The Unusual Secret of Topics for Essay Competition

The Unusual Secret of Topics for Essay Competition Topics for Essay Competition at a Glance You should look at a task to locate a theme not an issue but an opportunity and even a benefit. The fundamental idea of the middle section is to give valid and sensible knowledge as a way to sway the reader and be sympathetic to your cause, based on the place you stand on this issue. The secret to all types of synthesis is precisely the same. In an issue of speaking, picking out persuasive essay topics is similar to telling yourself what you wish to convey to the rest of earth. In the instance of achieving goals, it's worth considering the advantages and disadvantages of the competitive practice. The very best advice, however, is to just locate an intriguing means to broach everyday questions. In the same manner competition continues among human beings with, the desire to meet their needs. Key point to bear in mind when selecting a topic for your technology papers is that the topic needs to be specific enough to allow you to cover all facets of the topic. In order in order to construct and pursue the interest of the graduate essay vividly, it's also wise to opt for a topic with source materials readily offered. The topic you select for your technology papers ought to be interesting and ought to concentrate on your field of interest. Having highlighted the above, the following advice will permit you pick a topic for writing university essays that are of high quality and relevant in the contemporary field of specialty. Creative Essay writing is currently recognized among the most helpful activity for kids for their general personality development. Writing a superb persuasive essay is not an easy job, however, it's achievable. Therefore, it isn't surprising to conclude that writing a math dissertation is among the most challenging papers to compose. Writing argument essay is an art in the sense it requires thorough understanding of the subject, together with skill. The superior topic for a classification essay should have some logical point, you could classify. The essay is just one of the significant methods you'll be able to distinguish yourself. The entire essay has to be written in a polite tone with superior grammar and usage of vocabulary. Persuasive or argumentative essays are supposed to convince the audience of someone's viewpoint about a specific topic. You should first ascertain the reason behind your essay, before it is possible to write persuasive content about it. Don't neglect to bring a strong hook at the beginning (introduction paragraph) and wind up with an impressive conclusion to create the reader want to talk about the interesting persuasive essay topics of your pick. Understand your topic well and make sure that you explain your points in easy and understandable language. You could also lack enough knowledge on the subject, or you aren't good in using English language for writing essays. Criteria for the selection could be dependent upon your interest and the knowledge you have regarding this issue. Also, it's possible to create different skills like speed or agility in the event the competition is connected to physical activity. If you aren't able to grasp the subject of the discipline, then you ought not elect for it otherwise you won't have the ability to write on it. Competition also results in exploitation.

Lying Is Unneccessary and It Can Hurt You - 1637 Words

Lying that you didn’t eat the last cookie from the jar can’t compare to the lies that some important people have told. Lying is a crime. Time, money and care are stolen because liars were able to fill people’s heads with false information. It is not fair to the people who believe these unpleasant lies. Yes, it is but a lie can be disrespectful, hurtful and dangerous. However, what happens when a lie is told and revealed? It is too late to actually tell the truth. By the time you are about to explain it, everyone is already mad and disappointed at you. What if we turn it all around? What if the superhero is already there to the save day? No one needs to signal them or cry to let them know that there is a crisis. The fact is the superhero exists, he’s always going to be locked up inside you and it’s called the truth. The truth can be told right after an incident and there’s no point for the villainous lie to appear. Lying can ruin careers, as it did to Ben Johnson in 1988. Ben was born in Falmouth, Jamaica on December 30th 1961. He immigrated to Canada when he was 15 years old. Ben joined the Scarborough Optimists Track Field Club, where he met Coach Charlie Francis. Coach Francis was a Canadian 100m sprint champion. At the 1982 Commonwealth Games, Ben won two silver medals, his first international success. He was established as Canada’s top sprinter. After Ben Johnson lost eight times, he came back in 1985 to beat Carl Lewis. Ben Johnson was a World record holder for

Get to Know the Diary of a Wimpy Kid Books

Definition and Examples of an Anecdote

An anecdote is a brief narrative, a short account of an interesting or amusing incident usually intended to illustrate or support some point in an essay, article, or chapter of a book. Compare this to other literary terms, such as parable—where the whole story is a metaphor—and  vignette  (a brief descriptive story or account).  The terms adjective form is  anecdotal.   In  The Healing Heart: Antidotes to Panic and Helplessness, Norman Cousins wrote, The writer makes his living by  anecdotes. He searches them out and carves them as the raw materials of his profession. No hunter stalking his prey is more alert to the presence of his quarry than a writer looking for small incidents that cast a strong light on human behavior. Examples Consider the use of an anecdote to illustrate something like the literary version of a picture is worth a thousand words. For example, use anecdotes to show a persons character or state of mind: Albert Einstein:  There was something elusively whimsical about Einstein. It is illustrated by my favorite  anecdote  about him. In his first year in Princeton, on Christmas Eve, so the story goes, some children sang carols outside his house. Having finished, they knocked on his door and explained they were collecting money to buy Christmas presents. Einstein listened, then said, Wait a moment. He put on his scarf and overcoat and took his violin from its case. Then, joining the children as they went from door to door, he accompanied their singing of Silent Night on his violin.(Banesh Hoffman, My Friend, Albert Einstein.  Readers Digest, January 1968)Ralph Waldo Emerson:  In [Ralph Waldo] Emersons later years his memory began increasingly to fail. He used to refer to it as his naughty memory when it let him down. He would forget the names of things, and have to refer to them in a  circumlocutory  way, saying, for instance, the implement that cultivates the soil for plow .(Reported in Clifton Fadiman, ed., The Little, Brown Book of Anecdotes, 1985) Brainstorm to Choose the Right Anecdote First, consider what you want to illustrate. Why do you want to use an anecdote in the story? Knowing this should help brainstorm the story to choose. Then make a list of random ideas. Just free-flow the thoughts onto the page. Examine your list. Will any be easy to present in clear and concise enough manner? Then sketch out the basics of the possible anecdote. Will it do the job? Will it bring extra layers of evidence or meaning to the point youre trying to convey? If so, develop it further. Set the scene and describe what happened. Dont get too long-winded with it, because youre just using this as an illustration to your larger idea. Transition to your main point, and hearken back to the anecdote where needed for emphasis. Anecdotal Evidence The expression  anecdotal evidence  refers to the use of particular instances or concrete  examples  to support a general  claim. Such information (sometimes referred to pejoratively as hearsay) may be compelling but does not, in itself, provide  proof. A person may have anecdotal evidence that going out in the cold with wet hair makes him or her sick, but correlation is not the same as causation.

