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Saturday, June 15, 2013
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
International Home-Based Business
Do you ever long to sack your boss and find a home-based business that can free you from the rat race? How would you feel if you didn't have to depend on someone else for your income and if you no longer had to travel to work every day?
If you'd feel liberated, then maybe you'll want to read on - for such an opportunity does exist. In fact, there are many opportunities within the network marketing industry. It's simply a question of exploring them and then settling on the one that feels right for you.
It's worth mentioning that networking (or MLM) does not free you at the outset from your 9-5 routine. No, in the beginning most people build their new business around their existing full or part-time job. This gives them the security of their regular wage or salary while they learn new skills and put them into practice.
International Home-Based Business
I regard the path to Manager on my MLM Marketing Plan as a kind of apprenticeship. You earn as you learn - and give yourself additional income each time you achieve a higher position. Do you like the sound of that - giving yourself additional income? I love it, in the sense that you truly earn what you're worth, instead of what someone else thinks you're worth.
You've heard bad things about networking? I'm sure you have. So had I, before I did my research. There are plenty of people out there who'll delight in telling you that it doesn't work. But are they speaking from experience or from ignorance of the actual facts? I can tell you from personal experience that it does work - just as long as you are willing to work and to learn.
The 'learning' bit is important. Well, that's obvious, isn't it? You wouldn't expect to enter any new trade, industry or profession without learning the necessary skills. You either need to learn them before you earn. (Let's face it, a doctor or vet - for example - has to study for years and pass many exams before being qualified to practise.) Or, as in an apprenticeship, you earn while you learn.
One of the beauties of MLM is that you can choose whether to learn slowly or quickly - choose to some degree how fast you advance. Much depends on your own attitude and on your inter-personal skills. If you like people, it certainly helps. If you don't like them, MLM is probably not for you as it's all about relationships and helping others.
These days networking is widely recognised as a legitimate, well-respected means of ultimately achieving true financial security through a simple and very effective modern method of product distribution. Instead of one person doing everything, in the traditional sense, it's about lots of people each doing a little bit.
Bestselling author and highly respected business guru Robert T Kiyosaki maintains that one of the chief reasons he has put so much energy into promoting and supporting the networking industry is that its systems are fairer than previous systems of acquiring wealth.
He adds that it is open to anyone with drive, determination and perseverance and that it gives millions of people globally the opportunity to take control of their lives and their financial futures.
And he says that the chief concern of most MLM companies is not your past or your background, but how much you're willing to learn, change and grow - as well as whether you have the courage to stick with it while you learn to be a business owner.
If you do have that courage and willingness, this international home-based business could open your door to an exciting future!
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Pamela Glynn is the owner of MY ALOE VERA, a website giving you info about Aloe and an exciting home-based business opportunity. FREE online Product & Opportunity videos!
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Tuesday, February 26, 2013
A List of Companies Going Out of Business and How to Overcome the Recession and Unemployment Rate
Due to the continued decline of our current economy, many businesses are being forced to either go out of business, claim bankruptcy, or scale back in production and store sales. This is of course adding to the current rate of unemployment and stress for millions of people around the world. Many people are searching the internet, desperately scouring for a list of companies going out of business to see if their jobs are also at risk. I have done some research and here is some of what I've found as well as some options for what to do if this has affected you.
List of Companies Going Out of Business:
-Circuit City (filed Chapter 11)
-Linens N' Things
-Wickes Furniture Store
-Levitz Furniture Store
-J.Jill
-Cache
A List of Companies Going Out of Business and How to Overcome the Recession and Unemployment Rate
Companies Scaling Back and with extensive Store Closings:
-Dillard's
-KB Toys
-Home Depot
-The Sharper Image
-Ethan Allen Interiors
-J.C. Penney
-Lowe's
-Office Depot
-Sprint Nextel
-Macy's
-Foot Locker
-GAP
-Talbots
-Eddie Bauer
-Ann Taylor
Unfortunately, the longer this article stays in circulation, the higher the likelihood that by the time you read this, the list will have grown.
What To Do if this List of Companies Going Out of Business, or Store Closings has Affected You and Your Job:
According to business and finance tycoon, Robert Kiyosaki, one of the most effective ways to work towards true financial security during this economic recession is to own your own business. As a matter of fact, with the rising rates of unemployment, the prospect of owning a home business and being your own boss has never been as appealing and popular as it is right now. If you really think about it, when you consider the recession that we are experiencing right now and the changing job markets, it is more important than ever that the general public is educated, made aware and able to change their approach to personal finance and business.
Another important point is that the world is thrusting further and further ahead into the Information Age and as such, owning an online business to take advantage of this progress is the best tactic for keeping up and staying ahead of the game.
If this list of companies going out of business and the current unemployment rate has had a personal affect on you, then I would absolutely recommend looking into and taking advantage of the benefits of owning a business in the Internet and Online Marketing Industry. There could be no better time than now to take control of your financial future. Don't just leave your personal financial success in the hands of the economy. Take this opportunity now to explore your best options for starting a business and making money at home. Start working now towards financial freedom and massive success. I am personal proof that it can be done!
A List of Companies Going Out of Business and How to Overcome the Recession and Unemployment Rate Check For The New Release in Health, Fitness & Dieting Category of Books NOW!
Check What Are The Top Cooking Books in Last 90 Days Best Cheap Deal!
Check For Cookbooks Best Sellers 2012 Discount OFFER!
Check for Top 100 Most Popular Books People Are Buying Daily Price Update!
