The Eastern And Oriental Hotel Tourism Essay

The Eastern And Oriental Hotel Tourism Essay The Eastern Oriental Hotel is a tranquil haven in the heart of Penang. This is a hotel with old colonial charm and the finest traditions of comfort and service. Right at its door step, it is an amazing heritage of art and architecture, festivals and food. The Eastern Oriental Hotel is just a few minute walk away from a variety of shops, restaurants, cafes, bars and clubs. Besides that, each magnificent suite is extravagantly spacious and thoughtfully furnished with modern day amenities and access to the wireless world.  The Eastern Orientals modern facilities within its enchanting ambience enable guests to pursue their business interests as well as to network, to socialise or simply to relax.   Heritage  Eastern Oriental  Hotel (listed as one of the must-visit destinations in the New York Times bestseller 1,000 Places to Visit before Your Die  by Patricia Schultz) 2.0 The market segments being targeted by the firm Eastern Oriental Hotel was established in 1885 by the Armenian Sarkies Brothers in Penang. It is a colonial-style hotel. The market segments that being targeted by EO Hotel are the foreign people, old and rich people, couples and families. The first market segments being targeted are the foreign people. They are mainly from China, South Korea, Hong Kong, Middle East, Europe and America. Almost 70 percent of guests arrivals derive from overseas markets such as the UK, Japan, Australia, Singapore and USA, with the remaining coming from within Malaysia. Some young adults from foreign countries will also stayed in EO Hotel because they can afford it and expect to get an excellent service. They feel more convenience staying at EO Hotel because there are clubs or bars around the hotel. The second market segments being targeted are the senior citizen which is age 55 above and rich people. EO Hotel is a luxury hotel and it is already 126 year in Penang. The old people like to come to EO Hotel because they come to travel, enjoy their life with the beautiful scenery and willing to spend their money after they had retired. Therefore, EO Hotel located at the Heritage of Penang, there are many Pre-war homes and historic site such as Fort Cornwallis. This can attract the old people who like about history come to travel and stay at EO Hotel. The third market segments being targeted are the couples. EO Hotel will offer the package of wedding which is the hotel will offer a room to the couples who having their wedding function at EO Hotel Ballroom. Almost all the hotel will offer this kind package to the couples who are having their wedding function at their hotel. Therefore, the couples choose to have their wedding function at EO Hotel is because EO Hotel is a luxury and famous hotel in Penang. Besides that, EO Hotel is near to the sea and the couples can have their wedding photo shooting at the seaside. The fourth market segments being targeted are the families. A family member mostly will include 2-3 kids. They will choose to stay at EO Hotel whenever they travel to Penang. When there is an activity organized near to EO Hotel, there will be more families come to stay at EO Hotel, the activity such as, Bon Odori, annual jazz festival , natural park and so on . So the kids will not get bored because in the hotel, there is a swimming pool for the kids and the adults to swim. Therefore, the parents and the kids will definitely enjoy staying in EO Hotel. 3.0 The various strategies used by the firm in marketing-mix Product In hotel, their main products are rooms followed by food beverage and then facilities. Rooms All room and suites are magnificently furnished and spacious. Each guest who stays in the EO will receives the guarantee that their personal needs and comfort are a constant focus from the moment they arrive. There are 7 types of rooms: Deluxe Suite Suite size: 58 sqm. Georgetown Suite Suite size: 79 sqm. Premier Suite Suite size: 58 sqm. Straits Suite Suite size: 87sqm. Writers Suite Suite size: 135 sqm. Pinang Suite Suite size: 241 sqm. Eastern Oriental Suite Suite size: 522 sqm. Restaurants A tantalising medley of flavours and aromas await guests in the hotels restaurants, cafes and bars, each with its own unique aura. To have a midnight snack, the Eastern Oriental provides 24-hour Room Service. Sarkies Corner Operating hours are from 6.30 am 11.00 pm (Daily) The 1885 Operating hours are from 2.30 pm 10.30 pm (Open Daily) The Bakery Operating hours are from 10.00 am 10.00 pm (Daily) Farquhars Bar Operating hours are from 11.00 am to 11.00 pm. Verandah Operating hours are from 6.30 am 11.00 pm (Daily) The Deck Operating hours are from 11.00am to 7.00pm (Daily) Facilities Sauna   Fitness Facility Meeting Rooms Babysitting or child care Banquet facilities Swimming pool ( outdoor ) Price Prices for rooms: Types of room Low season Peak season Deluxe RM 730 RM 830 Georgetown RM 730 RM 830 Premier RM 860.00 RM 960.01 Straits Unavailable Unavailable Writers Unavailable Unavailable Pinang Unavailable Unavailable Eastern Oriental Suite Unavailable Unavailable ** The prices are subjected to change according to the peak season or off season. Place Eastern Oriental Hotel is situated in Georgetown at the intersection of Farquhar Street and Penang Road. It is located at Heritage area. The Eastern Oriental Hotel is just 20 kilometres away from the Penang International Airport and within walking distance to the food havens, shopping complexes and entertainment outlets of downtown Georgetown. Guests can also take a walk to Fort Cornwallis, the City Hall and the Penang State Museum. The guests will also loves to browse the shops, bazaars and restaurants