Kone the Monospace Launch in Germany free essay sample

The German low-rise building market was divided, as in other European countries, in geared traction technology (PU and PT), and hydraulic technology (PH) that accounted for 8% and 92% respectively. KONE’s new product, MonoSpace, was mainly characterized for its new technology, the EcoDisc, which provided a more comfort ride, did not need for a machine room, and reduced energy consumption. Before the launch of MonoSpace in Germany, it was test marketed in France, United Kingdom (U. K. ) and The Netherlands. In the latest, MonoSpace was a complete success. It gave higher profits and 62% of the low-raise market (up from 52%). But in France only 40 units were sold of the 300 expected and in U. K. no units were sold during the first month after launch. Results that gave Hatala cause for concern. Finally, a pre-launch had been done: During November 1995, 4 PH customers converted their orders to MonoSpace and from January to June 1996, 30 MonoSpace elevators where arranged to be installed. We will write a custom essay sample on Kone: the Monospace Launch in Germany or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page All of them were asked to â€Å"keep quiet about the technology†. Decision to be made: Since the pricing and positioning strategy of MonoSpace will have a significant impact in KONE’s European and global image, Hatala has to decide with extreme caution each one of them. We will analyze price in deep. Alternatives: To set a price we have two alternatives, (1) to follow the indications at KONE’s Brussels headquarters: â€Å"to set prices above existing prices if KONE held less than 15% market share and in line with existing price levels if KONE otherwise† or (2) to set their own price according to the German market. Quantitative Let’s analyze each country individually. In France, the price was FF 30,000 over the price listed for a PT. This was done because it was expected to have a FF 5,000 cost reduction in energy and in consequence, be able to recover the investment in just six years. Nevertheless, it seems that this short-term gain was not enough to thrill the French market. As the market share in U. K. was above 15%, the price was to be kept in line with the most expensive geared traction. However, the PT only entailed 10% of the low-rise market and its price was almost the double than PH price, plus U. K. ontractors’ concern of leaving out the machine room for fear of a price gouging from KONE as being the only non-machine-room provider; lead to the absence of demand for the MonoSpace. On the contrary, in The Netherlands, PT and PU counted for 60% to 70% of the sales and as the in-line price for MonoSpace was set in only DG1,000 more than the most expensive geared traction elevator, allowed more customers to give a chance to this new te chnology, plus the fact that KONE was the market share leader by far. 1Most of the data is from Table D and page 6. Data from page 4. 3Data from Table C and Table E. 1Most of the data is from Table D and page 6. 2Data from page 4. 3Data from Table C and Table E. In conclusion, the suggestion given from Brussel’s managers left out the unique characteristics of each of the countries. Therefore for the case of Germany, we should take into consideration the fact that 92% of the low-rise elevators sales come from the hydraulic technology and only 2% come from the most expensive geared traction system, and that even the market share of KONE in this country is only 9. %, maybe the price should not be set above the existing ones. Qualitative: KONE Aufzug had very well identified their customers: (1) property developers –concerned mainly with the overall cost and the investment value of their properties, made the decision of which elevator to buy, 10% of the times. (2) General contractors –who sought for the more competitive offer through a competitive bidding process, made the decision 50% of the times, and (3) architects –that were more worried about the cosmetic options of the elevators. They were the ones in charge of the decision 40% of the times. Under these customers, we can see that for the general contractors, a low price, closer to the PH’s one would be more attractive. However, for the architect, it seems that the price may not be a real obstacle because they care more about the looks of the building rather than the final price of it. Recommendation amp; Rationale: After analyzing the data both quantitative and qualitatively, we have concluded that a price between both technologies would be better to introduce the MonoSpace into the German market. As we could see in the British market, a price that is more than double of the most inexpensive elevator won’t create enough interest to even ask about this new product, especially if the vast majority of the market prefers the lower price elevator. Thanks to the French’s experience, we can see that customers are not really interesting in investing in a technology that has not really been proved in the market, even when it promises a more comfortable ride, a cost reduction in energy, and the elimination of machine rooms and potential fire and environmental hazards. Finally, in the unique case that The Netherland presented, we can conclude that customers are willing to try something new and with many improvements for a small price increase. If we understand that all the elevators were priced very similarly and the market preferred the geared traction system instead of the hydraulic, we can understand why the price worked. Nevertheless, German market is a hybrid of all previous. A 92% of the lo-rise elevator sales come from the PH, leaving only 6% for PT and 2% for PU. We see that the price for the PU is DM 20,000 more than the PH. Hence, we can assume that even though the hydraulic system provided lower ride comfort and lower speed than the geared traction elevators, Germans are not willing to pay that difference to improve their experience. (Neither the British nor the French did). So a price closer to DM 60,000 of the PH would bring the most possibilities to have a success in the MonoSpace. To complete our discussion, we think that after setting the right price, it is of vital importance to generate a marketing kit that highlights the qualities of MonoSpace. It is highly recommended to create a communication strategy able to reach everyone involved in the process of buying the elevator, whereas is the final consumer or the architect that just has a building in mind. It is also important to create conscience of the MonoSpace so they have it in consideration for all upcoming projects. [ 1 ]. KONE: The MonoSpace Launch in Germany. Narayandas, D. and Swartz, G. Boston  : Harvard Business School Publishing, 2005, p. 7.