Check For 100 New Release & BestSeller Books For Your Collection
For more information on how you can earn your Best Income At Home and the Top Online Marketing Techniques that you can use NOW to make sure money online, go to http://www.make1kaday.com
Shawn Stoik is an accomplished Entrepreneur, Top Internet Marketer and International Team Mentor who trains both Total Beginners and Seasoned Pros to achieve Financial Freedom by creating wealth and prosperity online! For more information on the Top Internet Marketing Tactics that you can use Now to build the most successful online business, please visit http://www.make1kaday.com
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Tuesday, February 19, 2013
The Importance of Email in Your Business
Emails has been a very essential communication tool in this age of technology, and with the growing number of businesses doing transactions online, the email is indeed a great tool in managing your business.
Even for personal use or organizational use, it has become a part of our everyday lives - from communicating with friends to closing a deal, to applying for a new job or for almost any other transaction we do online. In fact, most services on the internet, even social networking sites, would ask you your email address before you could use their services. Indeed, the importance of email is everywhere.
To understand more about the importance of email, particularly in your business, here are specific things that you can do with your email and some of its advantages.
The Importance of Email in Your Business
- Free communication. In any business, communication is an essential factor in any transaction, planning or organizing and emails are free for you to use to communicate with your employees, your clients, as well as your potential customers.
- Emails also have a wide reach. Telephones and mobile phones sometimes require you to have international sim cards to reach to other parts of the world, not to mention that it can also be very costly.
- Aside from its convenience in sending communication, the importance of email especially in businesses is to keep a record of the transactions of the businesses. Keeping an archive of your mails can be very useful in rechecking past information and transaction. It can also serve as repository of files, purchase orders, contracts, requests and other files that are attached in emails, as they can all be recovered later.
- For businesses who advertise online, one useful way of getting potential customers is by email, and in fact, getting an email is one important thing you need to have to introduce your product online and in availing into some online services and tools. A business website or an online store should have contact information like email to build credibility and trust for your clients and customers. It is also a good tool to deal with customer queries and feedback.
- Monitoring and managing your business even if you are not on the business site is also another importance of electronic mails. With portable gadgets able to send and receive emails, you can actually manage your business even if you are traveling or in another place.
- Emails are also great storage of your client's addresses, potential customers, friends, employees and people you use to work together with. This database of contact information can also be conveniently retrieved anytime in your address book.
- You can also make use of an auto-responder to be able to get in touch with your clients, your potential customers, your contacts even without being always checking on your mails. This can help you manage your customers in a fast and convenient manner.
Aside from these main uses of email, you can also manage your tasks with the calendars and scheduled tasks. Indeed, email has been indispensable in managing your business and because of the importance of email in managing your business, it is also important to be able to troubleshoot common email problems that may arise.
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Check For 100 New Release & BestSeller Books For Your Collection
Carolyn Anderson loves to share solutions to problems with your emails. To help you deal with errors on sending mails with your laptop or mobile gadgets, check out SMTP 2 Go. For other internet tools you can use, check out Evidence Blaster, a software that can help you erase internet history.
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Monday, February 4, 2013
Importance of Ethics in Business
Ethics is important not only in business but in all aspects of life because it is the vital part and the foundation on which the society is build. A business/society that lacks ethical principles is bound to fail sooner or later. According to International Ethical Business Registry, "there has been a dramatic increase in the ethical expectation of businesses and professionals over the past 10 years. Increasingly, customers, clients and employees are deliberately seeking out those who define the basic ground, rules of their operations on a day today...."
Ethics refers to a code of conduct that guides an individual in dealing with others. Business Ethics is a form of the art of applied ethics that examines ethical principles and moral or ethical problems that can arise in business environment. It deals with issues regarding the moral and ethical rights, duties and corporate governance between a company and its shareholders, employees, customers, media, government, suppliers and dealers. Henry Ford said, "Business that makes noting but money is a poor kind of business".
Ethics is related to all disciplines of management like accounting information, human resource management, sales and marketing, production, intellectual property knowledge and skill, international business and economic system. As said by Joe Paterno once that success without honor is an unseasoned dish. It will satisfy your hunger, but won't taste good. In business world the organization's culture sets standards for determining the difference between good or bad, right or wrong, fair or unfair.
Importance of Ethics in Business
"It is perfectly possible to make a decent living without compromising the integrity of the company or the individual, wrote business executive R. Holland, "Quite apart from the issues of rightness and wrongness, the fact is that ethical behavior in business serves the individual and the enterprise much better in long run.", he added.
Some management guru stressed that ethical companies have an advantage over their competitors. Said Cohen and Greenfield, "Consumers are used to buying products despite how they feel about the company that sells them. But a valued company earned a kind of customer loyalty most corporations only dream of because it appeals to its customers more than a product".
The ethical issues in business have become more complicated because of the global and diversified nature of many large corporation and because of the complexity of economic, social, global, natural, political, legal and government regulations and environment, hence the company must decide whether to adhere to constant ethical principles or to adjust to domestic standards and culture.
Managers have to remember that leading by example is the first step in fostering a culture of ethical behavior in the companies as rightly said by Robert Noyce, "If ethics are poor at the top, that behavior is copied down through the organization", however the other methods can be creating a common interest by favorable corporate culture, setting high standards, norms, framing attitudes for acceptable behavior, making written code of ethics implicable at all levels from top to bottom, deciding the policies for recruiting, selecting, training, induction, promotion, monetary / non-monetary motivation, remuneration and retention of employees. "Price is what you pay. Value is what you get" - Warren Buffet
Thus, a manager should treat his employees, customers, shareholders, government, media and society in an honest and fair way by knowing the difference between right or wrong and choosing what is right, this is the foundation of ethical decision making. REMEMBER: GOOD ETHICS IS GOOD BUSINESS. "Non-corporation with the evil is as much a duty as is co-operation with good" - Mahatma Gandhi.
