Diamond Foam Business: Marketing Strategies Analysis

Diamond Foam Business: Marketing Strategies Analysis Executive Summary This study falls into three parts. The first part gives operations/transformation process in Diamond Foam and Pak Electron LTD.In this part the different strategies like marketine,competitive priorities and corporate strategies has been discussed for each organization.In second part the different concepts or frameworks like inventory management, performance measurement, total quality management, capacity planning and supply chain design has been taken. I have taken different case studies to explain the different methodologies. In the third part the impact of the different concepts and frameworks has been shown on each of the organization. a) Marketing Strategies of Diamond Foam Positioning Strategy Customer perceives Diamond Foam is high quality foam. Foam is high involvement product and people see price and quality before purchase it. Target Market Diamond Foam has broad target market in Pakistan because any product requires foam is their target market and person used that foam is their target customer. Customers in south region are furniture showrooms and in north region are dealers and they not sell their products to end-users. Diamond Foam used product development strategy with different product in current market. Marketing Mix Strategy Product Products that are sold by Diamond Foam are Spring mattress Bed sheets/comforter Foam mattress Foam products Quality Quality aspects of Diamond Foams products are given below. Complete peace of mind for their customers Diamond Foam never foregoes their responsibility in complete quality control. A good mattress isnt just dependent on its high quality standard but also the quality of after-sale service that gives you lasting comfort and security. Diamond Foam has a quality control department who manufactured products and processes according to SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) for efficient and hazard-free operations. Diamond Foam offer high quality sleep products that are outstanding values with all the healthful benefits of a good night. Features Features of products that are manufactured by Diamond Foams are given below. Offer high quality sleep products that are outstanding values with all the healthful benefits of a good night. Medically it is proven that not everybody is comfortable sleeping on a plain surface, and Diamond Foam brand, Dolce Vita Adjustable bed, gives you that option to raise your head or feet to a position where you are most comfortable. Brand Name Foam mattress Europedic Memory Foam Spring mattress Dolce Vita Pocket Spring Mattresses Dolce Vita Bonnell Spring Mattress Diamond Jumbolon Jumbolon Board Jumbolon Spray Jumbolon Rolls Life style products Dolce Vita Recliner Dolce Vita Adjustable bed Packaging Diamond Foam provides good cover and polythene bag for their products. Returns In warrantee period, Diamond Foam replace foam mattress with foam mattress when it is damaged. Service Services of Diamond Foam are given below. Going beyond traditional service, to provide state of the art customer care experience, and want to earn customers loyalty by delivering services that anticipate their needs. Diamond Foam is constantly looking for ways to improve their service by listening to customers, monitoring performance and adopting the best practice. Guarantee: Guarantee that is given to customers are given below. Customer relaxation is intensified by the fact that every product is sold with reliable guarantee and superior class after-sales services. Diamond Foam take pride to be the finest mattresses company, who also adheres to its philosophy to provide superior after-sale service by giving the reliable guarantee that looks after your comfort year after year. They repair or replace your mattress, this guarantee continues from the original date of purchase. Diamond Foam also gives guarantee on stitches pulled out of the handle where sewn to the mattress. Customers guarantee is valid for original purchaser only and it protects you from the day you purchase your mattress or complete sleep system, and continues according to the Guarantee Period specified. Discounts All brands of Dolce Vita (Pocket Spring), Duet and Dolce Vita (Bonnell Spring), except Supreme Jacquard Fabric and Supreme, are discounted 23% for dealers and distributors. Supreme Jacquard Fabric and Supreme are discounted by 15%. Warranties Diamond Foam gives warranties to their customers from 10 years to 12 years. Payment Periods Diamond Foam gives a payment period to their customers up to 3 months. Credit Items Diamond Foam sells their item normally on cash basis but sometimes gives on credit to particular customers. Place Coverage Diamond Foam has coverage to Pakistan, Dubai, Afghanistan and Egypt. Locations Diamond Foam has different distribution center in and outside Pakistan, which provide foam to end-users. Inventory Diamond Foam never faces a problem of stock out because one day plant work in a day generate inventory for 2 weeks. Transport Diamond Foam has 150 trucks, which provide foam to dealers and distributors. Promotion Advertising Diamond Foam spends 10% of sales annually on advertisement and uses all means for communication (e.g. billboards, TV, radio, etc) for advertise their foam. Sales Promotion Diamond Foam gives different rates of discount to distributors on different brands. Operational Strategies of Diamond Foam Diamond Foam provides standardized foam in large quantity (mass production), continuously improves their operations and processes. Sometimes they do mass customization (in terms of size and smoothness, which is described by customers). Diamond Foam has no computer-integrated design for design of foam. Diamond Foam has skilled labor (job shop) and all plants are automated (dedicated transfer lines) and parts are not group together before the operation because one man can operate plant. Operations department is responsible for making highly economical, efficient and customer oriented operations from receipt of products to safe storage and onward dispatches to customers (dealers) timely and efficiently. How Diamond Foam make foam First of all they gather raw materials (PPG, TDI and catalysts). Three of them add in one tube and after this heat is given to their mixture and after this solution is spread by air and foam will be generated. Core Functions Following are core functions of Diamond Foams operations department: Product Receipts Handling Storage Dispatches Hospitality Operation Department Purchasing Strategies of Diamond Foam Diamond Foam purchases raw materials from many suppliers (multiple sourcing) of Korea, Taiwan and China. The basic raw material used in the process is Polypropylene Glycol (PPG), Toluene Di Isocynate (TDI) and many catalysts. Price of raw materials (PPG and TDI) is based on price of crude oil ($100/barrel). TDI prices have increased up to 35% since last 10 months. The primary function of the Diamond Foams purchasing department is to purchase the supplies, materials, equipment and services required to insure that maximum value is obtained for each rupees spent. Specific responsibilities, duties and functions of Diamond Foams purchasing department are as under: Policies and Procedures Develop purchasing objectives, policies, programs and procedures for the purchase and contracting for all materials, supplies, equipment and services. Specifications Prepare and assemble specifications and technical requirements. Consolidation Bulk Purchasing Explore the possibilities of buying in bulk to take full advantage of quantity discounts. According to the situation, Diamond Foam can purchase twice the raw material than demanded due to fluctuations in the prices of petroleum products. Standardization Work with other departments to establish standardization of materials, supplies and equipment where practicable within a competitive environment. Compliance with laws Insure that all purchases are made in compliance with applicable statutes, rules, regulations and policies. Unlawful for employees Unlawful for employees to purchase any materials, supplies, equipment, or make any contract with anyone without the consent/permission of purchasing department. PAK ELECTRON LTD PEL was established in 1956. with the technical collaboration of M/S AEG, West Germany. It is the oldest composite electrical equipment-manufacturing unit of Pakistan with the object of initially producing transformers, switchgears and electric motors. In 1962 after conclusion of joint venture agreement with AEG, total shareholding was purchased than by sponsors M/S Malik Brothers Limited. COMPETITIVE PRIORITIES: COST: Low cost QUALITY: Consistent quality with high class appliance performance. FLEXIBILITY: A lot of volume, equipment and workforce flexibility is present. OPERATIONAL/ FUNCTIONAL TESTING Here a refrigerator is operationally/ functionally tested. It is operated for a whole day. QUALITY CONTROL CHECKING Here the quality assurance is checked. The refrigerator is checked technically and physically by quality control. PACKING SECTION:- Now the refrigerator is ready for packing after quality control checking. So the refrigerators are packed according to their models and colors, and delivered to the Storeroom. INVENTORY MANAGEMENT: Pel is in a seasonal business since the demand season for their product is from April to September. PEL management estimates the demand very carefully and tries to avoid the pilling of the inventory. Production of PEL jump in Feb. to April and they need more Inventories in this season. To keep the overhead charges low PEL has a small no of permanent workers which -work through out the year. However to meet the demand of the peak season the management hire the workers at the temporary basis just before the start of the season. REORDER POINT: Optimal replenish inventory system is used by PEL. In more technical terms the minimum level serves as reorder point. For managing the Inventory of different types, The Company divides the inventory into two broad categories. Raw material Inventory Finished goods Inventory CAPACITY MEASURE In every department PEL has got several machines which are used in the production of various appliances and electrical equipment whose capacity is measured in term of the output measures. BOTTLE NECK In the whole production process there are certain stages which are more time consuming than the others. So this limits the out put rate to a minimum level to that which was expected. In the process of the refrigerator manufacturing the bottleneck is created at the thermo foaming machine. In the process; from base making to the packing at the stage of the foaming this bottleneck is created. CAPACITY STRATEGIES CAPACITY CUSHION On the average each department has the capacity cushion which varies from 5% to 15% ECONOMIES OF SCALE PEL is trying to reduce its cost through enjoying the economies of scales in his processes. Because of the purchasing in the bulk and using the activities as the measure of the overhead charges PEL has been successful in reducing The cost of materials The cost struck in the processes The cost in the overhead. b) Warburtons managing the supply chain to meet customer needs: Warburtons is a family firm founded in 1870s. It is the 2nd largest grocery brand in UK. Its main focus is on quality not quantity. It holds a market share of 25% of wrapped bread which makes it a market leader. It produces about two million of bakery products daily due to which there is an everyday fresh supply of baked products in the market. Warburtons have divided their economy into three sectors; primary, secondary and tertiary. The primary sector involves, the growing and extraction of raw materials, like grains. Warburtons work with the farmers of UK and Canada to get a very good quality of grain/wheat. Secondary sector deals with converting the collecting raw material, that is, wheat into flour and then finally flour into bread. From fifty years, Warburtons are working with millers which convert their wheat into quality flour. Then this flour is used to bake quality breads. Many modern techniques are used to perfectly bake bread and ensure quality. Tertiary sectors bridges other firms and clients with Warburtons. Tertiary sector is largest in UK as compared with primary and secondary. Warburtons have more than 900 delivery vehicles, which ensure a fresh supply of bread in market every day. It uses software to ensure efficiency of this fleet.