for great bargains and delicious treats, while discovering temples, mosques and churches in quiet little corners. Eastern Oriental hotel is the only one in Penang. It does not have any branches. This makes the hotel special. Promotion There are few ways to promote the EO hotel. The first way is promote through filming. Filming with celebrities is a good way to promote the hotel. For example, on the August 2011, Asian Food Channel (AFC) came to Eastern Oriental Hotel to film. This will actually helps to promote it out to those who are watching AFC channel. A Chinese local actor Ah Niu had came to film at the hotel too. This will actually let worldwide people know about this hotel. The second ways to promote the hotel is through word of mouth. The hotel can also depend on the guests to help to promote the hotels name. For examples, during the weddings night, if the services are extremely good while everything went smoothly and the banquet hall is all nicely decorated, all those who attended the dinner, will goes out to promote to his / her friends or relatives. This will actually helps to spread the good news around. This is also a way to promote the hotel. The third ways to promote the hotel is by advertising through social network. The hotel can create a page at the social network to let the worldwide people knows about the hotel and also the upcoming events of the hotel. Any promotions of the hotel can also include there. People will get update news through social networks. Examples of social networks are Facebook. 4.0 The different environment that have an impact on the firms operation The market environment consists of the various external factors that direct or indirect affect the marketing management. The marketing environment is made up of microenvironment and marcoenvironment. Microenvironment is the elements close to the organization that ability to affect a companys planning and performance. The microenvironment consists of five components which are company, suppliers, customers, competitors, and intermediaries. The first component is the company. EO hotel has several departments and management levels that can affect the marketing managements decision making. The top management of EO hotel is the one who responsible to set the company mission, vision, objectives, policies and broad strategies. Besides that, all departments must work closely with one another. Departments such as purchasing, accounting, research and development finance and etc. The second component is the suppliers of the hotel. Suppliers provide the resources needed by the hotel to produce goods and services. For example, EO hotel rely on the suppliers who provide the ingredients or raw materials to the kitchen every day. Fresh ingredients needed every day to produce quality foods. Increase in ingredients or raw material prices will affect on the marketing mix strategy of the hotel. The close relationship with the supplier is one way of ensuring competitive and quality products for the hotel.   The third component is the customers of the hotel. Western people and the age group above 50 years old are the guests of the hotel. Although the room rates of the hotel are slightly higher compare to other hotels but these two groups of people willing to pay and stay at this hotel. One of the main reason they visited EO hotel is because of EO hotel is the only five star heritage hotel at the heart of the city. Besides that, the banquet of EO hotel is fully book during weekend and peak seasons. EO hotel also provide interesting wedding package to the customers. A lot of people like to have their wedding ceremony, lunch and dinner at EO hotel. The fourth component is the competitors. The competitors of EO hotel are other heritage hotels in Penang and the hotels nearby. Other heritage hotel in Penang such as Rasa Sayang Resort and Spa is the competitor of EO hotel. Rasa Sayang Resort and Spa is a five star heritage hotel allocated at Batu Ferrighi. Their room rate and EO room rate are similar but their target market slight different. EO hotel target is to attract tourists that visited the heritage city of Penang and Rasa Sayang Resort and Spa is to attract tourists that going for relaxation and enjoying water sports. The hotel nearby EO hotel such as Bayview hotel. Bayview hotel is opposite EO hotel. The customers of Bayview hotel are the tourist travel through travel agencies and businessman. The fifth component is the intermediaries. Marketing intermediaries are firms or agencies that help the hotel to promote. There is several government websites help to promote the heritage side of Penang. Some German and Chinese movie and television program had their shooting at the hotel. The German movie entitled A Love and Death on Java and the television program entitled Discovery Travel and Living shooting at EO hotel in year 2010. Positive media attention on the hotel makes the hotel to promote well. Audience can watch the programmers through TV. It is more direct to communicate to the audience. So this is a very powerful and positive impact. Marcoenvironment is the elements which can affect how a company is operate but which are beyond its control. The marcoenvironment consists of four components such as political and legal environment, economic, social and technology. The first component is the political and legal environment. The changes in the political and legal environments at both the domestic and international levels can affect the hotel. To many hotels, domestic political considerations are likely to be of prime concern. However, hotel involved in international operations are faced with the additional dimension of international political developments. For