The Go-Between Essay -- go-between Essays

The Go-Between 1. Overview This book is a memory story: a man in his sixties looks back on his boyhood of the middle class boy recalling the events that took place on a summer visit to an aristocratic family in Norfolk in the 1900’s. The author uses double narrative, the young Leo's actions told by the older Leo, and it shows us how it has affected his life Firsttly, I’ll introduce the main characters, their functions and relationships, then I’ll give you a small summary of the story, followed by the main themes and their symbolic elements, and finally the style of the book. Leo Colston has two different aspects, he’s the narrator of the book, a man of about sixty year old, and he’s a â€Å"dried up† man inside. Leo is a young boy of the middle class. He lives alone with his mother in West Hash, a little village near Salisbury. His father was a bank gardener in Salisbury is dead, Leo thinks he was a crank, he didn’t want his son to go to school but his mother always wanted him to go so as soon as he died, he went. His mother liked gossip and was very sensitive to public opinion, she needed social frame, and we can easily imagine her pleasure when her son has been invited to spend a summer to a rich friend. He has also an aunt, Charlotte, a Londoner. He and his mother were living on her money, the pension from the bank and the little; his father had been able to put by. Leo attends to the same school as upper class boys, such as Maudsley (he doesn’t remember his name probably because he has never been a special friend to him but while reading the diary he remembers his name was Marcus). Leo used to write his feelings and the happenings of each day on a diary. He believed he had magical powers and was able to cast spells. When he was at school, two boys who had annoyed him had an accident and he believes it is due to what he wrote on his journal. When he went to Brandham Hall, he was naà ¯ve and innocent. He didn’t know anything about love and sex. He naturally felt in love with a beautiful lady, as any young boy would have done. He’s curious about sex even if he doesn’t know what it is. The lack of father is especially important at that point; those explanations should be made by the father â€Å"it’s a job for your dad really†¦Ã¢â‚¬  At the end of the story he has discovered what he wanted to know but the outcome is devasting for him, he’ll be haunted al... ...She refers to her grandson, but in a sense Leo is the child of that 'happiness and beauty' of theirs which ignored all moral responsibility. Within the story itself we are led to see a duplicity in Marian which discredits her morally. Her kindness in taking Leo to Norwich for the new suit is marred by her second motive of meeting Ted. Her affection for Leo is undermined by her use of him. The birthday present of the bycyle which almost diverts him from his own belief in his moral duty to leave Brandham, and which he dreams of riding in the village street at home, is intended to make him a more efficient go-between. Ted may seem to be more concerned about Leo, but the narrator's verdict on him is that with all his decency and vitality, he is cowardly. Interpreting The Go Between has a moral tale meets with keen opposition from some readers who insist that Marian and Ted are the only healthy, natural people in the book; that Leo suffers from having lived a fantasy, and that Trimingham is living a rather pompous role as lord of the manor. The Go-Between is more than a simple moral tale. It does not force an interpretation on the reader, but invites him to think for himself.

Levis Strauss & Co. an Analysis

Levi Strauss & Co. An Analysis EEP 142 Group Project Young Lee James Moon Michael Lin Problem †¢The Levi Strauss company is experiencing losses and is continuing to under-perform in the denim jean market. †¢The firm faces the general problem of a dominant firm losing market share when more firms enter the market. Problem Background Successes Competition Solutions Responsibility Conclusion Q&A Background – History †¢The company was founded by Levi Strauss in 1853 primarily selling wholesale dry goods. The company was founded in San Francisco, California. A tailor named Jacob Davis thought of an idea to use copper rivets to reinforce the points of strain on pants. †¢Davis and Strauss purchased the patent of the idea of using copper rivets in clothing on May 20, 1873. Problem Background Successes Competition Solutions Responsibility Conclusion Q&A Background – Company Growth †¢The innovation of the rivets in the jeans differentiated Levi’s j eans from others because of its increased durability. †¢Over the years, Levi’s jeans have become more popular, initially due to its durability. Jean products expanded, targeting different consumers. Levi Strauss & Co. eventually captures most of the denim jean market, becomes the largest manufacturer of jeans, and profits reach $1 billion by 1974. Problem Background Successes Competition Solutions Responsibility Conclusion Q&A Background – Time Line †¢1853: Levi Strauss begins selling dry goods in San Francisco. †¢1873: Levi Strauss & Co. patent riveted jeans and begin selling them. †¢1912: Koveralls, denim playsuit for children, is first nationally sold product for the company. †¢1935: Company sells first blue jeans for women. †¢1940s: U. S. overnment issues denim work clothes for employees in the defense industry. †¢1974: Company sales reach $1 billion †¢1986: Company introduces Dockers as a new casual line of clothes Problem B ackground Successes Competition Solutions Responsibility Conclusion Q&A Successes – Monopoly †¢Since the patent of the rivets in jeans in 1873, the company achieved monopoly power. †¢Monopoly power was gained through entry barriers. –The patent granted the firm monopoly rights to sell riveted jeans. †¢Also by product differentiation –The rivets on the jeans allowed for longer durability, a form of vertical differentiation. Product differentiation and barriers to entry allowed the company to gain more popularity and market share. Problem Background Successes Competition Solutions Responsibility Conclusion Q&A Successes – Expansion †¢By 1977, Levi Strauss & Co. is the world’s largest jean manufacturer. †¢Department stores and boutiques sell Levi’s products and are additional channels of distribution for the company. †¢Levi’s provides a wide range of products that target different market segments, capturing demands. †¢After the release of the 501 product line, Levi’s enjoys worldwide market