Darren Shan Biography Essay Example for Free

Darren Shan Biography Essay Although Shan always wanted to be a writer, it was only in his teenage years that he began writing in his spare time for fun (before that, he only wrote stories if they were for homework). He bought his first typewriter when he was 14, and never looked back, knocking out loads of short stories and comic scripts, and making false starts on several books, which he never completed. Shan was 17 when he finished his first novel. Although it was never published, he relished the writing experience, and found himself focusing more on novels in the coming years, leaving behind the short-story format. For the next several years, sandwiched between university and work, he wrote an average of one book a year, experimenting with different ideas, genres, lengths and styles. When he started writing full-time, his output shot up to 5 to 6 books per year! But that has dropped back to 2 to 3 recently, due to all the travelling around he’s been doing to promote sales of his books. All of these early books were adult-oriented. Although Shan quite liked the idea of writing a children’s book one day, he considered himself an adult writer first and foremost. In fact, Shan’s initial breakthrough was with an adult book, in 1999. In January 2000, his first children’s book, Cirque du Freak, which he’d written as a fun side-project, was published. The first book in a series titled The Saga of Darren Shan (or Cirque du Freak, as it’s known in America), it attracted rave reviews and an ever-growing army of fans hungry to learn more about vampires which were quite unlike any that anyone had ever seen before! Shan loved writing for children so much, that for the next several years he focused almost exclusively on his books for younger readers. First, he wrote a total of 12 books about vampires. He quickly followed up his vampiric saga with The Demonata, a series about demons. Running to ten books in total, The Demonata cemented Shan’s place in the UK as the Master Of Children’s Horror, and saw him score his first UK #1 bestseller. He also wrote a one-off short book, called Koyasan, for Wold Book Day in the UK. There was a very successful manga adaptation of Shan’s vampire series, drawn by the Japanese artist, Takahiro Arai. It was originally serialized in Japan, but collected volumes are now on sale in the USA, UK and other countries. The books have topped adult bestseller charts in Hungary, Japan and Taiwan. In total, Shan’s books have sold close to 15 million copies worldwide! The movie rights to Cirque Du Freak were bought by Universal, and the first movie (which combines elements from the first three books in the series) was released on October 23rd, 2009, starring newcomer Chris Massoglia as Darren Shan, along with a wide array of established stars such as Josh Hutcherson, John C Reilly, Salma Hayek, Willem Defoe and Ken Watanabe. The movie was called Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant.

Shakespeares Othello - Iago as Good Strategician and Lucky Opportunist

Iago - Good Strategician and Lucky Opportunist      Ã‚  Ã‚   Like with many evil personalities in history and literature the question is always asked did he really plan to make this happen or was it just luck and convenient circumstances, was it intentional or just circumstantial. To determine how good Iago really is at plotting and whether it is really his own influence or just lucky circumstances that cause events I will examine his asides, soliloquies and interaction with key characters because they give an extra insight into his character.    In the first scene we are thrown right into the action with the argument between Iago and Roderigo. This first argument shows us how Iago is cunning and sly because he has already manipulated a weak Roderigo into paying him for something he hasn't even done yet. Roderigo who is obviously weak and simple has asked Iago to help him woo Desdemona in exchange for money, he thinks Iago has not done this because Desdemona is now at this moment marrying the moor. Yet Iago manages to convince Roderigo of his sheer hatred for Othello and swindle him out of his money. As he later exerts in his soliloquy at the end of Act I.3   ' thus do I ever make my fool my purse' this shows his attitude to Roderigo he is just money for Iago a pawn in his plan. This attitude shows how to a certain extent Iago primes the character he will use later in his plan showing a consistent strategy, he knows he can use Roderigo in the future so keeps him on his side instead of being rude and sharp with h im. You can see that Iago finds Roderigo tedious but keeps him a friend for his money and possible use in the future.    As he goes on to speak he shows his jealousy and frustration, which ... ... still no closer to finding out. Similarly with Iago there is no doubt that he is intelligent and quick-witted and his bitterness and jealousy fuels his plans but to an extent the circumstances played as big a role as the character. Shakespeare created Iago and the circumstances because they reacted well together and made an interesting and exciting plot. So I believe it is fair to say that Iago, as a character is both a good strategician and a lucky opportunist in equal measures.    Works Consulted: Muir, Kenneth. Introduction. William Shakespeare: Othello. New York: Penguin Books, 1968. Shakespeare, William. "The Tragedy of Othello the Moor of Venice" The Norton Shakespeare. Ed. Stanley Wells & |Gary Taylor. New York/London, W.W. Norton Company,1997. 2100-2174 Wain, John. Shakespeare's Othello - A Casebook. London: MacMillan Press. 1994

Marketing Analysis of GOD Essay

Company Description: GOD is now a fast-growing furniture and furnishings company brand in Hong Kong. They describe them as â€Å"More Than Just a Furniture Store†. GOD is the phonetic sound of the Cantonese slang â€Å"to live better† which a basic human desire all around the world. The founder of GOD – Douglas Young and Benjamin Lau opened the first GOD store at Ap Lei Chau in 1996. Within 2 years, two more shops opened in Central and Tsim Sha Tsui respectively. In 2001, GOD has opened a 20,000 sq.ft. flagship store in Causeway Bay. The mission of GOD has always been â€Å"to define a new Hong Kong identity† – by exploring age-old oriental traditions and updating them with modern consumers in mind, their demonstrations of the techniques and wisdom of past generations in the east still has a place in the future world. Most of the furniture of GOD is made in China to their stringent standards of quality and workmanship. Their products range from furniture, bathware, kitchenware to even lighting and carpets. Among these various products, furniture occupies the highest proportion of sales revenues. What makes GOD different from other convectional furniture and furnishing company is that all of their furniture is designed by local designers. The company is strongly against today’s mass produced and soulless products. The main theme of their furniture is creative, comfortable, and multifunctional. In order to surprise their customers, GOD constantly turns out new items on a weekly basis. Because the marketing strategy in GOD is so clear that make the company become one of the few furniture companies that can still make a profit, and even expand their business, in the time of economy downturn in HK these years. Situation Analysis: 1. SWOT Analysis: Internally, GOD has a management team with designing knowledge which could perfectly apply to the daily management in the company. Small size of management team also benefits the company with the efficient division of  labor. Despite the fact of having numerous competitors with lower price, G.O.D. is still taking the leading role in the industry with its unique offerings of the oriental tradition Asian design in products, as well as the extraordinary decoration in each branch . G.OD is expanding its market share by connecting to other different industries, so as to attract more customers from different aspects. The diversification of production and also the â€Å"custom made† strategy contribute to the company as it prevent excess inventory. Moreover, its own R&D team takes a big responsibility in fulfilling the demand of the customers in having a better quality. Other than all those favorable circumstances, G.OD is still encountering certain weaknesses. Due to the short history of establishment, G.O.D. is lack of experience and specialization. Its relatively high price and narrow choice of products has also prevented the visit and purchase of customers. Also, due to the limited capital inflow in the company, GOD is still not able to develop a large R&D team; it also regards advertisement as a big burden for the company. Regardless of the success of the manufacturing approach, it, on the other hand, has lead to the high cost of production as it could not achieve the economy of scale. Favorable external factors include the increasing upscale market which people are more concerned about quality of life, there are only few and not well-established local competitors, and as the economic is recovering, there are more opportunities. Ergonomics is one of the most popular topics in furniture industry because the customer’s perceived value can be raised by introducing it. Unfavorable external factors include the taste of customers which people like international culture more, like Japan. In addition, the favorable investment condition attracts competitor from foreign countries. 