Importance of Ethics in Business Check For The New Release in Health, Fitness & Dieting Category of Books NOW!
Check What Are The Top Cooking Books in Last 90 Days Best Cheap Deal!
Check For Cookbooks Best Sellers 2012 Discount OFFER!
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Check For 100 New Release & BestSeller Books For Your Collection
Rupal Jain, Lecturer, Atharva Institute of Management Studies and I can be reached at jainrupal@sify.com
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Wednesday, January 30, 2013
A List of Companies Going Out of Business and How to Overcome the Recession and Unemployment Rate
Due to the continued decline of our current economy, many businesses are being forced to either go out of business, claim bankruptcy, or scale back in production and store sales. This is of course adding to the current rate of unemployment and stress for millions of people around the world. Many people are searching the internet, desperately scouring for a list of companies going out of business to see if their jobs are also at risk. I have done some research and here is some of what I've found as well as some options for what to do if this has affected you.
List of Companies Going Out of Business:
-Circuit City (filed Chapter 11)
-Linens N' Things
-Wickes Furniture Store
-Levitz Furniture Store
-J.Jill
-Cache
A List of Companies Going Out of Business and How to Overcome the Recession and Unemployment Rate
Companies Scaling Back and with extensive Store Closings:
-Dillard's
-KB Toys
-Home Depot
-The Sharper Image
-Ethan Allen Interiors
-J.C. Penney
-Lowe's
-Office Depot
-Sprint Nextel
-Macy's
-Foot Locker
-GAP
-Talbots
-Eddie Bauer
-Ann Taylor
Unfortunately, the longer this article stays in circulation, the higher the likelihood that by the time you read this, the list will have grown.
What To Do if this List of Companies Going Out of Business, or Store Closings has Affected You and Your Job:
According to business and finance tycoon, Robert Kiyosaki, one of the most effective ways to work towards true financial security during this economic recession is to own your own business. As a matter of fact, with the rising rates of unemployment, the prospect of owning a home business and being your own boss has never been as appealing and popular as it is right now. If you really think about it, when you consider the recession that we are experiencing right now and the changing job markets, it is more important than ever that the general public is educated, made aware and able to change their approach to personal finance and business.
Another important point is that the world is thrusting further and further ahead into the Information Age and as such, owning an online business to take advantage of this progress is the best tactic for keeping up and staying ahead of the game.
If this list of companies going out of business and the current unemployment rate has had a personal affect on you, then I would absolutely recommend looking into and taking advantage of the benefits of owning a business in the Internet and Online Marketing Industry. There could be no better time than now to take control of your financial future. Don't just leave your personal financial success in the hands of the economy. Take this opportunity now to explore your best options for starting a business and making money at home. Start working now towards financial freedom and massive success. I am personal proof that it can be done!
A List of Companies Going Out of Business and How to Overcome the Recession and Unemployment Rate Check For The New Release in Health, Fitness & Dieting Category of Books NOW!
Check What Are The Top Cooking Books in Last 90 Days Best Cheap Deal!
Check For Cookbooks Best Sellers 2012 Discount OFFER!
Check for Top 100 Most Popular Books People Are Buying Daily Price Update!
Check For 100 New Release & BestSeller Books For Your Collection
For more information on how you can earn your Best Income At Home and the Top Online Marketing Techniques that you can use NOW to make sure money online, go to http://www.make1kaday.com
Shawn Stoik is an accomplished Entrepreneur, Top Internet Marketer and International Team Mentor who trains both Total Beginners and Seasoned Pros to achieve Financial Freedom by creating wealth and prosperity online! For more information on the Top Internet Marketing Tactics that you can use Now to build the most successful online business, please visit http://www.make1kaday.com
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Saturday, January 26, 2013
Trademark International Class - Class 35 - Advertising and Business Services
All goods or services are categorized within International Classes (IC hereafter). Goods run from classes IC 1-34, while Services are in IC 35-45. Let's take a closer look at one of these trademark classes - class 35.
What is International Class 35 All About?
Each class has a short title heading that gives a snapshot of what that class is all about -- IC 35's short title is advertising and business services. Pretty vague, eh?
Trademark International Class - Class 35 - Advertising and Business Services
The first part of IC 35's description, advertising, is straightforward. If it's advertising, marketing or promoting services that are being offered, then this is the class. Now there are going to be some exceptions, as with anything related to trademarks.
Tangible advertising goods, such as signs, flyers, brochures, are NOT going to be in IC 35 as those items are not technically a service though are definitely part of a service; tangible paper-based advertising goods are in IC 16. Training, coaching, educating, etc. about advertising, marketing or promotion is NOT going to be in IC 35 but rather in IC 41, which is the educational class.
The second part of international class 35's description, business services, is not straightforward at all. Semantically, all services could be considered as business services, yes? No way says the trademark powers that be; at least no way if those services can fit within a different international classification.
The USPTO has about 1500 accepted descriptions that fit into IC 35; check them out here.
So What Business Services are in International Class 35?
Ooh this is a tough nut to crack as there are definitely some discernible patterns within this class but there's a whole lot of slap-dash in here too. Here's a general breakdown:
o If your services consist, in part, of the word business, you're likely in trademark class 35. This includes consulting, advising, administration, management, development, information, organization, research, planning, etc.
o Employment services are in this class, which includes hiring, recruiting, placement, staffing and career networking.
o Retail services selling ANY products under the sun, which means a brick and mortar store, online retail sites, mail order, catalog, wholesale, etc.
