Individual Organization Behavior Essay - 1643 Words

Individual Organization Behavior US. Army company A 204th Engineer Combat Battalion Heavy Chapter 3: Foundations of Individual Behavior Table of contents: Å’ Introduction. a. Description, History and Organizational structure. ? Key biographical characteristics. a. Age. b. Gender. c. Marital Status. d. Number of dependents. e. Tenure. Ã… ½ Factors that determine an individuals personality. a. Personality determinants b. Personality Traits. c. Personality Attributes influencing Organizational behavior. d. Personalities and national cultures. e. Matching personalities and jobs. (Hollands Typology). ? Summarize how learning theories provide into changing behavior. a. Theories of learning. b. Shaping Behavior : A managerial tool. ?†¦show more content†¦I have new soldiers entering the unit at age 18, and current members range from their 20s to their 40s. The Standard to Join the US. Army is 18-28 yrs. - Rank and degree of responsibility are factors of productivity . - Degree of Absenteeism is found in both. - Turnover is mainly found in younger soldiers, they move from state to state often. - Job satisfaction also go hand in hand with rank and responsibility. The Older and higher the rank the more. b.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Of course we dont discriminate - I found that females are often more absent. - Also that a degree of J/S shifted more towards the males. - And females tend to turnover easier than males. c.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Our troops often have to face the increasing risk of being deployed overseas, and that of course always shows in the soldiers work behavior. This is mostly from worried Wives and Husbands thinking that their spouses wont come back. *(That includes mine of course).* - Single soldiers tend to miss UTAs more than married ones. - J/S is found more with higher rank soldiers instead of looking at marital status. d.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;We provide school, day-care and counseling programs to dependents. This helps the soldiers cope with the stressful job of parenting. This helps the organization deal with absenteeism, J/S and turnover. e. Tenure to the US Army means Experience and Skills, that can be shared to younger soldiers. - Mission Readiness is increased whenShow MoreRelatedHow Individual Behaviors Affect The Overall Health Of An Organization1314 Words   |  6 PagesThis project will highlight some of my individual behaviors, such as pride and fear of failure, that were explored through the use of Prentice Hall’s Self-assessment Library (2008) and discuss the premise that individual behaviors affect the overall health of an organization. Additionally, my personal behaviors will be compared and contrasted in their prior form to how they are being changed under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. In the end, one of the most important facets of completing and applyingRead MoreWhat Did You Learn About Organizations, And / Or The Behavior Of Individuals Within An Organization?1398 Words   |  6 PagesPrompt #1: What did you learn about organizations, and/or the behavior of individuals within an organization? How do the ideas presented in Part Two (the Structural Frame) of the BD textbook enrich your understanding of the ways in which organizations and the people working in them function? In part two of the text, I examined the differences in vertical and lateral coordination when discussing the structural frame. I have more experience with the vertical aspect verses the lateral side with myRead MoreWhat Did You Learn About Organizations, And / Or The Behavior Of Individuals Within An Organization? Essay1849 Words   |  8 PagesPrompts Prompt #1: What did you learn about organizations, and/or the behavior of individuals within an organization? How do the ideas presented in Part Four (the Political Frame) of the BD textbook enrich your understanding of the ways in which organizations and the people working in them function? I learned from the reading that it is unrealistic to think that politics are not a natural part of organizational norms and it is difficult for individuals to not participate in the political frame.Read MorePersonality As A Dynamic Organization Within A Individual Of Those Psychophysical Systems That Determine Their Characteristics Behavior1281 Words   |  6 PagesPersonality could be referred to as the dynamic organization within a individual of those psychophysical systems that determine their characteristics behavior. Personality refers to individual differences in characteristic patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving. The study of personality focuses on two broad areas: One understands individual differences in particular personality characteristics, such as sociability or irritability. The other is understanding how the various parts of a person comeRead MoreIndividual Behaviour Research Paper983 Words   |  4 Pages3rd lecture Individual Behavior Prof. Dr. Robert J. Zaugg robert.zaugg@unifr.ch Individual Behavior Learning Objectives †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Explain the nature of the individual-organization relationship Define personality and describe personality attributes that affect behavior in organizations Discuss individual attitudes in organizations and how they affect behavior Describe basic perceptual processes and the role of attributions in organizations Explain how workplace behaviors can directly or indirectlyRead MoreThe Relevance Of Organizational Behavior1202 Words   |  5 Pagesorganizational behavior concerns itself with the behavior of individuals in the organizational setting. This text concerns itself with the study of organizational behavior. In so doing, this paper will amongst other things address not only the various concepts associated with organizational behavior but also the relevance of studying the same as an academic discipline. Organizational Behavior: A Concise Definition In seeking to define organizational behavior, we must first define what an organization is.Read MoreRelationship of Counterproductive Behaviors with Job Performance887 Words   |  4 PagesEmployees are said to depict positive behaviors like innovative behavior and OCB when the individuals feel the support of the organization, i.e., perceived organizational support (POS) and negative behaviors like CWB in a non-supportive organization (Scheuer, 2010). From this perspective the workplace deviance can be triggered with respect to the unfavorable or unsupportive working conditions. (Colbert, Mount, Harter, Barrick, Witt, 2004). Thus this