Club to catwalk

Club to catwalk Club to Catwalk, page 10Club to Catwalk: critical analysisDuring the whole period of human existence, not a single thing was changed as much as fashion. One might even say it was too pretentious and for its sake people first created and then wore the most unbelievable and incredible costumes, rose above all on high platforms and adorned everything with amazing hairstyles ... only for fashion's sake! As the saying goes "Always dress to impress, so that others would think you're also in the trend. The main peculiarities of the '80s fashion were the unique ideas of the designers. The words "NO", NOT RIGHT" simply did not exist, as everything made people gasp and take after the new trends that alighted the life of the British capitol.Some people think that during the last few years, fashion did not introduce anything brand new. Everything was well known and even predicted from year to year.Vivienne Westwood in LondonPeople are now wondering whether this is the end of fashion as we know i t, and will the pacemakers of fashion turn their attention to the long past trends of the former decades in order to get more ideas and inspiration.London Fashion of the '80s is the topic that has come to the mind of Claire Wilcox, VA's curator of the most vibrant and vivid exhibition in the past years - "Club to Catwalk. London Fashion of the '80s". One of the co-curators describes this exhibition as a showplace of the 'timely creative period that by many was unappraised and misunderstood' ('Club to Catwalk: About the Exhibition', 2013).Looking upon the subject at first glance a question arises as to why this exhibition is held now. However, Claire Wilcox answers herself, as she did in an interview to the Grazia Daily...

A company organizational struc...

A company organizational structure is a guidance to all employees by laying out the official reporting relationships representing the workflow of the company and provide clarity on specific human resources management issues, such as managerial authority and to achieve the company goals George, J. (2005). A formal outline of a companys structure makes it easier to add new positions in the company, as well, providing a flexible and ready means for growth, hence, departments can work more efficiently and have more time focusing on productive tasks. The structure refers to both the formal and informal frameworks that shape how the business is operated. However, the management must select the most suitable structure for the organization as it is not a one size fits all decision. Implementation of a formal organizational structure can also differentiate small-business operations from large-business operations. (David, 2018). This report attempts to focus on the different type of structure (functional, divisional and network structures) undertaken for each type of different organization. However, there are also elements such as work specialization, departmentalization, chain of command, span of control, centralization, decentralization and formalization which contributes to build a positive organization behavior. Functional structure is set up so that each portion of the organization is grouped according to its purpose. The functional structure is more technical orientated hence it enhances productivity level in which the organization can identify the expertise in each department. The lower level hierarchy level also gets to play a role in their responsibility, thus employees will have job satisfaction (Kalliath, 2009). Work specialization is the key structure to the organization structure. Today we use the term work specializations or division of labor, which activities in the organization are subdivided into separate jobs. For example, Google company adopted work specialization element, employees are carefully recruited, and they are job match each employee according to their knowledge. However, this hinders the rapid growth of the organization due to their stringent hiring process. The employees are strongly driven by the corporate culture. The organization also creates motivation to the employees by reward system and job enlargement to make sure that the employee is well engaged in the organization (Steven.L.M, 2005). However, the drawbacks to a functional structure is that it could lead to higher dysfunctional conflict and poor communication between departments which can delay the decision making, inflexibility. This type of structure is only suitable for small organization with one product or service as management can oversee the work process efficiently and maximize the employees performance (Julie. D, 2018). Starbucks had rearranged their organisation structure to improve on customer satisfaction (Shultz, 2008). The functional structure of Starbucks company is centralization of various departments or functions within the organization. By adopting functional structure using departmentalization element (geographic) each region has individual reporting managers which receives a closer managerial support for geographic needs and therefore a clear chain of command is apparent. A high degree of flexibility was used in individual department in adjusting strategies and policies to fit into various market conditions. This allows the employees to communicate effectively within the departments (George, 2005). Thus, there is presence of empowerment for the employees to make their own decisions and this gives them a sense of belonging to the organization (Starbucks, 2018). Today, with the new organizational structure, Starbucks had successfully achieved customer satisfaction and reduncies of employees are also eliminated and hence created a tensed working environment during the change of the structure. individual teams are being centralized to create an infrastructure with span of control globally within the region and hence capability and effectiveness are improved. Management can also focus more on the employees and functional activities can be design for each individual employee so the mission and goal of the organization will be shared across the organisation (Shultz, 2008).

