...Introduction and Summarisation The purpose of this case study is to highlight issues or problems evolving Volkswagen of America (VWoA) and how its projects are funded, while effectively identifying possible solutions to CIO, Dr. Matulovic. Unfortunately, Dr Matulovic is being challenged with hostile employees as he has introduced a new process of dividing the scarce budget to various projects to be funded. The new process has now been used for the first time, and is responsible for the controversy surrounding Dr. Matulovic, due to the fact that many of the organisations departments received no funding for their projects. Dr. Matulovic is now at crossroads about what to do with the situation. Key Issues and Problems The first and most obvious problem was that most to all of the projects were somehow funded on the old process or at the very least received little funding, however with the new process in place, projects with a rank of a 2 or 3 are rarely selected to receive funding which many considered unfair. Additionally, many argued the fact that IT infrastructure projects are not forced to withstand the same process and were treated separately was not reasonable and again was unfair. Another implication was that a project which is critical to the company and its global supply chain management was left only partially funded. The company’s multiyear SAP implementation was only midway finished and additionally needed full funding to stay on track, which in turn caused major...
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...S w 9B12D002 Abstract for promotional use only. Full version available at www.iesep.com WAREHOUSING STRATEGY AT VOLKSWAGEN GROUP CANADA INC. (VGCA) Adam Bortolussi wrote this case under the supervision of P. Fraser Johnson solely to provide material for class discussion. The authors do not intend to illustrate either effective or ineffective handling of a managerial situation. The authors may have disguised certain names and other identifying information to protect confidentiality. Richard Ivey School of Business Foundation prohibits any form of reproduction, storage or transmittal without its written permission. Reproduction of this material is not covered under authorization by any reproduction rights organization. To order copies or request permission to reproduce materials, contact Ivey Publishing, Richard Ivey School of Business Foundation, c/o Richard Ivey School of Business, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada, N6A 3K7; phone (519) 661-3208; fax (519) 661-3882; email cases@ivey.uwo.ca. Copyright © 2012, Richard Ivey School of Business Foundation Version: 2012-11-15 It was Tuesday, January 18, 2011, and Kym Meisner, director of warehousing and logistics at Volkswagen Group Canada Inc. (VGCA), was reviewing a presentation by the sales and marketing team regarding the five-year growth plan for both the Volkswagen and Audi vehicle brands in Canada. In her 20 years working for VGCA, Kym had never seen such aggressive growth...
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...Volkswagon Meets Dark Vader Ad This Volkswagon ad that included the 2012 Passat, was rated the most popular and most viewed commercial following Superbowl 2011. There were many different types of commercials aired during the prestigious Superbowl, however this Volkswagon advertisement seemed to stick out the most. You might ask why such a commercial would land on top the popularity chart especially considering there were a dozen other fairly decent ad's. My answer is simply that the presence of the mini dark vader enabled this commercial to take the top spot. From a marketing perspective, sometimes the best ingredient in an ad is involving any type of addition that will help your product grab the attention of the viewers. Dark vader did just that as it had the whole country laughing and talking about the new Passat that is hitting the market. In the past, Volkswagon has struggled with their ad's because of their lack of focus on younger individuals. Normally, a typical VW commercial would be sought out towards the older crowd in which you would usually see driving a VW vehicle. This Superbowl ad has given VW exactly what it need in order to gain recognition of all the new drivers or even the up and coming drivers. With the use of the child disguised as dark vader, this ad attracted mainly those who actually know who dark vader is, which obviously is the teenage and young adult demographic. This ad will most likely increase the sales of their Passat and don't be surprised...
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...and in securities of many issuers in an attempt to reduce overall risk and to avoid damaging a portfolio's performance by the poor performance of a single portfolio, sector or country. 1.3 Horizontal Integration Horizontal integration is another competitive strategy that companies use. In simpler terms, horizontal integration is the acquisition of a related organisation. There has been many of public horizontal integrations. The acquisition of Porsche SE by Volkswagon AG, which was completed in 2012, is one of the horizontal integration (Topham. G, 2012). Volkswagon AG strategy reflects what defined in the competitive force – by Porter’s in the Five Forces Framework (threat of entry, threat of substitutes, power of buyers, power of suppliers and extent of rivalry between competitors). Based on the Ansoff Matrix (Johnson, G, 2013), the acquisition of Porsche SE by Volkswagon AG would fit in the Market Development quadrant because: ● Achieve high sales/higher market value of the existing product in a new market. ● Volkswagon AG wanted to eliminated the competitors. ● By acquisition of Porsche SE, they geographically expanded and targeted new markets. ● Economies of scale would have significant effect. ● This might lead to a monopoly that is allowed by a government. Markets Products/Service EXISTING PRODUCT NEW PRODUCT EXISTING MARKET MARKET PENETRATION PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT NEW MARKET MARKET DEVELOPMENT CONGLOMERATE DIVERSIFICATION Source: Adpoted from H.I Ansoff, Corporate Strategy...