Project Planning Management - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 8 Words: 2454 Downloads: 8 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Management Essay Type Research paper Did you like this example? Table of Contents Background Company Information Main Case Factors affecting sustainability Project Timeline Course Correction References Background As the population in cities increases, so does the number of vehicular trips made by people. As the road width is fixed at the time of city planning, the volume of traffic that can pass through is limited. The result is increasing traffic congestion in the city. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Project Planning Management" essay for you Create order This leads to increased commute time coupled with greater difficulty in commuting. Air passengers miss their flights stuck in traffic, ambulances have difficulty in taking emergency cases to the hospitals, and professionals reach late to office. Road rage, traffic accidents are some of the incidents experienced as commuters strive to reach their destinations at the earliest. A picture of chaos and lawlessness emerges; people become dehumanized to their environment. A pragmatic solution to problems of traffic is to discourage the use of private vehicles and encourage the use of public transportation. But it is easier said than done. Public transport has to be not only cheaper than private transport but also must be quicker/save time. Although modes like buses, auto rickshaws, bicycles may make economic sense, but they do not have any advantage in travel time over private vehicles. It is in this context that Mass Rapid Transit Systems (MRTS) come in. A rail base MRTS can be intro duced in any corridor where the level of traffic in any direction exceeds 20,000 persons per hour. However, MRTS are capital intensive and have long gestation periods. It is this reason why they have not been taken up on a large scale in many developing countries. The city of Delhi has experienced phenomenal growth of people (18 m) and vehicular population. Vehicular population increased from 5.62 lakh in 1981 to over 65 lakh today. About 1000 vehicles are added to Delhi roads every day. The heterogeneous nature of traffic has decreased vehicular speed. To cater to the needs of the public and to gear up the city for hosting the Commonwealth games in 2010, rail-based MRTS, named Delhi Metro was introduced in the city. With wide roads and ownership of most land with the govt., the city was suitable for introduction of rail based MRTS. Delhi Metro has had phenomenal success since its introduction in 2003. As airline travel grew rapidly in the early 2000s, the roads leading to the airports in most cities became congested. In Delhi, there were only a few buses that serviced the airport on route to and from other destinations. Further, Delhi was hosting the commonwealth games in 2010 that would increase the influx of tourists, spectators and media to the city through the airport. Therefore, to service such travelers, DMRC proposed to build a dedicated and high speed metro line, connecting the airport to the New Delhi railway station. The line would reduce travel time between the two places to 18 minutes from the 2 hours taken by road. This was the beginning of the airport express line. Company Information Delhi Airport Metro Express Private Limited was incorporated in 2008. It is a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) incorporated under the Indian Companies Act with joint venture between Reliance Infrastructure Limited and Construcciones Y Auxiliar De Ferrocarriles (CAF). CAF is also the technical partner and supplies the rolling stocks for the project. DAMEPL was awarded the contract on the basis of their highest quote for annual concession fees to be paid to DMRC. Reliance Infrastructure Ltd. held a 95 per cent stake in DAMEPL, with the remaining 5 percent held by CAF. Debt was arranged by the lead banker Axis Bank along with India Infrastructure Finance and eight other banks. The debt to equity ratio was 70:30. Corporate Identification Number U74210DL2008PTC176177 Name DELHI AIRPORT METRO EXPRESS PRIVATE LIMITED RoC RoC-Delhi Registration Number 176177 Company Category Company limited by shares Company Sub Category Indian Non-Government Company Class of Company Private Company Authorised Capital (in Rs.) 8,700,000,300 Paid up capital (in Rs.) 100,000 Number of Members(Applicable only in case of company without Share Capital) 0 Date of Incorporation 01 April 2008 Address 1 DELHI AIRPORT METRO EXPRESS DEPOT, NEAR SECTOR 8 Address 2 DMRC METRO STATION, SECTOR 21, DWARKA City NEW DELHI State Delhi Country INDIA Pin 110075 Whether listed or not Unlisted Date of Last AGM 20 September 2013 Date of Balance sheet 31 March 2013 Company Status (for eFiling) Active Main Case The Delhi Airport Express line was the first public-private partnership project in metro rail. The agreement was signed in 2008 between Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and Delhi Airport Metro Express Private Limited (DAMEPL). The 22.7 km line proposed to connect the New Delhi Railway station to the Delhi International Airport. The idea was to reduce the congestion on roads that led to the airport, and enable the passengers to continue their onward journey to/from the airport to the adjoining areas through the rail network. The DAEL was designed to be a dedicated high speed metro line (135 km/hr as opposed to 80 km/hr), with only 6 stations on a 22.7 km route so as to provide faster service. The line started from New Delhi railway station and ended about 4 km beyond the airport till Dwarka, a fast growing residential area. The line was to be commissioned by October 2010, in time for the Commonwealth games being held in New Delhi. Under the PPP agreement, Build Operate Transfer (BOT) model was followed whereby the concessionaire was to operate the line for a period of 30 years, build the extension line, and then hand over the project to the public sector. DMRC was well aware that the project costs would be prohibitively high. It had estimated that the concessionaire would not be able to recover all capital and operating costs from fares alone. To reduce the financial burden on the concessionaire, DMRC undertook the responsibility for building and financing all civil construction à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" including the viaduct, tunnels and the stations à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" while the private concessionaire was asked to finance operating systems à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" signaling system, track, rolling-stock, power distribution system etc. Land for real-estate development was also offered to concessionaires. Even this was thought to be insufficient to make the project financially viable as capital costs for operations alone were estimated to be USD 300 m. Therefore, there was a provision of additional capital subsidy from the govt. to make the project viable. DMRC invited bids from potential concessionaires on the basis of least requested amount of viability gap funding from the govt. The private concessionaire was expected to undertake a variety of risks including ridership ie the number of passengers using the system. Ridership was a key risk because it was the main source of revenue for the concessionaire. DMRC made a daily ridership estimate of 46,000 passengers in 2010, growing to 86,000 people per day in the next 10 years.(Exhibit 1). The forecasts were based on hourly counts of passengers at the airport terminals and surveys of departing and arriving air passengers about their starting/terminal destination. The contract was won by Reliance Energy- CAF consortium. CAF provided the rolling stock and held 5% equity in the project, with Reliance holding the rest. However, problems started emerging even before the operations could be started. Originally set to open by August 31, 2010, the line finally opened on Feb 23, 2011, after missing 4 previously set deadlines. The DMRC fined Reliance Infra 37.5 lakh every day from 30 September and 75 lakh every day from 31 October for repeatedly missing the deadlines. Further, the daily ridership projections came to naught. The average ridership remained at 11,000 persons per day, with a peak of 22,000. Such poor load factor doomed the project since the beginning. To compound the problems further, structural defects were found in the civil construction leading to , first reduction in speed to 105 km/hr, and then to complete halt of operations due to safety concerns from July 2012. The halting of operations led to a tense stand-off between the private concessionaire and DMRC. It ultimately culminated in the exit of the private party, with DMRC taking over the operations of the Airport Express Line. Operations resumed from Jan 2013. It was estimated that DAMEPL was running a loss of Rs 40 m every month. We examine the mistakes made in project planning, financing, and the role of external factors in affecting the feasibility of the project. Exhibit 1 Year 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Projected Ridership 46000 48970 52132 55498 59082 62897 66958 71281 75884 80784 86000 Actual Ridership 11000 11000 10069 12856 Factors affecting sustainability Cost structure: The high cost structure undermined the feasibility of the project from the very beginning. License fee: Rs 10,000 per annum Concession fee: Rs 510 million. It shall be increased every year by 5% Additional concession fee: Rs 30 million for retail space at concourse level of New Delhi and Shivaji Stadium station Cost of operation and maintenance of clearing house: To be shared between DMRC and DAMEPL. Revenue sharing: From COD (Commercial Operations Date), the following percentage of Gross Revenues would be apportioned to DMRC; One percent of Gross Revenue from first to fifth year Two percent of Gross Revenue from sixth to tenth year Three percent of Gross Revenue from eleventh to fifteenth year Five percent of Gross Revenue from sixteenth year onwards till Termination date Capital Structure Rs million Debt 20000 Subordinate debt 8000 Equity 0.1 Debt to Equity ratio to be maintained 30:70 Ridership: The overly optimistic forecast of daily ridership was the primary factor in the failure of the project. The average ridership remained at 11,000 persons per day, with a peak of 22,000 persons. It was assumed that the project would be able to capture up to 62% of the airline passengers. However, it was only able to capture 30% of the airport bound traffic. RITES, a Railwayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s consultancy arm, had based its passenger numbers on the development of Aerocity ( a bunch of five-star hotels) around the Delhi airport, which was being developed by GMR on a public-private-partnership (PPP) basis. The Aero city never materialized. Low ridership was also because of poor frequency of trains. Instead of six trains, only four were made operational. The decision to close the line at 11:30 pm cut off many passengers who would be arriving/leaving late at night and in the early hour of the morning. Over-estimated returns: Instead of claiming viability gap funding, Reliance offered money to DMRC in the form of concession fee to operate the project. This was in contrast to the second highest bidder à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" LT-GE consortium à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" that asked for a subsidy of Rs 3460 m or interest free debt of Rs 14400 m for a longer term. The success of the project depended upon the ability of DAMEPL to execute real estate developments as planned. Revenues from real estate were expected to account for 70% of the total revenues in the initial years, and more than 50% of the total revenues during the entire concession period. However, revenues from real estate development were never realized. Technical problems: The Airport line has recorded 0.375 failures per route kilometer, which is high as compared to the Blue line of DMRC which has 0.14 failures per route kilometer. Time Cost-overruns: Non-availability of labor and heavy rains interrupted construction activity in Delhi. Further delays occurred in obtaining various clearances like safety and security. DAMEPL was given a one month extension on account of construction delays. But penalty was imposed subsequently for missing each deadline. DMRC imposed penalty on the concessionaire at the rate of Rs 3.75 m per day from September 2010 and Rs 7.5 m per day from Oct 31 2010. It led to a total estimated penalty of Rs 900 m. Exhibit 3 gives the implementation schedule. Exhibit 3: Project Implementation schedule Signing of Agreement Withing 60 days of LOA Financial Close Within 120 days of LOA Key dates and Milestone Dates Start of Design Interface with DMRC Contractors 30 days from LOA Completion of Design interface 6 months from LOA Completion of Design for execution 9 months Delivery of 1st train set 31-Oct-09 Testing of Rolling stock 31-Jan-10 Integrated Testing and Commissioning 1-Apr-10 Commissioning of Project COD 31-Jul-10 Actual Commissioning 23-Feb-11 Project Timeline Aug 2006: (DMRC) finalizes a detailed project report for the airport line Sep 2007: DMRC awards the first tenders for building the railway line 23 Jan 2008: DMRC awards a 30-year build-operate-transfer contract to the Reliance Energy led consortium with the Spanish railway equipment CAF Mar 2009: Delhi Airport Metro Express Pvt. Ltd, a special-purpose vehicle floated by Reliance Infrastructure Ltd (R-Infra) to build the airport line, says it has managed to raise the debt required for the project. Nov 2009: DMRC completes 95% of the tunneling and civil construction on the line and hands over the stations to concessionaire R-Infra for laying tracks. 31 Aug 2010: The airport line misses the first deadline to begin operations, but R-Infra is given a one-month extension on account of delays in handing over the stations by DMRC 30 Sep 2010: The line fails to get the mandatory safety clearance from the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (India). DMRC s laps a fine of Rs.37.5 lakh per day from 30 September on R-Infra for missing the deadline 10 Jan 2011: CMRS grants safety clearance to the airport line, except for the Dhaula Kuan and Delhi Aerocity stations 23 Feb 2011: The airport line starts its first train services from New Delhi railway station to terminal T3 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport 15 Aug 2011: CMRS grants safety clearance to Dhaula Kuan and Delhi Aerocity stations Dec 2011: DMRC managing director E. Sreedharan meets R-Infra executives to discuss the areas that need improvement, particularly the train coaches May 2012: DMRC chief Mangu Singh expresses dissatisfaction with the operation of the line Jun 2012: DMRC asks consultants Shirish Patel and Associates to conduct an inspection of the line due to safety concerns, after the operator reduces the speed of the trains from 105 kmph 7 Jul 2012: The operations suspended indefinitely for safety repairs. The ministry of urban development cons titutes a committee to investigate the defects in the civil construction of the railway line. January 2013: Operation resumed. Course Correction After taking over the operations of Airport Express line, DMRC has taken to following steps to improve the popularity and financial sustainability of the project: The frequency of trains was reduced from 15 to 10 and-a-half minutes Maximum speed was increased from 70 km/hr to 80 km/hr, reducing travel time by 19 minutes Parking facilities have been created at Aerocity Metro station; feeder bus services have also been started. The total number of train trips was increased from 148 to 166. In July 2014, it reduced fares by 40% Proposal to extend the line to IIFCO Chowk in Gurgaon and a Delhi-Alwar link to make the airport line operationally profitable. As a result of the steps being taken by DMRC, the total ridership per day has increased 28 % from 10,069 in July 2013 to 12,856 in June 2014. References https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/logistics/delhi-airport-metro-line-debacle-the-way-forward/article4966519.ece https://archive.indianexpress.com/news/delhi-metro-to-take-over-airport-express-link-from-midnight/1135868/ https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/airport-express-metro-ridership-rises-by-28-percent-114070101032_1.html https://www.iritm.indianrailways.gov.in/uploads/files/1373362608968-Project%20Report%203.pdf https://cdm.unfccc.int/filestorage/7/X/L/7XLGB5ATRZEIJN6K3DF8240VHUC9WQ/Efficient%20mode%20of%20public%20transportation%20by%20DAMEPL%2C%20India.pdf?t=Z0t8bmJycTJ2fDBZ8f7ANwVZ8iLyuKhP3cZR https://www.business-standard.com/article/finance/no-early-debt-recovery-for-lenders-on-airport-metro-line-113112000443_1.html

Marasco 10. . Depression. By. Mary Katherine Marasco. Ms.

Marasco 10 Depression By Mary Katherine Marasco Ms. Carr Anatomy and Physiology H 23 February 2016 Mary Katherine Marasco Ms. Carr Anatomy and Physiology H 23 February 2016 Depression Depression- the most diagnosed mental illness in the world- is also the most misunderstood. Depression?a sad or discontented mood?can leave a person feeling lethargic, unmotivated, or hopeless, and in some cases ? contemplate suicide. Unfortunately, depression usually begins as high levels of anxiety and with exposure to trauma in children. Higher levels of anxiety or exposure to stress-inducing and traumatic situations as a child could mean an increased risk of depression as an adult. Although a serious mental illness all over the world in†¦show more content†¦The cerebral cortex directs functions like speech, behavior, reactions, movement, thinking, and learning. In fact, some research suggests that bipolar disorder originates with problems with the thalamus, which links sensory input to good and bad feelings. The hippocampus also affects depression. It, like the amygdala, is part of the limbic system. It is vital in processing long-term memory. This section of t he brain registers recurring fear. In people with clinical depression, the hippocampus is much smaller. Research suggests, even, that ongoing exposure to stress impairs the growth of nerve cells in this part of the brain. One of the most important jobs of the brain is to process senses, through neurons. Neurotransmitters are specific substances that help relay information to the brain. Scientists have identified many neurotransmitters that affect depression. A lack or excess of the neurotransmitters acetylcholine, serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine, glutamate, lithium carbonate and gamma-aminobutyric acid are thought to contribute to depression. Acetylcholine is involved in learning and enhances memory. Serotonin helps regulate sleep, appetite, and mood, and inhibits pain. Research shows the idea that many depressed people have reduced levels of serotonin. Low levels of a byproduct of serotonin have been linked to a high risk for suicide. Norepinephrine is a neurotransmitter which constricts blood vessels and raises blood pressure. An excess in

Voter Fraud And Public Affairs Research Essay - 1795 Words

We have all wondered if elections over the years have ever been rigged, well now we have kind of a definite answer. Thanks to the ignorance in the upcoming election I have found two articles that correlate with each other, thanks to BBC. The first one is titled â€Å"Is the U.S election really rigged?† and the second is â€Å"What happens if Trump refuses to accept defeat?† Donald trump brought up the topic of voter fraud at one of his rally in Delaware recently, because he is a sore looser but that’s beside the point. Vanessa Barford of BBC looks at four points to dig deeper into this speculation, she talks about voter fraud, the claim ‘dead people generally vote for democrats’ and stolen votes. Donald Trump in the third and final presidential speech declined to say if he would accept the results of the upcoming election. In the first article about election fraud they talk about voter fraud, according to the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public A ffairs Research â€Å"Only a third of Republicans say they have a great deal or quite a bit of confidence that votes will be counted fairly†, but according to research done by various professors this fraud that they talk about isn’t a major problem in America. As a matter of fact, a professor by the name of Justin Levitt did a study and found thirty-one (31) impersonation cases out of one billion votes from U.S election from 2000-2014. These numbers do sound very convincing but as usual Donald Trump still would have something to say, and hisShow MoreRelatedEssay on Voter ID Laws in the United States1184 Words   |  5 PagesVoter ID laws in the United States have begun to create controversy since the beginning of its adaptations in the early 2000’s. Voter ID laws in the United States is a law that requires U.S. citizens to have a special form of identification in order to vote in an election. The idea with Voter ID laws is that the state must make sure that the laws do not pose any sort of burden on the voters. These laws have been proposed in order to stop voting fraud. However, the institution of Voter ID laws haveRead MoreFactors Affecting The Electoral Elections Of Zimbabwe And South Africa1345 Words   |  6 Pagesenjoyed victory after victory in elections. Zimbabwe Parliamentary Elections of 2000 saw ZANU PF face formidable opposition from the newly formed Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). However, according to independent observers, extensive electoral fraud and voter intimidation occurred during this election and ultimately, the MDC won 57 of 120 seats with ZANU PF winning 63. Thereafter, electoral turnout has continued to decline. 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Exploring Biographical Knowledge Into The Daily Routine...

