Industrial Security Plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Industrial Security Plan - Assignment Example A safety officer supervises workplace activities to make sure that workers comply with organizations government safety regulations and policies. On the formulation of a policy, a security officer would ensure that all employees are alerted and in addition monitor on the compliance. The officer may also find it necessary to ask each employee sign a statement accepting receipt of the information. Safety officers examine interior and exterior workplaces to establish if there are any possible safety hazards. In these inspections, a safety officer checks for broken and damaged equipment, slip and fall hazards and other likely hazards (Subramanian, 2006). The officer also views workers to make sure that they are wearing necessary personal protective gear and following organization safety policies. For instance in the construction business, safety officers verify the stability of scaffolding, make sure that workers use helmets and footwear, and check to certify employees operate constructio n apparatus in a safe manner. When a workplace accident happens, a safety officer does an investigation to determine causes of the accident. The officer may decide to question witnesses, take pictures of any property damage and inspect the scene. Once the safety officer determines the reason of the accident, he is required to write a report detailing the grounds for the accident and lists recommendations that can assist in future accidents prevention. The OSHA requires the management to provide training on all safety topics and the ever-changing safety routines. These include hazardous materials handling, machine guarding and fire prevention plans. Safety officer’s spot out training needs build up appropriate and proper training programs and convey training to workers. They may solicit feedback from employees and use the feedback to better the existing programs or craft new ones (Subramanian,

Child Brides Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 8500 words

Child Brides - Essay Example Martinez hails from a Native American Indian tribe from the Oaxaca valley in Mexico known as the Trique. He was approached by his onetime neighbor and fellow Oaxacan Margarito de Jesus Galindo, who requested the hand of his daughter in marriage. Margarito was only 18 and Martinez’s daughter was just 14. Further, the father had apparently followed a Trique tradition by demanding a sizable dowry from the suitor. He asked to be given $16,000 in cash, 160 cases of beer, 100 cases of soda, 50 cases of Gatorade, two cases of wine and six cases of meat. Apparently this was to be paid on installment basis and the couple was allowed to cohabitate for a week without any kind of legal sanction as per the California law. Margarito defected in his payment within a week of the marriage making his father in law furious. To get back his daughter, he enlisted the aid of the state police – but here, he cunningly covered the part about their marriage deal; choosing only to reveal that his daughter had gone missing. The police were quick to find the eloped couple and soon came to know the entire story. As it happens, numerous state and federal laws of California and the United States of America had been broken here. The girl was only 14 years old, which is 4 years less than the legal age for marriage in California. The police further chose to label this as â€Å"human trafficking† and Martinez has been jailed. He has been awaiting trial. Further Galindo was cited for statutory rape and released. This is based on the testimony of the girl who confessed to having consummated their relationship within the week of the marriage. The nature of the incident and the atypical dowry demanded captured headlines all around the world, with a sudden resurgence of interest in the traditions and practices of the Trique Indians. While a large section of the world population condemned the incident as equivalent to trafficking in women, another section, particularly

Ways Of Knowing More Likely To Lead Truth Philosophy Essay

Ways Of Knowing More Likely To Lead Truth Philosophy Essay Truth is a term that is multifaceted, and has been a popular topic of discussion by scholars and philosophers for thousands of years. Yet some fundamental basics for something to considered true have arisen after all the discussions and theories: it must be a fact, is justified in a way that that it corresponds to a fact that exists in the world, matches with ones overall sets of belief and/or it is useful and works in practice. A justified true belief is what is knowledge is composed of. Sense perception, reason, language and emotions are the four Ways of Knowing, each one a powerful tool that enables us to reach closer the truth. Sense perception is the active selective and interpretative process of recording or becoming conscious of the external world; reasoning is using logical, critical thinking to establish knowledge; emotion is the experience of a bodily reaction to an event where we are aware and involved; lastly, language is a tool for communication and a system of persuasio n and implication through the use of conventionalized signs, sound gestures or marks having understood meaning. However these four ways of approaching the truth vary in that one may help yield more precise answers and is more reliable than others, depending on the their strengths and weaknesses. I believe that sense perception and reason creates a dominant combination, carrying a high degree of certainty, in discovering global truths, compared to emotion and language, which are also vital but have greater limitations that provide challenges in finding the truth. Buddha once said, Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by manyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ But after observation and analysis, when you find anything that agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it. This quote claims that perception, which is then supported by reason, is the ways most likely to lead to the truth, and I definitely agree. We experience the world and obtain direct, immediate, constant data through our senses: sight, hear, smell, touch, taste, movement, balance and huger/thirst etc. The brain then processes these stimuli to create meaning to them and organize these sense data into schemas in our brain, reassembling reality to become organized, meaningful patterns, so that most of the time our world will be rational, steady and predictable. Hence we rely heavily on sense perception as our primary source of data collection of our surroundings. In biology, for example, I did a lab testing the effects of caffeine and adrenaline on the heart rate of transparent water fleas, called Daphnia. After exposing a daphnia in an adrenalin or caffeine solution, I relied solely on my sight to observe the thumping action of their heart beat and then count it. The heart beat dramatically increased from a 25 beats per second in controlled water fleas to around 44 in adrenaline and caffeine solution. By direct observation, my brain then gives meaning to this data input; resulting in me, knowing the immediate effects of what consuming these chemicals does to a Daphnias heart. However sensory perception has a handful of limitations, the major ones including our biological and physiological limitation such a incapability of seeing wavelengths outside the visible light spectrum; our cognitive apparatus and processes cant distinguish perception from illusion; who we are as a knower, our built-in assumptions and prejudices alters the expectations and interpretations of situations- causing bia s, subjective views; sensory input is relative, hence data from is s not always valid alone; sensory input is also discontinuous and outdated. Conversely the invention of digital video, computer technology and modern technology helps fix these problems or even eliminate it all altogether. For instance, when watching the figure skating world championships on TV, both Mao Asada and Kim-Yuna skated perfectly, executing all their elements. My individuality- the fact that I favor and adore Maos skating style over Yunas, and my pity towards Mao for always winning silver- contributed to my perception of the competition as being unfair when Yuna won gold. But when clips of the performances were previewed side by side, it illustrates how Mao did not fully finish her rotations on her triple jumps and thus was deducted points- ultimately justifying that Kim Yuna did deserve gold and performed a cleaner program than Mao. This example proves technology can overcome major limitations such as filt ers and seeing what we want opposed to the reality, by justifying what we see with more scrutiny through technology since technology can record the world around us, provide instant replay and allow unbiased evaluation. On the other hand reason, is most advantageous due to its outcome of valid and coherent information- information with such a high degree of certainty that no other ways of knowing can reach. Reason assesses arguments, and provides support for claims and statements established through all the different experiments, studies etc. It is especially vital for areas with an empirical basis like science, history and math; these areas have been so developed and consist of such reliable, coherent and corresponding theories due to reason. Judgments and errors plague the certainty of truth for other ways of knowing; such as sense perception can be distorted; language is too vague and ambiguous leading to multiple interpretations, and emotion is the least reason-based due to its unpredictable, instinctive nature. Logic controls the outcome of rigid conclusions with evidence. Yet reason has its flaws as well such as the range of informal fallacies and when premises that construct the arguments mig ht be valid the truthfulness is still questionable, hence other ways of knowing is required to justify it such as the case of euthanasia where the argument Taking a life is morally wrong, euthanasia is the act of taking away a life, hence euthanasia is wrong. Is perfectly valid but the truthfulness must be enhanced through the use scientific observations like using technology to see if the persons brain is responding to stimuli. The use of sense perception and reason together complements each other to provide even sturdier, valid, reasoned-based knowledge with sufficient verification. The fact that global warming is occurring is derived from both reason and perception. According to NASA 80% of ice field have been lost in the last century as see through satellite pictures, hence we can use deductive reasoning to conclude that if Drastic climate change and melting ice caps indicate global warming, NASA claims that 80% of ice field have melted , and United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports that 11 of the past 12 years are among the dozen warmest since 1850, hence global warming is occurring Emotions and Language has principal problems that override its benefits, and hence is less likely to lead to the truth. Although language is central in communication; performing many functions such as conveying emotions (expressive), express creativity, used for social and representational purposes, it is deceptive and treacherous due to its vagueness and ambiguity.( Not so much for math and science, since language is controlled, neutral and rigid in these areas but in the other AOKs. Take Stalin for example, he used language as propaganda to establish a personal dictatorship, attack enemies and disguise the reign of terror and purges as well. Putting up slogans like Peasants can live like human beings filled with emotionally-arousing words, appealing connotations and glittering generalities manipulated the peasants into believing Stalin will bring back the glory days in Russia just like before World War I. Similarly emotion reinforces problems such as blurring reason, bias our perce ptions and color our language; humans are helpless in controlling emotions- it is irrational and occurs at fluctuating, urgent impulses. For example when my friend and I watched Valentines Day, she had just broken up with her boyfriend so was feeling distressed and gloomy, whereas I was joyous and excited to see Ashton Kutcher in it. By the end of the movie, her emotions has shaped a negative perception of the movie, thinking it was cheesy and gay, and divert from rational thinking to blame me for wasting her time watching it. On the contrary sometimes our reasoning is based on emotion; for example during a mandarin test, I had a cheat sheet ready in my pocket, but I decided not to cheat because of the guilt and fear I will feel. Suggesting that emotion mustnt be totally ignored since without emotion, the world will be dull, cause the uniformity of values and everything will pass unnoticed. So emotions can help humans acquire knowledge and enhance the search for knowledge, but the voice of reason is more rational. All the areas of knowledge are interconnected, one fails to work alone, and one effects the other, whether it is to enhance or limit the quest for truth. The advantageous combination of sense perception and reasoning creating highly valid, justified truths, with solvable limitations, whereas others, like emotions and language are overshadowed by its limitations. Citations: Buddha Buddhism Reality. On Truth and Reality. Web. Apr. 2010. . Mount Kilimanjaro Vanishing Icecaps. Scientific Visualizing Studio. 02 June 2002. Web. 30 Apr. 2010. . Global Warming Fast Facts. Daily Nature and Science News and Headlines | National Geographic News. Web. 03 May 2010. . Alchin, Nicholas. The Theory of Knowledge. Heinemann, blue book Powerpoints up on Moodle

truman :: essays papers

truman World War II began to take shape when Adolf Hitler came to power in Germany on January 30, 1930. Soon after, the German Parliament suspended the constitution making Hitler Fuhrer and dictator. Hitler was angered by the Treaty of Versailles and he blamed Germany’s defeat on the Communists and the Jews. In 1934, Hitler announced a program of rearmament that violated the Treaty of Versailles. At the same time Mussolini was building a powerful army in Italy and threatened to invade Ethiopia. In may 1935, Italy invaded Ethiopia and quickly overwhelmed their weak defenses. This action made Congress pass a Neutrality Act that authorized the president to stop all arms shipments to nations at war. In 1936, Mussolini joined forces with Hitler to form the Rome-Berlin Axis. During the buildup of the war the United States had the intention to stay neutral. Roosevelt stated, â€Å"We are not isolationists except in so far as we seek to isolate ourselves completely from war.† Isolation policies became more difficult when Franco started a civil war in Spain with the aid a Germany and Italy. Over 3000 Americans joined the loyalist cause and fought in the Abraham Lincoln Brigade to oppose fascism in Spain. As a show of neutrality, the U.S. passed another Neutrality Act making it illegal for American citizens to travel on ships of countries at war. This act also made nonmilitary items available to other nations on a cash and carry basis only. In 1936, Hitler seized the previously demilitarized zone of the Rhineland and in 1938 he annexed Austria. Six months later he demanded the Sudetland which Britain and France granted him in return for an agreement that Germany make no more territorial advances. Within six months Hitler’s forces took Czechoslovakia. August 23, 1939 brought a Nazi-Soviet pact. One week later Hitler attacked Poland officially beginning World War II. Britain and France came to Poland’s defense. Also in 1939, Albert Einstein warned Roosevelt that German scientists were building an atomic bomb. Roosevelt authorized the establishment of the Manhattan Project. The German blitzkrieg rushed through Europe overwhelming Norway, Denmark, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. Soon after the Germans invaded France which led to the French surrender in June of 1940. Meanwhile the U.S. approved shipments of 50 old American destroyers to Britain in return for the right to establish naval bases in British territory.

