CRITICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE OPERATION OF EQUALITY LEGISLATION Essay

CRITICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE OPERATION OF EQUALITY LEGISLATION - Essay Example This plan which came to be known as the Lisbon strategy was launched during June 2000 with the aim of transforming the EU into a â€Å"knowledge based economy† and to channelise the growth and development of the EU citizens (Accessibility Legislation - An Insight. 2005). The main challenges would include meeting the needs and aspirations of the people of the EU, especially in work areas like electronics, content and services including public servicing and the development of specialised skills for its people. Under the EU a public interactive forum has been established on how to make the benefits of computer technology compatible with old and elderly persons. This Commission also seeks to address to the difficulties encountered by the elderly in managing computers, mobile phones and internet services. The three areas in which the EC seeks to emphasise are â€Å"public procurements, certification and use of legislation† (Accessibility Legislation - An Insight. 2005). Under the provisions of Employment Equality Act 1998, of Ireland, any form of discrimination, on the basis of sex, marital or family status, sexual preferences, religion, age, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, presence of disability, and membership of traveller community is illegal and unenforceable. But it is widely believed that these laws could only be enforced on an â€Å"individualistic justice model† (Equality Coalition. 2004, P 5). Rather then the law itself, its enforcement is of more concern since large scale violations could go unnoticed unless immediate claims are made and registered. However this may create risks and difficulties upon underprivileged citizens, especially minorities, and they may not be aware of their rights and privileges under the law. Amending Section 2 of the Employment Equality Act 1998, Section 3 of the Equality Act 2004, provides that concessions may be made in the

Expatriate Failure And Cross Cultural Communication Essay Example for Free

Expatriate Failure And Cross Cultural Communication Essay It is essential for businesses that are sending expatriate overseas to take precautions to ensure the success of the expatriate in effectively reaching his/her assigned goals. Expatriate failure rate is very high amongst U.S. managers (50%, APG Class Session #13) for many reasons. The failure of an expatriate can be very costly and time consuming for the companies who employ them. The question that needs to be answered is why expatriates fail so frequently and what can MNCs do to lower this failure rate and produce effective expatriate managers. Yet, another reason that companies fail when doing business overseas is the lack of emphasis placed on communication. In all areas of the world communication is done in many different ways. In order to effectively do business in Israel we must learn and understand the diverse ways that their culture must learn and understand the diverse ways that we communicate on a business as well as a social level. If RL Furniture Company can effectively choose or train an adaptive and knowledgeable employee who understands culture and its effects on business and can accompany that along with excellent communication skills, MNCs can directly lower the failure rate amongst expatriates. Expatriates Expatriate Failure There are several reasons why our expatriate may fail in Israel. Expatriate failure can be very costly and can turn a possibly successful business venture into a disaster. The first reason for expatriate failure stems from adaptation problems with the physical and social environments. (Rodrigues pg. 264) This holds especially true when these environments are especially at odds with those of the expatriates home country. We have an advantage in sending our expat, Israelis cultural dimension similarities outweigh their differences, this will make it easier for us to understand their negotiating style before arriving. Some expatriates feel separation anxiety and isolation (culture shock) when they are working in countries with a very different social and values system than their own. (APG Class Session #13) These situations lower the expatriate morale and affect his/her ability to do their job effectively. Differences in technical sophistication also present problems with expats. (Rodrigues pg. 265) The problems lie with conflicts in expectations and when the expat views these problems as insurmountable. Conflicts in this situation also occur in when the expatriate manager tries to apply home country managerial  and organizational techniques to a culture not used to these concepts. This leads to poor implementation of strategies and goals. Expatriate managers also find that carrying out objectives and implementing home country strategies to be very difficult decisions about policies and management style. Expatriates often deal with the conflict of operating within the constraints of the local government and satisfying the home country objectives. Country conflicting policies and objectives present very serious problems with the decision making of expatriate managers. (Rodrigues pg. 265) Expatriate managers are responsible for carrying out orders and guidelines established by home corporate headquarters. The problems arise when the expatriate manager has local constraints placed on him and he/she must find ways to carry out the home country orders while operating under constrained conditions. The home country often does not realize or understand situations the expatriate manager must deal with and this can lead to very tough decisions for the expatriate. Overcentralization is also a problem that may lead to expatriate failure. (Rodrigues pg. 265) If the expatriate managers authority is visibly constrained by Israel or by local governments than his/her authority is jeopardized and he or she loses control and credibility in the eyes of the locals. Gender issues are not problems in many industrialized nations, such as the U.S., but in many nations, there are cultural biases against women, which prevent them from gaining the respect they need to effectively manage. (Rodrigues pg. 265) If a company mistakenly places a woman in charge of operations in a female biased country it can be viewed as disrespectful and show no care for the success OT the subsidiary. In many nations females have no power to make decision and women expats will find it difficult to lent credibility to the decision she makes. This is not the case in Israel they are a feminine culture similar to the U.S. Yet, another reason for expat failure is the lack of companies to consider family needs when moving family overseas to a new and unfamiliar country and culture. (Rodrigues pg. 269) It is more important for ss to prepare the expats family for their journey than it is to prepare the expatriate manager. A family can easily become unhappy and this can lead to poor job performance of the expatriate manager and high levels of stress. These high levels of stress make it difficult for managers to effectively do their job and live an enjoyable life in Israel. Communication Communications when doing business in Israel is an essential key to success. How business dealings are conveyed is very important. If translation is off or inaccurate than the success of the business venture can be seriously jeopardized. This applies not only to verbal communication, but with body language as well. (Rodrigues pg. 314) Body language in some countries is very important and the wrong body language can easily anger foreign business and steer them away from a possible business venture. In countries with language barrier companies must take measure to ensure that proper translation is used. If translation is off than it could mean that the wrong message is being conveyed. Although English is fluent in Israel, we should print our business cards in Hebrew on one side as a sign of respect for Israeli language and way of life. In countries where the same language is spoken body language becomes important. The wrong gesture could spell disaster for an expatriate manager. In order to avoid this problem companies should train and prepare a manager by training them on culture and communications and the possible and negative impact that it can have on the success of a business venture. In Israel business moves at a slower pace than in the United States. We need to build a strong relationship with our business partner before any deal can be made. Summary We can see that the success in a foreign business venture can depend heavily on expatriate preparation and communication skills. RL furniture Co. will be sending one expatriate to Israel to manage an overseas operation. We have discovered that there could be many problems that could lead to our expatriate failing and in turn out companys business venture failing too. To avoid these problems we plan to set up evaluations to determine who would  be the best expatriate manager we will send to Israel. Once we have found the right person for the job, we will set up an intensive training program that will prepare him/her to do their job as effectively as possible. In this training, we will ensure the expat understands Israeli culture and how to effectively adjust to it. In understanding the culture and by developing essential communication skills we are sure that our expatriate manager will be able to carry out company goals while effectively managing operations. Key aspects in cultural dimensions of Power Distance and Uncertainty Avoidance, established by Geert Hofstede. (Hofstede pg. 14-17) In sending an expatriate that possesses this knowledge and know how we are sure that the venture will be a success.

