been discussed below. Strengths Weaknesses Brand name is the biggest strength of Nokia. The products are available in the market in all the prices ranges. Nokia products are very easy to use. The mobile products are provided by the company have a much higher resale value compared to the other companies. After sale services are very poor. Poor designed smart phones. Some of the Nokia products are not for middle class and low class groups. Opportunities Threats The company can expand and grow its market globally. The demand of the Nokia smart phones are increasing. High competition exists in the global market. Iphones popularity and Samsung and other competitors affect the sale of the company. Conclusion On the above discussion, it has been concluded that Nokia is one of the biggest brands in the world. The firm uses effective and dynamic strategies to overcome the competitors in the market. It uses marketing strategy and segmentation, targeting and positioning strategy to hit the rivalries in the world. Apart from this, SWOT analysis is done by the Nokia to analyze and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the competitors. References Baker, M. J., Saren, M. (Eds.). (2016).Marketing theory: a student text. Sage. Bohlin, S., Inha, E. (2017). Book review: Tools and concepts for strategic decision making on Market Intelligence. Colagrossi, A. (2017). Drafting Futures Integrating Futures Thinking and Marketing Strategy. Doz, Y., Wilson, K. (2017).Ringtone: Exploring the Rise and Fall of Nokia in Mobile Phones. Oxford University Press. Frattasi, S., Della Rosa, F. (2017).Mobile positioning and tracking: from conventional to cooperative techniques. John Wiley Sons. Gupta, R. K. (2013). Core competencies: Concepts and relevance.Prabandhan: Indian Journal of Management,6(2), 48-54. Grhan-Canli, Z., Hayran, C., Sarial-Abi, G. (2016). Customer-based brand equity in a technologically fast-paced, connected, and constrained environment.AMS review,6(1-2), 23-32. Nachbaur, A. (2016). Nokia Strategic Analysis. Evaluation of the decision to return to the mobile telephone market. Nokia.com., (2016). About Nokia, viewed on 26 Nov 2017, https://www.nokia.com/en_int Nokia.com., (2016). Nokia networks, viewed on 26 Nov 2017, https://networks.nokia.com/about-us/our-markets Wang, J., Hedman, J., Tuunainen, V. K. (2016). Path creation, path dependence and breaking away from the path: re-examining the case of Nokia.Journal of theoretical and applied electronic commerce research,11(2), 16-27. Yam, Y. (2016). The influence of macro and micro-environmental factors on the consumption of mobile phones and marketing strategies.

The Message Of Babi Yar Essays (1136 words) -

The Message of Babi Yar There are very few people in the world who are willing to go against the popular trends and do what they feel in their hearts is correct. But Yevgeny Yevtushenko is one of those people. In his poem Babi Yar, he tells the story of the modern persecution of the Jews, focusing on atrocities like those of the massacre at Babi Yar and the pogroms at Beilostok, and also the general anti-Semitism that killed men like Dreyfus and pervades the entire Russian people. The poem uses many literary devices, such as graphic imagery and contrasts, while painting a very clear picture of the scenes of pure horror. Babi Yar is written in many different voices, all of which, however, have the same message. The author starts off with his own perspective, then goes on and describes certain people in modern Jewish history whose lives will forever be remembered as symbols of the time. At the end of the poem the author comes back and speaks in his own voice, yet this time he delivers a message to his people about how they have committed a large number of these crimes against the Jews, yet think that such actions are pure and good for Russia. By switching from the voices of those who were so afflicted by the persecution to a voice of accusation, the author effectively points out how foolish the arguments of the Russians are when they try to point out any validity in killing millions of Jews. The poem starts out with a description of the ravine at Babi Yar. However, all it says is that there is nothing to describe. It calls the steep ravine, which is the grave sight of one hundred thousand people, the only memorial that is there. This frightens the author, because the massiveness of the tragedy deserves at least some recognition. Then Yevtushenko realizes that fear is a part of Judaism, something that is as old as them, and therefore originating with them. He says that he too must be a Jew for he is afraid of what his people and his society have become. Many years ago, in the "ancient days," it would not be such a shock to see the Jews enslaved in Egypt or crucified as a means of torture and death, but even in modern times the same things are going on-he still has the marks from where the nails pierced him. The author has used classical examples of Jewish persecution which every one knows is gone in the physical sense, but show how they still exist in the theoretical aspect, as the persecution is still occurring. In the next three stanzas, the poem takes the standpoint of three figures whose stories are pertinent examples of what Yevtushenko is trying to rely in this poem. First the voice of Dreyfus is used, and the stanza describes how horribly and unfairly he was treated, and how the country and its leaders turned their backs on him. There are two important literary devices used in this section. First the author puts the word "pettiness" on a line by itself. This is used as a declaration of what the author feels anti-Semitism is based on. It is because of pettiness that Dreyfus was accused and further because of pettiness that he was not pardoned when it was proven that he had not committed any crime. The next important device is the description of ladies with their umbrellas. This is an image to the wealthy aristocracy of France, who not only turned their backs on Dreyfus and did not help him, but also increased the effort to have him punished unnecessarily. The next Jewish figure whom the author singles out is a boy from the town of Bielostok, where one of the most horrible pogroms ever took place. The entire stanza focuses on the image of how bad the people were who participated in the pogrom. Using graphic images of blood spurting all around and of victims pointlessly begging for mercy, the author clearly shows how wrong the pogroms were and wrong his countrymen were for allowing them to occur. A device the author uses in this stanza is contrast, as in