...CARS THAT DRIVE THEMSELVES, STUDY PROGRESS, SAFETY, AND SOCIAL ISSUES RELATED TO AN AUTOMATED SYSTEM SUCH AS AUTOMATED HIGHWAYS AND SELF DRIVING VEHICLES INTRDUCTION: How much is it going to change the world when computers and software get marriage and software is driving cars? That is scary to many people, but it is going to be incredible revolution. For the past hundred years, innovation within the automotive sector has brought major technological advances, leading to safer, cleaner, and more affordable vehicles. But for the most part, since Henry Ford introduced the moving assembly line, the changes have been incremental, evolutionary. Now, in the early decades of the 21st century, the industry appears to be on the cusp of revolutionary change—with potential to dramatically reshape not just the competitive landscape but also the way we interact with vehicles and, indeed, the future design of our roads and cities. The revolution, when it comes, will be engendered by the advent of autonomous or “self-driving” vehicles. And the timing may be sooner than anyone thinks. Even now that military drones have become a familiar topic, the idea of self-driving cars sounds pretty farfetched. But is it still just science fiction? Something that gets batted around in robotics labs and think tanks? Or are self-driving vehicles on the verge of becoming a viable form of personal mobility? Will the market accept them, want them, and pay for them? The answer is a resounding yes: The...
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...68), resulting in the bottom 28th percentile. The industry’s profitability can be considered low, based on its ranking in this list of U.S. industries (against Japanese rivals, the Big Three made about $3800 less per car/truck and shrinking market share, 1996 - 74%, 2001 - 65%, 2006 - 57%). Working against the industry are high labor costs (labor costs for the Big Three are about 10% more per vehicle, or $1500 per vehicle, than Japanese), rising health care costs for an ageing workforce (Toyota competitive advantage is $900-$1400 per vehicle just on healthcare per vehicle costs), rising fuel and raw material costs, ever toughening competition from Japanese and Korean manufacturers, and the struggling U.S. dollar (yen advantage in current exchange rate). The following overview will use Porter’s Five Forces to show why the auto industry is experiencing such low profitability. The two Forces working against the industry (strong forces against profits) are (1) strong rivalry among competitors and (2) strong bargaining power of consumers. Two Forces that are both conducive and constraining to profits are (1) potential entrants and (2) substitutes. The last Force currently benefits the Big Three: supplier pricing power is weak. I will conclude by giving examples of how the industry can alter these Forces to create a more attractive profit situation. Industry Competitors –...
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...A STUDY ON SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT IN AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY DR. Anu Maheshwari DR. Sanjay Shankar Mishra Guest Lecturer, Prof. & Hod of Commerce Dept. Govt. T.R.S.College, Rewa (MP) Govt. T.R.S.College, Rewa (MP) The changing business conditions of the 21st century has led to companies facing issues ranging from globalization, economic uncertainty to new technologies and increasing consumer demands. In the automobile industry, as manufacturers design and build vehicles globally, their supply chains become increasingly complex with challenges that often stand in the way of profitability and higher shareholder value such as long order-to-delivery lead times, unreliable production schedules, excess inventory across the supply chain, lengthy demand planning cycles and lack of visibility of suppliers. The effect of the global economic meltdown increased the pressure on automotive executives to make right decisions about their supply chain for better performance. In a highly challenging and competitive environment such as today, where supply chain is a popular tool for improving the organizational competitiveness. OVERVIEW OF SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT IN AUTO-INDUSTRY [pic] The Auto Ancillary Industry can be Further Divided into Six Main Segments: ❖ Engine Parts - Engine assembly, fall into 3 broad categories: core engine parts; fuel delivery system; and others. ❖ Electrical Parts - The main products in this category include starter motors, generators...
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...Public Transit Implications of Spatial Development and Their Impact on Commuting: Evidence from Suburban Beijing and Philadelphia Xinyi Huang Comparative Urbanism, 1st Draft Prof. McDonogh 4-11-2016 Table of Contents Introduction i. In general ii. Study Areas iii. Literature Review: Transport and Suburbia Spatial Development I. Context of Beijing i. Urban Form ii. Work-House Relocation iii. Commuting Patterns and Transport Development II. Context of Philadelphia i. Urban Form ii. Work-House Relocation iii. Commuting Patterns and Transport Development Public Transportation Strategies I. Beijing Subway i. Historical Background ii. Governance and Investment II. Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority Regional Rail i. Historical Background ii. Governance and Investment Transit and Commuting i. Yanjiao: Excess commute ii. King of Prussia: Reverse Commute Discussion and Conclusion Appendix: Images Bibliography Introduction In recent decades, one of the main arguments in relation to increasing transport demand and changing commuting pattern has focused on urban growth. Many existing studies have found strong evidence between land development and travel behaviors. Global urban sprawl has been accompanied by changes in individuals’ housing and employment locations, which in turn brings changes in commuting time, distance and destination. However...