dominance in the denim jean market. Levi Strauss & Co. maintains it’s image as an American Icon and the originator of American jeans. Problem Background Successes Competition Solutions Responsibility Conclusion Q&A Successes – Positioning †¢Other marketing strategies, like the position of the product, created increased differentiation, contributing to the companies market power. †¢In 1930s, the company survived the Great Depression due to increased interest in Western culture. –Jeans were positioned as being worn by â€Å"cowboys. † cowboys. † †¢Levi’s jeans were issued to employees in the defense industry (including veterans) during World War II. Post World War II, veterans that went to college wore Levi’s jeans on Levi’ campuses, increasing popularity. †¢WWII veterans were regarded as heroes. –Jeans were shown to be suitable for casual wear, rather than work. work. –During the Baby Boom era, Levi’s targets younger consumers and Levi’ positions product as â€Å"cool. † cool. † †¢Early movie stars wore Levi’s jeans. An example of celebrity endorsement Levi’ †¢Consumer demand shifts from durability of jeans to fashion of jeans. –Culturally, jeans became symbol of youth and rebellion In 1960s, student protesters wore jeans as a uniform †¢In 1970s, company sells bellbottom jeans †¢ The firm positioned its products with changing times and changing demands, keeping existing customers and capturing new markets. Increases in sales ultimately increased profits Problem Background Successes Competition Solutions Responsibility Conclusion Q&A Competition – Effect †¢Levi Strauss & Co. was threatened by competition, because barriers of entry were relatively low in the jean market. (excluding the patent) †¢S ome of Levi’s competitors include: –Calvin Klein –Gap Jeans –VF Corp (Lee, Wrangler) –Tommy Hilfiger The entrance of new competitors had many effects on Levi’s. –Levi’s no longer has monopoly power more competitive prices Levi’ lower profits –Availability of substitutes firm faces increase in elasticity of demand –Consumers prefer other brands. Levi’s customers buy from competition Levi’ lowering Levi’s market share. Levi’ †¢These newer upstarts are able to â€Å"chip away† at Levi’s market dominance because they are able to capture segments. –VF Corp captures low-end jean consumers; Calvin Klein captures highlowhighend consumers. Problem Background Successes Competition Solutions Responsibility Conclusion Q&A Competition – Strategies †¢Competitors successfully were able to take from Levi’s market due to heavy advertising and branding. Branding was especially effective for companies like Calvin Klein that targeted high-end consumers. †¢Some of the marketing strategies that competitors like Calvin Klein used to differentiate their product and brand included: –Celebrity endorsements (Calvin Klein and Brooke Shields) –Up-to-date European product designs (low-rise, tighter) Up- to(low–Advertise jeans as â€Å"designer. designer. † †¢These advertisements were used as a barrier to entry, because of spurious product differentiation. Although Levi’s jeans may be physically the same as its competitor’s, consumer preferences are affected by brand name. †¢In addition to the idea of branding, Levi’s largest consumer market were Baby Boomers , and by the time competitors increased in the 1980s, the Levi’s brand was perceived to be â€Å"mommy jeans. † This reinforced the more youthful perception of other brands. Problem Background Successes Competition Solutions Responsibility Conclusion Q&A Competition Premium Jeans †¢Levi’s failed to recognize and enter a new and booming premium jeans market, originating in 2000 and led by brands such as Seven For All Mankind, True Religion, and Rock & Republic. †¢Levi executives themselves admitted failing to see the premium jeans trend, and the company was forced into radical cost-cutting, closing dozens of factories and laying off thousands of workers. †¢The premium jeans market has over the last five years largely driven the growth of an otherwise stable jeans market, as premium jeans sales grew at a 40-45% rate for multiple years. Levi’s failure to adequately respond to this trend was a large part of its posting declining sales in nine out of ten years prior to 2007. Problem Background Successes Competition Solutions Responsibility Conclusion Q&A Solutions – Advertising †¢With the rise of competitors and decrease in brand image, Levi Strauss & Co. makes use of edgy advertisements. †¢Brand Loyalty –Many of Levi’s ads stress brand loyalty to maintain existing customers. Levi’ The word â€Å"original† is used many times. original† –Some tv ads are set in the late 1800s, stressing the historic value of the company. Brand Image –At the same time, Levi’s ads stress the â€Å"youthfulness† of their brand Levi’ youthfulness† jeans. –The 501 product line and the Red Tab collections offer jeans that appeal that to younger consumers competing with the high-end jean competitors. high–Television advertisements a re more innovative and target younger crowds. –http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=CSG807d3P-U http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=CSG807d3P–http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=skWFyop_pxU&feature=related –http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=W-SZN1VRIl4&feature=related http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=W- These marketing strategies however did not help with the worldwide decrease demand for jeans. This implies that other clothing is becoming a substitutable good for jeans. Problem Background Successes Competition Solutions Responsibility Conclusion Q&A Solutions – Alternative †¢Although Levi Strauss & Co. had worldwide market dominance in the 1980s after the release of 501 product line, profits continue to plummet due to: (1) decrease of demand for jean products and (2) more competition. †¢In 1996, revenues were reported at $7. 6 billion and a U. S. market share of 18. 7%. By 2001 revenues drop to $4. 5 billion and U. S. market share of 12. 