2. Industry analysis: The furniture and furnishing industry has a long history in Hong Kong. It includes the production of household, office and furniture, as well as  bedding and parts of furniture. There are 249 furniture manufacturers in Hong Kong, employing more than 704 people as at Sep 2002. Around 90% of them are small companies engaging less than 10 people . Although it is not the major industry in the local market, the competition is very keen. In terms of market segmentation, the current furniture industry in Hong Kong is generally divided into three main categories: high-end, middle-end and lower-end market. However, in the past, the craft-based, labor-intensive furniture industry was one of the oldest industries in Hong Kong. It was developed to meet local demands. At that time, the furniture industry was dominated by a large number of small firms and could be divided into three major sectors, namely, wooden furniture, rattan furniture and metal furniture . After the economic crisis in 1998, many small companies went bankrupt and customers’ incentive on buying furniture was lower. To maintain their competitive power, many large companies strive to reduce their costs and increase their efficiency. Some relocate their manufacturing operations to other areas with lower operation costs like Mainland China. Foreign manufacturers are taking steps to strengthen their domestic production through production specialization. Hong Kong’s furniture makers also start to establish their own brands and some concept stores in order to develop their unique product lines to differentiate their firms from the others. Companies like GOD and Franc Franc are the most apparent examples which produce products with Hong Kong local characteristics and Japanese culture respectively. Recently, due to the economic recovery and the change of customer trend, people are going to be responsive to the new trends and design of furniture. Thus, the industry is going to produce products to cater the needs of Hong Kong people. Also, many furniture manufacturers become more careful about the choice of raw materials to meet international standards, such as compliance with legal or other environmental requirements in their target markets. Because of the limited living space in Hong Kong, the industry produces the furniture which is highly practical and multi- functional. Moreover, most of them embrace innovative designs and combinations of furnishings which allow them to save home spaces and provide a sense of style and modernism. To cater the growing trend and design of furniture which correspond to their taste and lifestyle, the industry produces DIY furniture which can let consumers to make their ‘unique’ furniture with their own styles. Moreover, most of them are made of the environmental friendly materials for production. 3. Competitor Analysis: Competitors in relevant market: There are three main competitors of GOD in Hong Kong, accordingly Franc Franc, IKEA and PRICERITE. Their target market segments do not necessarily the same but do have some overlapping as they both target on the market segments of middle-income level families. Further, the mission of their competitors also stress on developing a new concept of life style to Hong Kong people. Franc Franc’s company would invest over 30 million dollars in Hong Kong and expect there will be 36 million HK dollars gross profit in the first year. There will also be 2 or 3 new branches opened in the next few years. They will be mainly located in some big shopping malls. IKEA have 4 branches in Hong Kong mainly located near big housing town. IKEA is the most well known furniture company in Hong Kong due to the massive advertising programs. The concepts of their design are simple, multi-functional and sustainable. They also have a successful and well-developed customer service system which helps them to develop the loyalty of their customers. PRICERITE’s target group mainly focuses on lower income families. They  provide a relatively low price to their customers, thus helping them to develop a low cost, comfortable and multifunctional living environment. They have over 45 branches in Hong Kong so as consumers can easily find a PRICERITE nearby. Comparative advantages: 1. GOD—Uniqueness of local culture In these years, many industries especially those expose frequently to young people like filmdom and musical industry, advocate local original design and innovation. This atmosphere makes young people create a good feeling to Hong Kong local products. Today, GOD is the unique furniture store with strong â€Å"Hong Kong† concept. What Hong Kong concept here means is Hong Kong’s own culture and social atmosphere. GOD is a local brand and all of their exclusive designers are local. GOD claims their products have â€Å"soul† because their products can turn out local people’s opinion and attitude to lives. It can attract a group of Hong Kong new generation who like to show off their characters and tastes by their home furniture . 2. Franc Franc—Adhere to Japanese-styled goods The trend in Japan always is a benchmark for the young people in Hong Kong. It is because the young people in Hong Kong think Japanese always stand on the tips of the trend. Thus, most of them are adherent to Japanese-styled goods. Many Japanese brands like Fancl and Sanrio have successfully developed their business in Hong Kong. Their successes are also based on this reason. Franc Franc is the sole furniture concept store with Japanese style in Hong Kong. This make it exclusively enjoys the adherent from Hong Kong young people in this market . 3. IKEA—Cost Leadership To provide goods with high quality at relatively low prices, IKEA drives tough bargains with its suppliers in order to employ lowest cost suppliers  of raw and semi-finished goods from all over the world. IKEA Also, their products developers seek out manufacturers who can produce in the most cost-effective way and designers always work with solutions that result in a low price. This cost-focused supply chain model results in getting the goods with cheapest price and good quality.

The Prospect Of A Two State Nation Solution For Israel...

The Israel-Palestine conflict is one of the most long-term, pressing, and largely confounding social, political, and national quandaries of our age. Since we have been moving with surprising velocity into the vast horizons of globalization, the conflict has built up tremendous momentum and has called into question the adequacy of our current attempts at coming to a peaceful resolution that can simultaneously and successfully address both sides of the struggle. The purpose of this paper has been to understand the prospect of a two-state nation solution for Israel and Palestine. The discussion arises a retrospective view of the context behind the present analysis. We begin with a discourse that informs the reader of the historical narrative between the Jewish inhabitants of Israel and the Palestinians who also seek to live in the lands which comprise Israel. At the forefront of the discussion are some key issues such as trends in Israeli settlement expansion over time, the manner in wh ich these settlements create political challenges towards the prospect of a two-state solution, and the fragmentation of power within Palestinian political parties which inhibit the opportunity for proper negotiations amongst the two parties. Finally, we delve into a discussion on nationalism, it’s importance in the discussion of a two-state solution, and the challenges posed when trying to formulate US Foreign Policy towards the matter. (Part A) R.B.G. The scope of Israeli settlement activityShow MoreRelatedThe