Pom Omo Unilever

HANOI UNIVERSITYFACULTY OF MANAGEMENT AND TOURISMPRINCIPLE OF MARKETING REPORTOMO – UNILEVER VIETNAMTutor: Ph? m Th? Phu? ngStudents: Khuong Du KimTr? n Th? H? ng NgaD? Qu? nh TrangHoang Thanh LoanTutorial: Tut 5 – Second MajorHanoi, May 2012| PRINCIPLE OF MARKETING REPORT Subject: Principles of Marketing Tutorial: 5 – Second Major Tutor: Ph? m Th? Phu? ng Group members: 1. Khuong Du Kim- ID 0907010110 2. Tr? n Th? H? ng Nga- ID 0907010161 3. Hoang Thanh Loan – ID 0807010102 4. D? Qu? nh Trang- ID 0907010232 Date of submission: May 4th, 2012 TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive summary4 I.Introduction5 II. Situation analysis5 1. Company analysis5 1. 1 Mission statement5 1. 2 Company objective6 2. Environmental analysis7 2. 1 Economic factor7 2. 2 Demographic factor7 2. 3 Cultural factor7 2. 4 Technological factor8 2. 5 Political factor8 2. 6 Natural factor8 3. Competitive analysis8 4. Customer analysis12 4. 1 Geographic segmentation12 4. 2 Demographic segmentation1 2 4. 3 Behavioral segmentation12 4. 4 Psychographic segmentation12 5. Brand analysis13 5. 1 Brand’s current performance 13 5. 2 The current marketing strategy using framework 4 Ps13 6. SWOT analysis16 6. 1 Strengths16 . 2 Weaknesses18 6. 3 Opportunities19 6. 4 Threats19 III. Conclusion20 REFERENCES21 Executive summary In recent years, the surprising growth of economy along with the involvement of Vietnam into WTO has brought many opportunities for the purchase, sale and exchange of goods and services. Therefore, the company’s success mostly depends on how it carries out the business to utilize these advantages effectively. OMO is a highly aware washing powder product of Unilever Vietnam Joint Venture Company (formerly Lever Vietnam) – a joint venture specializing in Home and Personal Care brands.Since the commencement of Unilever’s operation in Vietnam in 1995, Unilever Vietnam has successfully grown to become a leading fast-moving consumer goods company in the local market This report presents the industry and competition analysis of the OMO product and shows the strong and weak features of the Unilever Vietnam to find out the suitable way coping with the current situation by suggesting some recommendations. In the main analysis, first, this report indicates the overview about the company operations. Next, it describes the macro environment trend that affects the market and the company’s competitors.Then, the customer segments and brand are analyzed, followed by the SWOT analysis. Finally, some recommendations are given for the company. OMO has become one of the detergent-leading brands in Vietnam market, but the competition will never stop there. Therefore, this research is essential to maintain the position of the OMO market as well as to help Government design better policies that aim to create a better environment where local business can play a greater role in the development of the society and economy of Vietnam. I. IN TRODUCTIONVietnam’s involvement in WTO has brought in many good results in every aspect of life, especially in the economy. In recent years, Vietnamese businesses have became more interested in and made better use of the big opportunities which WTO brought them. On top of that, there is a growing concern about the purchase, sale and exchange of goods and services. How to facilitate Vietnamese consumers in doing the shopping, supply them with better choices, better goods and better prices is always the deep preoccupation of Vietnamese companies.OMO is a highly aware washing powder product of Unilever Vietnam Joint Venture Company (formerly Lever Vietnam) – a joint venture specializing in Home and Personal Care brands. According to the recently issued report by the Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM), by 2007, UVN ranks the 27th largest business in Vietnam and the largest in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector. Unilever Vietnam is a long-term invest or, who has been deeply rooted in the economy, having strong forward and backward linkages and, by and large, serving domestic consumers. This drives us to conduct research about this product.The economy of Vietnam is gradually growing that enables people enjoy higher living standard. Higher living conditions demand higher quality products. As the world changes so the business must change to meet new consumer needs. It is inevitable that washing power is very a necessary consumer product in almost households. OMO has been partially met customer expectations for their quality products. Now this product has formed its brand equity on the market in both domestic and international market. This study attempts to make a deeper understanding about the OMO product in terms of the current arket, the marketing environment, the organization, the customers, and the competitors – all of which influence the development of the OMO marketing plan. Furthermore, it is conducted to find out the actual situation of customer and the situation of the company. Through this study, the advantages, disadvantages and the competition of the OMO product was clearly highlighted II. SITUATION ANALYSIS 1. COMPANY ANALYSIS 1. 1. Mission Statement Attracting and building long lasting relationship with customers through effective communication is what the OMO product has been doing.It brings the wealth of knowledge and international expertise to the service of local consumers. Its mission is to add continuously vitality to the quality of life of consumers. OMO meets every day needs for hygiene and personal care with brands that help people feel good, look good and get more out of life. Its long term success requires a total commitment to exceptional standards of performance and productivity, to working together effectively, and to a willingness to embrace new ideas and learn continuously.This is its road to sustainable, profitable growth, creating long-term value for our shareholders, ou r people, and our business partners. 1. 2. Company objectives a. Financial In order to achieve the good result for the future development and the mission of maximizing profit, pursuing a business growth strategy, year after year, OMO aggressively pursues the long term profitability and growth objective with the goal of gaining positive financial performance, specifically: * Earn an annual rate of return of at least 30% over the next 12 months. Produce net profits (before interest and tax) of 250 billion VND in 2013. b. Marketing objectives In the long run for the next 12 months, our company aims at becoming a market share leadership in the field of detergent powder. Specifically, the objective is to gain a market share of 68% of the domestic market. In order to reach this target, we have to: * Achieve total sales revenue of 900 billion VND in 2011, which represents a 28% increase. Therefore, achieve a unit sale volume of 800 million products. Increase product awareness of OMO brand among target audience to 98% over the planning period. * Inform target audience about features and benefits of our product and its competitive advantage, leading to a 10 percent increase in sales in one year. * Enter the higher-income segment of the 30 to 35 year old market with internet services and ordering capability. * Enlarge our distribution network by 200% by the next 12 months. * Aim for an average price of 28,000 VND per kilo in the long run. * Increase loyalty among current customer Increase customer satisfaction and relationships 2. ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS 2. 1. Economic factor As the national living standard improves, the demand and need for common products are higher. However, when the inflation has been increasing in Vietnam in recent year, prices of many goods also increases uncontrollably and Vietnamese consumers have to pay more for daily-using products, including washing powder. Some recent statistics show that OMO’s price has increased by about 10,000 VND pe r kilogram since 2002 (Group 9 NH03, 2009).This can makes most of consumer more reluctant when purchasing washing powders with higher price. They are likely to find cheaper substitutes to satisfy their demand. If OMO keeps such a high price level, the number of consumer may reduce significantly no matter how much the company advertises for their products. This will be a big obstacle for OMO in the near future. 2. 2. Demographic factor The Vietnamese population is increasing quickly, as the total population now reaches 90 million and this figure is believed to rise by 1 million per year (Vietnam Demographics Profile 2012).Washing powder is a necessary good used across the country, hence Unilever has many opportunities to increase their sale volume and develop OMO product. Another good news for OMO is that Vietnam’s population density is higher and higher in big cities, especially Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam Demographics Profile 2012). In addition, the fact that people are leaving the countryside for the city center to find better-paid jobs reduces the distance of delivery between buyers and sellers and saves transportation cost for the company. . 3. Social/ Cultural factor Culture is a vital part of every society and the important cause of people’s wants and behaviours. Recognizing the important role of culture in promoting products, Unilever has focused on Vietnamese culture in many advertisements. For example, OMO flower fragrance is associated with the image of Vietnamese diligent housewives, OMO TET with images of a happy family on Tet holiday with such impressive slogans as â€Å"T? t lam di? u hay ng? i gi v? t b? n†, â€Å"T? t lam di? u phuc, sung tuc c? am†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ OMO also participates in social welfare programs funding for poor students or contributing to the social facilities with meaningful slogans like â€Å"V? n tim vang cho tri? u t? m long vang†, â€Å"OMO, ao tr? ng ng? i sang tuong lai†, all of which are very consistent with Vietnamese culture and win many customers’ heart (‘Chi? n lu? c marketing c? a Omo’, 2011, TNO, P. , 2005). In addition, Unilever has designed many product lines with diversified features to meet the needs of various customer groups, for instance, OMO 99 Stains, OMO Bleach, OMO Comfort and OMO Matic Frontload. 2. 4.Technological factor In the technological era, every company tries their best to apply the newest technology to produce new products. In recent years, Unilever  has invested much in R&D to have modern production lines and new technology which help reduce costs and add more features to their products (Unilever, 2011). Because of the technology advance, advertisements of OMO appear constantly  in the media, hence  bring OMO much closer to the consumers (‘Danh gia hi? u qu? qu? ng cao’, n. d. ). Therefore, technology enables OMO not only to enhance its quality but also to reach target consumers easier. . 5. Political factor The government has a vital role in operating the business over the whole country. Vietnam  is now  implementing an open market policy  by  facilitating  access to a wide variety of  products. However,  obstacles like  tariffs and quotas  on materials increase the price of many goods including OMO. Moreover, the regulations in Vietnam  are not strict enough and people may commit illegal actions as in the case of a firm in Thanh Hoa province which produced fake OMO with a lot of stone (Huy, Q. , 2010).Such problem may leave negative impressions of OMO brand in the customers’ mind. Nonetheless, the stability of Vietnam’s politics is still a significant factor that draws the interests of many international firms. 2. 6. Natural factor Today, most industries have to face a serious lack of resources and OMO is not an exception. Resources for OMO production have been increasingly exhausted because the main ingredients are fat acids deriv ed from crude oil. In recent years, the oil price keeps going up, leading to the rise in costs of production and causes the price of OMO to increase.Oil price increases also cause delivery cost to increase too. Moreover, nowadays, environment is a very hot issue; many companies have failed because they ignore the environmental concerns. The case of Vedan is one typical example. Producing environment friendly products is a good way to attract customers who want to do something good for the surrounding environment. To save the environment, every company needs to follow the government laws, and take their responsibility to protect environment even when that will make their product more expensive.Unilever is successful with their waste treatment water process and receives good feedbacks from society (Unilever, n. d. ). 3. COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS Nowadays, washing powder has become a common good and there are pretty much washing powder brands of different manufacturers in the market competi ng with each other for customers’ attention. Specifically, OMO are facing many competitors such as: Tide, Hoa Mo, Surf, Viso, Vi Dan. However, Viso and Surf are both products of Unilever while P&G owns Tide and Vi Dan belongs to Vico.These two brands, especially Tide, are the most threatening rivals to OMO in the market at the moment. According to the statistics, OMO currently accounts for 60% of the market share, while Tide makes up 30% and other brands only contribute 10% (Group 9 NH03, 2009). 3. 1. Direct and indirect competitors a. Indirect competitors Indirect competitors are businesses that are offering products and services that are close substitutes. These competitors are probably targeting one’s markets with a same or similar value proposition, but delivering a different product.In Vietnam, there are many indirect competitors for OMO like Ariel, Amway, Lix, Lifeboy, Pamolive, Enchanteur, Lux, †¦ as they also provide washing products but concentrate more o n washing water and soap. b. Direct competitors Direct competitors are businesses that are offering identical or similar products or services as a person’s business. These are companies that customers can easily buy from instead of from that one, and they represent the most intense competition. In the situation of Vietnamese washing powder market, we can clearly see two strong competitors of OMO, which are Tide and Vi Dan. 3. 2.Analysis of two direct competitors The table below shows the comparison of three washing powder brand names. Products Characteristics | OMO| Tide| Vi Dan| Quality| Good| Good| Normal| Design| Diversity| Diversity| Normal| Skin safety| Relative| Relative| Relative| Name| Simple, easy to remember, consumers preferred| Simple, easy to remember, consumers not appreciated| Close to the Vietnamese people| Catalog| Diversity| Relative| Less| Price| Expensive| Expensive| Cheap| Distribution| Wide| Wide| Within territory| Advertising| Good, a lot, attractive| G ood, not much| Less| Promotions| A lot, attractive| A lot| Less|Technology| Modern| Modern| Modern| Brand name| Famous, prestigious| Famous, prestigious| Normal| Scale| Large| Large| Small| Management ability| Good| Good| Good| a. Advantages of Tide over OMO Tide belongs to P&G Corporation which concentrates on detergent and cosmetics. In terms of global strategy, P&G is considered to be superior to Unilever with a more advanced position in many important market sectors. By occupying Gillete and focusing on its strategic goods, P&G will continue to expand (Unilever vs. P&G (Procter and Gamble), 2009).In terms of brand, while OMO has a series of products including OMO 99 Stains, OMO Bleach, OMO Matic Frontload and Topload, Tide also has a wide variety of products such as Tide Downy, Tide Spring Flower Scent, Tide Supermatic, Tide White and Clean†¦ It targets all customers with different income levels and characteristics with different styles and features. Tide has launched many impressive promotion programs under the theme â€Å"Dirt can’t hide from intensified Tide,† â€Å"If it’s got to be clean, it’s got to be Tide† and â€Å"Tide’s in, dirt’s out. † These programs attract a lot of people and gradually gain position in customers’ mind. . Disadvantages of Tide relative to OMO Firstly, P&G penetrates the Vietnamese market after Unilever. Vietnamese people know about OMO before Tide, and Comfort before the existence of Downy. In addition, the pronunciation of â€Å"OMO† is quite easy for Vietnamese while many people feel ashamed of pronouncing â€Å"Tide† in Vietnamese as it can easily cause misunderstanding. Moreover, the producer of Tide has not paid enough attention to the product design so Tide remains relatively simple and little changed (Unilever vs. P&G (Procter and Gamble), 2009). c.Advantages of Vi Dan relative to OMO Besides Tide, OMO also has to pay attention to the exi stence of Vi Dan – a product of Vico Co. , Ltd. , a 100% Vietnamese washing powder brand. The brand name Vi Dan sounds very Vietnamese and familiar with Vietnamese people life. The price of Vi Dan is also much lower than both Tide and OMO. Therefore, Vi Dan attracts more low income people and people in countryside (Phuong, K. , 2010). d. Disadvantages of Vi Dan relative to OMO Vi Dan is a small brand name so their products are distributed in a small areas and the scale is also small.Vi Dan is not popular in the market because VICO does not pay much attention to advertisement and promotion. This company also has little experience in producing and distributing. These drawbacks make customers know little about Vi Dan (Phuong, K. , 2010). * OMO Low reliable trademark Low perceived quality High reliable trademark * Vi Dan * Tide To sum up, in such a competitive environment, OMO should push up their promotion and improve the products’ quality to retain customers in current m arkets and aim at expand their market further to the rural areas.A positioning map 4. CUSTOMER ANALYSIS Criteria| Target customers| Behaviour| Purchase occasion: regular occasionBenefits sought: clean and bright clothes, safety, labour-free, time-savingUser status: regular userUsage rate: heavy userLoyalty status: strong Readiness state: almost all Vietnamese households have tried OMO at least once (Unilever, 2011). Brand familiarity: preference or recognition (the most highly recognized brand in Vietnam in 2005, second rank in top 500 famous brand name in 2006) (Unilever, 2011). Psychographic| Socioeconomic status: women are getting more important positions in society, holding responsible for choosing which domestic products to purchaseValues, attitudes and lifestyles: customers prefer products that can offer quick, safe and effective stain removal, modern style, natural sweet scent and family’s satisfaction| Demographic| Age: users of all age groups, especially those who ar e eighteen and above, mature, employed and marriedGender: mainly focus on female who are responsible for washings in a familyFamily size: extended families with two or three generations living in the same houseIncome: stable, medium to high income| Geography| Density: focus on cities and towns with high population density such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Hai Phong, Da Nang,.. | Decision type of the product: Routine response behaviour OMO is a low cost, low risk and frequently purchased product. Therefore, the customers need little search and decision effort and mostly rely on past experience when buying this product. We need to satisfy current customers by maintaining sufficient quality service and value. We must also try to attract new buyers by introducing new features and using points of purchase displays and price deals. 5.BRAND ANALYSIS 5. 1. Brand’s current performance Since the first day of appearing in Vietnam in 1995, through delivering the simplest and most efficient lau ndry, OMO are contributing to a cleaner and happier Vietnamese life. The consumers’ love for OMO brand is the highest recognition for what the company has been doing (Unilever, 2011). Theoretically, most of products follow 5-stage product life cycle and each stage is marked with certain sales growth and profit level (Kotler, P. , Adam, S. , Brown, L. , & Armstrong, G. , 2006). The five stages are product development, introduction, growth, maturity and decline, which represent an S-shaped life cycle.Since OMO came to Vietnam, it seemed that this product has undergone 4 stages: product development, introduction, growth and maturity. Today, OMO is at the maturity stage because of some reasons: it is facing growth rate slowed down, supply of goods tends to rise higher than actual demand, having high pressure from large customers because of various choices of other brands. OMO is implementing some special strategies to deal with this period. For instance, OMO is always changing to improve product quality to attract the attention of customers and maintain market share as adding washing powder for more active whitening ingredients, bleaching 99 types of stains, flower flavors added to make clothes more sweet smelling, †¦OMO also changes the products’ styles from package into plastic bags with many size for more convenient usage, or changes the color and image†¦ Beside, OMO has applied cutting price strategies by increasing the amount of products without rising prices, promotional bonus, using the form of lucky draw, lucky scratch card, won gold, houses, cars, tours,†¦ together with discounts in special occasions to attract more consumers’ attention (‘Chi? n lu? c marketing c? a Omo’, 2011). 5. 2. OMO using the 4Ps framework To gain such a position in current marketplace, Unilever had an excellent marketing strategy for all of their products in general and for OMO in particular. It can be said that the company has appli ed the 4Ps framework effectively to promote the OMO brand. a. Product: Characteristics: OMO is a product with high quality in comparison with other kinds of washing powders; it can dislodge completely any dirty spots on the clothes. * Brand name: OMO is the short name which is easy to remember and pronounce. * Packaging: Packaging is considered as a silent salesperson, and the most outstanding feature about packaging of OMO products is that it is very vivid, colorful, fresh, friendly, striking and very eye-catching. OMO's traditional colors are red, white, and blue. Packaging is always improved to create the highest aesthetics to consumers and ensure the product quality. * Size: To meet consumers’ demand, there are many kinds of OMO products with many sizes: 400g, 800g, 1. 5kg, 3kg, 4. kg, and 5kg. * Types of product: During development period, OMO always gives new products to meet the new demand as soon as possible. For example: * In 2003, OMO is the first brand to provide d etergent for washing machine. Up until now, OMO Matic has been recommended by 80% of washing machine manufacturers in Vietnam (Unilever, 2011). * In 2004, OMO launched break-through formulation which cleans dirt even in hard-to-reach places, showing that it is the expert when it comes to removing the toughest  stains. * In 2007, OMO Comfort with long lasting fragrant was introduced. * On May 8th 2010, Unilever launched the OMO Concentrate Laundry. b. PricePrice is another important part of the marketing mix including wholesale prices, retail prices, discounts, rebates and credits. Price must be commensurate with the value received by customers and competition. Recognizing that 80% of consumers in Vietnam live in rural areas with low incomes; Unilever Vietnam has set targets to reduce production costs in order to bring the reasonable price for consumers. The company has relied on small local businesses to find local raw materials to replace the imported ones, reducing costs by payi ng less import taxes. In addition, the company has allocated the branches across the North, Central and South areas to reduce transportation and warehouse costs.Moreover, Unilever provides financial supports to help local businesses upgrade production facilities, offers technology transfer, and holds training programs to increase the quality and productivity. Besides, OMO uses the penetration price strategy. In the first 5 years since the introduction, the company maintained OMO price and quality in the face of rises in raw materials and fuel price. These measures helped OMO gradually gain market share and increase the price later. Calculations show that from 2002 up to date, OMO washing powder prices have increased by about 10,000 VND/ kg (Group 9 NH03, 2009). ND? c ng? a c. Placement Unilever decided to create a marketing and distribution system across the country, covering more than 100,000 locations. Unilever Vietnam is divided into seven regional sales.Unilever has classified t he cities into one group, the group communication channel 2 (GT2), including Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, the GT4 group consists of GT2 and Da Nang, Can Tho; and GT8 includes GT4 and Hai Phong, Vinh, Nha Trang, Bien Hoa (Chi? n lu? c marketing c? a Omo, 2011). OMO is the daily and individual consumption, so the channels also differ compared to other commodities. Firstly, as a direct channel, the producers sell directly to final consumers. Consumers now have a certain belief in the OMO products so the company only has to use some forces as home sales, or sales through mail, mail order †¦ The forms allow the consumer to buy products through the media without advertising directly and interacting with the seller.Secondly, the product is sold via indirect channels using intermediaries between producers and consumers. There are three levels in this channel. * Manufacturers =; Retailers =; Consumers. For example, OMO products sold in retail stores such as Big C , supermarket chain Co-o p mart, Maximax systems †¦ * Manufacturer =; Wholesalers =; Retailers =; Consumers. For instance, OMO products sold in the commercial distribution centers such as Metro Binh Phu in Ho Chi Minh City. * Manufacturer =; Agent =; Wholesalers =; Retailers =; Consumers. For example, agents in Binh Duong have very modern equipments and scientific operating layouts.Goods after production at the plant will be set up in this center, and then shipped to dealers in Central (from back to Nha Trang) and the South, and this is the transit point for goods from Hanoi and Da Nang. d. Promotion: Promotion is a series of mixtures of activity: Advertising, promotions, public relations, direct sales and direct marketing. The selection of promotional tools to spread the brand image and message is extremely important. Unilever Vietnam have chosen to promote OMO through commercials on television and newspapers, organized programs such as promotional support, participates in events or exhibitions, estab lished study promotion funds for poor children†¦ The company also sponsored TV programs like â€Å"Vu? t qua th? thach† and â€Å"Chi? c non ki di? u†.OMO’s advertisements usually take the theme of family, contributing to the emotional appeal. As a result, OMO is getting more supports from the Vietnamese consumers. Besides, OMO is known as a leading brand participating in many social activities. Among these, poverty reduction is the most outstanding activity: OMO has developed the project â€Å"OMO mai d? ?m tinh xuan,† building nearly 300 houses in 37 districts of five poorest provinces in Vietnam and supported economic development programs at Cu Chi. Through these activities, Unilever drew a lot of attentions and received many positive responses for the company as well as the brand. 