example, the changes political in western countries will affect the business of the hotel because the hotel business depends on the western tourists. Other than that, the political of our country will also affect the business of the hotel. The tourists from other countries will less visit our country The second component is the economic. Political and economic forces are often strongly related. Economic factors are of concern to marketing hotel because they are likely to influence, among other things, demand, costs, prices and profits. The changes in world economic forces are highly significant to hotel, particularly those engaged in international marketing. However, an understanding of economic changes and forces in the domestic economy is also importance as such forces have the most immediate impact. The changes in economy cause the customers to spend less. Besides that, unemployment rate become higher because the economy become worst. These will cause the decreases the demand of many luxury goods and services. The third component is the social. Customers have differences in attitudes, beliefs, motivation, morality, superstition, and perception and other characteristics when demand of goods and services. The type of goods and services demanded by consumers is a function of their social conditioning and their consequent attitudes and beliefs. The people who willing to spend more and enjoying their holiday such as people who had retired will choose to stay at EO hotel. Mostly the guests will not visit the hotel alone. They will bring their spouses along with them. They will enjoy while staying in the hotel and willing to spend more for their lunch or dinner in the restaurant. The fourth component is the technology. The changing in technology may affect the demand for a hotel goods and services. Technological changes may create new opportunities for the hotel. Technological innovation continues to move at an increasingly rapid rate. The changing in technology will help the hotel to promote on the website. Website such as the hotel website, Penang Tourism government website, Penang heritage website and etc. Besides that, the guests of the hotel will give their feedbacks of the hotel through their personal blog, feedback, forum and etc. Through these, a lot of people will understand more about of the hotel. If there had negative comments about the hotel, this will cause the hotel had bad images. 5.0 The current trends that the organization could face 5.1 Current trends Trends means the general direction in which something tends to move while current means the latest belonging to the present time. Therefore, current trends means is the latest trends in the hotel itself. The current trend of the Eastern Oriental Hotel (EO) is the Heritage sites and is located at the center of the city. EO hotel has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008, George Town, was cited as A remarkable example of historic colonial towns on the Straits of Malacca that demonstrate a succession of historical and cultural influences arising from their former function as trading ports linking East and West. The EO hotel is a colonial hotel design that mix old-world charm with modern extravagances. Besides that having heritage sides, the different type of food also is the current trends for the EO .hotel. Penang famous of many different type of hawker food .Instead of room , EO hotel can more focus on their restaurant ,promote more of their restaurant to the outsider , so that can improve the sales of the hotel 5.2 Opportunities Opportunities mean external  chances to make greater sales or profits in the environment. Eastern Oriental Hotel is a colonial design that mixes old-world charm with modern extravagances so many people would like to have their wedding photo shooting session at the hotel due to its unique surroundings. This is a good chance to promote the environment of the hotel to the public. There will also come with a package that guest who is having wedding in their banquet; the package will come with the honeymoon suite and the facilities. Besides that, some food channel or movie company also do filming at Eastern Oriental Hotel. Example for the food channel is Asian Food Channel (AFC), for the movie is German movie entitled A Love and Death on Java at the Eastern and Oriental Hotel. For the local Chinese movie that directed by local artist Ah Niu. For the shooting photo or movie, also will make the greater sales or profits and also will increase the reputation of the hotel and also will attract others people to come. EO hotel also can promote the restaurant in their hotel , because the current trends is the food in Penang . EO hotel can do more promotion for their restaurant such as: 1885 Restaurant, The selection of inventive fusion dishes from EO hotel accomplished chefs, accompanied by a superb selection of wines, marks 1885 as the perfect choice for an enjoyable dining experience, can promote to outsider instead of just promote the hotel room, maybe they will come and dining in. The EO brand is now synonymous with premier developments, and we have been complimented that EO adds the distinct style ingredient into lifestyle. Again, we came to secure this reputation by no accident it was a conscious strategy that we worked hard towards. EO hotel could also expand internationally, either together or through strategic alliances with other global property companies to increase their brand value and presence. EO hotel can also develop new growth engines from existing and new markets. Beyond property development, EO hotel could also explore the possibility of leveraging on each others hospitality capabilities. 