Market analysis of reebok

Market analysis of reebok Reebok the United Kingdom based ancestor company was founded in 1890 by J.W Foster, for one of the best reasons possible athletes wanted to run faster (www.reebok.com). Since then Reebok has evolved itself through various stages to become one of the top three market leaders in the sports shoes, fitness and apparels. The brands success is built upon its creative designing and marketing strategy. The right balance between the designing and marketing has taken Reebok to such height. McDonald, M (2000 p.5) defines marketing as process for understanding markets, for quantifying the present and future value required by the different groups of customer within these markets. Starting from its first hand made shoes to the recent innovative Easytone and ReeZig footwear Reebok proved its individuality, authenticity and its creative thinking and potential. The company was taken over by Adidas in 2006 which gave both Adidas and Reebok a strong market share to take on the common rival and the mark et leader Nike. Though the company is taken over, Reebok and Adidas are still two different brands under the group. Reebok has a strong hold in US market and sponsors for different sporting events like NFL, NBA, WNBA and NBDL. Branded as a discounted shoe manufacturer in the past, Reebok has slowly changed its face to high fashion, high comfort and premium product by raising its price in the market and incorporating new technologies for the sports and fitness category. The latest launch in their product line Easytone and the upcoming ReeZig has got more technical and design values, the technology which is actually designed by a NASA engineer(www.corporate.reebok.com) and the re-launch of its classic models reveals the companys change in focus. Reebok in the early 2000 started its marketing campaign with fusion of Sports Music and Technology featuring industries best performers of the period, from music industry Jay-Z, Daddy Yankee, 50 Cent; top athletes Allen Iverson, Donovan McNabb , Curt Schilling, Kelly Holmes, Iker Casillas and Yao Ming; screen stars Lucy Liu, John Leguizamo and Christina Ricci; and skateboarder Stevie Williams., and Thierry Henry, Alexander Ovechkin, driving ace Lewis Hamilton, MS Dohni and Nicole Vaidisova. Easytone the companys launch of the year 2009 is its one of the most successful product line. Easytone feature with first of its kind the balance pod technology, designed for womens fitness and sport. Reeboks commitment towards women fitness and sport is long lasting from its first ever exclusive footwear for women Step introduced in 1989 which fore fronts the aerobic movements, and now the Easytone forefronts toning of lower abdomen parts like the calf muscle, thigh muscle and the bum. Reeboks marketing approach for Easytone is take the gym with you (www.reebok.com) which emphasis on women who were busy with their routine life but still wanted to maintain their figure. Custom made shoes are also available by ordering and designing over the internet, which gives customers the option of variety and uniqueness. Marketing Environment Macro Environment Kotler, P., Armstrong, G. (2010) describes macro environment as a force which is more societal and affects the micro environment directly. The global footwear industry is $196.25billion in 2009 with CAGR of 3.7% from 2005 to 2009(www.marketlineinfo.com). Reeboks international operations and its presence over 55 countries with different cultural and economical background is a concern for its performance, with the present market scenario where the European and American market is facing financial crisis, Reebok has got its major customers base in these regions it faces major loss in sales, while the Asian market shows positive sign, Reeboks sales in India and china is second to Nike, but the percentage contribution towards the revenue in international currency is low. Reebok faces legal threats from its manufacturing units in South East Asia where they operate with cheap labours in unethical work conditions. In general the sporting accessories are more famous among the 16 to 24 age groups. The increase in number of unemployed and fresh graduates finding difficult to find jobs among this particular category has caused a major concern for the industry, in addition to countries like UK where the government has increased the tuition fees will be a major political and economical factor which affects the whole footwear industry. The increase in raw material cost making the situation worse, which led to low stock maintenance and irregular supply to the channel. The footwear industry is always subjected rapid changes in customer needs and the changes are more oriented toward the socio-cultural forces, Reebok adapted to those variations in socio cultural forces by combining the product with Music and sport in US market, fitness and sport in the European ma rket and sport and entertainment in Asian market. Figure 1: Macro Environment Reeboks Easytone is designed with the technology which is never been used before and sets a landmark in the sports shoe market. Easytone is designed to comfort with Moving Air Technology, while most of the other competitors do have similar technologies Reebok should really look into more innovative and sophisticated technology which will be the unique selling point in the competitive market. Micro Environment Every brand has its own unique selling point which targets the particular category of customers, in general the footwear industry customers can be categorised into Performance conscious consumers like runners, aerobics, players, athletes, and exercisers and Fashion conscious customers who buy for style and comfort. Customers buy products that has value and satisfaction among the range available in the market, Kotler, P et al.(2009). Figure : Micro Environment Reebok Easytone is designed and marketed to the fitness loving womens segment. With the strategy of launching a new product every year with newer technology and invention, Reebok has always targeted the focus group, and so as Easytone targets the fitness loving women. Reebok has always positioned itself as customer centric, which caters the needs and requirement of the focus group, though it has the diversity in product when compared to its competitors. Because of the diversity in its products Reebok has always been in competence to different competitors in different category and product range. The main competitors are Nike, Adidas and Puma. Reebok sells through various channels, which includes the retail outlets, Reebok concept showrooms, franchisee outlets and associated sponsored sporting organisation. Marketing Mix The primary objective of an organisation is to offer a product which has a competitive edge or differential advantage over its competitors, Brassington, F., Pettitt, S. (2006). This can be achieved by marketing mix which is studied with the basic research on 4Ps. Product Product management has always been the core factor in the marketing mix, which involves the basic understanding and the requirement for launching the new product in the market and then developing it with the right marketing strategy which benefits the organisation and then manufacturing in the right way which benefits both the organisation and the society. The organisation should transfer its knowledge into product which will be a drive for growth, John A. Quelch (2006). Figure 3: BCG