SWOT Analysis on Electronic Arts Sports Essay

Background of the Company Electronic Arts (EA) are an international organization that deals with the development, marketing, publishing and distribution of video games all over the world. US census bureau identified electronic arts as software publishers industry. EA is well-established and independent producers of video games and according to the study by Thompson (2007), EA made global market up to $35 billion. In 2005, it was observed that the US made sales up to $7 billion along with the video games made by EA, and this amount was predicted to grow more in order, to set a record. The prediction was made on the analysis that retailers would be purchasing an Xbox 360, Sony’s new play station and Nintendo Wii in bulk. But, unfortunately, the originality of new consoles tapered off and a decline in sale was observed by 2010. There are various factors that contribute to progress the popularity and demands of video games among masses. Likewise, these video games were made, themed and styled to satisfy needs of all age groups specifically youth. Secondly, graphics play an important part in expanding the fame and demand of video games. EA showed a tremendous growth in the global market by meeting the needs of customers and by marketed the items properly, exactly according to the increasing budgets, sale promotions and advertisement levels. The growth of the company is evidenced that from the increased employee requirement and industry size. No matter, up to what extend the company has grown, in the competitive market there are always some opportunities, and threats that based on the company’s strengths and weaknesses (Allen, Blakeman, & DeMaiolo, 2011). This paper serves to provide the SWOT analysis of EA sports video games in order to evaluate that where EA sports stands in the global Manfred, T. (2013, September 26). EA Sports Cancels Its College Football Video Game Amid A Wave Of Lawsuits. Retrieved November 17, 2013, from businessinsider.com: http://www.businessinsider.com/ea-sports-cancels-ncaa-football-videogame-2013

Joint Venture of the France Based Company Alcatel

A joint venture, according to Adler and Graham (1989),along with mergers and acquisitions, licensing and distribution agreements, and sales of products and services – critical aspects of all such interorganizational relationships, are face-to-face negotiations. This would mean the interaction between people. In today’s society, as the world becomes much more globalized than we could ever think of, with the fast growth of the internet industry, we are connected with people from another country at an instant. However, business to business deals and negotiations are still at a stage where face-to-face communication is still required. As interpersonal communication is brought onto the table, with the clash of different cultures as companies today all have the tendency to become globalizes and multi-nationalized, the understanding of another’s culture and cultural values plays an important role in the negotiation, and the interactions thereafter. As the proportion of foreign to domestic trade increases, so does the frequency of business negotiation between people from different countries and cultures. To successfully manage these negotiations, businesspeople need to know how to influence and communicate with members of cultures other than their own (Adler and Grahamd (1989)). Through the analysis of the case study on the joint venture of the France based company Alcatel and the U. S. based company Lucent Technologies, issues of cross-cultural management, the weakness and strength of an international joint venture, including the rights and wrongs of the particular case study will be discussed. As Shenkar (2001)said in an article, establishing a measure gauging the â€Å"distance† between cultures has understandably presented an even greater challenge. At the end, recommendations will be provided for future companies seeking joint ventures. Body The major differences between the initial negotiation in 2001 and the final successful negotiation in 2006 was the division of power. In 2001, in the original negotiation, the base company was Lucent, which was based in the US. Because it was a joint venture, the amount of power on Alcatel cannot be decided. Due to this inequality, the joint venture was called off in 2001. In 2006, as this inequality no longer stands between the two companies, it established the final negotiation of the joint venture, and at least in the beginning, both companies were satisfied with the negotiation. According to Barkema and Vermeulen (1997), differences in uncertainty avoidance and long-term orientation cause problems. Differences in how IJV partners perceive and adapt to opportunities and threats in their environment are more difficult to resolve. Cultural differences regarding power distance, individualism and masculinity are more easily resolved because they are mainly reflected in different attitudes towards the management of personnel, something firms can make explicit agreements about before entering the partnership. As Berkema and Vermeulen (1997) already said, issues on power distance, individualism and masculinity are considered to be more easily resolved cultural issues, and realizing the fact that if the joint venture between Alcatel and Lucent Technologies could not even solve the more easy problems, it is pointless to say the success of the negotiation. Since the merger in 2006, it is now the fifth year for the joint venture to be in business. With the resignation of Russo, the company is now led by The company is under the leadership of Chief Executive Officer Ben Verwaayen and the non-executive Chairman of the Board is Philippe Camus. Verwaayen and Camus joined the company in the third quarter of 2008 after Alcatel-Lucent's first CEO Patricia Russo and first Chairman Serge Tchuruk resigned. For 2008, the company posted revenues of â‚ ¬16. 984 billion and a net loss of â‚ ¬5. 215 billion (Alcatel-Lucent (2009)). As Powell and Dent-Micallef (1997) found in their article, ITs alone have not produced sustainable performance advantages in the retail industry, but that some firms have gained advantages by using ITs to leverage intangible, complementary human and business resources such as flexible culture, strategic planning–IT integration, and supplier relationships. The results support the resource-based approach, and help to explain why some firms outperform others using the same ITs, and why successful IT users often fail to sustain IT-based competitive advantages. Alcatel-Lucent has done what it was suppose to do a long time ago, which was to appoint leaders based on expertise, and not nationality. As the entire industry was going downhill during 2006, for the past few years, with the correct leadership of Verwaayen and Camus, the joint venture is in much better shape than it was before. As Tchuruk commented initially that the merger is â€Å"a giant transatlantic experiment in multicultural diversity,† the company has run into some major cross-cultural problems since its merger in 2006. One major issue is the fact that the appointed CEO of the joint venture could not effectively run the business, resulting in six quarterly losses, which led to the restructuring of the company, and a cut of 16,500 jobs in total. As the case study states, it was a poor decision to appoint leaders based on their nationality rather than skills. For the time that Russo was CEO, she struggled greatly to bring together a company that consisted of two entirely different cultures, especially when she has no background knowledge of any French language at all. In addition, because there was a lack of understanding between the cultures, the two companies, although formed as a joint venture, were literally pushed into each other out of desperation because of the down sliding industry. However, more importantly, it was the cultural clash that brought the JV into a poor state initially. As Adler, Doktor, and Redding (1986) wrote in their article, with the growing shift of business from the Atlantic to the Pacific Basin, East-West cultural differences are becoming increasingly significant. Research in developmental psychology, sociology, and anthropology shows that there are major differences among the cognitive processes of people from different cultures. In the era of the global corporation, cultural diversity has to be recognized, understood, and appropriately used in organizations. It is suggested that cross-cultural management would greatly benefit from comparative studies considering the impact of the cognitive aspects of culture on managerial practice. Moving forward as a combined company, the JV faces great competition from low-cost Chinese rivals, and as the internet technology is increasingly changing the industry, Alcatel-Lucent is faced with much deeper challenges as demand in the entire industry is decreasing tremendously. Yet one challenge would also be the challenge to integrate the French culture with that of the American Culture. As Shenkar (2001) pointed out, establishing a measure gauging the â€Å"distance† between cultures has understandably presented an even greater challenge. With the globalization of the firm into the Eastern side of the world, and with the JV servicing clients all over the globe, it is not hard to imagine the importance of cross-cultural management as the firm takes its role onto the global stage. In Ralston et al. (1993)’s research on onvergence/divergence of managerial values, the four Western-developed measures (Machiavellianism, locus of control, intolerance of ambiguity and dogmatism) and the four dimensions of the Eastern-developed Chinese Value Survey (Confucian dynamism, human-heartedness, integration, and moral discipline) were used to find that often times both culture and the business environment interact to create a unique set of managerial values in a country. It is the values of the management, the values of a company, that makes up the success of an industry. Conclusion Soderberg and Holden (2002) defines cross cultural management as a discipline of international management focusing on cultural encounters between what are perceived as well-defined and homogeneous entities: the organization and the nation-state, and offering tools to handle cultural differences seen as sources of conflict or miscommunication. However, in the business world today, with its transnational companies that face the challenges of the management of global knowledge networks and multicultural project teams, interacting and collaborating across boundaries using global communication technologies. There is the need for an alternative approach which acknowledges the growing complexity of inter- and intra-organizational connections and identities, and offers theoretical concepts to think about organizations and multiple cultures in a globalizing business context. Today’s world has become a big clash of all different types of culture. Not only it is seen in the business world, but this clash of cultures has become part of today’s society, and the whole world. This phenonmenon not only suggests more research topics for scholars, as Thomas and Mueller (2001) said in their study, that the relationship between culture and four personality characteristics commonly associated with entrepreneurial motivation. By demonstrating systematic variation in entrepreneurial characteristics across cultures, we raise important questions about the boundaries of international entrepreneurship research and the challenges of transcending them, in the real world, cross-cultural management is also becoming more important and is discussed and faced by many entrepreneurs in the business world. With the case study of Alcatel from France and Lucent Technologies from United States as an example, it has proven the fact that the importance of understanding the different cultures that one’s engaging in, and the importance of acknowledging cross-cultural management has become a requirement for any company leading to a JV or entering into a foreign country. Everyone country has its own unique culture, and every country has its own set of rules. In order to gain profit, in order to become globalized, one must take the time to learn about the culture, and go by their rules, because ultimately, in the business world, you are never alone.