Conflict Between Jewish And Arab State1549 Words   |  7 PagesAlthough Palestine declared independence as an Arab state, it still face obstacles in achieving its sovereignty. Former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat planned to officially announce the statehood of Palestine in 1996 (Quigley). This action received a strong response from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu said recognition of Palestinian statehood would nullify the Israeli-Palestinian agreement. From this notion, Netanyahu threatened to invade Palestinian territories like the WestRead MoreThe Struggle For Land And Palestine : What s The Problems Ahead?1698 Words   |  7 PagesThe Struggle for Land in Israel and Palestine: What’s the Problems Ahead? Abstract The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a continuing conflict, which is a part of Arab-Israel conflict and the Middle East war. This paper mainly explores the conflicts which caused the struggle for land in Israel and Palestine. Why Is It So Hard to Stop Struggling For Land? The land struggle between Israel and Palestine have never ended for almost a century. Today, though there are a lot of agreements, the conflictsRead MoreThe Creation Of The Jewish State As Part Of Palestine1281 Words   |  6 PagesIsrael is a small country in southwestern Asia that was founded in 1948 as a sanctuary for Jews from all parts of the world. Israel lies along the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea and is bordered by Syria and Lebanon to the north, Egypt to the southwest, and Jordan to the east. Jerusalem is the capitol and the largest city in Israel. It is considered by many faiths to be the holiest city in the world. A lot of people think that United Nations were the one who gave birth to Israel, howeverRead MoreIsrael Is A Small Democracy At The Eastern End Of The Mediterranean1349 Words   |  6 PagesIsrael is a small democracy at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea, with a 2016 population of 8.17 million, of which, 74.8 percent is Jewish; most of the rest of Israel s population is Arab. The term Arab denotes persons descended from tribes inhabiting the Arabian Peninsula or persons speaking the Arabic language. By this definition, there are about 250 million Arabs worldwide, most found in the group of countries occupying North Africa and the western part of the Middle East. Most ArabsRead MoreSix Day War Research Paper1457 Words   |  6 PagesFirm Alliance The United States and Israel developed a strong bond following the latter’s independence and war against the Arabs. Israel became one of the major American allies in the Middle East, and the United States government readily provided extensive economic and military support. The first instance of this support was in 1962, when the Kennedy administration sold Hawk missiles to Israel. Since then, â€Å"over $100 billion†¦ of military aid and technology transfers to Israel†¦ over the past half century†Read MoreCauses of the Six Day War4151 Words   |  17 PagesWhat were the causes of Israel-Palestine war? TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT AANALYSIS THE CAUSES OF ISRAEL/PALESTINE CONFLICT: THE FIRST INTIFADA 1987-93 DIVIDING THE MAP THE 1948 WAR ZIONISM 1967/OCCUPATION THE ARABS, TERRORISM amp; SECURITY: â€Å"NO SOLUTION† THE WALL/FENCE/BARRIER DELEGITIMIZING THE STATEHOOD DECLARATION BY PALESTINE THE IMPACT OF SCARCE WATER RESOURCES ON THE ARAB-ISRAEL CONFLICT CAMP DAVID FAILURE THE ISRAEL-PALESTINE CONFLICT IS CENTRAL TO THE MILITANTS’ CAUSE Abstract Read MoreThe Pleas of Palestinians Essay1840 Words   |  8 Pagessuch as Palestine. Palestinians have always lived in the current country of Israel; however, they were never able to obtain the land of their ancestors, therefore many different Palestinian groups from the Palestinian Liberation Organization, an observer in the United Nations, to Hamas, a multi-country terrorist cell, have all been involved in helping free Palestine. The desire for a free Palestine has been centuries overdue. Although Israel has a bigger international prominence than Palestine: shouldRead MoreEssay on Israel-Palestine: Two-State vs One-State Solution2394 Words   |  10 PagesDoes The Future Hold for Israel-Palestine? The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has proven to be one of the most complex and â€Å"intractable† conflicts of modern history – or as some may even add – of all time. And after many decades of failed attempts at peacemaking in this region, there still seems to be no conceivable end to the conflict. During those same decades, most of the parties involved as well as the international community have embraced the idea of a two-state solution, but the question we poseRead More The Arab-Israeli Conflict: Protecting Democracy in the Middle East3988 Words   |  16 Pagesbrought Benjamin Netanyahu to the head of government in Israel is the need to bring peace, to bring about an end to violence, and to erase the misdeeds of the past and renew the spirit of cooperation and harmony in the Middle East. It is a task of mammoth proportions, rife with possibilities for failure, but one which is the responsibility of any government that is to be taken seriously by the internatio nal community to undertake. The peace that Israel seeks is often hampered by those who claim that theRead MoreThe End Of World War I2396 Words   |  10 Pagesthe 1917 Belfour Declaration, which endorsed the establishment of a Jewish national home in Palestine and the preservation of the civil and religious rights of non-Jewish Palestinian communities. Consequently, the British Mandate in the region of Israel, the former Palestine, which was initiated and endorsed by the League of Nations in 1922, and which incorporated the Belfour Declaration. The control of Israel has changed hands multiple times since then and subsequently, its borders have shifted considerably

Quotations About Babies and Infancy

Babies are born cute—some say—because that is Gods way of protecting them from harm. Their angelic faces can steal the heart of everyone they meet. Whether you are expecting a child soon or are already the parent of a newborn, here are some beautiful baby sayings and a few truisms that should certainly make you smile and nod your head in agreement. Don Herold Babies are such a nice way to start people. Brad Pitt Getting a burp out of your little thing is probably the greatest satisfaction Ive come across. Its truly one of the lifes satisfying moments. Robert Munsch Ill love you forever; Ill like you for always. As long as Im living, my baby, youll be. Hermann Hesse Words can not express the joy of a new life. Vincent Van Gogh I think I see something deeper, more infinite, more eternal than the ocean in the expression of the eyes of a little baby when it wakes in the morning or coos or laughs. Olivia Wilde The amazing thing about becoming a parent is that you will never again be your own first priority. Deepak Chopra It is the nature of babies to be in bliss. Jeff Foxworthy Watching a baby being born is a little like watching a wet St. Bernard coming in through the cat door. Charles Osgood Babies are always more trouble than you thought—and more wonderful. Winston Churchill There is no finer investment for any community than putting milk into babies. Mark Twain A baby is an inestimable blessing and bother. James Matthew Barrie When the first baby laughed for the first time, the laugh broke into a thousand pieces, and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of fairies. And now when every new baby is born, its first laugh becomes a fairy. So there ought to be one fairy for every boy or girl. Brian Pulsifer The joy that a newborn brings cannot be equaled. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe We cant form our children on our own concepts; we must take them and love them as God gives them to us. Eda J. Le Shan A new baby is like the beginning of all things—wonder, hope, a dream of possibilities. Ed Howe Families with babies and families without are so sorry for each other. Penelope Leach Loving a baby is a circular business, a kind of feedback loop. The more you give the more you get, and the more you get the more you feel like giving. Benjamin Spock What good mothers and fathers instinctively feel like doing for their babies is usually best after all. Nuno Bettencourt Having a baby is one of the most wonderful things in life, as well as the hardest thing in your life. Rajneesh The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new.

What Are The Major Strategic Considerations To Replace An...