The focus of this study was to explore how incorporating biographical knowledge into the daily routine and care of an individual with dementia can bring about changes in their behaviors that impact quality of care and quality of life. This chapter assembles the major findings of the study, considers the unique contribution to the research and practice of the care of people with dementia in a long term care setting. The implications for further research discussed as well as limitations of the study considered. Discussion The study makes a unique contribution to the existing literature on biographical approaches in dementia care. The findings suggest a positive effect of this approach for people with dementia in long term care setting. Similar to Life Story Work, Reminiscence Therapy and Meaningful activities this study indicates a number of benefits. First, it promotes increased understanding of the person. It enables nursing home staff to see a person in the context of his whole life. This in turn leads into deeper relationships. The voice of the resident with dementia can be heard when he or she is seen as a person and not just as a patient. The uniqueness of person’s needs and values can only be understood and adequately addressed by knowing his or hers life story. As in case of Rosemary, by learning about her life experiences the staff were able to see not a â€Å"mean and loud woman† but somebody who expresses her fear of water getting into her ears, or attachment to

Strategic Management Identification and Description

Question: Discuss about the Strategic Management for Identification and Description. Answer: Introduction: The term strategic management can be defined as the identification and description of the strategies, which enables the managers to execute high performance and gain a competitive benefit for their organisation. An organisation is only considered to be having a competitive advantage unless its productivity is superior to the standard profit for all the companies prevailing in its industry. Strategic management can as well be considered as the group of judgments and activities, which an administrator assumes and derives the outcomes of, firms performance (De Waal 2013). The manager should have a complete acquaintance and understanding of the general and competitive surroundings of the organisation to make correct decisions. They must perform a SWOT Analysis (Strength, weakness, opportunities and threats), i.e., the managers must make the best possible utilisation of the strength and reduce the weakness of the organisation, by employing the arising opportunities from the business activities without ignoring the threats. Hence, strategic management is nothing short of planning for the predictable and unfeasible contingencies. It can be implemented on both small and large organisation as the smallest organisation also faces the competition. By developing and implementing correct strategies they can achieve competitive advantage of their business. It is a tools for setting up the objectives and proceeding ahead with them to attain them. It is concerned with making and implementing decision to regarding the future directions of a corporation. Strategic management helps the manager to recognize the course in which an organisation is moving. Therefore, strategic management is a constant procedure, which assesses and controls the industry and the business under which an organisation functions by evaluating its competitors, setting goals and strategies to meet the needs of the organisation. Concept of strategic management: The word strategies have been derived from greek word which means Stratcgos. Hence, strategies are an action, which the managers undertake to achieve multiple goals of the organisation (Hill et al. 2014). It is a general direction, which is set for a business entity and its diversity of mechanism to attain a needed position in future prospect. It is mainly concerning of incorporating commercial activities by utilising and allotting the limited resources within the context of business environment in order to convene the current objectives. While formulating strategies it is to be noted that verdicts are not taken in a vacuity and any act by the organisation will be assemble a reaction from those affected are competitors, consumers, workforce and suppliers. Strategy is understood as the acquaintance of goals , uncertainty of events and the need to take into account the most probable and actual performance of others. It is the features of judgments in a business entity which reflects the objectives and aims, reducing the key strategies and programmes for attaining such ambitions by defining the business which an organisation carries, the kind of financial and individual organisation it desires to be and the involvement it strategizes to make to its shareholders, consumers and civilization at large. Vision and mission of strategic management: One of the primary features observed according to the perceptions of management is the thought and practice weather an organisation has any vision or mission. In addition to this, the first thing one learns in the school of business is the significance of vision and mission statements. It has been discovered in the learnings that organisations having well-spoken, coherent and objective oriented vision and mission statement generates double the amount of benefits for its shareholders in contrast to the firms having no vision or mission. Some of the advantages of having a vision and mission assertions are listed below; Above the whole thing else a vision report provides harmony of objectives to a business firm and injects the employees with the sense and belongings of identity. Perhaps vision and mission statements are symbols of organisational identity, which carries the firms creed and motto (Eden and Ackermann 2013). This sort of features enables them to be known as statement of creed. The mission and vision statement states out the context under which an organisation functions and offers the workforce with a tendency that is to be pursued under the climate of business entity. Such tools not only defines the existence of the organisation but also acts as a indicators of the directions under which an organisation should proceed to realise the goals set in the vision and mission statements. The vision and mission statement works as a point of focus for individuals in order to identify them with the process of the business entity and which gives a business entity a sense of direction. On the other hand, strategic management also deterring to those who does not wishes to follow them from taking part in the organisations activities. It is also noted that the mission and vision statement helps an organisation to interpret the objectives into labour structures by assigning task to the aspects of the business firm with the responsibility of implementing in practice. To spell out the main objectives on which the structure of the organisation functions depends and executing the actionable cost involved in the conversion of objectives into the presentation and time associated instruments. Finally, the vision and mission statements provides a beliefs of survival to the workforce, which is of utmost importance for humans. The vision and mission statement is concerned with the essential sense for functioning in a particular organisation. As it can be observed from the above stated a meaning vision and mission statement is destined to go extended way by setting up the foundation for presentation and actionable framework to exemplify the strength of the organisation. On the other hand, vision and mission statement is a matter of significance relevance as numerous identities an individuals have during their daily lives (Schilke 2014). It is to be believed that business entities spends a huge amount of time in significant of their vision and mission statement and ensures that a business entity comes with the declarations that provides importance as an alternative of being meagre judgments that are devoid of any implications. Features of strategy 1. Strategy is relevance as it is not feasible to determine future for the foreseeable amount of time. Without a perfect forecast a business entity should be ready to deal with the uncertainties concerning the business environment. 2. Strategic management of an organisation should be concerned with the long-term aspects rather than operating at a routine level. It deals with the likelihood of operations and novelties or new products, innovative process of manufacturing and new markets to be explored in the future course of time (Lasserre 2012). 3. Strategy is established to take into the account the possible behaviour of the consumers and competitors. Strategies concerning with the workers will forecast the employees performance. 4. Strategies are well organised matrix of an organisation. It defines the general mission, vision and directions of a business entity. The objectives of strategic management are to increase an organisations strength and to minimise the strength of the rival firms. Competitive advantage of strategic management: Understanding competitive advantage: It is a tool that strategic management is concerned with attaining and preserving competitive advantage over its rival and competitive firms. Competitive advantage can be defined as anything, which a business entity does especially when compared with the rival firms (De Waal 2013). It is to be noted that stresses on comparison with competing firms serves as a competitive advantage and it is all about how the best competitors stay economically competitive in the market. Competitive advantage mounts up to business entity when it does something, which the other competing firms are unable to do, or owns something that the competitors wishes. For example, for some business entities the competitive advantage signifies that a firm lesser - fixed assets when it is compared with the competitor firms, which is again beneficial during the financial slump. Sustained competitive advantage: It has already been defined that what competitive advantage holds in relation to the strategic management and the sources arising from competitive advantage differing from organisation to organisation. However, it is also evident that a business entity can have a basis of competitive advantage for only a definite period because other competing firms copy and duplicates the successful organisation strategies leading the original firm losing its source of competitive advantage over the long-term basis (Stead and Stead 2013). Therefore, it is very important for business entity to establish and develop continued competitive benefit. This can be done by following ways; Constantly adapting to the evolving external business landscape and matching with the internal strengths and capabilities by channelling the possessions and competencies in a smooth manner. By formulating, executing and assessing the strategies in an efficient way, which makes the utilisation of the above stated factors. The truth that business entities loses their competitive source of advantage during longer term is borne out by figures which shows that the top organisation in Malaysia had over 80 per cent of the marker share during the year 1978 which has significantly came down to less than 50 per cent. Introduction of internet and competitive advantage: With the introduction of internet, gaining of competitive advantage has develop into easier concept as business entities directly sell to the customers and the interconnected suppliers, consumers, outstanding creditors and other relevant stakeholders involved in its value chain. Due to the taking away of mediators, organisations can lower the cost and enhance the productivity (De Waal 2013). Nevertheless, internet has transformed the regulations of conducting business and acts as elements of competitive advantage in this era of digitization. Internet is now about how well organisations utilise the digital stage and social media to increase advantage over other competing firms. Finally, it is evident that competitive advantage should be earned, gained and defended as the above stated conversation illustrates. Organisations which are alert and quick to respond to the evolving market circumstances and whose interior potentials are associated with the external opportunities are those who would sustain themselves in the commercial landscape of the 21st century (Schilke 2014). As it can be observed from the characterisation of competitive benefit, it is ethereal and subjective to change as business entities should always look out for the new source of opportunities for competitive advantage and should always be aware of the competitors next moves. Benefits of strategic management: According to Grant (2016) there are numerous benefits of strategic management and it consists of recognition, prioritization and examination of opportunities. For example, newer products, new markets and innovations into the business firms are only achievable if firms are indulgent in strategic planning. On the other hand, premeditated administration facilitates a firm to undertake a purposeful view of the activities being performed by it and performing a cost benefit analysis as to whether the firm is conductive business in a profitable manner or not. It is to be noted that one does not mean financial benefit alone but also includes the evaluation of productivity that is concerned with the assessment of the business entity tactically aligning to its aims and objectives. An important point to be considered in this context is that strategic management enables a firm to familiarize itself to its marketplace and customers by ensuring that it realises the right strategies. Benefits of strategic management are listed below; Financial benefits: According to Goetsch and Davis, (2014) it has been learned that business entities that indulge in strategic management are capable of earning more profit and successful than those that does not have the advantage of strategic planning and strategic management. When a firm indulges into forward looking forecast and cautious assessment of their main concern, they have power over the potential outlook, which is essential in the fast changing business landscape of the 21st century. Strategic management concept shows that numerous business fails every year and most of these failures accounts for lack of strategic focus and strategic directions. Furthermore, it is noted that business entities with high performance is likely to create more informed decision because they consider both the aspects of long term and short term consequences and have designed their approach consequently. In contrast to this, business entity that does not indulge them in consequential premeditated forecast are usually beaten down by internal struggle and insufficient focus show the way of failure. Nonfinancial benefits: Under these section tangible benefits of the premeditated administration is discussed. Apart from these benefits, business organisations that indulge in premeditated administration are more conscious of the outside threats, a better understanding of rivals firms strengths and weakness helps in increasing the productivity of the employees (Bradley 2016). Improved understanding leads to lower resistance to transformation and clear understanding of the connections among performance and rewards. The vital elements of