...Rebuilding Lego, Brick by Brick How a supply chain transformation helped put the beloved toymaker back together again. by Keith Oliver, Edouard Samakh, and Peter Heckmann Lego art by Sean Kenney Photographs by Matthew Septimus On the surface, the Lego Group didn’t look as if it was in trouble. The fourth-largest toymaker in the world at the time (today it is fifth-largest), the Lego Group sold €1 billion (US$1.35 billion) worth of toys in 2004, ranging from its snap-together bricks for young children to Mindstorms, a line of do-it-yourself robot kits for older kids. Even in the digital age, its toys maintained a surprisingly firm grip on the market and seemed to adapt well to changing tastes. The company’s steady stream of new products routinely generated three-quarters of its yearly sales. Popular enthusiasm was so great that in 2000, the British Association of Toy Retailers joined Fortune magazine in naming the company’s classic bricks “the toy of the century.” But the Lego Group’s financial performance told another story. Despite its extraordinary hold on the imagination of children around the world, the Billund, Denmark, company was in trouble. The Lego Group had lost money four out of the seven years from 1998 through 2004. Sales dropped 30 percent in 2003 and 10 percent more in 2004, when profit margins stood at –30 percent. Lego Group executives estimated that the company was destroying €250,000 ($337,000) in value every day. How could such a seemingly successful...
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...Rebuilding LEGO (short descriptive part of Lego a The Lego group is fifth largest toy manufacturer in the world On the surface, the Lego Group didn’t look as if it was in trouble. The fourth-largest toymaker in the world at the time (today it is fifth-largest), the Lego Group sold €1 billion (US$1.35 billion) worth of toys in 2004, ranging from its snap-together bricks for young children to Mindstorms, a line of do-it-yourself robot kits for older kids. Even in the digital age, its toys maintained a surprisingly firm grip on the market and seemed to adapt well to changing tastes. The company’s steady stream of new products routinely generated three-quarters of its yearly sales. Popular enthusiasm was so great that in 2000, the British Association of Toy Retailers joined Fortune magazine in naming the company’s classic bricks “the toy of the century.” But the Lego Group’s financial performance told another story. Despite its extraordinary hold on the imagination of children around the world, the Billund, Denmark, company was in trouble. The Lego Group had lost money four out of the seven years from 1998 through 2004. Sales dropped 30 percent in 2003 and 10 percent more in 2004, when profit margins stood at –30 percent. Lego Group executives estimated that the company was destroying €250,000 ($337,000) in value every day. How could such a seemingly successful toymaker lose that much money? Some observers speculated that the Lego Group had overdiversified its product line...
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...ESSENTIALS OF MARKETING THIRD EDITION JIM BLYTHE Essentials of Marketing ii Marketing Planning: principles in practice We work with leading authors to develop the strongest educational materials in marketing, bringing cutting-edge thinking and best learning practice to a global market. Under a range of well-known imprints, including Financial Times Prentice Hall, we craft high quality print and electronic publications which help readers to understand and apply their content, whether studying or at work. To find out more about the complete range of our publishing please visit us on the World Wide Web at: www.pearsoned.co.uk Last A Head on Spread 000 Jim Blythe University of Glamorgan Essentials of Marketing Third Edition Pearson Education Limited Edinburgh Gate Harlow Essex CM20 2JE England and Associated Companies throughout the world Visit us on the World Wide Web at: www.pearsoned.co.uk First published under the Financial Times Pitman Publishing imprint 1998 Second edition 2001 Third edition 2005 © Financial Times Professional Limited 1998 © Pearson Education Limited 2001, 2005 The right of Jim Blythe to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without either the prior written...
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...Fiscal Year 2011 Annual Financial Report And Shareholder Letter January 2012 Dear Shareholders, Fiscal 2011 was a year of great accomplishment for The Walt Disney Company, marked by creativity and innovation across our businesses globally, record financial results and numerous important steps to position the Company for the future. While 2011 brought us so much to cheer about, it was also marked by profound loss, with the passing of Steve Jobs. Steve’s incredible stewardship of Pixar, and his decision to sell Pixar to Disney in 2006, brought Steve into the Disney family, as a board member, a shareholder, a mentor, and a friend, and we were so lucky for all that he represented and all that he contributed. Disney, ESPN, ABC, Pixar, and Marvel are an amazing collection of brands that grow stronger every day as new platforms and new markets provide enormous new opportunities for high quality content and experiences. To that end, we are fortunate to have a talented group of employees who are committed day in and day out to building our brands around the world. Since becoming President and CEO in 2005, I have focused on three strategic priorities: creating high-quality family content, making experiences more memorable and accessible through innovative technology, and growing internationally. In fiscal 2011, net income attributable to Disney was a record $4.8 billion, an increase of 21% over last year, and revenue was a record $40.9 billion, up 7% from last year. Diluted earnings...
