...Case 2: Ocean Carriers | Prof. Graeme WarrenFIN 4422 | Miguel OyolaZ23136486Feb. 25, 2014 | Ocean Carriers 1) Identification of the strategic issues and problems Strong Tie Ltd. (STL), a family-owned corporation, has been the leader of its industry segment with a market share of 70% and through the years has obtain a remarkable reputation for its quality, especially on custom products. In recent years, STL has lost 10% of its market share and now at 60% is having trouble maintaining its leadership in the industry segment due to the arrival of new competitors, especially from China. These new competitors have obtained 30% of market share and are still growing. The problem identified is the high cost the company has, which has led STL to struggle in maintaining its leadership; in addition to these costs the start of the recession in late 2007, a 28% increase in metal prices at the beginning of 20081, and aggressive competitors have had an impact on the company performance, consequently, reporting a NEGATIVE growth of 5.76% in sales for 2007 – 2008. ------------------------------------------------- 1. Mark Skaer. "Steel Prices Continue to Rise." AHR Expo. N.p., 31 Mar. 2008. Web. 08 Feb. 2014. http://www.achrnews.com/articles/steel-prices-continue-to-rise 2) Analysis and evaluation Strategies * Due to fluctuating prices of raw materials, STL tried to implement just-in-time (JIT) strategy. JIT brings out efficiency when companies can...
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...Chapter 7 Decision making is the cornerstone of planning. Procter & Gamble set a goal of doubling its revenues over a 10 year period. The mission outlines the organization’s purpose, premises, values, and directions. Flowing from the mission are parallel streams of goals and plans. Directly following the mission are the strategic goals. These goals and the mission help determine strategic plans. Strategic goals and plans are primary inputs for developing tactical goals. PURPOSES OF GOALS 1ST they provide guidance and unified direction for people in the organization. Goals can help everyone understand where the organization is going and why getting there is important. 2nd goal setting practices strongly affect other aspects of planning. Effective goal setting promotes good planning, and good planning facilitates future goal setting. 3rd goals can serve as a source of motivation for employees of the organization. (reward system) 4th goals provide an effective mechanism for evaluation and control; How successfully today’s goals are accomplished. (setting a high goal and half way there realizing you will not meat that goal then study why they didn’t reach their goal) KINDS OF GOALS Goals are set for and by different levels within an organization. FOUR BASIC LEVELS OF GOALS – mission, strategic, tactical and operational. Mission - a statement of an organization’s fundamental purpose Strategic goals - a goal set by and for top management...
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...Esparaud Louidort Strong Tie Ltd case #1 finance 10/2/2013 Strong Tie Ltd financial and strategic issues 1. Introduction Strong Tie Ltd. is a Canadian family-owned company that specializes in manufacturing of standardized and customized structural connectors located in Winnipeg, Manitoba. It is run by the son of the founder together with his three daughters. Unlike its competitors, the company keeps its production in China, which is possible partly due to high level of automation of the production of standardized details. The production of customized details is labour-intensive, but high costs are supposedly being offset by high premium the customers are ready to pay. Or are they? While Universal Connector – the main competitor who currently holds 30% market share and is growing – showed in the last financial year 10% net profit margin, 17% ROA and 28% ROE, as compared to Strong Tie Ltd., who, in fact, broke even in 2008 with reported net profit amounting to just $7,000, which, given the necessity to pay $500,000 a year dividends to the owner’s sister, is equivalent to a loss. There is no doubt that the company is going through the hard times at the moment. Financial crisis means that people are likely to build fewer houses, so the whole market is in stagnation, while the competitors – Universal Connector and several smaller companies – are gradually taking away the once-70% market share from Strong Tie Ltd. Despite superior perceived quality and possibility to charge...