Business Process Management Essay

BUSINESS PROCESS MANAGEMENT PROJECT FRAMEWORK FAKULTAS EKONOMI DAN BISNIS JURUSAN MANAJEMEN UNIVERSITAS AIRLANGGA Nama : Dicky Tanamas Liemertha NIM : 041411231204 Kelas : J No Presensi : PEMBAHASAN Latar Belakang Nama † Surabaya † muncul di awal era Majapahit. Lokasi itu diyakini berasal namanya dari kata Sura atau Suro ( hiu ) dan Baya atau Boyo ( buaya ) , dua makhluk yang dalam mitos lokal , berperang satu sama lain untuk mendapatkan gelar † yang terkuat dan hewan paling†¦ been compiled by MAK Consultants to tackle the key areas of concern found within Dynatrix Pty Ltd and proposes potential solutions to the organisation. The key areas of review for this assessment include: †¢ Strategic and Tactical Planning †¢ Business Process flow and procedures This document summarizes the methodologies employed to complete the review and presents our findings and recommendations. Throughout this document we utilize terms such as will, should consider, and shall, for example,†¦ Student Name: Eltun Gadirov Student ID: 5945164 Degree Title: BA (Global Business Management) Level: UG Module: Business Management, and Decision-Making Process Module code: 206LON Teaching Fellow: Sunny Ramsurrun Assignment title: Coursework 1 Word count: 1.365 I, Eltun Gadirov confirm that this submission is my own work and I accept all responsibility for any copyright infringement that may occur as a result of this submission. Date of submission: 29.02.2016 Marks†¦ To implement the above management technique; business process improvement, for Five Below, Inc., it would be best to start with forming a process improvement team, instruct them and or train them in regards to business process improvement (BPI), and then create a plan of implementation. Utilizing information provided by Doss and Kamery (2006), there are steps that are needed. The first step of implementing business process improvement, the improvement must be organized. Organizing consists of constructing†¦ very likely key to success for any business, which is all because of the fact that BPM is composed of a system method of procedures to really operate an organization or business. Business Process Management (BPM) has the tendency to lessen the peril of unsuccessful procedures within a company, simply, because it is made up of all the processes and regular functions associated with the business and/or organization. Each person primary act of duty in the business is to fully understand what is actually†¦ Changes in BPM[edit] Roughly speaking, the idea of business process is as traditional as concepts of tasks, department, production, and outputs..[citation needed] The management and improvement approach as of 2010, with formal definitions and technical modeling, has been around since the early 1990s (see business process modeling). Note that the IT community often uses the term "business process" as synonymous with the management of middleware processes; or as synonymous with integrating application†¦ As a part of the strategic management process, one must develop a business level strategy. These are the actions that firms must take to achieve competitive advantage. All of these action and such are known as sources of cost advantage or can be under another source known as product differentiation. Sources of cost advantage falls under 6 key categories. These categories are economies of scale, competitor’s diseconomies of scale, learning curve economies, differential low-cost access to productive†¦ Lecture: Business Process Management (BPM) Business Process Management (BPM) is a management approach focused on aligning all aspects of an organization with the wants and needs of clients. It is a holistic management approach that promotes business effectiveness and efficiency while striving for innovation, flexibility, and integration with technology. Business process management attempts to improve processes continuously. It could therefore be described as a "process optimization process." It is†¦ Business Process Reengineering and Human Resource Management By Hugh Willmott Judge Institute of Management University of Cambridge, UK A later version of this article appears in Personal Review, 23, 3: 34-46 (1994) For more information on published articles by Hugh Willmott please refer to http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/close/hr22/hcwhomeBusiness Process Reengineering and Human Resource Management Hugh Willmott Manchester School of Management, UMIST Abstract This article reviews the†¦ is study and then to analyze the impact of change management on Business Process Management System (BPMS) implementation. Business process Management faces several risks of failure just like traditional enterprise resource planning (ERP). Change has to be managed in a proper and appropriate manner. In order to control change management, collaboration and communication are very important factors so that success can be achieved. As change management or managing any identified change in an appropriate†¦