6. SWOT ANALYSISThe SWOT Analysis of the company is summarized in the following table: Internal External Unfavorable Favorable Strengths * Brand equity * â€Å"Talentà ¢â‚¬  policy * Distributor channels * R;D * Market share| Opportunities * Vietnam’s demographics * Favorable environment for foreign investment * Geographical favors | Weaknesses * Foreign brand in an Asian country | Threats * Shrinking market share * Decreasing customers demand due to economic downturn| The strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the company are discussed in details in the following section. 6. 1. Strengths * Brand equity Unilever was first founded in 1890s.In 2011, this Anglo-Dutch multinational group ranked the third-largest consumer goods company measured by revenues after P;G and Nestle. The company’s 400 brand portfolio ranges from nutritionally balanced foods to indulgent ice creams, affordable soaps, luxurious shampoos and everyday household care products. They are sold in more than 190 countries with 2 billion consumers on any given day. Unilever so far has expanded its business to more than 100 countries, including Vietnam. After more than 15 years of operation in Vietnam, Unilever has become a very familiar brand with the Asian country’s people. Nearly 5 million Unilever products such as OMO, PS, Clear, Pond’s, Knorr, etc are bought by Vietnamese consumers per day, (JV Raman, as cited in Phuong, T. , 2011).Obviously, trade mark is an advantage for Unilever to shorten the gap between the company products and the consumers. OMO, as a result, enjoys the favorable brand name to be an international standard detergent. * Effective â€Å"talent† policy â€Å"Brand and brains are two assets of our company† said Mr JV Raman, chairman of Unilever Vietnam. Unilever Vietnam is fully aware of the human resource’s role in business performance. The company has a variety of activities to pool in high-quality employees. Logging on Unilever website, the message of the Chairman is like a welcoming greeting, which offers the opportunities for all the people with the willing to co-ordinate, t o challenge themselves and to help develop the company.The company program known as â€Å"Unilever Future Leaders Program† was first launched in 1998 and till now, it has provided many newly-graduated students with employment opportunities. This policy no doubt has been an efficient investment of Unilever Vietnam in human resource. * Distributor channels By the year 2009, Unilever had a total of 283 distributors and nearly 150,000 retail stores across the country. In the year 2011, the number of retail stores rocketed to 180,000 – channeling Unilever products to an average number of 35 million Vietnamese customers per week. Larger distribution systems prove stronger position of Unilever brand name in the market.This system not only focuses on metropolitans like Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh city but also allocates evenly throughout the country. OMO then, like other Unilever products, has the access to a wide range of customers. * R;D Recognized innovation as â€Å"the key to p rogress†, research and development are always paid sufficient attention. Generally, nearly â‚ ¬1 billion was reported to have been invested in research and development every year, contributing to laboratories establishment, which paved the way for new thinking and techniques. Till now, a variety of OMO products are available: OMO bleach, OMO comfort, OMO packshot handwash, OMO packshot matic front load, OMO topload.This variety offers multiple choices for customers with different preferences. Moreover, to be in line with the company’s Sustainable Living Plan, the technology is suggested to be based on sustainable inputs and used in a sustainable manner. Unilever products are used 2 billion times per day (Wright, R. , n. d. ) and each technology advance in each product can help to protect the environment. Take OMO liquid for example, if dosed correctly, the concentrated OMO liquid provides the same number of washes as ‘dilute liquids’ and at the same time , reduces water and waste, halving the number of trucks required to transport them and then reducing greenhouse gas emissions per wash, (Wright, R. , n. d. ).This new type of OMO detergent not only saves the time and the cost for the consumers but also raise the awareness of environment protection and social responsibility. * Market share Despite the fact that Unilever holds 48% of Vietnam market share, in term of Fabric cleaning, Unilever is the leading brand with a dominant provider with 77% of Vietnam market share (Manwani, H. , 2005). This figure clearly confirms OMO position in the detergent market of Vietnam. However, the statistics from 2005 has not fully reflected the current situation of fiercer competitions since new products have been entering the market. Unilever generally and OMO particularly is suggested to continue advance its technology and product quality to retain the market share. 6. 2. Weaknesses * Foreign brand in a typical Asian cultureDespite many years of exp erience operating in Vietnam, the Anglo-Dutch multinational group sometimes seems to have encountered cultural disparity between it and the Asian country. Take OMO Bleach promotion program for example. In the year 2006, Unilever organized an event called â€Å"Possible mission†, involving the giant short sleeve shirt washed with OMO bleach (Huong, L. , 2006). This Guinness recognized largest shirt was made from 6,200 meters of cloth. And for OMO Bleach to wash the shirt, a team of more than 100 engineers and mechanics had been working for 17 straight days to make a giant steel washing tank. After pouring 1800 liters of colors into the shirt, Unilever cleaned it out just in 10. 35 minutes with OMO Bleach.This set Unilever records but posed a negative group image towards Vietnamese people, who would prefer practical contributions to heavily brand promotion like that. The organization then had responded timely, using the shirt cloth to make 3000 small shirts for disadvantaged Vi etnamese children. Being a foreign brand in an Asian culture like Vietnam, Unilever then needs to improve its marketing approach for them to be more suitable and relevant with the country context and people’s norms. 6. 3. Opportunities: * Vietnam’s demographics By July 2011, total Vietnam population was more than 90 million people. This is obviously a dynamic market with a lot of potentials to realize. Children account for 25. 2%, adolescent and adults account for 69. % of the total 90 million people. This golden demographic model happens only one time of a country’s history. Conglomerate like Unilever then can tap on consuming market and at the same time take the full advantage of the available labor force. This may be the reason why for OMO to choose children as their advertisings’ main characters. With the slogan â€Å"Dirt is good†, OMO encourages all the parents to let their children freely explore the life and naturally uncover their own pote ntials (Unilever, 2011). In this way, OMO is not simply a fabric cleaning product but a close friend of every household. * Favorable environment for foreign investmentIn the global context of political disturbance and conflict, it is Vietnam’s political stability and national integrity that draw the attention of foreign investors. Moreover, since the â€Å"Doi Moi†, Vietnam authorities have implemented a variety of transformation, from administrative procedure to policies. The administrative procedure is much more simplified. Tax incentives are also employed to encourage foreign investors to invest in the Asian country. Last but not least, the bilateral dialogue between government and enterprises is encouraged. Foreign investors in Vietnam like Unilever have the right to directly reveal their opinions and recommendations. Vietnamese authorities at the same time can give positive or negative feedbacks on the businesses’ activities.Specifically, Unilever received the Prime Minister’s award for environmental protection in 2011. This two-way interaction ensures that all the company’s aspirations as well as efforts are fully recognized by the government. * Geographical favors Being a country in the favorable position, Vietnam has long coastlines with many harbors along. In addition, the country share border lines with a number of countries like China, Laos and Cambodia. As a result, it is very convenient for Unilever to export products, import raw materials or allocate products flexibly within the region. 6. 4. Threats * Shrinking market share More and more foreign investors are entering this Asian country.Not to mention Unilever’s biggest competitor in Vietnam – P;G, many distributor groups now came up with their own products. Take Big C Supermarket for example. This French supermarket group has had their own products like Big C detergent, Big C softener, etc at more reasonable prices. To solve the problem of differ ent level of income, Unilever has had three types of detergent including OMO, Surf, Viso. However, in order to retain the market share, Unilever is suggested to make each detergent product to be more customers-oriented. Otherwise, OMO market share can be lost to another Unilever detergent like Surf or Viso. * Decreasing consumer demand due to economic downturnAs a result of overheating economic growth, Vietnam economy is now in the situation of hiking inflation. The Consumer price index hit its peak at 18. 6% in November 2011. Although this index has been gone down to 16. 5% in March 2012, it is undeniable that the high inflation had decreased the people’s trust and their consuming demand. Depreciated currency lowers the people’s purchasing power. As a result, instead of buying a high-quality and high-price detergent like OMO, they can make up with an average-quality and more reasonable price one. It is Unilever’s duty to figure out ways to minimize the cost, im proving the production’s efficiency and then gradually offer the products at a more affordable price.Besides, promotion and sales are appropriate solution to stimulus the demand. Only by doing these can Unilever take a firm hold on its current market share in Vietnam. III. Conclusion In conclusion, OMO has got a large market share in Vietnam. From the product life cycle perspective, the Unilever’s detergent has entered the process of maturing, which signals the requirements to have more innovations with the view to upgrading quality and decreasing cost. In the context of more domestic and foreign competitors emerging in Vietnam, not to mention the inflation rate which has not completely decreased, the long-term relationship with customers is much more emphasized in OMO’s strategies.Being a daily household’s product, the long-term relationship with customers definitely will enhances and prolongs OMO sales and profits. Last but not least, more promotions an d continuingly updated commercial ads to catch up with customers’ expectations and market trend will be a deciding factor for OMO future development. Directing development to be more in line with government’s policies and stake holders’ benefits, OMO’s stance on Vietnam market is for many years to come. REFERENCES Anh Minh, 2011, Unilever va 1% GDP Vi? t Nam, viewed May 1 2012 ;http://vneconomy. vn/ 20111021023652541P0C5/unilever-va-1-gdp-viet-nam. htm;. Chi? n lu? c marketing c? a Omo, 2011, viewed May 1 2012 ;http://gomm. com. vn/20932-chien-luoc-marketing-cua-omo/;. Danh gia hi? u qu? qu? g cao, viewed May 1 2012 ;http://www. scribd. com/doc/ 37422305/5/%C3%90anh-gia-hi? u-qu? -qu? ng-cao; Dinh, T, 2004, 50 h? c sinh gi? i du? c nh? n h? c b? ng, viewed May 1 2012 ;http://vietbao. vn/ Giao-duc/50-hoc-sinh-gioi-duoc-nhan-hoc-bong/10883785/202/;. Group 9 NH03, 2009, Chi? n lu? c marketing cho s? n ph? m Omo, viewed May 1 2012 ;http://tailieu. vn/view-doc ument/chien-luoc-marketing-cho-san-pham-omo. 73276. html? lang=en;. Huy, Q. 2010, B? t gi? t Omo gi? †¦gi? ng nhu th? t, viewed May 1 2012 ;http://laodong. com. vn/ Tin-Tuc/Bot-giat-Omo-giagiong-nhu-that/8341;. Huong, L. , 2006, Chuong trinh â€Å"Nhi? m v? kh? thi† c? Nhan hang OMO T? y An Toan dang ky thi? t l? p c? k? l? c Vi? t Nam va th? gi? i, viewed May 1 2012 . Kotler, P. , Adam, S. , Brown, L. & Armstrong, G. , 2006, Principles of marketing, 3rd ed. , Prentice Hall, Australia. Manwani, H. (2005). Unilever in Asia, viewed May 1 2012 . Message from Chairman, n. d. viewed May 1 2012 . Phuong, K, 2010, T? hao thuong hi? u Vi? t: B? t gi? t â€Å"Vi Dan†, viewed May 1 2012 . Phuong, T, 2011, Tai s? n c? a Unilever Vi? t Nam: Thuong hi? u va nhan tai, viewed May 1 2012 . T, D. , 2006, OMO gi? i thi? u m? u bao bi s? n ph? m m? i, viewed May 1 2012 . TNO, P. 005, Chuong trinh OMO – Ao tr? ng ng? i sang  tuong lai 2005, viewed May 1 2012 . Unilever, 2011 , Our brands Omo, viewed May 1 2012 . Unilever vs P&G (Procter and Gamble), 2009, viewed May 1 2012 . Unilever Sustainable Living Plan, 2010, viewed May 1 2012 . Unilever, 2011, Hanh trinh kham pha: Unilever, em la ai? viewed May 1 2012 .