1%. †¢I n order to maintain revenues, the company releases the Levi’s signature jeans. –This product line appeals to the low-end consumers. –Decrease in demand for jeans causes market price to drop, so consumers want cheaper jeans. Problem Background Successes Competition Solutions Responsibility Conclusion Q&A Solutions – Alternative (cont. ) †¢In 2002 Levi Strauss & Co. makes an agreement with largest retailer Wal-Mart as a supply-chain strategy to massmarket consumers. –Levi’s Signature brand to be sold in Wal-Mart stores exclusively This was an excellent strategic move because Wal-Mart was making large sales while Levi’s could not keep up in sales. This had potential to benefit both parties. –By 2002, Wal-Mart was #1 in the Fortune 500 rating. –Levi Strauss & Co. was ranked #383 in 2002. †¢Although this partnership was a success, Levi Strauss could not offset the slowdown in the aggregate denim jean market, continu ing to loss profits. –2008 Rating for Levi’s: 522 from previous 510 –Profits continue to fall. Problem Background Successes Competition Solutions Responsibility Conclusion Q&A Solutions – Alternative (cont. ) Forced to re-evaluate itself by years of declining sales, Levi’s has been able to find some degree of success with primarily the introduction of the Signature line and a largescale streamlining of costs and it’s business. Levi’s is also being helped by its international presence and is currently being benefited by impacts from the global currency exchange market, as the company benefited from the weak dollar. †¢The company is still trying to find a way into the lucrative premium jeans market, introducing a new premium line and hiring famous artists to liven up the brand. Competitor VF Corp. ecided to purchase Seven For All Mankind as their market entry. Problem Background Successes Competition Solutions Responsibility Conclu sion Q&A Responsibility – Background †¢Levi Strauss & Co. is a family owned worldwide corporation with headquarters in North America, Europe, and Asia. –The company is vertically integrated, meaning it owns/has owned factories for every level of production for the jeans. –The company employs about 10,000 people worldwide. †¢Historically Levi Strauss & Co. is recognized as a caring and corporately responsible company. –After the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, he company continued to pay workers as it was rebuilding factories and buildings. –During the Great Depression, the company kept workers busy installing new floors in factories rather than fire them. Problem Background Successes Competition Solutions Responsibility Conclusion Q&A Responsibility – Background (cont. ) †¢Levi Strauss & Co. has also taken the lead on social issues. –During the 1940s, the company desegregated its factories bringing white and black worker s together. –In 1980s, the company was very involved in educating people about AIDS providing $37 million to HIV/AIDS services. One of the first companies to extend healthcare to their workers’ spouses. †¢Levi Strauss & Company approach to business: â€Å"profits through principles. † –†As business leaders we have the obligation, both individually and collectively, to make our enterprise not only a source for economic wealth, but also a force for positive social change in the conduct of our business. This principle of responsible commercial success is embedded in our more than 150-year experience, and continues to anchor how we operate today. † Problem Background Successes Competition Solutions Responsibility Conclusion Q&A Responsibility – Sweatshops †¢With increased competition from other jean producers in the 1980s and 90s, like any profit-maximizing corporation, Levi Strauss & Company closed many factories and subcontracted production. –Subcontracted production is cost-minimizing because labor is relatively abundant and wages cheaper. –In order to compete with prices, subcontracting work makes sense. Problem Background Successes Competition Solutions Responsibility Conclusion Q&A Responsibility – Sweatshops (cont. ) †¢The company had 6 subsidiary factories in Saipan, capital of the U. S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. –The U. S. Department of Labor cited that workers were paid sub-minimal wages, 7 day work weeks with 12-hour shifts in â€Å"slave-like† conditions. †¢The subcontractor, Tan Holdings Corporation, had to pay a fine of of $9 million as restitution to 1,200 employees. †¢Levi Strauss & Co. claimed no knowledge of the offense, cut-off cutties to Tan Holdings, and issued labor reforms. †¢1999, Sweatshop Watch, Global Exchange, Asian Law Caucus, Unite, and workers filed a class-action lawsuit 3 times to 27 U. S. retailers, including Levi Strauss & Co. Levi Strauss was the only defendant to win the case. Problem Background Successes Competition Solutions Responsibility Conclusion Q&A Responsibility – Environmental †¢Continuing on the approach of â€Å"profits by principles,† in 2006 Levi Strauss & Co. launches the Eco clothing line. –Jeans are certified to be made from 100% organic cotton and fully sustainable production processes. This includes cotton untreated by chemicals, pesticides, and manufactured at sustainable carbon emissions. –The jeans are also packed in 100% recyclable and reusable materials. †¢Economic implications Organic jeans are more expensive, due to the added costs to certify these genes to organic standards. –However, discouraging the use of chemicals for cotton is a step toward the right direction. Pesticides have externality costs to the environment and workers, because they are mostly improperly used in poor countries. A reduction in externalities improves social welfare. –In the long-run, sustainable production has the possibility to being profitable. –Corporate responsibility also has long-run profits. Problem Background Successes Competition Solutions Responsibility Conclusion Q&A Conclusion †¢Levi Strauss & Company had most of its early success because the firm was behaving monopolistically. The company patented the riveted jeans, increasing durability, and gaining popularity. †¢Over the years, the company maintained profits by providing a wide range of products, capturing new markets, and increasing its market shares. The company created barriers to entry by patents and trademarks, and by differentiating its product from generic jeans. †¢However as more firms entered the market, the company started losing customers and incurring losses. The upstart companies captured niche market shares from Levi’s immense market domination. †¢Despite these reduction of sales, Levi Strauss & Co. maintained its corporate responsible image and progressive stance on social, labor, and environmental issues, which may have long-run profit opportunities. Problem Background Successes Competition Solutions Responsibility Conclusion Q&A References Frith, Maxine. â€Å"The Ethical Revolution Sweeping Through the World’s Frith, World’ Sweatshops. † commondreams. org. 16 April 2005. 2 May 2008 Sweatshops. † commondreams. org. .

