Operations Management for Dummies

Question: Discuss about the Operations Management for Dummies. Answer: Introduction: It is advisable to prepare a product master plan because experienced entrepreneurs, business advisors, as well as investors, agree over developing the business plan before starting the business (Thomas 2013). This plan can be supportive in forwarding, making decisions and make the business more successful. It is noted that not all program of activities is that successful, and not every company requires same detail level. It is important to prepare a simple business plan for all the small business (Thomas 2013). It is important to understand that the product plan should support in explaining what business is expected, following about what the customers demand, and finally decide how to optimize for the firm on own terms and conditions (Thomas 2013). The business should get benefit through the single sales as well as expense forecast, or either the profit and loss. The business always requires coming up with cash flow, business ratios, and balance sheet. Therefore, business should keep going as per these requirements (Thomas 2013). Briefly, define what a product master plan is Product master plan for the product or either for the product line is a document repository (Cunha and Manuela 2010). It includes various subdocuments, such as current, historical, as well as strategically oriented ways (Cunha and Manuela 2010). It includes a plan of record for both the future and present activities of the product. Its also referred as the collection of programs, communication mechanism, as well as learning tool across the company, as well as all across the generation of the product team and product managers (Cunha and Manuela 2010). Provide an overview of what such a plan consists of Product master plan is made for the start-up retail company named as Booming Boutique that is mainly set up for selling the fashionable clothes for the women and the kids (Cunha and Manuela 2010). The initial goal of the company is to open the boutique, then expand the plan, which includes franchising the retail store or either building the famous brand name (Cunha and Manuela 2010). The product of the company will be entirely focused over styling, colours and will fit the needs of customers. To build a competitive position in the market, the company will learn the focus on marketing activities (Cunha and Manuela 2010). To (or intending to) target the mass population, the group will organize and marketing campaign, which covers up print advertising, local media storage as well as direct mail campaign (Cunha and Manuela 2010). The company will aim to keep the marketing budget to not above 5% of the gross yearly sale, and they will even try to partner with the downturn merchants associ ation and chamber of commerce (Cunha and Manuela 2010). Justify the value of each section as you go along The first step of the plan emphasizes over the few starters components (Ann, Anderson, Anderson and Parker 2013). The problem which we will solve of our customers, mission statement, solution, as well as market analysis will be undertaken for understanding the business (Ann, Anderson, Anderson and Parker 2013). Not every start-up is that single, rather most of them require product packaging, development, signage, retail fittings, websites, equipment for office and even the payroll of years for starting the sales (Ann, Anderson, Anderson and Parker 2013). Unless one is wealthy to finance the cost, one requires dealing with the bank loans as well as investors for the business. Booming Boutique will try to earn its revenue through the purchase of the product made by customers (Ann, Anderson, Anderson and Parker 2013). The company will even generate the revenue through the sale of clothing as well as through various other merchandise (Ann, Anderson, Anderson and Parker 2013). In the first year, it is expected to go around $285000, and the projected sales will be surpassed by around $525000 by the year end (Ann, Anderson, Anderson and Parker 2013). Retail business is considered as the reliable company that gets change, and even styles get change and demands of the customer. The retail industry product master plan is necessary as it keeps on exploring the pleasant customer experience of shopping (Ann, Anderson, Anderson and Parker 2013). Remember to clarify to whom the plan will be of value, and why Product master plan made for booming boutique, which is the business of consumer retail organization. The company target on the female and kids (Ann, Anderson, Anderson and Parker 2013). The company plans to focus on attracting the young women having the peripheral products. However, the portion of the enterprise stress over the young generation (Ann, Anderson, Anderson and Parker 2013). It is important for the company not to provide the products, which are exclusive with the old audiences (Ann, Anderson, Anderson and Parker 2013). There are presently more than around 7.5 million boomers of a baby that stay in America (Ann, Anderson, Anderson and Parker 2013). This boomer is better explained as the generation that is born between the years 1946-1964 (Ann, Anderson, Anderson and Parker 2013). In this half of the population is of female (Mukhopadhyay 2015). The company gives more value to the convenience, uniqueness, quality as well as service (Ann, Anderson, Anderson and Parker 2013). Price definitely becomes the factor in the process of decision making. Simultaneously, they are always considered as the generation of philosophy that is based on purchase now and pay later (Ann, Anderson, Anderson and Parker 2013). Provide a summary of the overall value of the plan This program is helpful for the company for planning for every activity of the project, whether its the operations or financial budgeting of the business (Boone and Kurtz 2014). Through this plan, the company will be able to secure their merchandise through all the domestic manufacturers (Boone and Kurtz 2014). To control the cost, manage the stock level as well as track the inventory, the company will be able to prepare an inventory control system, while planning for the business in beginning (Boone and Kurtz 2014). References Ann, M., Anderson, M.S.E., Anderson, E. J., and Parker, G. 2013. Operations Management For Dummies. John Wiley Sons Boone, L. E., and Kurtz, D. L. 2014. Contemporary Marketing, Update 2015. Cengage Learning Cunha, C., and Manuela, M. 2010. E-Business Issues, Challenges and Opportunities for SMEs: Driving Competitiveness: Driving Competitiveness. IGI Global Mukhopadhyay, S. K. 2015. Production Planning And Control: Text and Cases. PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd. Thomas, C. 2013. ECommerce MasterPlan 1.8: Your 3 Steps to Successful Online Selling. SRA Books