Matrix,( source:www.reebokeasytone.net) Reebok has the strategy of launching one core product every year, and the launch of Easytone is for the year 2009, it was the critical time to launch any new product because of the economy, hence Reebok has to come out with a very strong product and marketing strategy. The tangible attributes has to be so strong and the message was clearly sent out with Easytone with its high fashion, design and technology. The footwear is innovative and new to the market, designed in a way that it gives us the feeling of walking in the soft sandy beach and the science behind is when we walk on the sandy beach its hard to keep the balance hence we work hard to keep the balance which in turn burns the calories of calves, hamstring and the gluteus maximus muscles. Reebok has also ensured that Easytone is available across the globe and the visibility of it is more in the retail outlets, which created awareness and also a noise in the market about the new product with new technology and performance. Thou gh Reebok claims theoretically it can prove that, by using Easytone will tone the legs 26% more when compared to other sport or fitness shoes, there are still controversies about the actual performance of the product. Reebok did break the controversies with the total sales of Easytone worldwide, this proved practically the strength of marketing strategy by Reebok and the performance in the market. On the other hand with all the controversies the general image of the brand which changed over the period of time from a discounted brand to a respected brand, contributed to the overall performance, which has also bought value to the brand, Easytone has got its uniqueness and feature to rock the market. The strength of the product always lies on its core benefits, the core benefit of Easytone is fitness in the simple way, which is a necessity and hence has its value anticipation and demand. The actual product which is built upon its core benefit is its features style and quality and as an augmented product Reebok gives warranty up to three months and any after sales issue has been taken to RD department for rectification and thus by giving the customer the maximum benefit and trust in the product. The Easytone can be classified as speciality goods, where in an extensive market research was done which gives customer the maximum benefit by using the product. After the successful launch of Step in 1989 and Easytone in 2009, both products have shown its individuality and very minimum level of competition from other brands, which gives the product a cutting edge and the customers reluctance to go for any other brands. Product Life Cycle The product life cycle gives the clear picture of the stage in which the product is, the four stages are Introduction, Growth, maturity and termination. Determining the stage in which the product belongs will decide the marketing strategy to follow Kotler, P (2003). For the footwear industry the entire product life is short because of the new trends in the market, different categories in the customer base and due to wear and tear because of the regular usage. Any new product that is launched should differentiate itself from the others and should have uniqueness. Easytone launched in July 2009 with more anticipation and excitement in the market, took up the pace immediately because of the marketing activity carried out by Reebok prior to its launch, the launch was a grand one with star studded performance and celebrities form various industries took part in it. Figure 4: Easytone PLC Stage The growth stage of Easytone in terms of sales is pretty much vertical and by end of 2009 it reached the maturity phase. Reebok focused on different strategy during its various course of the stages, during the introduction stage Reeboks marketing objective was totally to build a strong brand image and expand its market share to the next level, Easytone was priced at the higher end, since its targeted to the focus group, the fitness loving women segment, during the growth phase Easytone penetrated through the focus group, where some of the customers were brand loyal to Reebok, Reebok has the strong product mix, when Easytone was in its matured stage Reebok introduced its next model the ReeZig, targeting the male segment, thus by lining up its product in the market and continuously creating the awareness targeting various categories of the customer base. Since the Easytone is targeted to the focus group, Easytone positioned well itself as a fitness wear and pioneered in its category. Later in its matured stage Reebok repositioned its product focusing not only on the busy working women category who could wear it for their work place, they also started focusing on the regular women category who does workout everyday by launching different variants like ReeInspire, ReeFlipflop, Go Outside, Rush, Diva and also introduced custom designs, were customers can design from the various patterns available in their website and can choose the colours also. New Products are key to companys continued survival, (Lancaster, G., Reynolds P, 2005, p.108). Within the product line Reebok developed various products and introduced in different stages which enabled them to actually extent the product life cycle. Countries in Asia Pacific and Middle East are very slow in responding to new product particularly in footwear industry, where they used to wait and watch if the product is really worth and anticipate for price drop. Reebok extended its Easytones product life by launching it in t hese regions with a time gap, after proving it successful in US and the Europe market. Pricing The variants within the brand and the competition play a major role in pricing the Easytone, been branded as the discounted sales brand in the past, Reebok changed its face by changing its pricing methods, sports and fitness industry customers will always look out for the latest technology and high comfort brand were they give less importance to cost. Though they will compare with the other brands with the same features, low priced products which claim to have the innovative and most effective technology will always create a lack of confidence to the customers. According to McDonald (2000, p.352) pricing may influence the other marketing mix also. Reebok priced its Easytone in the higher end when compared to its previous fitness shoes for women like Step or Pump, in competition to the other brands with similar product features though William j. Stanton (1994 p.335) says that for a new product to take a high market penetration should price its product relatively low when compared to o ther brands. Figure 5: Easytone Pricing Strategy In the early 2010 Easytone price was dropped marginally when it reached the maturity stage, the marginal decrease in its price was effective to its secondary market like Asia pacific and Middle East markets, which is competitive to its regional players, the secondary market customers have always been wait and watch customers where the always believe in the bargain purchase, while the primary market customers are the early responders. Reducing its price was marginal, Reebok was so conscious of not falling back to its earlier brand image, also it exploit the actual market opportunities by acquiring customers out of its focus group. The pricing factor though didnt affect much of its primary market, its influenced the secondary market. With regards to market penetration Reebok had