leads to the organizational context that hasRead MoreAn Ethical Organization On Business Environment Essay1587 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction In today’s business environment, it is imperative that organizations develop strategies that allow it to operate in an ethical fashion (Hill, Jones, Schilling, 2014, p. 379). This entails developing a code of ethical standards that dictate the accepted principles of decision-making, stakeholder interaction, management style, among a myriad of other elements of organizational operations. For those organizations that take a stakeholder management approach, operating in an ethical fashionRead MoreOrganizational Behavior Is An Important Tool For Managers Essay1684 Words   |  7 Pages In today’s business world, Organizational Behavior is an important tool for managers to effectively manage teams and it aids in being able to understand and foresee human behavior in an organization. It studies on how organizations can be arranged more accurately, and how several events in their outside situations effect organizations. It has become more significant today than in previous years because organizations must master to adapt to the rapidly changing business cultures that have stemmedRead MoreOrganizational Behavior Terminology and Concepts Paper850 Words   |  4 PagesOrganizational Behavior Terminology and Concepts Paper The following essay will be described the organizational behavior terminology and concepts applied in the organization. The following topics will be presented: Organization culture as internal and external environment of control. Diversity as of individual differences based on gender, race and ethnicity, age, disabilities, and sexual orientation. As the last subject communication as the human skill that helps the organization to work well with

Essential Facts You Need to Know About Planet Earth

Earth is unique among the planets of our solar system; its particular conditions have given rise to all sorts of life, including millions of plant and animal species. The planet is incredibly diverse—it has tall mountains and deep valleys, humid forests and arid deserts, warm climates and cold. Its 195 countries are home to over 7.5 billion people. Key Takeaways: Planet Earth †¢ The third planet from the Sun, Earth has a unique physical and chemical composition that allows it to support a huge range of plant and animal life.†¢ Earth takes about 24 hours to complete one full rotation and about 365 days to complete one full revolution around the Sun.†¢ Earths highest recorded temperature is 134 degrees Fahrenheit, and its lowest is minus 128.5 degrees Fahrenheit. Circumference Measured at the equator, the circumference of the Earth is 24,901.55 miles. However, the Earth is not quite a perfect circle, and if you measure through the poles, the circumference is a bit shorter—24,859.82 miles. The Earth is a bit wider than it is tall, giving it a slight bulge at the equator; this shape is known as an ellipsoid, or, more properly, a geoid. The Earths diameter at the equator is 7,926.28 miles, and its diameter at the poles is 7,899.80 miles. Rotation on Axis It takes the Earth 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 04.09053 seconds to complete a full rotation on its axis. However, it takes an additional four minutes for the Earth to revolve to the same position as the day before, relative to the sun (i.e. 24 hours). Revolution Around the Sun The Earth takes 365.2425 days to complete a full revolution around the Sun. A standard calendar year, however, is only 365 days. To correct for the drift, an additional day, known as a leap day, is added to the calendar every four years, thereby ensuring that the calendar year remains in sync with the astronomical year. Distance to the Sun and Moon Because the Moon follows an elliptical orbit around the Earth, and because the Earth follows an elliptical orbit around the Sun, the distance between Earth and these two bodies varies over time. The average distance between the Earth and the Moon is 238,857 miles. The average distance between Earth and the Sun is 93,020,000 miles. Water vs. Land Earth is 70.8 percent water and 29.2 percent land. Of this water, 96.5 percent is found within the Earths oceans, and the other 3.5 percent is found within freshwater lakes, glaciers, and polar ice caps. Chemical Composition The Earth is composed of 34.6 percent iron, 29.5 percent oxygen, 15.2 percent silicon, 12.7 percent magnesium, 2.4 percent nickel, 1.9 percent sulfur, and 0.05 percent titanium. Earths mass is about 5.97 x 1024 kilograms. Atmospheric Content Earths atmosphere is composed of 77 percent nitrogen, 21 percent oxygen, and traces of argon, carbon dioxide, and water. The five main layers of the atmosphere, from lowest to highest, are the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere. Highest Elevation The highest point on Earth is Mount Everest, a Himalayan peak that reaches 29,035 feet above sea level. The first confirmed ascent of the mountain took place in 1953. Tallest Mountain From Base to Peak Earths tallest mountain as measured from base to peak is Mauna Kea in Hawaii, which measures 33,480 feet. The mountain reaches 13,796 feet above sea level. Lowest Elevation on Land Earths lowest point on land is Israels Dead Sea, which reaches 1,369 feet below sea level. The sea is known for its high salt content, which allows swimmers to practically float in the water. Deepest Point in the Ocean Earths lowest point in the ocean is a section of the Mariana Trench known as Challenger Deep. It reaches 36,070 feet below sea level. High water pressure in this area makes exploring it very difficult. Highest Temperature The highest recorded temperature on Earth is 134 degrees Fahrenheit. It was recorded at Greenland Ranch in Death Valley, California, on July 10, 1913. Lowest Temperature The lowest recorded temperature on Earth is minus 128.5 degrees Fahrenheit. It was recorded at Vostok, Antarctica, on July 21, 1983. Population As of December 2018, the world population is estimated to be 7,537,000,0000. The most populous countries are China, India, the United States, Indonesia, and Brazil. Annual global population growth as of 2018 is estimated to be about 1.09 percent, which means that the population is increasing by 83 million people per year. Countries There are 195 countries in the world including the Holy See (the city-state of the Vatican) and the State of Palestine, both of which are recognized by the United Nations as non-member observer states. The worlds newest country is South Sudan, which was founded in 2011 after breaking away from the Republic of Sudan.