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...befitting the guy in charge of an operation with 28,000 employees and $5 billion in annual revenue. But it drove him crazy, Devine says, to sit in his resplendent office and see people lining up in the hallway outside, as if waiting to be granted an audience with the pope. So for Devine, the open floor plan he instituted at Insureon conveys a message that extends far beyond any interior design aesthetic. It goes to the heart of the company's management style and workplace culture. It symbolizes an openness of spirit and Devine's availability to everyone in the company, no matter their station--and no waiting required. "For me it says a couple things about leadership," he says. "One is: No walls, no barriers, no hierarchy. Everybody can talk to everybody. Everybody can participate in a decision. We work together, and that's very important in leadership." In his eagerness to tear down the literal and figurative walls that have divided the workplace classes for generations, Devine is not alone. More businesses, especially those that employ large numbers of young workers, have sought to reshape their internal dynamics, ditching their long-standing, top-down, my-way-or-the-highway management structure in favor of a management structure that encourages collaboration. In many...
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...Renault – Nissan 9 C. Substitutes products 10 1. Other concepts of “green cars” 10 IV. SWOT 11 A. Strengths 11 1. Strong research and development capabilities 12 2. Increasing operational performance 12 3. Partnership with Mitsubishi 13 B. Weaknesses 13 1. High indebtedness 13 2. Autonomy/performances and Charging battery time 14 C. Opportunities 14 1. Strategic alliances 14 2. Poised to benefit from growing automotive markets in China, Latin America and Russia 15 3. Growing worldwide demand for more environmentally friendly vehicles 15 4. Stringent environmental regulations 16 D. Threats 16 1. Intense competition 16 2. Foreign currency risk 17 V. Segmentation 17 A. Criteria of segmentation 17 urrent target of the Peugeot iOn 18 VI. Current strategy 19 A. Objectives of the Group 19 B. Competitive advantage 20 C. Competitive environmental strategies 20 D. First Mover Advantage 20 E. BCG Matrix analysis 21 VII. Questionnaire results 22 VIII. B TO B STRATEGY 23 A. Introduction 23 B. Objectives 23 C. Target 23 D. Positioning 24 E. Product mix: 24 F. Price 25 G. Communication 26 H. Distribution 27 IX. Recommandations 27 A. B2C Strategy 27 1. Segmentation 27 2. Target 28 3. Positioning 28 4. Marketing mix 30 X. References 34 XI. Appendixes 35 Appendix 1 : Questionnaire : Electric cars 35...
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...surfacing into centers of innovation. These innovations associate with low-cost products like healthcare devices, wind power, micro finance, electric cars and many more. The success of these frugal innovated products enable developed countries to adopt well. Hence, reverse innovation refers to those innovations which are adopted by developing countries first and then by developed countries. These innovative products are a result of cutting edge technology, common sense and ingenious use of local commodities with the price range that is affordable to a huge mass of consumers like Tata's one lakh ($ 1677) car Nano, Nokia's sturdy mobile phones, the Chottu Cool' refrigerator and many more. These products might be conceptualized for the customers at the bottom of the pyramid still not limited by scaled down versions meant for the lower end. This paper is an attempt to evaluate how reverse innovations are possible in emerging markets and how it can unlock business opportunities at a global scale. Keywords Emerging market, frugal, innovation, product reverse, technology 1. Introduction In today's changing and competitive environment, innovation is must for the survival of any kind of business in the marketplace. The primary objective of any business firm is to understand the changing needs, wants and preferences of its customers and design the products accordingly. Innovation serves as a continuous response to changing circumstances; it not only helps to solve a problem but also creates...
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...FCjhANALYZING CHINA’S AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY COMPETITIVENESS THROUGH PORTER’S DIAMOND MODEL DI WU Bachelor of Management, University of Lethbridge, 2004 A Research Project Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies of the University of Lethbridge in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree MASTER OF SCIENCE IN MANAGEMENT Faculty of Management University of Lethbridge LETHBRIDGE, ALBERTA, CANADA © Di Wu, 2006 (Approval/ Signature page) ii Abstract This paper incorporates Porter’s diamond model to analyze China’s automobile industry. Besides looking at the four determinants of competitiveness in the original model, this study specifically examines the impact of government on industry competitiveness. This study retrieves archival data on multi-measurements used in prior studies. The author incorporates one case study of a Chinese auto firm to illustrate the specific impact of government policy and the responses of auto assemblers and component suppliers. Interviews with experts in auto-related industries are conducted to triangulate the findings. Results show that the Chinese auto industry is still in its early stages of development, whereas product quality and economies of scale of domestic automakers are approaching global standards; thus Chinese auto firms aim at becoming major players in the international market. The government plays an active role in assisting the industry development as the nation transitions from a planned economy to a free...