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT -REFLECTIVE Essay

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT -REFLECTIVE ANALYTICAL ACADEMIC LEVEL 6 - Essay Example In this regard, I have organized social and business systems effectively to achieve set goals and objectives in particular organizations (Marquis & Huston 2009, 23). This paper describes my personal reflection about the development process that I undertook towards my leadership and management during my work placement time in the medical field, where I worked in the surgical ward, helping patients in various ways. Over the months, I have appreciated the fact that leadership is not necessarily a positional affair. Personal leadership has to be understood and adopted by people in order to enable them manage their lives effectively. Often, people always want to associate with those that understand themselves and take steps to improve their lives in the right way. In order to be a successful leader, I have polished my qualities and skills in people management, besides knowing how to manage their lives. I undertook the work placement exercise at the time I was in third year in my undergraduate nursing course. During this time, I was in charge of a team that ensured that we discharged our duties effectively towards achievement our departmental targets. In most cases, the reflective process is taken to describe the action of reflecting on certain actions in a process that often leads to persistent learning (Wolfensberger, 2010, 715). In this definition, the actions in the reflective practice involve giving focus to practical values as well as various theories that inform daily actions. This is through the process of doing the reflection in a reflexive process, thus leading to development of proper insight (Copley 2011, 17). In making this analysis, the main objective in the learning plan was to demonstrate an effective understanding of delegation in leadership and management. During my placement time, being a team leader meant that have to direct a team and give instructions about how certain tasks were to be

Customer Relation Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Customer Relation Management - Essay Example well as through its online shopping option enabling the customers to buy their required products and avail the demanded services from the comfort of their own home and place of work. It has been observed amongst the competitors as well as the other online and brick and mortar shop based retailers that the businesses are increasing loyalty and retaining customers by employing the strategy of offering them a debit and / or a credit based loyalty cards to them, similar to the strategy employed by Pathmark. These cards provide the customers the facility of buying products on credit while availing loyalty based discounts and benefits on their purchased, in case of a credit loyalty card. With the debit loyalty card the customers are able to pay for their purchases without cash, through their own personal account while still availing loyalty based benefits and discounts on their purchases. The strategy for loyalty cards is being employed by well known retailers like Wal-Mart, Marks & Spencers, Amazon.com, Pizza Hut, Subway, Gap, Banana Republic, Old navy, Victoria’s Secret etc. â€Å""Loyalty is more important than ever in retailing today, and the way you create loyalty is through credit," says Leonard Leff, president and chief executive officer of MyReceivables.com.† (Murphy, 2001) The loyalty credit & debit based loyalty cards are being using by traditional retailing giants as well as the online retailers in order to attract the customers, motivate them to spend more on their purchases, establish the brand of the company/ retail store as well as increase repeat purchase behavior. Best Buy Stores can initiate a loyalty card based program which is linked to a credit facility provided to the customers. The company will have to form affiliations and a contract with credit providing companies for launching this product. The benefit of this loyalty program would be that the customers would be able to buy the products that they want by simply using Best Buy loyalty card

The Scottish Parliament Building Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Scottish Parliament Building - Assignment Example Effective time management does not only ensure that the project is not delayed, but also it ensures that benefits from the projects are derived in a timely manner. David et al (2006) argues that creating a proper project plan is an essential aspect that a firm should take into consideration when initiating any project. Nevertheless, some project managers do not realise the value of a project plan particularly in saving time, reducing cost and improving performance. According to Lewis (2006) there are various strategies that are put in place by project managers in order to ensure a project meets the needs of its users, these includes, incremental, interactive, as well as phased approaches. Whichever approach is employed, project managers who are focused at making their projects successful must espouse careful consideration so as to achieve the objectives of their projects. One of the best aspects that managers must emulate in order to attain the goals of the project is to effectively manage their teams. It is significant to note that team members need to be motivated since their role of ensuring timely completion of projects is paramount (Joseph 2003). Some of the major ways of motivating human labour force includes training, salary increment, holidays and promotion. This paper seeks to discuss various aspects that contributed to the success of Scottish Parliament. Major primary elements that will be discussed include proper allocation of resources, appropriate planning of time as well as hiring of skilled labour. Factors that contributed to the success in the construction of Scottish Parliament Proper use of resources Commencement of Scottish Parliament building, that is located east of Edinburgh town, was started in 1999. One of the major aspects that led the construction of Scottish Parliament to be successful was efficient allocation and use of resources from internal sources and external donors. As stipulated by Dardanelli (2005) it is vital for project man agers to ensure effective use of financial resources so as to avoid corruption and misuse of resources which are major causes project failure. Time planning Efficient time planning by the Scottish Parliament project managers highly contributed to the successful completion of Scottish Parliament. As stipulated by Bain (2004) failure by some project managers to appropriately manage their time, is a key issue that leads to delays in the completion of projects. In order to ensure timely completion of the Scottish Parliament, despite the controversies of cost increment and site selection, project managers ensured appropriate scheduling of activities that were concerned in the completion of the parliament building. Balfour & McCrone (2005) argues that notwithstanding the criticisms from various individuals for example Lord Fraser and public reaction, Scottish Parliament building was welcomed by various professionals and architects.   Public inquiry  that aimed at investigating the man agement and the supervision of the entire construction criticised the top management team due to selection of Bovis as the senior manager as well as appointment of non-Scottish architect. Skilled labour force Scottish Parliament was also successful due to experienced labour force. It is imperative to note that efficient managers take into consideration the experience of