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...I was born in Los Angeles, California May 20, 2000 at around 5:00 PM. It seems like I was just recently born but it’s been almost 16 years. I still remember some moments when I was a little child. I still look back to my childhood and say, “I miss being a kid.” Here and there I look through my baby pictures and I believed I was a cute baby. But at the age of four, I found a talent. A talent what would represent me as a person and a talent that can be very difficult depending on how far you go with it? But the talent was soccer. I’ve been playing soccer ever since I was four. I joined a recreational team but the coaches told I was way beyond that level. So I joined a competitive team and played a year older. Then I turned five and joined another team that had kids the same age as me. Ever since, I’ve seen many beautiful cities, been to many states, and attended many soccer tournaments. I attended my first tournament in September in the year 2007. I remember I was nervous but excited. My coach told us that if we won all the necessary games; we would win all a prize. Unfortunately, we didn’t earn the prize we wanted. Then a month later in that same year, I attended my first out of state tournament in Louisville, Kentucky. I was stoked to be in an airplane with all my teammates traveling to play soccer. I felt so glorious, like if I was on the top of the world. The years passed and I continued to travel a lot just for soccer. I was seven years old when I...
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...Teaching Analysis HOW TO TIE A WINDSOR KNOT Core Concept I chose to write a paper on how to tie a tie (The Windsor Knot). I chose this video because I wanted to compare it with the way I tie a tie. This particular video used the double Windsor knot. When I started watching the video I didn’t realize it was for the double Windsor knot. There are several ways to tie a tie and I find myself looking at other people’s ties to figure out if they did it the same way that I do or what method they use. Some people’s ties look a little crooked or sloppy and I always wonder what approach they took when they tied their tie. I always wonder if they may have left a step out. Some people’s ties are too short so I figure that they don’t know how to adjust the tie. I like my tie to be straight and the right length. I am a tall person so I have to make sure I tie mine a little longer. When I meet someone dressed up and wearing a tie, the tie is one of the first things I notice. So I assume that other people are noticing the same thing and this always makes me cautious of how my tie looks before leaving my house. Organization I feel like this video (How to Tie A Tie For Begginers) was well organized. He demonstrated the tying process very well. He started off with a tie around his neck and explained step by step what to do. Even to the point of what end of the tie should be in the right hand and which end should be in the left hand. If this was my first time at tying a tie, I believe I could have...
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...semiotic potency, one should be equipped with a basic knowledge of semiotics. According to Gill Branston, the author of The Media Student's Book, Semiotics "is a theory of signs, and how they work to produce meanings, or the study of how things come to have significance. This includes signs devised to convey meanings (langage, badges) as well as 'symptoms' (as in 'thats' the sign of swine flu'). (Branston 12) Potency is an evaluation of strong or weak, which in this case involves the strong or weak signs of semiotics that appear in the image. At first glance, a viewer may notice 2 noticeable subjects of the image. There is a vehicle, and there is young man next to the vehicle. This image although not an advertisment, does advertise an event or a special moment to the viewer. Upon viewing the image, a viewer would notice that the young man is not wearing casual clothing. He is dressed in formal wear. A deeper study of what he is wearing is where semiotics would start to show. He is wearing a button down, a belt, chinos, leather shoes, a watch, and a bow-tie. These material objects signify a generic image. These objects put together usually triggers the thought process that somebody wearing these things is going to a special event, possibly a graduation, a date, a wedding, or something of importance. That was a basic...
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...Declutter Your Desk How to hide all those extra computer gadgets. by Van Mardian (van@decluttered.com ) Scroll to the bottom to see reader submissions! My desk is now free of extra gadgets! External burner is mounted underneath the desk. open in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API pdfcrowd.com Actually, everything is mounted underneath using MDF pegboard and some wire. open in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API pdfcrowd.com The pegboard is suspended using these shackles and small wooden dowels. You can get the shackles here (Amazon). If I need to add or remove devices, I can remove the pegboard by removing the wooden dowels that are holding it up. Swivel a drill back and forth to create the openings for the shackle. open in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API pdfcrowd.com I cleaned up the openings using square and round files. Perfect fit: open in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API pdfcrowd.com Trace the openings onto the underside of the desk. Make sure the pegboard doesn't drift during this process. I pressed it up against the frame of the desk and used my other three limbs to keep it in place while I traced. Trace the spots for the four screws and pre-drill. It's important not to drill too far or you'll go through the topside! And if you drill too short you risk cracking...
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...makes the reader question the relationship between Hector and the boys; as there appears to be a lack of boundaries. Bennett does, however, create meaning with regards to the ‘ceremonial undressing’. The removal of clothing could be seen as a way off stripping off the surface of Hector. The audience question: is he the same person in leathers and when he is not in leathers? Is Hector the same person he is in school as he is outside of it or, a completely different person? ‘Le casque’ is a crucial element of this introduction as it has two meanings with regards to translation. The first being that of a standard helmet, the second: that of a knights helmet. This could be seen as symbolism. ‘A man of studied eccentricity. He wears a bow tie.’ Emphasis on the word ‘studied’ indicates that Hector is not a naturally...