Informative Essay On Drug Abuse - 1920 Words

Drugs are any substance that can be consumed, smoked, injected, inhaled, transdermal, or intranasal causing a physiological effect when introduced into the body. Physicians use drugs known as medicines for healthy reasons such as people that suffer from ailments like asthma, cancer, HIV/AIDS, or etc. However, numerous people use drugs for recreational purposes (legal, controlled, or illegal) such as prescription drugs, tobacco, caffeine or illicit substances for pleasure, along with alcohol. These types of recreational drug use range from mild to severe addiction for millions, which the National Institute on Drugs Abuse would describe as a substance use disorder (SUD). Addiction is a prevalent and complicated problem that continues in†¦show more content†¦However, The company is better known for producing Aspirin the â€Å"drug of the century†. â€Å"The chemists who first developed this compound tried it on themselves, found it made them feel â€Å"heroic† an d so it was given the brand name heroin† (Doweiko, 2015). Heroin has a long history throughout the world. Due to the amount of soldiers being wounded in battles they were given opium to relieve the pain, and consequently addicted to opium, given the nickname â€Å"soldier’s disease† meaning the soldiers was either addicted to opium or suffered from withdrawal symptoms of opium use. Heroin was promoted to counteract numerous soldiers that were addicted to morphine during the 19th century battles. Heroin was slowly introduced in low doses to help with morphine withdrawals and long term replacing morphine. However, heroin backfired producing addiction exceptionally quickly in many. In the 20th century, companies were allowed to display any product without including the ingredients such as cocaine, morphine, and allowed to mislabel products. The turn of events when people witnessed a heightened awareness that psychotropic drugs have a great potential for causing addi ction. The abuse of opium and cocaine had reached epidemic proportion in the U.S. Therefore, the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 passed and companies have to label their ingredients in products. Later, the Harrison Act of 1914 was passed regulating opium, heroin, and cocaine making them illegal in the United Stated.Show MoreRelatedEssay on Internet Addiction636 Words   |  3 Pagestempting feature of the Internet. Unfortunately, with this new commodity, also comes the possibility of abuse and addiction. Internet addiction has become an exceedingly negative power in todays culture. What causes Internet Addiction? Several different causes could be to blame, but one of the most widely believed theories is that of a personality disorder. In the essay entitled Internet Addiction, Carol Potera says that the,lone, bored, depress, introverted, lackingRead MoreInformative Essay About Drugs1020 Words   |  5 Pages Drugs Wyatt Lehr Lamar High School APA Informative Drugs have been an effective way of reaching a pleasurable state, relieving pain, avoiding stress, and meeting social expectations for the past six thousand years. There is a controversy over whether drugs are good for people or not, but this essay is not an opinion of what drugs are and should be used for. This paper will explain the background and effects of drugs on the human body and mind (Scheme=AGLSTERMS.AglsAgent; corporateName=StateRead MoreDrug Abuse And The Nfl996 Words   |  4 PagesEnglish 1101 CRN 11790 Section 36 Veronica E. Brown Informative Essay 11/1/2014 Words: 995 Drug Abuse in the NFL What is the definition of drugs? 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Twenty-four students were selected after tests and background checks deemed them mentally healthy, free of medical disabilities and history of crime or drug abuse. All 24 studentsRead MoreDrug War Research Paper1354 Words   |  6 Pageslocated anywhere in the United States. Many of these people are mostly working part time retail/food industry jobs or internships for many of the people do not have time to balance school and an actual full time job. College is often pricey, so this essay would be targeting namely those in the lower-middle to higher class. Because this demographic is attending school, all of these people have at least some college education. As for religious and sexual preferences, any and every type is present withinRead M oreBandura s Social Learning Theory And Attachment Theory1260 Words   |  6 PagesBandura’s social learning theory and Bowlby’s attachment theory. 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Essay on The Constitution of the United States - 750 Words

The Constitution of the United States was written in 1787 at the Constitutional Convention, where it was held in Philadelphia. It was written by a group of people known as â€Å"Farmers,† or the â€Å"Founding Fathers,† and few of the most famous Founding Fathers were George Washington (The first president of the USA), Thomas Jefferson (The first vice president and the third president of the USA) James Madison (The fourth president of the USA), Samuel Adams, and Benjamin Franklin. The old government, the Articles of Confederation was not working as it supposed to be, it was vulnerable and cannot secure and defend the new born nation and for that reason the constitution of the united states saw the light. The Constitution is the highest law in the†¦show more content†¦The Senate needs to ratify all laws by a two-third vote. The vice president who is the head of the Senate is not permitted to vote, but in case of a tie he is allowed to. The House of Representatives is made of 435 representatives, each is elected by his state and serve two years. The number of representatives depends on the state population. Both the House of Representatives and the Senate elect their own leaders; the part that controls the house, is called the majority leader while the other is called the minority leader. The president, who is the head of the executive branch, is elected by the entire nation and serves four years. According to article II of the Constitution the president has the power of execution and enforcement of laws passed by the congress, choose cabinet members and officials, he is the head of state and the commander and chief of the armed forces. The vice president is also a part of the executive branch and is a position to take presidency in case something happened to the president. In contrast, the judicial branch officials are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. In article three of the constitution the judicial branch is established and to let the congress to determine the judicial structure, the jurisdiction of the federal courts and the number of Supreme Court Justices. When the Founding Fathers wrote theShow MoreRelatedThe United States Constitution And The Constitution Essay1491 Words   |  6 PagesThe United States Constitution, this very detailed group of words was written in 1787, but it did not take effect until after it was ratified in 1789, when it replaced the Articles of Confederation. It remains the basic law of the United States then and till the present day of 2016. The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware; the last of the original thirteen to ratify was Rhode Island and since only nine were required, this was two years after it went into effect. 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Mainfreight Case Study Free Essays