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...2003 Volkswagen GTI 24V VR6. 0-60 6.5 n/a 2004 Volkswagen GTI 1.8t (manual) 6.5 15.2 2004 Volkswagon GTI 1.8t (auto) 8.1, n/a 2004 Volkswagon Golf R32 6.4 14.5 2004 Volkswagon Golf HPA R32 3.2 11.49 2002 Volkswagen Passat W-8 4Motion 6.9 15.4 2003 Audi A4 3.0 Cabriolet 7.5 15.9 2003 Audi A4 Avant 3.0 Quattro 7.7 15.9 2005 Audi A4 1.8T 8.1 16.2 (C&D) 2003 Audi A6 2.7T Quattro 6.7 15.0 (C&D) 2004 Audi A8L Quattro 6.5 15.0 (C&D) 2006 Audi RS4 Quattro 4.8 13.3 (C&D September 2005) 2003 Audi RS6 4.3 12.63 (R&T) 2005 Audi S4 Quattro 5.1 13.7 (C&D) 2000 Audi TT Quattro Roadster 6.2 14.7 2003 Audi TT 1.8 Quattro 7.3 15.7 2004 Audi TT 3.2 Quattro DSG 5.9 14.3 (C&D) 2001 BMW 330i 6.1 14.8 2004 BMW 330i 5.6 13.4 (C&D) 2001 BMW 540i (Automatic) 5.7 14.3 2001 BMW 540i 6-Speed 5.5 14.0 2001 BMW M3 Coupe (U.S.) 4.8 n/a 2001 BMW M3 Convertible (U.S.) 5.4 n/a 2002 BMW M3 4.7 13.4 2004 BMW M3 4.8 13.6 (C&D) 2005 BMW M3 Dinan S3-R 4.4 12.9 (January 2006 C&D) 2001 BMW M5 4.7 13.2 2002 BMW M5 4.8 13.3 2006 BMW M5 4.2 12.5 (January 2006 C&D) 2004 Cadillac CTS-V 5.1...
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...freedom, adventure, and speed, in a Chinese context it is considered dangerous, noisy, and low status. * Open Landscape: For Westerners, the open landscape portrays independence and lifestyle enhancement. From the Chinese view, the countryside may be perceived as dirty and dusty. The codes present in the advertisement convey a very different message when translated into the a different cultural context, and do not result in communicating the message which was actually intended. Some examples where companies failed due to lack of understanding of cultural nuances are: * Car ‘Nova’ in Spain-This car was introduced in Spain Nova in Spanish means it wont go which the company failed to recognize before launching the product * Volkswagon Beetle in India: The ad campaign was based on an anti social context of promoting the car for dowry. This campaign failed miserably due to the lack of deep understanding of the Indian Culture. * Electrolux in USA- The Swedish vacuum cleaner brand came up with the tagline ”nothing sucks like electrolux” in USA. The company failed to realize the word sucks had a different...
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...VWoA Case Matulovic, the new CIO, has two primary concerns at VWoA: defining governance and establishing development process directives. However, Matulovic is in a difficult situation; he faces inadequate funding, new business architecture and increasing pressure from his peers. His circumstances are predictable given the history of IT consideration, by VWoA, as a source of overhead and the highly unpredictable U.S. market for Volkswagon Group. Matulovic’s biggest hurdle is in regards to the capped funding that has been determined by the parent company (Volkswagon Audi Group). VWAG allotted VWoA only $60 million, out of the requested $210 million, for IT projects. Given the scope of VWoA initiatives, the amount is far from adequate. However, at the time, there were no additional funds available. The procedure for deciding which projects will receive funding is streamlined by a new prioritization process. This process for managing IT priorities is part of a new business architecture designed to align organizational activity with corporate goals and strategy. During the first few years of any new policy or procedure there are bound to be unforeseen complications. The largest glitch was how the new process did not account for “behind the curtain” programs such as the intercontinental Supply Flow Project. The Supply Flow Project should absolutely receive funding. The cost should not come entirely from VWoA, but allocated amongst the global Volkswagen group of companies....