Johnthan Edward 1703-1758 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Johnthan Edward 1703-1758 - Essay Example Such beliefs lead us all toward a common good and teach us a better way of life. Religion is also quite complex and difficult, at times, to understand. Theologians attempt to make sense of this difficult subject in an effort to bring people closer to an understanding of the divine nature of the world. While many such famous theologians come from Europe, Jonathan Edwards was born and raised right here in America and is still consider to be one the greatest and most intellectual theologians that ever lived. Jonathan Edwards lived a relatively short life of only 55 years. During his life, however, he contributed many things to American culture, and to the spiritual lives of people around the world. He was quite a smart child, entering Yale College when he was only 13 years old. At that time, Yale was still a seminary instructing students with a Biblical background. During his college years, he quickly began his career as a spiritual and theological writer and graduated as the Valedictor ian in his class. By the time he graduated, he seemed to have already formulated a philosophy of life that he would use as the foundation of his future writings that are still well read today. What follows is a brief, yet thorough, description of the theological and intellectual influence of John Edwards on America. The Writings of Jonathan Edward Jonathan Edwards spend much of his time leading various churches in the Connecticut and New York area. In early adulthood, he learned a lot from his grandfather, who was seen as a spiritual man in the New England area. His grandfather, then, had a huge influence on the philosophy that Edwards would begin to adopt through his studies at Yale and beyond. Not only did people in New England really like Edwards as a person, his great influence probably came from his writings. He wrote volumes of books in intellectual and theological topics during his all to short life. As Phillip Sinitiere wrote, â€Å"Edwards was known both from his large net work or correspondents and through his voluminous writing ministry† (744). He wrote about such concepts as the extent of sin, the importance of ethics and virtue, they dynamics of the human will, and the nature of mission work (Sinitiere 745). There are many scholars who contend that Jonathan Edwards is America’s greatest philosophical theologian. This would put him up there with such European philosophers as Martin Luther. More than being just a theologian, however, it should be pointed out the Edwards contributed a great deal to the intellect of those who read his works. His writings were both deep and profound. Many people still study his works because they are complex, yet so revealing about the world in which we live. It is amazing any time someone who lived 300 years ago is still mentioned today. Edwards is not only mentioned, but studied as if he is still around and living today. That speaks volumes of the respect he must have had while he lived, worked, and wrot e in the New England area. As people continue to study the various writings of Jonathan Edwards, they have discovered that he spoke a great deal about ethics. This conversation is still as relevant today as it was when he first wrote. Philip Quin wrote that Edwards ha â€Å"something to contribute to contemporary conversations and debates in ethics† (300). This shows us that people today are still discussing his view on ethics. Conversations about ethics are

Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Economics - Essay Example One of the unique things I have witnessed is the nature of people who buy collectible such as sports cards or movie posters. This essay examines applied economic principles to the nature of collecting and selling collectibles. Analysis The nature of the collectible marketplace is a notable economic phenomenon. Generally people usually buy things because they have an easily identifiable reason. For instance, people buy groceries because they have to eat, and they buy shampoo because they have to clean their hair. This is different for collectibles where the reason people purchase certain things is oftentimes mysterious. People note that they collect oftentimes for enjoyment (Yumeka). But still, why would one person be willing to pay thousands of dollars for a piece of cardboard with Mickey Mantle’s picture on it, but not be willing to pay $10 dollars for just a piece of cardboard? To a large degree economic analysis offers answers to these questions of collectible prices. The o verarching area of understanding collectibles is through Mankiw’s principles. One of the Mankiw’s economic principles is that, â€Å"Markets Are Usually a Good Way to Organize Economic Activity† (â€Å"Principles of Economics†). When considering collectible prices it’s clear they are a direct reflection of the market. As indicated above the reasons people desire to buy collectibles is out of a personal or sentimental connection to the object they are buying. For instance, it’s noted that people oftentimes baseball cards because they are seeking to reconnect with the memories they had during their childhood (Douglas). Certain types of card then take on greater personal and sentimental value for people. A Mickey Mantle baseball card will carry with it a lot more sentimental value than a baseball card by a less popular player. According to Mankiw then, the invisible hand of the market will guide the price of this card in relation to the amount the market is willing to pay for it. Another important consideration is Mankiw’s principle that â€Å"People Respond to Incentives† (â€Å"Principles of Economics†). Within the collectible market this is an important principle that influences price and collector involvement. While people oftentimes are drawn to buying collectibles because they have an interest in the specific item, there is also the hope for many people that the item they buy will increase in value. It’s noted that baseball cards have been considered a viable alternative to investing in stocks (Bullock). In these regards, the collectibles market is made complicated as people who buy the item out of personal interests and people who buy it out of economic interests clash and combine. Consider the nature of a very rare movie poster. While the poster may not be as attractive as a poster one could purchase from Wal-Mart, it still sells for a considerable amount more money. This is related to Mankiw’s principle of incentives in part because people recognize that there are some people who desire the poster for a personnel connection to it; however, they also recognize that since the poster is rare there is only a limited quantity. In this way people are willing to buy the poster because they will be able to sell it to others at a premium because the poster is not easily found. Conclusion In conclusion, this essay has examined the phenomenon of collectible sales in terms of two of