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Shannon Moore is the General Manager for TradeMark Express. Since 1992, TradeMark Express has met the needs of their clients with comprehensive research, application preparation, attorney referrals and trademark consultation. For further details, please visit us on the web at TradeMark Express or call Shannon directly at 800.340.2010.
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Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Forces and Trends in Business
The corporate environment is characterized by a number of variables: competition, dynamism, turbulence, complexity and change. All organizations must develop ability to continuously and consciously transform themselves and their contexts. Such contexts include restructuring for optimum effectiveness, reengineering key processes and streamlining functions that are able to provide a source of competitive advantage. The aim is to adapt, regenerate and most important, survive. (McLean, 2006).
For a company to thrive today, strategists must find ways to increase the organization's ability to read and react to industry and market changes. They must know their goal to boost the company's strategic flexibility by recognizing disruptions earlier and responding faster.
Strategic flexibility or adaptability can be defined as the organization’s capacity to identify major changes in its external environments, quickly commit resources to new courses of action in response to such changes, and to recognize and act promptly when it is time to halt or reverse existing resource commitments. Being adaptable means leaders must not get stuck in a too-rigid way of looking at the world. The organization must view change as an inevitable and essential part of an organization's growth, in order to achieve this adaptability.
When there is uncertainty or unpredictability in the environment, managers tend to focus almost all their energy on successfully executing the current strategy. What they also should be doing is preparing for an unknown future. Flexibility stems from the ability to learn; managers tend to overlook the negative and emphasize the positive. They need to understand not only what led to the positive outcomes but also what led to the negative ones. This will optimize their learning experience. According to Ford (2004) four points to foster and maintain adaptability include challenging complacency, giving all employees a voice, encouraging participative work and driving fear out of your group.
Forces and Trends in Business
The companies chosen for this task vary by industry: a famous automobile manufacturer (Ford) a bank going through a merger (Compass) and a start-up software company (DawningStreams). Ford and Compass have been in business for a long time; it is likely they have changed their strategic plan based on changing forces and trends. DawningStreams is new (established in 2005 and incorporated in 2007). Even though they have not had their first sale and have no staff, the owners have devised several iterations of their strategy.
There is a diversity of stakeholders all that are interested in the activity of business organizations. Emphasis must be placed on their adaptability in strategic analysis and their adaptability in strategic management of business organizations. The organization must have a strategic management model.
Each company might scan the same areas, but for different reasons. Considering technological advances, Ford would prepare itself to lead the market by having various electronic equipment in their vehicles, as well as robotic equipment with which to build them and the supply chain technology to keep all in check. Compass Bank is going through a merge and expanding globally; therefore they will need to keep abreast of communication technology. DawningStreams is a software company; they will need to monitor those companies who would be their competition to ensure their product offers better functionality. All three companies would make sure potential customers would be able to get good information from internet websites and advertisement, which encompasses yet another area of technology the organizations may need/want to scan. In this instance, many members of the organization must be enrolled: upper management and finance, who will determine budgetary factors; the IT department, who will be responsible for the implementation and maintenance of some of the technology; the staff who must be trained to use the technology; a sales force who will sell the technology.
To the outside observer, it may seem unnecessary for any but Ford to scan the (actual) environment when it comes to issues such as emission control, fuel efficiency and hybrid cars. That is true however; Compass Bank and DawningStreams can plan a strategy to be friendlier to the environment (and their pocketbooks) by practicing paper reduction (through the aforementioned technology). Lastly, DawningStreams’ product may be useful as a file sharing service to environmental groups.
With regard to the legal environment, all three must be acutely aware of laws, which affect their respective industry among others. To Ford, legal applies, among other areas, to environmental protection laws and department of transportation safety laws. To Compass Bank, they would abide by the rules of the Federal Reserve (www.federalreserve.gov) and the Federal Insurance and Deposit Corporation (www.fdic.gov). DawningStreams must follow laws as they pertain to the transfer of files, which have intellectual property and also the export of products, which have algorithms. All three companies are global and will need to monitor those laws in other countries, which could effect the strategic planning.
At one company after another--from Sears to IBM to Hewlett-Packard to Searle, strategy is again a major focus in the quest for higher revenues and profits. With help from a new generation of business strategists, companies are pursuing novel ways to hatch new products, expand existing businesses, and create the markets of tomorrow. Some companies are even recreating full-fledged strategic-planning groups. United Parcel Service expects to spin out a new strategy group from its marketing department, where strategic plans are now hatched. Explains Chairman Kent C. Nelson: ``Because we're making bigger bets on investments in technology, we can't afford to spend a whole lot of money in one direction and then find out five years later it was the wrong direction.''
In such a world we need a planning model that allows us to anticipate the future and to use this anticipation in conjunction with an analysis of our organization--its culture, mission, strengths and weaknesses--to define strategic issues, to chart our direction by developing strategic vision and plans, to define how we will implement these plans and to specify how we will evaluate how well we are implementing these plans. The fact that the world is changing as we move forward in the future demands that the process be an iterative one.
Ford Motor Company – Socio-cultural
Ford Motor Company embraces the socio-cultural changes taking place to allow the company to move in the right direction with respect to attitudes in the society. Two areas that stand out in terms of socio-cultural attitudes would be that of fuel economy and smaller cars. The growing concern by the public for better fuel economy has influenced the company’s introduction of the Ford Escape Hybrid and Mercury Mariner Hybrid. The organization is committed to the hybrid to improve fuel economy as a global strategy to meet customer demands. The increased demand in society for such environmentalism has assisted in the decision for Ford Motor Company to look forward to adding the hybrid feature to the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan and continue in such a strategic planning direction.