Striking the best deal: a closer look at negotiation

Negotiation styles must be dynamic and flexible; they ought to be adapted based on the context in which they shall be utilized. These styles may either be competitve or collaborative, depending on the extent to which the individual considers himself and the person he is negotiating with. The following scenario has been relayed for purposes of reflecting on my negotiation style and on the tangible means through which I can improve it.Negotiation has been overlooked as an important management competency / skill as it was limited to the confines of the conflict – resolution phase. This skill whose aim to is to minimize differences between parties, can also be effectively used as a tool for information-sharing, influencing and building or strengthening relationships. This tool is most helpful where the environment promotes openness in communication, particularly in the sharing of information and involvement of everyone in the decision-making in the organization.DiscussionThis pape r begins with a thorough discussion of the context in which the negotiation tool place. I have worked as a Human Resources Manager for a Battery Manufacturing company for two years now. After a careful review of my performance, I believe that my salary raise has been way overdue. There were several things which I had to adequately prepare prior to my negotiation with my boss. First, I had to gather as much objective / emprical evidence to back up my case.This meant going through my performance reviews, and seeing the achievements and the merits which I have accomplished for the past two years. I had to make sure that my claims were backed up by verifiable critical incidents. That is, my evidence must be as objective as possible so as to gain credence and strike up a reasonable bargain with my superior. My objective for the negotiation session was to convince my superior that I add value to the enterprise and therefor deserve a raise that will make my recent promotion worthwhile.I th en proceeded to schedule a meeting with my boss and went through the process of negotiating for a salary raise. I began the discussion with asking him about how he evaluated my performance for the past two years. He said that he thought my performance was exemplary and that I excelled more compared to the other managers of the department. I thanked him for his compliments and proceeded by giving a summary of my achievements within the past two years. I supported each of my traits with critical incidents. I ensured support for both technical exerptise and soft skills.I also gave a brief rundown of the training sessions which I have attended which demonstrated by authentic intent to improve myself further. I then showed my boss the strategic map of my company which illustrates the different strategic objectives of the organization, from the various perspectives of our Balanced Scorecard, encompassing financials, customer, best business practice, business development, and learning and growth. I again pointed out how the effective performance of my role is able to contribute to each of the strategic thrusts across these perspectives. He seemed to be convinced of the value of my role and my drive to excel.I then articulated my belief and feeling that my salary increase has been long overdue. He responded by saying that currently, the company has some financial considerations which has compelled him to be be very careful in giving raises lest we go beyond our operating budget. I responded by expressing empathy over his concern; â€Å"yes I understand the situation, Sir†. Since reason appealed more to my boss more than feelings, I decided to further rationalize the need for me to have a raise.I said that based on benchmark data, I feel that my pay is below the industry average when compared to parallel positions in other companies. I showed him the data. With salaries which are uncompetitive, I put forth that we will surely lose critical talent. I have also ad ded that with the addition of one more child to my family, I pragmatically need more financial resources more than ever. He seemed to agree with my arguments and yet he still maintained that the company was currently experiencing financial constraints which I must be able to consider. Again, I have expressed empathy of the situation.I then proceeded by asking him about his ideas about my proposition. This discussion was very important since both parties were engaged in the brainstorming and decision making process. He again reiterated the fact that the company then was experiencing certain financial constraints. After proposing severla alternatives, he agreed on a ‘conditional’ raise. First, I would have to show consistency in my performance within the next six months, exhibiting the same level of excellence and results orientation in my work.He said that the financial figures would have shown a turnaround by that time. I then reassured him that I am willing to compromi se and that I thought that the proposal was reasonable. I volunteered to summarize the discussion, and reiterated that I was expecting a 20% raise in my basic salary after an interim performance review, six months from the time of our discussion.. He finally agreed. Finally, for clarity of the agreements between us, I have volunteered to document all that was agreed upon so that we could sign for documentation purposes. He has also agreed with this proposal. I then proceeded to doing the minutes of the session and to have him concur to all that was stated in the document.There were several things which I have learned from myself from this experience on negotiation. First, it may be beneficial and reasonable to exhibit assertiveness when it is due. Had I not decided to muster all my courage to negotiate with my salary increase, I would not have gotten his word – also, considering the organization’s conservative position when it comes to giving out raises. I have also re alized that it is always beneficial to use key principles that ensure the smooth interpersonal relationship between two parties during the negotiation process.First, I have ensured to maintain or enhance his self-esteem despite being somehow frustrated with the fact that I have not received a raise for such a long time. I have expressed to him that I still felt motivated and driven in my work despite the lack of that hygiene factor – pay. Whenever there were instances wherein it appeared he lacked management skill, I always ‘balanced’ it off with a positive trait. This was to ensure that antagonism would not develop as a reaction from him. I found this very effective and critical in the process of negotiation.Next, I have also practiced the use of empathy. I always assured him that I understood the tight financial position that the company was experiencing then. I also assured him that I understood why he was not able to recommend a raise for me within 2 yearsâ⠂¬â„¢ time when he explained that the company was still in financial rehabilitation. Another effective technique was to engage him in brainstorming for ideas. If the idea solely came from me, he would surely not have buy-in with it and would tend to antagonize it. On the contrary, since he was part of the process of thinking of the best alternative for resolving the situation, he remained amiable and accepting throughout the whole process. This facilitated the discussion and made us arrive at a mutually beneficial option.There were also several things which I have learned about my superior following that session. I have realized that he was a very rational person, who bases his decisions on empirical data. He wanted support for all that was said. I feel that this was reasonable and has helped encourage objectivity from both parties. I came to the session prepared with all the necessary documents to support my arguments, knowing that he will be more appreciative given all these †˜evidence’. In effect, the sense of subjectivity from both parties is diminished which also helped maintain that atmosphere of amiability. I then realized from the experience that it is very important for a manager to be psychologically prepared before going through any negotiation or bargaining process.This experience was quite different from the parties whom I have negotiated with in the past. One difference was the personality of the party whom I was negotiating with – my superior was highly objective and was willing to negotiate. Such willingness and objectivity are very important. There were parties in the past who appear to be very antagonistic to begin with, and were not willing to compromise. In effect, the session was simply about manipulation and getting the other party to agree to what one wants.This is a wrong assumption, and is marked by close-mindedness. Another difference which I have noted was the willingness of my boss to reach a reasonable compromise . He listened to my arguments and assessed if they held water. If they did, he acknowledged them and were open to them. He also considered the financial constraints of the company and had to adjust his proposition so that both parties may benefit.It should also be noted that in the process of negotiation, managerial-level bargaining is controlled by the organization in such a way that the company’s interest is placed at top priority, unshadowed by the personal interest of the manager (Ramundo, 1992). The effectivity of the negotiation is also seen in the prevalence of the organizational interest as negotiation can be exploited to serve the manager’s or negotiator’s personal objectives. In the future, I would proceed by researching not only about the profile and the ways of my superior per se, but also of other factors which may influence the bargain.For instance, I was not able to take into consideration the fact that the company was then experiencing financial constraints at that time. A profound knowledge of all the factors that may affect the negotiation process is critical, so that the alternative reached after the process is one that is realistic and that does not put undue pressure on either party.ConclusionThe competency of negotiation is a must for every manager. As a business leader, the ability to communicate with persuasion, presenting an idea and coming up with options in order to reach an agreement between parties is a well-known, yet unmastered competency. Studies have shown that this skill has been linked to Emotional Intelligence. Ergo, being a good negotiator entails possessing a high EQ. But like any other skill, the researcher believes that negotiation can be developed through training, concepts, knowledge of the techniques and practice. I have learned from the experience that it is important to exhibit assertiveness and effective interpersonal techniques during the negotiation process. Moreover, it may also be helpful t o ‘size up’ the party you are bargaining with to be able to use the most suitable bargaining techniques.I have realized, too, that more than convincing or influencing decisions, negotiating is also about developing and maintaining relationships. In the field of business, this is one of, if not the most important aspects in surviving in its tough arena. The negotiating table is a staple in the life cycle of business – from the start of the partnership, to term modifications until the end of the business relationship.When one speaks about the skill or process of negotiation, it is usually associated with business deals, bargaining or conflict resolution. However, little did most people know that it is also one form of influencing which is aimed at achieving win-win outcomes (Manning & Robertson, 2004).   