(thetime100:Warburtons) Total Quality Management: Any company in the world can get 100% customer satisfaction and the default can be minimized to zero by using total quality management. Nissan:(thetime100:Nissan) Introduction Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK is the UKs largest car manufacturing plant. It is also the most productive plant in Europe. This success is due to careful planning and design. Total Quality Management (TQM) TQM is a key feature of Nissans way of working. It means that everyones focus is on quality at all times. It is a way of operating that requires people to take on an improvement culture where everyone is looking for ways to improve. Just in time This means that production happens just as it is needed. Cars are produced as customers need them; components arrive as assembly lines need them, and so on. In this way, production is more efficient and there is no cash tied up in stocks either of raw materials or finished goods. Every vehicle is electronically monitored at all stages of production so that its progress can be checked. Training In such a high technology environment it is important that people are trained. NMUKs training department concentrates on both technical and people development, providing opportunities for all employees. Kaizen Kaizen means continuous improvement. It means that Nissan believes that even the smallest change can make a difference. Improvements are usually suggested by small teams, who meet to share ideas for improvements. Unison:(thetime100:Unison) Every human has a right to be healthy and work in an environment where he/she is safe. Trade unions, like UNISON provides workers with their rights, health and safety. UNISON (the public service trade union) was formed in 1993, and nowadays it is UKs largest trade union. Its main focus is on providing workers with their rights, health and safety. It is a merger of three public sector unions in which two-third workforce consists of women. It has been observed that in presence of UNISONs safety representatives, ratio of accidents and death is decreased by half. UNISON plays an important role in workplace, like providing higher benefits (pays, compensations etc.) to the workers with extra holidays. It cares for the cleaning staff (as they are dealing with higher rate of accidents), looks after the catering (by improving food levels in schools and hospitals etc.) UNISONs legislation consists of two types of laws/clause; one is the HASAWA act 1974 (which bounds the employer to care and calculate risk for employees safety) and other law/clause binds the employee to look after itself and workers around him/her for their safety. UNISONs viewpoint is to provide long lasting health and safety for the workers. It focuses on women health and safety, reducing violence, bullying, passive smoking and minimizing the stress of the workers. Capacity Planning: Nissan:(thetime100:Nissan) Production Car assembly is a complex operation with many components requiring skilled assembly. Thats a crude indication of what is involved. Management are particularly keen to monitor total machine-hours and total labour-hours that each vehicle requires. So far, Nissan has invested over  £2.1 billion in the Sunderland site, taking its production capacity to 500,000 vehicles per year. Production methods must be able to produce what customers want, in the quantities customers require, at a price consumers are willing to pay, and at a cost that yields a profit to the business. That means that being efficient is vital to success. In some industries it is possible to carry out individual job production to meet a particular customers request e.g. a wedding dress, a birthday cake, a fitted kitchen. However, very nearly all of the worlds car manufacturers mass produce standard models, with individual consumer choice being accommodated by offering various colours, interior designs, and optional extras within a limited flexible production process. People can still personalise their cars further e.g. by choosing a particular car registration or accessories. In pursuit of high output at low average cost, car manufacturing typically uses a continuous flow production method, where sub-assemblies are brought together in a final assembly area. This is the most cost effective and efficient method of production and the speed of the final assembly line can be adjusted to match consumer demand. If demand picks up, the production line can be accelerated, within predefined limits. At NMUK, the production flow draws on three main production shops, as well as support areas. The three main shops are: body assembly painting final assembly. Supporting manufacturing areas are: press shop produces panels for the vehicles plastics shop makes bumpers (fenders) on site castings shop makes engine parts e.g. cylinder heads engine shop assembles engines, installs oil, coolant fuel axle plant produces axles that are joined to engines in final assembly. Widely different processes generate different jobs across three main broad areas. The machinery is scheduled to work at a given level although when demand requires it; there is flexibility in regard to both the machinery and the workforce of 4,300. At the moment, with a two-shift pattern, NMUK has a total production capacity of around 360,000 units/year a third shift can be introduced which would take production up to 500,000 units/year if and when required. Performance Measurement:(thetime100:cocacola) In any business activity it is important to be able to measure the success of strategies and operational activities. Measuring performance is the best way of assessing how effective strategies and initiatives have been, with a view to making appropriate adjustments. Organisations need to measure and report performance against stated aims contained in a business plan, eg daily output, employee turnover. The business will tend to measure and evaluate only those aspects of its business over which it has control. Ideally these measurements should also be benchmarked so that everyone can see how performance compares with others. Coca-Cola uses detailed sets of performance indicators for many areas of its activities, including its work to promote social responsibility. Community performance indicators include: Impact evaluations of community programmes. These include indicators of educational attainment as well as of environmental enhancement and conservation. Perception measures of the Company as a good neighbour. Inventory Management:( inventorymanagement.com) Inventory management is primarily about specifying the size and placement of stocked goods. Inventory management is required at different locations within a facility or within multiple locations of a supply network to protect the regular and planned course of production against the random disturbance of running out of materials or goods. The scope of inventory management also concerns the fine lines between replenishment lead time, carrying costs of inventory, asset management, inventory forecasting, inventory valuation, inventory visibility, future inventory price forecasting, physical inventory, available physical space for inventory, quality management, replenishment, returns and defective goods and demand forecasting. c) Pel does not have proper inventory planning by the management due to which heavy amount of the money is being put by the company in the inventory.PEL has the strength also that it has a good repute for the company as being the quality conscious company. It has own experts for the purpose of the control of the quality of products. Due to the good sight selection for the purpose of the power division the company has more access to the whole of the markets of the country. The company also has well established system of the distribution of the company although it is not the integrated one but it is working smoothly. The company should also make some of the methods for the purpose of the keeping the inventory at the optimal level. Proper planning of the material can decrease the amount of the investment in the inventories by the company. The management of this company does not use the sophisticated technique while making or performing the function of the demand forecasting by the company. They rely more on the judgmental methods for the purpose of the projection by the company about their sales. In Diamond Foam the training is given to workers for developing their skills for future. The promotion based on consistent with job. Training is given on following basis. Identify the gap in performance of the employees Compile detail of employee require training Identify the areas of training Identify the skills of trainees. Train the employee Management assesses the training programs success or failure. Benefits for employees Benefits for employees provided by Diamond Foam are as under. Medical allowances given by the company to the candidate Lunch and dinner facility for employees Apron, gloves and other requirements related to production of foam mattress will be provided by the company Uniforms provided by the company to helpers/guard Health and Safety policies Health and safety policies are described by Diamond Foam are given below. Production area should be clean First aid should be provided in case of any emergency Proper ventilation system/ exhaust fans to maintain the temperature In case of any fire there should be fire extinguisher and an exit door in factory and different offices Electric wires should be placed as no wires come under feet. Wire should be correctly placed Conclusion: I have researched both companies and I have gained much knowledge about different aspects,operations,frameworks in both organization Diamond Foam and PEL.Both are using different types of inventory management, Total Quality managemeny,supply chain design, performance measures,capacity planning. Buddhism: What Is Nirvana? Buddhism: What Is Nirvana? Buddhism represents one of the greatest religions in the world. Its roots are traced back in India, and today it forms the major religion of countries such as Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar and Cambodia. Buddhists have also been found to occupy some areas in Europe including Asia, Australia and America. The major distinguishing feature of Buddhism is that, Buddhists never believe in God as with the other religions. Buddha is the figure from which they obtain and follow their religious teachings. Buddha is not recognized as a name. It stands for a title which carries the meaning of the enlightened one. All Buddhists have one main goal, to become enlightened just like Buddha and live free from all manner of desire. Buddhism came from the transformative experience of nirvana followed by his compassionate feeling of helping others realize nirvana by themselves (Ganeri, p. 3; Trainor, p. 66). The teachings of Buddhism come from the experiences Buddha has while searching the truth about suffering and how it can be ended. Buddha had several lessons. The first lesson was known as the Four Noble truths. These teachings explained that the experiences of suffering is everyone`s in life. This suffering is as a result of people not being contended with what they have. According to the Second Noble truth, suffering is caused by desire. A term trishna is usually used and implies that all human beings yearn for a number of things. These include; food, power, sex and possessions. Buddha explains that all these are world troubles and are rooted deeply in desire. Desire is known to wrap the human mind distorting our understanding and leading us to desire-driven ways. Such ways tend to ensure human continued suffering and inevitable samara. Samara is likened to a flooding river in the early texts of Buddha. This river sweeps away humanity to misery, death and rebirth. This flooding is a s a result of submitting to desire. Buddha`s teachings are likened to a raft that can be used to take refuge, overcoming the water currents and reaching the other end. This is the offshore end which is safer and is likened to nirvana. It is argued in pali texts that desire is integral in the world and because of this its power managed to shape life on earth (Trainor, p. 66). The Third Noble Truth highlights a terse reference to the Buddhists central focus on the spiritual causation. The cyclical cause pattern and the effect through which desire leads to intense suffering can be reversed. This will eventually be controlled leading to the possibilities of enlightenment and nirvana. First humans were non-material beings and enjoyed blissful and long lives. One of them happened to taste the sweetest thing on earth, and the same thing today is being consumed by crave and desire. The other humans tasted the sweet thing and the radiance disappeared. Peoples` bodies