The customers that use these vehicles get a substantial break on their insurance in many states and a tax credit as well while enjoying the increased mileage of a vehicle that runs on gasoline and capabilities for 100 percent electric power. The environmental scanning by Ford Motor Company has allowed the company to be knowledgeable of the fact that the people in the United States are buying more small cars today than any other type of vehicle segment. The lifestyles changes have been monitored and there is good data that shows that such a trend will continue in this direction and the expected growth in this segment will continue. The company has redesigned the inside and outside of the Ford Focus to set the car apart from the competitors in the small car segment while increasing upgrades and features to experience positive outcomes. The direction that the company is taking is based on a competitive advantage and being a leader in the industry. The vehicle line has both a sedan and a coupe to attract targeted markets including younger buyers at an entry level to build upon brand loyalty and customer retention. Ford Motor Company will continue to use the socio-cultural factors to drive the business and enjoy future success.
Ford Motor Company – Legal –
Ford Motor Company with regard to the Environmental Protection Agency adheres to the legal aspect of environmental scanning. Ford Motor Company accepted an award in March 2007 from the Environmental Protection Agency called the Energy Star 2007 Partner of the Year Award in Energy Management. The company is the first automaker to have ever been awarded the award two years in a row. The award has come to be presented due to the commitment made by the company to increase energy efficiency and to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from all of the facilities in the company.
The organization is committed to the responsible use of resources and energy efficiency. The leadership realizes that the environmental protection laws are of great importance and use the environmental scanning to move in the right direction to obtain future success in the company. In 2006 alone the company has improved the energy efficiency in the United States operations by five percent and saving approximately million with enough energy saved to equal 220,000 homes. The effective energy management protects the environment and reduces the greenhouse emissions. Some of the actions taken by the company include replacing lighting fixtures that use 40 percent less energy and using different low-energy, long-lasting compact fluorescent lamps in the properties to include the plants, corporate offices, distribution centers, and research and development campuses. Due to the environmental scanning that takes place at Ford Motor Company the company will use the information that is collected and continue in this direction. New projects for the company include Fumes-to-Fuel that is a system that converts paint fumes into electricity that is being performed with Detroit Edison along with attempting to consolidate the application of primer, base and clearcoat paint applications into a single application to eliminate the need for separate applications and ovens. In addition to the paint booth emissions Ford Motor Company will continue to rely on alternative energy sources such as landfill gas and wind and solar technologies to power their manufacturing facilities.
Ford Motor Company – Technology –
Another environmental scanning tool that Ford Motor Company monitors and uses would be the technological portion. The company has invested billion in the latest technology for flexible manufacturing. The technology that is involved is in many forms to include wireless technology that is installed on the delivery trucks with supplies to the plant as a monitoring status and improved efficiency to reduce inventory. The flexibility of products in the same plant allows the organization to use the same machinery and process for all areas from body assembly, paint facility, and final assembly. The improved efficiency at the manufacturing facility allows for several vehicle platforms to be built on the same line to produce multiple models and quickly change the vehicle mix, the volume, and options based on customer demand.
The technological changes that are being embraced by Ford Motor Company through environmental scanning enables the company to experience huge cost savings through new product launches and 50 percent reductions in cycle changeovers along with waste reduction. Robots are among the technological changes that are being experienced within the organization to include the 400 from the project that are used to weld and assemble the metal body of the vehicle for stamping and assembly. Artificial intelligence in the form of advanced visions systems and laser tracking systems are used to ensure quality through accuracy and dimension abilities. A multi-million dollar training facility is used to ensure that the workforce has the knowledge, skills, and ability to reap the benefits from the new technology that is being used by the company. The training that is administered includes the new servo-electric weld gun system that identifies the perfect center for welding that has replaced the older and loud air-powered system that used a less sophisticated spring system. The environmental scanning of technology that is performed by Ford Motor Company has allowed the company to have positive outcomes in efficiency while remaining a competitive company in the industry through cost savings and continuous improvement.
Compass Bank- Political -
On February 16, 2007, Compass Bancshares, Inc., the parent company of Compass Bank, announced the signing of a definitive agreement under which Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. (NYSE: BBV Madrid: BBVA) ("BBVA") will acquire Compass for a combination of cash and stock. Compass will become a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary of BBVA and will continue to operate under the Compass name. The transaction is expected to close during the second half of 2007, pending customary closing conditions, including necessary bank regulatory approvals in the U.S. and Spain and the approval of the stockholders of both Compass and BBVA.
BBVA, which operates in 35 countries, is based in Spain and has substantial banking interests in the Americas. The transaction will facilitate BBVA’s continued growth in Texas and will create the largest regional bank across the Sunbelt. Upon completion of the transaction, Compass will rank among the top 25 banks in the United States with approximately billion in total assets, billion in total loans and billion in total deposits. In addition, the combined company will rank fourth in deposit market share in Texas with .6 billion in total deposits and 326 full-service banking offices.
Compass is a billion Southwestern financial holding company that operates 415 full-service banking centers in Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, New Mexico and Texas. Compass provides a broad array of products and services through three primary lines of business – Corporate Banking, Retail Banking and Wealth Management. Compass is among the top 30 U.S. bank holding companies by asset size and ranks among the top earners of its size based on return on equity.