Harris Corporation is in need of an Information Technology (IT) Project Manager (PM) after a seasoned, experienced employee announced her intention to retire in 30 days. The work of replacing this employee with a capable equivalent is time-consuming, costly to the firm, and requires attention to details with respect to strategy, a specification for announcing the vacancy, and discipline throughout the recruiting process. This paper leverages an actual Project Manager job posting and tailors it based on iMBA 544 lesson content. For confidentiality reasons, all metrics, ratios, and cost data is fictitious but realistic for the purposes of presentation in this essay. Strategic Considerations Strategic Overview Replacing an IT PM, especially†¦show more content†¦In a growth environment like this, it can be argued that demand for project managers may outweigh the supply of available project managers, but where there is opportunity, there is likely turnover which contributes to supply. Recruiting for this vacancy is expected to yield a favorable collection of qualified candidates. Per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, â€Å"Employment of computer and information systems managers is projected to grow 15 percent from 2014 to 2024, much faster than the average for all occupations. Demand for computer and information systems managers will grow as firms increasingly expand their business to digital platforms† (Computer and Information Systems Managers). Make/Buy Decision The decision to hire a resource to be a member of the Harris team (make), or outsource the vacancy to a consultant or subcontractor (buy) is a fairly simple strategic decision in this context. Given that in this operational environment the IT PM is exposed to sensitive company data, including proprietary hardware and software, company confidential procedures, labor rates and cost data, it is policy to not buy IT PM services from consultants or subcontractors. In this case, the IT PM will be exposed to this type of sensitive information and therefore the decision to make, or hire directly has been made. Job Design An Information Technology Project Manager is a manager in the InformationShow MoreRelatedOutsourcing Service From A Supplier1500 Words   |  6 Pagesproduct or a service from a supplier. Outsourcing services can supplement an existing internal source, replace an existing internal source, or consist of a new product or service a company has never provided before. In the past, it was commonplace for companies to try to do it all. Manufacturing companies would design, engineer, and build the end product while providing Information Technology support†¦ regardless of the complexity of the end product and its components. As time went on, it becameRead MoreHEFTY HARDWARE CASE STUDY2640 Words   |  11 PagesIT BUSINESS ALIGNMENT 8 CHANGING VOCABULARY 8 CREATE BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP MANAGERS 8 ESTABLISH GOVERNANCE PROCESS 8 AVOIDING COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWNS 9 CIO: 9 ANALYSIS: 10 BRIDGING COMMUNICATION GAP BETWEEN BUSINESS IT 10 WORKING COLLABORATIVELY 11 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 11 CONCLUSION 13 List of Figures Fig 1: IT and Business Alignment – Holy Grail or Fools Gold †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦7 Fig 2:360-Degree Business Technology Alignment Assessment. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...9 HEFTYRead MoreInformation Systems For International Students2786 Words   |  12 Pagessemester at Swinburne, it was almost impossible for us to find an Information Systems Manager and would like to thank Jason for leading us to Mr. Mim Saznus. We understand that we are required to draw a direct correlation between what we’ve learnt in lectures and textbooks and see if we could relate it to challenges that Information Systems Managers face in the real world or see how much of a gap we have between what we learn and what actually happens in the corporate world. We would like to extrapolateRead MoreCanadian Shield Case Essay1131 Words   |  5 Pageschange and need to compete on operational efficiencies characterized by most companies in this quadrant is detailed by the following quote from the case authors. â€Å"Sustainability for Canadian insurance companies greatly depended on investments in projects that increased customer service and improved operational efficiency.â₠¬  This comment is aligned with the predictable operator company practices and is evidence that in order to gain a competitive advantage in the Canadian insurance industry it is vitalRead MoreJACK NEIFT TRUCKING CASE5818 Words   |  24 PagesFinal Paper – Analysis and Recommendations PROJECT MANAGEMENT INTEGRATIVE PROJECT U10A1 JACK NEIFT TRUCKING CASE FINAL PAPER ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TS5930 – Project Management Capstone Professor Dr. Eggersman 1 of 30 Final Paper – Analysis and Recommendations 2 of 30 Abstract Jack Neift Trucking is a small, privately held trucking business that is feeling the impact of a slow economy. Although the company has had a history of profitability, their business needsRead MorePhotocopier Case Study2110 Words   |  9 PagesHunking, General Manager - XYZ, London From: Linda McGuire, Purchasing Manager - XYZ, London Subject: Photocopier Contract at Head Office Issue: As you know, this contract renewal process has taken about 11 months, without a clear conclusion yet. I have analyzed the work done thus and would like to propose the following as our new Problem Statement for this requirement. XYZ Canada must find the best overall solution to its document management requirements; optimizing costs, technology, process efficiencyRead MoreTraditional Investment Appraisal Techniques Can Not Cope With The Fast Changing Environment2151 Words   |  9 Pagesthis firms have began rethinking their industry structures and improving their investment appraisal techniques to suit today’s business environment in order to compete and maintain growth. One of them being, incorporating advanced manufacturing technology (AMT) into their business strategy. It’s a form of flexible manufacturing system that offers both financial and strategical benefits. Nowadays for most firms, investment appraisal is seen as a priority because it involves a planning processRead MoreReview of Payroll and Rostering Solutions13285 Words   |  54 Pagesreport by any other party. 1. Executive summary In July, 2010, Queensland Health engaged Ernst Young to conduct a review of its payroll and rostering systems to establish their ongoing suitability for Queensland Health, and to ascertain what potential options are available to resolve the recently experienced payroll problems. Ernst Young did not undertake a review of the root causes of the problems being experienced. However, the review was undertaken cognisant of the origins of theseRead MoreTm Ch02 Organization Strategy3889 Words   |  16 PagesChapter 2 organization strategy and project selection Chapter Outline 1. The Strategic Management Process: An Overview A. Four Activities of the Strategic Management Process 2. The Need for an Effective Project Portfolio Management System A. Problem 1: The Implementation Gap B. Problem 2: Organizational Politics C. Problem 3: Resource Conflicts and Multitasking 3. A Portfolio Management System A. Classification of the Project B. Nonfinancial Criteria 4. ApplyingRead MoreRichter Pharma5971 Words   |  24 Pagesin Calgary. These acquisitions positioned ABS as a major panCanadian insurer. To date, these three companies have continued to function autonomously. Six months ago, management at ABS announced that it was bringing these three original companies under a single legal entity to form ABS Canada. Jean Roberge was appointed VicePresident of Information Technologies Management and was mandated to develop a strategic IT plan. During the annual strategic planning meeting of the management committee, held

Coca Cola Structure free essay sample

Introduction3 Coca cola’s Global coverage. 3 History4 Revenues4 Products and Brands6 Mission, Vision and Values8 Organizations and Organizational Effectiveness10 Stakeholders, Managers, and Ethics12 Organizational Design14 Designing Organizational Structure: Authority Control15 Designing Organizational Structure: Specialization Coordination17 Managing in a Changing Global Environment18 Organizational Design Strategy20 Creating Managing Organizational Culture21 Organizational Technology21 Organizational Transformations22 Decision Making23 Managing Conflicts, Power and Politics24 Introduction The Coca-Cola Company  is a beverage company, manufacturer, distributor, and marketer of non-alcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups. The company is best known for its flagship product  Coca-Cola, invented by pharmacist  John Stith Pemberton  in 1886. The Coca-Cola formula and brand was bought in 1889 by  Asa Candler  who incorporated The Coca-Cola Company in 1892. Besid es its namesake Coca-Cola beverage, Coca-Cola currently offers more than 400 brands in over 200 countries or territories and serves 1. 6 billion servings each day. The company operates a  franchised  distribution system dating from 1889 where The Coca-Cola Company only produces syrup concentrate which is then sold to various  bottlers  throughout the world who hold an exclusive territory. The Coca-Cola Company is headquartered in  Atlanta,  Georgia. Its stock is listed on the  NYSE  and is part of  DJIA,  SP 500 Index, the  Russell 1000 Index  and the Russell 1000 Growth Stock Index. Its current chairman and CEO is  Muhtar Kent. - Coca cola’s Global coverage. - History The Coca-Cola Company was originally established in 1891 as the J. S. Pemberton Medicine Company, a co-partnership between Dr. John Stith Pemberton  and Ed Holland. The company was formed to sell three main products: Pembertons French Wine Cola (later known as Coca-Cola), Pembertons Indian Queen Hair Dye, and Pembertons Globe Flower Cough Syrup. In 1884, the company became a stock company and the name was changed to Pemberton Chemical Company. The new president was D. D. Doe while Ed Holland became the new Vice-President. Pemberton stayed on as the superintendent. The companys factory was located at No. 07, Marietta St. Three years later, the company was again changed to Pemberton Medicine Company, another co-partnership, this time between Pemberton, A. O. Murphy, E. H. Bloodworth, and  J. C. Mayfield. Finally in October 1888, the company received a charter with an authorized capital of $50,000. The charter became official on January 15, 1889. By this time, the company had expand ed its offerings to include Pembertons Orange and Lemon Elixir. - Revenues According to the 2005 Annual Report,  the company sells beverage products in more than 200 countries. The report further states that of the more than 50 billion beverage servings of all types consumed worldwide every day, beverages bearing the trademarks owned by or licensed to Coca-Cola account for approximately 1. 