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...1 ) Consumer ethnocentrism and attitudes toward domestic and foreign products Literature review : The country of origin effect and consumer ethnocentrism The country of origin effect, also known as the ``made in'' concept, has been broadly defined as the positive or negative influence that a product's country of manufacture may have on consumers' decision processes or subsequent behaviour (Elliott and Cameron, 1994). Within the realm of consumer decision making, country of origin has been defined as an extrinsic cue that acts as a risk mitigant or quality cue for consumers (Cordell, 1992). Such extrinsic cues (others include price, brand name, warranties) serve as intangible product traits that contrast with intrinsic cues (e.g., taste, design), which are tangible aspects or physical characteristics of the product itself (Bilkey and Nes, 1982). Although some studies have questioned the importance of country of origin for much consumer decision making (Elliott and Cameron, 1994; Hugstad and Durr, 1986; Mitchell and Greatorex, 1990; Schooler and Wildt, 1968), recent research has demonstrated that the country of origin has a substantial effect on attitudes toward products and the likelihood of purchasing these products, often demonstrating effects that are as strong or stronger than those of brand name, price, or quality (Ahmed and d'Astous, 1996; Lantz and Loeb, 1996; Okechuku, 1994). Recent research has linked the country of origin effect to levels of consumer ethnocentrism...
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...About Google! 2008 Annual Report Unemployment 100 80 60 40 20 0 100 80 60 40 20 0 Foreclosure ‘04 ‘05 ‘06 ‘07 ‘08 ‘09 ‘04 ‘05 ‘06 ‘07 ‘08 ‘09 We are all in uncharted waters. – CEO Eric Schmidt Query volume index for “unemployment” and “foreclosure” from Google Trends 2008 Founders’ Letter Since 2004, when Google began to have annual reports, Larry and I have taken turns writing an annual letter. I never imagined I would be writing one in the midst of an economic crisis unlike any we have seen in decades. As I write this, search queries are reflecting economic hardship, the major market indexes are one-half of what they were less than 18 months ago, and els. unemployment is at record levels. Nonetheless, I am optimistic about the future, because I believe scarcity breeds clarity: it focuses minds, forcing g people to think creatively and rise to the challenge. While much smaller in scale than today’s global collapse, e, the dot-com bust of 2000-2002 pushed Google and others in the industry to make some tough decisions — and we all emerged stronger as a result. This new crisis punctuates the end of our first decade e as a company, a decade that has brought great change to Google, the web and the Internet as a whole. As I reflect on this short time period, our accomplishments and our shortcomings, I am very excited about what the next 10 years may bring. But let me start a little farther back — in 1990, the very first web...
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...Retailing in the 21st Century Manfred Krafft ´ Murali K. Mantrala (Editors) Retailing in the 21st Century Current and Future Trends With 79 Figures and 32 Tables 12 Professor Dr. Manfred Krafft University of Muenster Institute of Marketing Am Stadtgraben 13±15 48143 Muenster Germany mkrafft@uni-muenster.de Professor Murali K. Mantrala, PhD University of Missouri ± Columbia College of Business 438 Cornell Hall Columbia, MO 65211 USA mantralam@missouri.edu ISBN-10 3-540-28399-4 Springer Berlin Heidelberg New York ISBN-13 978-3-540-28399-7 Springer Berlin Heidelberg New York Cataloging-in-Publication Data Library of Congress Control Number: 2005932316 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilm or in any other way, and storage in data banks. Duplication of this publication or parts thereof is permitted only under the provisions of the German Copyright Law of September 9, 1965, in its current version, and permission for use must always be obtained from Springer-Verlag. Violations are liable for prosecution under the German Copyright Law. Springer is a part of Springer Science+Business Media springeronline.com ° Springer Berlin ´ Heidelberg 2006 Printed in Germany The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, etc. in this publication does not...
