The Model of European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) Essay

The Model of European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) - Essay Example The article takes a deeper look at EFQM Model as one of the non-prescriptive models, which has not come under origination to a very long time back, as the historical evidences provides with the information that this model came into emergence somewhere in the latter part of the twentieth century. However, since then it has come under constant review and alterations in order to provide the organizations with a framework that can lead to organizational improvement in terms of its performance. The Model of European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) has come under practical application by numerous organizations from all around the world. This model lay key prominence on the businesses to have an evaluation about the organization's processes and projects on individual basis so that they can know at what positions they are standing, as the ultimate goal of any organization is to attain success and prosperity. This way the organizations have an opportunity to discover their key areas of potential and the gaps that are preventing them to attain their strategic aims and objectives. The EFQM Model exhibits the agenda that it comes under execution by the business community for administering and managing an organization. Thousands of firms and businesses in different commercial facets all over the world specifically in Europe employ this methodology to improve and enhance their performances. This allows them to analyze their overall functioning and operations in diverse aspects. EFQM is a technique that comes under employment by giant corporations as well as small and medium sized enterprises and highlights its current position (Jonker and Eskildsen, 2009, pp.174-175). It also brings to the forefront the strong points and weak areas of the firm. To augment the efficient transfer and sharing of positive working and business ideas and thoughts, a reliable link comes under provision by nine criteria of EFQM scheme. Furthermore, the ongoing projects and the upcoming plan s come under thorough assessment to incorporate them in the approved manner for smooth and well-organized functioning of the organization. The purpose is also to evaluate any loopholes in the plans and to eliminate the possibility of any sort of repetition in the objectives and outlines. This is conducive to enabling the organization to see an unambiguous picture of their working and use it appropriately to decide their priorities and implement them effectively to attain success (Jonker and Eskil

Ford Motor Company Essay Example for Free

Ford Motor Company Essay Ford Motor Company is the third largest automobile manufacturer in the world based on automobiles sold. Ford manufactures and distributes automobiles in 200 markets across six continents (Datamonitor 4). Fords brands include Ford, Jaguar, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo, Land Rover, Aston Martin, and Mazda. Fords key products include passenger cars, trucks, busses and vans, sport utility vehicles, vehicle accessories, after-sales vehicle parts and products and extended repair service products. According to Fortune Magazine in 2007 Ford was the seventh ranked American-based company listed on the fortune 500 list, which was based on Fords global revenues in 2006 of 160. 1 billion. The companys success comes from its ability to focus on customer satisfaction and loyalty, anticipating and meeting changing customer needs, and delivering innovative products that exceed quality standards and are price friendly and also environmentally friendly. The financial stability of Ford and the long-term stability of our world are met by Fords strategy to lead with its products. Several key strategies are used by Ford that help to develop products that are of high quality, affordable to consumers and that are in high demand. These strategies include; continuous improvement of quality standards and customer satisfaction, adjusting to consumer demands by developing state-of-the-art technology that is cleaner and more fuel efficient, and delivering customer-focused innovations faster. If these strategies are implemented correctly Ford can overcome many or the driving forces that control competition in the automobile industry. Driving Forces Driving forces in an industry are the major causes that change the industry and the competitive condition of that industry. The main driving forces that significantly alter the automobile industry include; competition and globalization, new technology and innovations, changes in cost and efficiency, regulatory influences and government policy changes, and changes in societal concerns, attitudes, and lifestyles. Globalization is when automobile manufacturers offer their products internationally. One reason manufacturers do this is to increase sales in faster growing markets. Also production costs can be cut due to lower labor costs in markets around the world. Ford Motor Company is a strong believer in globalization; it manufactures vehicles in six continents across the world. Ford focuses on three primary types of emerging markets. The first market is developing countries such as China, India, and Brazil. The economies of these markets are growing and so is the need for products like automobiles. Ford realizes the amount