5 billion. Of these, beverages bearing the trademark Coca-Cola or Coke accounted for approximately 78% of the Companys total gallon sales. Also according to the 2007 Annual Report, Coca-Cola had gallon sales distributed as follows: a. 37% in the United States b. 43% in Mexico, India, Brazil, Japan and the Peoples Republic of China c. 0% spread throughout the rest of the world In 2010 it was announced that Coca-Cola had become the first brand to top ? 1 billion in annual UK grocery sales. The data for the year 2009 is given in the table below: - - - - - - - Products and Brands The Coca-Cola Company offers  nearly 400 brands  in over 200 countries, besides its namesake  Coca-Cola  beverage. Tab  was Coca-Colas first attempt to develop a diet soft drink, using  saccharin  as a sugar substitute. Introduced in 1963, the product is still sold today, however its sales have dwindled since the introduction of Diet Coke. The Coca-Cola Company also produces a number of other soft drinks including  Fanta and  Sprite. Fantas origins date back to  World War II  when  Max Keith, who managed Coca-Colas operations in  Germany  during the war, wanted to make money from Nazi Germany but did not want the negative publicity. Keith resorted to producing a different soft drink, Fanta, which proved to be a hit, and when Coke took over again after the war, it adopted the Fanta brand as well. The German  Fanta Klare Zitrone  (Clear Lemon Fanta) variety became  Sprite, another of the companys bestsellers and its response to  7 Up. During the 1990s, the company responded to the growing consumer interest in healthy beverages by introducing several new non-carbonated beverage brands. These included  Minute Maid  Juices to Go,  PowerAde sports beverage, flavoured ea  Nestea  (in a joint venture with  Nestle),  Fruitopia  fruit drink and  Dasani  water, among others. In 2001,  Minute Maid  division launched the  Simply Orange  brand of juices including  orange juice. Coca-Cola is the best-selling soft drink in most countries. While the Middle East is one of the only regions in the world where Coca-Cola is not the number one soda drink, Coca-Cola nonetheless holds almost 25% mar ket share (to Pepsis 75%) and had double-digit growth in 2003. Similarly, in  Scotland, where the locally produced  Irn-Bru  was once more popular, 2005 figures show that both Coca-Cola and Diet Coke now outsell Irn-Bru. In  Peru, the native  Inca Kola  has been more popular than Coca-Cola, which prompted Coca-Cola to enter in negotiations with the soft drinks company and buy 50% of its stakes. In  Japan, the best selling soft drink is not cola, as (canned)  tea  and  coffee  are more popular. As such, the Coca-Cola Companys bestselling brand there is not Coca-Cola, but  Georgia. Some claim Coke is less popular in  India  due to suspicions regarding the health standards of the drink. On July 6, 2006, a Coca-Cola employee and two other people were arrested and charged with trying to sell trade secrets information to the soft drink makers competitor,  PepsiCo  for $1. million. The recipe for Coca-Cola, perhaps the companys most closely guarded secret, was never in jeopardy. Instead, the information was related to a new beverage in development. Coca-Cola executives verified that the documents were valid and proprietary. At least one glass vial containing a sample of a new drink was offered for sale, court documents said. The conspiracy was revealed by PepsiCo, which notified the authorities when they were approached by the conspirators. The company announced a new negative calorie green tea drink,  Enviga, in 2006, along with trying coffee retail concepts  Far Coast  and  Chaqwa. On May 25, 2007, Coca-Cola announced it would purchase  Glaceau, a maker of flavoured vitamin-enhanced drinks (vitamin water), flavoured waters, and  energy drinks, for $4. 1 billion in cash. On September 3, 2008, Coca-Cola announced its intention to make cash offers to purchase  China Huiyuan Juice Group Limited  (which has a 42% share of the Chinese pure fruit juice market for US$2. 4bn (HK$12. 20 per share). Chinas  ministry of commerce  blocked the deal on March 18, 2009, arguing that the deal would hurt small local juice companies, could have pushed up juice market prices and limited consumers’ choices. In October 2009, Coca-Cola revealed its new 90-calorie  mini can  that holds 7. 5 fluid ounces   The first shipments are expected to reach the New York City and Washington D. C. markets in December 2009 and nationwide by March 2010. - Mission, Vision and Values Following are the mission, vision statements and company’s core values taken from the company’s official website:- The world is changing all around us. To continue to thrive as a business over the next ten years and beyond, we must look ahead, understand the trends and forces that will shape our business in the future and move swiftly to prepare for whats to come. We must get ready for tomorrow today. Thats what our 2020 Vision is all about. It creates a long-term destination for our business and provides us with a Roadmap for winning together with our bottling partners. Mission Our Roadmap starts with our mission, which is enduring. It declares our purpose as a company and serves as the standard against which we weigh our actions and decisions. . To refresh the world b. To inspire moments of optimism and happiness c. To create value and make a difference. Our Vision Our vision serves as the framework for our Roadmap and guides every aspect of our business by describing what we need to accomplish in order to continue achieving sustainable, quality growth. a. People:  Be a great place to work where people are inspired to be the bes t they can be. b. Portfolio:  Bring to the world a portfolio of quality beverage brands that anticipate and satisfy peoples desires and needs. c. Partners:  Nurture a winning network of customers and suppliers, together we create mutual, enduring value. d. Planet:  Be a responsible citizen that makes a difference by helping build and support sustainable communities. e. Profit:  Maximize long-term return to shareowners while being mindful of our overall responsibilities. f. Productivity:  Be a highly effective, lean and fast-moving organization Our Winning Culture Our Winning Culture defines the attitudes and behaviours that will be required of us to make our 2020 Vision a reality. Live Our Values Our values serve as a compass for our actions and describe how we behave in the world. a. Leadership:  The courage to shape a better future b. Collaboration:  Leverage collective genius c. Integrity:  Be real d. Accountability:  If it is to be, its up to me e. Passion:  Committed in heart and mind f. Diversity:  As inclusive as our brands g. Quality:  What we do, we do well Focus on the Market a. Focus on needs of our consumers, customers and franchise partners. b. Get out into the market and listen, observe and learn c. Possess a world view d. Focus on execution in the marketplace every day e. Be insatiably curious Work Smart a. Act with urgency b. Remain responsive to change c. Have the courage to change course when needed d. Remain constructively discontent e. Work efficiently Act Like Owners a. Be accountable for our actions and inactions b. Steward system assets and focus on building value c. Reward our people for taking risks and finding better ways to solve problems d. Learn from our outcomes what worked and what didn’t Be the Brand Inspire creativity, passion, optimism and fun. - Organizations and Organizational Effectiveness What allows an organization to continue to operate for over 125 years, and along the way, become one of the most globally recognizable brand names? The ability to adapt and find new markets has helped Coca-Cola become an icon of the American culture. Coca-Cola was invented in 1885 and since The Coca-Cola Company’s incorporation in 1892; a strong focus on growth and marketing has existed. Besides traditional advertisements in the local newspaper, the company’s founder, Asa Candler, distributed thousands of coupons for free glasses of Coca-Cola so that many more people would be inclined to taste the product. He also distributed countless souvenirs that depicted the Coca-Cola trademark logo. By 1900, the organization, already, had operations in the United States and Canada. This focus on aggressive marketing is, still, the cornerstone for The Coca-Cola Company’s strategy and culture. The Coca-Cola Company was eager to take advantage of new markets, and expansion efforts quickly led to Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines Before long, Coca-Cola was being sold in Europe. When The United States entered World War II, Coca-Cola was being sold to both sides. The Coca-Cola Company turned what many would view as a threat, into an enormous opportunity. In 1941, the company’s president, Robert Woodruff made an order to provide American troops with Coca-Cola, regardless of where they were, and what it cost to the company. During the war, 64 bottling plants were set up in Europe and the Pacific. This not only allowed American troops to acquire a taste for the drink, but it left Coca-Cola with a solid foundation to greatly expand its operations overseas. Over time, The Coca-Cola Company has remained adamant about staying in the non-alcoholic beverage industry. Besides soft drinks, The Coca-Cola Company sells energy drinks, juice drinks, sports drinks, tea, and water. The current focus of The Coca-Cola Company is still that of growth. The current objective of the organization â€Å"is to use our formidable assets-brands, financial