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...American Government / 1 9 January 2007 Fuel Smile Act of 2007 Did you know that every gallon of gasoline a vehicle burns puts roughly 20 pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere? Scientific evidence strongly suggests that the rapid buildup of CO2 and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is raising the earth's temperature and changing the earth's climate with potentially serious consequences. Global warming is a real danger that cannot be ignored. However, automakers continue to build fuel-inefficient vehicles. The vehicles we drive are contributing to this problem, but automakers don't seem particularly concerned. Fuel efficient cars such as the Volkswagon New Beetle produce around 54 tons of carbon dioxide. While fuel in-efficient cars such as SUV’s are said to produce over 100 tons. By choosing a more fuel efficient car, tons of thousands of tons of carbon dioxide Federal law gives heavy sport utility vehicles permission to emit higher levels of toxic and noxious pollution - carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxides. Sport utility vehicles can spew 30 percent more carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons and 75 percent more nitrogen oxides than passenger cars. These combustion pollutants contribute to eye and throat irritation, coughing, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, confusion and headaches. Hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides are precursors to ground level ozone, which causes asthma and lung damage. Finally, it is important to note that fuel in-efficient...
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...performance index. This version is more commonly quoted and includes dividends in the quote. The second version is the price index. This version is most similar to other indices in other countries and markets. The price index is calcultated like any weighted average, Current index = Current total market cap of constituents × Previous Value / Previous Period. The DAX started out at 1,000 from its base date in December of 1987, before it was first calculated and published in July of 1988. The highest closing price for the DAX occurred this year in April on the 10th, when it closed at 12,374.73. Today the closing price was 10,131.74. Some of the more familiar companies on the DAX are Adidas, BMW, Bayer, BASF, SAP, Siemens, and Volkswagon. The trend of the DAX is fairly similar to that of the Dow Jones Industrial Average over the last ten...
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...Bo Jackson has always been a larger than life ideal, possessing many characteristics of an epic hero. He played not one, but two professional sports. He was a superstar in both Professional Football and Professional Baseball. Even at a young age he was doing many things out of the ordinary. For example, he jumped over a volkswagon bug and landed the jump. This is just one of the many things that made him better than a normal person. Although he was born in a small poor town in Alabama, Bo is an epic hero because he is capable of great strength and courage, he possess humility, and he has traveled over a vast setting. Bo Jackson was born with incredible strength and courage. From a young age till his retirement he showcased his strength and...
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... The ideal of the fact that the stores are all based in Hawaii adds an appeal of a more exotic and unique flavor and style. Therefore, if you receiving something from there it required more thought from whom you received the items . Despite the exotic appeal of Hilo Hattie’s surf shop I think that Ron Jon Surf Shops (http://www.ronjonsurfshop.com/) is a much more recognized name in my opinion. The company has also looked at a lot more business opportunities. They have expanded their market by also tapping into the skateboarding market among other things. They also have an extensive merchandising unit that covers a lot of items such as drinkware, home decorations, watches, clothing, swimwear, surfboards, wetsuits, bags, and die-cast Volkswagon collectibles. Along with that they have also have a very up-to-date social media sharing which includes instagram. They have also had some collaborations with some major big name companies in the surfing world such as Billabong, Hurley, Quiksilver, and more http://www.ronjonsurfshop.com/men/collaboration.aspx....
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...Why do we have serial killers in this world of ours? Is not life hard enough? Now we also have to worry about someone out there going nuts and deciding to kill people for who knows what. Every now and then a new one turns up somewhere in this grand country of ours. Why don’t we take a moment and consider some recent serial killers right here in America. Let’s see, we’ve had John Wayne Gacy, the crazy clown killer, who liked to bury his victims under his house. And then there was good old Jefferey Dahmer who liked to keep body parts in his refrigerator. And let’s not forget our intellectual killer, the infamous Ted Bundy, of whom the Judge said, “You would have made a good lawyer.” He liked to lure college aged girls into his volkswagon before killing them. You’ve had The Green River Killer, The BTK Killer, and that guy who killed his whole family and left classical music playing in the house before he changed his identity and eventualy worked in a church. There was Richard Speck of Chicago, and The Boston strangler from, well, you know. How about The Zodiac Killer? Who liked to kill at random and then taunt the police with letters. That was a great movie. I highly recommend that one. Then, there was Henry Lucas, who said he killed over 200 women over a twenty year period in the midwest, and last but not least, Coral Watts, who liked to beat women to death and let their bodies dissolve in his bathtub. He also said he killed about 200 people. But, his real reason for killing...