Film Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Film Analysis - Essay Example Because the lives of the men in the town are entertwined with the town itself, in that if the town is bustling and healthy, then the men in town are engaged, working and supporting their families, and when the jobs were shipped overseas, the men in the town suffered. The fates were one and same – as the town died, so did men have more problems finding a job, and these men were less masculine and less well-off then they would have been had the steel factories stayed in business. The men in this film, therefore, all live pretty hopeless lives. They are only trained, for the most part, for the steel mills. The exception to this is Gerald, who is the only white collar man in the group. Nonetheless, Gerald’s fate is also tied in with the fate of the town and of the steel industry, in that Gerald was a plant manager. Masculinity, Class and the Town of Sheffield The masculinity of the men in this movie is threatened, simply because they do not have a way of making a living for their families. The lead character, Gaz, is threatened because he has a young son, and he cannot afford to pay child support, therefore his ex refuses visitation between himself and his son. Dave, who is Gaz’ best friend, is threatened because he, too, has problems supporting himself and his wife, because he is out of a job as well. Lomper is threatened because he apparently cannot afford to leave home, and he apparently had no mates before he met Dave and Gaz. Because of this, he attempts suicide, but Dave saves him. Gerald perhaps has the most to lose, outside of Gaz, because he lives an upper class life in a tony suburb, complete with gnomes. His house is so luxurious that he has his own tanning bed, and his lifestyle is such that his wife talks about the two of them going skiing. However, because he has been out of work for the past six months, while lying to his wife (he told his wife that he was going to work everyday, when, in actuality, he was going to job club every day, looking for work). This impacts the men’s masculinity, because they cannot support themselves and their family. According to Djundjung and Irawan (2003), the fact that the men are not working impacts their masculinity and their identity, simply because so much of a man’s masculinity and identity is centered around what they do for a living. In essence, society does not have a role for these men. Thus, the men have issues with their own sense of self-worth. Dave feels that it is inevitable that his wife would cheat on him, as he has nothing to offer her, in his view. Gerald actually does lose his wife, not because he is out of work and everything they own is repossessed, but because he was so ashamed of his situation that he could not come clean with her. Gaz, despite having an outwardly cheerful, even cocky, persona, really is insecure and afraid that he is a failure as a dad. While these men are stripped of their masculinity, because they are stripped of their jo bs and their roles in society, the film also portrays a relationship that is more literal with the stripping of masculinity. This relationship is between Guy, the handsome, well-endowed man who auditions for the troupe, and Lomper. They have an attraction, and, the film intimates, a relationship with one another. The irony of this is that neither of these characters are explicitly shown to have their masculinity threatened. Not much is known about

Applying for residency program in surgery Personal Statement

Applying for residency program in surgery - Personal Statement Example Although other medical practitioners may look upon dentistry as a â€Å"breeze† course, the reality is that this particular type of course is just as demanding as any other medical degree. It still requires academic ability, personal motivation, diligence, and perseverance. With the current trend in the modernization of treatments in the dental field, it has become as equally exciting as any other medical field in the world today. It is because of the aforementioned reasons that I would like to have an opportunity to further my dental career by concentrating on the completion of a residency program with your reknowned teaching university. Having spent a part of my career as a teaching assistant at Kind Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (Oral and Maxillofacial Division) I have already managed to develop leadership abilities thanks to the time I spent managing an oral clinic for them. Having spent a great deal of time in the USA at the moment, I have spent an impressive number of hours at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial It was at UNC where I developed my dental surgery skills further by participating in ward rounds, assisting in theater and out patient clinics, as well as attending didactic sessions. All of the clinical experience that I have gained through the years have proven only one thing to me. I was born ready to become an oral and maxillofacial surgeon. This is my life calling and mission. I take great pride in the way that my work in this field, no matter how minor the contribution I made, has already helped to improve my patients lives. With the help of your esteemed university and its group of trailblazing teaching dentists, I hope to be of even greater help to the patients who entrust their oral health to me in the

Commonwealth v. Louise Woodward, 427 Mass. 659 (1998) Essay

Commonwealth v. Louise Woodward, 427 Mass. 659 (1998) - Essay Example The murder trial of Louise Woodward began on October 6 1997. The trial lasted for three weeks after which the sitting judge instructed the jury with regard to first and second-degree murder. The instructions concerning manslaughter were not given since Woodward has asked the judge to leave them out. On 30 October, Woodward was found guilty of second degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison. After a post judgment relief motion by Woodward on 19 November, the judge reduced the sentence initially given by making the charge manslaughter. Woodward was then sentenced to 279 days that the judge considered had been served during her trial and during the time of waiting for action on the post judgment relief. The judge however denied Woodward’s request for a retrial or a judgment of not guilty. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts filed an appeal against the vacation of the murder conviction. In their appeal, the commonwealth argued that the judge did not have a right to change t he jury’s sentence and that he erred in denying the request of the state to instruct the jury on manslaughter. The commonwealth argued that it had brought evidence to the court that could convict the accused on either first or second-degree murder or manslaughter. Woodward rejected the option of manslaughter and therefore the judge erred in availing this sentence to her. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts argued that whereas the defendant may request instructions for lesser crimes, the decision on whether to include such an instruction to the jury does not rest with the defendant (McBrewster 98-102). They argued that the defendant lacks the technical capacity to make such decisions. They also argued that in the instance of Woodward, that she requested be left out was for a lesser offence which was unprecedented in any jurisdiction. Their contention was that all instruction should have been included in order to give the jury a chance to decide upon the evidence rather than rest ricting their choices. The Supreme Court in ruling on the appeal ruled in favor of the judge in asserting that the judge had powers according to the Massachusetts rules of criminal procedure to vacate the sentence given by a jury. The court asserted that the judge had offered reasons for vacating the sentence even as the law did not require him to do so. The court also upheld the principle used in other cases in asserting that confusion and inexperience rather than malice informed the killing of the child. The Supreme Court argued that the judge is more capable of making judgment that is more relevant since he is more knowledgeable in the law and has the opportunity to review witnesses in court (Conrad 65-6). Woodward also appealed the case arguing upon two critical issues. Woodward argues that the loss or suppression of evidence by the state would make it just to vacate her indictment since she has been denied an opportunity at presenting potentially exculpatory evidence (Meinhold 175). Woodward also argued that the commonwealth denied her rights by not disclosing that the child had a hairline fracture prior to the body’s interment. She argued that it is the responsibility of the state to preserve evidence despite the verdict given. The court in responding to