string(369) " bigger customers since we moved into Australia with an interstate freight operation similar to our New Zealand model† â€Å"The business has been difficult to grow and we haven’t made the progress in the Australian domestic market we had hoped† â€Å"You’ve got to have the size and network and employ Australians to get the respect of the bigger companies\." Mainfreight Group – Mighty Oaks from little acorns grow A case study of a New Zealand Multinational’s Foreign Market Entry Strategy Mainfreight – Mighty Oaks from little acorns grow. This case study examines the strategies Mainfreight Limited has exploited when entering foreign markets. It examines Mainfreight’s successes and failures and investigates whether its market entry strategies played a significant part in these experiences. We will write a custom essay sample on Mainfreight Case Study or any similar topic only for you Order Now The Mainfreight Group market themselves as a global logistics provider offering â€Å"managed warehousing and international and domestic freight forwarding† (Mainfreight, 2013). As of 2013 Mainfreight Limited is operating in over 14 countries in four continents. Originally a domestic freight provider, the company now specializes in providing a large variety of services common to global logistics providers such as domestic haulage of both full and part loads, International Air services, International Sea Container services, Contract Warehousing and Supply Chain Management as well as other service offerings not commonly associated with global logistics providers including â€Å"Fashion Services, Canadian Transborder Logistics Services and Entertainment Media Logistics†(Linkedin, 2013). Mainfreight generally focuses on target areas they identify they can add more value to than â€Å"simple cartage† (Massey University, 2009) Mainfreight attribute their success to their unique culture, stating on their website that they â€Å"have developed a style of doing business, successful not only in New Zealand, but around the world†. Whilst this is a bold statement, Mainfreight has had some great accomplishments. Their success hasn’t been an accident and this mighty oak was once a little acorn. Since its inception in 1978, Mainfreight has grown significantly and is often cited as one of New Zealand’s most successful companies (Otago Business School, n. d. ). Founded by Bruce Plested with $7,200 (Mainfreight, 1996) â€Å"and a 1969 Bedford truck† (Fairfax NZ News, 2008) Mainfreight’s business quickly expanded. Neil Graham joined Plested in 1979 as Joint Managing Director and opened their first Christchurch Branch. Growth continued and Mainfreight soon developed â€Å"New Zealand’s most extensive [domestic] freight network† (Mainfreight, 2013) by using coastal shipping to get around draconian laws that required â€Å"all freight travelling on land a greater distance than 150 kilometres to be moved by rail. † (Mainfreight, 1996) Mainfreight Founder Bruce Plested â€Å"By the time land transport deregulation occurred in 1985, we were hardened and experienced after 8 years competing against the system and the giant transport companies. With the playing field almost levelled we were the fittest players, and our company was evolving a deep culture and a vision of what we could achieve† â€Å"By the time land transport deregulation occurred in 1985, we were hardened and experienced after 8 years competing against the system and the giant transport companies. With the playing field almost levelled we were the fittest players, and our company was evolving a deep culture and a vision of what we could achieve† Complementary to the company’s special culture Plested believed that some of the company’s success could be assigned to its agility and responsiveness to change, stating in Mainfreight’s 1996 prospectus; Revenue exceeded NZD$10 million for the first time in 1984 and the first Mainfreight International branches, 50% owned by the Mainfreight Limited in conjunction with their managers opened in Christchurch and Auckland also opened. Mainfreight, 1996) 1989 saw the opening of Mainfreight’s first Australian branch in Sydney with a view to offering services that â€Å"would allow customers to treat New Zealand and Australia as one market† (New Zealand Management Magazine, 2007). Mainfreight International Branches also opened in Melbourne and Sydney and revenue first exceeded NZD$50 million. The period between 1990 and 1996 was typified by geographic expansion throughout Australia and New Zealand. This growth was primarily via two different channels; via organic growth from its existing operations, and through acquisition of competitors or complementary service providers. Service expansion and differentiation formed the backbone of Mainfreight’s organic growth platform through the early 1990’s. Named operations such as Metro Cartage, Wharf Operations and Distribution began to appear alongside the regular Mainfreight and Mainfreight International brands. Revenues continued to grow and the New Zealand domestic and International parts of he business continued to excel. However, the same could not be said for Mainfreight’s Australian operations which did not break even until 1994 (Kennedy, 2000). â€Å"By having a strong domestic and international presence in both New Zealand and Australia we have a good chance of demonstrating to a multinational company that when it comes to this corner of the globe, we are the people to use. We do not have the choice of onl y being able to service New Zealand, the multinational is not interested – they see Australia and New Zealand as one† By having a strong domestic and international presence in both New Zealand and Australia we have a good chance of demonstrating to a multinational company that when it comes to this corner of the globe, we are the people to use. We do not have the choice of only being able to service New Zealand, the multinational is not interested – they see Australia and New Zealand as one† Despite these losses Mainfreight’s commitment to the Australian market was never in doubt. Executive Chairman Bruce Plested described the perception that the rest of the world regard Australia and New Zealand as one market and that multinationals â€Å"increasingly engage a global freight company to provide all their freighting and warehousing services throughout the world† (Mainfreight, 2002). Plested’s argument was that by having a presence in both Australia and New Zealand it would demonstrate to large multinationals that Mainfreight were the logistics provider of choice and specialists in this geography. He did not feel he could achieve this operating in New Zealand alone. In order to rectify the company’s poor Australian result the business undertook a series of acquisitions through the early to mid 1990’s that included Mogal Freight, MSAS and Premier VIP stores. (Refer to Table 1. 1 for more information on Mainfreight’s acquisitions during the period between 1980 and 1995). TABLE 1. 