strength, unrivalled distribution system, global reach, and a strong commitment by our management and employees worldwide-to achieve long-term sustainable growth† The key inputs for production are the raw materials used in the beverages. The company uses different types of sweeteners depending on where the concentrate is being produced. Water is one of the main ingredients used in every beverage. Since the organization greatly focuses on marketing, human capital is an important asset to the company as well. Without its employees’ knowledge and abilities, The Coca-Cola Company would not be nearly as successful. The secret formula for Coca-Cola is another key input for the company. The Coca-Cola Company does not actually produce soda. They produce the concentrate or syrup, which is then sent to distributors. Distributors add carbonated water and any other ingredient necessary to create the final product. The production process of Coca-Cola is a secret; however, it mainly consists of adding the correct amount of ingredients, and mixing them. The process to create each beverage is extremely mechanized in order to achieve quick and efficient production. The outputs of The Coca-Cola Company are the syrups and concentrates of its beverages. The Coca-Cola Company faces a number of challenges, many of which stem from the fact that the organization operates on such a large level. Each market has its own trends and demands. Consumers in some markets have become more heath conscious. In order to react to this trend, many diet and low-calorie drinks have been created. The Coca-Cola Company is always trying to find ways to be innovate. Due to the anti-carbohydrate trends created by the Atkins diet, Coca-Cola C2 was introduced. It is supposed to have the same taste as Coca-Cola, but contain half the carbohydrates. Another problem The Coca-Cola Company faces is derived from the social and political differences of each market. For example, different countries have different laws. Most developing countries have more relaxed pollution requirements. In some countries, bribes of government officials are considered normal and expected. While it is company policy that The Coca-Cola Company will follow the laws of every country that it operates in, it still has strong criticism from other parts of the world for its actions. The company has recently been the subject of strong criticism the company’s bottling plants in Colombia are alleged to have killed workers who were attempting to unionize. Even though the bottling plants are independently owned and operated, and nothing has happened legally to the bottling plants in Colombia, The Coca-Cola Company has been facing strong criticism for it in the United States. The Coca-Cola Company’s structure has characteristics of both organic and mechanistic models. The organization has a more centralized structure, however in recent years there has been a movement towards decentralization. A more in-depth analysis of the organization’s structure will be discussed later. The Coca-Cola Company measures success in many ways. The Coca-Cola Company believes that if they analyze sales based on volume growth, it is an indicator of trends at the consumer level. The company obviously looks at profit as a way to measure success. Recently, The Coca-Cola Company has been focused on being a more responsible global citizen. The company has over 70 clean-water projects in countries all across the globe. - Stakeholders, Managers, and Ethics The stakeholders for The Coca-Cola Company as stated in the company’s Corporate Responsibility Review are: a. Shareowners b. Employees c. Bottling partners d. Governmental agencies e. Suppliers f. Retail customers g. Consumers h. Local Communities i. NGOs Because each group of stakeholders has a different goal, conflicts arise. The shareowners are concerned with earning a profit, while local communities care deeply about environmental issues and labour standards. Suppliers want to charge as much as possible to create more revenues, and The Coca-Cola Company wants to get the lowest prices to decrease costs. Management wants to keep labour costs down, while employees want raises and increased benefits. The organization’s divisional managers run company operations in a general region of the globe. The functions of each vice president are divided into functions such as human resources, innovation/research and development, marketing, and public affairs and communication. The two functions most critical in taking advantage of the company’s competitive advantages are marketing and innovation/research and development. As stated time and time again, the organization tries to capitalize on its brand name as much as possible, which is why the marketing function is so important to the company. The Innovation/research and development department must come up with the products that the marketing function demands. The majority of the top level managers at The Coca-Cola Company have worked in many different regions and areas of the company. Many have worked for or ran the bottling companies that partner with the organization. The fact that members of the top management team have well rounded backgrounds allow for problems to be looked at from multiple angles. - Organizational Design The Coca-Cola Company realizes that it needs to be able to meet the ever changing demands of its customers. This is why the company pushed towards decentralization in the nineties, and even more so recently. The organization has two operating groups called Bottling Investments and Corporate. There are also operating groups divided by different regions such as: Africa, Eurasia, European Union, Latin America, North America, and Pacific. Each of these divisions is again divided into geographic regions. By allowing decisions to be made on a more local level, the organization can quickly respond to changing market demands, and higher-level management can focus more on long-term planning. Certain divisions of the company, such as finance, human resources, innovation, marketing, and strategy and planning are centrally located within the corporate division of the company. Some of these functions take place at lower levels in each of the regions of the company; however, most decisions are made at the top of the hierarchy. For example, in 2002 the decision to sponsor the World Cup was done at the corporate level. Corporate headquarters, however, allowed the local divisions to make the advertising decisions. This allowed each division to specifically design commercials and ads that would appeal to the local market. When Neville Isdell took over as CEO and chairmen of The Coca-Cola Company in 2004, he began to using more complex integrating mechanisms. In order to deal with organization’s extremely low growth rate, Isdell used teams of top managers to create solutions to the organization’s most pressing problems. Face-to-face meetings were held regularly at the local levels so employees could remain informed. Besides the use of teams and meetings, the intranet was overhauled to provide a source of real-time sharing of information. The use of complex integrating mechanisms is important in such a tall and wide organization. It is important that each function of the company is able to share up-to-date information quickly with each other. The organization seems to be doing an excellent job of balancing standardization and mutual adjustment. The Code of Conduct for the organization is a guidebook for how every employee should act. Should an employee act improperly, they are subject to disciplinary actions. Due to the changes implemented by Isdell, mutual adjustment has started to play a larger role in the organization. Employees feel more engaged and turnover has been reduced. Isdell’s changes have led to increased growth rates for the organization, and return on equity for stockholders went from a negative return to a 20 percent return. This balance is essential, because it allows employees some flexibility, but also gives the organization some predictability. The Coca-Cola Company’s structure is a hybrid of both mechanistic and organic models. The focal point of The Coca-Cola Company is on responsiveness. The complex integrating mechanisms previously discussed are characteristic of an organic structure. The surveys and interviews used by the company allowed information to flow from the bottom-up, and the intranet allows for information to be exchanged laterally. The surveys have also caused The Coca-Cola Company to pursue simplification and standardization. Centralization and high standardization are associated with a mechanistic structure. The blending of both types of structures seems to be ideal for the organization. Flexibility is essential when trying to appeal to such a vast number of independent markets, however, high standardization is important to remain efficient in production. The use of complex integrating mechanisms allows for easier coordination for the global company. Centralization keeps organizational choices aligned with organizational goals. Now that information in the company is flowing in every direction, upper-management will have access to information more quickly, adding to the organization’s flexibility and responsiveness. The recent shift towards a more decentralized and organic structure corresponds with the uncertainty of the organization’s environment. - Designing Organizational Structure: Authority Control The Coca-Cola Company currently employs approximately 94,800 employees. According to a general organizational chart obtained from the company’s website, there are more than 5 hierarchical levels at the corporate level. For example: the head of the Canadian division reports to the president and COO of the North American Group. That president reports to the CFO, who reports to the Office of the General Counsel. The General Counsel then reports to the CEO. It is fair to assume that there are at least a few more steps in the hierarchy at the local level. Due to its tall structure, the organization has experienced communication problems. One of the problems discovered through a survey, was that the people and the company lacked clear goals. Tall hierarchies also cause motivation problems, which is why the organization is attempting to get employees