became solid as plants and other edible materials appeared. Desire became so powerful such that creatures divided themselves into gender, initiated sex along with theft, lying, and harmful actions. All these characterize the world as we know it today. Buddhism gives careful analysis in the early texts which explained that the existence of desire will prevent one from reaching nirvana (Trainor, p. 66). Philosophers in Buddhism divide desire into three kinds; for sensual pleasure, for rebirth and future rebirth. Early Buddhists found difficulties following the idea of ending desire. For Buddhists, the body is to be respected and should maintain life. It should be cared for but not loved. Desire must also be eliminated without mutilating the body. Focus on desire makes plain Buddhists` emphasis on renunciation and detachment. Buddhists everyday life involves renunciation of the everyday world of desire in favor of the monastic community. Sangha settled for a refuge just for this (Harvey, p. 69). This would offer individuals a chance to lead a simple life and thus lose their desires. At the same time, the name of Buddha would be administered as good medicine of his Dharma to sick humanity. Advanced stages in refuge lead to the desire to learn more of Buddha`s teachings. The desire to be enlightened was to be renounced so as to reach nirvana, the ultimate goal of all Buddhists (Trainor , p. 66). There is also another way of bringing the aspects of desire to an end. This is through following the lessons of the Noble Eightfold path. Buddha, from his experiences had realized that there is no happiness in great hardship or great luxury. Thus, he taught the Noble Eightfold path that is divided into eight parts (Ganeri, p. 6). Right understanding is the first part and involves gaining as understanding of Buddha`s teachings. The second part is that of right intention. This part says that people should have compassion about others and always think about them in a very kind and generous way. Rights speech is the third part and teaches people not to tell lies, speak unkindly or swear. The fourth part is right action. People are taught not to steal, kill or perform actions that might upset or harm other people. The fifth part is right livelihood and teaches people to earn their living in ways that do not cause harm to others. Right effort represents the sixth part and teaches people to make the effort of being compassionate and kind. The seventh part is that of right mindfulness, which involves being aware of your own thoughts and actions. Lastly, there is right concentration where people are taught to train their minds to be clear and calm always (Ganeri, p. 6). Life`s purpose for most people, for example, in Thailand, is to get enough merit through acting and thinking in a better way. It is also understood that it takes several lives to reach the goal of nirvana. Buddhism as discussed already, arose from the transformation of Buddha`s experience of nirvana and his compassion to help other people realize nirvana by themselves. Buddhists` wise statements compare nirvana with fire extinction. Ancients Indians understand that extinguishing a flame releases the flame so that it returns to an agitated, diffuse and eternal state. Nirvana bears these associations, although it is most often believed to be ahead of all known states of existence (Trainor, p. 69). Men and women realize nirvana through cultivation of wisdom (prajna). Prajna is the active capacity for discernment of the spiritual world, realizing the true nature of reality, which is described as something marked by suffering, impermanence, non-self and the three characteristics of existence. Complete development of prajna is vital to enlightenment. This is a view that has been shared by all Buddhists schools. Enlightenment, as a term, expresses how the fullness of prajna eliminates all aspects of ignorance and at the same time enabling the mind the see clearly, what reality is all about (Trainor, p. 70). Enlightened individuals at their death enter parinirvana which means complete nirvana. This is an after death state and is beyond description as many texts put it. Nirvana has been discussed covering both its positive and negative sides; a realm where there exists no sun or moon, going or coming; an impersonal state transcending individuality. Basing on positive terms, nirvana is at times described as eternal, pure, tranquil and deathless. Philosophers in Buddhism are known to recognize nirvana as the only reality that is permanent in the cosmos. Nirvana is famously considered as indescribable. It is not as depicted erroneously by the early Western interpreters as annihilation meaning an extreme position rejected by the Buddha. An influential definition of nirvana used by the Mahayana tradition presents the famous dictum of the philosopher Nagarjuna. Practitioners in many of the existing traditions have endeavored with beauty and eloquence in expression of their experience and enligh tenment (Trainor, p. 68). According to Buddha`s Noble eightfold path, the fourth noble truth offers the formula for getting rid of desire. The eight ideals described in the concept provide a cure for the continued cycle of rebirth, suffering and death. These eight ideals are divided traditionally into three categories, which all mark the progressive path to nirvana. The three categories include; morality under right speech, right action and right livelihood; meditation under right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration; and lastly, the cultivation of prajna under right view and right thought. Buddha`s definition of the Eightfold path rejected two ideas that are known to be central to the religions of the other world. The first idea is that there is no relationship or belief in the transcendent creator God. This God is the one who is known to sustain the world and also people depend on him for salvation and security. The second idea is that of believing in an immortal soul. This idea is rejected as false consolation that is similarly unsupported by critical analysis. Soul, just like God, is described as a projection of the human mind that is desire-driven in the search for immortality and security (Trainor, p. 68). Eightfold Path is emphasized by the Buddha as a practical guide that is goal-directed. He told his disciples to avoid engaging in mere intellectualism or idle speculations. There is one famous parable of, The Poison Arrow which Buddha uses to describe a problem facing a man who has been hit by a poison-tipped arrow. The Buddha suggests about three questions which the man should possibly ask. The first question is if the man should inquire about the person who shot arrow and the second one about the wood type the arrow is made of. The third question is whether the shot was aimed low or higher. After analyzing a series of other similar scenarios, Buddha explains that only if the man practically addresses the mortal danger that is before him, through getting rid of the poison that would kill him, can he survive. Buddha cautioned his disciples about wasting their time on pointless philosophical inquiries; they will end up squandering their spiritual opportunities (Trainor, p. 71). The path to nirvana has several classing stages. The first stage is that of steam-enterers who realize the illusion of the self and no longer doubt Buddha`s path. They thus expect more than seven rebirths before attaining nirvana. At an advanced stage, the devotee becomes a once returner. He or she has a highly developed prajna, and this means that the person will experience further human life once. Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism both consider Buddha as the highest form of being. Theravada traditions consider both the Buddha and arbat (the enlightened one) to have fully developed prajna (Trainor, p. 88). They also share the same realization of nirvana and pass into the parinirvana state (cessation of birth) (Harvey, p. 223). Buddha taught his followers to be teachers and also to realize that they are different persons, each of whom bearing different status determined by their karma. Depending on whether they are ordinary people, learners or adopts, each of them has to be instructed in a different way and led as required by Buddha`s path. Tradition puts emphasis on the opportunity of human birth that it should not be wasted regardless of the individual`s level. Life should thus not be wasted and instead, should be lived with a purpose. Buddhists have a hope of attaining nirvana in the current life they lead and if not, in their future rebirth (Trainor, p. 71). Regarding the Four Noble truths, Buddha explains that if his vision of true knowledge failed to be fully and clearly understood, he stands not to have reached perfect enlightenment. To experience Nirvana, Buddhists should progress towards being more enlightened and gain a better understanding of the Four Noble Truth. This was to happen through meditation and critical reflection of what Buddhism is all about. Knowledge on the elements of the path, however, much sophisticated it appeared, was not sufficient. Following the path and polishing one`s understanding of each of the known elements will lead one to nirvana (Trainor, p. 71). The Noble Eightfold Truth path presents the most vital summary of the Buddhist`s practice. It is known to outline the necessary and progressive ways of realizing nirvana. The path is understood as the means of cultivating morality (shila) insight (prajna) and meditation (Samadhi) as has been stated. It stresses that progress in morality forms the foundation for the successful meditation. Successful meditation, on the other hand, serves the best platform for the development and perfection of wisdom or insight (Trainor, p. 72). The stages of the Eightfold Path towards Nirvana underscore the practical emphasis of Buddhism as whether, in the goal of raising moral standards, good conduct, the society`s material welfare or eliminating desire-driven behavior, cognition restructuring and in the end realizing enlightenment. Moral practices or shila which fall under right speech, right action and right livelihood represent the starting point Buddhist`s path. A person cannot progress towards nirvana while lacking ethical integrity (Trainor, p. 72). Regarding karma, a person cannot bear the balance of karma that warrants reaching the advanced stages of the path to nirvana while behaving in an immoral way. Morality of Buddhists, when stated positively, dictates the wisdom of cultivating compassion, discernment and detachment. The morality of Buddhists hinges on three areas of human behaviors. These include; speech, actions and livelihood. Right action as per a negative description means not to steal, kill or doing harm to others. These aspects of human behavior lead to negative karmic consequences poisoning the mind and thus predisposing a person to future immorality (Trainor, p. 72). Meditation according to the Eightfold path refers to the right effort, right concentration and right mindfulness. The term meditation encompasses various techniques and traditions that work hand in hand with the mind. It is necessary for the development of the mind in terms of clarity of the mind, freedom from states of negativity, insights of conditioned reality that finally lead to nirvana. Meditation has its stem rooted in the experiences Buddha went through. Buddha`s meditation was directed by the itinerant teachers, the holy men he stayed with while he was in the forest. A practitioner of meditation following Buddha`s example may require a number of years of effort to master. He or she should also be guided by a mentor who is experienced so as to reach the advanced stages of meditation (Trainor, p. 72). Meditation develops on mindfulness together with the two elements of concentration and insight. Right concentration according to the Eightfold Path, is also known as trance meditation (Samadhi), and it involves intense focus on one object of meditation. This leads one to a state of one-pointedness through which the duality of other and self id dissolved. Standing in the conditioned or the unconditioned is a notion in nirvana taken up by the Mahayana Buddhism. It is referred to as apratisthita-nirvana or the non-abiding nirvana. It is usually seen as different from the elements of nirvana discussed in the pali texts. This nirvana as discussed by gadjin Nagao is the nirvana attained by the Bodhisattvas. The basic idea here is that Bodhisattvas attain nirvana because of wisdom and with through compassion, and also a Buddhist has no intention of reaching nirvana after death (Harvey, p. 