Apache Corporation Essay Example for Free

Apache Corporation Essay Apache Corporation was formed in 1954, based on the idea of becoming significant and prosperous in the oil industry. The company took $250,000 of investor capital, paired it with fierce determination and now Apache Corporation is considered one of the top independent oil and gas exploration and production companies in the world (Apachecorp.com, 2012). Apache Corporation operates in both domestic and international markets exploring for, developing, and producing natural gas, crude oil, and natural gas liquids (Apachecorp.com, 2012). On December 31, 2011, the Company had production in the United States, Canada, Egypt, and Australia. Offshore production exists in the United Kingdom, the North Sea, and Argentina. Looking into the future Apache plans to continue to explore other countries for new discoveries and development opportunities (Apachecorp.com, 2012). Environment The success of any business depends on the ability to adapt to the environment it operates in. As part of the oil and gas industry Apache Corporation operates in a global business environment known for its competitiveness. The company has shown growth in production thirty one of the last thirty three years and throughout those years change has been a constant companion. Wide swings in oil prices have become commonplace in the world today, the price of a barrel of oil changes almost daily. Operating in other countries means that political unrest and changes in government policies must be addressed, as well as oil industry regulations that are constantly evolving. Apache Corporation has withstood the changes in business environment for 57 years and remains committed to successfully embracing the changes yet to come. Technology Over the last 10 years the most significant technological advance for the industry has been the coupling of horizontal drilling with hydraulic fracturing techniques. This new method allows the development of resources that are trapped in shale and other areas that have been nearly impossible to mine in the past. Apache Corporation now applies this technology worldwide (Apachecorp.com, 2012). This method is also used by nearly all other companies in the industry including the comparison companies Devon and Anadarko. Financial Health According to the 2011 Apache Corporation Annual Report the company showed a profit for the year and the debt ratio is 0.22. One top competitor Anadarko Petroleum located in San Antonio Texas has a debt ratio of .65 and showed a loss for the 2011 year (Hoovers, 2012). A second top competitor Devon Energy located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma had a better year in 2011, this company did show a profit and their debt ratio is 0.48 (â€Å"Hoovers†, 2012). Within the gas and oil industry the overall financial status of Apache Corporation is sound. Working in a high risk industry the production risks are balanced by both geographic diversification and a mix of high and low risk properties in the portfolio (Hoovers, 2012). With approximately 3 billion barrels of oil equivalent in reserve Apache Corporation is positioned to maintain their current momentum. The natural gas product is sold most often at current market prices while the crude oil is marketed directly to integrated marketers and refineries. Contract terms are generally 30 days with automatic renewal until canceler at current market prices which change almost daily (Apachecorp.com, 2012). Apache Corporation has been exploring for and producing oil and gas products for over 50 years. The company has been successful and appears to be a sound investment. In this analysis we have reviewed the business environment, financial health and use of technology for Apache Corporation for the purpose of deciding whether or not to invest in the company. References http://www.apachecorp.com/Resources/Upload/file/investors/Apache_AR_2011.pdf Hoovers. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.hoovers.com/company/Apache_Corporation/rfrtif-1-1njea3.html Hoovers. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.hoovers.com/company/Devon_Energy_Corporation/rrxkxi-1-1njea5.html

Hemmingway-hills Like White El Essay -- essays research papers

Writing styles changed drastically from the nineteenth to twentieth centuries. The nineteenth century had authorial intervention and authors wrote about things they had never experienced, where as the twentieth century had a lot of hidden symbols and images and writings were more generally based on events in which the authors had been a part of. Many people thought these “hard to understand writings would be a temporary phase of literature, but authors such as Ernest Hemingway wrote in such a branding way that this writing style has been a constant example of a powerful literary expression.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hemingway was one of the best users of symbols and images. In the story Hills Like White Elephants, he has hidden symbols behind almost everything in the story. The main symbol in this story is the abortion. This is known in the story as the “simple operation.'; The whole story is about this couple that is considering an abortion. Each little part of the abortion is another symbol. The “white elephants'; showed something they didn’t want, in this case the baby. Even the smallest things, like the alcohol, symbolized old ways (beer) and something new (Anes del Toro) in the two peoples relationship.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This story also gives you images of the happenings going on in the story. “The station between two lines of rails'; gave you ...