Essentials of Strategic Management

Question: Discuss about the Essentials of Strategic Management. Answer: Introduction The five competitive forces that shape strategy were developed and explained by Michael Porter in the 1980s. Michael porter explained and evaluated how the five forces affect the profitability levels of any particular industry in the long run. The five forces determine how the economic value created by players within a particular industry is divided among the industry players (Daft Daft,2007). The five forces that shape strategy are: The power of customers Power of suppliers Rivalry among existing competitors Threat of substitutes Threat of new entrants into the market The objective of this task is to determine ways in which the five forces shaped the historical Cola wars. There are three very important aspects of value chain in the carbonated soft drinks industry. These aspects are; concentrate producers, bottlers and retailers. Both of these value chain participants are affected by the five competitive forces in one way or the other (Porter, 2008). Qualitative research methods will be used to achieve the objective and goals of the study. This methodology will involve reviewing past research work on the subject and using the knowledge gained to analyze and resolve the study question. Concentrate Producers Threat of new entrants into the market refers to the probability of new firms joining a particular industry hence increasing competition (Etro,2009). In this case, industries that seem profitable will attract new customers compared to those whose fortunes are dwindling. A look at the cola wars reveals that the threat of new entrant into the market had very minimal effect in shaping competition in this industry. This may have been influenced by one or more of the factors discussed above. One of the major reasons why threat of new entrants was very minimal is because of the initial capital requirements as well as the fact that the existing competitors enjoy economies of scale (Salonen,2010). The customers also have very little bargaining power in relation to the producers of concentrate. This is because, the companies in this industry depend on a variety of distribution channels and they do not deal directly with the consumers. The number of customers in this case is high and they do not have associations hence have little bargaining power. The bargaining power of suppliers is strong in relation to the concentrate producers. This force is strong because the number of suppliers in this industry is small. It therefore means they can come together and form associations through which they will use to influence price of raw material. The suppliers in this case supply the concentrate producers with the raw materials used in making the concentrate. The lack of substitute raw materials to be used in making the concentrate further strengthens the bargaining power of suppliers (Ganesan,2012). The degree of rivalry between competitors in an industry is strong in relation to the concentrate producers. This is because, the level of competition in this industry is fiercely stiff and therefore every action taken by the competitor will require a reaction by the other industry players. The market force of threat of substitute products is very strong impact on the producers of concentrate. This is because; this industry has products that are very close substitutes. It therefore means that if the producers of the concentrate do not stay on their toes especially on factors involving market research and promotion, they will be stifled by the competitor (Shankar Carpenter, 2012). Bottlers The bottlers purchase the concentrate; add water and other necessary ingredients to make the drink. The bottlers then package the resulting carbonated soft drink in bottles or cans ready for sale to the dealers who sell on behalf of the company. Sales agents assist in distribution of the product. The bottlers being part of carbonated soft drinks value chain are also subject to the five competitive forces(Keillor,2007). The power of suppliers is a very strong force for the bottlers. The suppliers of bottlers in this case are the concentrate producers. The power of suppliers is very huge because there are enjoy the power of monopoly. This means that the bottlers cannot change their suppliers. If a company bottles coca cola products, it cannot find the concentrate used to make coca cola anywhere else. The cost of changing supplier is also very high (Shankar Carpenter, 2012). The power of buyer in relation to the bottlers is not very significant. This is because; there are high levels of customer loyalty to the tastes and preferences of consumers. The consumers are many and are not concentrated in the same geographical region. This makes it difficult for them to negotiate prices and therefore they cant affect the demand of products in this market. The threat of new entrants in the industry is not high among the bottler. This threat is not high for the bottlers because, the concentrate producer gives permission and license to any company that wants to bottle its products. It therefore means that the concentrate producer regulates the number of bottlers in a particular market. The force of threat of substitute products is strong on the part of the bottlers. This is due to the fact that if consumers decide to substitute the carbonated drink for example with bottled water, the business of the company which engages in bottling of carbonated drink will be affected. The force of rivalry among existing competitors is weak in relation to the business of the bottlers; this is because the rivalry is very minimal since the industry is regulated by the concentrate producers (Meldrum McDonald,2007). The retail channels This refers to the means and intermediaries involved in delivering the product to the final consumer. Distribution in the carbonated soft drinks industry takes pace mostly through supermarket, mass