1 Plested in an interview with Graeme Kennedy in March 2000 reflected on the Australian operations struggles; â€Å"We have struggled to break into the usiness with those bigger customers since we moved into Australia with an interstate freight operation similar to our New Zealand model† â€Å"The business has been difficult to grow and we haven’t made the progress in the Australian domestic market we had hoped† â€Å"You’ve got to have the size and network and employ Australians to get the respect of the bigger companies. You read "Mainfreight Case Stud y" in category "Essay examples" Without the size and the volumes, the services you can offer are restricted with a smaller network. They want to see size and network to give them confidence in the operation† We have struggled to break into the business with those bigger customers since we moved into Australia with an interstate freight operation similar to our New Zealand model† â€Å"The business has been difficult to grow and we haven’t made the progress in the Australian domestic market we had hoped† â€Å"You’ve got to have the size and network and employ Australians to get the respect of the bigger companies. Without the size and the volumes, the services you can offer are restricted with a smaller network. They want to see size and network to give them confidence in the operation† It was the acquisition in 1994 of Premier VIP Stores that finally gave Mainfreight the critical mass of customers required to finally start making profit from their Australian operation. With profitability worries behind them, operating revenues hitting NZD$100 million per annum and all three divisions of Mainfreight Limited’s business operating profitably, the business listed on the New Zealand stock exchange on the 14th June 1996. 35 million shares, roughly 60% of the company’s issued capital, was made available by owners Bruce Plested and Neil Graham to the general public at a price between $0. 5 and $1. 10 per share (Mainfreight, 1996) The listing proved to be an immediate success with Mainfreight’s share price increasing 72% in its first year as a publically listed company. Acquisitions in New Zealand and Australia continued throughout 1997/1998. Mainfreight purchased 75% of LEP Freightways New Zealand and purchased outright LEP International Australia, Comb ined Haulage, Senco Haulage and Trade Air Ocean Ltd all significant players in the Australasian logistics industry. Mainfreight’s international growth continued, purchasing minority shareholdings in ISS and Associates in Hong Kong (37. % of Bolwick Ltd) and China (50% of Mainfreight Express Ltd) one month after opening its first Mainfreight International branch outside of Australasia, also in Hong Kong in September of 1998. This signified the start of Mainfreight’s push to become a global player in the logistics scene which continued with the purchase of CaroTrans from Arkansas Best Corp in 1999. Mainfreight bought 49. 5% of the CaroTrans operation with the remaining shareholding taken up by an investor group that included CaroTrans CEO Greg Howard. Refer to table 1. 2 to see how Mainfreight Group had structured its investment in other subsidiaries as of 2001. TABLE 1. 2 â€Å"Mainfreight has built a network of businesses which it owns throughout New Zealand and Australia and also operates with joint ownership’s, a network throughout the United States, in Hong Kong and Shanghai. Beyond these regions, in Europe we work with Ziegler (our partner in CaroTrans) and with agents and alliances in most other countries†. â€Å"Mainfreight has built a network of businesses which it owns throughout New Zealand and Australia and also operates with joint ownership’s, a network throughout the United States, in Hong Kong and Shanghai. Beyond these regions, in Europe we work with Ziegler (our partner in CaroTrans) and with agents and alliances in most other countries†. In their 2001 Annual Report Mainfreight described the group of businesses they had acquired over the past 21 years. The period between 2002 and 2007 saw Mainfreight focus on its existing geographies. In New Zealand growth occurred through the opening of new Mainfreight domestic transport branches as well as through the 79. 6% acquisition of the Owens Group of companies in 2003. The company’s Australian operations were also performing with revenues from Australian Domestic and International segments equalling the New Zealand group’s sales performance for the first time. Mainfreight purchased the outstanding 51. 5% of CaroTrans in 2004 and opened additional branches of across the United States and Australia. Mainfreight International opened further Chinese branches in Ningbo, Shenzen and Guangzhou. Table 1. 3 demonstrates Mainfreight Groups financial performance by geographical segment for the year ending 31st March 2007. TABLE 1. 3 Mainfreight USA has now traded some 18 months under our ownership. In that time we have identified a number of shortcomings in the business which we are in the process of addressing. Results are well below our expectations and are poor at best. † â€Å"Mainfreight Group culture and operating disciplines have been introduced to the USA operations, including a stronger branch management focus, the introduction o f our owner driver model for pick up and delivery, and a more rigorous approach to both fixed and variable cost management. † more rigorous approach to both fixed and variable cost management Mainfreight USA has now traded some 18 months under our ownership. In that time we have identified a number of shortcomings in the business which we are in the process of addressing. Results are well below our expectations and are poor at best. † â€Å"Mainfreight Group culture and operating disciplines have been introduced to the USA operations, including a stronger branch management focus, the introduction of our owner driver model for pick up and delivery, and a more rigorous approach to both fixed and variable cost management. † more rigorous approach to both fixed and variable cost management Mainfreight’s expansion did not stop there. Target Logistics, a public company listed on the American Stock Exchange was acquired â€Å"in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately USD $53. 7 million† (CW Downer Co, 2007). This represented Mainfreight’s largest acquisition to date. Chris Coppersmith CEO and President of Target Logistics stayed on with the company and headed up the newly formed Mainfreight USA, however his time in the role was short lived. By the end of 2009, Coppersmith was no longer with the company having been replaced by 14 year Mainfreight Veteran John Hepworth. Mainfreight’s 2009 annual report shed some light on some of the issues the American operation was facing. During this period Mainfreight purchased the outstanding shares from its Management in Hong Kong and China and disposed of its 75% shareholding in both LEP International New Zealand and Australia for AUD $83 million to minority shareholder Agility Logistics Group (Mainfreight, 2007). However these setbacks did not slow down the Mainfreight Group, the company achieving sales of NZD $1 Billion for the first time in time 2009. Buoyed by consistent sales growth the company continued with its rapid development and advanced into Europe. The Wim Bosman group of companies, â€Å"one of the largest privately? owned, integrated transport and logistics providers in the Netherlands and Belgium with 14 branches across six European countries, with more than 1,000 transport units, more than 275,000m? of warehouse and cross docking facilities and approximately 1,414 team members† (Mainfreight,2011) was purchased outright in 2011 for 110 million Euros. This time however Mainfreight installed Mark Newman, one of Mainfreight’s first graduates as CEO of the European business. Mark having spent 21 years with Mainfreight, Mark was very familiar with the company’s culture and drive to succeed. In the company’s 2012 Annual Report Newman reflects on his first year in charge of Wim Bosman / Mainfreight Europe. â€Å"We have now completed one full year of ownership of the Wim Bosman group of companies. During this period we have been able to integrate Mainfreight’s financial disciplines and begin the process of aligning our new team members to Mainfreight’s culture. Unfortunately, financial performance has not met expectations† â€Å"We have now completed one full year of ownership of the Wim Bosman group of companies. During this period we have been able to integrate Mainfreight’s financial disciplines and begin the process of aligning our new team members to Mainfreight’s culture. Unfortunately, financial performance has not met expectations† Despite these continued expansion struggles Mainfreight is still being awarded accolades, in 2012 winning the â€Å"Best Growth Strategy† award at the Deloitte / Management Top200 Awards Ceremony. So, what has Mainfreight learnt from these acquisitions and how has their behaviour changed over time? Refer to the tables 1. 