Christian Leadership - 1096 Words

Kyalae T. Haywood March 23, 2014 Making of a Christian Leader What is Character Human â€Å"character†, is the pattern of thinking and acting which runs right through someone, so that wherever you cut into them, you see the same person through and through [1]. The transformation of a person character is their virtue. Virtue is what happens when wise and courageous choices have become â€Å"second nature [2].† Wright differentiates a biblical framework from a Greek moral framework in that Jesus and his followers are offering the three-dimensional model toward Aristotle two-dimensional points [3]. Wright gives us excellent contrast between biblical and Greek moral framework and I agree with his positions. For example, Aristotle felt for someone†¦show more content†¦Romans 13:2, â€Å"Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. [9] Badaracco, L. Joseph. Questions of Character: Illuminating the Heart of Leadership Through Literature. Copyright. 2006. P. 31 [10] Ibid. 40 [11] Ibid. 52 Yes I do see tension between Badaracco moral flexibility and Kouzes and Maxwell values in that Okonkwo didn’t take any responsibility in his failure and lacked a great deal of remorse. Badaracco states, â€Å"A sound moral code requires an ongoing, open engagement with the moral and practical life that surrounds the leader. On some occasions, the clearest sign of a good moral code is flexibility rather than firmness† [12]. Kouzes/Posner states, â€Å"Leadership is both something you are and something you do.† In other words, leadership is not just something you live but something you behave [13]. Okonkwo behavior represented who he really is and the content of his character. Kouzes/Posner states that people do what they see and his example was not good as it pertains to leadership. Okonkwo behavior was so fixed that he had no regard for going against the values of his tribe and jeopardized a traditional religious period of time, but rather accepted his punishment . Leaders need both the ability to be sensitive to community feelings when situations that require moral reactions and to confront failures looking for explanations asShow MoreRelatedChristian Leadership : A Christian Leader1048 Words   |  5 Pageshas the authority to speak on Christian leadership, it is Henri Nouwen because of his professorship at Ivy League Universities and long-standing role as a priest. Yet Nouwen leans not on either of these credentials; instead, he shares his reflections on leadership that he learned while serving at Daybreak community for handicapped people. What is more, Nouwen learned the most amazing leadership principles when he was asked to speak in Washington D. C. on leadership and Daybreak sent a resident namedRead MoreChristian Leadership2395 Words   |  10 PagesChristian Leadership Author’s Name Title of the Course Instructor’s Name Date Introduction to Christian Leadership Leadership scholars have presented many theories in understanding leadership. However, making sense of hundreds of books and thousands of studies is a complicated task, which is why many mistakenly think that leadership is an indefinable phenomenon. Some of us presume complete authority in our own favored ways. Novel leaders often discard the entire system used by theRead MoreChristian Worldview of Leadership2310 Words   |  10 PagesChristian Worldview of Leadership Introduction The Christian worldview of leadership is distinctly different from most secular views on the subject. In the secular, leadership tends to be viewed primarily in terms of a company’s bottom line and how well the leader can urge employees to produce more and better work. 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Due to the differing worldviews as a leader from a secular or biblical perspective, the ways of life as a leader divert the values that guide us, beliefs that direct us, and principles that motivate us to act or behave a certain way. Jesus lives in disciples, and we should all be living as his light andRead MoreThe Debate Between Leadership And Christian Groups1239 Words   |  5 PagesOver the past number of years I have heard many arguments against leadership in Christian groups. Shall we account it to liberalism? Perhaps progressive thoughts? Or is it to be expected in post-modern Christianity? I hope this does not come as too much of a shock, but personally I think it is absurd, and hopefully many others will agree with me. But I will probably not be able to convince you, will I? Thus let us turn to the source of all wisdom and knowledge, the Bible: Let everyone put himselfRead MoreLeadership And Management Vs. 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Confessions Of A Key Board Dabbler - 1832 Words

Confessions of a Key Board Dabbler On September 9th I attended my first SWIC Music Faculty Preview Recital at the Schmidt Art Center. The venue for the afternoon recital was held in the gallery room, a room set up for an audience of about 50 music majors. In the front of the hall sat a white grand piano on parquet floors; the walls of the room were adorned with art of varying mediums. Having mucked around on the piano as a child, I sat enthusiastically as a musical amateur in great awe of anyone with talent of the keyboard or gift of music of any kind. The first two pieces in the program were by Austrian composer Franz Schubert 1797-1828. In 1808, through a competitive examination, the eleven-year-old Schubert was accepted into the choir of the Imperial Court Chapel as well as the Royal Seminary. He was a shy youth, and spent most of his spare time practicing and composing alone. When Shubert was fifteen his voice changed and he left the