strategic management is that it is dilemma solving and problems thwarting capacities of a business entity is improved through implementing premeditated administration. Strategic management is necessary since it helps an organisation to decrease the change and converse the need to modify better to its employees. At last, premeditated administration assists a business firms to bring order and discipline to the activities of the firms in its both internal process and external activities. Closing thoughts: In the modern era, almost all the organisation has understood the vitality of strategic management. However, the important distinction exists amid those who do well and those who does not succeed is the way in which strategic management is performed and strategic planning is executed out by the business entity to create a disparity between success and failures. Nevertheless, there are still business firms that does not engage in premeditated scheduling or where the planners are not offered support by the management. These firms must realise the benefits offered by strategic management and must make sure the long-term feasibility and achievement in the market place. Process of strategic management: The process of strategic management defines the strategy of organisations. It is also defined as the procedure through which the executives make a choice of a set of strategies for the business entity, which will enable them to accomplish better performance. Strategic management is a permanent process that appraises the trade and industries in which the organisation is concerned; evaluates its competitors by fixing the ambitions in order to meet all the current and future competitors and then re-evaluate each strategy. Strategic management process consists of the following steps; 1. Environment scanning: Environmental scanning is defined a process of gathering, inspecting and providing information for the purpose of strategic management. It helps in interior and exterior elements, which influences an organisation (Watson 2013). After carrying out the environmental examination procedure, management must assess it on a regular interval and strive to progress it. 2. Formulation of strategy: Formulation of strategy is the procedure of making a decision best possible act for achieving objective of the organisation and thus, attaining the purpose of the organisation. After performing environment scanning, managers formulate functional strategies of corporate business. 3. Implementation of strategy: Implementation of strategy defines that making the strategy work as desired or placing the organisations selected strategy into the action. Strategy implementation includes designing the structure of business entity, distribution of resources, developing the process of decision making and human resource management. 4. Evaluation of strategy: Evaluation of strategy is the last process of strategy administration. The important strategy assessment activities consists of; judging internal and external aspects that are source of the current strategies employed by the organisation, measuring the performance and taking remedial or corrective actions (Hrebiniak 2013). Evaluations make sure that the organisations strategy as well as the implementations meets the organisational needs and objectives. These mechanisms are steps that are executed in sequential order, when establishing a new tactical plan. Modern day business that has previously established a strategic management plan will relapse to these procedures according to the current state of affairs in order to make the necessary changes. Figure 1 Components of strategic management (Source Kapferer 2012) Components of strategic management procedure: Strategic management is an fragmentary procedure, therefore, it should be realised that each components interrelates with the other elements and that this organisation frequently occurs in chorus. Techniques of strategic management process: Techniques of strategic management process refer to selecting the most suitable route of act for the apprehension of the goals of organisation and objectives and simultaneously accomplishing the vision of business entity. The techniques of strategic management principally consists six main techniques that does not pursue a unbending sequential order however they are very logical and can be effortlessly pursued in the following ways; 1. Setting up the organisational objectives: The important techniques for any type of strategy statement are by setting up the objectives, which are of long term for organisation. It is understood that approach is usually intermediate for attaining the objectives of business entity. Objectives emphasises the stress upon the situation of being there while strategy focuses ahead the procedure of getting there (Langley et al. 2013). Strategy consists of both fixations of both objectives as well as the medium to used to apprehend those objectives. Thus, strategy is broader approach, which considers in the utilisation of resources and achieving the objectives of business entity. 2. Evaluation of business entity environment: The next technique is to determine the universal monetary and industrial surroundings under which an organisational functions. This consists of the business entity competitive situation. It is vital to carry out a qualitative and quantitative re-evaluation of the business firm existing the product line. The objectives of such re-examination are to ensure that techniques, which are significant for competitive success in the market, can be discovered so that the management can recognize their own strength and weakness. After locating the strength and weakness, a business firm must keep a watch on the competitors moves and actions in order to discover likelihood opportunities of threats to its markets and sources of supply. 3. Setting up the quantitative targets: Under these techniques, a business firm should virtually fix the quantitative targets principles for a number of the organisational objectives (Barney and Hesterly 2015). The concept following this is to assess with the long term consumers, so as to assess the contribution that may be made by a variety of merchandise zones or functioning department. 4. Aiming in context with the divisional plans: Under this technique, the contribution made by each of the subdivision or division or merchandise class within the business entity is recognized and appropriate strategies are performed for each sub-unit. This involves a cautious examination of macroeconomic trends. 5. Performance analysis: Performance examination consists of determination and analyzing the opening connecting the planned or required presentation. A significant assessment of the business entity past presentation, current condition and the required future conditions should be performed by the organisations (Morden 2016). This decisive assessment recognizes the amount of gap that exists among the authentic reality and the long-term ambitions of the organisation. An effort is made by the establishment to calculate approximately its possible outlook if the trends persists. 6. Choice of strategy: This is the final techniques in the process of techniques involved in strategic management. The best course of action is actually chooses after considering the goals of the organisation, its strengths and potential limitations along with the external opportunities. Factors influencing the choice of strategy: Strategic management is the methodical procedure of analyzing, co-ordinating and employing decisions and actions plans to accomplish sustainable spirited advantage (Riding and Rayner 2013). There are certain factors, which consist of the management functions, transformation in structure, competition, social-economic factors, laws and technology. Management functions: Alteration in the structure of the administration or the board of directors or exit of the administrative officers influences alteration in strategy. The inward associates of the management team might need to reconsider the present strategies with the objective of enforcing innovative ideas to take the business to improved level. Structural transformations: Structural transformation consists of mergers acquisition and expansion into the global markets, which helps, in necessitating the strategic realignment. Such transformation changes the management, structure of capital and markets structure of business firms, which makes strategic management inevitable (Watson 2013). An organisation should adjust according to the current strategies and formulating new strategies in order to re align the mission and objectives of the organisation. Competition With rise in the competition of the target markets, imperative reassessment of strategies in an effort to improve the competitive benefit has become vital for very business organisations. Business firms employees such strategic tools like SWOT analysis to analyse the strength, weakness, opportunities and threats and change the present strategies (Schilke 2014). For instance, challenges such as simulations of product by the rival firms possess threats to the competitive advantage of a business firms. Altering strategies will enable a business entity to change the course of operations by concentrating on the inherent weakness and threats. Socio-cultural factors: The social and the cultural factors of a business entity must make quick changes in the strategic management process. Every business organisation must ensure that strategic process is realigned to description for the demographic and cultural simulations, particularly while penetrating into the new markets or scheming new products for a particular marketplace sections. Laws: Alteration in regulations such as the tax, environment and healthcare laws influences the procedure of strategic management. An organisation must adjust according to the current needs of their business to integrate the requirement of the new laws. For example if law directs an organisation lower the carbon footprint it may require the review process of production or the supply chain management approach so that it can comply with the new requirements. Technology: A business entity might change its approach due to the accessibility or lack of sufficient technology. The acquirement of capital resources such as mechanical and advanced equipment may enable an organisation to amplify the amount of production in order to adjust to the needs of the supply chain function (Ward and Peppard 2016). Hence, the information technology trends also influence the changes in strategic management. Conclusion: Strategic management is one of the key tools that is available with the management of the organisation to develop the organisational management systems. The report has examined the key elements of strategic management to improve the understanding of managers by placing a major emphasis on the process of strategic decision-making. The volatility of the environment is the circumstances, which hinders the development process by introducing a great deal of uncertainty. In addition to this, a review of the major significant management models indicates that an organisation must include the aspects of strategic management such as formulation of strategies, evaluating and controlling strategies etc. Moreover, the concept of strategic management is still concerned to undergo change in order to meet the organisational needs and objectives. Understanding and following the complete process will facilitate the management to attain the goals of the organisation. Reference List: Barney, J.B. and Hesterly, W., 2015.Strategic management and competitive advantage concepts and cases. Pearson. Bradley, G., 2016.Benefit Realisation Management: A practical guide to achieving benefits through change. CRC Press. David, F. and David, F.R., 2016. Strategic Management: A Competitive Advantage Approach, Concepts and Cases. De Waal, A., 2013.Strategic Performance Management: A managerial and behavioral approach. Palgrave Macmillan. Doz, Y. and Prahalad, C.K., 2013, January. Quality of management: An emerging source of global competitive advantage?. InStrategies in Global Competition (RLE International Business): Selected Papers from the Prince Bertil Symposium at the Institute of International Business, Routledge(pp. 345-368). Eden, C. and Ackermann, F., 2013.Making strategy: The journey of strategic management. Sage. Goetsch, D.L. and Davis, S.B., 2014.Quality management for organizational excellence. pearson. Grant, R.M., 2016.Contemporary strategy analysis: Text and cases edition. John Wiley Sons. Habib, F., Bastl, M. and Pilbeam, C., 2015. Strategic responses to power dominance in buyer-supplier relationships.International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Management,45(1/2), pp.182-203. Harrison, J.S. and John, C.H.S., 2013.Foundations in strategic management. Cengage Learning. Harrison, J.S. and John, C.H.S., 2013.Foundations in strategic management. Cengage Learning. Hill, C.W., Jones, G.R. and Schilling, M.A., 2014.Strategic management: theory: an integrated approach. Cengage Learning. Hitt, M.A., Ireland, R.D. and Hoskisson, R.E., 2012.Strategic management cases: competitiveness and globalization. Cengage Learning. Hrebiniak, L.G., 2013.Making strategy work: Leading effective execution and change. FT Press. Hubbard, G., Rice, J. and Galvin, P., 2014.Strategic management. Pearson Australia. Jeong, D.Y., Kim, S.M. and Yoon, D.J., 2014. The Effects of Strategic Customer Orientation and IT Investment on the Organizational Performance.International Information Institute (Tokyo). Information,17(10 (A)), p.4779. Kapferer, J.N., 2012.The new strategic brand management: Advanced insights and strategic thinking. Kogan page publishers. Langley, A., Smallman, C., Tsoukas, H. and Van de Ven, A.H., 2013. Process studies of change in organization and management: unveiling temporality, activity, and flow.Academy of Management Journal,56(1), pp.1-13. Lasserre, P., 2012.Global strategic management. Palgrave Macmillan. Mir, F.A. and Pinnington, A.H., 2014. Exploring the value of project management: linking project management performance and project success.International Journal of Project Management,32(2), pp.202-217. Morden, T., 2016.Principles of strategic management. Routledge. Riding, R. and Rayner, S., 2013.Cognitive styles and learning strategies: Understanding style differences in learning and behavior. Routledge. Schilke, O., 2014. On the contingent value of dynamic capabilities for competitive advantage: The nonlinear moderating effect of environmental dynamism.Strategic Management Journal,35(2), pp.179-203. Shields, J., Brown, M., Kaine, S., Dolle-Samuel, C., North-Samardzic, A., McLean, P., Johns, R., Robinson, J., O'Leary, P. and Plimmer, G., 2015.Managing Employee Performance Reward: Concepts, Practices, Strategies. Cambridge University Press. Simons, R., 2013.Levers of control: how managers use innovative control systems to drive strategic renewal. Harvard Business Press. Stead, J.G. and Stead, W.E., 2013.Sustainable strategic management. ME Sharpe. Turnbull, P.W. and Valla, J.P. eds., 2013.Strategies for international industrial marketing. Routledge. Ward, J. and Peppard, J., 2016.The Strategic Management of Information Systems: Building a Digital Strategy. John Wiley Sons. Watson, T., 2013.Management, organisation and employment strategy: New directions in theory and practice. Routledge.