It was also described as the process wherein parties meet having different objectives and / or values basing from their motives or interests.The end product of s uch process is to at least minimize the conflicting differences, so as to reach a mutual agreement. In the experience which I have just related, I was willing to compromise in having a raise, but within a time frame proposed by my boss. If I had insisted on what I wanted and was not willing to delay gratification, this could have possibly breeded antagonism and would have pre-empted the smooth closure of the negotiation process.Though the definition may sound too theoretical, managers are very aware of its practical power in the lifeblood of businesses in all industries. It is through negotiation that the business is opened up for partnership, whether it is for dealers, suppliers or customers. For issues that may be surrounding the deal or service, the negotiating table is the venue for smoothing out these issues and maintaining the business relationship. And in the final stages of the business partnership, remaining issues or options on the business are discussed in the process. Fo llowing these circumstances, conflict can readily emerge in the process due to the premise of persuading another party to be performing an action or agree to an idea which may be quite disagreeable for some reason.More specific examples of negotiation can be seen in the following: Managers do negotiation with union contracts (Walton & Mackenzie, 1965), resource prices and allocations, delivery schedules, promotions, compensation packages (Lax & Sebenius, 1986; Murninghan, 1992), and a myriad of other aspects of organizational outcomes ( Wall & Blum, 1991).This was further emphasized by Mintzberg (1993), pointing out that negotiation was identified as a primary managerial role, particularly in decision-making. Ramundo (1992) postulated that almost two-third of the managerial function is devoted to dialogues in all levels within the organization even if this was not primarily considered in orthodox writings on management. Over the years, organization-based negotiations have not only i ncreased in frequency, but also has become more critically complex.Wall & Blum (1992) observed that it has likewise put on a more ambiguous and changeable which could be attributed to the interdependencies between organizations brought by the globalization and the trend of diminishing boundaries. In addition, they also cited the cross-cultural differences brought by international business as well as the current pack of employees who are well-educated possessing knowledge of expert caliber.Thus, as a manager, I feel that negotiation ought to be a core competency, since in the organizational setting, there are many conflicts where negotiation may be useful. Through a thorough knowledge and practice of negotiation techniques, these situations may be handled with greater ease.ReferencesLax, D.L. & Sebenius, J.K. (1986). The manager as negotiator: Bargaining for cooperation and competitive gain. New York: Free PressWall, J.A. & Blum, M.W. (1991). Negotiations. Journal of Management, 17, 273-303Ramundo, B.R. (1994). The Bargaining Manager: Enhancing Organizational Results Through Negotiation. Westport, CT: Quorum BooksMintzberg, H. (1973). The nature of managerial work. New York: Harper and RowWalton, R.E. &   McKersie, R.B. (1965). A behavioral theory of labor negotiations: an analysis of a social interaction system. Ithaca, NY: BLRManning, T. & Robertson, B. (2004). Influencing, negotiating skills and conflict-handling: some additional research and reflections. Industrial and Commermcial Training, 36, 104 Striking the best deal: a closer look at negotiation IntroductionNegotiation styles must be dynamic and flexible; they ought to be adapted based on the context in which they shall be utilized. These styles may either be competitve or collaborative, depending on the extent to which the individual considers himself and the person he is negotiating with. The following scenario has been relayed for purposes of reflecting on my negotiation style and on the tangible means through which I can improve it.Negotiation has been overlooked as an important management competency / skill as it was limited to the confines of the conflict – resolution phase. This skill whose aim to is to minimize differences between parties, can also be effectively used as a tool for information-sharing, influencing and building or strengthening relationships. This tool is most helpful where the environment promotes openness in communication, particularly in the sharing of information and involvement of everyone in the decision-making in the organization.Discuss ionThis paper begins with a thorough discussion of the context in which the negotiation tool place. I have worked as a Human Resources Manager for a Battery Manufacturing company for two years now. After a careful review of my performance, I believe that my salary raise has been way overdue. There were several things which I had to adequately prepare prior to my negotiation with my boss. First, I had to gather as much objective / emprical evidence to back up my case. This meant going through my performance reviews, and seeing the achievements and the merits which I have accomplished for the past two years. I had to make sure that my claims were backed up by verifiable critical incidents. That is, my evidence must be as objective as possible so as to gain credence and strike up a reasonable bargain with my superior. My objective for the negotiation session was to convince my superior that I add value to the enterprise and therefor deserve a raise that will make my recent promotion wo rthwhile.I then proceeded to schedule a meeting with my boss and went through the process of negotiating for a salary raise. I began the discussion with asking him about how he evaluated my performance for the past two years. He said that he thought my performance was exemplary and that I excelled more compared to the other managers of the department. I thanked him for his compliments and proceeded by giving a summary of my achievements within the past two years. I supported each of my traits with critical incidents. I ensured support for both technical exerptise and soft skills. I also gave a brief rundown of the training sessions which I have attended which demonstrated by authentic intent to improve myself further.I then showed my boss the strategic map of my company which illustrates the different strategic objectives of the organization, from the various perspectives of our Balanced Scorecard, encompassing financials, customer, best business practice, business development, and learning and growth. I again pointed out how the effective performance of my role is able to contribute to each of the strategic thrusts across these perspectives. He seemed to be convinced of the value of my role and my drive to excel. I then articulated my belief and feeling that my salary increase has been long overdue.He responded by saying that currently, the company has some financial considerations which has compelled him to be be very careful in giving raises lest we go beyond our operating budget. I responded by expressing empathy over his concern; â€Å"yes I understand the situation, Sir†. Since reason appealed more to my boss more than feelings, I decided to further rationalize the need for me to have a raise. I said that based on benchmark data, I feel that my pay is below the industry average when compared to parallel positions in other companies.I showed him the data. With salaries which are uncompetitive, I put forth that we will surely lose critical talent. I have also added that with the addition of one more child to my family, I pragmatically need more financial resources more than ever. He seemed to agree with my arguments and yet he still maintained that the company was currently experiencing financial constraints which I must be able to consider. Again, I have expressed empathy of the situation.I then proceeded by asking him about his ideas about my proposition. This discussion was very important since both parties were engaged in the brainstorming and decision making process. He again reiterated the fact that the company then was experiencing certain financial constraints. After proposing severla alternatives, he agreed on a ‘conditional’ raise. First, I would have to show consistency in my performance within the next six months, exhibiting the same level of excellence and results orientation in my work. He said that the financial figures would have shown a turnaround by that time.I then reassured him that I am willin g to compromise and that I thought that the proposal was reasonable. I volunteered to summarize the discussion, and reiterated that I was expecting a 20% raise in my basic salary after an interim performance review, six months from the time of our discussion.. He finally agreed. Finally, for clarity of the agreements between us, I have volunteered to document all that was agreed upon so that we could sign for documentation purposes. He has also agreed with this proposal. I then proceeded to doing the minutes of the session and to have him concur to all that was stated in the document.There were several things which I have learned from myself from this experience on negotiation. First, it may be beneficial and reasonable to exhibit assertiveness when it is due. Had I not decided to muster all my courage to negotiate with my salary increase, I would not have gotten his word – also, considering the organization’s conservative position when it comes to giving out raises. I have also realized that it is always beneficial to use key principles that ensure the smooth interpersonal relationship between two parties during the negotiation process.First, I have ensured to maintain or enhance his self-esteem despite being somehow frustrated with the fact that I have not received a raise for such a long time. I have expressed to him that I still felt motivated and driven in my work despite the lack of that hygiene factor – pay. Whenever there were instances wherein it appeared he lacked management skill, I always ‘balanced’ it off with a positive trait. This was to ensure that antagonism would not develop as a reaction from him. I found this very effective and critical in the process of negotiation. Next, I have also practiced the use of empathy.I always assured him that I understood the tight financial position that the company was experiencing then. I also assured him that I understood why he was not able to recommend a raise for me with in 2 years’ time when he explained that the company was still in financial rehabilitation. Another effective technique was to engage him in brainstorming for ideas. If the idea solely came from me, he would surely not have buy-in with it and would tend to antagonize it. On the contrary, since he was part of the process of thinking of the best alternative for resolving the situation, he remained amiable and accepting throughout the whole process. This facilitated the discussion and made us arrive at a mutually beneficial option.There were also several things which I have learned about my superior following that session. I have realized that he was a very rational person, who bases his decisions on empirical data. He wanted support for all that was said. I feel that this was reasonable and has helped encourage objectivity from both parties. I came to the session prepared with all the necessary documents to support my arguments, knowing that he will be more appreciative given al l these ‘evidence’. In effect, the sense of subjectivity from both parties is diminished which also helped maintain that atmosphere of amiability. I then realized from the experience that it is very important for a manager to be psychologically prepared before going through any negotiation or bargaining process.This experience was quite different from the parties whom I have negotiated with in the past. One difference was the personality of the party whom I was negotiating with – my superior was highly objective and was willing to negotiate. Such willingness and objectivity are very important. There were parties in the past who appear to be very antagonistic to begin with, and were not willing to compromise. In effect, the session was simply about manipulation and getting the other party to agree to what one wants. This is a wrong assumption, and is marked by close-mindedness. Another difference which I have noted was the willingness of my boss to reach a reasona ble compromise. He listened to my arguments and assessed if they held water. If they did, he acknowledged them and were open to them. He