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...1. Introduction HSBC is named after its founding member, The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, which was established in 1865 to finance the growing trade between Europe, India and China. In the early years of the 20th century, HSBC widened its activities in the East and became increasingly involved in the issuing of loans to national governments, especially in China, to finance modernisation and internal infrastructure projects such as railway building. In the later years of the 20th century HSBC moved from an important regional bank to one of the world's leading financial services organisations. In the 21st century, HSBC has renewed its focus on its birthplace, growing its business in China both organically and through a series of strategic partnerships. Nowadays, HSBC's international network comprises more than 6,200 offices in 74 countries and territories in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa,. ranks first in the Forbes 400 Top UK based companies in spite of its root from Asian, with deversified products and services, including advisory, financing, trading, sales, transaction banking, research and analysis. Unilever is an Anglo–Dutch multinational consumer goods company co-headquartered in London, England and Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Its products include food, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products. It is the world's third-largest consumer goods company measured by 2012 revenue, after Procter &...
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...Subrahmanyam Faculty Adviser Professor Joseph Foudy Thesis Adviser 1 I. Introduction...................................................................................................................Page 4 A. The Inefficiency of Cars Today B. Thesis Objective C. Thesis II. Research and Resources...............................................................................................Page 7 A. Research Framework B. Research Perspectives C. Resources and Data III. Tesla in Context.............................................................................................................Page 9 A. The Global Auto Industry B. Tesla: The Innovative Disrupter C. Sparking the Electric Revolution IV. The Man Behind the Machine...................................................................................Page 12 A. Elon Musk B. Entrepreneur from the Start C. Space X V. Tesla Motors Overview...............................................................................................Page 15 A. Company Offerings B. Phase I. Roadster C. Phase II. Models S and X 2 D. Phase III. Project BlueStar VI. How It Works: The Model S......................................................................................Page 18 A. The Design B. The Mechanics VII. How Did They Do It?..................................................................................................Page 22 A. Defining “It” B. Elon Musk’s Vision C. Re-Imagining the Product Experience D. The Perfect Storm for an Impending...
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...Hartigan, Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, Switzerland Ashok Khosla, Development Alternatives, India Ehsan Masood, LEAD International, UK Penelope Mawson, LEAD International, UK Nick Moon, ApproTEC, Kenya Adil Najam, Fletcher School, Tufts University, USA Julia Novy-Hildesley, Lemelson Foundation, USA Anna Richell, Design Council, UK Ammon Salter, Imperial College London, UK Eugenio de Motta Singer, ERM, Brazil Rory Stear, Freeplay Energy Corp., UK Zhang Lubiao, Institute of Agricultural Economics, China 2 Foreword This draft document comprises Recommendations and a Summary of the discussion from a workshop held at the secretariat of LEAD International in London in November 2003, as part of a larger study on invention and inventiveness. The study will culminate in an “Invention Assembly” in Washington D.C. in April 2004. The study is supported by the Lemelson-MIT Program and by the National Science Foundation. The Assembly will be hosted by the National Academy of Engineering. 3 Contents Key findings and recommendations Introduction The role of invention and innovation Case studies: Africa Case studies: India Case studies: China Case studies: Latin America The rise of social entrepreneurship An agenda for further study Notes Biographies...
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...High Speed Rails Contents High Speed Rails 3 Chapter I - Introduction 3 I.1 Statement of the Problem 3 I.2 Question of the Study 3 I.3 Objective of the Paper 3 I. 4 Significance of the Study 4 Chapter II - Literature Review 4 II.1 Introduction and a Short Page of History 4 II.2 What is it exactly? A Definition 5 II. 3 What Are the Costs? 6 II. 4 Advantages of High-Speed Rails 8 II. 5 Disadvantages of High-Speed Rails 12 II. 6 Pollution 13 Chapter III – Methodology 18 Chapter IV – Findings 18 Chapter V – Conclusion 21 Abstract Technological developments are always meant to ease humans’ lives, in terms of commodity, and to offer performing solutions for their needs. However, often the technological developments are working in the benefit of humankind evolution, but in the detriment of the nature. High-speed rails are a model of such solutions, meant to improve humans’ lives. Their high speeds (between 200 and 431 km/hour), and their easy boarding (the time spent in boarding is less than 30 minutes, depending on the travelling class), transform the meaning of travelling, making it a real experience. Moreover, the high-speed rails lead to indirect benefits such as allowing the possibility to travel for business purposes, or to working relocation. On the other hand, indirectly, high-speed rails create negative outcomes: urban agglomerations because of this efficient transportation mode, automatically lead to people deserting the rural regions, for...