IKEA Is Private International Companyâ€Free Samples for Students

Question: Explain IKEA Is Private International Company? Answer: Introduction IKEA is private international company retailing home products such as accessories, flat pack furniture, kitchen, and bathrooms. IKEA Company offers the best flat-pack design furniture which has made the company to be world largest furniture retailer. In 1943, 17-year-old Kamprad Ingvar formed IKEA in Sweden. IKEA is controlled by the Kamprad family but owned by the Dutch-registered foundation. The chain store of the company comprises 301 stores most of them in the Australia, Asia, North America and Europe (Hubbard et al. 2014). In the smaland, the people have a reputation of living frugally and have a good reputation of working hard because of the thin soil and limited resources. The innovative idea of the Kamprad was to use simple price cutting method to offer excellent products at affordable price and much lower than the competitor. The name IKEA comprises name initials of the village and farm where Kamprad grew, and initials mean Ingvar Kamprad, Elmtaryd and Agunnaryd. The INGKA Holding which is a private and for-profit organization oversees the operations of the IKEA including the management of the stores, manufacture, and design of its furniture (Hill 2011). Franchisees operate the remaining 30 stores of the Ikea beside INGKA Holding Company (Grant 2016). Customers segment IKEA group target mainly the small business, college student, and very conscious customers to buy the goods. The IKEA business idea, market positioning market, and vision provide the framework regarding the communication marketing of the IKEA all over the world. The IKEA business idea includes to offers functional home products with a full range of design at a relatively lower cost which will make many people acquire them. According to IKEA vision is that low price but not at any cost. IKEA needs to sustain the business and will not sacrifice its principles in the line of providing and creating an affordable price. The Ikea concept Offering a well-designed, lower cost and functional products is the mission of the IKEA. IKEA makes people live a better life since they don not sell expensive products which would suit only rich people (Morris et al. 2015, p.30). Similarly, the concept guides the designing, manufacturing, assembling and selling of the product to the consumers. Value proposition IKEA value proposition is experience on the site of the children and the whole family. Also, the company sells affordable products at the right price. The product is easy to assemble and transport by the consumers (FitzRoy et al. 2012). Child care Children aged between three to ten years have different playing sections with the name smaland which is free of charge. The area of the play comprises the cartoons, slides, seesaws and ball pit. IKEA range Due to the demands of the core activities such as storing, sleeping, eating, socializing, The Company is in a position to solve the need at small cost. Functional The main aim of the company is always to make products that will help many people. Thus, IKEA provides and improves the life of their customers without affecting their income. Design The designing of the IKEA layout is such that the customers can see the entire premises, unlike the traditional retailers. For instance, the building is large with yellow accents and few windows (Percy et al. 2016). Even though they are other sections of the showroom, the setting of the displays of the building is useful so that the customer check the goods that they need. Stores sell some of the product at a relatively reduced price or a discount. It applies to the products such as returned, showcased or returned goods with no return policy. In the United Kingdom, the use term bargain corner refer when the Ikea communicates to their consumers on the environmental policy issues. Brand management Associations of the trademark and the reputations of the company rely on the reasonable and emotional values of the consumers (Frynas and Mellahi 2015). The Ikea brand image is a result of the close relationship between the coworkers at all levels globally. Lower price: the Ikea can make a real difference when it provides an appealing product that represents values for the consumers cash (Stadtler 2015, p.10). Additionally, the company creates a good relationship between the company and suppliers by purchasing quality materials at relatively lower price. Convenient shopping: the Ikea stores offer everything under one roof. Right quality: the Ikea makes sure that the product undergoes test and that they meet the international standard safety. Swedish Ikea: the Sweden furniture is very light. Similarly, their welcoming in the Swedish style is practical, straightforward and informal. Distribution channel Ikea establishes a right platform to create customers loyalty through the use of the super stores, Ikea family description, Ikea stores and websites and catalog. Approximately 1600 suppliers manufacturers and transport around 10,000 products to the 186 Ikea s stores worldwide (Olsson et al. 2013, p.1135). The time frame is necessary for the Ikea operation from the manufacturer to the user. Currently, Ikea operates 27 distributions sites in 16 countries. Then delivering of the products around the world in the 186 stores: 21 franchise and 165 IKEA groups stores (Jonsson and Foss 2011, p .1080). Catalogue The publishing of the catalog is in 27 languages for 36 countries in 55 editions. The publishing of the first list was in 1951 in Sweden. The IKEA Communications AB produces most of the catalogue in Almhult in Sweden where it operates a large photo studio. Ikea uses 10- 15 % of the post-consumer waste to print catalog on the chlorine free paper. Loyalty programs The Ikea family which is orange in color and free of charge, is one of the loyalty card programs. Additionally, Ikea take off 25% of the price of the commission of various products on the presentation of the card (Rosenbaum-Elliott 2015). There is also printing and publication of Ikea family live magazines which supplement the catalogs and card. Better efficiency at lower prices Minimizing space means that transportation will be high. For example, stacking of the kettles upside down that will make ten kettles to fit rather than six pots. Air freighting of the product is less than one percent. Transportation of the product by the road is 60 percent, 20 percent on the sea and 20 percent on the rail. The company projections are that in the next three years transportations will comprise 40 % by the rails all over the Europe. Minimum viable product (MVP) In the product development, the minimum viable product is when consumers buy the products and give quick feedback to the manufacturer. The creation of the ideas and innovation is important but putting the minimum viable product into consideration is important. Therefore, the viable product is one who possesses enough features for the development in future. For instance, the Ikea groups deal with the customers directly. Thus, in a case of the introduction of the new product in the market, the managers can get the information very fast regarding the status of the product. Customers relationship Ikea focuses on the providing exclusive discounts and offers to the consumers. Additionally, there is unlimited access to the store .Assembling of the product to the customers at free cost. Similarly, there is restaurant for consumers to buy foodstuffs and offers free child care. Restaurants Many IKEA stores comprise the restaurants which offer traditional Swedish foods such as lingonberry, meatballs and cream sauce. It offers refills of the soft drinks, coffee, and tea in most of the stores. Besides, they provide hot dogs selling at 1$ and drinks along with varieties food such as local cuisine and lingonberry. Timings The long opening hours of their stores are exceptional. IKEA publics opening tend to be longer since they operate at evening in the most of the countries of which many retailers company does not do the opening. IKEA stores restock and maintain during the night, and this makes the company operate in 24 hours a day (Wilson and Gilligan 2012). For instance, the Ikea Croydon has longer opening hours globally from Monday to Friday (10 am -12 midnights). Key activities Ikea focuses on the extensive advertising and marketing through media. Additionally, the designing of the product is excellent with are also affordable. Also, the manufacturing of the Ikea is done by the company itself without any outsourcing or subcontracting. The Ikea focuses on the printing media which contributes to the success and values of the company. The store: it is the primary place for the communicating and presenting the range of the product at an affordable price. The Ikea product line: Ikea uses the entire communication channel to sell the product line. Catalog; around 70% of the marketing budget goes to the catalogs .the total circulation of the catalogs were 110 million last years, productions in 38 different editions comprise 17 languages over 28 countries (Mangan et al, 2016). Target market: advertising, public relations, and records allow the deep penetration of the market. Little productions take place in the Sweden although it remains the fourth largest supplier in Poland, Italy, and China. Key resources The primary key resources of the Ikea include the physical including; skilled and qualified personnel, infrastructure: megastores, furnitures, trucks, lifting tools, and equipment. The company is creating the manufacturing process, capturing the main streams and implementing the economies of the scale that corresponds to the cost due to material exceptions and explosion of the human population in the 20th and 21st century. Kamprad uses the familiar design concept to refer to the company applying the integration approach towards designing and integration. Key partnerships Harvesters or wood makers, transport and trucking firm comprise the key partner. For the efficient delivery of the product to the different consumers, the companies integrate all the activities so as to reduce the operating cost. Revenue Structure One of the funds that keep the Ikea's going is the generation of the revenues through the sales of it furniture globally. Rejections, discounts or the products used over the counter revenue are important in raising the income of the company. Additionally, various stores have a restaurant beside them offering food such as drinks and foods stuff. Therefore, the restaurant outlets make a generation of the cash easy in the process of selling the product. Similarly, the Ikea can raise the money through the sales of the old accessories such as towing equipment, yarn, and tools. Cost structure The cost structure includes the raw material, transport, advertisement, manufacturing, and labor. In the process of making the final product the material are essential. Ikea takes care of the transportations of the product: will allow accommodation of large volume of the product which makes the company to enjoy large economies of the scale. Ikea employs qualified personnel so as to extend the idea of the innovation and creativity. Therefore, the labor cost is one of the expenses that the company incurs. The advertisement is necessary so as to create awareness to the consumers. Ikea incurs the cost of advertising such as in the internet, TV, and productions of the catalogs which lists the types of the products and their respective price. Market feasibility Wal-Mart, Sears, and American wood mark are Ikea chief competitor. The customers get the flat pack product at the Ikea stores and malls. There is an increase of 7.1 percent growth rate from the previous year to a $ 34.2 billion (Harrison and John 2013). Ikea is opening new city- center pick up point and stores and also out of the town warehouse. Sales from already established stores increased by 4.8%; the company continues to open new target stores in 2018, Ikea plans to open a store in the Slovenia, and for the last one year it has opened stores in Morocco. Ikea plans to achieve sales of $ 56 billion in 2020. But the current growth rate of the 7.9% would make the company not reach the target sales until two years later (Kotler et al. 2015). Technical feasibility Ikea Company is creative and innovative by itself. They design and produce a product and distribute them to their consumers directly through their stores. Apart from the designing the product by themselves, they also operate with the franchisee's group, but the franchisees have to pay revenue to the company. Ikea produces their product through an in-house process so as to know how to reduce the cost and usage of the by-product to makes other items. To offer large volumes of the products at lower prices, Ikea operates the distribution on their own. The time is necessary to provide the product at right time frame to create customer loyalty. 165 Ikea's stores and 21 franchised stores do the delivery of the company (Ungson and Wong 2014). On the environmental issues, Ikea has a strategic approach so as to improve the environmental issues of the enterprise. Some of the environmental issues include reductions in the usage of the formaldehyde in the products. There is a replacement of the P VC polyvinylchloride in the lamp shapes, furniture, home textile, and wallpapers. Also, the company wants to reduce the stuffing and framing by using the air-inflatable furniture which will further reduce the transportation volume and weight. Finally, it will reduce the chromium use in a treatment of the metal surface. Financial feasibility Ikea projects growth in the revenue of 85% by the 2020 and also increase the numbers of the users who enters the stores. The primary source of the Ikea capital is through founding owners equity; acquiring from the proprietors saving or sales of their personal item. The advantage of the founding owners equity is that its usage is flexible and investment is in the long term .The pricing of the Ikea product is different because of the variety of the outputs. For instance, the kopardal queen bed frame cost $ 129 (Kapferer 2012). Therefore, the listings of the product with their respective price are in the catalog. The main aim of the Ikea is to lower the price of the product as lower as possible in future. The revenue at the end of the year and the loyalty of the 3 % from the franchise is what keep the company in the business. Ikea focuses on the long term goals and this make it to be competitive as a private corporation. Human resource feasibility The Kamprad Ingvar set an owners structure so that it can stand for the long term approach and independence. Stichting INGKA foundations in the Netherlands help to provide the charity funds. The INGKA Holding is the parent of the Ikea group, while the Stichting INGKA Foundation possesses IKEA group management (Truss 2012). In the advisory services of the IKEA group companies is through the Ikea services B.V. and IKEA services AB (Lasserre 2012). Ikea encourages diversity and inclusion, culture and values. The uniqueness of the company is what makes it in the better place. The Ikea uses both the intrinsic and extrinsic techniques to motivate its employee. For those aiming for the managerial role, the companies come in the educational assistance and more so medical care. Apart from that, the companies continue to make its employee realize their full potential by delegating important role and task; achievement of the personal goals, self-actualization and getting better each day. Ikea trains its employee so as to increase the efficiency and to equip the workers with right skills to meet the customers demands in the future (McFarlin and Sweeney 2014). The company has three stages in the selection and recruitment methods; assessment center, personal interview and grandparent principle stage. References FitzRoy, P., Hulbert, J., Ghobadian, A. and O'Shannassy, T., 2012. Strategic management: The challenge of creating value. Routledge. Frynas, J.G. and Mellahi, K., 2015. Global strategic management. Oxford University Press, USA. Grant, R.M., 2016. Contemporary strategy analysis: Text and cases edition. John Wiley Sons. Harrison, J.S. and John, C.H.S., 2013. Foundations in strategic management. Cengage Learning. Hill, C.W. and Jones, G.R., 2011. Essentials of strategic management. Cengage Learning. Hubbard, G., Rice, J. and Galvin, P., 2014. Strategic management. Pearson Australia. Jonsson, A. and Foss, N.J., 2011. International expansion through flexible replication: Learning from the internationalization experience of IKEA. Journal of International Business Studies, 42(9), pp.1079-1102. Kapferer, J.N., 2012. The new strategic brand management: Advanced insights and strategic thinking. Kogan page publishers. Kotler, P., Berger, R. and Bickhoff, N., 2015. Quintessence of Strategic Management. Springer. Lasserre, P., 2012. Global strategic management. Palgrave Macmillan. Mangan, J., Lalwani, C. and Lalwani, C.L., 2016. Global logistics and supply chain management. John Wiley Sons. McFarliHuman resource feasibilityn, D. and Sweeney, P.D., 2014. International Management: Strategic Opportunities Cultural Challenges. Routledge. Morris, M., Schindehutte, M., Richardson, J. and Allen, J., 2015. Is the business model a useful strategic concept? Conceptual, theoretical, and empirical insights. Journal of Small Business Strategy, 17(1), pp.27-50. Olsson, R., Gadde, L.E. and Hulthn, K., 2013. The changing role of middlemenStrategic responses to distribution dynamics. Industrial Marketing Management, 42(7), pp.1131-1140. Percy, L., Elliott, R.H. and Rosenbaum-Elliott, R., 2016. Strategic advertising management. Oxford University Press. Rosenbaum-Elliott, R., Elliott, R.H., Percy, L. and Pervan, S., 2015. Strategic brand management. Oxford University Press, USA. Stadtler, H., 2015. Supply chain management: An overview. In Supply chain management and advanced planning (pp. 3-28). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Truss, C., Mankin, D. and Kelliher, C., 2012. Strategic human resource management. Oxford University Press. Ungson, G.R. and Wong, Y.Y., 2014. Global strategic management. Routledge. Wilson, R.M. and Gilligan, C., 2012. Strategic marketing management. Routledge.