of money consumers make in these developing countries and adjusts products to make them accessible to these consumers. In 2006, production capacity in China increased to 200,000 units (For a More Sustainable Future 7.) Also in 2006 Ford ranked second for customer satisfaction in India by J.D. Power Asia Pacific. The second emerging market Ford is focusing on is revitalizing economies such as Russia that are experiencing periods of growth after long periods of economic stagnation. The third emerging market Ford focuses on is high-growth niche market across the U.S. and Europe. Ford has developed and will continue to develop hybrid vehicles, advanced clean technology, and smaller more fuel-efficient vehicles that suit customers in a certain region or customers with different driving conditions. New technology and innovations is also a major driving force in the automobile industry. The ongoing change in technology alters the pattern of competition by attracting more buyers. Innovations in production techniques allow manufacturers to produce products faster, more efficiently and cleaner. Ford focuses its innovation on design, technology, safety, and the environment. Fords innovations are based on customer demands. Today more customers want environmentally friendly automobiles and better fuel-efficient cars. Ford has and is also developing more advanced technologies that are environmentally friendly. Examples include biofueled vehicles, hydrogen internal-combustion engines and hydrogen fuel cell  vehicles. Ford also has an innovative manufacturing process, which is cleaner for the environment and also saves money for the company. Ford uses fluids blended from vegetable oil during engine production rather than using mineral oil. The associated waste in engine building is the most environmentally damaging part of the process. Ford also has improved its efficiency by enforcing strict energy intensive operations, such as the generation of compressed air for handheld tools on the production line. Changes in cost and efficiency also drive change in the automobile industry. In the past few years material costs, labor costs, employee benefit costs and oil prices have all been increasing. One way that Ford is combating high oil prices is its use of a soy-derived foam. The average vehicle made today contains 30 pounds of foam made from petroleum products. Ford is making an effort to replace 40% of the petroleum-based foam with a soy-based foam. To fight against decreasing profit, rising labor costs and employee benefit costs Ford has been implementing elements of its Way Forward Plan. This plan was developed in 2006. The plan calls for reducing the number of Fords North American manufacturing employees by 25,000-30,000 and also plans to idle 16 North American manufacturing facilities (For a More Sustainable Future 34.) Also in 2006 health care expenses for U.S. Ford employees, retirees and their dependents were $3.1 billion (For a More Sustainable Future 35.) Even though Ford values its past and present employees, the company cannot keep up with the rising prices of health care. In 2006 Ford had required retired employees to support a higher portion of their health care benefits, and active employees were asked to increase their health care contributions. Also in 2006 Ford employees were offered to leave the company. To make it appealing to employees Ford offered eight different incentive packages. A couple of these packages included early retirement and an educational opportunity package where employees with at least one year of service were eligible for up to $15,000 in tuition reimbursement per year up to four years (For a More Sustainable Future 34.) Another driving force that alters the competitiveness in the automobile industry is regulatory influences and government policy changes. One example of a regulatory influence would be the governments Corporate Average Fuel  Economy (CAFÉ) requirement, which measures carbon dioxide emissions. Ford has met the requirement every year since the program was first introduced. Altering societal concerns, attitude, and lifestyles are major instigators of industry change. Growing consumer concerns towards environmental safety is a major driver of change in the automobile industry. Ford recognizes that manufacturing and operating automobiles have a significant impact on the environment. Ford has several initiatives to protect the environment. The first initiative includes developing advanced environmentally friendly vehicles. Ford was the first U.S. automaker to offer a full hybrid vehicle, which was also the first hybrid from any automaker in the SUV segment. The second initiative for Ford is to meet and exceed new clean air standards established by the Environmental Protection Agency. Reducing the environmental impact of our environment is Fords third initiative to protect the environment. Ford also aims to recycle and reuse materials by contracting with suppliers to attain environmental friendly parts and components. An example is Fords Fumes-to-Fuel technology. A plants painting operations are its largest source of air emissions. Ford has developed a process that uses paint fumes to generate electricity for its plant. The last initiative for Ford is conserving natural resources by taking part in global environmental programs to conserver energy and water. Fords developed a software program called WET that creates a facility-wide