choir but continued to study at the seminary. As discussed in lecture, each period of music has a chain reaction between artists who are affected by the events of their environment. Post war 1950’s America had the progression of Jazz with artists such as Charlie â€Å"Bird† Parker pushing the limits of the saxophone to create the bebop sound, echoed in the rhythm of prose of writer Jack Kerouac and Jackson Pollock’s abstract of the brush. Franz Schubert’s fellow artists were no different at the turn of the eighteenth century as theShow MoreRelatedStrategic Marketing Management337596 Words   |  1351 Pagesfirst edition of this book in the early 1990s, we were motivated by a concern to help improve the effectiveness of marketing practice. Twelve years and two editions later, our purpose is unchanged. In doing this, we have sought to address a number of key questions that logically follow each other in the context of strategic marketing management: 1 Where are we now? 2 Where do we want to be? 3 How might we get there? 4 Which way is best? 5 How can we ensure arrival? The themes of planning, implementing

Book Report The Hobbit Essay - 1383 Words

Rachel Pavelka Quarter 2 Book Report English 9 12/15/16 The Hobbit By ~ J.R.R Tolkien Report written by ~ Rachel Pavelka The book I am reporting on is The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien. The setting of the story begins in a place called Middle Earth. The story begins in Began where Mr. Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit lives. Bilbo, thirteen dwarves and a wizard travel to Rivendell, Misty Mountains and finally Mirkwood. The book was set before the Lord of the Rings but it is unclear exactly when. The story is a fantasy so time is not important. The historical context of the book is post World War I, and the influence of the war can be felt in the many battles that happen throughout the story, with good trying to defeat evil. The narrator of the story is Bilbo Baggins. Bilbo tells the story from his point of view. The story is in third person and is omniscient. The protagonist of the book is Bilbo Baggins. Bilbo the main character in the book, is a hobbit. He was scared to leave his home town of Bagan. Bilbo was invited by dwarves to go on an adventure to find treasure that belonged to the them. Little was known about what could happen on this trip, but still Bilbo was drawn to this adventure with much excitement. It was when he did not have food to eat that he would question why he left his hobbit hole. The other characters of the story are Gandalf the wizard, Smaug the dragon, Thorin, Balin, Dwalin, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Dori, Nori, Ori, Fili, Kili, Oin, and Gloin, theShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Book The Hobbit Essay1134 Words   |  5 Pages The Hobbit By ~ J.R.R Tolkien Report written by ~ Rachel Pavelka The book I am reporting on is The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien. The setting of the story begins in a place called Middle Earth. In the beginning of the book it starts in Began when Mr. Bilbo Baggins lives. Then Bilbo travels to Rivendell, Misty Mountains and finally Mirkwood. The book was set before the Lord of the Rings but is unclear. 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I can manage† (Tolkein, 12). Then one day a wizard by the name of Gandalf comes and gives Bilbo the opportunity to go on an adventure. Bilbo turns his offer down, but the next day thirteen dwarves come to his house. They have meals together and they sleepRead MoreMy Favorite Reading Of Reading927 Words   |  4 Pageselem entary and middle school, I loved to read. I could spends hours on end reading about Harry Potter, Greek Mythology, and A Series of Unfortunate Events. One of my favorite things to do was going to the Round Rock Public Library, picking up several books, and immersing myself in the pages of text. As a kid, I could spend countless hours flipping the pages and scrawling through the texts as the hero often overcame the many obstacles that stood in his way. I loved to read for my personal enjoyment andRead MoreThe Lord Of The Rings1352 Words   |  6 Pages food was scarce, and many trees had been chopped down. 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Performance Orientation Free Essays

The degree to which a collective encourages and rewards (and should encourage and reward) group members for performance improvement and excellence. Assertiveness. The degree to which individuals are (and should be) assertive, confrontational, and aggressive in their relationships with others. We will write a custom essay sample on Performance Orientation or any similar topic only for you Order Now Future Orientation. The extent to which individuals engage (and should engage) in future-oriented behaviors such as delaying gratification, planning, and investing in the future. Organizations in countries with high future oriented practices like Singapore and Switzerland tend to have longer term horizons and more systematic planning processes, but they tend to be averse to risk taking and opportunistic decision making. Humane Orientation. The degree to which a collective encourages and rewards ( and should encourage and reward) individuals for being fair, altruistic, generous, caring, and kind to others. Countries like Egypt and Malaysia rank very high on this cultural practice Institutional Collectivism. The degree to which organizational and societal institutional practices encourage and reward (and should encourage and reward) collective distribution of resources and collective action Organizations in collectivistic countries like Singapore and Sweden tend to