221). Right view and right action are traditionally known as wisdom in Buddhism. They too culminate the means to nirvana. Right view is described as the thorough understanding of the Four Noble Truths while right thought is seen as a detachment from cruelty and hatred. These two aspects of human behavior are known to lead to enlightenment. Buddha`s teachings provide unique teachings of achieving this. The success of a person that is moving from morality to meditation is measured by the development of prajna (Trainor, p. 74). Buddhism as a religion provides opportunities for other comparative studies with a diversified range of studies. Its emphasis on Middle way provides different guidelines for ethics and at the same time has allowed Buddhism as a religion to coexist with other differing beliefs, institutions and countries where it is practiced and customs. Its spirituals and moral teachings go parallel with other religions. The tenets of Christianity, as has been found by many scholars around the world have represented the subjects of close studies (Weeraperuma, p. 77). Reactive Change Management: Overview and Case Study Reactive Change Management: Overview and Case Study Introduction Life and changes were born together and they will live together, till the last sunset. The concept of changes was born with the organizations, however its evolution, development and connotations have frequently changed and its horizontal, as well as, vertical expansions and applications are extending day be day, with a fast speed. Manifold and multidimensional revolutions from era has enhance the speed of changes and given it many new shapes. It is very interesting phenomenon that inventions, discoveries, concepts, hypothesis and terminologies etc are coined or designed for one specific field, but then they outgrow and enter into many other fields and areas, carrying different meaning, perceptions and interpretations. In the present era of globalization and information technology, the organizations have to face various changes on a very rapid pace. Thus, demanding an increased and active participation of management towards identifying and reacting to the changes. The different ways t o manage changes in organizations are being practice at various levels. Effective Change Management The process of effective change management enables the organizations to successfully implement changes in the strategies and plans in order to enhance their effectiveness. The strategies can be implemented to deal various changes like changes in consumer behavior, technological developments etc. This concept appears to be helpful in responding to a change in the lifecycle of goods or services produced by the company and changes in the financial stability of the company. Organizations may consider the effective change management strategies from a proactive or reactive situation. Proactive situation demands manager to vigorously assess the current economic market and business atmospheric circumstances to highlight the changes occur in the near long-term future. By assessing these information, the managers adopt to develop business strategies to improve or enhance business operation. The Concept of Reactive Change Management In order to cater the major shifts or changes occurs in the corporate world and economic market the organizations consider various strategies. Although, the approach of reactive change management normally appears to be imperceptible but the implementation of effective strategies can not only reduces its negative impacts but enable the companies to increase their market share. Factors to be Considered when Managing a Change The change agent Determining what should be changed The kind of change to make Individuals affected by the modifications Evaluation of the modification The Change Agent The identification and analysis of change agent comes out to be the most important factor while managing a reactive change in the corporate world. The change agent may requires some broad nature decisions like altering the culture of whole organization, or some narrow ones like designing and implementing a new safety program or a new quality program. Determining what should be changed Secondly the finalization of the factors which are required to be reviewed for managing changes in an organization is highly important. In common, managers should make only those changes that will increase organizational effectiveness. The organizational effectiveness primarily depends upon activities revolving around the three factors. a. People b. Structure c. Technology People factors are attitudes, leadership skills, communication skills and all other characteristics of the human resources within the organization. Structural factors are organizational controls, such as policies and procedures. And technological factors are any types of equipment or processes that assist organization members in the performance of their jobs. For the management of organization, while managing changes the theme Appropriate people must be matched with appropriate technology and appropriate structure proves to be necessary. The Kind of Changes to Make When the management has to review their current strategies for managing changes the factor of selecting appropriate areas is critical. For example in order to manage technological change the level of current technologies requires to be modified. Individuals Affected by the Change A fourth major factor to be considered by the organization while managing changes is the identification of its influences on the individuals both inside and outside of the organization. A good assessment of what to change and how to make the change will be wasted if organization members do not support the change. Evaluation of the Modifications In connection with the other factors the evaluation of the modifications being made for managing changes is very necessary. It will enable the management to evaluate the effectiveness of the modifications made to manage change. Resistance to Change Resistance to change is as common as the need of change. After managers decide to make some organizational changes, they typically meet with employee resistance aimed at preventing that change from occurring. Behind this resistance by organization members lies the fear of some personal loss, such as a reduction in personal prestige, a disturbance of established social and working relationships, and personal failure because of inability to carry out new job requirements. Reducing Resistance to Change To ensure the success of needed modifications, management should be able to reduce the effects of the resistance that typically accompanies proposed change. Resistance can usually be lowered by following these guidelines: 1. Avoid Surprises: People need time to evaluate a proposed change before management implements it. Unless they are given time to evaluate and absorb how the change will affect them. Whenever, possible individuals who will be affected by a change should be informed of the kind of change being considered and the probability that it will be adopted. 2. Promote Real Understanding: When fear of personal loss related to a proposed change is reduce, opposition to change is also reduced. Most managers find that ensuring that organization members thoroughly understand a proposed change is a major step in reducing this fear. 3. Set the Stage for Change: Perhaps the most powerful tool for reducing resistance to change is managements positive attitude toward the change. This attitude should be displayed openly by top and middle management as well as by lower management. In essence, management should convey that change is one of the basic prerequisites for a successful organization. Management should also strive to be seen as encouraging change to increase organizational effectiveness, rather than for sake of trying something new. Case Study of Strategic change at Samsung Group Case study is a research strategy which involves investigation of a particular contemporary phenomenon in the real life situation using multiple sources of evidence. More elaborate explanation on the nature of the case study as a research strategy was given by Frenkel, Hommel, Dufey Markus, (2005). in whose view case study represents a specific way of collecting, organizing, and analyzing data. Grounded theory represents a strategy which posits that the data is collected through observations and compared to various theoretical frameworks in order to discover which of the data is the most appropriate. This leads the researcher into making predictions about the studied phenomena prior to putting the findings into test. However, the aim of grounded theory is to make studied data records well-developed and understood and to verify relationships between the findings and the case study in question (Frenkel, Hommel, Dufey Markus, 2005). Samsung Group, a company based in the Republic of Korea that produces electronic products like televisions and radios, was able to compete favorable in the world market on the basis of low product cost resulting primarily from cheap labor and a cheap Korean currency. But when both the competitive advantages vanished the company had to adopt some different strategies. The management of Samsung Group evaluated the circumstances and adopted a change in their strategy. They decided to utilize the factor of innovation by exploring new ideas and products instead of depending on low product cost. This change management of the Samsung Group, enabled them to grab big dividends. The top management of Samsung also enabled to guide their employees towards the new strategies of bringing innovative products. Advantage of Reactive Change Management The effective utilization of reactive change management enables the management of organizations to increase their market share and to bring success for their organization. Some of the main advantages are discussed below: -. In-depth Assessment of Changes The reactive change management provides some additional time to access the impacts of changes being faced by the corporate world. It is obvious that the results of changes at any level can be determined after its implementation and a reasonable time span. Therefore, by adopting reactive change management the organization gets the opportunity to analyze the impact of changes and then finalizing the plans and strategies to cater those changes. Evaluation of Competitors Strategies and their Outcome Reactive change management also enables the management to evaluate the changes adopted by their competitors to mange the change. Moreover, the outcome of those strategies could also be judged and considered while finalizing the change management strategies. Consultation for Change Management Strategies Reactive change management lets the management to embrace consultations within the organizational setup to evaluate the changes being encountered. Moreover, various suggestions regarding the strategies and policies can be discussed and their implications can be evaluated. This process will enable them to enhance the participating of various organizational members and results in enhancing the effectiveness of strategies and policies. Enhances the Stability of Organization Stability of organization is as important as the need of growth. If an organization adopts change management strategies on frequent basis it will questions the factor of its stability. Reactive change management enables organizations to evaluate the factor of stability before adopting any change in their strategies. Conclusion Most of the managers agree that if an organization is to thrive, it must change in response to significant developments in the corporate environment, such as changing customer needs, technological breakthroughs, and new government regulations. The study of organizational changes is extremely important because all managers at all organizational levels are faced throughout their careers with the task of changing their organization. Managers who determine appropriate changes to make in their organizations and them implement such changes successfully enable their organizations to be more flexible and innovative. Change is such a fundamental part of organizational existence and growth. In additional to organizational change, degree of stability is a prerequisite for long-term organizational success. The organizational survival and growth are most probable when both stability and adaptation are high within the organization. The organization without enough stability to compliment changes is at a definite disadvantage. When stability is low the probability of organizational survival and success decline.