water balance to quantify individual uses of water and identify areas of opportunity. Safety is another concern that drives changes in automobile designs. Not only does Ford develop innovative safety technology the company also educates drivers. In 2003 Ford teamed up with the Highway Safety Association and a panel of safety experts to create a program called Driving Skills for Life. This program teaches teenagers develop the skills necessary for safe driving, beyond what they learn in standard driver education programs (For a More Sustainable Future 30.) Five Force Analysis Intensity of Rivalry Among Competitors The automobile industry is one of the most competitive industries in the world. The top competitors globally and domestically account for most of the industrys market share. In the United States there are three top competitors known as the Detroit Three, formerly known as the Big Three. General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co., and the Chrysler Group are the three companies that makeup the Detroit Three. According to Wards Automotive Reports in 2006 the Detroit Three brands accounted for 41.5% of passenger car sales in the United States; of this 41.5% market share, General Motors controlled 20.8%, Ford 14.1% and the Chrysler Group 6.6%. The Detroit Three market share is slowly dwindling due to globalization, which is another reason that leads to stronger rivalry among competitors (Autos Auto Parts Industry Survey 9.) In the United States, according to Wards Automotive Reports, the top three foreign competitors that are trying to take over the U.S. market include; Toyota Motor Corp., Honda Motor Co. Ltd., and the Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. In 2006 Toyota, Honda, and Nissan accounted for 36.6% market share in the U.S. Individually Toyota controlled 18.7%, Honda 10.8% and Nissan 7.1% of the U.S. market share; in the truck category the Detroit Three brands account for 67% of Truck Sales in the U.S. Toyota, Honda, and Nissan are the foreign companies trying to compete with the Detroit Three (Autos Auto Parts Industry Survey 9.) Lack of product differentiation is another factor that adds to the intense rivalry between competitors. Automobile manufactures products include cars, trucks and SUVs. Even though there is a lack of product differentiation within the automobile industry there are many things that a manufacturer can do to alter design and production that make a product standout from its competitors. The innovation of technology and production causes intense rivalry between competitors because if automakers want to sell make the most profit they need to develop innovative technology that is a step ahead of its competitors and meets the needs of consumers or they need to develop innovative production techniques that are more  efficient and cheaper compared to its competitors. Ford is known for its innovation throughout the years; one example would be the moving assembly line. This manufacturing technique allowed individual workers to stay stationary and perform the same task repeatedly on multiple vehicles that passed them, this technique allowed Ford to be more efficient by producing many more vehicles than its competitors. Threat of New Entrants Although the automobile industry has very strong rivalries among competitors the industry will not see many new entrants in the future. There are several reasons why there is a low threat of new entrants in the automobile industry. The automobile industry has reached economies of scale and to be successful in the industry new entrants must reach economies of scale. Manufacturers must mass-produce automobiles so that they are affordable to consumers. Another reason why there are very few new entrants in the automobile industry is the very high capital requirement. Manufacturing costs, research and development costs, start-up costs, and advertising and promotion costs are a few costs that require huge amounts of costs in order to be successful in the automobile industry. With rising oil prices, increase in employee benefit costs, higher healthcare costs and also rising steel prices the threat of new entrants will remain to stay very low in the automobile industry. The current situation of the Automobile industry and the U.S economy is another factor that will keep the threat of new entrants low. Rising gas prices, low consumer confidence and shrinking home values are all factors that are causing decreases in automobile sales. Strong brand preferences and high degrees of customer loyalty is another reason there are few new entrants in the automobile industry. It is hard for a new manufacturer to attract customers that have brand preferences and are loyal customers, unless the manufacturer has a huge advertising and sales promotion budget or offer price discounts, these two things decrease profit margin. Threat of Substitute Products The threat of substitute products is very weak in the automobile industry. Automobile transportation for people makes it easy and fast to get from place to place depending on the length of their trip. Walking, biking, and riding trains, planes or subways are all substitutes to automobiles. These substitutes depend on the location of the person. People that live and work in the city will probably either walk, bike, or take a subway to work in order to avoid traffic or to protect the environment. The threat of these substitutes will always