a different strategy by introducing one pound shoes in the tertiary market like Bangladesh and African countries. Easytone is also priced up when compared to the other product line because of its additional fea tures and the latest technology. When pricing internationally they adopted the polycentric pricing where the regional office decides the price, this is easily achievable because of the production unit is present in the Asian subcontinent where pricing in relative to expenses is made, which is a biggest advantage to easily price polycentrically. Easytone is made available by ordering online with a price discount, which saves the overall expenditure for the management of retail outlets and showrooms, which is passed on to the customers. Promotion Reebok started its promotional activity for Easytone even before the launch, in order to create awareness. The promotional activities were concentrated towards the technology the main features and the advantage of using the product, since the product is targeted towards the focus group, fitness loving women, most of its promotion activity featured young women with tonned legs and bum, which stimulated the customers mind. The advertisement by Reebok for Easytone created a shock among the viewers, but still its shock averts are not new, it depends on the market, the products speciality and the circumstance of social priorities, Evans M., Moutinho L. (1999, p123). Figure 6: Easytone communication strategy Reebok spent most of its money in media advertisement which created awareness amongst the focus group and also regular viewers who were also simulated to use the product. This is a major success for Easytone as it captured the core strength or the unique feature of the product fitness and beauty. Easytone targeted the creamy layer of the customer group, women between the ages 16 and 24, and their ad campaign has always been different to different product lines, when it first started it marketing campaign with Reebok Planet in 2005, then in 2006 they tie up with Thierry Hendry and Ryan Giggs for their campaign I am what I am, and further on like Pump Up, your Move, Because life is not just a spectator sport which feature Lewis Hamilton showing his fitness skills with Reebok, and now for the Easytone take the gym with you which sends out a clear message to the focus group, and the line of celebrity includes Kelly Brook in UK, Bipasha in India. Figure 7: Pounds spend for advertisement Though Easytone spent more in media advertisement, it focused on other promotional activities also, like print, out-of-home, digital and in-store executions. Reeboks spent in sales promotion is as much as it spent in media advertisement, the promotions were mainly aimed towards churn in customer and creating demand in the market, they have also launched online blogs to create a customer database and to get feedback from customers and to develop the product further according to their requirements. Though as a brand Reebok has very good promotions by sponsorship Easytone has its limitations were it could not enter in to the sports category, they have to rely more on the entertainment sector to promote the product. Easytone in Reeboks concept store was given the priority and merchandising was also primarily focused on Easytone, with all the above factors it created a pull strategy in the market. The Easytone advert in most of the places were considered unethical and also caused a negati ve impact on the product, which many of the viewers considered too much. But still as a campaign Easytone had a successful period and sales through their communication strategy. Place Reeboks access to the target market is one of its successes, because of the growing awareness among the customers, right customer in right attitude should be targeted, and also knowing the potential of individual market in a global environment. Figure 8: Sales region wise(2009), source: (www.marketlineinfo.com) Knowing about the social and cultural behaviour of the local market before positioning a product is vital for planning a marketing strategy, Lancaster G., Reynolds P (2002). Reeboks decentralised operations allowed the local management team to target the local customer base. Reeboks channel structure is simple when compared to its sister company Adidas, from manufacturing unit to its different warehouses in different regions and the to its retail outlets like speciality sports retailers, online retailers, concept stores, and other retailers. Reebok retail outlets has got a better image in terms of its merchandising and product placements, because of its simple structure in reaching the end customers the logistics is also made simpler and will be faster. SWOT Strength Unique Product features Celebrities and sports stars endorsed to brand Balance pod technology Media advertisement Concentrated on focus group Manufactured in Asia Brand loyal customers and awareness Custom made shoes Prime location in retail and concept stores Only for women category Premium pricing Weakness Targets only focus group Only for women category No further development to the product Single product line Mostly relied in retail sales Premium pricing Controversial advertisement Discounted retail sales Vertically integrated brand Opportunity Developing the product Untapped markets Unisex models Focus on emerging market Wholesale market Integrated marketing campaign Threats Manufacturing units in Asia and Cambodia Competitors variants Competitors pricing Counterfeit and replicas in secondary market Manufacturing standards Decline in footwear sales Recommendation Based on the critical analysis done with SWOT, the following recommendations are suggested. Starting from the priority matrix of nine and urgency and importance level three, Reebok though having some very unique featured Easytone, variants among the product is very less when compared to the other brands in the same category, still Reebok can claim that it has custom made shoes which gives customer the variation and to their likeness, the basic product is the same, which will not change the mindset of the customer. Reebok have to develop new variants within the product line in order to satisfy all its customer needs. Reebok has very good secondary market but with regards to Easytone there is a large potential in secondary markets which they had missed out as they concentrate mainly on their low range products which put them in second to NIKE, but lose their position in terms of product like Easytone which has technical values and change the brand image from discounted brand to high st reet fashion, sports and fitness brand, which can be overcast by more ethical media averts and focusing on the fitness loving women category in these markets. The other weakness of Easytone is its vertical integration, where it does not involve any whole selling like its sister concern Adidas, this make them to rely on its retail outlets for its maximum sales where as other brands have horizontal integration which spreads their market area, Reebok should come out of its present integration and spread its market area which in turn will create more opportunity for sales and market share. In terms of new product development, like the fusion of music, sport and entertainment, Reebok should try combining sport, fitness and casual models. Easytone concentrates only on it focused group which is an advantage to maximise it sales but should also think of the other segments