Dog Fight free essay sample

By 1999, Ryanair was one of the most profitable airlines in the world. On the verge of bankruptcy in 1991, the company had removed absolutely all frills from its service, cut its costs to the bone, and dropped its fares to levels unheard of in Europe. Passengers flocked to the low fares, and revenue and profitability rose quickly. As Europe’s airline industry came closer to full deregulation, however, a host of new challengers—both startups and spin-offs of flag carriers—vied to mimic Ryanair’s success. Turnaround A last-minute infusion of cash from the Ryan family permitted Ryanair to make its payment to the Dublin Airport authority in January, 1991, but cash flow problems remained intense. Later in 1991, Michael O’Leary was promoted from the position of Finance Director to become Deputy Chief Executive of the struggling airline. O’Leary, then 29 years old, explained that he got the post â€Å"because no one else was left to take the position. †1 Colleagues assessed his qualifications more generously and, in particular, mentioned his ability to focus on objectives. â€Å"Michael would ignore gold on the side of the road if it distracted him from his main goal,† one commented. 2 Under O’Leary, Ryanair cut its costs radically. Loss-making routes were dropped and planes redeployed on a handful of remaining routes. The company’s earlier focus on customer service gave way to an obsession with cash. Efforts to preserve and generate cash became paramount. All inflight amenities, such as free coffee and snacks, were eliminated. Freed of coffee and snack service, flight attendants began to emphasize in-flight duty-free sales more prominently; over time, duty-free items became an important source of revenue and margin. Labor contracts were renegotiated so that pay reflected productivity. Flight attendants, for instance, began to be paid in part based the number of flights they flew and in part as a function of their duty-free sales. Staff members at headquarters reported that they would bring pens from home because pens were in short supply at the office. The space behind seat-back trays was leased out to advertisers. The company no longer distributed meal vouchers to travelers whose flights were delayed by bad weather. As it eliminated amenities, Ryanair dropped its fares substantially. Passenger volumes picked up. The company soon became a low-cost, low-fare airline. To hone the business model, senior managers visited Southwest Airlines, the most successful low-cost, low-fare carrier in the United States, and sought guidance from Southwest’s legendary founder Herb Kelleher. U. S. financial ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Professor Jan W. Rivkin prepared this case. HBS cases are developed solely as the basis for class discussion. Cases are not intended to serve as endorsements, sources of primary data, or illustrations of effective or ineffective management. Copyright  © 2000 President and Fellows of Harvard College. To order copies or request permission to reproduce materials, call 1-800-545-7685, write Harvard Business School Publishing, Boston, MA 02163, or go to http://www. hbsp. harvard. edu. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the permission of Harvard Business School. 700-117 Dogfight over Europe: Ryanair (C) analysts would later proclaim Ryanair â€Å"the Southwest Airlines of Europe,† and Ryanair’s top management would sometimes embrace this label themselves. Senior managers could not recall a moment, however, when they decided to mimic Southwest intentionally. Rather, cash constraints led the company to a set of decisions similar to the one that Southwest, once equally hard-pressed, had made. Indeed, in some ways Ryanair was even more frugal than Southwest. It offered no free snacks and drinks, not even the peanuts for which Southwest was well known. Unlike Southwest, it avoided expensive â€Å"air bridges† that linked parked planes to airport terminals. Passengers walked across the airport tarmac and boarded Ryanair planes by climbing metal stairs. Ryanair offered no frequent flyer program comparable to Southwest’s. Ryanair took a more confrontational stance toward labor and unions than did Southwest, which emphasized â€Å"luv† among employees and cooperation with unions. Ryanair returned to profitability by 1992 and remained profitable. Exhibit 1 shows financial and operating results from 1992 to 1999. Exhibit 2 lays out the revenue and costs associated with an average customer in the fiscal year ended March 31, 1999. Ryanair in 1999 Routes By September, 1999, Ryanair operated approximately 150 flights per day to thirteen locations in the United Kingdom, four locations in Ireland, and sixteen locations in continental Europe. 3 Exhibit 3 gives details of individual routes. Nearly all flights originated or terminated at either London’s Stansted Airport or Dublin Airport. Ryanair did not, however, consider Stansted or Dublin a â€Å"hub† in the sense in which the word was commonly used in the airline industry; flights were not coordinated so that passengers could make connections easily. Rather, the company treated customers as if they were flying point to point. A typical flight lasted about an hour and covered over 500 kilometers, a figure that had increased in recent years. On well-established routes, Ryanair operated many flights a day. For instance, the carrier offered twelve round trips a day on the Stansted-Dublin route. Almost exclusively, Ryanair served secondary airports. Its Paris service, for instance, landed at Beauvais Airport, 65 kilometers from the city center, and its Brussels service landed at Charleroi, 55 kilometers out. Such airports were not congested, making it easy to obtain landing slots and likely that flights would land and depart on time. Prior to opening a new route, Ryanair negotiated vigorously with airport authorities for low landing fees, low turnaround costs, and other incentives. The company would negotiate with numerous airports at once. It might schedule a press conference to announce, say, six new routes and negotiate with more than six airports until mere days before the announcement. While airport fees at major European airports could run as high as I? 10 per passenger, Ryanair might pay no fee whatsoever at the secondary airports it served. * Indeed, several airports essentially paid Ryanair to serve their locales. Contracts with airports ran for 5-10 years. Total passenger traffic on a route typically skyrocketed after Ryanair initiated service, a pattern that analysts dubbed â€Å"the Ryanair effect. † See Exhibit 4 for some examples. â€Å"We will not enter a route if we cannot break even in three hours and grow the market by at least 100%,† declared O’Leary, who by now was full CEO. 4 The company carried about one-third of all passengers between Dublin and London and had over 50% market share on its routes between Ireland and other British cities. On routes to continental Europe, the company accounted for 32% of all 1998 traffic between London and Pisa, for instance, and 21% of traffic between London and Venice. 5 Passengers * In Dublin, London, and Manchester, airports charged Ryanair per passenger. Elsewhere, the company was charged per takeoff and landing. 2 Dogfight over Europe: Ryanair (C) 700-117 originating in or destined to Ireland were a large but declining portion of Ryanair’s total customer base. In 1999, 22% of the carrier’s passengers paid their fares in Irish currency. Ryanair’s customers were a mix of leisure travelers (70-75%) and business travelers, mostly from small and mid-sized businesses (25-30%). Differences in airfares could persuade some leisure travelers to visit one destination rather than another. â€Å"To some extent, we are in the business of taking people to places they never knew they wanted to go,† explained Michael Cawley, Chief Financial Officer. 6 Reservations A customer’s experience with Ryanair began when he or she made a reservation for a Ryanair flight. Roughly 40% of customers booked flights directly with Ryanair via its call center in Dublin, where 160 full-time reservation agents answered calls. Overflow from the call center and calls from France, Italy, Germany, and Scandinavia were routed to TeleTech UK, a third party that was paid on a per-call basis. Remaining tickets were booked via travel agents. In 1997, Ryanair reduced the commission it paid travel agents from the industry-standard 9% to 7. 5%. Groups of travel agents threatened to boycott Ryanair at that time, but an action in the Irish High Court prevented the boycott. Ryanair participated in several of the major computerized reservation systems through which travel agents commonly booked tickets. Starting in late 1999, customers could also book flights via the company’s web site, www. ryanair. com. On weekends, when many travel agencies were closed, the portion of tickets sold via the web site rose as high as 70%. Ground and in-flight operations The customer’s experience with Ryanair continued with pre-flight check-in and baggage handling. At a check-in desk, the customer received a boarding pass with no seat assignment and checked his or her luggage. Ryanair’s check-in procedure was less computerized than that of most airlines, and unlike many carriers, Ryanair did not permit passengers to check baggage through to connecting flights on other airlines. Only at Dublin Airport did the company perform its own ground operations. Elsewhere, Ryanair negotiated multi-year contracts with private companies or, in continental Europe, with airport authorities for check-in, baggage handling, and aircraft servicing. Starting in 1994, Ryanair shifted its fleet entirely to Boeing 737 aircraft, the most widely used aircraft model in the world. By buying at the end of a worldwide recession in the airline industry, Ryanair acquired its initial 737s at very low prices. (Aircraft prices at the trough of a recession might be as low as half the prices at the peak of a boom. ) As of September, 1999, the fleet consisted of 21 737-200A aircraft manufactured between 1980 and 1983 and five brand new 737-800s. The new 737800s were the first of a package of 25 aircraft purchased from Boeing, after extensive negotiations with Boeing and Airbus. The remaining 20 new planes were scheduled to arrive by January 2003. The operational life span of a 737 was typically 25 years. All aircraft in Ryanair’s fleet were configured with the maximum number of seats (130 in the 737-200As and 189 in the 737-800s) and one class of service. After a single general boarding announcement, customers clambered abroad a Ryanair flight by climbing up metal stairs at the front and rear of the aircraft. In contrast to â€Å"air bridges,† company managers explained, metal stairs were inexpensive, did not require an operator, did not break down, and could be put in position faster. Once on board, passengers chose their own seats. In flight, three or four flight attendants sold drinks, snacks, and traditional duty-free items such as liquor, cigarettes, and perfume. As of June 30, 1999, the European union eliminated duty-free sales on intra-EU flights. Ryanair continued to sell such items on its flights, but now had to pay duties. In 3 700-117 Dogfight over Europe: Ryanair (C) recent years, beverage, snack, and merchandise sales had constituted 5-7% of Ryanair’s revenue. Flight attendants also distributed in-flight magazines and collected them at the end of the flight. After a flight landed, passengers disembarked and baggage was unloaded quickly. The aircraft was cleaned, serviced, and refueled. New passengers and baggage were loaded on board. Twentyfive minutes after reaching the airport, the plane was ready to depart on its next flight. Contractors involved in ground operations were rewarded if they met the targeted turnaround time of 25 minutes and were penalized if they failed to do so. Rapid aircraft turnaround helped Ryanair maintain its record for on-time departures and arrivals. Exhibit 5 compares the company’s on-time performance to selected rivals’. Management emphasized that the â€Å"no frills† approach did not extend to its maintenance operations and safety efforts. The company was proud that its 15-year operating history included no major injuries to passengers or flight crew or damage to aircraft. â€Å"As a low-fares operator, we’d be punished especially harshly by the public if we were to have an accident,† noted Conor McCarthy, Director of Group Operations. â€Å"But our engineers and maintenance personnel are cost conscious. If half a tin of lubricant were lying around the hangar, they’d reshelf it and use it later. †7 Pricing and marketing Ryanair marketed itself as â€Å"the low fares airline. † It typically entered a market with fares 50% below previous levels. In September, 1999, its round-trip fare between Dublin and London Stansted was I? 35 for a restricted ticket, I? 129 for a same / next-day ticket, and I? 149 for an unrestricted ticket. Aer Lingus’ comparable fares were I? 69, I? 139, and I? 169 on the same route, and I? 69, I? 222, and I? 289 between Dublin and London’s primary airport, Heathrow. 