be low because it is convenient to have a car and new innovations toward environmentally friendly automobiles. Bargaining Power of Suppliers and Buyers In the automobile industry the bargaining power of the supplier is weak. There are so many part manufactures in the industry to choose from it is easy for a company to switch from one to another giving supplier no leverage. The automobile part sector is so big that it is divided into four business units: original equipment manufacturers, replacement parts manufacturing, replacement parts distribution, and rubber fabricating. According to a press release by Ford, the company spends around $90 billion on parts from more than 2,500 suppliers. Compare to the bargaining power of suppliers the bargaining power of buyers is a lot higher. Automobile manufacturers make profit from the sales of its automobiles. This means that manufactures have to produce automobiles that meet consumer needs and standout from its competitors. This is why consumers have such a high bargaining power because if they do not like a certain automobile they can choose another automobile from a different manufacturer at a relatively low switching cost. Analyzing the bargaining power of supplier and buyers, identifying the threat of new entrants and substitute products, and also analyzing the intensity of rivalry among competitors will allow a company to assess the competitiveness of a certain industry. SWOT Analysis Ford is the worlds third largest automobile manufacturer, and their brands are sold domestically and internationally, which include Ford, Land Rover,  Lincoln, Mazda, Mercury, and Volvo. In 2006 Ford received 30th place in the BusinessWeek-Interbrand ranking of the top 100 global brands in 2006. Another one of Fords biggest strengths is its industry leading innovative technology which is shown through product design, safety and production. Fords large network base is a strength to the company. Ford manufactures and distributes automobiles in 200 markets across six continents. Ford is also a very ethical company. For years, Ford has supported families in need. Ford encourages its employees to take two workdays per year to volunteer at an approved nonprofit organization. Although Ford is very successful it does have weaknesses. One weakness would be the decline in its market share. According to DataMonitor, Fords overall market share in the US has declined from 21.1 % in 2002 to 17.1% in 2006. Competition, globalization, low consumer confidence, and high gas prices are all factors that contribute to Fords declining market share. Another weakness of Fords is its declining profitability. At the end of 2006 Ford recorded revenues of $160,123,000 million which was a 9.5 % decrease from 2005. The operating loss of the company during 2006 was $16,950,000 million compared to a operating loss of $1,550,000 million in 2005. This means Ford had a net loss of $12,613,000 million in 2006, compared to a net profit of $1,440,000 million in 2005 (Datamonitor 4.) The automobile industry is full of opportunities. High gas prices and environmental issues have caused manufacturers to develop innovative technology. Ford is developing several technologies that are environmentally friendly and fuel-efficient. These vehicles include; biofueled vehicles, hydrogen internal-combustion engines and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Global demand is also an opportunity for Ford. Ford has developed strategies to bring its product to emerging markets like India, China and Brazil. The economies of these markets are continuing to grow along with its demand for automobiles. A major threat to Ford is its competition, which includes General Motors, the Chrysler group, Toyota, and Honda. Rising costs are also a major threat to Ford. Rising labor and employee benefit costs have forced Ford to reduce its  workforce and to close some of its vehicle assembly plants. The U.S. economy is also a threat to Ford. Consumer confidence is down due to rising oil prices and declining home values. The future of Ford and the automobile industry will continue to be worse in the near future if these threats continue. With rising costs and increased competition the U.S automobile industry does not look good. Industry sales are expected to decline in the future due to low consumer confidence, rising interest rates, and high gas prices. SUV and truck sales will decline the most due to the rising gas prices. There will be a higher demand for smaller cars that are fuel-efficient. The Detroit Three along with other U.S. manufacturers will increasingly focus its operations internationally to markets in Eastern-Europe, Latin America and the Asia-Pacific where production costs are cheaper. Environmental friendly technology and manufacturing will also continue to rise because of the growing consumer interest in protecting our world. Works Cited Autos Auto Parts Industry Survey. Standard Poors June 2007: 28 18 April. 2008. For a More Sustainable Future. Ford Motor Company June 2007. 19 April. 2008 Ford Motor Company. Datamonitor Business Information Center Nov 2007. Campbell University Electronic Library., Buies Creek, NC. 18 April. 2008 Ford Motor Company. 2008. Ford Motor Company. 18 April 2008 Ford.com/. Gamble, John E., Strickland, A.J. III and Thompson, Arthur A. Jr. Crafting and Executing Strategy. McGraw-Hill/Irwin, 2007. The North America Automotive Sectors. Mergent Oct 2007. Campbell University Electronic Library., Buies Creek, NC. 18 April. 2008