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...John Updike “A & P” We were asked in class to write a short paper after being asked the question, “What is the most intriguing or interesting piece we have read, and why?” My response to this question was John Updike’s “A & P”. “A & P” was not the best or even the most interesting piece that I have read. However, out of all of the stories that I have read for this class, “A & P” left me with the most questions. Some of the questions that I asked myself after reading this story were, “What did Updike want me to get from this story?” The second question I asked myself was, “Was there any symbolism or foreshadowing in the extreme amount of detail that Updike used in this story?” The last question that I wanted to answer was, “Is that it?” Did John Updike really write a story about dress code of a supermarket? Or, did he write this story about the moral dilemma a young clerk faces when he believes his boss was rude to three underdressed girls? John Updike’s “A & P” was first published in 1962. This story took place in a small grocery store. The main character, Sammy, is a young clerk. He is ringing up a lady whom he describes as a “witch”, when three young ladies enter the store wearing nothing but bathing suits. Updike uses great detail in describing the three girls. The first one that he noticed was described as “a chunky kid, with a good tan and a sweet broad soft-looking can with those two crescents of white just under it, where the sun never seems to hit…”...
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...Belgium - Kingdom of Belgium - Federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarch - 3 distinct autonomous regions --- Flanders, Wallonia, Brussels Capital - Each of the 3 has its own legislative body and extensive powers - Divided into 2 administrative communities--- 3 official languages: Dutch, French and German - Majority of the population can speak English as a second or third language - Roman Catholic - 1 CAD=0.747994 EUR - Capital: Brussels - Mild winters : Temperate Cool summers : cloudy, rainy, humid - Border countries : France, Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands Making Appointments -Telephone/write at least a week in advance -Belgian company will set the time of appointment -Aim to arrive punctually -Public transportation is first class, however the roads are very busy around the Capital, Brussels, therefore, if travelling by car, plan time wisely. -First appointments are mostly socially orientated, Belgians like to get to know someone before proceeding with business - Appointment at 11:30 a.m. = a luncheon appointment -No breakfast meetings, prefer times are mid-morning and mid-afternoon -Office hours: 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. with 30-60 minutes for lunch. -Business don’t close early on Fridays - Shops hours: 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. from Mon. to Sat. (some close for lunch) -Banks: 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. or 5:00 p.m. Mon. to Fri -Belgians take a one-month vacation (July-August) -Celebrates traditional European...
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...If you think the '60s psychedelic counterculture (aka hippie) died out, wait till you meet this fella. We're not talking about some pretentious multicolored-volkswagen van driver wearing a tie dye t-shirt and going on and on about why women shouldn't wear bras and shave. Ramsey is simply in harmony with the surrounding nature and God's creations, animals more than humans, and embraces life as it flows by. His one story modern brick house, although set up in the middle of a cemented neighbourhood is hidden by a large backyard and trees whose names I don't know. A very calm – maybe too calm for an urban like myself¬¬– residence that transmits its tranquillity as you step in. Perfect! Mission accomplished: That's what Ramsey aimed for when he decided to convert his crashing place into a daylight home-business; he wanted his clients to be as relaxed and chilled as they can be while they undergo a two and a half hour session of indulgence and pampering. So what exactly does Ramsey do? Ramsey is a professional dog groomer. Impressive? Jaw dropping? Yikey spikey? He had heard it all. But this good ol’ dog whisperer (the name dog owners came up with after seeing how he communicates with ferocious untamed pet- beast) didn't always do that for a living. His gypsy genes incited him to hit the French territories where he took a diploma in computer science. Spending 2 years working behind a desk he discovered his rather selective claustrophobia condition- IT guy basically got sick and tired...