5.3 Strengths Strengths mean characteristics of the business or team that give it an advantage over others in the industry. Eastern Oriental Hotel is build in a good location because it is at the center of the city. Eastern Oriental Hotel is near to the seaside so that guests can enjoy the sea view from the hotel. The attraction that near to Eastern Oriental Hotel are such as: Fort Cornwallis, The City Hall and also the Penang State Museum. There are also clubs, pubs, restaurants and cafà ©s all around the place which is nearby to the hotel. Eastern Oriental Hotel is a luxury and old European style hotel, so the hotel provides good quality service, nicely designed and good quality of food and beverage. Penang current trends is different type of food, so EO hotel will be a place that the tourist not only can enjoy the Penang seaview and the heritage building of EO hotel, around EO hotel still can enjoy the culture of Penang . EO has successfully built a strong portfolio and visible premier niche brand in the property development, hospitality and lifestyle segment in Malaysia. Having established their self locally, EO hotel intend to push the boundary further by making EO an inspirational brand that is recognised locally, regionally and eventually internationally. EO hotel is a heritage hotel that has 126 years old , over its century-and-a-quarter history. Attended to by the EOs legendary butler service, each suite offers the perfect invitation to step back into the refined elegance and colonial grandeur of a golden age. So that the guest can enjoy to stay at the old colonial charm building. 5.4 Weaknesses Weaknesses mean the characteristics that place the firm at a disadvantage relative to others. The common weakness is the parking lot for the Eastern Oriental Hotel is too expensive. Normal day for the parking fees is from morning until evening is RM 5, for night time is RM 10. For peak season will increase until RM 20, sometime during public holidays, the parking fees will increase to RM 40. This is too high expenses for a driver just to park their car at the parking lot. But sometimes customers drive along the way to the heart of the city and cannot find parking, so they will choose to park at the parking lot although it is too expensive. Eastern Oriental Hotel is a luxury hotel, so the room rate or the food and beverage will be more expensive compared to others place and so because of this, Eastern Oriental Hotel is not attracted by the budget traveller, because it is too expensive for them just to stay one night. 5.5 Threats Threats mean the external  elements in the environment that could cause trouble for the business. EO hotel is a five stars hotel and Penang has a lot of different categories of 5 stars hotel such as Rasa Sayang Beach and Spa Resort, G- hotel, Equatorial and so on.So they become the competitor with EO hotel . They have different style of the hotel and concept of hotel such as : a) Rasa Sayang Beach and Spa resort Is a expansive luxury retreat in traditional Malaysian style, nestled along Penangs popular Batu Feringgi Beach. This iconic beach resort offers its guests a luxurious accommodation option replete with an array of amenities whilst situated amidst impressive and majestic scenery. Attract customer that more like to challenge or have fun in the water sport activity, such as motorboat, banana boat, parachute and many more. Besides that, Rasa sayang beach and spa resort also provide spa for guest . b) G- hotel Is a bold, beautiful creation in homage to modern, G-hotel fuses cool modernity with stylish comfort. Is located at the Penang most boulevard place. Shopping mall, Penang local hawker centre, is also a advantages that near to the seaside. The room design with concept of modern, space and comfort style . It is a business categories of hotel, so more focus on business guest and also family group . c) Equatorial Hotel The 5-star luxury hotel embraces a splendour of contemporary design.   It houses 662 guestrooms and suites, each classily furnished and facilitated with state of the art in-room amenities. The only hotel on the island which has a 9-hole international golf course, it is the top choice for executive retreats and incentive group gatherings.   It houses two Grand Ballrooms which have been intelligently built with no obstruction of columns in between reputed to be the largest on the island that can house up to 2,000 people.   There are so many different categories of hotel, so the guest will Depend on personal like to choose which hotel. So things that the guest wants or needs that EO hotel cant provide, they will choose the others hotel . That is the Threats for the hotels. Conclusion As a conclusion, marketing is very important to any hotels or businesses. Every hotel or business also need strategic and promotion to keep their sales in the safe level, so that the hotel or business wont loss of money for the others utilities, staff salary and so on. Know well about the SWOP analysis (Strength, weakness, opportunities, threats) of the hotel or business is important, because it can clearly know that what the hotel or business lack out of that need to improve more or things that need to maintain and be more better .Know well about which market segment of people that visit most to the hotel , is to maintain the group of people that visit and so try to attract new group of people to visit the hotel or business ,wont just main on one categories .Besides that , know well about the different environment will Impact the hotel or business so that will have solution or can low down the risk .Marketing is important to every company or firm , no matter is big company or small, service sector or any sector , is important to know it .