A Little Bit About Einstein Essay -- essays research papers fc

Albert Einstein is known as one of the greatest scientists of all time. He has propose many great theories like the Special Theory of Relativity, the Theory of General Relativity, and E=mc2. (Einstein is famous for these theories along with his help in developing the laser.) He also influences many other scientists in the study of quantum theory and the cosmos. Know one really will ever understand what went on in this man’s mind but he was defiantly one of the greatest men of all times. The following is a description of this great scientist. Albert Einstein was born in Ulm, Germany on March 14, 1879. He was born to Herman and Pauline Einstein, middle class German Jews. Einstein was a very bright child; a magnetic compass sparked his interest in the natural world, at the young age of four. Einstein began his formal education at a school in Ulm. Contrary to what you would think Albert hated formal schooling. He often did poorly in subjects such as Geography, Language, and History, but excelled in Mathematics and Science. He generally did his real studies at home where he concentrated on physics, mathematics, and philosophy. One year one of Einstein’s teachers suggested that he leave school, so at mid-term the 15 year old boy quit school. Einstein then moved to Italy to help his father in business. In 1895, he failed the entrance exam for the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. They suggested that he studied at a Swiss school in Aarau. There he studied theories of electromagnetism, by James Clark Maxwell. At the age of 16, he wrote an essay on why he would like to study theoretical math or physics. He stated, "All above it is my individual disposition for abstract and mathematical thought, my lack of imagination in practical talent. My inclination s have also led me to resolve that is quite natural; one always likes to do things which one has talent. And there is a certain independence in the scientific profession which greatly pleases me." He graduated from the Swiss school, in 1896 at 17 years old. Then he was then accepted to the Institute of Technology in Zurich. This is where he met his first wife, Melvia Merich; she was the only girl in his physics class. They had a daughter, Lieserl, together who was given up for adoption and never see or heard of again. Th... ...es were confiscated by the Nazi government, The Nazi’s put Einstein at the top of the list of people stripped of their German citizenship. Einstein moved to the United States to escape the Nazi Germany, and also settled in Princeton New Jersey with Elsa. After World War II began Einstein urged President Roosevelt, after a series of letters, to push the study of nuclear war power and its effects. He was informed that Nazi Germany had the intelligence to create nuclear weapons of mass destruction. Einstein then became a United States citizen, he also remained a Swiss Citizen. He remained in the United States until his death in 1955. Einstein died of heart failure on April 16th in Princeton New Jersey. Einstein the was one the greatest scientists of all time, he discovered theories no one else ever even thought of, and created a completely different way to look at the natural world. Bibliography http//:www.alp.org/history/einsteinearly1.htm http://www.groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/mathematicians/Einstein.html http://library.advanced.org/11924/einstieninfo.html Encyclopedia Britannica On Line World Book Multimedia Encyclopedia CD-ROM A Little Bit About Einstein Essay -- essays research papers fc Albert Einstein is known as one of the greatest scientists of all time. He has propose many great theories like the Special Theory of Relativity, the Theory of General Relativity, and E=mc2. (Einstein is famous for these theories along with his help in developing the laser.) He also influences many other scientists in the study of quantum theory and the cosmos. Know one really will ever understand what went on in this man’s mind but he was defiantly one of the greatest men of all times. The following is a description of this great scientist. Albert Einstein was born in Ulm, Germany on March 14, 1879. He was born to Herman and Pauline Einstein, middle class German Jews. Einstein was a very bright child; a magnetic compass sparked his interest in the natural world, at the young age of four. Einstein began his formal education at a school in Ulm. Contrary to what you would think Albert hated formal schooling. He often did poorly in subjects such as Geography, Language, and History, but excelled in Mathematics and Science. He generally did his real studies at home where he concentrated on physics, mathematics, and philosophy. One year one of Einstein’s teachers suggested that he leave school, so at mid-term the 15 year old boy quit school. Einstein then moved to Italy to help his father in business. In 1895, he failed the entrance exam for the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. They suggested that he studied at a Swiss school in Aarau. There he studied theories of electromagnetism, by James Clark Maxwell. At the age of 16, he wrote an essay on why he would like to study theoretical math or physics. He stated, "All above it is my individual disposition for abstract and mathematical thought, my lack of imagination