merchandisers and vending machines. Power of suppliers has a very strong effect on the retailers. This is because, the market has few suppliers. The suppliers in this case are the bottlers of soft drinks. The prices of the products are also dictated to them by the bottlers depending on their costs of production and other factors (Keillor,2007). The bargaining power of customers is weak on the part of retailers. The market has very many buyers who are distributed across wide geographical areas. The customers bargaining power is minimal because they cannot form associations which they can negotiate to influence prices or demand. Customers will then be forced to buy the products at the going market price. The threat of new entrants in the retail business of carbonated soft drinks is high. This is because; there are no barriers to entry. There is no government policy regulating entry into the industry. The capital requirements for new firms to enter the market are also low. A combination of these factors makes the threat of new entrants very real (Marich,2013). Retailers of CSDs are also highly affected by the threat of substitute products. The CSDs industry products have very many substitute products. This therefore means that, the retailers of the companys products are bound to be affected by the competition from the substitute products. This affects demand and pricing. The rivalry among existing competitors is has a huge impact on the retailers. This is because; the producers of the concentrate are involved in marketing and promotional activities of their products. It therefore means that aggressive advertising by the competitor may affect the demand of the products of the other companies. This will in turn have an impact on the profitability of the retailers. This will therefore affect the strategies to be employed by the competitors (Keillor, 2007). Coca Cola market position The position of Coca Cola on the bargaining power of suppliers is weak. This is due to the fact that the suppliers are very few in the market and therefore its impossible to switch between suppliers. Coca Cola suppliers therefore have a lot of bargaining power. On the bargaining power of customers, Coca Cola is in a strong competitive position. This is because, the market have many buyers and therefore one buyer or a small proportion of buyers cannot influence the prices of Coca Cola products or affect its level of demand. Coca cola is in a strong position in respect to the threat of new entrants. The patent regulations make it difficult for new firms to enter the CSDs industry. The capital requirements are high for new entrants. The economies of scale enjoyed by Coca Cola scares away any firms intending to join the industry. In respect to the competitive force of threat of substitute goods, Coca Cola Company is in a weak position. This is because; there are very many substitutes in the soft drink industry. It therefore means that the substitute products are a threat to Coca Cola market share. The degree of rivalry between Coca Cola and its competitors is high. The position of Coca Cola in relation to this aspect is not very favorable. This is because intense competition means that the rival firms have to spend a lot on, marketing and promotion activities. Recommendations Coca Cola company should integrate backwards in order to improve its position on the bargaining power of suppliers. This will work by the company engaging in production of raw materials that are used to make the concentrate. This way, the company wont have to deal with powerful few suppliers anymore. The position of Coca cola in relation to the bargaining power of customers should be improved by implementing loyalty programs. This will work well for the company since the customers will feel a sense of connection with the companies` products. Due to this reason, the customers will continue to buy the companys products. To improve its position in relation to entry of new firms, Coca Cola should use retaliation. This involves using methods that will scare off new firms such as lowering the price of products (Derval, 2007) Threat of substitute goods is a very strong force affecting Coca Cola competitive strategies. To improve its position, the company should diversify its products line. The company will make substitute products itself and hence retaining its market share. To improve its position in respect to rivalry between existing competitors, Coca Cola should increase its investment in market research and innovation. Increasing its advertising expenses will also help the company improve its position. Conclusion The application of Michael Porters five competitive forces in analyzing the CSDs industry has provided a clear understanding and insight on how the forces shape the strategies of firms in this industry. The five forces influence the concentrate producer, the bottlers and the retailers in many different ways. The analysis of this effects helps in making decisions meant to improve the overall market position of the firm References Daft, R. L., Daft, R. L. (2007). New era of management. Mason, Ohio: Thomson South-Western. Porter, M. E. (2008). On competition. Boston MA: Business Harvard School Hill, C. W. L., Jones, G. R. (2009). Essentials of strategic management. Mason, OH: South-Western/Cengage Learning. Salonen, T. (2010). Strategies, structures, and processes for network and resources management in industrial parks: The cases of Germany and China. Ko?ln: Eul. Etro, F. (2009). Endogenous market structures and the macroeconomy. Berlin: Springer. Derval, D. (2007). Wait marketing: Communicate at the right moment at the right place. Amsterdam: Derval Research. Shankar, V., Carpenter, G. S. (2012). Handbook of marketing strategy. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Pub. Meldrum, M., McDonald, M. (2007). Marketing in a nutshell: Key concepts for non-specialists. Amsterdam: Elsevier. Keillor, B. D. (2007). Marketing in the 21st century. Westport, Conn: Praeger. Tybout, A. M., Calder, B. J., J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management. (2010). Kellogg on marketing. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley. Marich, R. (2013). Marketing to moviegoers: A handbook of strategies and tactics. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press. In Ganesan, S. (2012). Handbook of Marketing and Finance.