4 and 1. for an update on Mainfreight Groups financial performance by geographical segment and the group’s structure as of 31 March 2012, before answering the Questions in Section two. TABLE 1. 4 TABLE 1. 5 Questions / Discussion 1) Can Mainfreight truly be classified as a â€Å"global† logistics provider? Using Collinson and Rugman’s definition from Peng’s 2014 text of a true global mul tinational enterprise having â€Å"at least 20% of sales in each of the three regions of the Triad consisting of Asia, Europe and North America but less than 50% in any one† we can see that Mainfreight does not quite fit this criteria. Table 1. shows Mainfreight Groups consolidated sales by geographic segment for 2012. Sales in the USA and Europe represented 24% and 23% respectively of the group’s NZD$ 1. 8billion total sales. Asia however contributed only 3%. Strictly following Rugman’s definition this would suggest that Mainfreight is not truly a global logistics provider. If we redefine Rugman’s definition to state â€Å"at least 20% of sales in each of three regions but less than 50% in any one† the 54% of sales coming from Australasia would suggest that Mainfreight is still to Australasian centric to be considered a true â€Å"global† logistics provider. ) Has Mainfreight’s mode of entry into foreign markets changed over time? If so how, and why? There have been some consistent themes as well as some changes to Mainfreight’s market entry strategies since opening their first Mainfreight International Branch in 1984. The consistent themes have seen Mainfreight continuously pursue Equity modes as means of entry. As a service provider Mainfreight has been unable to pursue some non-equity modes of entry, as it is not possible to export their services to foreign markets, although Licensing and Franchising agreements could have been pursued in other markets if Mainfreight so desired. The main changes in Mainfreight’s approach occurred between 2005 and 2007. This was most obvious when Mainfreight acquired 100% of Target Logistics, increased its shareholding to 100% in both its Hong Kong and Chinese operations and divested its 75% shareholding in LEP New Zealand and Australia. This move to wholly owning their subsidiary’s represented a significant change in thinking for Mainfreight, who up until this time entered new markets in Joint Venture, often sharing costs, risks and profits in conjunction with the subsidiary’s Senior Management. This previous approach was evident in the 49. % purchase of CaroTrans from Arkansas Best Corp in conjunction with CEO Greg Howard and in the Hong Kong and Chinese operations opened in 1998. Whilst the incorporation of CaroTrans into Mainfreight’s business was seen as a success, the introduction into the stable of fellow American company Target Logistics was anything but. Target CEO Chris Coppersmith stayed on when the business transferred to Mainfreight ownership, however the Target business could not adapt to the cultural and financial expectations expected of it by Mainfreight’s Board and Coppersmith was soon replaced by veteran Mainfreight Executive John Hepworth. As of 2012, the American division is still struggling, remaining the least profitable of all geographic segments in terms of its size as indicated in the table below. NZD 000’s| | | | | | | NZ| Aus| USA| Asia| Europe| Revenue| 455. 7| 529| 439| 56| 419| EBITDA| 54. 5| 33. 7| 19| 2. 6| 28. 1| ROR| 12. 0%| 6. 4%| 4. 3%| 4. 6%| 6. 7%| Despite Mainfreight continually pushing their culture as the number one reason for their success, it may be that they have overlooked the importance of adapting to certain countries specific norms and values. It certainly wasn’t a new concept as Mainfreight had experienced these struggles in the past, Bruce Plested’s interview with Graeme Kennedy in 2000 touched on the cultural differences of the Australian and New Zealand markets stating â€Å"You’ve got to have the size and network and employ Australians to get the respect of the bigger companies† (Kennedy, 2000) The Wim Bosman acquisition which also saw Mainfreight Executive Mark Newman promoted has also struggled financially. Is it a coincidence that Mainfreight’s joint ventures thrived whilst the wholly owned subsidiaries struggled? The major benefit of joint ventures is the access to partners’ knowledge, albeit whether it relates to regulative, normative or cognitive institutions. It appears this is something Mainfreight has overlooked in the recent past as it moved toward wholly owning its foreign subsidiaries. 3) Why do you think that Mainfreight has entered the markets it has? Mainfreight has applied some logic to the markets it has chosen to enter. Australia is a logical first point of call for many New Zealand firms looking to expand overseas due to the common language, regulatory environments and similar, albeit different, cultural norms. From an international organizations point of view, these similarities are compounded. Mainfreight’s chairman Bruce Plested stated that multinationals often view both New Zealand and Australia as just one market making Australia a logical first stepping stone in Mainfreight’s overseas expansion. Up until 2010 Mainfreight’s expansion had focused on extending the New Zealand part of the company’s global reach. Statistics New Zealand (2013) states that â€Å"New Zealand depends heavily on international trade, especially with especially with Australia, China, the United States, and Japan† and unsurprisingly these are the countries (excluding Japan) that Mainfreight has expanded into. The cultural differences between New Zealand and the Chinese and American markets are much more significant than those between the New Zealand and Australian markets or other traditional trading partners such as Britain. However, the sheer weight of imports and exports flowing into and out of these countries has made them obvious candidates for Mainfreight to expand into as it seeks to expand into markets complementary to the existing business. The purchase of Wim Bosman is interesting in that it is not a purchase that would traditionally be seen as complementary to Mainfreight’s New Zealand business when compared to markets such as Japan with whom New Zealand has significantly more trade. However, the opening of European markets could be seen as complimentary to Mainfreight’s US and Chinese operations in particular as these operations continue to grow, evolve and mature. 