in practical talent. My inclination s have also led me to resolve that is quite natural; one always likes to do things which one has talent. And there is a certain independence in the scientific profession which greatly pleases me." He graduated from the Swiss school, in 1896 at 17 years old. Then he was then accepted to the Institute of Technology in Zurich. This is where he met his first wife, Melvia Merich; she was the only girl in his physics class. They had a daughter, Lieserl, together who was given up for adoption and never see or heard of again. Th... ...es were confiscated by the Nazi government, The Nazi’s put Einstein at the top of the list of people stripped of their German citizenship. Einstein moved to the United States to escape the Nazi Germany, and also settled in Princeton New Jersey with Elsa. After World War II began Einstein urged President Roosevelt, after a series of letters, to push the study of nuclear war power and its effects. He was informed that Nazi Germany had the intelligence to create nuclear weapons of mass destruction. Einstein then became a United States citizen, he also remained a Swiss Citizen. He remained in the United States until his death in 1955. Einstein died of heart failure on April 16th in Princeton New Jersey. Einstein the was one the greatest scientists of all time, he discovered theories no one else ever even thought of, and created a completely different way to look at the natural world. Bibliography http//:www.alp.org/history/einsteinearly1.htm http://www.groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/mathematicians/Einstein.html http://library.advanced.org/11924/einstieninfo.html Encyclopedia Britannica On Line World Book Multimedia Encyclopedia CD-ROM

Case Study Lonely

1. Prepare a report in which you analyze the marketing channel conflicts and cannibalization issues that Lonely Planet faces as it is currently operating. Suggest solutions that might reduce revenue losses or operational frictions that result from these issues. Channel Conflict: when sales through the company’s web site interfere with sales in that company’s retail stores. The potential for significant channel conflict exists in Lonely Planet with the same product (books or content) being sold via multiple channel. Lonely Planet has worked hard to minimize channel conflict by selling books on their website only at the recommended retail price, therefore it does not undercutting their retail resellers. Moreover, most retailers hold only a small selection of the five hundred Lonely Planet titles, and for the many titles they do not hold, channel conflict is minimal. The CitySync product is also carefully positioned to reduce channel conflict, since it targets a specific segment (time-poor, cash-rich travelers) with a new offering that is somewhat different from the existing Lonely Planet city guidebooks. However, over time there may be some conflict between CitySync and products such as customized guidebooks. Cannibalization: The loss of traditional sales of a product to its electronic counterpart. The well-known travel guides company, Lonely Planet gives a lot of guides for free on its website. A few years ago, many major travel-guide publishers were concerned that Lonely Planet website will hurt their sales. If travelers have to travel on board, they could just go on the website in order to read all the information they need without buying the Lonely Planet travel guide paper version. But far from cannibalizing sales instead, the net has helped publishers build their brands and expand into new territory. Moreover, giving information on its own website is a way to do free advertising. Without this display of guides on the website, customer would not have bought the travel guide paper version. Lonely Planet and other leading publishers have recorded growth rates of 15% to 25% per year over the past four years, as much as their guidebook content has migrated online. 2. Prepare a list of a new products that Lonely Planet might introduce to take advantage of Internet technologies (including wireless technologies for mobile devices) and address customer’s concerns about the timeliness and currency of information in the printed travel guides. Briefly describe any problems that Lonely Planet will face as it introduces these new products. In 2008, Lonely Planet launched Pick & Mix which enables travelers to go to a section of the Lonely Planet Website ( http://shop.lonelyplanet.com), select the country or region to which they are travelling and download the chapter for the place they are visiting. Rather than carry loose pages, chapters (served as PDF files) can be downloaded into a hand-held device or e-book reader. Interactive e-book travel guides: Emerging the best of both medium – digital and print – into one interactive ebook guide. Lonely Planet introduced e-books on ipad, so the layout and design is to flip through a guidebook and includes signature stunning images, expert author content and tips from local. Unlike traditional print guide book, the digital format allows to include over 3,000 hyperlinks so readers can get to a particular chapter or map with just a tap of a finger. Thus, travelers can get information on a particular region, point of interest or hotel/ restaurant without flipping through the pages. More, travelers can search terms in Google or Wikipedia for additional content. Travelers can also bookmark the places they