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...A NEW CAR PLAN FOR A GREENER FUTURE A NEW CAR PLAN FOR A GREENER FUTURE © Commonwealth of Australia 2008 ISBN 978-0-642-72554-7 This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from the Commonwealth. Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to the Commonwealth Copyright Administration, Attorney General’s Department, Robert Garran Offices, National Circuit, Canberra ACT 2600 or posted at http://www.ag.gov.au/cca CONTENTS PRIME MINISTER’S FOREWORD MINISTER’S FOREWORD EXECUTIVE SUMMARY WHY A NEW CAR PLAN? THE DETAILS THE GOVERNMENT’S RESPONSE TO THE REVIEW OF AUSTRALIA’S AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY 1 3 5 7 9 13 PRIME MINISTER’S FOREWORD The Hon Kevin Rudd MP Prime Minister of Australia Our first car took to the road as early as 1897, when David Shearer demonstrated his steam-driven horseless carriage in South Australia. Yet it would be two generations before the first 48-215 Holden came off the line in 1948, and motor vehicle production began in earnest. That’s a measure of how hard it is to establish an automotive industry, and a reminder of why Australian governments have dedicated themselves to ensuring that we remain a car-making country. In the past, governments have tried to protect the industry with tariffs and quotas. The Button Plan of the 1980s showed there was a better way. If we want the Australian car...
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...Transportation & Logistics Transportation & Logistics 2030 Volume 1: How will supply chains evolve in an energy-constrained, low-carbon world? PricewaterhouseCoopers 1 Acknowledgements The editorial board of this issue of our Transportation & Logistics 2030 series consisted of the following individuals: PricewaterhouseCoopers European Business School Supply Chain Management Institute Dr. Heiko von der Gracht +49 611 3601 8800 vdgracht@supplyinstitute.org Tobias Gnatzy +49 611 3601 8800 gnatzy@supplyinstitute.org Prof. Dr. Inga-Lena Darkow +49 611 3601 8800 darkow@supplyinstitute.org Klaus-Dieter Ruske +49 211 981 2877 klaus-dieter.ruske@de.pwc.com Dr. Peter Kauschke +49 211 981 2167 peter.kauschke@de.pwc.com Julia Reuter +49 211 981 2095 julia.reuter@de.pwc.com Dr. Elizabeth Montgomery +49 89 5790 5159 elizabeth.montgomery@de.pwc.com We would like to thank the panellists who took part in the Delphi survey that underpins this report. For confidentiality reasons their names will not be mentioned. Special thanks go to Tom Gorman, CEO of CHEP EMEA and Harry Hohmeister, CEO of Swiss International Air Lines, who took the time to share their thoughts and insights with us. Finally, we would like to express our appreciation for the expertise provided by the below listed individuals: Jenny Bailey, Andreas Baur, Nicholas Bell, Thomas Brüderlin, Giorgio Elefante, Richard Gane, Martha Elena Gonzalez, Susanne Klages, Christian Knechtel, Socrates LeptosBourgi, Alexander...
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...AN INNOVATION STRATEGY FOR LG ELECTRONICS Thanks to the continuous technological innovation of handsets, the rise of mobile phones has been nothing short of phenomenal and the trend is expected to continue in the years to come (Frost & Sullivan, 2006). Their continued success is down to the fact that today’s handsets have become much more than simply mobile phones. A mobile phone can function as a camera, PDA and has many other features such as gaming functions and access to the Internet. Based on 3G, broadband is also paving the way for video-telephony and TV viewing. Characterised by continuous change and innovation, the mobile phone industry then sets an exciting stage for devising an innovation strategy. Our focus will be on mobile phone manufacturer LG. LG Electronics, Inc. is in fact a consumer electronics company with two other business units (Digital Display & Media and Digital Appliances), besides the Handset unit we will focus on in our report. On a global scale, LG’s handset division is 5th in terms of market share based on handset revenue, behind Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, and Sony Ericsson (see Appendix 1). Despite not being in the ‘Big Four’, LG’s market position is that of a strong challenger considering the many other ‘me too’ competitors that exist (e.g. NEC, Sanyo), but who fail to register in consumers’ minds. LG’s achievement can be seen to be mainly due to the success of their ‘Black’ series with popular models such as ‘Chocolate’ and ‘Shine’. Industry...
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