Under the terms of the definitive agreement, which has been approved by the board of directors of Compass and the relevant bodies of BBVA, Compass will become a wholly owned subsidiary of BBVA. After closing, BBVA intends to merge its U.S. based banking affiliates – including the former operations of Texas Regional Bancshares, State National Bancshares and Laredo National Bancshares – with Compass.
The aggregate consideration is composed of a fixed number of approximately 196 million shares of BBVA common stock and approximately .6 billion in cash. The merger is subject to customary closing conditions, including necessary bank regulatory approvals in the U.S. and Spain and the approval of the stockholders of both Compass and BBVA. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2007.
The merger between both companies will be determined by the political factors ranging from implications of laws and regulations to the state of world politics including the consideration of wars which may be going on in different parts of the world. New laws, regulations, tax programs and public policy create forces and trends, which may provide challenges and barriers or opportunities for any company or organization.
Compass Bank – Technology –
Ford is in the process of implementing a laser marking system on its production line to ensure the highest standard on each transmission assembled. The system will be checking for quality on different points on the assembly line. Ford is teaming up with a company called MECCO to implement this process and a trial run of the new system will last for 3 months. MECCO is a leader in its industry when it comes to laser technology. The decision to implement this new laser marking system came because it is more cost- effective and safer than previous ways of marking checkpoints for quality.
Although this process at Ford has not officially been implemented yet, Compass Bank can learn a few different things. It may be a good idea for Compass Bank to do a short trial of online cell phone banking to see how popular it becomes and if it worth all the time and effort, being spent to get it launched. Compass Bank should also consider investing into a company who is the best at what they do, is in the same time zone, and can meet their demands in a timely manner, not simply because they may be cheaper. Finally, Compass Bank can learn that they need to consider what will be most cost-effective and in the best interest of the company over time. Organizing a time line and a list of costs and potential risks would also be beneficial to Compass Bank so they know what to expect and when with the implementation of online cell phone banking.
When completing the global scan one looks for emerging new technologies which may impact any business in any industry. At one time the emergence of the Internet was a technology that was becoming an emerging trend across all industries. Today very new technologies are used to develop information systems at a fraction of the cost and time of processes that were used five years ago. Wireless is a telecommunications technology that may have moved from a trend to a force in revolutionizing the way information is stored, accessed and used across all industries around the world. Some, if leveraged by a company within an industry before competitors use it, may even provide a competitive advantage.
Compass Bank – Competition –
Although mergers may be costly and rather difficult, the value it creates in the end is the desired outcome companies seek. The eagerness to merge is based on several beliefs, those beliefs are, that the performance gains are greater, expenses are reduced, market power is increased, and shareholder’s wealth is also greater than before. The value of a merger is enhanced when the overall benefit is more valuable than the aggregate of two separate pre-merger companies.
In the end, both John and Bernard should consider this before finalizing a decision. When Zion’s purchased Stockmans, there overall value increased by 43 branches. These branches will help performance and brings much more power to the financial market. In the Journal of Money article, Pilloff states “Companies are more willing to acquire others to avoid being acquired themselves.” Keeping this in mind, companies must figure out a cross border strategy.
As part of the broad environmental scan, it is important to identify the internal capabilities of the organization. There are various models for defining capabilities. Most focus on the broad set of intangible assets such as brand, human capital, organizational capital and even relationship capital. Others include the more concrete assets such as available capital, the organization structure, current technologies and information technology infrastructure. In addition to doing a broad environmental trend, Compass Bank needs to do a more detailed capability assessment using any of the models available.
DawningStreams - Competitors –
Business activities are becoming more and more complex to manage, because of distance, time zones, number of parties involved in projects, number of tasks to achieve, multiple prioritizations, lack of general synchronization, insufficient secure and confidential communication channels and growing complexity of IT infrastructures. The use of task list managers has become very common. It is becoming more difficult to keep teams synchronized, to follow and to implement new business processes and to exchange sensitive information confidentially. The DawningStreams software application is aiming at increasing the practicality of daily executive activities. The types of business, which will most probably be interested in our product, are construction (size of network), consulting (need for synchronization), pharmaceutical research (secure exchange of information) and the software industry (complexity of manufacturing).
Many companies have already developed software applications that enable secured communications and file sharing. However, most, if not all, are relying on Microsoft technologies, which prevent them from expanding to Mac or Unix users. DawningStreams is developed in Java, which can be used on any platform, including Mac and Unix. Microsoft has acquired the Groove Company and has released a new version of the product, which can perform many of the functionalities of DawningStreams, but not generic activities (http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/groove/default.aspx). This is our closest competitor by far. More recently, we found, merely by accident, a company called Shinkuro (www.shinkuro.com), which offers the file sharing aspects of DawningStreams but lacks other capacities.
Although DawningStreams will face competition from many existing players, the fact that it will combine a super-set of functionalities in one application, for a very reasonable price, will give it some leading edge over other competitors. If the US patent is granted, the position of DawningStreams will become a niche. Even if the patent were not granted, it would take a profound architectural redesign of Groove (or other competitors) to include generic activities and match the offer of DawningStreams. As a strategy we will monitor the activities of those companies’ websites and understand what they offer in terms of similar functionality and try to ensure we match or best those functionalities to the best of our ability and resources
DawningStreams – Political -
Maintaining the secrecy of information is the fundamental function of encryption items. Persons abroad may use such items to harm US law enforcement efforts, as well as US foreign policy and national security interests. The US Government has a critical interest in ensuring that persons opposed to the United States are not able to conceal hostile or criminal activities, and that the legitimate needs for protecting important and sensitive information of the public and private sectors are met. Since 2000, US encryption export policy has been directed by three fundamental practices: technical review of encryption products prior to sale, streamlined post-export reporting, and license reviews of proposed transactions involving strong encryption to certain foreign government end-users and countries of concern. US encryption policy also seeks to ensure that American companies are not disadvantaged by the European Union’s “license-free zone.” (Bureau of Industry and Security, 2007).