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...Annual Report 2014 Our customers are at the core of our business Myer strives to be customers’ number one destination when it comes to fashion, cosmetics, and the home. Our strategy provides a clear direction for us to continually delight our customers when they engage with us, whether it is in a store or online. Contents Chairman and CEO Report Page 04 Directors’ Report Page 42 Operating and Financial Review Page 06 Remuneration Report Page 47 Sustainability Page 22 Financial Report Page 68 Board of Directors Page 26 Auditor’s Independence Declaration Page 114 Management Team Page 28 Independent Auditor’s Report Page 115 Corporate Governance Statement Page 30 Shareholder Information Page 117 Corporate Directory IBC Annual General Meeting The fifth Annual General Meeting of Myer Holdings Limited will be held on Friday 21 November 2014 at 11.00am (Melbourne time). Mural Hall Level 6, Myer Melbourne Store Bourke Street Mall, Melbourne VIC 3000 Myer Holdings Limited ABN 14 119 085 602 Front cover image: Myer Adelaide Left page top to bottom: Team member and customer; Homewares, Myer Adelaide; Childrenswear, Myer, Emporium Melbourne. CHAIRMAN AND CEO REPORT Paul McClintock AO and Bernie Brookes was able to maintain total sales of $3,143 million. On a comparable store sales basis, sales increased by 1.2 percent. It is encouraging that comparable store sales have now grown in eight of the last nine quarters, which points to our...
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..._______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ Report Information from ProQuest September 24 2014 20:32 _______________________________________________________________ 24 September 2014 ProQuest Table of contents 1. Open innovation for SMEs in developing countries - An intermediated communication network model for collaboration beyond obstacles....................................................................................................................... 1 2. Model of Thai Small and Medium Sized Enterprises' Organizational Capabilities: Review and Verification 15 3. SMALL BUSINESSES AND INTERNATIONAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE ECONOMIC HARD TIME: A GLOBAL STRATEGIC PERSPECTIVE............................................................................................ 33 Bibliography...................................................................................................................................................... 48 24 September 2014 ii ProQuest Document 1 of 3 Open innovation for SMEs in developing countries - An intermediated communication network model for collaboration beyond obstacles Author: Vrgovic, Petar; Vidicki, Predrag; Glassman, Brian; Walton, Abram ProQuest document link Abstract: Although there is increasing interest in exploring open innovation in developing countries, the conceptual and potential applications of using...
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...More Than a Numbers Game A Brief Histor y of Accounting Thomas A. King John Wiley & Sons, Inc. More Than a Numbers Game More Than a Numbers Game A Brief Histor y of Accounting Thomas A. King John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Copyright © 2006 by Thomas A. King. All rights reserved. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey. Published simultaneously in Canada. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 646-8600, or on the web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748-6011, fax (201) 748-6008, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions. Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability...
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...More Praise for Chaotics from Around the World “Turbulence is erratic—and it’s unpredictable. Nevertheless, we must handle it. In Chaotics, Kotler and Caslione don’t just remind us to pay attention to early signs; they give business leaders an outstanding map for how to successfully navigate a company through crises.” —Friedrich von Metzler, Member, Partners’ Committee, B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. Holding AG “Turbulence and unpredictability are the inevitable realities of the next few years. We are in truly uncharted waters, with no good maps. Chaotics will help your organization to navigate without one. This incredibly useful and helpful book provides clear and practical guidance to the many difficult decisions that managers and leaders need to make in turbulent times. It is like having the authors and their wisdom at your side while having to ride the white waters of the rapids ahead.” —Peter Schwartz, Monitor Global Business Network “[A]n operations manual to help management teams guide their companies through this global disaster. Chaotics is a must read for those seeking a lifeline to save their business.” —Ed Kaplan, Chairman Emeritus, Zebra Technologies “A very timely and practical book on how to manage and market the enterprise through prolonged turbulence. The Chaotics Management System provides an excellent blueprint for making each major business function more resilient.” —Jagdish N. Sheth, Ph.D., Charles H. Kellstadt Professor of Marketing, Goizueta Business School...