Dantes Inferno: Dantes Journey Toward Enlightenment Essay -- Dantes

Dante's Inferno: Dante's Journey Toward Enlightenment While reading Dante’s Inferno I couldn’t help but draw parallels between the journey of the protagonist and the belief system of the Buddhist religion. Dante believed we must understand sin before we can reject it, and Buddha believed that before we can reject sin, we must suffer also. Examining these two tenets side by side makes the similarities undeniably apparent; they both seem to be purporting the message that there cannot be pain without pleasure, truth without dishonesty or enlightenment with suffering. Dante’s version of hell is based on that of Medieval Catholicism, which professes to be quite divergent from the Buddhist faith. Yet the similarities are actually quite prevalent when reviewed from an impartial perspective. The first resemblance I noticed between the two faiths was in regards to the Roman epic poet Virgil, who acts as Dante’s mentor and protector while accompanying him on his extraordinary journey through Hell. This immediately made me think of the spirit guides that Buddhists believe channel them towards salvation. Dante views Virgil as many Christians view God; as a father figure, from whom guidance, information, and forgiveness is actively sought. Dante refers to Virgil as "Master", "Guide", "Teacher", "Poet" in the beginning; yet he eventually begins to refer to Virgil as "Lord", implying that he sees Virgil not as a traditional father figure, but as a spiritually divine one. This is evidenced even further in Canto XXX, line 130 – end, in which Dante needs Virgil’s forgiveness, which suggests that his clemency bears some divine power of atonement. This Christian tendency to have a spirit guide take on the characteristics of a ruling de... ... the truth of the path that leads to the end of suffering. More simply put, suffering exists; it has a cause; it has an end; and it has a cause to bring about its end. The notion of suffering in Buddhism then, is not intended to convey a negative world view, but rather, to connote a pragmatic perspective that deals with the world as it is, and subsequently attempts to remedy it. The concept of pleasure is not denied, but is rather acknowledged as fleeting in that the pursuit of pleasure can only sustain what is ultimately an unquenchable thirst. Works Cited [1] Carter, John Ross and Mahinda Palihawadana, trans. and ed. The Dhammapada. New York: Oxford University Press, 1987, verses 116-119. [2] Alighieri, Dante. The Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri: Inferno. Trans. Allen Mandelbaum. Notes Allen Mandelbaum and Gabriel Marruzzo. New York: Bantam Books, 1980

Character Monologe of John Yosarian :: essays research papers fc

Hello my name is John Yossarian, I am a captain in my squadron of pilots that runs bombing missions during this retched war. All my life I’ve hated war I think it’s utterly pointless, men losing their lives only to ensure their freedom.. I do not know why I am being forced to fight, but the way I look at it is ‘lets just get it over with’, this type of attitude helps me try to complete my missions as soon as possible. While that may sound like an easy task the truth is it isn’t, the main reason why is because of my damn colonel†¦ Catchcart is his name and he keeps â€Å"lifting the bar† on the number of missions required by us before we can be sent home. At first I didn’t even want to have to fight, so I tried all means to get out of this blasted battle. I even said that I had a pin in my liver and was sent to the hospital, but that turned out to be more trouble then it was worth. After being discharged from the small Italian facility I could only seem to wonder why no one else saw the pointlessness of all these â€Å"heroes† fighting an endless massacre, the question never could seem to leave my mind†¦ I guess its just one of those questions that has no real answer. Some of the men in my squad are Milo Minderbinder, who had was a leader of a underground black market and the head of the mess hall, Hungry Joe, well what can I say about Joe†¦ he used to be a photographer for Life magazine and he has an obsession with naked women, quite the oddball if you ask me. McWatt, he was always a happy one, rarely caught him without a smile on his face. Clevinger, rest his poor soul, he was always an optimistic, always had a question for everything and he was usually very opinionated. You know, every man has his own limits in life, and I’ve just about reached mine with all of these missions, this war has nothing more to offer me and I nothing to offer it. So I refused to fly any more missions. I am now on the streets of Rome, but my â€Å"freedom† was short lived, an officer arrested me for not having a pass.

Mobile Technology in Higher Education

THE IMPACT OF MOBILE INFORMATION COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY ON STUDENT’S ATTITUDES AND PERCEPTIONS IN HIGHER EDUCATION The use of the mobile technologies gives an excellent opportunity to connect the digital division that has an effect on so many students. At University of the Western Cape, we proudly possess leadership that leads underrepresented students. This article will show the efforts made to: change and construct positive attitudes toward the use of Mobile Information Communications (ICT), understand habits in computer usage, and do experiments to show which methods are more effective in usage of mobile technologies to improve academic performance. Our way was to make use of mobile technologies with differing form factors into the learning environment and find their impact on student insight and performance. Results, ways and evaluation tools were developed within a general framework to gauge the effectiveness of our approach.The results on hand in this article will sho w how technology factor, use and student categorization has a positive impact on student’s attitudes and views as well as their academic performances. Introduction When students’ access to computers is limited outside of computer lab available, there was need that existed to promote the use of technology as an essential instrument that could be used as an integral part of the curriculum. For some a smaller group of students, studies showed that gaining access to computers and technology as a child growing up was not as vast as the other students. Hence, it was realised that there may be the fear factor at the introduction of technology to students 2. Enhanced understandings of computers and how they work and how information is exchanged was an important concern toward using technology effectively. Our attempt addressed the need to correct and construct positive attitudes toward mobile technology and heavily promote the need to understand habits of computer usage by the underrepresented categories and which methods were most effective in using mobile technologies.The approach we used was to highlight the neccessity to improve the students’ awareness of how technological tools ( mobile tools in particular) can have impact on their academic efficiency and performance. As a result we developed a short course module that could be used in any discipline to gauge and positively strengthen the productive aspects of mobile technology. The idea was to give a certain group of student’s mobile technology in various forms that they could take with them once the period class in this course ended (mobile class) period has ended.Our enthusiasm drove us to make use of this opportunity to further study the impact of mobile computer ownership on user views and performance within the academic framework in that effort. First year student matriculation as a whole was relatively low and unbalanced where close to 50% of students left university before rece iving a degree. Students go into the university with very little understanding as to: * What tasks a student accomplishes, the courses involved, and the technical aspects required. First semester is important in shaping if the student finishes as well as the pace in which the student finishes.However, it was shown that educational understanding and construction has a larger effect on attrition than complexity of the subject or ability * . The preceding factors make first year students interesting candidates for the mobile technology incorporation studies. The Technology The introduction of local and personal area networks such as Wi-Fi provided an affordable mobile solution to broaden learning and collaborating capabilities outside the classroom. Wi-Fi provided a platform that allowed the use of personal digital assistants (PDAs), tablets and wireless capable laptops by connectivity to the internet.It also enabled students to create peer networks that made information shared and deb ated in groups Students that took part in the mobile course modules had three mobile gadgets to choose from: COMPAQ/HP Tablet PC TC1000, the Gateway notebook PC and HP IPAQ 5450 POCKET PC. These mobile devices had a customized version of the Microsoft Windows Platform made to processing power and memory allocations available. The Windows CE incorporated built-in a platform for the pocket touch screen, recognition of handwriting, file transfers via infrared, Bluetooth connection, and biometric security.The Windows XP Tablet PC edition incorporated a system for the pen stylus, handwriting recognition, and remote presentation displays. All devices were capable of Wi-Fi connectivity. The device a particular student received was based on likes and availability. Preference depended on the main five categories: shape factor or size, processing power, memory space, data entry, and network connectivity. We classed the mobile devices in factors below to quantify which device the student would prefer if all devices were available.They had to rate wither it was best, worst or intermediate. It was in terms of the shape, processing ability, memory availability, data entry ease and network connectivity. The result was that the Table PC was the best trade off between sizes, data entry, processing power, memory, and connectivity. Students were most likely to take the tablet PC first. It also showed that the students who had tablet PC responded much positively to the mobile computing modules exercises. The wireless notebook was best described as a replacement for the desktop class machine.The students got the devices at the start of the course and were allowed to maintain ownership till the end of the module. Ownership was a vital characteristic to give students freedom to discover the capability of the device and roam within the wireless factor outside the classroom. The convenience of the device depended on the application and type of projects. Assessment and Attitudes of Mob ile Technology Module Design Incorporating mobile technology into the classroom needed a clearly distinct educational goal for the student to gain anything valuable.The overall goal for this course module was to restrain the anxiety associated with introduction to new technology. This expectation was to allow the students with the technology to enhance investigative skills and collaborative skills. Students were originally advised to try the material individually to acquire core competency and ease with the technology. Afterwards, students were placed into groups to work together on complex tasks using the mobile technology. Designing of the course module, emphasis was ought to be placed on all aspects of learning.According to Marzano and Pickering an excellent way was to follow the dimensions of learning structure. The model illustrated five dimensions of learning: * Positive attitudes and views about Learning * Processes involved in getting and incorporating knowledge * Processes involved in extending and enlightening knowledge * Processes involved in using knowledge significantly * Efficient behaviour of the mind Dimension one affected students’ effort put in the course. The attitude and view of course material upon getting into the classroom may have had a dramatic impact on overall performance of the student.Second dimension involved the students’ capability to incorporate the knowledge into long-term memory. Therefore the student acquired the skills to use what they had learned to future courses or assignments. Extension of the incorporated knowledge encompassed the third dimension. The student applied reasoning processes to help them grow and improve the material. Fourth dimension involved the use of the acquired