Case Study-Cooper Tire and Rubber Company Essay

Introduction â€Å"Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, founded in 1914, specializes in the manufacturing and marketing of rubber products for consumers. Products include automobile, truck and motorcycle tires, inner tubes, NVH control systems, automotive sealing, and fluid delivery systems.†(http://www.coopertire.com/about/). The case study on Cooper mainly concentrates on the tire industry, and  Therefore the following analysis will be based on this. Cooper Tire & Rubber co. has enjoyed much growth and strong returns. However, with intense competition and developments in new technology, Cooper must follow suite to maintain competitive advantage by balancing efficiency with cost specifically in the Replacement Tire Industry. To set the right strategies it is important for Cooper to first analyse the external environment, both on a macro and micro basis, and then assess the resources and capabilities/competences in order to get a detailed overview of the company. The External Environment The Macro environment; PEST framework Political/Legal Analysis The introduction of NAFTA and GATT has created new opportunities for tire manufacturers for the supply of cheap labour. Companies can reduce their costs by producing their tires in low-cost labour countries such as Mexico. The foreign trade sub zone status, which reduces the company’s duty payments on imported raw materials, benefit smaller companies like Cooper greatly as it allows them to compete on an international level with relatively smaller budgets. The tire market is a heavily unionised industry, by URW the industry’s union. Over the last years the union has won, after long strikes, increased wages and benefits for workers. Economical The industry as a whole is influenced by the economic demand for vehicles, this is characterised by the strength of the economy and the disposable incomes of the consumers. The early 90’s recession had a major effect on the industry. The decline in the car industry meant that the competition for replacement tires increased, whilst the original equipment demand fell. This resulted in many companies diversifying into the replacement market in a bid to compete. The gasoline prices have an effect on the tire industry, due to the number of miles driven by drivers. After many years with fluctuating gasoline price, the price is now reasonable and stable. Social In the tire industry, the standard of living has a direct effect on the demand for tires. An example of this is found in the sub urbanisation of the US community, which resulted in more wear and tear on tires, thus a need to change tires. In addition to this the transport industry, buses, taxis, and trucks were proving more popular than the rail system, thus increasing the demand for tires. Vehicle owners are often reluctant to spend money on replacement tires, as they do not want to spend money on an old car with the ambition to purchase a new vehicle in the short term. This social attitude has lead to low-cost tire producers being more attractive in the replacement tire market. Technology Customers in the OE market often set special requirements for tires. Due to improved technology, the companies can easier produce products tailored to customers’ needs. The introduction of new technology has also lead to companies being able to produce new, better quality products at low costs. This has lead to the importance in having the latest technologic equipment in order to compete in the market. The Microenvironment; Porter’s Five Forces Model Threat of Entry by Potential Competitors New entrants in this industry may be deterred to enter the industry, due to the high fixed cost investments needed in plants and equipment. The incumbent companies have also achieved economies of scale through mass production and production know-how as they have moved down the â€Å"learning-curve†. The brand loyalty is quite moderate, but consumers do not face any cost in the eventuality they decide to switch from an incumbent manufacturer to a new entrant. When considering all these factors as barriers to entry, the barriers to entry for new competitors would be moderate/high. Rivalry among established companies The OE market is highly consolidated with Goodyear, Michelin and Bridgestone dominating the slightly growing market. The competition is fierce, and the players in the market compete mainly on price and product technology differentiation. The replacement market is more fragmented, and cost reduction is used as the  key competitive strategy. In both markets, competitive structure results in more rivalry as tire manufacturing companies have to fight to maintain revenues and market shares. The exit barriers present in the industry lock incumbent companies from leaving the industry when profits are low. Main barriers are the investment in plants and equipments, pensions and insurance for workers. The competitive structure and the high exit barriers show clearly that the rivalry among established companies is fairly high. Power Of Buyers In the OE market, the buyers are the automobile and truck manufacturers that buy tires in large quantity and are relatively few compared to the tire companies. They have the possibility to switch orders from one supplier to another in order to get the most convenient deal (quality products at low prices). As for tire manufacturers loosing one single buyer would mean loosing a large market share, and therefore the power of buyers is high. In the tire replacement market, the buyers consist of independent tire dealers, service stations, major department stores and automobile dealerships. Independent dealers are the most powerful retail channels as they satisfy almost 66 percent of the replacement market and have been proved to have the ability to influence customers’ choice, they will have the power to agree convenient deals with tire manufacturers. However, the power of retail channels is fairly low, as they buy in relatively small quantity secondly and the tire firms can easily switch to other solutions such as manufactured-owned retail stores or simply other dealers. Power of Suppliers The power of suppliers of raw material is low. The main reason is that â€Å"all of the raw materials are commodities, available in bulk from a variety of  sources on world markets.