4) What are some of the risks associated with the approaches to foreign direct investment and the markets Mainfreight has chosen to enter? Mainfreight experienced Liability of Foreignness when it first entered the Australian market place. As outlined in my response to Question 1, firms, especially large ones would not give Mainfreight a chance unless they were seen to employ Australians. This was an inherent disadvantage of being a foreign company entering a new market in a â€Å"greenfield† capacity. Later Mainfreight expansion addressed some of these risks through the use of Joint Ventures in foreign markets such as China, Hong Kong and in the purchase of CaroTrans in the USA. As Mainfreight’s market entry strategy changed towards wholly owning their subsidiaries, some of these risks arose again. Mainfreight’s approach in fully acquiring existing business often helped to minimize these dangers as Mainfreight was not competing for a piece of the existing market share as it was previously with its greenfield entry into Australia. Mainfreight has not adopted a consistent approach to renaming businesses it has taken over. For example Target Logistics was renamed as Mainfreight USA, whilst the Wim Bosman acquisition has retained the company’s original branding possibly helping to overcome some of the cultural negativity foreign firms experience in other host countries. As a smaller New Zealand based multinational in the service industry Mainfreight has managed to mitigate many of risks that may apply to other companies, however currency risks and rivalry among competing firms are areas Mainfreight is still susceptible to. Regulatory risks are still very real however probably lesser in geographies such as Australia, the EU and New Zealand than they are the United States and China. 5) Relative to smaller logistics providers in New Zealand what are the main advantages Mainfreight enjoys from its MNE status? Peng (2014) refers to firms having OLI advantages or Ownership, Location and Internalization advantages. Using Peng’s framework, relative to non-multinationals operating in the New Zealand logistics industry, Mainfreight has the following advantages. Ownership Mainfreight benefits in that it has control and ownership of a significant part of the supply chain compared to say a New Zealand domestic transport company or a New Zealand warehousing provider. Mainfreight is able to compete with these non-multinationals by offering the convenience of an all in one managed solution to its clients or alternative competing on price with non-multinationals in their market as Mainfreight may be able to cross subsidise certain parts of its business. For example, Mainfreight may sell New Zealand warehousing services at a loss if it guarantees means they may win a customer’s lucrative freighting business. Location Mainfreight’s advantages over a non multinational from a location perspective are much harder to determine. As a service industry Mainfreight would find it hard to capitalize on Natural resources, low cost efficiencies and innovation, however there may be some advantages gained through having a global presence and subjecting Mainfreight’s brand to a global audience. This means Mainfreight could have a distinct advantage over non multinational logistics providers as potential customers (particularly large global ones) are more likely to know of Mainfreight’s operations. Internalization Some of the benefits Mainfreight experiences here are similar to the Ownership benefits outlined above. By not having to pay external suppliers margins on different services within a customer’s supply chain, Mainfreight can potentially offer more competitive services and retain profits inhouse. References Collinson, S. and Rugman, A. (2007). The regional character of Asian multinational enterprises. APJM, Ch. 24. Pp. 429-446. C. W. Downer ; Co. (2007, September 18). Target Logistics, Inc. , Agrees to be acquired by Mainfreight Limited. Retrieved from http://www. cwdowner. com/index. php? option=com_content;view=article;id=72;Itemid=31 Deloitte. (2012, November 29). Top 200 Companies Awards Reflect Future Direction for NZ Enterprise. Retrieved from http://www. deloitte. com/view/en_NZ/nz/news-room/3ee15be7bf94b310VgnVCM2000003356f70aRCRD. htm Fairfax NZ News. (2008, November 26). Mainfreight’s Plested wins Beacon Award. Retrieved from http://www. stuff. co. nz/business/735585 Kennedy, Graeme. (2000, March 17). Mainfreight develops major logistics operation. Retrieved from http://www. sharechat. co. nz/article/69e6e5bb/mainfreight-develops-major-logistics-operation. html Linkedin. (2013, February 28). Mainfreight. Retrieved from http://www. linkedin. com/company/mainfreight? trk=top_nav_home Mainfreight Limited. (1996) Mainfreight Limited Prospectus. Retrieved from http://epublishbyus. com/ebook/ebook? id=10005147#/4 Mainfreight Limited. (1997, July 2). Annual Report 1997. Retrieved from How to cite Mainfreight Case Study, Free Case study samples

Managing Diverse Environments & Culture-Free-Samples for Students

Question: Discuss about the Origins and Background of Indra K. Nooyi and her Career trajectory in different levels of various Organizations. Answer: In todays competitive environment, the multinational companies give their strategies on how to have sustainability in their business operations, the competitive advantage they possess and also increase their levels of profits. The Pepsi CEO should be able to assess the competitors and also reassess each of the strategies and how the strategies have been met and if not, the strategy that can be replaced to meet the circumstances at hand, the new technology and the competitive situation and the new social, financial and political environment. The CEO should understand the five forces that shape industries, the markets and competition(David, 2013). The forces include: the bargaining power, threat of new entrants in the market, the threat of substitutes, and the intensity of the competition rivalry(David, 2013). Once the forces have been considered, the CEO should then examine the interrelation between the forces and then summarize them to give the company the best performance. The CEO should employ the cost leadership strategy whereby there is lower production cost per unit. The latter is aimed at gaining a larger market share than the competitors. The latter makes the price sensitive companies to shake and can at long run end up exiting the market(Lamb, 2014). When a firm needs to grow, it has to diversify its business operations. The Pepsi CEO can opt to diversify the current products for them to match the potential growth and also make sure the products meet the expected profits(Lamb, 2014). The CEO can opt to use either of the two strategies for diversification: the related and unrelated strategies. The CEO can also delegate his or her duties to the managers in subordinate level who operate in different branches(David, 2013). The latter will ensure that there is easy and faster decision making since the circle of information is shortened. The latter will yield more sells and also capture a larger market share(Lamb, 2014). Conclusion The growth of a firm is related to the size of the economy considering the processes that take place in the firm. For a firm to expand, it should be able to adapt to the business environment and also sustain its competitive advantage. Work cited David, F. R., 2013. Strategic Management.concepts and cases. s.l.:Pearson Education Limited. Lamb, R., 2014. Competitive Strategic Management. s.l.:Pearson Education Limited.