don’t want to miss and make notes on the page, just like a print guidebook. Usually traditional publishing cycle for the print guides is every 2 years, but with e-books, it will be updated in a real time. However, unlike apps, ebook updates are not pushed out to end user, and readers will have the opportunity to repurchase the new edition. In addition, due to handheld’s limited memory and bandwidth, the new applications focus on cities, not countries. They obviously can not replace a guidebook for a month-long odyssey in Thailand or an exploration of Italy’s Amalfi Coast. Â  But for the traveler who wants to figure out how to spend a free afternoon or where to go for dinner, these mobile guides – plus a good map are ideal substitutes for printed guides. Lonely Planet therefore should continue to invest in product development to work with the likes of Apple, Google, Amazone, Nokia, etc. 3. Many loyal Lonely Planet customers carry their travel guides (which can be several hundred pages thick) with them as they travel around the world. In many cases, these customers do not use large portions of the travel guides. Also, Internet access can be a problem for many of these customers while they are travelling. Describe a product (or products) that might address this customer concern and also yield additional revenue for Lonely Planet. Your answer here could build on ideas that you developed in your solution to part2. By using interactive ebook travel guides, travelers doing longer trips do not need to carry three or four guidebooks during travelling. Travelers can buy the content directly and save it in their hand-held or ebook before they are going to travel on board if the current destination does not provide good internet connection. It is also an ease to carry around. Moreover, travelers can bookmark the places they don’t want to miss and make notes on the page, just like a print guidebook.

Fight Club Essay

Every so often, a film comes along that shocks people and forces them to acknowledge issues and realities that are normally taboo in open society and are fodder for conversations with therapists. The film â€Å"Fight Club† (1999) directed by David Fincher is just one of these films. How do people react when challenged to question the purpose and perspective of their lives as influenced by society, isolation, fear, survival and their own vulnerability and mortality? Narrator: This chick Marla singer did not have testicular cancer. She was a liar. She had no diseases at all. I had seen her at Free and Clear my blood parasite group Thursdays. Then at Hope, my bi-monthly sickle cell circle. And again at Seize the Day, my tuberculous Friday night. Marla†¦ the big tourist. Her lie reflected my lie. Suddenly I felt nothing. I couldn’t cry, so once again I couldn’t sleep. What happens when people are faced to accept the negative side of what they do? As what happened to the narrator when he was forced to see his actions for the perverted and voyeuristic nature that it had, discovery almost always leads to guilt and self-loathing. Sociology propounds the thinking that every individual’s behavior and values are influenced by factors within his environment. People have a need for a certain level of security, control and belonging in society. These needs are often met by actions chosen and motivated by fear of being isolated and failure. The narrator, for example, has led a fairly routine life. He is a mild-mannered employee that makes him fair game for his more arrogant bosses and other more outspoken people such as his doctor. One might say it is his need for job security to sustain his materialistic life style that makes him meek and generally docile. People are bound by the need to be accepted and recognized as good, moral and reliable people who follow rules. The rules that bind society may either be judicial, social, or the tenets ascribed to by one’s faith or religion. It may be reasonable to think that while at the back of the narrator’s mind, he knows his participation in group therapy has turned into a perverted and voyeuristic addiction. Having made to come to face with the reality of his actions in the person of Marla, he begins to get angry. Even people in real life are like that. They can delude themselves into acknowledging only the more acceptable part of their actions to the point of rationalization it. It’s the Machiavellian adage of â€Å"The end justifies the means. † But almost always something or in this case, â€Å"someone† happens that shatters the delusion and people then turn angry and experience guilt once they are confronted with the truth and reality of what they have been doing. There is a belief that for a man to discover what he is made of, he must first be stripped of all his possessions and pre-conceived notions of existence. Buddhism was founded on such a premise. Symbolically, that is also what happened to the narrator’s character when he was stripped of all his worldly possessions by a fire. Human nature exists within boundaries. One can take the losses and negativity up to a certain point. Once that point is reached, the need for assertion and self-preservation takes over. One might almost call it â€Å"the feather that broke the camel’s back. † Losing the reassurance of a comfort zone and being plunged into unknown territories is probably one of man’s greatest fears that turns life into a matter of survival. In society, people take on roles