† Therefore, tire manufacturers can easily switch from one source to another. Furthermore, tire firms can eventually vertically (backward) integrate the processes to obtain the raw materials they need. On the other hand, it would be less likely for suppliers to threat tire manufacturers forward integrating into tire manufacturing as they would have to face the high barriers to entry the industry. Complements The demand and profitability of the tire industry depends critically on the oil and auto/truck manufacturing industry. Lower gasoline prices increase the number of miles driven by vehicles, which lead to more wear and tear on tires and an increasing demand for replacement tires. If the number of new cars sold declines, it means that drivers are holding on to their cars longer, and the demand for replacement tires increases. The demand for OE tires is directly related to the number of new vehicles produced and sold. The number of new vehicles produced worldwide has been stable the last years. Substitutes The retread tire market segment is a substitute of the replacement tire manufacturing industry, because it serves a similar consumer need. However, the retread market is not a threat to the tire industry anymore. In 1996 the sales of retread tires started declining, due to the fact that buyers could purchase new, more reliable tires for a slightly increase in the price. Cooper’s resources, competences and competitive/business strategy As Hill & Hones argue, â€Å"a distinctive competency is unique strength that allows a company to achieve superior efficiency, quality, innovation or customer responsiveness and thereby to create superior value and attain a competitive advantage†. Cooper with its distinctive competencies is achieving substantial low costs compared to that of its rivals through its key resources and capabilities. Key resources and competences Intangible Resources and Competences A key intangible resource has been identified through Coopers distribution. This involves Coopers relationship with its wholesalers as it sells half of its production as a private label to store-chains, mass merchants and discounters, while the other half is sold under the Cooper brand through independent tire dealers. Cooper has achieved superior customer responsiveness by developing a good relationship with their distributors through valuing them instead of competing against them. Cooper’s inventory system is a key resource that has helped them in cut costs even further, when using the capability of buying ahead to get cheaper deals. Cooper has the competence of bringing their products quickly to the market by outstanding service to the distribution channel with an efficient automated material handling system. Cooper knows that it is pointless to compete against the largest players in the market like Michelin and Bridgestone when it comes to R&D. Instead they copy and imitate the largest companies. â€Å"Instead of pioneering its own design, the company often waits to see what sells well†. In addition, Cooper use their efficient technologic manufacturing equipment so they can produce products at higher standards tailored to meet customers requirements. Cooper also concentrates on implementing new ideas, and innovation is developed through the manufacturing of new production lines. This no frills approach of manufacturing its products, aided by product innovation leads to reduced costs. Cooper has a low marketing expenditure, compared to their competitors. They focus their marketing and promotional strategy towards their most important customers, which are dealers and distributors. The TQM (Total Quality Management) Concept Gorr, chief executive of Cooper supports the TQM concept, and argues that the company’s corporate philosophy is to â€Å"produce value and quality, as defined by the customer†. Top quality management is an intangible resource, which gives them the capability to produce products that are superior to their competitors. It also creates efficient production methods while delivering excellent service to its distribution channel. This is represented in their strategic â€Å"Cooper 21† plan. Cross-functional teams have also been developed within the organisation, where employee skills and know how can be easily switched from department to department. The decision making although undertaken by management were made in consultation with all members of the company, as employees implement ideas in the most effective way. Cooper is therefore capable of developing and producing tires at a lower cost relative to those of its competitors. In addition Coopers innovative compensation system where by wages rise or fall due to the individual’s performance further contributes to motivation and overall productivity. An effective measure of efficiency is employee productivity, and Cooper is much more efficient than their competitors (see Appendix 1). Coopers, recruitment process in aid with its screening test is also designed to â€Å"team players†, which is designed to identify people with the â€Å"right attitude† to fit the job. This improved quality maintained by Cooper means that costs decrease because of less rework, fewer mistakes, fewer delays, and batter use of time and materials. Consequently productivity improves as â€Å"better quality leads to higher market share† (Hill and Jones, Strategic Management, 2001). Tangible Resources Cooper’s plants located in small towns and Mexico are one of its key tangible resources. Its plants have provided the company with cheaper resources including plants and labour. When Cooper want to expand its capacity, buying old plants and refurbishing them are very cheap. This tangible resource has helped cooper to create superior efficiency of resources as it permit to  reap savings over the company. Cooper’s own designed equipment is a valuable tangible resource for the company. Its own production equipment meet better the company’s own needs and specifications than commercial equipment. Cooper’s custom machines have helped to create superior efficiency and productivity in the production process by increasing production capacity at a reduced time. Its computer technology has not only enabled Cooper to keep up with its competitors but also reduced its costs. Contribution of Key Resources and Competences to the Value Chain To gain competitive advantage on its competitors, Cooper Tire focuses its strategy on what are its key resources and capabilities. It is really about maximising and concentrating all the key strengths of the different organisation’s primary and support activities, as represented in the value chain diagram. One of the strongest advantage for Cooper Tire is its ability to produce good quality tires at low cost, and this is the result of a winning combination of key resources such us technological machinery and key capabilities such as low-cost production know how and an efficient product distribution. In terms of value chain Cooper Tire creates its value with an efficient and consistent production, marketing and sales activities and at the same time with a well-organized company infrastructure. For these reasons Cooper Tire pursues a cost-leadership competitive/business strategy that will enable the company to maximise profit and expand. As Hill & Jones stated: † A strategy is an action a company takes to attain one or more of its goals/(superior performance).