emphasize group performance and rewards In-Group Collectivism. The degree to which individuals express (and should express) pride, loyalty, and cohesiveness in their organizations or families. Societies like Egypt and Russia take pride in their families and also take pride in the organizations that employ them. Gender Egalitarianism. The degree to which a collective minimizes (and should minimize) gender inequality. Egypt and South Korea were among the most male dominated societies in GLOBE. Organizations not operating in gender egalitarian societies tend to discourage tolerance for diversity of ideas and individual. Power Distance. The degree to which members of a collective expect (and should expect) power to be distributed equally. A high power distance score reflects unequal power distribution in a society. Countries that scored high on this cultural practice are more stratified economically, socially, and politically; those in positions of authority expect, and receive, obedience. Uncertainty Avoidance. The extent to which a society, organization, or group relies (and should rely) on social norms, rules, and procedures to alleviate unpredictability of future events. The greater the desire to avoid uncertainty, the more people seek orderliness, consistency, structure, formal procedures and laws to cover situations in their daily lives. How to cite Performance Orientation, Essay examples

Jaguar Land Rover Transition to High Performance

Question: Discuss about the report in detail that which are those physical, financial and technological resources that will be required for building new facility to be operated in South England by Jaguar Land rover and also discuss the report mainly emphasized on implementing the budget for next one year operations of the footsteps of Cadburys, Coca Cola opened a Coca Cola Cafe in the heart of London. Answer: 1.0. Introduction This business report will discuss in detail that which are those physical, financial and technological resources that will be required for building new facility to be operated in South England by Jaguar Land rover (Hicks and Upton, 2010). This requirement will be explained in the analysis section, which will be based on the description of the present practices adopted, for existing facilities. This report will analyze various financial options that the company uses and which will be suitable for new facility. This report seeks to understand, that how will an effective management of all its resources such as human, physical, technological and financial resources, help Jaguar to improve its performance. 2.0. Description and Explanation of resources Physical Resources: Their operations are taking place at five manufacturing plants, three plants operates in vehicle manufacturing while the other two are the engineering and design centers in Midlands (Hungerlnder, 2013). They continually invest in these sites to meet the demand and have insured their facilities against any mishap. They adopt sustainability practices in the production of their cars. Technological Resources: Jaguar has invested 800 million in acquiring new technologies which can enable its vehicles to reduce environmental pollution and increase performance. They have developed new technologies to reduce the carbon emission so as to maintain its image among consumers. Since they use world class technologies, and they keep coming up with new and innovative products, it is crucial for them to protect its intellectual property with the help of patents and copyright. They differentiate themselves on the basis of its design, feel and other aesthetics. Therefore, they need to invest in intellectual property protection. Due to rapid technological advancements, they need to acquire new software licenses and renew the old ones. Financial Resources: Jaguar generates its capital from the profits as the internal source of financing. They generated about 2,429 million of net cash from operating activities in financial year 2013. They used these profits as working capital for the next year. The company uses other external sources for financing such as short term deposits. They generate cash from its other subsidiaries, cash generated from external debt and operations. In 2013, Jaguar had 2,167 million of debt which consisted of 1,869 million of long-term unsecured debt that will mature in 2018, 2020, 2021 and 2023 respectively (Hungerlnder, 2013). They also issue unsecured notes of $500 million. All these activities are governed by an agreement that Jaguar entered into as issuer, Citibank, N.A, London branch, as trustee for the holders, Jaguar Land rover Limited and Land rover. They also borrowed short term loans from Chinese subsidiary and each facility was guaranteed by Land Rover. They also used factoring to get finances for the company. 2.1. Analysis of the resource requirement The report has till now discussed, what are the practices used by Jaguar in its existing facilities. Since the company wants to start it operation in South of England they should have the following requirements. Physical Requirement: They will require spending on acquiring new land to build its facility, they will choose a barren land in the outskirts, in order to be sustainable, and therefore, this will cost them less (Jaguar Land Rover / Investition in neues Motorenwerk, 2013). They dont need to have any more design centre as it is already highly operational and sufficient. However, they need to make investment in plant and machinery, waste management techniques and they need to also invest in insurance and security of its facility. Technological Requirement: They do not need to make additional investment on protection on intellectual