like the male fitness loving groups, though by its advert and promotions the product in not much relevant to male segmen ts, still using Easytone tone your leg, calf muscle and hamstring. This would have put Easytone on the wider market and increased sales. The adverts should have casted both male and female models where the male segments concentrate on the calf and hamstring, the female segments with butt. In the era where the macro elements talk more about environment and human rights and work ethics Reebok should have adopted to those factors much earlier wherein it wouldnt have faced legal and ethical threats, having manufacturing units in Asia and Pacific regions will provide them with cost effectiveness, but always have the risk of standards in manufacturing and work culture, the recent change in their work environment ethics will clear any further damage to the brand but still whatever it faced will always impact the future market. By changing the pricing strategy where it priced premium price for Easytone had a negative impact in the market, the change in pricing methods should have happened i n slow phase, rather than suddenly increasing its price because of its innovative technology and feature. Though this created a new brand image in the market customers were ready to wait for the price fall, which they have always experienced with Reebok in the past. Appendix 1 SWOT Analysis Matrix SWOT VS Urgency Importance Probability Priority (9-max, 1-min) S à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã‚ O 1 1 3 3 3 9 4 2 3 3 1 7 2 2 1 2 1 4 8 3 2 3 2 7 11 3 2 3 1 6 5 4 3 3 2 8 4 4 3 3 3 9 2 5 2 2 1 5 4 5 2 2 1 5 Wà ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢O 1 1 3 3 2 8 1 2 3 3 3 9 2 2 2 2 1 5 3 1 3 3 2 8 3 3 3 3 2 8 3 4 2 2 1 5 4 6 3 3 1 7 5 1 3 2 2 7 5 3 2 2 2 6 6 5 3 3 2 8 7 6 2 2 2 6 8 4 3 3 3 9 S à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã‚  T 1 0 3 2 3 2 2 7 5 2 2 2 2 6 11 3 3 2 1 6 11 4 2 2 2 6 8 4 3 2 2 7 6 5 3 3 2 8 7 5 3 3 2 8 Wà ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬Å"T 1 1 3 3 2 8 4 3 2 2 2 6 6 5 3 2 2 7 4 8 2 2 2 6 Bibliography

Informed Consent Quality of Life: Respirating Cadaver Confidentiality :: Medicine Ethics

Informed Consent Quality of Life: Respirating Cadaver Confidentiality Artificial Heart: What makes humans human Artificial Heart Research vs. Quality of Life Informed Consent-Therapeutic Misconception Using humans as guinea pigs-respect for human life Barney Clark was used as a guinea pig. The patient was not going to benefit from the procedure but the procedure was done to try to improve the surgery for the whole of society. The chances of his prolonged survival were nearly nonexistent. Pros- The procedure could have improved the outcome for future patients of artificial heart transplants. The improvement of medicine to benefit whole of society. There are now models of artificial hearts that can lead to better chances for heart patients. Cons- The patients autonomy is compromised due to the fact the procedure would not benefit him in any way. The therapeutic effect is non-existent for Barney Clark and there is a possibility that there would be therapeutic misconception by Barney Clark thinking the surgery would in someway save his life. The use of humans for research does not show respect for the human life and what it represents and goes against the idea of beneficence since no good is being done for the patient. Quality of Life: Respirating Cadaver Following the surgery, Barney Clark was rendered almost completely immobile by the large machinery that was attached to him at all times. For the 112 days Barney Clark lived he was riddled by constant infection and he had several strokes due to clotting in the artificial heart. Pros- At least he was alive. Cons- The quality of life was terrible for Barney Clark after the surgery. The surgery did not save his life, it prolonged his death. With his immobility and constant pain from the Jarvik-7 Barney Clark probably would have been better off just allowing himself to die of the original heart failure.

British Airways Essay

I remember going to parties in the late 1970s, and, if you wanted to have a civilized conversation, you didn’t actually say that you worked for British Airways, because it got you talking about people’s last travel experience, which was usually an unpleasant one. It’s staggering how much the airline’s image has changed since then, and, in comparison, how proud staff are of working for BA today. British Airways employee, Spring 1990 I recently flew business class on British Airways for the first time in about 10 years. What has happened over that time is amazing. I can’t tell you how my memory of British Airways as a company and the experience I had 10 years ago contrasts with today. The improvement in service is truly remarkable. British Airways customer, Fall 1989 In June of 1990, British Airways reported its third consecutive year of record profits,  £345 million before taxes, firmly establishing the rejuvenated carrier as one of the world’s most profitable airlines. The impressive financial results were one indication that BA had convincingly shed its historic â€Å"bloody awful† image. In October of 1989, one respected American publication referred to them as â€Å"bloody awesome,† a description most would not have thought possible after pre-tax losses totalling more than  £240 million in the years 1981 and 1982. Productivity had risen more than 67 percent over the course of the 1980s. Passengers reacted highly favorably to the changes. After suffering through years of poor market perception during the 1970s and before, BA garnered four Airline of the Year awards during the 1980s, as voted by the readers of First Executive Travel. In 1990, the leading American aviation magazine, Air Transport World, selected BA as the winner of its Passenger Service award. In the span of a decade, British Airways had radically improved its financial strength, convinced its work force of the paramount importance of customer service, and dramatically improved its perception in the market. Culminating in the privatization of 1987, the carrier had undergone fundamental change through a series of important messages and events. With unprecedented success under its belt, management faced an increasingly perplexing problem: how to maintain momentum and recapture the focus that would allow them to meet new challenges. Crisis of 1981 Record profits must have seemed distant in 1981. On September 10 of that year, then chief executive Roy Watts issued a special bulletin to British Airways staff: British Airways is facing the worst crisis in its history . . . unless we take swift and remedial action we are heading for a loss of at least  £100 million in the present financial year. We face the prospect that by next April we shall have piled up losses of close to  £250 million in two years. Even as I write to you, our money is draining at the rate of nearly  £200 a minute. No business can survive losses on this scale. Unless we take decisive action now, there is a real possibility that British Airways will go out of business for lack of money. We have to cut our costs sharply, and we have to cut them fast. We have no more choice, and no more time . Just two years earlier, an optimistic British government had announced its plan to privatize British Airways through a sale of shares to the investing public. Although airline management recognized that the 58,000 