The Atlantic Slave Trade Essay Example for Free

The Atlantic Slave Trade Essay The Atlantic Slave Trade had a both positive and negative impact on those involved in it to an extent. Britain’s economy benefited greatly from the slave trade as many industries flourished. This was an immense opportunity for those who were unemployed as it provided thousands of jobs. People were employed in industries like the building and repair of slave ships, selling the goods produced by slaves such as sugar and cotton, and banking. This resulted in the slave trade becoming the financial base of development of Britain. However, not everyone benefited from this trade as it had an enormous negative impact on Africa’s society and economy. The 37 years of slave capturing and exporting resulted in wars between tribes and drained Africa’s population of 12 million of its strongest youth. This resulted in Africa’s economic development in being hindered. For Africans the physical experience of slavery was painful, traumatic and long-lasting. Britain benefited from the slave trade in many ways including the economy, as slavery became part of the financial base of development in Britain. Many economic factors contributed to slavery including the demands of plantation farming, servant slaves and the growth of the slave trade as its own industry. Plantation farming emerged as a way to earn a profitable crop and dominated the southern colonies. In plantations African slaves worked in hundreds from dawn until dusk producing goods that supplied Britain. These goods consisted of sugar, cotton, tobacco and rum. All these crops were very labour intensive requiring hundreds of workers to preserve them. The British became the largest and most efficient carriers of slaves to the new world. Therefore huge profits were made by the labour of unpaid slaves. Liverpool and Bristol were the main trading ports in Britain, Liverpool alone made  £300,000 per year from the slave trade. Scotland was also heavily involved in the slave trade, Scots went out to colonies and generated great wealth for Scotland based on slave labour. Glasgow’s â€Å"Tobacco Lords† profited from the slave trade, as did the merchants of London, Liverpool and Bristol. The city of London catered the economic services that were necessary for the slave trade, this included insurance and loans for slave traders. F.G Kay wrote about the social changes that happened in Britain following the growth of the slave trade, in a book named â€Å"The Shameful Trade† published in 1967. He states â€Å"the slave trade created a new class of wealthy colonial  families†. Bristol merchants who were great dealers increased their trade with the islands of the Caribbean. They also became specialists in trading with West Africa and retailing captured slaves. The trade also created, sustained and relied on a large support of shipping services, ports and finance companies employing tho usands of ordinary people. Many slave ships were need and thousands of jobs were created through this. Jobs in making slave ships, repairing, financing and insuring all flourished. By 1780 Liverpool had become the largest slave-ship building site in Britain. This also provided thousands of sailors with work. . Insurance was one of the biggest industries during the slave trade, insurance and long term loans created new opportunities for making more money. Slave merchants and sugar plantation owners needed to borrow money to keep their businesses going. Merchants involved in the triangular trade found that insurance was vital because if their ship hit a storm during the voyage its cargo could be lost, and if that ship is not insured then they could lose everything. There were huge profits in selling the goods produced by slaves such as cotton, sugar and tobacco. Thousands of people were employed in factories to make exportable goods that were traded in for slaves in Africa these were guns, textiles and pottery. People were also employed in making brass and copper in Yorkshire, weavers in Birmingham, chain makers and sugar refiners in Greenock. The slave trade made Britain the world’s leading sea power and it helped finance the indus trial revolution. The British government made a fortune from the taxes related to the slave trade. Nonetheless not everyone profited from the slave trade, The Atlantic Slave Trade had enormous negative effects on the continent of Africa. Many parts of Africa suffered from an increase in violence, drain of people and an economy increasingly reliant on slavery. As a result of this Africa fell behind the rest of the world. Having fewer young healthy people to produce food would make famine more likely and the rates of death worse. Slavery led to the movement of thousands of people across Africa, allowing disease to spread between different parts of Africa. A lot of good land was left uncultivated and not looked after because there were not enough young people left to farm it. African slaves took with them their religion, traditions, cooking, clothes, music and dance. These had a negative impact on Americans  as it led to voodoo in the West Indies. The slave trade encouraged conflicts between African tribes, raids and kidnapping. The demand for more slaves led to increased hatred and violence between communities in Africa. There was also the spread of racist ideology to justify the enslavement of Africans. It is estimated that up to 12 million Africans were snatched from their homeland shipped to the Caribbean to work on plantations. Thousands of African villages were ruined as they were raided for slaves. The farming in Africa changed to grow crops which were brought to supply slave ships. African chiefs and kings stopped ruling by law as they became greedy cunning tradesmen. The 37 years of slave capturing and exporting drained Africa of millions of its strongest youth. As a result of this the population became unbalanced and the adult male population was reduced to 20%. Overall Africa was the only continent to be affected in this way, and because of the loss in population it became a major factor leading to its economic hardship. John Newton was a British slave trader in West Africa. In a small extract from his journal he comments on the immoral methods used between Africans and Europeans, he states â€Å"Europeans try to cheat Africans at every turn. Any article of trade that can be cheapened is so. Spirits are diluted with water, kegs of gunpowder have false bottoms and pieces are cut out of rolls of cloth†. In conclusion it is clear that Britain benefited from the Atlantic Slave Trade. We know this because of how it boosted the British economy as many industries grew, created thousands of jobs and supplied Britain with essential everyday life goods. We also know that colonies were established on the backs of hard-working African slaves. However not everyone benefited from the slave trade as it made Africa suffer greatly. Up to 12 million young strong Africans were forced out of their homelands and brought to the Caribbean to work without pay. Families separated and sold to go and work on plantations from dawn until dusk. Thousands of villages were wrecked because of the raiding for slaves. African leaders became dishonest, deceptive greedy tradesmen which resulted in Africa becoming corrupt.