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...THE FUTURE OF TECHNOLOGY OTHER ECONOMIST BOOKS Guide to Analysing Companies Guide to Business Modelling Guide to Business Planning Guide to Economic Indicators Guide to the European Union Guide to Financial Markets Guide to Management Ideas Numbers Guide Style Guide Dictionary of Business Dictionary of Economics International Dictionary of Finance Brands and Branding Business Consulting Business Ethics Business Strategy China’s Stockmarket Globalisation Headhunters and How to Use Them Successful Mergers Wall Street Essential Director Essential Economics Essential Finance Essential Internet Essential Investment Essential Negotiation Pocket World in Figures THE FUTURE OF TECHNOLOGY THE ECONOMIST IN ASSOCIATION WITH PROFILE BOOKS LTD Published by Profile Books Ltd 3a Exmouth House, Pine Street, London ec1r 0jh Copyright © The Economist Newspaper Ltd 2005 All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the publisher of this book. The greatest care has been taken in compiling this book. However, no responsibility can be accepted by the publishers or compilers for the accuracy of the information presented. Where opinion is expressed it is that of the author and does not necessarily...
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...Learning with Cases INTRODUCTION The case study method of teaching used in management education is quite different from most of the methods of teaching used at the school and undergraduate course levels. Unlike traditional lecture-based teaching where student participation in the classroom is minimal, the case method is an active learning method, which requires participation and involvement from the student in the classroom. For students who have been exposed only to the traditional teaching methods, this calls for a major change in their approach to learning. This introduction is intended to provide students with some basic information about the case method, and guidelines about what they must do to gain the maximum benefit from the method. We begin by taking a brief look at what case studies are, and how they are used in the classroom. Then we discuss what the student needs to do to prepare for a class, and what she can expect during the case discussion. We also explain how student performance is evaluated in a case study based course. Finally, we describe the benefits a student of management can expect to gain through the use of the case method. WHAT IS A CASE STUDY? There is no universally accepted definition for a case study, and the case method means different things to different people. Consequently, all case studies are not structured similarly, and variations abound in terms of style, structure and approach. Case material ranges from small caselets (a few paragraphs...
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...Instructor’s Manual Operations and Process Management: Principles and Practice for Strategic Impact Second Edition Nigel Slack Stuart Chambers Robert Johnston Alan Betts ISBN: 978-0-273-71852-9 Pearson Education Limited 2009 Contents Part 1: Teaching Guide ........................................................................................................................................ 7 Chapter 1: Operations and processes.................................................................................................................... 8 Chapter 2: Operations strategy ........................................................................................................................... 12 Chapter 3: Supply network design...................................................................................................................... 19 Chapter 4: Process design 1 – positioning.......................................................................................................... 22 Chapter 5: Process design 2 – analysis ............................................................................................................... 26 Chapter 6: Product and service design processes ............................................................................................... 31 Chapter 7: Supply chain management ................................................................................................................ 34 Chapter...
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...CONTENTS: CASE STUDIES CASE STUDY 1 Midsouth Chamber of Commerce (A): The Role of the Operating Manager in Information Systems CASE STUDY I-1 IMT Custom Machine Company, Inc.: Selection of an Information Technology Platform CASE STUDY I-2 VoIP2.biz, Inc.: Deciding on the Next Steps for a VoIP Supplier CASE STUDY I-3 The VoIP Adoption at Butler University CASE STUDY I-4 Supporting Mobile Health Clinics: The Children’s Health Fund of New York City CASE STUDY I-5 Data Governance at InsuraCorp CASE STUDY I-6 H.H. Gregg’s Appliances, Inc.: Deciding on a New Information Technology Platform CASE STUDY I-7 Midsouth Chamber of Commerce (B): Cleaning Up an Information Systems Debacle CASE STUDY II-1 Vendor-Managed Inventory at NIBCO CASE STUDY II-2 Real-Time Business Intelligence at Continental Airlines CASE STUDY II-3 Norfolk Southern Railway: The Business Intelligence Journey CASE STUDY II-4 Mining Data to Increase State Tax Revenues in California CASE STUDY II-5 The Cliptomania™ Web Store: An E-Tailing Start-up Survival Story CASE STUDY II-6 Rock Island Chocolate Company, Inc.: Building a Social Networking Strategy CASE STUDY III-1 Managing a Systems Development Project at Consumer and Industrial Products, Inc. CASE STUDY III-2 A Make-or-Buy Decision at Baxter Manufacturing Company CASE STUDY III-3 ERP Purchase Decision at Benton Manufacturing Company, Inc. CASE STUDY III-4 ...
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