more engaged. The increased usefulness of the company’s intranet will greatly increase the communication between every level of employees, and allow upper management to effectively communicate to the front line employees. Based on information from Report 2006 this span of control seems somewhat slim for the CEO of such a large organization. The CEO is also a member of the Senior Leadership Team. This team consists of each head of the eight operating groups aforementioned, and also has other top executives in areas like innovation and technology and marketing. Although there are only six people that answer directly to the CEO, the CEO is able to receive input from a wide variety of divisions because of this leadership team. Since the team is comprised of members from various divisions, the CEO is able to obtain a wide variety of information. The move to decentralization has caused structural changes for The Coca-Cola Company. New offices have been opened to facilitate decisions being made closer to the local markets. The organization has also undergone centralization of some of the company’s departments. In 2006, the Bottling Investments division was created to â€Å"establish internal organization for our consolidated bottling operations and our unconsolidated bottling investments. † It appears that the organization is striving for a hybrid structure, which allows them to have advantages of both mechanistic and organic structures, while trying to minimize the negative consequences of each. The strategic structural changes that the organization has gone through in recent years have created a much needed positive impact on the company. Sales growth increased and employees are much more satisfied. The organization is trying to create a more innovative culture by pushing towards decentralization. - Designing Organizational Structure: Specialization Coordination The Coca-Cola Company realizes that a divisional structure gives the organization the best opportunity to react to the changes in its uncertain environment, but also allow it to maintain a level of stability. The multidivisional structure is beneficial for the organization for a variety of reasons. The division based on geographic region allows certain aspects of the company’s operations to be tailored to the individual market. One advertising campaign or slogan may not be appropriate for another market, so decisions about specific ads are made closer to the individual markets. Multidivisional structures allow divisional managers to handle daily operations while corporate managers are free to focus on long-term planning. There are also problems associated with this type of structure. If the company creates divisional competition, coordination may decrease because each division wants to have an advantage over everyone else. Communication problems may also exist because information can become distorted when it has to travel up and down tall hierarchies. A multidivisional matrix structure may be better suited for The Coca-Cola Company. This would increase coordination between corporate and divisional levels, and managers at each level would work together to create solutions to problems. While such a structure may be too complex for a global organization, the company may want to look into it. Managing in a Changing Global Environment Due to its tremendous global presence, The Coca-Cola Company operates in an extremely uncertain environment. Increased competition from global and local companies has led to competition over the most important resource: customers. The Coca-Cola Company must not only compete for customers, but also raw materials needed for each product. In some parts of the world, clean water is becoming increasingly hard to come by. The Coca-Cola Company has only one or two suppliers for some of its raw materials. For example, they view The NutraSweet Company as one of only two viable sources for the ingredient aspartame . The Coca-Cola Company is at a strong disadvantage if they cannot decrease their reliance on a small number of suppliers. If relations with suppliers deteriorate, or if the suppliers go bankrupt, it would have dire consequences for The Coca-Cola Company. The Coca-Cola Company must also compete to get the best employees possible. The production of the beverages does not require skilled labor, but the organization has had problems finding the proper personnel to run the organization. In 2004, The Coca-Cola Company’s top choices for the open CEO position decided not to join the company because they did not like the actions of the Board of Directors. Due to the organization’s high credit rating, the company has the ability to raise funds at a lower cost. This allows the organization the opportunity to finance operations such as expansion through the issuance of debt. This may be necessary if The Coca-Cola Company looks to expand into new markets, or purchase new brands. The environment in which The Coca-Cola Company operates in is extremely dynamic. The environment is difficult to predict and control due to the global nature of the operations. The Coca-Cola Company faces the threat of reduced production or disruption in distribution if there is a problem in a market. The Annual Report (2006) lists risks, such as worker strikes, work stoppages, and the chance a distributor falls on harsh economic times. Another reason the company’s environment is tremendously dynamic is due to the nature of their raw materials. Some of their key raw materials are dependent on specific climates. Climate changes may impact the price of the materials they need to obtain and, in turn, affect the cost of production. The strength and interconnectedness of the general forces that The Coca-Cola Company must deal with make the environment extremely complex. Recently in the United States, two forces have started to become inter-woven: cultural/social values and political/environmental forces. Many American companies are now being lambasted if they do not try to be more environmentally friendly, and The Coca- Cola Company is no different. The company has received plenty of criticism for its operations in India, with claims that they cause a great deal of pollution and have damaged local water supplies. The Coca-Cola Company uses a wide variety of techniques to manage relationships with its stakeholders, the most useful tool being strategic alliances. A former CEO of the organization claimed that 100 percent of its revenues came from strategic alliances. The company uses exclusive contracts with its bottling partners and other customers as well. In 1999, the organization signed a ten-year deal with Burger King to be the restaurants only supplier of beverages. Even though PepsiCo was willing to give Wendy’s a much better deal, the restaurant signed a ten-year deal with The Coca-Cola Company. This example shows how powerful the Coca-Cola © brand name really is. The Coca-Cola Company has done an excellent job managing some aspects of the environment, but done a poor job at managing other parts of the environment. The negative publicity received from its operations in India and the actions of its bottling partner in Colombia has led to boycotts of Coca-Cola products on some campuses. While this is clearly bad for the company, the average consumer is completely unaware of these allegations. This means that The Coca-Cola Company is doing a decent job of damage control. While the company has not had any trouble with suppliers lately, the future is always uncertain. It does not seem like the company is not actively trying to secure supplies, which is why vertical integration was recommended. - - - - Organizational Design Strategy The core competences that give the organization its best competitive advantages are its strong brand name and its network of bottlers and distributors. Along with its marketing capabilities and broad portfolio of products, The Coca-Cola Company has core competences which are extremely difficult, if not impossible to duplicate. The strong Coca-Cola brand name gives the company a great deal of bargaining power and leverage. In 1999, PepsiCo and The Coca-Cola Company were fighting to become the supplier of beverages for the Wendy’s restaurant chain. Wendy’s opted to partner with The Coca-Cola Company even though PepsiCo was offering much more money. The brand name recognition that the company enjoys is a powerful bargaining tool. The Coca-Cola name even has an influence on consumer tastes. When The Coca-Cola Company was looking to launch Diet Coke, they performed some blind taste tests with consumers. The consumers preferred a glass labelled Diet Coke over a glass labelled Tab by 12 percent, even though the liquids in each glass were identical. It has taken the organization over 120 years to build such a strong brand preference, and this cannot be imitated by competitors. The relationships that the organization has with its distributors are another competitive advantage that cannot easily be imitated. The contracts and relationships between the two groups create symbiotic interdependencies, which mean that the success of both companies has a direct impact on each other. The Coca-Cola Company agrees not to sell to other parties in the local market, and the bottler agrees to only purchase the syrup and concentrate from the company’s authorized dealers. The Coca-Cola Company at times provides the retailers and distributors with promotions, and capital at times. Because the organization does not have to worry about the distribution in the local markets, it allows the company to focus on more important issues. The Coca-Cola Company’s business-level strategy is one of differentiation. This is evident in the previous example of consumers preferring identical beverages just because the Coke brand name was attached. They have been successful pursuing differentiation because the focus of the company has always been on marketing. The Coca-Cola Company is â€Å"known for innovative marketing that constantly promotes their brand names and protects their domains from competitors. The hybrid structure of The Coca-Cola Company is ideal for its differentiation strategy. The centralization of the marketing and innovation functions allows the company to retain control over development, marketing and production. By performing