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...the testimony of former Jefferey Walker who was arrested in May as part of an FBI corruption inevestigatgion (Writer, 2013). The District Attorney in the case Robin Godfrey requested the reversals in the hearing he said afterward that he was very dissappointed to drop cases involving defendants who had pleaded guilty to drug charges (Writer, 2013). Walker was arrested after he was overheard bragging on how easy it was to rob drug dealers. Agents have said that Walker was assigned to the narcotics unit since 1999 and that he plotted with a government informant to rob drug dealers (Writer, 2013). What he wasn’t aware of is that FBI agents had been listening in on what he was doing (Writer, 2013). In one theft Walker planted drugs in a volkswagon Jetta and arrested the suspect (Writer, 2013). Walker and the informant then entered the drug dealer’s house and took $15,000 according to federal charges. Walker’s next federal case was scheduled for November. 20, at Friday’s hearing more than 70 convictions involving Walker had been scheduled for dismissal (Writer, 2013). I think that most of us know about the blue wall of silence that police use to protect themselves, and co-workers. U.S. attorney Howard Klien worked as a federal prosecutor in Philadelphia which includes three years uprooting corruption in the police department (Jim Smith, 1987). Howard Klien is now leaving the the U.S. attorney’s office. He packed his bags and became a partner in the Center law firm of...
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...CURIO 20 Question 1 Bajaj’s decision to drop the family name from its brand Pulsar is guided by the need to promote “Pulsar” as an individual brand, independent of its parent company. The name “Pulsar” is reminiscent of a sporty, performance oriented bike, unlike the trustworthy Bajaj, mostly synonymous with the Indian middle class. Such a move is not new in the auto industry. Audi as a brand has garnered tremendous value, but few people associate it with its parent company – Volkswagon. Question 2 Maruti’s decision to stop the production of the iconic Maruti 800 could have been prompted by multiple reasons: * The implementation of new emission rules, which would require revamping of the engine and huge investment on R&D for engine modernization of a vehicle that has already been on road for 25 years * The arrival of Nano on the road would mean a reduction in demand for the older models that Maruti has to offer. They would rather invest that amount on promoting newer models such as Alto, which are modern and at the same time, cost-effective like the 800 model. * The demand for 800 was reducing with growing purchasing power of families. Any further investment on such a brand would be a waste for Maruti. Question 3 Brands such as the Royal Enfield are iconic brands which target a very speciality market. In this case, the market is biking enthusiasts, who well understand the value and prestige of owning a Royal Enfield. The purpose of advertising is to...
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...Assignment 4 Chapters 10-11 1. What is Karim's job? He is a people smuggler. He gets people out of Afghanistan. 2. To what country do Amir and his father first seek for safety from Afghanistan? They head to Pakistan for safety. 3. What country has a presence in Afghanistan as Amir and his father leave? Russian soldiers are in Afghanistan during this time. 4. At the first checkpoint Amir's father stands up and confronts the Russian soldiers, putting himself in danger. Why? One of the Russian soldiers wants to rape an Afghan woman on the bus. 5. Where do Amir and his father wait with the others trying to leave Afghanistan as new truck parts are ordered? They wait crammed into a cold, dark basement with rats running around. 6. Amir listens to his father speak with Kamal's father. What does he say happened to Kamal? Kamal's father explains that Kamal was beaten up and raped by four people and no longer talks at all. 7. How do Amir and his father travel on the second leg of their trip to safety? They are put into an empty fuel tank with several others. There is absolutely no light, the air they breathe is full of gasoline fumes, and they cannot move or get out for quite some time. 20 Copyright 2008 Teacher's Pet Publications, Inc. 8. When Amir's father tries to use a check to purchase food, he is shocked that he is asked for ID. He can't believe the lack of trust in America. Instead of a credit card, what method did they use in Afghanistan? They would snap...
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