8 The company tried to make 70% of its seats available in the two lowest fare categories. A full-service airline might reserve 15% for comparable categories. Ryanair typically imposed fewer restrictions on its tickets than did full-service competitors. Passengers did not, for instance, have to remain at their destination over a Saturday night in order to qualify for the lowest fare. The company launched promotional fares on new routes and routes facing competition. Advertisements for its I? 19. 99 one-way fare from London to Dublin emphasized that the fare â€Å"includes the ridiculous I? 10 airport fee. † Managers monitored the prices offered by competitors and made adjustments to ensure that Ryanair always offered the lowest fare on a route. Like other airlines, Ryanair engaged in â€Å"yield management†Ã¢â‚¬â€efforts to adjust prices in order to make each flight more profitable. Senior managers felt, however, that while other airlines used their yield management efforts primarily to find opportunities to raise fares without losing customers, Ryanair looked mostly for opportunities to attract many new customers with a small decrease in a fare. 9 Ryanair advertised in newspapers, on radio, and on television. The company also relied heavily on word-of-mouth advertising by satisfied customers. Many customers found their way to Ryanair not because of advertising, but because they asked their travel agent for the absolute lowest fare. Ancillary services In addition to air fares and in-flight sales, Ryanair had several other sources of revenue. On its flights, the spaces behind seat-back trays and on headrests were sold to advertisers. Advertisers could also emblazon the exterior of a Ryanair plane with a corporate logo for a fee of I? 150,000 200,000 per year. Aircraft were painted as a Jaguar or a pint of Kilkenny beer, for instance. Ryanair’s in-flight magazine consisted purely of advertisements. While most carriers strove to have their magazines break even, Ryanair made a profit on its publication. Charter flights and car rental referral fees brought in additional revenue. 4 Dogfight over Europe: Ryanair (C) 700-117 Human resources Exhibit 6 shows how Ryanair’s 1,200 employees were arrayed across the airline’s functions. Almost all employees were paid, to some extent, based on their productivity. Flight attendants, for instance, received a fixed salary, a payment based on how many â€Å"sectors,† or flights, they flew, and a commission on in-flight sales. For a typical flight attendant, each component was a third of the overall compensation package. On average, Ryanair flight attendants earned more in total than their counterparts at other airlines. Similarly, Ryanair pilots earned a fixed salary and a payment per sector flown. The pilots earned 10% more than the typical pilot in the industry and flew 50% more sectors. Following the initial public offering of Ryanair’s stock in 1997, stock options were granted widely to employees. Additional options were granted each year that net profit after tax grew by more than 20%. Unlike many European airlines, Ryanair did not pay employees based on the length of their tenure with the company. Only engineers and maintenance personnel were paid on the basis of their formal qualifications. Employees responsible for aircraft maintenance were not paid for productivity. Ryanair promoted largely from within the company, and the company’s rapid growth created numerous internal opportunities. One hundred and seventy-one employees, over 14% of the workforce, were promoted in 1999 alone. 10 Job mobility across functions was not uncommon. A flight attendant, for instance, might take a job in the yield management operation at headquarters. Ryanair was not unionized. In 1998, thirty-nine baggage handlers in Dublin went on strike in an effort to introduce a union. Employees from O’Leary down handled bags during the strike, which was abandoned after two months. Following the strike, senior management redoubled its efforts to communicate with employees. Employee Representation Committees were elected in order to voice concerns to top managers. An internal newsletter and television station played prominent roles in the communication effort. The newsletter provided information on what was going on in the company, offered updates on competitors’ moves, and gave employees opportunities to poke fun at one another. The television station displayed daily performance figures (e. g. , stock price, load factors, number of passengers carried, number of flights, on-time performance) as well as inside jokes. One news flash announced that â€Å"Michael O’Leary is attending a pre-marriage course this weekend† and offered advice to O’Leary like â€Å"the fee for the course is not normally open to negotiation. † Employees described the firm as â€Å"fiercely competitive† and â€Å"ferociously cost conscious. † The stationery cupboard in its spartan Dublin headquarters was kept under lock and key, and when on the road, employees commonly lifted pens from hotel rooms. Reflecting on the youth of the company, in which the average age was below 30, Eddie Wilson, Director of Personnel, commented, â€Å"We’re very sure of ourselves, and we don’t take ourselves too seriously. Outside of safety issues, we keep things informal and flexible. †11 The company operated without a rigid organizational chart, without a mission statement, and with a minimum of formal long-range planning. A meeting of the top management team, held each Monday morning, identified the week’s priorities. Personnel and resources were then deployed as needed to address the firm’s most pressing issues. Competition Full-service airlines such as Aer Lingus and British Airways had difficulty matching Ryanair’s low fares. By 1999, neither carrier was Ryanair’s primary competition in the eyes of most industry analysts. British Airways withdrew from the Dublin-London route in 1991, soon after Ryanair began its turnaround. A BA feeder airline, CityFlyer Express, subsequently entered the route to serve 5 700-117 Dogfight over Europe: Ryanair (C) Dublin travelers who were making connections in London. Both Aer Lingus and BA had gradually shifted their focus toward full-fare business travelers. In 1993, the European Union introduced a third and final package of airline liberalization measures. Under the package, carriers were given full freedom to set fares. Any company was allowed to start an airline provided that it had majority European ownership, adequate financial backing, and the ability to meet safety requirements. The package permitted any European airline to fly any route between two EU countries and, starting in 1997, any intra-country route between two European cities. 12 Deregulation brought a new wave of competitors. One hundred thirty-one new carriers entered the European market between 1993 and 1998 despite a shortage of landing slots at primary airports and a crowded air traffic control system. Of the 131 entrants, 57 were still flying at the end of 1998. 13 Deregulation in Europe did not bring the precipitous price declines that it had in the United States in the late 1970s. Exhibit 7 shows the price of a 1,000-kilometer trip within Europe over time. An October 1996 study found that 64% of intra-EU routes were served by a single airline, 30% by two airlines, and 6% by three or more carriers. 14 The wave of entrants included a set of low-cost, low-fare carriers that resembled Ryanair to some degree. These carriers included both entrepreneurial startups and spin-offs of established airlines such as British Airways. Exhibit 8 compares the route structures of the leading low-cost European airlines, and Exhibit 9 shows financial and operating results for the carriers that released such data. By 1999, scheduled no-frills carriers accounted for 3% of the European air travel market (vs. 24% of the U. S. market). 15 Virgin Express Brussels-based Eurobelgian Airlines was launched as a charter carrier in 1992 and initiated scheduled air service to Spain and Italy soon after. 16 In 1996, the fledgling airline was purchased for $60 million by Richard Branson, the highly visible entrepreneur behind Virgin Records, Virgin Atlantic airlines, Virgin Cola, Virgin Rail, and other ventures. Renamed Virgin Express, the company was kept wholly separate from Virgin Atlantic. While Virgin Atlantic was primarily an intercontinental airline, Virgin Express was positioned as a low-cost, intra-European carrier. To run the new carrier, Branson hired a number of managers from the United States, including managers with experience at Southwest Airlines, America West, and Continental Express. In 1998, Virgin Express operated roughly 40 flights per day in Belgium, Britain, Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy, and Spain. Nearly all originated or terminated at Brussels’ main airport. The carrier served a mixture of primary airports (e. g. , Fiumicino in Rome and Heathrow in London) and secondary airfields (e. g. , Stansted). Charter flights continued to account for 35-40% of revenue. Virgin Express operated only Boeing 737-300s and 737-400s, twenty-one aircraft with an average age of 5. 5 years. Virgin’s in-flight service lacked frills, much as Ryanair’s did, though passengers did receive a free drink. Virgin Express took all reservations through its own call centers in Brussels and Shannon, Ireland. There, as many as 80 operators offered service in nine languages. The company did not participate in any multi-airline computerized reservation system. In 1998, Virgin Express became the first low-cost airline to accept bookings through its web site. In 1999, the site processed approximately 10-15% of all bookings. The airline issued no physical tickets, relying instead on computer records of bookings. 6 Dogfight over Europe: Ryanair (C) 700-117 In its marketing, the company emphasized its low fares and the Virgin name. Virgin pitched itself especially to the young backpacking set. Charity efforts, including a campaign to transport illegally imported turtles to wildlife sanctuaries, had led to favorable press coverage. Starting in 1996, Virgin Express reached a series of agreements with Sabena, Belgium’s struggling flag carrier. Under these agreements, Sabena committed to buy a number of seats, typically most of the seats, on certain Virgin flights from Brussels to Heathrow, Gatwick, Rome, and Barcelona. Sabena subsequently resold the seats to its passengers, including business-class customers. Virgin and Sabena continued to compete on other routes out of Brussels. Sabena purchased 45% of all seats on Virgin flights in 1997 and 57% in 1998. Despite healthy growth in revenue and number of passengers flown, Virgin Express’ financial results were considered shaky. Pretax income fell from 497 million Belgian francs in 1997 to 47 million (US$1. 3 million) in 1998, due largely to a shortage of pilots. The company’s stock price lost two-thirds of its value between its 1997 IPO and the end of 1999, and Branson admitted that he wished he had started an altogether new airline rather than purchase Eurobelgian. 17 In September, 1999, Branson replaced both the managing director and the chairman of Virgin Express. easyJet In contrast to Branson, Stelios Haji-Ioannou opted to pursue a greenfield startup. With UK? 5 million from his father, a self-made Greek-Cypriot shipping magnate, the 28-year-old Haji-Ioannou founded easyJet in 1995. Flights on Southwest Airlines inspired Haji-Ioannou’s entry into the airline business. â€Å"If I didn’t bring the concept to Europe,† he said, â€Å"someone else would. †18 The new company sent management hires to Southwest’s Texas headquarters for 2-3 days to observe operations and issued all employees a copy of Nuts! , a book describing Southwest’s recipe for success. 