DawningStreams will contain cryptographic functions. Any reliable and efficient cryptographic system requires a central authority to avoid identity theft. Cryptography is a key functionality of DawningStreams. All specialists insist on designing systems using well-studied algorithms and fully tested protocols; novelty is considered a source of risk. The cryptographic layer of DawningStreams will rely on a dual public-private key system. The private key encryption system will implement Rijndael, the Advanced Encryption Standard (http://csrc.nist.gov/CryptoToolkit/aes/rijndael/), the public key system will implement RSA (www.rsa.com) and the hashing function will implement the 256 bits version of the Secure Hash Algorithm (http://secure-hash-algorithm-md5-sha-1.co.uk/ ).
Encryption products can be used to conceal the communications of terrorists, drug smugglers, and others intent on harming U.S. interests. Cryptographic products and software also have military and intelligence applications that, in the hands of hostile nations, could pose a threat to U.S. national security. The national security, foreign policy, and law enforcement interests of the United States are protected by encryption export controls. These controls are consistent with Executive Order (E.O.) 13026, which was issued on November 15, 1996, and the Presidential Memorandum of the same date. (Bureau of Industry and Security, 2007).
DawningStreams also plans to be an international company, as offices now exist in the Netherlands and the US. As part of the strategy, we will ensure we remain compliant by registering our product with any necessary agency and allowing those agencies access to the processes if they feel there is a threat. We will be responsible to monitor (as best as we can) our client base and to put the proper verbiage in our contracts that illegal activities will not be tolerated. We will continue to monitor the BIS site mentioned in previous paragraphs and also sites in the European Union such as the Crypto Law website of legal expert Bert-Jaap Koops (http://rechten.uvt.nl/koops/)
DawningStreams - Technology/Intellectual Property –
The management of organizational strategy requires a comprehensive assessment of the macro environment of the business. Intellectual Property (IP) refers to the original ideas and innovations evolved by an organization in order to haul up its systems and processes. Creation of ideas requires large investments. This necessitates the protection of IP. Benchmarking is the continuous process of measuring products, processes, and systems of an organization against those that are rated best in the industry. It helps in uncovering weaknesses and flaws in the organizational systems, processes, and products. (Watson, 2003)
The study of the global research conducted by McAfee Inc. and MessageLabs Ltd. on security threat in small businesses in the U.S. reveals that 80 percent of small-and-medium-sized businesses (SMB) believe that an information technology (IT) security failure would be damaging in attaining their business priorities. Yet, only few are courageously making steps to fight against infringements due to resource limitations from other business related priorities. The research implies that company size plays an essential part in the way senior management views security. Among the challenges that SMBs face include keeping up-to-date with security solutions and keeping costs low. Small-to-medium businesses’ behavior towards security is very tactical and meets only immediate requirements. (unknown, 2007)
DawningStreams’ relevance to these forces is two-fold. We are a software company—there is an opportunity for us to lose the intellectual property by those who would download and attempt to modify the code. We have competitors who offer functionality similar to ours, however we offer an additional functionality the others do not. It is this ‘specialty functionality’ for which we applied for a patent the United States Patent and Trademark Office. If the patent is granted, there is less likelihood of software piracy or the loss of our IP. Environmental scans should show us if there are other companies trying to do this.
The functionality, which most resembles our competitors’, is the ability to share files. That brings in a different concern with intellectual property- the possibility someone else’s IP could be sent from one of our users to another, as this could seriously damage our reputation, as what happened with Napster. (www.napster.com).
Conclusion
At one company after another--from Sears to IBM to Hewlett-Packard to Searle, strategy is again a major focus in the quest for higher revenues and profits. With help from a new generation of business strategists, companies are pursuing novel ways to hatch new products, expand existing businesses, and create the markets of tomorrow. Some companies are even recreating full-fledged strategic-planning groups. United Parcel Service expects to spin out a new strategy group from its marketing department, where strategic plans are now hatched. Explains Chairman Kent C. Nelson: ``Because we're making bigger bets on investments in technology, we can't afford to spend a whole lot of money in one direction and then find out five years later it was the wrong direction.''
In such a world we need a planning model that allows us to anticipate the future and to use this anticipation in conjunction with an analysis of our organization--its culture, mission, strengths and weaknesses--to define strategic issues, to chart our direction by developing strategic vision and plans, to define how we will implement these plans and to specify how we will evaluate how well we are implementing these plans. The fact that the world is changing as we move forward in the future demands that the process be an iterative one.
References
Bilek, E. (n.d.) Compass Bankshares to be Acquired by Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A.,
Investor Relations. Retrieved from the Internet on March 31, 2007 at
http://media.corporate-ir.net/media_files/irol/77/77589/bbvarelease.pdf
Cole, Jim. Zions makes small deal, cites growing Arizona market. American Banker, 171(175), 1-1. Retrieved March 31, 2007 from Proquest Database.
Ford Motor Company (2006). Ford Motor Company. Retrieved March 2007,
from the World Wide Web, Web Site: [https://ford.com]
Ford, S. (2004) Adapted from 13 Skills Managers Need to Succeed, Harvard Business School
Press. Retrieved March 31, 2007 from EBSCOHost Database.