The Strategic Group Mapping Model Marketing Essay

The Strategic Group Mapping Model Marketing Essay For the purpose of this report, the industry of choice was the cereal industry. The cereal industry is highly competitive with numerous businesses competing for an increased market share. The cereal industry is influenced by customer spending and customer lifestyle. In recent years, consumer behaviour has altered with customers becoming more health conscious. As a result of this, business within the cereal industry have introduced new products and modified existing products to appeal to health conscious customers. Based on research conduct, the following trends were identified within the cereal industry: Consumer behaviour changes Health conscious customers The main businesses within the cereal industry are Kelloggs, Nestlà ©, Weetabix, Flahavans and Odlums. Breakfast apart from being a necessity for breaking the fast, it is also seen as a social ritual amongst the majority of cultures around the world.  [1]   Three main trends emerge from an analysis of the industry: Acquisitions, Automation and Consolidation. The nature of the cereal industry is oligopoly as there are just a few firms dominating the industry. The key players were identified as Kelloggs, Origin Enterprises (Odlums), Nestle, Weetabix and Finegrove Holdings Ltd. (Flahavans).The breakfast cereal industry can be divided into two categories; hot breakfast cereals and Ready to Eat (RTE). The key drivers to operate in this industry were identified as: Reformulation of nutritional ingredient, Product differentiation, Contracts for raw materials, Economies of Scale and Creative advertising. The industry as a whole has an abundance external macro environment factors which are clearly seen in the PESTLE. Porters five forces identified medium barriers to entry, threat of substitutions and supplier power, but highlighted high buyer power and competitive rivalry. From using strategic mapping it was emphasised that players in the industry modernised /changed their strategies to respond to key trends in the industry. From analysing the five key players in the industry, it is clear that all have similar product diversification, product development (Ansoff growth matrix) Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats(SWOT Framework). Industry Landscape There were three key trends found from the players in the cereal industry. Kelloggs have consolidated 42 business websites into one website in order to give a clearer brand identity and to enhance the customer experience. In relation to automation, these players currently use technological advanced machinery to aid them in production and packaging. Finally in May 2012, 60% of shares from the Weetabix Food Company have been acquired by Chinas Bright Food Group while the remaining 40% is owned by Lion Capital. From these trends, there are issues that affect these players, in terms of market saturation and fluctuating prices for wheat and oats. These are potential threats for this industry as reported by Business Insights which states; cereal products have reached a level of saturation in many Western markets, so adding value and following consumer desires will be key to successful product lines. In order to combat this market saturation, businesses need to research, understand and acknowledge consumers requirements. The fluctuating prices of oats and wheat could affect each business within the cereal industry. The price fluctuations are a result of difficulties experienced during the growing seasonal period. Rising prices due to increasing costs for logistics and ingredients are primarily going to affect the breakfast cereal industry and its key players in the future. Cereal products could be sourced globally; however, there is a decline in international cereal production due to weather conditions  [2]  . If this continues, it could lead to cereal prices escalating and increases being passed down the distribution channel. There is increasing pressure for new product development amongst the industries key players. This could potentially increase market share and enhance revenue for the niche players such as Flahavans and Odlums, while allowing market leaders such as Kelloggs the opportunity to prevent smaller businesses from obtaining market growth. There is an increase in health conscious customers and in the future, this may define the product lines produced by the key players. From the acquisition of Weetabix, Bright Food Group has vowed to globally expand the Weetabix business by entering the growing breakfast cereal market within Asia. Changes to food consumption patterns within Asia have resulted in businesses entering Asian regions and selling food and beverages to consumers. Nationally, the cereal industry is worth à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬200 million per year with a profit between 40 45%. In relation to the current market position of these players, Kelloggs would be classed as the leader due to a 44% market share. With Nestle and Weetabix as the market followers, these businesses have a sizeable market share and remain competitive within this industry. The niche players, Flahavans and Odlums, are not as profitable as competitors, particularly Odlums who do not provide an extensive range of products. Competitive rivalries could arise between these industry players, as all competitors have similar products aiming at similar target markets. The threat of substitutes is also an issue for these players; as there is a rise in own brand products, such as Dunnes Stores and Tesco. These products are being introduced into the market due to the changing consumer spending habits. As this industry could be seen as oligopolistic, the power over suppliers and buyer could potentially increase, however for the niche players, the competition could intensify. Generally the cereal industry targets family oriented markets. In relation to Kelloggs and Nestle, they could be seen to target children, as these players introduce characters to their brands in order for the children to be attracted to these products. Weetabix, Flahavans and Odlums target mature audiences which can be seen to be under the family orientated market. For each key player, they must hold competitive advantage in order to sustain the market. The threshold resources that any player should have to operate within this industry include; finance, customer loyalty, brand awareness and a wide product range. Unique resources, such as Flahavans and Odlums, are particularly focused on the Irish aspects of the product. This involves the methods of producing the product and jobs that are created within the country. Irish consumers are value driven, however Irish products are important to these consumers. In previous years, Kelloggss held a very dominant position within the industry, however this has changed substantially as more competitors have entered the market and have impacted the profit obtained by Kelloggs. In 2010, there was a net income rise of Kelloggss, which has since fallen from $1.2 billion to $961 million and emphasises a dramatic decrease. In 2012, the share price of the business was volatile as it declined to $46.33 in July, however increased to an acceptable price of approximately $60 in December. The size of Kelloggs reduces the threat of a takeover occurring and exiting the market would not be foreseeable for Kelloggs. Kelloggs use of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is at the forefront when communicating with customers. This is highly evident in Give a child a breakfast campaign launched in October 2011 as this campaign highlighted the benefits of children eating breakfast. By highlighting this campaign, it improved the public perception of the company. Financial reports released for 2012, illustrated that the Nestle group as a whole had a successful financial year. It shows an increase in profit for the year by $1.8 billion. The cereal range of the business is represented in this figure which displays a positive financial performance for Nestle. Previously, Nestle has experienced a negative public image; Nestlà © attempts to divert criticism of its baby food marketing activities  [3]  . Nestle continuously attempt to improve their CSR identity within the eyes of the public. Bright Food Group generated revenues of approximately  £7.5 billion last year which indicates it has a large resource base to expand the Weetabix brand into more foreign markets. The acquisition of Weetabix would indicate that there is a high demand for cereal products globally as well as within its existing markets. The Weetabix brand has a long association with the British and Irish markets and has successfully reflected a positive brand image. However, the recent acquisition could have a positive and negative impact as it could be viewed as the loss of another indigenous company to a foreign multinational and may dilute the brand value. As Flahavans is a privately owned family operated business and similar to Weetabix, is not listed on any stock exchange. Flahavans is an established brand and retains the majority of the market share in relation to hot cereal breakfast in Ireland. This brand has a positive image among Irish customers and assisted the expansion into markets such as the UK and US. Flahavans is associated with Bord Bia and outlines the nutritional value of eating porridge as part of a healthy balanced diet. As the business is proud of its heritage and is a small player within the industry, the possibility of an acquisition may be unattractive to an established player. Odlums is part of the Origin Enterprise Group, which is listed on the Irish Stock Exchange and experienced an increased share price within the last year. The Odlums brand is well known within Ireland, primarily for their baking products. It could be perceived that the public have less recognition for the porridge range. The brand image is viewed positively and is also associated with Bord Bia. Within the cereal industry, there are certain aspects which could affect key players in the future. In terms of Kelloggs, they have primarily grown through merger and acquisitions. If all the key players follow this trend and grow like Kelloggs, they could possibly maintain market share growth. Further brand building of key players, could allow for growth in new divisions, for example Weetabix introducing a new range of biscuits. The majority of dominating businesses have a strong portfolio of products with great brand identity amongst its market share. If the key players continue to invest and grow their brand portfolio, it would be expected to have a positive long-term effect on those businesses. There is a possibility of a new pecking order in terms of the hot breakfast cereal market segment. At present, Flahavans is the market leader in this category. However, Kelloggs have developed a product, Kelloggs Corn Flake Porridge  [4]  , to compete against Flahavans porridge. This product has not been launched in Ireland, but could potentially dominate the market in the future. Currently, the key players are extending the life of their consumer recognisable products rather than removing them from the market place.  [5]  Customers would be willing to purchase familiar products and be more inclined to purchase new products launched by a trusted brand. The key players have adopted an extension strategy of their products. From analysis of the Ansoff Matrix  [6]  on the key players, it was evident that they had the same strategy which included the retention of existing customers and attraction of new customers by means of product development and product diversification. The key players are currently adopting marketing strategies to ensure that their brands are in the evoked set of their target markets while going through the decision making process and the customer chooses their product. HRM Strategies Nestles mergers and acquisitions provides the business with a wider selection of employees which can be used strategically to further develop the companys competitive advantage. However, this method may not be feasible as employees may feel their opinions to be underappreciated and lack participation with front line decisions. In the case of Weetabix, their use of motivational goals drives their use of HRM, which furthers their competitive advantage by providing a recognised and admirable work environment, which could be then used strategically to attract additional talented candidates. In comparison to its competitors, Flavaghans is a considerably smaller company, mainly because of its family ethos. These sorts of companies generally limit new additions of staffing in order to reduce costs. However with the utilisation of their flat hierarchy which enables all departments to work together closely, this allows for a competitive advantage, which does not directly affect necessary recruitment and selection. In a sense Flavaghans has used their limit of recruiting for a more quality staffing experience which then follows through to competitive advantage. Odlums have used their HRM strategies competitively in order to gain talented managerial staff in the company. This can be seen in their quality staff members, who have all had quality previous employment and education. This is a clear competitive advantage for odlums, and has formed them as an elite group of staff. Kelloggs, although they use extensive research and development which effectively provides solid results and provides a clear competitive advantage. It has been recognised that although management positions are favourable, their staff motivation and drives are low, therefore we can indicate that HRM strategies are not of concern to Kelloggs.  · Are the Strategic HRM policies of the key players in alignment with its overall strategy? In essence Nestles vision of good food, good life is very much in alligment with its strategic HRM policies. Through the use of mergers and acquistions, Nestle has managed to collect different types of talent, in order to provide quality behind its overall strategy of good life, good food in its product. External Environmental Analysis Strategic Group Mapping Model Strategic Group Mapping Analysis Nestle is identified with having a high variety of products coupled with a high average price of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬3.53per 500g Kelloggs is on par with Nestle however Kelloggs have a larger variety of products and slightly higher average price of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 3.54per 500g. Both breakfast cereal companies are positioned as having a large variety of products with a high retail price targeting the same market segments. Kelloggs target families with products such as cornflakes, rice crispies , frosties , all bran, crunchy nut and coco pops as well as the health conscious adult woman with their special k range  [7]  . Nestle target families with products such as nestle cornflakes, cheerios. Target kids and teens with nesquick, cookie crisp,cocoa puffs products and their adult with their fitness range.  [8]   Weetabix is more differentiated from Nestle and Kelloggs. Weetabix primarily targets the health conscience consumer market segment whereas Nestle and Kelloggs target a proportion of that segment. Weetabix is identified with having a low variety of products combined with a high average price à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬3.49per 500g. Weetabix is a market leader with a 12% market share  [9]  (just behind Kellogg which leads brand sales with a 42% value share)  [10]   Flahavans is a market leader in the hot breakfast market segment with a 65% share of the hot breakfast cereal market  [11]  and a 7 % share of the overall breakfast market  [12]  .they have undertaken a hybrid strategy since 2008 by extending their product range and making their product more convenient to the consumer i.e quick oats. flahavans is identified with having a low variety of products (i.e hot oats) coupled with a low average price à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1.25 per 500g.flahavans solely targets the health conscience individual/families. Odlums holds a relatively small proportion of the hot breakfast cereal market and is identified with having a low variety of products combined with a low average price of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1.15 per 500g. Kelloggs and Nestle are the most expensive of the companies, their higher price is justified by their larger variety of product offered. Weetabix, Flahavans and Odlums are the least expensive of the companies with is due to their low product range however their prices may increase in the further due to the perceived customer benefits of their products. Internal Strategic Capability Analysis Kelloggs Company Background The Kelloggs Company was established in 1906 by W.K. Kellogg. By continuing to use the same technique in producing the product since this time, the Kelloggs brand has grown successfully over the last 100 years with products reaching 180 countries worldwide. Kelloggs primarily produce breakfast cereal products, along with toaster pastries and snacks, such as, cereal bars and winders. In 1922, the Kelloggs company arrived in Ireland with products being sold throughout the country. As Kelloggs now is the leading brand in the breakfast cereal industry in Ireland and the UK, the business was one of the first to introduce nutritional labelling on their packaging, back in the 1930s. With their successful launch in the 1950s of the cereal products Frosties and Special K, in the 1980s new products, such as Crunchy Nut Corn Flakes, was launched into the Irish market. The W.K. Kellogg Institute for Food and Nutrition Research was opened in 1997. This is where the engineers, nutritionists and food scientists would investigate the quality of the produce used. This facility also catered for the alternation in the reduction of salt used in breakfast cereals in 2010, along with vitamin D been added for children in 2011. The Kelloggs Company have various locations worldwide including North America, Europe Middle East, Asia, Africa, Oceania and Latin South America. The Headquarters for Kelloggs is located in Michigan. Kelloggs Cultural Web Model Kelloggs Ansoff Product / Market Growth Matrix Market Penetration By utilising this strategy, this would benefit Kelloggs in terms of continuing to remain competitive within the market and stabilising their position as a market leader within Ireland and UK. Over the years Kelloggs have dramatically increased their product range to cater for a wider customer base. Kelloggs provides cereals for children and adults to accommodate for their different lifestyle requirements. By continuing to penetration this market at a relatively low risk for the business, Kelloggs would need to implement a strategy in order to maintain their market share by using their existing products while retaining their current customers. This strategy would need to be developed by increasing brand awareness of their products, for example charity events or competitions, in order to remind customer their products. Product re-launch could be another penetration for Kelloggs in terms of retaining their existing customers. Through customer involvement and push marketing strategies, these methods could help Kelloggs to secure their market share or have the possibility of increasing their customer base. New Products and Services As the cereal industry is a competitive market and developing the ability to be distinctive from the existing competitors could be a challenge for Kelloggs. In order to increase the customer base, Kelloggs developed products in the areas if toaster pastries and snacks. These developments allowed the business to explore new products while retaining their existing customers. Market development Market development is an important aspect for Kelloggs to grow within the cereal market. Currently Kelloggs offer a porridge product which is available in South Africa however are not obtainable within Ireland and the UK. Gluten