also considered the financial constraints of the company and had to adjust his proposition so that both parties may benefit.It should also be noted that in the process of negotiation, managerial-level bargaining is controlled by the organization in such a way that the company’s interest is placed at top priority, unshadowed by the personal interest of the manager (Ramundo, 1992). The effectivity of the negotiation is also seen in the prevalence of the organizational interest as negotiation can be exploited to serve the manager’s or negotiator’s personal objectives. In the future, I would proceed by researching not only about the profile and the ways of my superior per se, but also of other factors which may influence the bargain. For instance, I was not able to take into consideration the fact that the company was then experien cing financial constraints at that time. A profound knowledge of all the factors that may affect the negotiation process is critical, so that the alternative reached after the process is one that is realistic and that does not put undue pressure on either party.ConclusionThe competency of negotiation is a must for every manager. As a business leader, the ability to communicate with persuasion, presenting an idea and coming up with options in order to reach an agreement between parties is a well-known, yet unmastered competency. Studies have shown that this skill has been linked to Emotional Intelligence. Ergo, being a good negotiator entails possessing a high EQ. But like any other skill, the researcher believes that negotiation can be developed through training, concepts, knowledge of the techniques and practice. I have learned from the experience that it is important to exhibit assertiveness and effective interpersonal techniques during the negotiation process. Moreover, it may al so be helpful to ‘size up’ the party you are bargaining with to be able to use the most suitable bargaining techniques.I have realized, too, that more than convincing or influencing decisions, negotiating is also about developing and maintaining relationships. In the field of business, this is one of, if not the most important aspects in surviving in its tough arena. The negotiating table is a staple in the life cycle of business – from the start of the partnership, to term modifications until the end of the business relationship.When one speaks about the skill or process of negotiation, it is usually associated with business deals, bargaining or conflict resolution. However, little did most people know that it is also one form of influencing which is aimed at achieving win-win outcomes (Manning & Robertson, 2004).   It was also described as the process wherein parties meet having different objectives and / or values basing from their motives or interests. The end product of such process is to at least minimize the conflicting differences, so as to reach a mutual agreement. In the experience which I have just related, I was willing to compromise in having a raise, but within a time frame proposed by my boss. If I had insisted on what I wanted and was not willing to delay gratification, this could have possibly breeded antagonism and would have pre-empted the smooth closure of the negotiation process.Though the definition may sound too theoretical, managers are very aware of its practical power in the lifeblood of businesses in all industries. It is through negotiation that the business is opened up for partnership, whether it is for dealers, suppliers or customers. For issues that may be surrounding the deal or service, the negotiating table is the venue for smoothing out these issues and maintaining the business relationship. And in the final stages of the business partnership, remaining issues or options on the business are discussed in the process. Following these circumstances, conflict can readily emerge in the process due to the premise of persuading another party to be performing an action or agree to an idea which may be quite disagreeable for some reason.More specific examples of negotiation can be seen in the following: Managers do negotiation with union contracts (Walton & Mackenzie, 1965), resource prices and allocations, delivery schedules, promotions, compensation packages (Lax & Sebenius, 1986; Murninghan, 1992), and a myriad of other aspects of organizational outcomes ( Wall & Blum, 1991).This was further emphasized by Mintzberg (1993), pointing out that negotiation was identified as a primary managerial role, particularly in decision-making. Ramundo (1992) postulated that almost two-third of the managerial function is devoted to dialogues in all levels within the organization even if this was not primarily considered in orthodox writings on management. Over the years, organization-based negotiations have not only increased in frequency, but also has become more critically complex. Wall & Blum (1992) observed that it has likewise put on a more ambiguous and changeable which could be attributed to the interdependencies between organizations brought by the globalization and the trend of diminishing boundaries. In addition, they also cited the cross-cultural differences brought by international business as well as the current pack of employees who are well-educated possessing knowledge of expert caliber.Thus, as a manager, I feel that negotiation ought to be a core competency, since in the organizational setting, there are many conflicts where negotiation may be useful. Through a thorough knowledge and practice of negotiation techniques, these situations may be handled with greater ease.ReferencesLax, D.L. & Sebenius, J.K. (1986). The manager as negotiator: Bargaining for cooperation and competitive gain. New York: Free PressWall, J.A. & Blum, M.W. (1991). Negotiations. Journal of Management, 17, 273-303Ramundo, B.R. (1994). The Bargaining Manager: Enhancing Organizational Results Through Negotiation. Westport, CT: Quorum BooksMintzberg, H. (1973). The nature of managerial work. New York: Harper and RowWalton, R.E. &   McKersie, R.B. (1965). A behavioral theory of labor negotiations: an analysis of a social interaction system. Ithaca, NY: BLRManning, T. & Robertson, B. (2004). Influencing, negotiating skills and conflict-handling: some additional research and reflections. Industrial and Commermcial Training, 36, 104

Operations and Process Management of EasyJet

Operations and Process Management of EasyJet Introduction EasyJet is a British airline offering domestic and international services across more than six hundred routes in over thirty-two countries. Based in London’s Luton Airport, the carrier enjoys a huge customer base due to its competitive quality services, customer care rapport, and increased employee motivation and retention (EasyJet Plc: At Glance n.d.).Advertising We will write a custom coursework sample on Operations and Process Management of EasyJet specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Other four United Kingdom’s airports within which the carrier enjoys wide market base include Gatwick, Stansted, Southend, Bristol, and Edinburgh. Likewise, the carrier boasts of huge markets in Malpesa, Naples, Venice, Nice, Basel, and Geneva. Other areas of influence include Paris Orly, Paris Charles De Gaulle, Lisbon, Lyon, and Rome Fiumicino. In order to consolidate the market base, EasyJet Company has a series of clearly de fined goals and objectives. This paper seeks to explore the culture in EasyJet Company that drives it to success. Similarly, the paper seeks to understand the gaps that exist within the success structures that derail the company’s goals. At the end of the analysis, the paper gives recommendation for areas that require improvement to ensure EasyJet remains competitive in the provision of air travel services. Strategies for Success In order to execute these core values and ensure a high rate of return on investment, EasyJet employs various strategies for success. Some of the key strategies are highlighted below. Employee variables High performance culture EasyJet strives to develop a high performance culture in the provision of goods and services to its customers. In order to do this, the company promotes employee engagement, training, and appraisal to ensure adequate motivation. Such a setting together with high rewards for employees and instant appreciation structures ensure that EasyJet enjoys a competitive advantage over other players in the airline transport sector (Gostick and Elton 2012).Advertising Looking for coursework on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Employee engagement reviews and statistics help forms employee engagement programmes of the company. This approach takes place on an annual basis with continuous improvement to implement the outcomes of the surveys successfully. As Gostick and Elton (2012) observe, such employee examinations help the company evaluate individual goals and ambitions of the employees, thereby creating an avenue for the development of company goals and objectives within specified timeframes. Similarly, the company ensures inclusivity in job execution. In this context, EasyJet captains and non-technical staffs get additional day trainings and capacity building on leadership and management roles in the company. Such an initiative p lays a critical function in supporting the commercial objectives of the company. Effective communication culture For an organisation to achieve its strategic goals, it is important for the leaders to develop an effective open communication culture (Slack, Brandon-Jones, and Johnston 2013). EasyJet has an adequate internal and external communication structure that enables employees stay up-to-date with the business progress. The chief executive officer holds weekly call on the top management staff while the employees in the lower carders of management get updates from frequent news round-ups. In the same way, the executive management teams organise frequent base visits to communicate new strategies of management to the people on the ground. All these coupled with the community-based newsletter ensure a complete chain of communication from the company’s leaders to the consumers (Belasen 2000). Recognition and reward Reward and recognition plays an imperative role in recruitment and retention of employees as Armstrong (2012) denotes. Salary and wage reviews carried out annually with reference to the trending market rates ensure that employees’ packages are at per with the prevailing economic situations. The focus on cash and variable payment includes annual performance-based bonuses calculated depending on employee and company output levels and grants of company shares (Slack, Brandon-Jones, and Johnston 2013). In the company’s competitive recruitment segment, EasyJet employs an inclusive policy that ensures complete regards to affirmative action.Advertising We will write a custom coursework sample on Operations and Process Management of EasyJet specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Operational Process EasyJet has an established recruitment campaigns that ensures recruitment of the best human resource base. In the company’s recruitment policy, recruitment recommends flexible employment contr act for the cabin crew. This policy ensures continued growth in the company’s employee base. Currently, the company has more than seven hundred and fifty cabin crew and more than one hundred flexi crew pilots (EasyJet Plc: At Glance n.d.). With 38% internal recruitment structure, the management and administrative department of the company has more than three hundred functionalities (EasyJet Plc: Low Cost with Care and Convenience n.d.). Employee wellbeing culture Employee physical and psychological health influence company performance. Driven by the desire for maximum employee production, EasyJet Airline Company recognises employees’ wellbeing and wellness. Employee engagement terms takes into account an employee’s personal commitments, goals, and health status (Attridge 2005). Successful and profitable companies rely on an industrious and healthy workforce. In order to maintain the health status of the employee, EasyJet offer support to employees undergoing str essful situations, and those professional and social challenges. These it does through the Employee Assistance Programme under the human resource department. EasyJet anonymously assesses employees’ stress situations through a confidential reporting helpline set out for employees to report their concerns (Goldsby and Martichenko 2005). Total Quality Management (TQM) Employment of a highly productive workforce combined with great innovation and research avenues within EasyJet enables the technical and management staffs to develop viable innovative and creative ideas that seek to consolidate the customer base (Beyerlein and Beyerlein 2006). Low cost of travel and relatively cheap tickets of the business class remains the greatest innovative idea that continues to earn the company great profits. With the desire to capitalise on the frequent passengers using the economy class for business trips, EasyJet developed a low-cost ticketing system with increased carriage capacity. At the same time, increase in fleet and high number of international routes capitalised on the economic and business class with relatively high quality services, ensuring increased revenues.Advertising Looking for coursework on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Under this model, low-cost passengers with frequent travels get the service provided in the premium class at relatively low costs (Dodgson and Gann 2008).  