extensive market research and creating more local offices, the company is always looking for new ways to serve new customers. The use of complex integrating mechanisms allows coordination between all levels and divisions of the company. Creating Managing Organizational Culture The culture of The Coca-Cola organization is mission driven; focused on refreshing the mind, inspiring optimism, and making a difference (Thecocacolacompany. com). The rich history of the organization has allowed the company to compile hundreds of stories of consumers and employees. These stories share real life examples of what Coca-Cola © means to their consumers and gives employees a sense of pride to be a part of something that means so uch for so many people. They also inspire new employees to make a positive impact on the world. Stories are so important to The Coca-Cola Company that they created a museum in Las Vegas that focuses on the stories of customers. After visitors heard others’ stories, they could record their own, which the company could use in the future (McLellan, 2006). As stated previously, the company has been trying to change the culture by allowing employees to essentially shape and reform the goals of The Coca-Cola Company (Fox, 2007). The positive stories that the company chooses to focus on provide a foundation to encourage employees to be not only model workers, but model citizens. - Organizational Technology Currently, output processes are the greatest source of uncertainty for the organization. As previously stated, The Coca-Cola Company does not produce the end product. Distributors and bottlers mix other ingredients (mainly carbonated water) with syrups and concentrates and then sell the products. The Coca-Cola brand name is on the end product, regardless of who bottles it. The company must keep pressure on the bottlers to maintain high quality outputs, or it could have negative consequences for The Coca-Cola Company. There exists very little information about the production of the Coca-Cola syrup. Even at The World of Coca-Cola, a museum for the company, there is no mention of how the syrup is produced. The production of Dasani, the company’s bottled water, is extremely mechanized, and it is fair to assume that the production of every Coca-Cola product is the same. This mass production and high mechanization leads to a high level of technical complexity. Classification Level of Technical Complexity a. Small-Batch and Unit Production Low to Medium b. Large-Batch and Mass Production Medium to High Continuous Process or Flow Production High The typical structure of a manufacturing company that uses mass production is a mechanistic structure, in which efficient production is the desired end. The Coca-Cola Company’s structure is unique in that it has a lot of the characteristics of an organic structure. This is due to its focus on marketing and local appeal. The structural mismatch means that production in the organization may not be as efficient as possible; however, the benefits of the organization’s structure outweigh the consequences. - Organizational Transformations The Coca-Cola Company was founded in 1888 to take advantage of the already popular Coca-Cola name. Of the four life cycle stages (birth, growth, decline, death), after 120 years, the company remains in the growth stage because the company’s value creation skills continue to evolve. The company has faced a variety of internal problems over the years. A constant struggle in any organization is trying to meet employees’ demands while trying to keep labour costs low. In 2005, workers went on strike because management wanted to institute a policy where employees would pay a greater portion of their health benefits. If the organization experiences any work stoppage, the company may not be able to meet customer demand and lose out on revenue. Another internal problem within the company is that the board exercises a great deal of power and influence. As previously stated, the company failed to attract its top choices for CEO in 2004, and the board has even pulled ads because they thought the commercials did not fit the company’s image . Uncertainty in the environment has caused many external problems for the organization, ranging from uncertainty with its suppliers and distributors to political and societal pressures. . While there was not information regarding policy changes because of this, many believe that the power of the board will diminish because long time director Warren Buffet has stepped down. Buffet has been viewed as rather conservative and also involved himself in the decision making of the organization. As the company has continued to grow, top managers have pushed operational responsibility and decision making down to the local levels. This move allows the company to react better to each market, and it also allows corporate managers to concentrate on strategic and long-term planning. By allowing lower level managers to become intricately involved in the company’s growth efforts, Neville Isdell created an environment in which everyone felt responsible for the company’s performance. He has also promoted employees within the organization, which aligns both the goals of the managers and the organization. The fifth and final stage of Greiner’s model is focused on reducing bureaucracy to speed up decision making. In April 2007, COO Muhtar Kent stated that the company is focusing on simplifying the structure to reduce bureaucracy. Theory postulates that an organization in this stage would be wise to pursue a product team or matrix structure. Because The Coca-Cola Company only operates in one domain and has over 400 products, the product team structure would be too costly and unrealistic. A matrix structure would be an idea worth considering; however the organization uses divisions based on geography, not product. Due to lack of information about the company’s regional structure, it is hard to say whether the company should pursue a matrix structure or remain as a multidivisional structure. - Decision Making The majority of decisions made by The Coca-Cola Company are done so by using the incremental method. Each year, the company would analyze results, and then make slight changes in operations to create better results next year. The company does not just quickly decide to create a new product, or change operations. Drastic changes take time. Recently, realizing that the company was in desperate need for a drastic change, Isdell sought to figure out why the company performance was declining. By starting at the lower levels of the organization to find solutions, the company was able to make some drastic changes to the company’s culture, how employees were rewarded, and made efforts to get employees more involved. The changes brought on by using the unstructured decision making model created much better results for the company. One of the biggest flaws in the organization is that the board of directors is responsible for some of the non-programmed decisions made by the company. When The Coca-Cola Company was seeking to purchase Quaker Oats, the deal was almost finalized, but then stopped because the board felt the price was too. When decisions are made by the board, it means they lack confidence in the upper management of the company to make vital decisions. This is problematic for the company for a few reasons. Because members of the board have so much money invested in company stock, they want to minimize risk, and thus, are extremely prone to take fewer chances. The members of the board do not or have not worked for the company, so they are not close enough to know all the pertinent information required to make complex decisions. - Managing Conflicts, Power and Politics Conflicts can be a healthy way for an organization to improve decision making, and create new ways for looking at problems. Conflicts can also be a significant source of trouble for an organization when they cause production declines or important decisions cannot be made. When the organization sought a new CEO in 2004, their top choices turned them down because the prospects felt that the board had too much power . This type of conflict can drastically affect the organization’s ability to change and adapt quickly, a necessity in the company’s extremely uncertain environment. The example also shows that it can prevent the organization from acquiring important human resources. The marketing department is the most powerful subunit in the organization. According to the data, â€Å"The marketing department has considerable power because it is the department that can attract customers – the critical scarce resource. The heavy emphasis on marketing could prevent the company from finding ways to become more efficient in production or distribution. The benefits derived from the power allocated to the marketing function greatly outweigh any negative consequence. By providing the department with more resources, the company can conduct great er market research. For example, even though the organization had a diet beverage on the market, research indicated that by simply using the name Diet Coke, preferences for the same tasting beverage increased dramatically. Allocating more capital to the department also allows for each marketing campaign to be tailored to specific markets, making advertisements more effective. Market research also saves money for the company. If consumer data shows the company that one of their ideas would not do well, the company can decide not to produce that beverage. The strong emphasis on marketing has allowed Coca-Cola to become one of the most recognized brand names in the world, which gives the company an advantage over its competition and gives it more bargaining power. One negative consequence of putting such a great emphasis on marketing research is evidenced in what has become known as one of the greatest flops in history. Taste tests indicated that consumers would prefer a new, sweeter version of Coca-Cola, which lead to the creation of New Coke in 1985. The strong brand attachment that the company worked so hard to achieve with consumers caused a severe backlash towards the reformulation of Coca-Cola. This example proves that market research cannot always be an indicator of what will actually happen. | | | | | | | |