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...Nazareth Sec0ndary School 2nd Term Exam In Chemistry Jan – 2013 Science Sections Duration: 90 min Question (I): (4 points) I- A solution (B) of sulfuric acid (H2SO4) was prepared by diluting 100 times solution (A) of PH =2. 1- Calculate the concentration of solution (B) then deduce its new PH. 2- Do you think the given solution is a strong acid? “Justify” 3- What is the effect of dilution on the concentration and PH of the given solution? II- 5 g of HClO4 dissociates completely in water to prepare a solution of volume 2 L. a- Determine the concentration of H3O+ in this solution then deduce the concentration of OH- . b- Calculate its PH and POH. Given: - • M (Cl) = 35.5 g\mol, M (H) = 1 g\mol and M (O) = 16 g\mol. • The ion product of water Kw = 10-14 Question (2): (7 points) Benzoic acid “C6H5COOH” is a white crystalline solid slightly soluble in water. It is used as a preservative in soft drinks. Given: • This study is done at 25 ̊C; the solubility of benzoic acid in water is 2 g.L-1 • Molar mass of benzoic acid is 122 g.mol-1 A mass 305 mg of benzoic acid is introduced into 250 ml volumetric flask, half filled with distilled water. Then, the necessary steps are followed until a solution (S) is obtained. 1-List the materials needed to prepare solution (S) then describe...
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...amusing results. In his poem, Perlutsky writes, “Imagine if your precious nose, were sandwiched in between your toes, that clearly would not be a treat, for you’d be forced to smell your feet.” (5-8) While the poem seems to be simple and straightforward, it has an important message. Be happy with who you are. Perlutsky make this point in his poem with, “Be glad your nose is on your face, not pasted on some other place, for if it were where it was not, you might dislike your nose a lot. … Your nose, instead through thick and thin, remains between your eyes and chin, not pasted on some other place – be glad your nose is on your face!” (1-20) While the poem is lighthearted, childlike, and has delightful imagery, there is strong message. The cause of wanting something different than what you have can only effect you in a negative...
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...Ranking Salt Solutions by pH 6-2: Ranking Salt Solutions by pH In this assignment you will be asked to rank aqueous solutions of acids, bases, and salts in order of increasing pH. This is most easily done by first identifying the strong acids that have the lowest pH, the strong bases that have the highest pH, and the neutral solutions that have a pH near 7. The weak acids will have a pH between 1 and 6 and the weak bases between 8 and 14. The exact order of weak acids and weak bases is determined by comparing the ionization constants (Ka for the weak acids and Kb for the weak bases). After ranking the pH of these solutions, you will then test your predictions in the laboratory. 1. Arrange the following 0.1 M solutions in order of increasing pH and state why you placed each solution in that position: NaCH3COO, HCl, HCN, NaOH, NH3, NaCN, KNO3, H2SO4, NH4Cl, H2SO3, NaHCO3, Na3PO4 and CH3COOH. In order of increasing pH: 1.HCl most powerful acid. 2.H2SO4 a strong acid 3.H2SO3 weak but stronger than 4.HCN from experiments 5.CH3COOH weak acid 6.NH4Cl is an acidic salt 7.KNO3 is Neutral salt 8.NaCH3COO NaCN NaHCO3 Na3PO4 are basic salts. 9.NH3 weak Base 10.NaOH strong Base After doing the experiment this is the order that I got: NH4Cl H2SO4 HCl H2SO3 KNO3 NaHCO3 CH3COOH NH3 HCN NaCH3COO NaCN Na3PO4 NaOH Once you have predicted the nature of each salt solution, you will use Virtual ChemLab to confirm your prediction...
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...become rational and logical, ambitious and aggressive, and at the same time to create an organization that can carry out their ambitious plans. One of the impediments to successfully implementing these changes is the lifetime employment commitment, which held Matsushita back from cutting off unnecessary management staffs. Also, the existing managers are performing poorly because of their old way of doing things. Again, since it cannot lay workers off, it has to cut back on its hiring and this is triggered by the slow growth rate. Implications for Matsushita: (a) If changes are made quickly, the company would have a dynamic workforce that would increase the growth rate. But that would lack the loyalty of its employees, which is still a very strong force to keep the company going. (b) If Matsushita takes too much time, it might fall back and become unable to revolutionize its workforce. If old employees do not make way for new employees, the company will have a slower growth rate with an aging workforce. 5. What does the Matsushita case teach you about the relationship between societal culture and business success? The Matsushita case teaches us that societal culture and business success are very closely related. This is because the culture in the organization is a very important driver of its success and this culture is shaped and determined by the existing culture of the...
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