staff was too large, they expected increased passenger volumes and improved staff productivity to help them avoid complicated and costly employee reductions. While the 1978-79 plan forecasted passenger traffic growth at 8 to 10 percent, an unexpected recession left BA struggling to survive on volumes, which, instead, decreased by more that 4 percent. A diverse and aging fleet, increased fuel costs, and the high staffing costs forced the government and BA to put privatization on hold indefinitely. With the airline technically bankrupt, BA management and the government would have to wait before the public would be ready to embrace the ailing airline. The BA Culture, 1960-1980 British Airways stumbled into its 1979 state of inefficiency in large part because of its history and culture. In August 1971, the Civil Aviation Act became law, setting the stage for the British Airways Board to assume control of two state-run airlines, British European Airways (BEA) and British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC), under the name British Airways. In theory, the board was to control policy over British Airways; but, in practice, BEA and BOAC remained autonomous, each with its own chairman, board, and chief executive. In 1974, BOAC and BEA finally issued one consolidated financial report. In 1976, Sir Frank (later Lord) McFadzean replaced the group division with a structure based on functional divisions to officially integrate the divisions into one airline. Still, a distinct split within British Airways persisted throughout the 1970s and into the mid-1980s. After the Second World War, BEA helped pioneer European civil aviation. As a pioneer, it concerned itself more with building an airline infrastructure than it did with profit. As a 20-year veteran and company director noted: â€Å"The BEA culture was very much driven by building something that did not exist. They had built that in 15 years, up until 1960. Almost single-handedly they opened up air transport in Europe after the war. That had been about getting the thing established. The marketplace was taking care of itself. They wanted to get the network to work, to get stations opened up.† BOAC had also done its share of pioneering, making history on May 2, 1952, by sending its first jet airliner on a trip from London to Johannesburg, officially initiating jet passenger service. Such innovation was not without cost, however, and BOAC found itself mired in financial woes throughout the two decades following the war. As chairman Sir Matthew Slattery explained in 1962: â€Å"The Corporation has had to pay a heavy price for pioneering advanced technologies.† Success to most involved with BEA and BOAC in the 1950s and 1960s had less to do with net income and more to do with â€Å"flying the British flag.† Having inherited numerous war veterans, both airlines had been injected with a military mentality. These values combined with the years BEA and BOAC existed as government agencies to shape the way British Airways would view profit through the 1970s. As former director of human resources Nick Georgiades said of the military and civil service history: â€Å"Put those two together and you had an organization that believed its job was simply to get an aircraft into the air on time and to get it down on time.† While government support reinforced the operational culture, a deceiving string of profitable years in the 1970s made it even easier for British Airways to neglect its increasing inefficiencies. Between 1972 and 1980, BA earned a profit before interest and tax in each year except for one. â€Å"This was significant, not least because as long as the airline was returning profits, it was not easy to persuade the workforce, or the management for that matter, the fundamental changes were vital. Minimizing cost to the state became the standard by which BA measured itself. As one senior manager noted: â€Å"Productivity was not an issue. People were operating effectively, not necessarily efficiently. There were a lot of people doing other people’s jobs, and there were a lot of people checking on people doing other people’s jobs† . . . As a civil service agency, the airline was allowed to become inefficient because the thinking in state-run operations was, â€Å"If yo u’re providing service at no cost to the taxpayer, then you’re doing quite well.† A lack of economies of scale and strong residual loyalties upon the merger further complicated the historical disregard for efficiency by BEA and BOAC. Until Sir Frank McFadzean’s reorganization in 1976, British Airways had labored under several separate organizations (BOAC; BEA European, Regional, Scottish, and Channel) so the desired benefits of consolidation had been squandered. Despite operating under the same banner, the organization consisted more or less of separate airlines carrying the associated costs of such a structure. Even after the reorganization, divisional loyalties prevented the carrier from attaining a common focus. â€Å"The 1974 amalgamation of BOAC with the domestic and European divisions of BEA had produced a hybrid racked with management demarcation squabbles. The competitive advantages sought through the merger had been hopelessly defeated by the lack of a unifying corporate culture.† A BA director summed up how distracting the merger proved: â€Å"There wasn’t enough management time devoted to managing the changing environment because it was all focused inwardly on resolving industrial relations problems, on resolving organizational conflicts. How do you bring these very, very different cultures together?† Productivity at BA in the 1970s was strikingly bad, especially in contrast to other leading foreign airlines. BA’s productivity for the three years ending March 31, 1974, 1975, and 1976 had never exceeded 59 percent of that of the average of the other eight foreign airline leaders. Service suffered as well. One human resources senior manager recalled the â€Å"awful† service during her early years in passenger services: â€Å"I remember 10 years ago standing at the gate handing out boxes of food to people as they got on the aircraft. That’s how we dealt with service.† With increasing competition and rising costs of labor in Britain in the late 1970s, the lack of productivity and poor service was becoming increasingly harmful. By the summer of 1979, the number of employees had climbed to a peak of 58,000. The problems became dangerous when Britain’s worst recession in 50 years reduced passenger numbers and raised fuel costs substantially. Lord King Takes the Reins Sir John (later Lord) King was appointed chairman in February of 1981, just a half-year before Roy Watts’s unambiguously grim assessment of BA’s financial state. King brought to British Airways a successful history of business ventures and strong ties to both the government and business communities. Despite having no formal engineering qualifications, King formed Ferrybridge Industries in 1945, a company which found an unexploited niche in the ball-bearing industry. Later renamed the Pollard Ball and Roller Bearing Company, Ltd., King’s company was highly successful until he sold it in 1969. In 1970, he joined Babcock International and as chairman led it through a successful restructuring during the 1970s. King’s connections were legendary. Hand-picked by Margaret Thatcher to run BA, King’s close friends included Lord Hanson of Hanson Trust and the Princess of Wales’s family. He also knew personally Presidents Reagan and Carter. King’s respect and connections proved helpful both in recruiting and in his dealings with the British government. One director spoke of the significance of King’s appointment: â€Å"British Airways needed a chairman who didn’t need a job. We needed someone who could see that the only way to do this sort of thing was radically, and who would be aware enough of how you bring that about.