knowledge for solving problems, making decisions and analysis. The final one focused on traits development for the student that allowed critical thinking, creativity, and ability to regulate themselves.After establishing the frame , strategies must be in place to blend in technology successfully into the course, record outcomes, and report results. The main focus in the design of this course module was to cover the first two dimensions. We wanted to avoid the fear, and encourage healthy attitudes and views that first year students have about technology and their curriculum over the long run. While students completed assignments, conducted research and worked together in teams, integrating and using the acquired knowledge is required.The 3 objectives that were common in all activities that involved mobile usage technology: * Promoted an environment that allowed the student to judge the weaknesses and strength of computer ownership and impact of ownership on performance. Student appraised advantages and disadvantages of different mobile platforms in a classroom environment. The student learnt about computer/network organization. * Issued assignments that required extended hours to complete * Evaluated and asses sed the most effective form of ownership that impacted the student’s ability to complete an assignment.BEFORE AND AFTER SURVEY * Had the students do an interactive recreational activity during off hours. * Encouraged students to find other areas that would encourage them to consider private ownership * Monitored usage statistics THE METHODS OR METRICS USED 1. Divided the students into teams that have mobile computational systems with varying types 2. Distinguish strengths and weaknesses of each platform in implementing a task. The students had to learn about computer/network organization and set-up different of simple wireless connections. THE METHODS OR METRICS USED . Had the students arrange simple fixed and wireless networks 2. Developed an initial level understanding of network protocol stack and connectionless networks Written Report 1. Had the students construct pages for peer to-peer and structure networking 2. Familiarized students with mobile computing skills and inf ormation sharing. The aims, outcomes and assessment methods shown in gave a high-level sight of material taught in the module. The tasks were made interactive in which the students had the ability to investigate capabilities of the technology further.In class works were carried out in a co-operative learning style environment where the team size varied between 2 to 4 students. Outside class students were encouraged to work together but all written assignments were collected individually. The students had to research and report on technology, implementation of the technology, and show its usefulness. The student learnt the complexities of the computer networking, device and wireless networks. Projects ranged from the use of pocket pc and/or laptops to create peer-to-peer networks over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. An exampleThe students are investigated a mobile application by examining how one used a pocket PC device. An in class demonstration was done where teams of students were to explore the major components of a web based application. Afterwards they had to complete this task and report on advantages and disadvantages of the different forms . Also they were required to find these components, on the internet, and write a short report that had to be handed in electronically before the next class. Students also used applications e. g. virtual network computing to handle servers and desktops remotely .Also some applications contained servers that allowed complex computation on the server to be reported on the device The survey analysis was divided into three categories: * Perception of students on mobile technology * Usage of mobile technology * Effect of mobile on retention Targeted Programs and Course Some first year courses had been designed to familiarize students with the faculty, our facilities and resources and projects that required group work. Four three-week sections of the courses involved 118 first year students.Addition to using that course module to inves tigate some of their main curriculum courses, were made to infuse mobile technology into the different research organizations within the university. Thirty-six foundation students in the Law faculty used notebook and tablet PCs for six weeks to help in their research t. These students studied various topics such as basic laws, family, corporate and ethics. Ten students, including 3 from Zimbabwe, in the Science faculty used tablet PCs for eight weeks to discover knowledge fusion and acquisition techniques.The usage of the mobile technology to students in the different research groups varied depending on the nature of the research. For example, teams may deal closely with mobile technology using remote procedures needed technology or application development. Whereas, other teams may not use e-mobility technology for research but instead use them for information communication among members or work division. Perception on Mobile Technology * The most frequent trend in the analysis was that students felt mobile technology had higher relevance after having ownership and using the device than before. Ownership and using the device allowed the student to find relevance and apply the device to his/her environment. * Another trend taken note of is the relationship between time of ownership and the change that actually comes in student’s perception. The Science and Law students’ ownership period was close to three times longer than that of the other faculites’students. Therefore, in the end positive perceptions of students others faculties changed approximately higher on average. However the perceptions of students in Law and Science changed more dramatically.Positive perceptions for Science increased close to 60% and students participating in Law increased about 15% on average. Mobile Technology Usage While finishing interactive tasks with the mobile device and discovering its capabilities, most students gained a sense for the usefulness of the dev ice and mobile networking. For instance, while gaining knowledge about the technology and finishing a task using Bluetooth technology, the student found out that their cell-phone was also able to communicate via Bluetooth. The students were able to finish the tasks by joining his cell phone to network with other students using PDA’s.This technology raised the student’s interest and they showed initiative to use the technology further. Focusing on the aspect of ownership students’ views changed on buying a device for fun and convenience to that of buying for information access and research. Students who had longer ownership found means to use technology and contemplated more about using computational tools in their studies. STUDENT MAINTENANCE Attrition in faculties was discussed earlier in this paper. Theories within department’s research indicated that more exposure to technology made the curriculum more interesting.The prospect was to enhance the studen ts, increase probability of finishing through their degrees. It was discovered that even limited use of Mobile Technology raised the students’ interest in the more technological advancements to come. OTHER FACULTIES IN THE RESEARCH A modified questionnaire on computer attitude was developed to gauge on attitudes about computer value, enjoyment of the computer, studying habits, empathy, persistence and motivation, tendencies to be creative, school, mobile ownership, knowledge and importance for the first year courses. Results indicated fair amount of anxiety over all platforms.Also in views and acquired knowledge showed that technology ownership had a direct effect on the first two scopes of learning in the presence of technological combination. Most frequent were the fluctuating results in enjoyment of computer, email usage, e-classroom application and usage of computers. Tablet PC users exhibited constant satisfaction across the board. We hypothesize that the tablet PC strik es the balance in portability, performance and functionality that the user used it more and was more productive with it compared to the rest used in the study.This was especially applicable in urban areas where the student was tasked with selecting mobile computational devices to help counterbalance the many demanding situations placed by the bulk of communications, transportation, and social networks that surround them. Conclusion In this article, we showed a course specifically customised to introduce mobile technology to first year students. First year students were given a wide indication of device usage, connecting to the network, and low-level network design.Our attempt to instil mobile technology into the module was highly successful in raising the student curiosity, view, usage, and interest in the curriculum. Results revealed that the prolonged time of ownership and student categorisation or maturity has a positive impact on our student’s attitudes and views on mobil e technology. In addition mobile forms that offer a balance between size, weight, system and performance seem to have the greatest effect on student attitude and academic performance

Toyota V.S Ford

MGMT 341 Toyota Motor Corporation Vs. Ford Motor Corporation (Past to Present) THE GBAS MODEL Prepared for: Dr. Reed Nelson Prepared by: Jeremie J. Martin SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY CARBONDALE SPRING 2011 Introduction This paper will be structured to focus on two of the leading automobile manufacturers in the industry to date. Toyota is the number one automobile manufacturer in terms of production and sales. Toyota is a foreign vehicle manufacturer located out of Japan founded in 1937. Ford is the second largest vehicle manufacturer in the United States and fifth largest worldwide.Ford was the eighth ranked overall vehicle manufacturer on the 2010 Fortune 500 list. Ford is known for producing the â€Å"Model T† in 1908 which will forever be known as the first affordable automobile in the United States. Each company will be introduced and described separately. After providing substantial information about each organization, a comparison will follow to highlight the difference s between the two. This comparison is imperative for the GBAS model. I will also make an assessment of the four facts or organization life, fit, trade-offs, opposites and if the elements come in packages.Toyota Motor Corporation Toyota Motor Corporation is a foreign vehicle manufacturer based in Aichi, Japan. Toyota Motor Corporation came to the forefront in 1937; (TMC) is a variation of what originally used to be Toyota industries. Kiichiro Toyoda always envisioned creating a multinational automobile manufacturer and his dreams came to fruition three years earlier, when still with Toyota Industries, they created their first product which was the â€Å"Type A† engine and in 1936 came their first vehicle the â€Å"Toyota AA†.Today Toyota Motor Corporation group companies include Scion, Lexus,  Daihatsu  and  Hino Motors Toyota stepped into the national spotlight in the 1980’s when people started to realize that there was something different about their vehi cle. What stood out most was the exceptional quality and efficiency of Toyota vehicles. Japanese cars were lasting longer than American cars and also required less maintenance. At the time, there were several Japanese manufacturers competing in the market, but Toyota stood out the most.Toyota did not provide the most exciting designs, but what they did was design automobiles that were very consistent and more reliable than most vehicles at an affordable price. Also, Toyota had a canny ability to troubleshoot all of their problems and come back even stronger when one of their weaknesses was exposed. While stock prices of the Big 3 were falling in 2003, Toyota shares increased 24% over 2002. Toyota’s capitalization was higher than the combined capitalization of Ford, General Motors and Chrysler. (The Toyota Way, Pg 4) Toyota has the fastest product development process in the world.New cars and trucks take 12 months or less to design, while competitors typically take two years. Toyota is benchmarked as the best in its class by all of its peers and competitors throughout the world for high quality, high productivity, manufacturing speed and flexibility. (The Toyota Way, Pg 5) Toyota had a unique