† Therefore, once established that Cooper’s goals are to produce good quality products at the lowest costs possible, maximise profit and expand the company, therefore the strategy will consist of the actions taken to achieve these goals. One of the main resources that contributes to Cooper’s low-cost strategy is  the company’s cheap plants and labour. In particular, as Cooper operates mainly in the replacement tire market where it is not vital to pioneer in product innovation and design, its competitive/business strategy is mainly based on a low level of product differentiation. Very little is invested in product R&D and tires designs and characteristics are adapted in relations to other companies’ already successful products. On the other hand much more attention and investments are dedicated to implement the distinctive competency of effective manufacturing and materials management. More in details, the effective manufacturing and materials management consist in adopting high computer technology for â€Å"product design and development, machine design and mold design†. Technology enables Cooper to produce high quality products quicker than most of its competitors and therefore adds much value to its products. Cooper are characterised by its shared norms and values attained from employee quality and innovation (TQM) with employee recruitment tests for â€Å"team players and communicators† undertaken by Cooper. This has been reflected in its organisational culture. As a result value is added as competitive advantage is attained because it is difficult to imitate staff operations and efficiencies in decision-making, which is reflected in its Source Award for its quality. Company No. of Employees Estimated Capacity (units per day) Output per employee Goodyear 22830 366900 16.07 Michelin 17505 216000 12.34 Bridgestone 9145 129900 14.20 Cooper 4300 126000 29.30 Continental/General 4509 87600 19.42

Defining Characteristics From Western Civilization

Defining Characteristics from Western Civilization by 44 B.C.E Where would the world be if it wasn’t for Western Civilization? Our advances in education and technology would definitely be lacking and the different types of governments could possibly be nonexistent. Business would not be accomplished in the same manner and philosophies would not be taught in everyday life. Humans would not be critical thinkers. Because of Democracy, the invention of writing, and philosophy from Western Civilization, the world has become what it is today. Democracy was one of the first political styles to make a lasting impression for civilization. Monarchies and Tyrannies were not as successful. Monarchies started to decline when wars during the Mycenaean Period collapsed many of the kingdoms. Tyrannies did not survive either because this type of government included, â€Å"sporadic periods of violent political and social upheaval† (McKay 44). Outlasting monarchies and tyrannies, a democracy is, â€Å"a type of Greek government in which all citizens, without regard to birth or wealth, administered the working of government; it translates as the power of people† (McKay 45). Although the definition says power of people, the only people with power at the time were free men. Slaves and women were considered to have no rights. Today democracy is seen as the right for all people to have a say in what kind of actions the government takes. It technically is people with power but the power is limited like itShow MoreRelatedThe Va lidity of Samuel P. Huntington’s Thesis in â€Å"The Clash of Civilizations†1411 Words   |  6 PagesThe aim of Samuel P. Huntington’s â€Å"The Clash of Civilizations† was to provide an academic framework to understand almost all of the conflicts that had broken out since the end of the twentieth century, to include predicting the appearance of future conflicts. 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Essay about Deciding to Drop the Atomic Bomb on Japan

Truman decided to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Kokura, Niigata, and Nagasaki because Japan attacked Pearl Harbor without warning. This occurrence happened at the end of WWII. America, China, and the United Kingdom joined forces to gain surrender from the Japan armed forces. The alliance, also called the â€Å"Manhattan Project,† tested an atomic device, and were able to make weapons based on two alternate designs. One was a uranium gun-type atomic bomb, and the other was a plutonium implosion-type atomic bomb. The 509th composite group of the U.S. Armed Air Forces stored the bombs. The 2 bombs that the U.S. dropped on two separate dates in August of 1945 are the only active deployments of nuclear weapons in war to date. The bomb order†¦show more content†¦On August 15th Japan surrendered, and on September 2nd, 1945 they signed the â€Å"Instrument of Surrender†. Hospitals were filled with patients who had not seemed sick before. People vomited, bled from their gums, and spots had begun to appear on their skin. Later Japanese doctors discovered that the people were dying from radiation that came from the atomic bomb. {look up: conspiracy theory} When considering using the atomic bombs, President Truman took into account the lowest possible cost for ending the war, he also wanted to end the war quickly. Truman once stated, â€Å"When you have to deal with a beast you have to treat him as a beast.