† In his first annual report, King predicted hard times for the troubled carrier. â€Å"I would have been comforted by the thought that the worst was behind us. There is no certainty that this is so.† Upon Watts’s announcement in September of 1981, he and King launched their Survival plan— â€Å"tough, unpalatable and immediate measures† to stem the spiraling losses and save the airline from bankruptcy. The radical steps included reducing staff numbers from 52,000 to 43,000, or 20 percent, in just nine months; freezing pay increases for a year; and closing 16 routes, eight on-line stations, and two engineering bases. It also dictated halting cargo-only services and selling the fleet, and inflicting massive cuts upon offices, administrative services, and staff clubs. In June of 1982, BA management appended the Survival plan to accommodate the reduction of another 7,000 staff, which would eventually bring the total employees down from about 42,000 to nearly 35,000. BA accomplished its reductions through voluntary measures, offering such generous severance that they ended up with more volunteers than necessary. In total, the airline dished out some  £150 million in severance pay. Between 1981 and 1983, BA reduced its staff by about a quarter. About the time of the Survival plan revision, King brought in Gordon Dunlop, a Scottish accountant described by one journalist as â€Å"imaginative, dynamic, and extremely hardworking,† euphemistically known on Fleet Street as â€Å"forceful,† and considered by King as simply â€Å"outstanding.† As CFO, Dunlop’s contribution to the recovery years was significant. When the results for the year ending March 31, 1982, were announced in October, he and the board ensured 1982 would be a watershed year in BA’s turnaround. Using creative financing, Dunlop wrote down  £100 million for redundancy costs,  £208 million for the value of the fleet (which would ease depreciation in future years), even an additional  £98 million for the 7,000 redundancies which had yet to be effected. For the year, the loss before taxes amounted to  £114 million. After taxes and extraordinary items, it totalled a staggering  £545 million. Even King might have admitted that the worst was behind them after such a report. The chairman immediately turned his attention to changing the airline’s image and further building his turnaround team. On September 13, 1982, King relieved Foote, Cone & Belding of its 36-year-old advertising account with BA, replacing it with Saatchi & Saatchi. One of the biggest account changes in British history, it was King’s way of making a clear statement that the BA direction had changed. In April of 1983, British Airways launched its â€Å"Manhattan Landing† campaign. King and his staff sent BA management personal invitations to gather employees and tune in to the inaugural six-minute commercial. Overseas, each BA office was sent a copy of the commercial on videocassette, and many held cocktail parties to celebrate the new thrust. â€Å"Manhattan Landing† dramatically portrayed the whole island of Manhattan being lifted from North America and whirled over the Atlantic before awestruck witnesses in the U.K. After the initial airing, a massive campaign was run with a 90-second version of the commercial. The ad marked the beginning of a broader campaign, â€Å"The World’s Favourite Airline,† reflective of BA’s status as carrier of the most passengers internationally. With the financial picture finally brightening, BA raised its advertising budget for 1983-84 to  £31 million, compared with  £19 million the previous year, signalling a clear commitment to changing the corporate image. Colin Marshall Becomes Chief Executive In the midst of the Saatchi & Saatchi launch, King recruited Mr. (later Sir) Colin Marshall, who proved to be perhaps the single most important person in the changes at British Airways. Appointed chief executive in February 1983, Marshall brought to he airline a unique resume. He began his career as a management trainee with Hertz in the United States. After working his way up the Hertz hierarchy in North America, Marshall accepted a job in 1964 to run rival Avis’s operations in Europe. By 1976, the British-born businessman had risen to chief executive of Avis. In 1981, he returned to the U.K. as deputy chief and board member of Sears Holdings. Fulfilling one of his ultimate career ambitions, he took over as chief executive of British Airways in early 1983. Although having no direct experience in airline management, Marshall brought with him two tremendous advantages. First, he understood customer service, and second, he had worked with a set of customers quite similar to the airline travel segment during his car rental days. Marshall made customer service a personal crusade from the day he entered BA. One executive reported: â€Å"It was really Marshall focusing on nothing else. The one thing that had overriding attention the first three years he was here was customer service, customer service, customer service—nothing else. That was the only thing he was interested in, and it’s not an exaggeration to say that was his exclusive focus.† Another senior manager added: â€Å"He has certainly put an enabling culture in place to allow customer service to come out, where, rather than people waiting to be told what to do to do things better, it’s an environment where people feel they can actually come out with ideas, that they will be listened to, and feel they are much more a part of the success of the company.† Not just a strong verbal communicator, Marshall became an active role model in the terminals, spending time with staff during morning and evenings. He combined these a ctions with a number of important events to drive home the customer service message. Corporate Celebrations, 1983-1987 If Marshall was the most important player in emphasizing customer service, then the Putting People First (PPF) program was the most important event. BA introduced PPF to the front-line staff in December of 1983 and continued it through June of 1984. Run by the Danish firm Time Manager International, each program cycle lasted two days and included 150 participants. The program was so warmly received that the non-front-line employees eventually asked to be included, and a one-day â€Å"PPF II† program facilitated the participation of all BA employees through June 1985. Approximately 40,000 BA employees went through the PPF programs. The program urged participants to examine their interactions with other people, including family, friends, and, by association, customers. Its acceptance and impact was extraordinary, due primarily to the honesty of its message, the excellence of its delivery, and the strong support of management. Employees agreed almost unanimously that the program’s message was sincere and free from manipulation, due in some measure to the fact that BA separated itself from the program’s design. The program emphasized positive relations with people in general, focusing in large part on non-work-related relationships. Implied in the positive relationship message was an emphasis on customer service, but the program was careful to aim for the benefit of employees as individuals first. Employees expressed their pleasure on being treated with respect and relief that change was on the horizon. As one frontline ticket agent veteran said: â€Å"I found it fascinating, very, very enjoyable. I thought it was very good for British Airways. It made people aware. I don’t think people give enough thought to people’s reaction to each other. . . . It was hardhitting. It was made something really special. When you were there, you were treated extremely well. You were treated as a VIP, and people really enjoyed that. It was reverse roles, really, to the job we do.