property as the design centre will remain the same; therefore, it is already taken care of. They already have the technological knowhow so as to reduce the carbon emission; therefore, they can make use of those technologies . Also, since they make use of Virtual engineering, they can cut down on the cost and time of making new vehicles. However, investment will be required on acquiring eco friendly technologies to drive their growth in future. Financial Requirement: As discussed earlier, Jaguar uses a varied combination of internal and external resources to acquire funds for its operations. For the purpose of their new facility, they can make use of their capital generated by the profits and not spend the company savings (Neghabi, Eshghi and Salmani, 2014). They use various external sources, therefore, to operate in South England, they might choose to raise funds by issuing shares but taking short term loans from bank will be most suitable for Jaguar, as the interest rates have dropped to as low as 0.5% in England and the banks will be following loose monetary policy for some time now. Thus, this would be the best option for them as this will reduce cost. 2.3. Evaluation Thus, the report has discussed what the current practices are and what they should do if they want to open up new facility in England to increase productivity. The financial requirement is not very high as they already have the required technological knowhow and they dont have to spend on intellectual property protection mechanism (Rebolledo-Mendez et al., 2014). However they do require investing in the waste management equipments in order to protect the environment in its new location. Physical resource requirements are also minimal. They need to hire new local workers in order to reduce labor cost and increase efficiency. Taking loans will be most beneficial for the company due to low interest rates. 3.0. Conclusion After the detailed discussion on all the resources, it can be concluded that Jaguar Land rover have been using sustainable practices for its business from long. This has been an advantage for the company. They can easily open up new facility in England. They have always adopted strategies to protect the environment (Zeilhofer et al., 2013). Their brand is known for providing eco friendly luxury cars equipped with latest technology and bringing in new and innovative designs. Their product scores high on aesthetic value. Thus, it can be concluded that have effectively managed all their resources which has led to improved performance. This is reflected in their revenues and loyalty among satisfied customer. Introduction: The report mainly emphasized on implementing the budget for next one year operations of the footsteps of Cadburys, Coca Cola opened a Coca Cola Cafe in the heart of London. Based on the given financial information, next one year budgeted profit and loss statement has been prepared on monthly basis. In addition to this, budgeted balance sheet, break even analysis and ratio analysis has been performed for this study. Assumption made for preparing budget: No of customer per day 200 Average earnings per customer 15.50 Wages per month 15,530.00 Cost of goods sold per customer 7.16 Rent per month 20,000.00 Utilities per month 2,600.00 Fixture and fixing 12,000.00 It is also expected that the number of customer in next 6 months will be increased by 2% and from 7 month onwards, the daily number will be increased by 5%. Based on these given information, below is the budgeted income statement for the new venture. Month by moth Assumptions No of customer per day increase Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Month 5 Month 6 Month 7 Month 8 Month 9 Month 10 Month 11 Month 12 Year 1 - 2% 2% 2% 2% 2% 5% 5% 5% 5% 5% 5% Budgeted Profit and loss Statements Sales unit 6000 6120 6242 6367 6495 6624 6956 7303 7669 8052 8455 8877 85161 Sales revenue 93,000.00 94,860.00 96,757.20 98,692.34 1,00,666.19 1,02,679.51 1,07,813.49 1,13,204.16 1,18,864.37 1,24,807.59 1,31,047.97 1,37,600.37 13,19,993.21 Cost of goods sold 42,960.00 43,819.20 44,695.58 45,589.50 46,501.29 47,431.31 49,802.88 52,293.02 54,907.67 57,653.06 60,535.71 63,562.49 6,09,751.70 Gross profit 50,040.00 51,040.80 52,061.62 53,102.85 54,164.91 55,248.20 58,010.61 60,911.14 63,956.70 67,154.54 70,512.26 74,037.88 7,10,241.51 Operating expenses Wages 15,530.00 15,530.00 15,530.00 15,530.00 15,530.00 15,530.00 15,530.00 15,530.00 15,530.00 15,530.00 15,530.00 15,530.00 1,86,360.00 Rent 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 2,40,000.00 Utilities per month 2,600.00 2,600.00 2,600.00 2,600.00 2,600.00 2,600.00 2,600.00 2,600.00 2,600.00 2,600.00 2,600.00 2,600.00 31,200.00 Fixture and fixing 1,000.00 1,000.00 1,000.00 1,000.00 1,000.00 1,000.00 1,000.00 1,000.00 1,000.00 1,000.00 1,000.00 1,000.00 12,000.00 Total operating expenses 39,130.00 39,130.00 39,130.00 39,130.00 39,130.00 39,130.00 39,130.00 39,130.00 39,130.00 39,130.00 39,130.00 39,130.00 4,69,560.00 Profit before tax 10,910.00 11,910.80 12,931.62 13,972.85 15,034.91 16,118.20 18,880.61 21,781.14 24,826.70 28,024.54 31,382.26 34,907.88 2,40,681.51 Tax @30% 3,273.00 3,573.24 3,879.48 4,191.85 4,510.47 4,835.46 5,664.18 6,534.34 7,448.01 8,407.36 9,414.68 10,472.36 72,204.45 Net profit 7,637.00 8,337.56 9,052.13 9,780.99 10,524.43 11,282.74 13,216.43 15,246.80 17,378.69 19,617.18 21,967.58 24,435.51 1,68,477.06 The above budgeted income statement indicates that over the one month period, the venture will earn 1,68,477.06 as total profit after all deduction. Breakeven analysis: Break even calculation Fixed cost 4,69,560.00 Revenue per customer 15.50 Variable cost per customer 7.16 Breakeven