free products from the US are also not available within these countries. These products could have a dramatic effect if Kelloggs introduced these products into the Irish and UK market, as it could heighten the competition amongst competitors and attract new customers to their products. Conglomerate Diversification In order for Kelloggs to diversify into an unrelated market would be a difficult challenge for the business. A market that Kelloggs have diversified into is the snack food market. This is evident from the acquisition of Pringles in early 2012. This market could be seen to be difficult to operate as it does not relate to the cereal industry and the business may not have the necessary knowledge of the snack food industry. Nestle Nestle Company Background Nestle was founded in 1866. As the company began to grow, it merged with another established company, Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company in 1905. From this merger, Nestle acquired Rowntrees of York in 1988. Within Ireland and UK, Nestle is one of the key players in the food industry with 19 locations employing over 7000 staff. Nestle is also one of the key exporters for these two countries, with exporting products over  £300 million worth to 50 countries worldwide every year. With the mergers and acquisitions previously mentioned, this gave Nestle the ability to diversify their product portfolio to cater to a wider target audience. Nestle Ireland and UK expanded to sister companies such as Nestle Professional, Nestle Waters, Nestle Nutrition, Nestle Purina Petcare, Lactalis Nestle Chilled Dairy Company Ltd, Cereal Partners UK, Nespresso and Jenny Craig. With these sister companies, Nestle was able to produce popular brands such as, breakfast cereals Shreddies and Cheerios, Go Cat pet food, Nescafe, Kit Kat and beverages Nestle water and Nesquik. Nestle have Headquarters in Ireland and UK, with their factories primarily in the UK. Globally, Nestle are located in Africa, Oceania, Europe, and Asia and North and South America. Nestle Cultural Web Model Nestle Cultural Web Analysis Paradigm Nestles ethos Good food, good life is a clear indicator of where nestles drive originates. This can be clearly defined as Nestles collective experience which is applied to situations in order to make sense of strategy. For example nestles acquisition of Alcon Laboratories Inc. provided an increase of food technology competencies behind their foods thus confirming their initial ethos of good food, good life. Stories: Nestlà ©s is regarded as the largest food business company in the world; this has been experienced through the use of mergers and acquisitions and primary food nutrition values. Nestle acquired Crosse Blackwell in 1950 and Rowntree Mackintosh in 1988 to name a few. It operates in 86 countries and is the largest shareholder of LOreal. It has also been ranked at 1 in the fortune global 500. However, Nestle cereals received bad press in 2011, with the accusations of incorrect nutritional information on their cereal products. This apposed their believes of nutritional value in good food. Symbols: Nestle is a Swiss made multinational country which strives in power and direction. It is a professional company, which has used mergers and acquisitions to its advantage in its early years and continues in this fashion today. Nestle receives great admiration publicly. Power: Nestles power structure is very hierarchical, many field employees feel like progression is limited and not balanced for all employees. However when we consider their previous paths to this power (mergers and acquisitions) we can interpret their power drive as continuous and dedicated. Also another interesting fact is that Nestle is primarily a Male dominated organisation, which creates the concerns of the glass ceiling effect for women, which can be regarded as discouraging and an imbalance on gender equality. Organisational structure: Nestles Organisational structure is revolved around innovation and expansion. Innovation through their ethos of good food, good life, this can also be seen in their portfolio of innovating products such as baby formula and instant coffee. Their constant collaboration makes their company quiet segmented, however this approach has proven to be successful. In addition to this organisational structure, employees felt that quick decision making is not a competency of Nestles senior managers. This could potentially bring up the issue of potential lose in employee involvement, which can in most circumstances be valuable. Control systems: Nestle offer attractive pension plans in order to control employee systems. This is a lot more attractive for long term employees who are in the office. However, a majority of employees expressed that there is no work life balance plans to keep employees motivated and balanced in home and work activities. In contrast to their attractive pension plans, it can be assumed that Nestle is clearly monitory focused with employees. In addition we found that Nestle do not micro manage their employees, although this is more enjoyable for the employee, it can be interpreted that nestle need to grasp control systems in order to keep employee focus in activities. Routines Rituals: On a day to day basis, Nestle offer flexible working schedules for their staff. This communicates a laid back working environment, however due such hierarchical stances, strategy and direction is driven from headquarters. This tells us that on field employees are not driven on performance, as that type of belief is left to the senior managers in the company. It can be widely assumed of how advantageous it is for all employees to have access to Nestlà ©s international training centre in Switzerland. This can be seen as a prestigious opportunity for all Nestles employees to excel in. Creating Shared Value and meeting our commitments is Nestlà ©s view on expansion into different countries and reaching further customer segments globally. Nestle Ansoff Product / Market Growth Matrix Market Penetration: Like all cereal brands, Nestle is no different in wanting to expand further within markets such as the UK and Ireland. In order to do this they face a major obstacle in that they are the second largest behind Kelloggs who have a 45% market share of the breakfast cereal market. However, as revealed late last year, the company is looking to expand its brand further within the region of Northern Ireland and in order to help achieve its objectives they have enlisted the services of GM marketing to help expand the brand through the use of online technologies and refined marketing strategies. The first phase within the marketing strategy will see the core brands used to help identify the Nestle brand as well as using pre priced cereal boxes which may be cheaper or the same price as their competitors. Even though this is a low risk strategy the level of success of such a strategy can also be miniscule. If this strategy vastly increases the market share of Nestle it will have an impact on the market share of their competitors but at the same time it may not increase the market share of Nestle sufficiently to have a major impact on their competitors. It may take a considerable amount of time and may cause an impact within other areas that Nestle focus time and resources on. This strategy should be taken with a prudent approach in mind so as not to harm other categories that Nestle positions its brand. New Product Services: Research and development is an integral part within the Nestle company as they look to introduce product development within all of the categories that it positions its brand. This is clearly evident within the company as they employ 4,500 people globally within its RD departments as well as using external research provided by scientists, doctors who work within world renowned universities. This aspect of building bridges externally allows the company to further innovate within the area such of nutritional and healthy foods as well as numerous other categories. A core belief that exists within the Nestle group is to think global act local. When looking for new ways in which to introduce new products within existing markets they place the customer at the core of the product. This is recognisable in the way that they cater to various customer groups with breakfast cereal brands such as Nestle Multi Grain Cheerios focusing on all members of the family, Nesquik for teenagers and children and Nestle Fitness for people who place a high importance on keeping in shape. Nutrition is a vital element within the Nestle core beliefs and values but they also put a lot of effort into ensuring that good quality taste is never sacrificed in the cereals that they provide. Product development is a strategy that Nestle have continuously looked to improve upon since it identified that nutrition, health and wellness was to be the core strategy that it developed its products upon. Although it is a costly strategy the financial benefits on a global scale seem to outweigh the costs for Nestle. Market Development: Organisations would ideally like to operate as if the world were one large market, ignoring superficial regional and national differences but still making sure that marketing activities fit to the practices and cultural characteristics of genuinely different markets (Lee and Carter, 2008) The Nestle brand is recognised on a global scale and has a vast portfolio as it does not primarily focus on cereals which can be identified due to its large divergence into similar but also unrelated areas such as baby food, chocolate bars, beverages and many other various categories. However, they do not focus each of these categories on a global scale as not all of their products would be successful within each of the segmented markets. Even though each of the categories are not launched on a global scale it does not mean that they would not be successful within different markets as alterations could be made in relation to; How the product is packaged and designed The type of market