that come with certain expectations. It is satisfying because it is â€Å"familiar. † Be it defined by their job title, family or role in personal relationships, people are more often viewed by the actions and responsibilities entailed by their roles. Employees are expected to be subservient to management and perform well, a husband is expected to earn and sustain his family, friends are expected to be good buddies and be there when their friends need them. If one thinks about it, in these roles, a person’s identity is determined by the value that one brings to a relationship. And for people to earn their â€Å"survival† in familiar grounds, they do their best to fulfill such roles. There is however, the secret â€Å"self† that is part of every person that is kept hidden from the world. Tyler Durden: All the ways you wish you could be, that’s me. I look like you wanna look, I fuck like you wanna fuck, I am smart, capable, and most importantly, I am free in all the ways that you are not. How often is it that one feels anger that produces pictures of violence within their heads? In today’s fast paced and stressful times, different modes of therapy and tension busters have been designed specifically to deal with repressed emotions. â€Å"He made me so angry I could have killed him†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Violence occurs in the thoughts of people whether they admit it or not. It could be from the pettiest irritation to the more dangerous rages. Beneath a veneer of social graces and smiles, a person could be imagining the most violent thoughts against the person they are smilingly chatting with. Tyler Durden: People do it everyday, they talk to themselves†¦ they see themselves as they’d like to be, they don’t have the courage you have, to just run with it. What is freedom? One would think that if people were to take freedom for its full definition, they would be able to do whatever they wanted as long as they took responsibility. In the same sense, what defines a free man? Is it the ability to do whatever he desires without thought to anything else or is it the ability to assert and maintain one’s identity in the face of social expectation and laws? Take the case of the narrator: He is unhappy with every aspect of his life from his job to how he deals with others. His life is defined only by material possessions. He is meek and subservient towards a boss he detests. He is free yet constrained. Freedom therefore is constrained by man’s fear of consequence. This is a common experience. People are forced to do things as if in a barter. In the work place, tempers are controlled and respect is forced. In return, there is material gratification in the form of salaries, survival in the sense that employment is maintained and of course, advancement socially and personal economics. This kind of existence meets its most supreme challenge however in the inevitable for, human mortality. â€Å"Tyler Durden: Tomorrow will be the most beautiful day of Raymond K. Hessel’s life. His breakfast will taste better than any meal you and I have ever tasted. â€Å" In the scene where Tyler put a gun to Hessel’s head, it is a reasonable belief that the character Hessel fully expected to die at that very moment. To be given a reprieve when he was let go is literally being given a second chance at life. Death is a very powerful concept and eventuality. It is interesting to note that people faced with their own mortality experience a shift in perspective when it comes to how worthless or meaningful their lives have been. The definition of life changes from day to day waking existence to something that is much more valuable and dynamic. From the roles a person takes on due to necessity, mortality makes them face the reality of what they really are complete with their wants and desires. The realization of a life led without personal truth and realization makes a person desperate to grab at the few chances to actualize their desires before death claims them. â€Å"Tyler Durden: Guys, what would you wish you’d done before you died? Steph: Paint a self-portrait. The Mechanic: Build a house. Tyler Durden: [to Narrator] And you? Narrator: I don’t know. Turn the wheel now, come on! Tyler Durden: You have to know the answer to this question! If you died right now, how would you feel about your life? † Certain things happen that changes a person’s view of life completely. Be they positive or negative, the life experience and human individuality are complex yet intertwined. Some may find it easy to dismiss Norton’s character as simply schizophrenic or â€Å"weak. † Yet the truth is that within every person is an honest being that has individual needs, desires and desired freedoms that may just be unacceptable in an organized and tradition ruled society. Everyone also has the potential to rebel against it and prescribed conventions. The dialogue between the narrator and Tyler best summarizes this: † Tyler Durden: Did you know that if you mix equal parts of gasoline and frozen orange juice concentrate you can make napalm? Narrator: No, I did not know that; is that true? Tyler Durden: That’s right†¦ One could make all kinds of explosives, using simple household items. Narrator: Really†¦? Tyler Durden: If one were so inclined. † Works Cited Fight Club. Dir. David Fincher. Perf. Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, Helena Bonham Carter, Meat Loaf. Art Linson Productions, 1999.