point 56302 According to the overall analysis, the company mainly calculates the breakeven point of the company that is mainly base on the fixed cost that contains fixed cost of the company revenue generated by the company and the variable cost allocated by the organization. The fixed cost of the company is mainly consists wages, rent and utilities cost per month of the company. The company is efficiently able to maintain the breakeven analysis of the organization to maintain the no profit and no loss situation for the company within a given period. Limitations of breakeven analysis Several limitations are occurs during the calculation of breakeven analysis of the company which is mainly related to the maintenance activities of the revenue generated by the company within a particular period. It is difficult for the company to maintain the graphs and analysis each products of the company. The breakeven analysis of the organization is very quickly being affect by the certain changes in the business environment of the company. The breakeven analysis would not support the several activities of the company to take several decisions about the operational activities of the company. The security cost of an organization is increases due to breakeven analysis of a particular organization are fixing in nature. The fixed and variable cost of the production is difficult to categorize in the breakeven analysis of a company. Budgeted balance sheet: Assets Initial balance Cash and short-term investments 19,100.00 Accounts receivable 3,000.00 Total inventory 25,000.00 Prepaid expenses - Deferred income tax - Other current assets 5,000.00 Total current assets 52,100.00 Buildings 1,50,000.00 Land 2,500.00 Capital improvements - Machinery and equipment 10,000.00 Less: Accumulated depreciation expense - Net property/equipment 1,62,500.00 Goodwill - Deferred income tax - Long-term investments - Deposits - Other long-term assets - Total assets 2,14,600.00 Liabilities Initial balance Accounts payable 2,000.00 Accrued expenses - Notes payable/short-term debt - Capital leases - Other current liabilities 100.00 Total current liabilities 2,100.00 Long-term debt from loan payment calculator 1,00,000.00 Other long-term debt - Total debt 1,02,100.00 Other liabilities - Total liabilities 1,02,100.00 Equity Initial balance Owner's equity (common) - Paid-in capital 1,12,500.00 Preferred equity - Retained earnings - Total equity 1,12,500.00 Total liabilities and equity $2,14,600 Ratio analysis: Current ratio Current assets 52,100.00 Current liabilities 2,100.00 Current ratio 24.80952381 current ratio is mainly calculated for analysis of the companys position that an organization is capable enough to pay their short obligations within a given period of time. As this company will be in a new venture so the current ratio of the higher in compare to its competitors is 24.81 which shows that company has enough money to pay their short term obligations in the coming future. Quick ratio current assets 52,100.00 Inventory 25,000.00 Current liabilities 2,100.00 Quick ratio 12.90 A quick ratio shows that a particular company is having good capability to pay their short term obligations which is excluded the inventory of company. In this analysis the company is mainly having quick ratio of 12.90 which shows company will be able to handle the future obligations of their creditors within a given period of time. Gross profit percentage Gross profit 7,10,241.51 sales 13,19,993.21 Gross profit percentage 53.806% From, the above gross profit margin percentage, it can be said that over the next one year, if the organization will perform as per the expectation, then there will be sufficient amount of fund for additional expenses and further savings. Net profit percentage Net profit 1,68,477.06 Sales 13,19,993.21 Net profit percentage 12.763% While, gross profit margin will be in standard position, the above net profit margin indicates that the venture needs to consider its fixed costs with care. Here, the operating expenses level needs to be taken care of. Return on capital employed EBIT 2,40,681.51 Capital employed 1,12,500.00 Return on capital employed 2.139391188 Here, the return of capital employed value is above the standard level. This indicates that the venture will sufficiently manage its capital. Stock turnover Cost of goods sold 6,09,751.70 Inventory 25,000.00 Stock turnover 24.39006811 This particular ratio has explained how efficiently, the venture will transform its inventory to liquid assets. As the value shows, it can be said that the venture will be able to transform the inventory level more than 24 times over the next one year. Reference List: Hicks, J. and Upton, S. (2010). Jaguar Land Rover transition to high performance training program.Industrial and Commercial Training, 42(5), pp.247-250. Hungerlnder, P. (2013). Single-row equidistant facility layout as a special case of single-row facility layout.International Journal of Production Research, 52(5), pp.1257-1268. Jaguar Land Rover / Investition in neues Motorenwerk. (2013).MTZ Motortech Z, 74(6), pp.437-437. Neghabi, H., Eshghi, K. and Salmani, M. (2014). A new model for robust facility layout problem.Information Sciences, 278, pp.498-509. Rebolledo-Mendez, G., Reyes, A., Paszkowicz, S., Domingo, M. and Skrypchuk, L. (2014). Developing a Body Sensor Network to Detect Emotions During Driving.IEEE Trans. Intell. Transport. Syst., 15(4), pp.1850-1854. Zeilhofer, P., Cezar, A., Trres, N., de Almeida Jcomo, A. and Silveira, L. (2013). Jaguar Panthera onca Habitat Modeling in Landscapes Facing High Land-use Transformation Pressure-Findings from Mato Grosso, Brazil.Biotropica, 46(1), pp.98-105.