Pricing Strategies & Specialization-Free-Samples-Myassignmenthelp

Questions: 1.As a producer, why is it important to consider the Price Elasticity of Demand of your Product when setting the price you are going to charge? 2.Explain the difference between Comparative Advantage an Absolute Advantage. Answers: 1.Introduction In most cases, producers are faced with the challenge of deciding the right price to sell their products or services. Generally, the role of producers is to maximize revenues; this in turn raises the personal wealth. So the producer aim is to sell at the highest possible price in the market while still maintaining the same demand level. This is where the concept of Price Elasticity of Demand (PED) comes in; it explains the behavior of consumers to price changes (Konrad, 2012) we have noted that despite the need to sell at high prices, the producer is also interested in the quantity sold. Lower prices encourages demand and given a certain level of income, consumers will always tend to buy more at that reduced price. High price discourages demand and given a certain level of income, consumers will tend to cut consumption level since their income is insufficient. Analysis According to Agarwal (2017), PED is important as it helps a producer in making predictions of the possible change in the quantity demanded it the price is changed. It is also offer a good opportunity for a farmer to price discriminate. Since markets are different and consumers are of different groups, elasticity vary from market to market. In the event of analyzing the PED, the producer is able to identify all the factors that increase the elasticity of a product to price change. These factors includes the nature of the goods, availability of substitutes, etc. Graph: Elastic Demand Initially, the price level was P1, at this price, the demand by the consumers was Q1. Now let us assume that the producer raised his price from P1 to a price P2, consumers will immediately respond by significantly cutting demand for this product and maybe demand its substitute goods. This is because the good is not a necessity and thus the consumers can do without, or other goods can act as a substitute (Green, 2017). The deduction here is that demand is very responsive to demand and thus very elastic. If this is the kind of goods that a producer is selling, it therefore proofs very difficult to raise the price level. Graph: Inelastic Demand The changes in price from the initial price P1 has no much influence of the demanded quantity. The demand change is too small. A producer who raises price in this case is guaranteed to increased revenues as the percentage price increase causes demand to fall by only a small percentage (Gsenviro, 2015). Conclusion Demand and supply concept is very important in pricing strategy decisions. Demand and price have a negative relationship. Producers should use historical price levels and their corresponding demand level and determine their PED. In the case of a price change, the changes in demand may wipe out the possible positive changes in revenue. The producer should be aware that in some cases revenue may be increased by lowering prices, but not always by price increments. PED should be the primary basis for pricing strategy decisions. An elastic demand is good for a price cut and inelastic demand is good for a price rise. 2.Introduction The production ability is unique to different producers. Resources available for the production of a certain good may be available in one area but a deficiency in others. An investor may be able to do a certain task at a different speed compared to another on a similar task. This brings about the concept of absolute advantage. A higher efficiency of production explain the absolute advantage concept. On the other hand, an investor may undergo another investment to make a specific one. The foregone investment may be of value that the committed investment; this brings in the concept of comparative advantage (Amadeo, 2017). The difference is explained by the basis of which every advantage is drawn from. Analysis A party that produces a good at a lower cost or at a faster pace have an absolute advantage. In a comparison of two production activities for two parties, we may find that a single party may be having an absolute advantage in both (Shenkar, Luo Chi, 2014). However, if that party carries the two tasks simultaneously, the output from each may be lower. Thus, for the party to maximize profit, it may be advisable to specialize on only one of those two production tasks. This is explained by comparative advantage where the party chooses to specialize on the task it has the lowest opportunity cost (Boudreaux, 2008). Lets consider a certain equal piece of land in different parts of a country; we may find out that if similar crops are grown at the same time using the same resources, the output level may be different. While a portion of a land may be supportive for the growth of a particular crop it may be poor for some other crops. The absolute and comparative analysis are important in that they help investors in making wise decisions; an investor by using this basis is expected to specialize on the production of that good that is more profitable to him and then make an exchange for that that he never produced. If for example party A carries out task A he foregoes doing 3 task B, and if party B carries out task A he foregoes doing 4 task B, party A has the lowest opportunity cost and thus should specialize in A. Similarly, if party A carries out task B he foregoes doing 2 task A, and if party B carries out task B he foregoes doing 1/2 task A, party B has the lowest opportunity cost and thus should specialize in task B. Conclusion Even if a country have an absolute advantage in similar activities over the other, it can still benefit from trading with that other country. Because of absolute and comparative advantage, they is plentiful supply of goods and services all over the world. This has enabled international trading which is the main source of income for many economies. Efficiency and opportunity cost differences helps in specialization and exchange. Investors should consider comparative advantage in their investments; countries should consider it as it facilitates international trading. References Agarwal, P. (2017). Price Elasticity of Demand. Intelligent Economist. Retrieved 5 August 2017, from https://www.intelligenteconomist.com/price-elasticity-of-demand/. Amadeo, K. (2017). Comparative Advantage. The Balance. Retrieved 5 August 2017, from https://www.thebalance.com/comparative-advantage-3305915. Boudreaux, D. (2008). Comparative Advantage. Econlib.org. Retrieved 5 August 2017, from https://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/ComparativeAdvantage.html. Green, J. (2017). Use of Elasticity of Demand in Business Management Problems. Smallbusiness.chron.com. Retrieved 5 August 2017, from https://smallbusiness.chron.com/use-elasticity-demand-business-management-problems-10523.html. Gsenviro. (2015). Why is price Elasticity of demand important to firms? ENotes. Retrieved 5 August 2017, from https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/why-price-elasticity-demand-important-firms-493109. Konrad, T. (2012). The End of Elastic Oil. Forbes.com. Retrieved 5 August 2017, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomkonrad/2012/01/26/the-end-of-elastic-oil/#478df50836d6. Shenkar, O., Luo, Y. Chi, T. (2014). International Business (3rd Ed). Routledge.