† A senior manager spoke of the confidence it promoted in the changes: â€Å"It was quite a revelation, and I thought it was absolutely wonderful. I couldn’t believe BA had finally woken and realized where its bread was buttered. There were a lot of cynics at the time, but for people like myself it was really great to suddenly realize you were working for an airline that had the guts to chan ge, and that it’s probably somewhere where you want to stay.† Although occasionally an employee felt uncomfortable with the â€Å"rah-rah† nature of the program, feeling it perhaps â€Å"too American,† in general, PPF managed to eliminate cynicism. The excellence in presentation helped signify a sincerity to the message. One senior manager expressed the consistency. â€Å"There was a match between the message and the delivery. You can’t get away with saying putting people first is important, if in the process of delivering that message you don’t put people first.† Employees were sent personal invitations, thousands were flown in from around the world, and a strong effort was made to prepare tasteful meals and treat everyone with respect. Just as important, BA released every employee for the program, and expected everyone to attend. Grade differences became irrelevant during PPF, as managers and staff members were treated equally and interacted freely. Moreover, a senior director came to conclude every single PPF session with a question and answer session. Colin Marshall himself frequently attended these closing sessions, answering employee concerns in a manner most felt to be extraordinarily frank. The commitment shown by management helped BA avoid the fate suffered by British Rail in its subsequent attempt at a similar program. The British Railway program suffered a limited budget, a lack of commitment by management and interest by staff, and a high degree of cynicism. Reports surfaced that employees felt the program was a public relations exercise for the outside world, rather than a learning experience for staff. About the time PPF concluded, in 1985, BA launched a program for managers only called, appropriately, Managing People First (MPF). A five-day residential program for 25 managers at a time, MPF stressed the importance of, among other topics, trust, leadership, vision, and feedback. On a smaller scale, MPF stirred up issues long neglected at BA. One senior manager of engineering summarized his experience: â€Å"It was almost as if I were touched on the head. . . . I don’t think I even considered culture before MPF. Afterwards I began to think about what makes people tick. Why do people do what they do? Why do people come to work? Why do people do things for some people that they won’t do for others?† Some participants claimed the course led them to put more emphasis on feedback. One reported initiating regular meetings with staff every two weeks, in contrast to before the program when he met with staff members only as problems arose. As Marshall and his team challenged the way people thought at BA, they also encouraged changes in more visible ways. In December 1984, BA unveiled its new fleet livery at Heathrow airport. Preparations for the show were carefully planned and elaborate. The plane was delivered to the hangar-turned-theater under secrecy of night, after which hired audio and video technicians put together a dramatic presentation. On the first night of the show, a darkened coach brought guests from an off-site hotel to an undisclosed part of the city and through a tunnel. The guests, including dignitaries, high-ranking travel executives, and trade union representatives, were left uninformed of their whereabouts. To their surprise, as the show began an aircraft moved through the fog and laser lights decorating the stage and turned, revealing the new look of the British Airways fleet. A similar presentation continued four times a day for eight weeks for all staff to see. On its heels, in May of 1985, British Airways unveiled its new uniforms, designed by Roland Klein. With new leadership, strong communication from the top, increased acceptance by the public, and a new physical image, few on the BA staff could deny in 1985 that his or her working life had turned a new leaf from its condition in 1980. Management attempted to maintain the momentum of its successful programs. Following PPF and MPF, it put on a fairly successful corporatewide program in 1985 called â€Å"A Day in the Life† and another less significant program in 1987 called â€Å"To Be the Best.† Inevitably, interest diminished and cynicism grew with successive programs. BA also implemented an â€Å"Awards for Excellence† program to encourage employee input. Colin Marshall regularly communicated to staff through video. While the programs enjoyed some success, not many employees felt â€Å"touched on the head† by any successor program to PPF and MPF.

Marketing Mix Netflix

Marketing Mix Netflix Marketing is a very complex concept that involves a detailed process. The types of strategies for marketing focus on a target audience and are directly related to what is known as the 4 P's of the Marketing Mix.The Marketing Mix has been defined by many as the controllable variables a company puts together to satisfy its target market... If any parts of a Marketing Mix get out of balance, the target market will be insufficiently served. This model of the Marketing Mix was first introduced by Neil Borden when he published his 1964 article, "The Concept of the Marketing Mix." Borden had first started using the phrase in 1949 and claimed that it came to him while reading a book by James Culliton on the activities of a business executive (netmba.com, 2009). The 4 P's that the Marketing Mix consists of are product, place, promotion, and price.Deutsch: Klassischer Marketing-Mix Franzika eines ...The term product refers to tangible, physical products, as well as to services. A lot of though t and preliminary research goes into the type of product a company will manufacture, including product specifications, design, and production of the unit. The biggest concern for a business is that they are able to introduce their product at the appropriate time, when the consumer's needs are greatest. A product will generally go through a life cycle, much like a human life cycle, consisting of four different stages: introduction, growth, maturity, and decline. After the developmental period, a product is introduced or launched into the market. At this stage, the need for immediate profit is not a pressure; the product is promoted to create awareness. In the growth stage, competitors are attracted into the market with very similar offerings. Products become more profitable and companies may form alliances, joint ventures, or take each other...