way of manufacturing their vehicles which is what helped them create differentiation from themselves and the market. The Toyota Production System and Lean production has dominated the industry for the last 10 years along with Six Sigma.During and before WWII, Toyota knew that mass production was not their strength. They were too small and disjointed to support high production values. Toyota decided to produce roughly 900 vehicles a month while on the other hand; Ford was about 10 times more productive. Toyota managers knew that if they were to survive, they would have to adapt to the mass production for the Japanese market. The problem was that they didn’t know how. The Toyota production system used many conceptions from those of Henry Ford, but the Japanese were determined to stick to the principles that Ford didn’t abide by.One very important principle was the concept of the â€Å"pull system†, which originated from American supermarkets. This system meant that Toyota would not replenish its parts until the next step in the process used up all of the original parts from the previous step. This directly relates to eliminating waste. At every step of the manufacturing process, Toyota uses â€Å"Kanbans† to signal the previous step when more parts need to be made. This creates the â€Å"pull† which continues back to the beginning of the cycle. Toyota also implements the philosophy of JIT into their manufacturing process.JIT is a set of principles that allows a company to produce and deliver products in small batches. This directly cuts down the lead time and allows them to meet specific customer needs. JIT allows Toyota to be responsive to customer demands; it also allows them to deliver the right items at the right time. â€Å"Kaizen† is also another principle Toyota stands on. The philosophy reaches for perfection and sustains TPS on a daily basis. Toyota refined their manufacturing process using these principles to make their organization more productive and less wasteful.What they didn’t know is that they also created a new paradigm in manufacturing that all types of businesses would eventually adopt. A common phrase around Toyota is â€Å"Before we build cars, we build people. † Toyota seeks to develop people so that they are strong contributors to the company culture and organizational development. The focus is to build a learning organization that seeks continuous improvement. That’s how they will ensure a guaranteed long term success hundreds of years from now. TMC management techniques’ goal is to develop their individuals, but at the same time promote effective teamwork.This technique is necessary for TPS to work. Creating a great culture comb ined with teamwork is the focal point of solving problems. The concept of bottom-up management is something that Toyota takes very seriously. Team leaders typically have about four to eight workers that they support and group leaders have about three or four groups. Toyota strongly believes in motivation theories when it comes to managing their employees. Their managers implement both internal and external management techniques.For example internally, Toyota applies Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs to them by providing their employees with job security, good pay, safe working conditions and a culture of continuous improvement. Externally, behavior modification has group leaders constantly on the production floor supervising employees and providing reinforcement. Toyota invests in their employees and in return they get committed individuals are willing to grow the company. Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company is a multinational automobile manufacturer based out of Detroit, Michiga n. It is the second largest automobile manufacture in the United States.Henry Ford founded and incorporated the organization in 1903. Under the Ford umbrella is the Lincoln brand and internationally Ford has some stake in Mazda and Aston Martin. There used to be several more brands associated with the company but due to harsh economic times in the United States, they were either discontinued or sold. Henry Ford is known for making the most affordable automobile (the â€Å"Model T†) and transcending the American auto industry. Most people think that he actually invented the automobile as well as the assembly line. Those are not the facts.Henry Ford did however use the assembly line to produce his â€Å"Model T†. From 1909-1927, he sold 15 million Model T vehicles at a cost of $829 dollars each. During World War One Ford in 1925 also manufactured aircrafts, but after the war ended they returned to only manufacturing autos. Ford’s mission is to be the worldwide lea der in the automotive industry and in other industries such as financial services. Ford values its people, products and profits. Some of their principles include commitment to the quality of the business they conduct, customer focus, continuous improvement, employment involvement and teamwork.Ford strategy is predicated by its vision of being a low-cost, high quality manufacturer in all of their products while simultaneously providing the best customer service possible. In the United States, Fordism was the system of  mass production and consumption characteristics of highly developed economies during the 1940’s-1960s. It was a philosophy that  aimed  to  achieve  higher productivity  by standardizing the  output, using conveyor assembly lines and breaking the  work  into small de-skilled tasks. It is a contrast from Taylorism, which is based off Fordism, which seeks to improve efficiency of machines and workers.Fordism combines them as one unit and looks ac hieve minimal cost and maximum profit. (Source: businessdisctionary. com/Fordism) An assembly line  is a  manufacturing  process in which parts are added to a product in a sequential manner in order to create a finished product. The immediate benefit of an assembly line is that it allows you to produce more products faster than if you were to handcraft them. Henry Ford made the assembly line famous in 1908 when he began the mass production of Model T’s. With the implementation of the assembly line, Ford was able to improve other aspects f the company such as reducing the labor hours it takes to produce a single vehicle as well as increased production numbers and parts (Wikipedia. com/assembly_line). The use of assembly lines and mass production processes forced Ford to start using large factories for manufacturing. They were the first automobile manufacturer to use large factories. During the late-2000’s recession when auto sales dropped 37%, Ford requested bailo ut money. They requested $9 billion dollars from the government and an additional $5 million for the department of energy.With this money, Ford vowed to make smaller, more gas efficient, vehicles as well as close down dealerships and sell Volvo. Ford didn’t need the money nor did they receive any money, but simply requested for funds because they did not want their competition to have a financial advantage over them. During the auto bailout, Ford was in a better financial position than Chrysler and GM which is the reason they didn’t receive any government funding. Ford’s approach to management organization was the mirror image of their assembly line: specialized, hierarchical and tightly controlled.Ford has always operated on a pressure system with middle management. The old Ford hierarchy was mechanistic in the sense that it was made to be modified, to be able to be adjusted over time. The structure was designed to be reactive to a slow changing environment. Fo rd’s management was very authoritarian, regimented and driven by fear. In light of Japanese competition, Ford shifted gears from the mechanistic theme of management to focus on participative management and product development. Narrative ComparisonToday, most companies try to implement some type of lean production or six sigma quality functions into their manufacturing processes. Initially, that was not the focus when it came to manufacturing vehicles. Toyota was the first organization to implement that strategy due to Japan being desecrated by two atomic bombs and not having the money or supplies to mass produce. Post WW II, Ford’s mass production system was designed to make large quantities and a limited number of models; they had no flexibility with their system. This is why all Model T’s were all black.The Japanese market was very small and fragmented for high production. Toyota needed to manufacture low volumes of several different models using the same asse mbly line to survive in the market. The demand for vehicles was not high enough to use individual assembly lines for each vehicle type. Ford had ton of cash after the war and they invested it all in large equipment and large factories to house the equipment. This was to support the strategy of mass production. However, there was an issue with all the large volumes being produced, which caused Toyota to take a similar, but opposing manufacturing strategy to Ford.Ford’s processes were detached from each other due to the large volumes. This cause delays in the process and allowed large amounts of material to sit and become work in progress inventory. Also, workplaces were disorganized and out of control, some Ford factories looked like warehouses. Toyota had the idea of â€Å"one-piece flow† where one piece of a product moves from one stage to the next stage, one piece at a time. This was opposite to what was happening over at Ford where several pieces of a product were b eing made simultaneously at one stage, then moved on to the next stage.Toyota used Ford’s ideology of a continuous process of materials throughout the manufacturing cycle while at the same time eliminating waste. Toyota didn’t have a lot of money or factories after the war so that had to be very precise in their manufacturing. They didn’t produce large volumes of just one type of vehicle. One-piece flow allowed Toyota the flexibility to change their process according to the demand of the market. Toyota adopted Ford’s manufacturing process, but made it more efficient and flexible. Toyota’s management philosophy was to develop their employees to become leaders within the company.This was their method of growing the company. Toyota knew that making all of their employees and integral part of the organization was the best way to build commitment within the company and a sure way to achieve all of its objectives. Ford on the other hand implemented a mor e authoritarian management philosophy where all of the pressure was put on middle management and not as much attention was given to the employees who were the key to their day to day operations. Ford primary focus was on production and the bottom line numbers.Mass production to make as many vehicles as possible is what drove them to implement such management techniques. The Discussion of goals, boundaries and activity systems. (GBAS Model) After the comparisons and noting the differences between Ford Motor Company and Toyota Motor Company, the GPAS model can be applied to see how effective both companies are at managing fit, trade-offs, packages and opposites. BOUNDARIES: In terms of customers, the Japanese market was very small, so Toyota knew that they would have produce small numbers of vehicles in various different models.Mass production wouldn’t work for them in the market because the customer demand was not high enough for that type of production system. Ford had a larg e U. S. market as well as an international market at the time so they were producing vehicles for everyone. When Henry Ford invented this inexpensive vehicle, there was a high demand for it and he sold millions of vehicles. Mass production worked well for high customer demand and the system made Ford a lot of money in a short amount of time. While Toyota remained in the automotive industry producing vehicles and engines, Ford tried its hand providing other services.Ford Motor Credit Company is the financial partner of Ford Motor Company. The purpose of the company was to handle automobile loans of Ford and also to offer loans and leases to other consumers. When it came to products, Toyota had an advantage. They designed they’re production system to be flexible due to the low customer demand in the Japanese market; therefore they were able to produce different types of vehicles at a faster pace than Ford. Although Ford produced more vehicles than Toyota they did not have the a bility to change the different models or