19 In November, 1995, easyJet launched service from London’s Luton Airport to Edinburgh and Glasgow. At first, the carrier subcontracted nearly everything—leasing its planes, â€Å"renting† pilots from third parties, even operating on another carrier’s license. As the service grew, the company hired its own staff, obtained its own license, and began to build its own infrastructure. Most prominently, in July, 1997, easyJet signed a UK? 300 million contract to take delivery of 12 brand new Boeing 737s. Additional investments of UK? 50 million from Haji-Ioannou’s family supported the expansion. Despite the construction of infrastructure, easyJet remained more committed to subcontracting than did any of its rivals. The company relied on third parties not only for ground services, but also for fleet maintenance, flight scheduling, and daily personnel planning. â€Å"Our role really is to manage contracts and transport people,† explained easyJet’s chief engineer, â€Å"We do the cerebral activities, the sub-contractors are the fingers, and the contract is the communication down to the fingers. †20 Nearly three times as many people were employed indirectly as subcontractors as were employed directly by easyJet. 21 In 1999, easyJet operated 18 737-300s on 29 European routes. The airline’s primary base of operations remained London Luton, where it accounted for roughly 60% of all flights. easyJet was also developing additional bases in Geneva and Liverpool. 22 A large portion of its flights operated within the United Kingdom (e. g. , Luton to Glasgow) or between London and Southern Europe (e. g. , Luton to Athens, Nice, or Barcelona). Outside of London, easyJet often served primary airports. In choosing routes, Managing Director Ray Webster, a New Zealand airline veteran, said that easyJet â€Å"won’t compete with the other low-fare guys. † Instead, it looked for overpriced routes served by two flag carriers. â€Å"When there’s two, you know the cartel’s been working. †23 7 700-117 Dogfight over Europe: Ryanair (C) easyJet’s in-flight service offered absolutely no frills. Passengers could buy drinks and snacks, but not traditional duty-free merchandise. Orange pervaded each flight; the color dominated flight attendant uniforms and the in-flight magazine, for instance. The airline’s reservation number, painted in bright orange, adorned the 737 fuselages. easyJet operated from a bright orange aircraft hangar, dubbed â€Å"easyLand,† at Luton. There, reservation agents working purely on commission sold flights directly to customers. The company prided itself on its 100% direct-selling model and altogether avoided travel agents and multi-airline computerized reservation system. easyJet also avoided physical tickets and, on some days, booked as much as 40% of its total sales via its Internet site. Among its employees, easyJet encouraged an informal and fun-loving environment reminiscent of the culture for which Southwest was noted. A Culture Committee, elected by the staff, established policies concerning the working environment, communicated with senior management, and planned social events. Senior managers felt that the company’s culture distinguished it from current and potential competitors. 24 easyJet invested a great deal in marketing, especially when launching a new route. Its advertisements focused on its low fares and on-time record, but also conveyed irreverence for the traditional, high-cost airline establishment. Haji-Ioannou showed a flare for promotion and would readily don helmet, goggles, scarf, and flying jacket to attract press coverage. 25 easyJet lost UK? 5. 5 million pretax in the fiscal year ended September 30, 1996 and UK? 3. 3 million the following year, but made a UK? 2. 3 million profit in its third year. Other airlines explored the possibility of investing in easyJet, but â€Å"our view is to avoid them like the plague,† Webster explained. The company relied instead on family backing. â€Å"The most important thing for a new entrant is deep pockets. Nothing promotes anticompetitive behavior more than an airline’s thinking it can run you out of business. †26 The company reacted vigorously to actions that it felt were anticompetitive. KLM, the Dutch flag carrier, responded to easyJet’s London-to-Amsterdam entry by undercutting the upstart with a new â€Å"EasyChoice† fare, less than half its original price. easyJet subsequently hauled KLM in front of European antitrust authorities and uncovered an internal KLM memo recommending that easyJet be forced from the route. The case generated a great deal of sympathetic publicity for the new carrier. British Airway’s Go In November, 1997, British Airways unveiled Operation Blue Sky, a plan to launch a low-cost, nofrills subsidiary. The new airline, named Go, began operations in May, 1998, with eight 737-300s flying from London Stansted to Rome and Milan. Flights to Copenhagen, Lisbon, Bologna, and Edinburgh were soon added. BA tapped Barbara Cassani, an American and long-time U. S. general manager for BA, to head the new venture. The airline received UK? 25 million in startup funding from BA. BA and Go claimed that, beyond the initial investment, Go was on its own and separate from its parent. Go’s low-fare competition responded immediately to BA’s initial announcement. easyJet’s HajiIoannou complained, â€Å"They are using the same type of aircraft with the same number of seats (148), they’re operating the same reservations system and using the same pilot training organisation. Like us, there’ll be no business class, they won’t pay commissions to travel agents, they’ll be 100 per cent ticketless and everything on board will be for sale—there’ll be no freebies. In effect, they’re copying us. †27 Haji-Ioannou pointed out that BA officials had considered an investment in easyJet in early 8 Dogfight over Europe: Ryanair (C) 700-117 1997, but after a tour of easyJet’s operations, had declined to invest. A letter from BA’s director of investments and joint ventures cited regulatory concerns. easyJet asked the courts to block Go’s launch and, though unsuccessful, continue to pursue legal action. A suit charged that BA supported Go indirectly by underwriting its airplane leases and providing insurance, advertising, and other services at a discount. 28 It further alleged that BA intended to use Go to put other low-fare airlines out of business. easyJet advertised vigorously against Go. One ad argued that BA would lose money on the venture and concluded, â€Å"If they’re not doing it for the money, the only possible reason is to eliminate smaller competitors like easyJet and then put their fares up again! †29 In a new promotion, easyJet offered free flights to customers who correctly guessed Go’s first-year losses. Haji-Ioannou and his management team booked seats on Go’s first flight, donning their orange sweatshirts for the occasion. Cassani enclosed a personal welcome in Haji-Ioannou’s ticket. 30 Richard Branson, whose Virgin Atlantic airline had had its reservations system illegally tapped by British Airways in the past, commented: â€Å"BA has done a lot of anticompetitive things over the years. I think they are determined to get rid of low-cost carriers and subsidize Go to make it happen. †31 He encouraged consumers to boycott Go. Virgin Express dropped its fares from London to Milan and Rome (via Brussels) to be UK? 2 lower than Go’s introductory fares. Competitors claimed that Go could not possibly be making money at its initial pricing levels, but Cassani responded, â€Å"We have never said we plan to maintain these prices. Like any introduction, they are promotional prices. †32 A day after BA made Operation Blue Sky public, senior management from easyJet allegedly met with Richard Branson and his attorney to discuss a merger. Talks stalled, however, over the cost of the deal and the name of a joint operation. 33 Ryanair largely welcomed Go to Stansted, but promised vigorous competition. â€Å"I know as much about travelling on Concorde as [BA’s CEO Robert] Ayling knows about running a low-cost airline— and I’ve never been on Concorde,† said Ryanair’s O’Leary. â€Å"BA should stick to what it does best— charging high prices for an excellent service. We at Ryanair are going to give Ayling the kind of competition he’s never encountered before. †34 As Go launched its service, Ryanair dropped its fares to 22 destinations. Despite Haji-Ioannou’s protest that Go was simply a copy of easyJet, Go did differ from other lowcost airlines in certain ways. When checking in, passengers received a seat assignment. Go awarded its on-board food franchise to a relatively upscale caterer, and CEO Cassini touted Go’s awardwinning coffee. The airline was launched with the U. K. ’s first, full-scale television advertising campaign for a low-cost carrier. Media observers praised Go for its consistent branding effort. Chief Operating Officer Ed Winter explained:35 â€Å"The vision for Go came from outside the airline business†¦. The result is a way of working that allows Go to offer low fares combined with style and quality. In a way we’re trying to achieve what IKEA has done for furniture, Gap has done for casual clothing and Swatch has done for watches. † Unlike its low-cost rivals, Go recognized employee unions from the outset. The company’s collective bargaining agreement allowed it to pay employees on the basis of their productivity. In its first year of operations, Go announced a pre-tax loss of UK? 20 million. (The participants in easyJet’s competition had guessed UK? 12. 5 million on average. ) Its load factor over the period, 53%, was lower than rivals expected. 36 In September, 1999, the company announced its first profitable quarter. 37 Go’s original business plan called for 2001 to be its first profitable year. 9 700-117 Dogfight over Europe: Ryanair (C) Debonair Franco Mancassola, a 25-year veteran of the American airline industry, founded Debonair in late 1995 to take advantage of Europe’s airline liberalization. In June, 1996, the company began to operate flights from London Luton to Barcelona, Dusseldorf, and Munich. Routes from London to Copenhagen, Madrid, and Rome were soon added, as were flights connecting Barcelona to Rome and Munich to Rome, Copenhagen, Barcelona, and Dusseldorf. Debonair operated under a philosophy of â€Å"lower fares with minimal restrictions and no compromise on comfort. †38 The company offered a simple menu of bookings: one-class, one-way fares with few restrictions. Fares were comparable to those charged by no-frills carriers such as Ryanair. The company sought â€Å"to offer a level of seat comfort and passenger service that is comparable to, if not better than, other higher-cost, higher-fare airlines. †39 On its uniform fleet of BAe-146 aircraft, Debonair arranged rows to be 33 inches apart, farther apart than the industry standard for economy class. As a result, the aircraft fit 96 seats rather than the maximum of 112. On board, passengers received free drinks and snacks. An in-flight entertainment system offered movies, children’s programs, video games, and casino gambling; a third party installed the system at no cost to Debonair in exchange for 60-80% of resulting revenue. Debonair also offered passengers a simple frequent flyer program. Debonair’s marketing targeted â€Å"price conscious customers that are†¦visiting friends and relatives†¦and travelling on holiday and business. †40 Business travelers accounted for 58% of its passengers. 41 The company sold 38% of its tickets directly through its own reservations office, but hoped to raise that portion to 60%. 42 In its first fiscal year of operations, ending March 31, 1997, Debonair reported a loss of UK? 15. 7 million. Management attributed the loss to its rapid expansion. â€Å"We have moved ahead of deregulation to claim our territory in Europe,† Mancassola commented. 43 Despite its losses, Debonair raised UK? 28. 2 million in a July, 1997, IPO that was three-times oversubscribed. 44 Losses mounted to UK? 16. 6 million in the year ending March 31, 1998. In June, 1998, the airline announced improvements in its in-flight snacks, enhancements to its frequent flyer program, and the introduction of a smart card that would allow passengers to get boarding passes from machines. 45 Later in 1998, the company added a business class section. Go’s launch in mid-1998 with flights from London to Rome and Copenhagen prompted Debonair to turn to the European Commission. â€Å"We want them to put a leash on a dangerous, aggressive animal,† Mancassola explained. â€Å"In sport you never match a lightweight against a heavyweight, especially one whose bulk has been developed through cross-subsidy. †46 The European Commission rejected the complaint. 47 On October 1, 1999, Debonair grounded its fleet and called in bankruptcy administrators. Lastminute maneuvers to attract customers, including an offer of day-long chauffeur service for business passengers, failed to generate enough revenue to avert bankruptcy. 48 Debonair’s failure left 750 U. K. residents stranded overseas. British Airways offered to bring the stranded passengers home for 25% of the cost of the flights. 49