Hockenberry, Todd. (2006). Ford implements advanced laser marking. Industrial Laser Solutions, 21(4), 6-7. Retrieved March 31, 2007, from EBSCOhost database
Jacobs, P. (2005) Five Steps to Thriving in times of Uncertainty. Negotiation (p.3) Retrieved
April 1, 2007 from EBSCOHost Database.
McLean, J. (2006) We’re going through changes! British Journal of Administrative Management
54. Retrieved March 30, 2007 from EBSCOHost Database.
Pearce, J. & Robinson, R, (2004). Strategic Management: Formulation, Implementation, and Control. [University of Phoenix Custom Edition e-text]. The McGraw-Hill Companies. Retrieved March 2007, from the University of Phoenix, Resource, MBA 580-Strategies for Competitive Advantage Course Web Site: https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/secure/resource/resource.asp
Author Unknown, Strategic Planning, After a decade of gritty downsizing, Big Thinkers are back in corporate vogue. (2006) Retrieved from the Internet at http://www.businessweek.com/1996/35/b34901.htm
Unknown (2007) 80% of Small-to-Medium Sized Firms Fear a Security Threat. Computer Security Update 8 (4). Retrieved March 30, 2007 from EBSCOHost Database.
Unknown (2006) Strategic Planning, After a decade of gritty downsizing, Big Thinkers are back
in corporate vogue. Retrieved from the Internet at
http://www.businessweek.com/1996/35/b34901.htm
US Department of Commerce (2007), Encryption (ch.10, section 742.15). Retrieved March 27, 2007 from the Bureau of Industry and Security Website at http://www.bis.doc.gov/news/2007/foreignpolicyreport/fprchap10_encryption.html
Watson, G. (2003) Business Environmental Scans for Intellectual Property Strategy (PowerPoint Presentation). Retrieved March 28, 2007 from the Oklahoma State University website at http://www.okstate.edu/ceat/msetm/courses/etm5111/CourseMaterials/ETM5111Session3Part2.ppt#260,1,Business Environmental Scans for Intellectual Property Strategy
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Steven Brown, MBA is a loving husband and father of two boys. He enjoys his time with his family by providing a strong family foundation of Christian Faith. After completing his Bachelors degree, Steven wanted to further his ability to teach and share to others his mindset that they can do anything if they would believe in themselves.
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Sunday, January 20, 2013
Risks and Challenges Involved in International Business
International businesses have to face risks and challenges at many fronts. Some are similar to the risks and challenges a domestic business confronts and some are unique. Even the challenges that are similar by definition differ in nature. For example both types of businesses have to face financial challenges, but an international business will be facing many factors related to global financial markets that don't affect domestic businesses as much. They are more of a challenge in nature than risks and most of them can be handled through proper planning. Keep reading to understand these challenges better.
The challenge of international planning & strategy:
The first challenge for an international enterprise is to make a global strategy and then implement it. The managers and those at decision-making positions often find it difficult to change their thought pattern, which is not used to work in global paradigm. There are many international businesses but just some of them have truly adopted a proper global strategy. Though the situation is improving with more and more trained graduates and professionals taking on the management roles. Nevertheless, international business management requires extra ordinary management, foreseeing and leadership skills.
Financial and economic challenges:
It starts from arranging the funds to start international business and includes everything such as fluctuation in exchange rate, global economic crisis (or some economic crises in the host country), shift in oil prices, global inflation or tariff barriers imposed by the host government, also the export related policies of your own government.
Risks and Challenges Involved in International Business
International Politics:
Political know-how is a must for everybody but it becomes all so important when operating at international level. If some policies were suitable for your business, a change in ruling party can bring drastic changes in those policies. Political chaos will bring down the economy and with that your business. To prevent your business from such negative impacts, you need to make sound political judgments.
Environment, natural disasters and warfare:
Many multinational businesses have to face serious opposition by some environment friendly organizations. Citizens are more concerned about air and water pollution these days as it is becoming a serious threat to their health. Some natural disaster like floods and earthquake, or some kind of civil war breaking out in the host country is also in the list of possible challenges. A new challenge that an international business has to bear now days in some specific countries is the threat of terrorism.
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Saturday, January 5, 2013
Flight Tracker - Real Time International Live Airline Flight Tracker
Flight tracker track a flight by airline name and flight number, or by city and arrival/departure times. Based on radar data, flight tracker generates online views of the position of any incoming or leaving flight. The Flight tracker will show updates on flight arrivals, delay times and remaining time en route for an airborne flight. Using real time, international free, live airline flight tracker you can track all airline flight in progress within United States, Europe, Asia and all over world wide destinations.
Flight Tracker clever to go back catalogs of establish flights corresponding measure by airline, depart site and arrive site, plus in-flight in order such as elevation, pace, slowness, arrive and exit terminals. Elevation and pace information, though, is merely obtainable for flights traveling as of within United States, and to the UK and Mexico. Subsequent to a flight is chosen, Flight Tracker visualizes the flight trail information by estimation the geodesic so as to most competently connect the leave and turn up site around the globe. The software then use a Mercator outcrop to map this row on the 2D flight tracker map picture, and estimate flight site.
A small recognized information about real time flight tracker: Flight Tracker display a little plane image by a fall shadow on the geodesic flight lane. When elevation information is accessible, the counterbalance of the drop shade below the airplane is haggard relative to the present elevation. The result is so as to flights now taking off or hallway has drop gloom right away under the airplane, at the same time as flights in middle air have bigger offset flanked by the airplane and the drop shadow.
Flight Tracker - Real Time International Live Airline Flight Tracker
Flight Tracker - Real Time International Live Airline Flight Tracker
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