Should companies that operate outside of the U.S. treat employees in other countries with the same standards as its U.S. employees? Justify your response. Support your response with an APA-cited reference(s).
In: Operations Management
In today’s consumer environment, we have more choices at our
disposal than ever before.
Between brick and mortar and online stores, the options (both in
terms of what to buy and also
where) are endless. So: is limitless choice a good thing?
In: Operations Management
What is the relationship among marketing ethics, strategic planning, and organizational performance? How is this related to having a stakeholder orientation?
In: Operations Management
Explain what steps ensure accuracy of the overall payment policy in medical billing and how this relates to the overall revenue cycle management of the office
In: Operations Management
Second Life is a 3-D virtual world entirely built and owned by its residents. Since opening to the public in 2003, it has grown explosively and today is inhabited by millions of people from around the globe. This new virtual world could become the first point of contact between companies and customers and could transform the whole customer experience. Since it began hosting the likes of Adidas, Dell, Reuters and Toyota, Second Life has become technology's equivalent of India or China - everyone needs an office and a strategy involving it to keep their shareholders happy. But beyond opening a shiny new building in the virtual world, what can such companies do with their virtual real estate?
Like many other big brands, PA Consulting has its own offices in
Second Life and has learned that simply having an office to answer
customer queries is not enough. Real people, albeit behind avatars,
must be staffing the offices - in the same way having a Web site is
not enough if there is not a call centre to back it up when a
would-be customer wants to speak to a human being. In future, the
consultants believe call centers could one day ask customers to
follow up a phone call with them by moving the query into a virtual
world.
Unlike many corporate areas in the virtual world, the NBA
Headquarters incorporates capabilities designed to keep fans coming
back, including real-time 3-D diagrams of games as they are being
played.
PROJECT FOCUS:
You want to create a presence on Second Life for the cafe. Create a CRM strategy for doing business in the virtual world. Here are a few questions to get you started:
In: Operations Management
Describe the relationship between forecast accuracy and safety stock for uncertain demand.
In: Operations Management
Even though the trait approach to leadership has no empirical support, it is still widely used. In your opin- ion, why is this so? In what ways is the use of the trait approach helpful to those who use it? In what ways is it harmful to those who use it?
In: Operations Management
Describe AT LEAST TWO of China’s “Four Modernizations.” Explain what the “Fifth Modernization” was and why, in your opinion, didn’t China achieve it?
In: Operations Management
Describe the role that a code of conduct plays in ensuring ethical compliance within a firm. How should a code of conduct be developed, what should it contain, and what are the keys to ensuring that the code is successfully implemented?
In: Operations Management
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Nivea Sun Protection Products: A Case Study in Market Segmentation A careful market segmentation is critical to successfully selling products; you need to understand what makes different consumers tick and how best to reach them. Skincare giant Nivea conducted an impressive market research campaign that can be modeled by other firms. First, a little background: Beiersdorf is an international skincare company with leading brands such as Nivea and Eucerin. They have expanded significantly in the UK market through effective segmentation that matches consumer needs. The company has become the value leader in the field, meaning people spend more on Nivea sun protection products than any other brand. One important product line for Nivea is sun-related skincare products, worth upwards of £173.6 million in the United Kingdom alone. Nivea’s reputation in this broad segment is bolstered by robust scientific research and development focused on providing the best protection possible from the sun’s skin-damaging rays. The key was to further segment the sun protection products market by two important factors: Skin type and the climate where the products are used. Skin types include very light, fair, normal, dark and children (who tend to have thinner, lesser developed skin) while the climates include moderate, hot and very hot. The level of protection is measured by SPF, which stands for Sun Protection Factor. The lighter the skin and the higher the temperature, the higher the SPF that is needed. SPF 20 may be adequate protection for a fair-skinned person in the UK, but SPF 40 might be recommended for the same person if they were in a more tropical environment. The company’s market research revealed significant demographic differences between men (who go for convenience), women (who gravitate towards more luxurious products) and children (a market reached through adult parents, mostly mothers). Through the use of surveys and focus groups, Nivea was able to determine the attitudinal differences between distinct segments of consumers. They discovered concerned consumers who were not at all concerned about getting a tan but instead were more focused on protection from sun damage. Sun avoiders don’t buy these products at all because they avoid high-exposure situations, although with education they may be convinced of the need for sun protection product purchases. Conscientious sun lovers love being out in the sun but are concerned about protection. Careless tanners, on the other hand, don’t worry about the sun at all and buy low-SPF products if they buy any at all. Finally, the naïve beauty conscious people are the ones who want to have a good tan but don’t adequately understand the relation between SPF and protection. Nivea used this research to develop their unique brand positioning that includes making sun care as simple as possible, providing education about the importance of protection and finding ways to reinforce that protection message. One product innovation that came from this research was a product that offered full and instant protection from both UVA and UVB sunrays because many consumers fail to apply such products in the necessary time frame for effectiveness (20-30 minutes before exposure). Other product innovations have included sprays that are easy to apply, colorful products for children and water-resistant products for both children and adults. Advertising for children’s products targets the mothers of children with a protection message. Through targeted research, Nivea develop an understanding of customer segments that takes buying habits and motivations into account. Using this segmentation, product development and messaging both become more effective and sales and revenue increase. |
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In: Operations Management
Suppose that you are invested in a software development firm that designs automotive radar software for robotics systems in cars. Your offices and most of the key employees who helped to start the company are in Tampa, but given expansion plans, your current location is no longer sufficient, and you need to decide on a location for your new headquarters. Now, your business is faced with a difficult decision: where do you locate your new headquarters?
Option 1: Lansing, Michigan You could move to Lansing, Michigan to be closer to the demand for your product for such as the Ford assembly plants in Dearborn, Flat Rock, and Wayne, Michigan, and the General Motors assembly plants in Detroit, Flint, and Lansing, Michigan.
Option 2: San Jose, California You could move to San Jose, California to be closer to other technology companies in the Silicon Valley area and benefit from agglomeration economies. Additionally, you would be closer venture capital in nearby San Francisco which may be necessary to fund your expansion.
Option 3: Tampa, Florida You can stay in Tampa where your key employees will most likely be happiest. Although Tampa does not offer the comparative advantages of demand conditions, agglomeration economies, or the factor condition of capital, it does have a relatively good quality of life, and is home to your current employees.
Which option is the best fit for the business and what factors would be most important in making the decision? Specifically comment on the comparative advantages that the location you chose has to offer.
Explain Why?
In: Operations Management
When you have the total cost (TC) curve and the total revenue (TR) curve of a company, think about a situation with a single break-even point an another situation with two break-
even points and clearly explain what cause the difference is.
Think about a linear programming model with multiple optimal solutions and clearly explain what cause this to happen? A graph cannot be your explanantion.
In: Operations Management
1. How has NAFTA impacted the U.S.? Overall, do you believe that it was a positive move for the U.S.? Why or why not?
In: Operations Management
In the selection process, a right-holder can apply three different ways to select an organizer: please list and briefly explain them.
In: Operations Management
The owner of a greenhouse and nursery is considering whether to acquire additional land to grow a new variety of rosebush. She can either acquire a small garden at $7000 and can produce up to 4,000 rosebushes or a large garden at $10,000 and can produce up to 8,000 rosebushes. The owner could sell each rosebush for $5, and per-unit variable cost would be $3.
a) What would the profit be if she were to produce and sell 6,000 rosebushes?
b) How many rosebushes would she have to produce and sell in order to break even with a large garden?
c) The owner forecasted the demand between 3600 and 4800 rosebushes. Which alternative(s) is/are profitable?
In: Operations Management