Low-cost-High fleet carriage ensures highly focused point flyers, limited flight schedules for the carriers, and increased number of refundable ticketless flights. Such a system consolidates the loyalty of the frequent business travellers within nine hundred mile destinations. For the fleet carriers, the model ensures maximum capitalisation of the aircraft capacity based on effective ground services, controlled flight schedules, reduced timeframes in the hauling stations, as well as a high number of flight trips between cities and secondary airports (EasyJet Plc: At Glance n.d.). These initiatives ensure that the aircraft take minimal time on the ground with high frequency flight times. Notably, increased number of flights increases the company’s earnings.  Moreover, the model provides simplified structures necessary f or efficiency at the workplace, especially in customer service provision. Efficient service delivery with a lean and productive human resource system translates to high productivity, leading to the competitive edge that EasyJet enjoys in the air travel industry. Similarly, in the process modelling, EasyJet maximise on the use of the Boeing 737 series (EasyJet Plc: Low Cost with Care and Convenience n.d.). With a large carrier and relatively simple navigation manual, the use of this series ensures that the company cuts costs of training and re-training of captains and pilots, replacing spare parts, and maintenance of the aircraft. With the processing model cutting down the cost related to carriage and aircraft maintenance, EasyJet enjoys high productivity and profit margins. The management has also created a culture of quality-service provision among employees. In this move, the principles of agile and lean leadership are evident. The management uses feedback from consumers to develo p fully new products in the airline. In addition, there exist a decentralised decision-making framework that helps in empowering employees in making responsible decisions in a timely manner. Supply Chain Management (SCM) Supply Chain Management (SCM) encompasses all activities that have to occur so that consumers get the right goods and services within a specified time schedule. SCM at EasyJet commence with the suppliers and closes with consumers. In a bid to deal with customers directly, EasyJet has cut down its supply chain; it primarily use downstream supply chain type of management. However, it occasionally uses upstream option to rent and purchase planes from Airbus and Boeing (Supply Chain Management 2009). In its SCM, the company uses the push strategy to initiate communication between the purchaser and the vendor. Advertisements at EasyJet create awareness among consumers, hence making them opt to use the products. This is a pull strategy of the SCM as used by the company. I n addition, the company has automated its services to increase efficiency within the supply chain, as well as reduce costs. (Supply Chain Management 2009) Service concept EasyJet boasts of a superior built-in business advantage. In order to hack away the overhead costs of production, EasyJet takes some of the unconventional approaches. For example, its modern 737 aircraft run on a relatively lower cost in comparison to the older versions. Reduction in cost is associated with increased number of seat in the EasyJet’s branded version of the aircraft. Similarly, a 737 airbus requires less training and retraining of crew thus reducing the cost of production. This unique approach allows the company to develop a cost per set model in comparison to competitors in the airline travel industry. In the seat sales model, prices start at very low levels and increases as the company registers more sales. However, it is important to note that relative price level for the seats remain lowe st in comparison to the competitors (O’Neil 2003). Capacity management and resource control EasyJet promotes seat-by-seat sales model through a series of initiative. Capacity management and controlled used of resources represent one of the underlying drivers of this model. The company eliminated the business class of passenger. In a conventional airliner running business class services, the maximum number of passengers in a 737 airbus stands at 109. However, EasyJet, after scrapping the business class modifies 737 airbuses to a capacity of 149 passengers. This helps reduce the cost of cabin crew overheads. Similarly, EasyJet runs a ticketless system of booking. This implies that the company engages directly with the passengers reducing the costs of contracting agents. Ticketless systems also reduce the frequency of delays passengers undergo when picking up their tickets. Contrary to many air travel carriers, EasyJet does not offer free food and snacks to the passengers. This helps cut down the cost of cabin overheads. All these factors coupled with avoidance of congested airports with delays help the company enjoy significant gains through the reduction of turnaround costs and maximum utilization of resources (O’Neil 2003). Quality Assurance As a management strategy, quality assurance focuses on providing confidence within the employee base. It stipulates a set of procedures and measures necessary to ensures quality standards and process that propels the company to develop goods and services beyond the customer expectations. Quality assurance entails all activities in the product design, development, production, and installation. In EasyJet’s quality assurance policy, the company has, pre-determined sets of standards required for effective quality control. This policy aims at detecting defective products especially in the fleet tools and aircraft machinery. As a result, the company manages to control the purchases of counterfeit products t hat jeopardize productivity (O’Neil 2003). EasyJet’s Four Vs and their Impacts on Organizational Performance Volume dimension This dimension involves the development of work systems and processes that improve productivity. Volume dimension is set out in the company’s manual; it defines clearly the output targets with specified timeframes (Wang 2009). In such a setting, structuring of volume goals lowers the unit costs of production since a large number of products take care of expenses like rent and other overhead costs. At EasyJet, the use of the Boeing 737 series ensures carriage of high number of business class passengers in relation to other aircrafts. The earning from extra passengers help cut down production costs. A typical Airbus A319 comes with one hundred and twenty-four seats. Variety dimension In this operational management dimension, companies strive to remain flexible in order to meet the dynamic demands of the customer. For the small business ente rprises, the major aim remains keeping up with the dynamic customer fashions, while for the multinational companies, consolidating the customer base in regards to loyalty plays a key role in this dimension (Noe and Noe 2012). In order to earn the best returns out of this dimension, it is mandatory for companies to employ adequate skilled staff for service improvement. For EasyJet, recruitment, employee training and development, and workforce retention structures play a significant role in executing this dimension. EasyJet boasts of committed, passionate, and selfless employees driven by the desire for increased output levels and improved customer care. Visibility dimension This dimension focuses on the level of expose a company gives to its operations and services. For example, with increased internet connectivity in the global markets, online marketing strategies are important drivers of this dimension. Major companies continue to use online platforms to maximise market sales. Easy Jet uses its online ticketless platform in order to maximise on the sales of seats in flight carriers. Online booking service increases the level of visibility of the company while maintaining accuracy, precision, and reliability in service delivery. Similarly, these electronic points of sale increase the rates of service delivery since they allow customers to choose from the wide variety of service under an automated checkout system. Variation dimension This takes care of the work output levels in regards to seasonality of service demands. In order to maximise sales volumes during the peak seasons without stretching the productivity levels of the existing staff, Phelps (2003) notes that major companies recruit part-time employees or short-term contractors to cover for the workforce deficit during peak seasons. EasyJet enjoys the use of this dimension, especially on the number of fleet cabin crews during the peak travel seasons (EasyJet Plc: Low Cost with Care and Convenience n.d.). Such recruitment structures eliminate the probability of high opportunity costs during the low seasons. Recommendation The rate of globalisation requires risky and daring global investments. Therefore, focusing on a limited area, confines a company’s profit levels. Inasmuch as EasyJet boasts of high number of destinations, its services are limited to only thirty-two countries. Creating global partnerships with other carriers in services delivery as they explore new parts of the world is a sector that requires prompt evaluation. Despite the difficulties that arise in exploring new markets, the company has the necessary resources to acquire new destinations in Africa, Asia, and the US. Creating partnerships with local carriers provides and ample avenue for accessing new markets as the company strives to conquer the global air transport services is one approach that can be of great help to the company’s sustainable growth (Pollack 2001). Conclusion EasyJet stands as the leading airliner without passengers connecting to destination via various hubs. Despite flying longer distances, the carrier ensures that passengers go through end-to-end journey structures. This ensures that the aircraft takes ore hours in the air than on the ground. Markedly, this strategy does not only seek to increase efficiency in passenger transports, but also acts as one of the innovative ideas with the widest base of multiplier advantages. If the company introduces a culture of profit making under the same circumstance it currently offer services, high value profit margins are achievable. Likewise, exploration of newer markets outside Europe acts a recipe for improved earnings. Putting together these personal traits within the innovation and creativity culture in the company’s policies ensures that EasyJet remain a major competitor in the air travel business. References Armstrong, M 2012, Armstrongs handbook of reward management practice improving performance through reward, Kogan Page, London. Attridge, M 2005, The integration of employee assistance, work/life, and wellness services, Haworth Press, New York. Belasen, A 2000, Leading the learning organisation: Communication and competencies for managing change, State University of New York Press, Albany, New York. Beyerlein, M., and Beyerlein, S 2006, Innovation through Collaboration, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Bingley. Dodgson, M., and Gann, D 2008, The management of technological innovation: Strategy and practice, Oxford University Press, Oxford. EasyJet Plc: At Glance n.d. Web. EasyJet Plc: Low Cost with Care and Convenience n.d. Web. Goldsby, T., and Martichenko, R 2005, Lean Six Sigma logistics strategic development to operational success, Ross Publishers, Boca Raton. Gostick, A., and Elton, C 2012, All in: How the best managers create a culture of belief and drive big results, Free Press, New York. Noe, R., and Noe, R 2012, Human resource management: Gaining a competitive advantage, McGraw-Hill Irwin, New York. O’Neil, K 2003, EasyJet: Successfully exploiting the web. Web. Phelps, E 2003, Designing inclusion tools to raise low-end pay and employment in private enterprise, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Pollack, M 2001, Transatlantic governance in the global economy, Rowman Littlefield, Lanham. Slack, N, Brandon-Jones A, and Johnston R 2013, Operations Management (7th ed.), Pearson, London. Supply Chain Management 2009. Web. Wang, Y 2009, ICCTP 2009 critical issues in transportation system planning, development, and management: August 5-9, Harbin, China, American Society of Civil Engineers,. Reston, Va.