† After the Pearl Harbor invasion. The U.S. started with â€Å"Operation Downfall,† invading Kyushu, many casualties where estimated, but this war proved to be even more deadly than predicted. General MacArthur thought that dropping more bombs, and using air power by itself would protect American lives, while also bringing forth a quicker surrender from the Japanese. When I look at both sides of the 1945 Japan bombing I really tried to stay open about the different viewpoints. The fact that the U.S., Britain, and the Netherlands crippled Japan was interesting to find. I felt that the Japanese did not want to compromise, and in some way bit the hands that fed them. It seems these allies had allot of power. The Japanese seemed to onlyShow MoreRelatedThe Atomic Bomb Of Truman s Diary Entry From The Potsdam Conference867 Words   |  4 Pagesto or not to use the newly found weapon against Japan in the time period. With having the opinions of scientists as well as military advisors, President Truman had several people s opinions in mind, with many opinions present it made the decision on whether to or not to drop the bomb difficult to decide for the president. Many can agree or disagree with what would have happened if Truman hadn’t had ordered the first atomic bomb dropped. If the bomb hadn’t been dropped, there is no telling on whatRead MoreEssay on The Decision of the Century1031 Words   |  5 Pageslives. In making this decision, he would also be responsible for the deaths of hundreds and thousands of Japanese lives. If he made the wrong decision, the war would drudge on as the death count rose higher and higher as each new battle was fought. Japan would not surrender unconditionally, as the United States wanted. With Germany already beaten, the United States was not about to back down. No one knows whether or not he made the right choice, but he did, in fact, bring an end to World War II. Read MoreThe Threat Of The Atomic Bombs1467 Words   |  6 Pagesthe U.S. was Right in Dropping the Atomic Bombs In 1945, President Truman had to make one of the toughest decisions a president has ever been faced with. This decision, of course, being whether to drop the atomic bombs on Japanese cities, not drop the bombs at all, or do a demonstration by dropping a bomb in the ocean near Tokyo. Truman eventually chose to drop the atomic bombs on both Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August of 1945. This choice to drop the atomic bombs was right because these bombings assistedRead MoreThe Atomic Bombs On Japanese Cities1454 Words   |  6 Pagesmake one of the toughest decisions a president has ever been faced with. This decision, of course, being whether to drop the atomic bombs on Japanese cities, not drop the bombs at all, or do a demonstration by dropping a bomb in the ocean near Tokyo. Truman eventually chose to drop the atomic bombs on both Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August of 1945. This choice to drop the atomic bombs was right because these bombings assisted in slowing the expansion of the Sovi et Union, changed the Japanese never-give-upRead MoreThe Modern Language Association s Guidelines1634 Words   |  7 Pages Atomic Bomb Research Paper Following the Modern Language Association s Guidelines Hamza Abidi South Brunswick High School Throughout World War II, problems that were faced by each country revolved around the idea of making the right decision. To attempt at making the right decisions, treaties were made between two or more countries that listed certain terms and conditions. However, when these treaties were violated, it made the situations between countries even worse than theyRead MoreWas Dropping The Atomic Bomb On Japan The Best Way For The United States1668 Words   |  7 PagesWas dropping the atomic bomb on Japan the best way for the United States to force Japan to surrender unconditionally? World War II was a war fought between the Allied Powers and the Axis Powers. The main Allies were France before it fell, the USSR, the United Kingdom and the United States. The main Axis were Italy, Japan and Germany. War broke out in 1939 and did not end until 1945. On May 8, 1945 the Allies won victory over Europe, thereby they won victory over Italy and Germany. However the AlliesRead MoreJustified or Unjus tified: America Builds the First Nuclear Weapon883 Words   |  4 PagesOn August 2, 1938, in the heat of World War II, Albert Einstein, a physicist born in Germany, sent a letter to Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the 32nd president of the United States. The letter suggested America to build an atomic bomb before the Nazi Germany does. However, it took more than two months for the letter to reach Roosevelt. On October 19, 1938, Roosevelt agreed, replying, â€Å"I found this data of such import that I have convened a Board †¦ to thoroughly investigate the possibilities of yourRead MoreWhy the Atomic Bomb Was the Wrong Choice Essay example1340 Words   |  6 Pagesconversation. With the dropping of the Atomic bombs the United States killed over 200,000, not including deaths by radiation, in the towns of Nagasaki and Hiroshima and ultimately placed the United States in the same group as the Japanese and the Germans. What are the alternatives other than dropping the two A-bombs and was it right? The United States and President Truman should have weighed their opting a little bit more before deciding to drop both atomic bombs on the Islands of Nagasaki and HiroshimaRead MoreEssay about Trumans Decision to Drop the Atomic Bomb504 Words   |  3 Pagesthis decision by deciding whether or not to drop a newly designed weapon. The atomic bomb was tested in the sands of New Mexico, where it proved to be very successful. Harry S. Truman made a very successful decision, because he wanted to end the war quickly, show others that the United States had power, and the retribution of Pearl Harbor. The United States wanted to end the war quickly for several reasons. The British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, states, â€Å"The atomic bomb is a reality†¦. HereRead MoreThe Attack On Pearl Harbor1113 Words   |  5 PagesDecember 8, the United States Congress declared war on the Empire of Japan, sparking our involvement in World War Two. Only a couple years after the attack on Pearl Harbor, America was already on its way to creating the atomic bomb. By July of 1945, America was ready to test its first bomb and was successful. America had only two test drops before deciding to unleash the uncanningly deleterious weapon they had created on Japan August 6 and 9, 1945. Considering the thousands of civilians that died