Russia And Bosina Essays - Heroes Of The Soviet Union,

Russia And Bosina P, this economy called for some private ownership of the means of production, but the majority of industry was made property of the people, which meant the majority of the means of production was controlled by the government. Lenin's government made many achievements. It ended a long civil war against the remnants of the old Czarist military system and established institutions in government. During this period, and in fact throughout the majority of the Communist rule, censorship and the subordination of interest groups such as trade unions was imposed to stop dissension and increase conformity to the new governments policies. Lenin died in 1924, and was quickly followed by Joseph Stalin as head of the Soviet Communist Party, the oppressive reforms started by Lenin were continued and at length became completely totalitarian. Stalin became the most powerful man in Russia. He controlled to bulk of all the political power and with that he started a ruthless campaign of removing all opposition to the Communist rule. During this period called the Great Purge Stalin systemically executed anyone who stood in his path. Millions of people were arrested and either harassed or killed. The economic status of the Soviet Union was yet again changed and the entire system became controlled by the government. All private ownership ended. A mass program of industrialization was commenced, and the strength of the Soviet Military was substantially increased. The citizens during this period endured great hardship. Agricultural production output diminished resulting in food shortages, these shortages were enha! nce by the mass exportation of food, this was done to pay for industrial imports. Stalin also put the production of what he called production goods such as manufacturing machinery over basic consumer goods such as clothes and other staples. During this period the Second World War broke out and drained most of what was left of the already impoverished state. Yet after the war national unity was strengthened as well is the Soviet military machine. The Soviet Union became a super power, the U.S. being the only country more powerful than it. After the death of Stalin in 1953 Nikita Khrushchev became First Secretary of the Communist party. Stalin's death marked the end of supreme power for the head of the party, and Khrushchev condemned Stalin's actions as unnecessary and harmful to the process of moving the Socialist government to it's goal of pure Communism. During this period the public was given a say in the government, albeit an extremely minor one, and the judicial system eased it's aggressiveness allowing a defendant a better chance of defending themselves. Khrushchev concerned himself with bettering the plight of the individual, attempting to increase the supply of food and making goods such as home appliances, making automobiles somewhat available, and providing more housing. A new policy of efficiency and quality control was brought in. Leadership was somewhat decentralized to allow common managers and directors more power to run their production units. Although Krushchev started a process of slight reform he was dismissed due to in part a massive shortage of grain and dairy products, and the fact that he had started to seize more power and His efforts to streamline party organizations produced chaos and conflict among party administrators. He was also blamed for the Russia defeat during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and of not accomplishing anything toward the reunification of Germany under East German rule. After the ousting of Khrushchev, Leonid Brezhnev became the Soviet Communist Party Secretary General in October of 1964. Under his administration the majority of the decentralization of power was destroyed bringing a centralized form of control back into effect. Krushchev's denouncing of Stalin's policies was criticized and slowly some of Stalin's political disciplinary policies were restored. Stalin was named a war hero. There began an outright attack on dissidents from the literary and scientific community. During this time there was an inefficient use land, labour and resources which resulted in an economic slackening. In this time what was supposed to ultimately be a classless society became classed as bureaucrats were paid for loyalty with material wealth, allowing them a better standard of living, because of this public interests were placed secondary to personal gain. The 1980's