colors of their vehicles within their assembly system.The mass production system was beneficial because it satisfied high customer demand, but it was limited in the way that it could only make huge quantities of one model. Originally Model T’s were only all black because Ford lacked the flexibility to change colors. Ford used its mass production system to make millions of Model T’s and later Model A’s. Ford also took its hand briefly in the aviation industry during the First World War building engines. Ford’s most successful airplane was the Ford 4AT Trimotor, but after the war was over Ford went back primarily to the utomotive industry. In terms of accessibility, Toyota was limited to the Japanese Market, they did not have the ability to manufacture vehicles elsewhere nor did they have the demand. After the atomic bomb Toyota had very little cash and lacked the infrastructure to compete outside of Japan. On the ot her hand, Ford had huge amounts of cash from the success of the Model T and they had a huge U. S and international market to sell too. Also, Ford had a huge supply system to support all of their manufacturing efforts. ACTIVITY SYSTEMS:Toyota’s activity systems were based around the central theme of their production system which was eliminating waste. When it came to manufacturing the company focused on continuous improvement, lean production and the Toyota Production system. Continuous Improvement also known as Kaizen, is a process that has lead Toyota to be a very lean and productive company. Kaizen strives for perfection and helps sustain the TPS system. The purpose of continuous improvement is to always become better, regardless whether the gains are large or small.Toyota felt that if they continually improved their processes, they would be able to eliminate as much waste as possible while remaining overly productive. Toyota formed small work groups within the workplace to ensure effective teamwork and to develop the skills of their employees. This also encouraged discussion amongst employees and it helped them make some of the decisions in the manufacturing process opposed to putting all the pressure on middle management. The Toyota Production System is a system that is composed of all of Toyota’s processes and principles in order to achieve a high level of quality production standards.JIT, Kaizen, One piece flow and continuous improvement theories combine to create a system that changed the way production standards were measured. Using many of the lessons preached by Henry Ford, Toyota evolved a system that helped them overcome challenges in a deplorable economy. At the same time they created a system that has been adapted in many other industries outside the automotive world. Ford, the American powerhouse, also believed in a continuous production flow, but they were not as cautious as the Japanese due to being in a better financial situatio n post WWII.They produced millions of model T’s with the help of assembly lines, large factories and a system of mass production to keep up with the high customer demand for the world’s most inexpensive automobile. Ford’s production system was an adaptation of their market and they took full advantage. They had access to complete systems supplies in combination with a lot of cash which tremendously increased their profit margins in 15 years. GOALS: Toyota’s goal was to create a system similar to Ford’s mass productions system, but at the same time adapt it to the Japanese market.The Japanese were producing automobiles for a market of customers who were not buying vehicles half as much as customers were buying autos in the United States. Even though there was a low demand for automobiles, the Japanese did demand different models, so their system had to be flexible enough to shift with the customers demand. In terms of creating the production system, Toyota aimed for a very lean system. A system that would be very cautious in using raw materials and cash in order to prevent being wasteful. Also, Toyota wanted a very clean and organized workplace in order to utilize all of the warehouse space that they did have.Toyota aimed to produce small quantities of quality products to meet specific customer needs. Ford was all about big business, money and power. Ford’s goal was to take over the automobile industry with the invention of the Model T. It was clear what their objective was by looking at the way they manufactured automobiles. Ford believed in standardization, but they never manufactured more than one type of motor car in the same facility. They were so focused on making the Model T a commodity that they did not focus on their other brand Lincoln. Ford’s customer base was broad.The Model T was marketed on a national level as a very inexpensive vehicle. Ford had the luxury of dealing with a high demand in the U. S and International market. Ford however, did not offer a variety of models to choose from. They only produced one vehicle in one color. Several years later they began producing the Model A. Due to the high demands at the time, customers did not pay attention to how inflexible Ford’s production system was. Although Ford may not have been as good as Toyota, they were also advocates of lean production and continuous improvement.Ford felt that their materials were more important than their employees, an opposing view of Toyota. Ford learned that wasted materials eventually became wasted money and frantically began to search for solutions to be more productive with their raw materials. Eventually Ford had the notion that they owed it to society to be more conservative of their materials. Summary of GPAS: ToyotaFord Boundaries: Narrow, Stable Broad, Stable Activity Systems: Simple, Flexible Complex, Inflexible Goals: Impermeable Permeable THE FOUR FACTS OF ORGANIZATIONAL LIFEDiscuss ion of fit: There is organizational fit between the boundaries, activity systems and goals of both Ford Motor Company and Toyota Motor Company. There are differences between the two companies, but both companies were competing in different markets therefore they had to adjust to the wants and needs of their customers. Ford has very permeable boundaries. Their complex and inflexible system which consisted of mass production, large factories, large machinery and assembly lines was imperative in order to satisfy the demand of their customers in the U. S and international market.Ford was able to establish a very credible and trustworthy relationship with its customers by satisfying their needs in a timely fashion. The permeable boundaries and complex activity system fit very tightly with customers who were in the market for a vehicle manufactured by Ford. Toyota Motor Company has significantly less permeable boundaries than does Ford, therefore their activity system is simple and more f lexible. The fact that Toyota had a significantly smaller market to manufacture vehicles for did not stop them working at a faster pace and creating higher quality vehicles.Their activity system was designed for customers who wanted different types of automobiles in different colors. They also wanted quality vehicles that would last for a long time to avoid high vehicle turnover. This flexible system was perfect for the struggling Japanese market post World War II. Things come in packages: Ford Motor Company was in a great position post WWII. They had tons of cash, access to a complete supply system, and a high demand for their products in the market and huge factories and equipment to make thousands of automobiles. Those resources helped reinforce their needs to make their automobiles a commodity worldwide.When comparing the two organizations, it is clear that Ford has more permeable boundaries than Toyota. On the contrary, less permeable boundaries made it more difficult for custo mers outside of the Japanese market to get a Toyota vehicle. They had not made their vehicles a commodity yet, but that was not their focus. After being desecrated by two atomic bombs, the Japanese manufacturing focused on making small amounts of quality vehicles. Making more quality vehicles using the one-piece flow process increased the skills and intelligence of the employees which directly helped grow the company.Having a lower customer demand allowed Toyota the time to perfect their craft and create a system that would change the manufacturing world. There are opposites: In terms of activity systems and boundaries, comparing Toyota to Ford is like comparing the tortoise to the hare. Ford was the automobile powerhouse with all its large equipment and mass production processes, producing vehicles at a very affordable price. On the other hand, Toyota was very conservative and waste less with their TPS system when it came to putting automobiles on the market.This was a classic exam ple of the â€Å"Quality vs. Quantity† argument. Ford had created a commodity; they became a pioneer in the automobile industry providing the masses with thousands of vehicles at a time. They had a huge customer base and the infrastructure to provide their products and services worldwide. Toyota had a flexible system that created quality vehicles in a timely manner as well, just not as in much bulk as did Ford. They had an advantage over Ford in the fact that could offer a variety of vehicles with shorter lead times.Ford had a very inflexible system and very long lead times, credited to their mass production system. Toyota’s system was more productive with their raw materials. They wanted to avoid work in progress inventories in their factories which lead to them incorporating a â€Å"pull system† into their manufacturing process. There are trade-offs: In comparing the two companies to each other, the trade-offs between the two become very obvious. Toyota offers a quality of vehicles that Ford can’t produce and Ford offers a price that Toyota can’t compete with.Ford offered lower prices because supplies were not scarce and they had complete access. Also, after the war Ford had a ton of cash so they could provide their automobiles at a cheap price in hopes of making it a commodity. Their activity system allowed them to only make standardized products without any customization. With the luxury of having a high customer demand, Ford remained efficient. Toyota’s system which used JIT principles which allowed them to manufacture products in smaller quantities, with shorter lead times to meet specific customer’s needs.This was a very flexible system which helped them offer an option of customization for their automobiles while still providing a high level of quality. CONCLUSION Ford paved the way for the automobile industry when they began the mass production of their Model T’s in 1908. The use of the assembly lines helped them sell thousands of vehicles and make millions of dollars in a short period of time. Toyota came along and used the same principles that Ford used, but refined their process to be more productive by using the ideology of continuous improvement.Toyota wanted to become less wasteful, produce smaller batches of automobiles and create higher quality products within a flexible system that would allow them to react to customer demands without long lead times. By creating this flexible system, Toyota put their company in a better position than Ford. In order to be a leader in the automobile industry you must be able to react quickly to the market demands and provide the customers with a quality product in a reasonable amount of time. The TPS system allows Toyota to do that, while Ford would be in a world of trouble with inventory concerns because of their mass production system.Even though both companies had very different beginnings, each has been successful in the automob ile industry. They will continue to use each other as benchmarks when trying to create the best automobile possible for their customers. Comparison of Differences ToyotaFord One-Piece Flow Mass Production Low market demand High Market Demand Flexible manufacturing Inflexible Manufacturing No cash Cash and Assets High Quality Standard quality Shorter lead times Extremely long lead timesHigher costs Very inexpensive automobiles Employees manufactured Assembly Lines No warehouses Huge Factories and Warehouses Multiple types of vehicles Two models (Model A & T) TPSManufacturing ideas set grounds for TPS Lean Manufacturing Very wasteful BIBLIOGRAPHY Liker, Jeffrey K. The Toyota Way: 14 Management Principles from the World's Greatest Manufacturer. 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