Honda Essays (Examples)

Honda Corporate Jet Department

Departmental Analysis: Honda Corporate Jet Department

Background of Honda Aviation Department

The department of Honda Jet bears its beginnings in Honda Aviation. The journey to the aviation industry began when engineer Michimasa Fujino, initiated the vision in 1986 of Honda's participation in research and development in advanced airborne Honda (Honda, 2012). Close to four decades later, the vision is almost a realization as Honda Jet is now in its developmental and implementation stage. Therefore, Honda Jet is an apprehension of a decade long dreams that inspired innovation in aircraft design. The main aim of the development of Honda jet is the need for a light jet that is more efficient, advanced, and elegant (Business Wire, 2012). Through experiments, research, and exploration, Honda engineers now see the Honda Jet come to realization in the next year. The company's research and development team, along with engineers for the…

Honda-Current Brand Strategy

Honda has taken numerous actions to achieve new growth as it moves towards the fast changing era in the world. Its re-branding campaign is a progressive initiative, which has increasingly gained momentum over the years. This paper will focus on Honda's re-branding and brand equity strategies as reviewed in case studies and scholarly writings. Honda has maintained to be the most successful automotive import company in Japan. According to various automotive and financial analysts, Honda is geared towards becoming the leading automaker across the world. Currently, General Motors Corporation holds this position. This posits new challenges to Honda and its brand image. Honda launched brand equity and re-branding campaign to show its impact on the Japanese economy. This study looks at the possible success of Honda's re-branding and brand equity strategies.

e-branding

e-branding can be defined as how a brand is re-born. In most cases, a company…

Honda Case Study

Honda Motors the iconic Japanese automobile and engine manufacturer was the definitive example of the 1980's and early 90's surge of Japanese dynamism and economic muscle. Only 25 years after the firm entered the automobile industry, the 'industry of industries', Honda had become one of the world's top ten producers (Mair, A. 1997). Over the last two decades though Japan has been mired in a morass of economic stagnation however, Honda continues its long run success by capitalizing on its ability to adroitly navigate the competitive global automobile landscape with innovation, economic prowess, and a focus on Total Quality Management; a set of management practices throughout the organization, geared to ensure the organization consistently meets or exceeds customer requirements (Free Management Library. N.D.).

The continued focus on producing superior products and technology has propelled the company to the seventh position in global vehicle sales with three million…

Honda case, Honda simultaneously developing hybrids, diesel, natural gas, fuel cell cars. a. Why Honda chosen strategy? Is characteristic company industry? Should Honda pick focus efforts important Honda pursue synergies ( preserve options) developing promoting multiple technologies? b.

Honda Motor Company Ltd.

The diversification strategy and the environmentally friendly automobile

Honda is a long established and powerful presence within the international automobile industry. Throughout the past recent years, the company has become focused on a determined diversification strategy which strives to respond to the various needs of vast consumer palettes. The manifestation of this diversification strategy has materialized in the creation of four categories of vehicles -- hybrids, diesel, natural gas and fuel cell cars.

A question is being posed relative to the reasons which might have driven the Honda executives to implement this strategic approach. Two primary reasons could be offered at this stage. The first is constituted by…

Until very recently, GM was not being publicly traded; after its bailout by the U.S. government, the company was required to pay down its debt and essentially purchase itself back from the taxpayers before issuing stock. This stock has now been issued, and the debt was very recently paid off, giving the company a current debt/equity ratio of .36 (GM 2011). This means that the company is primarily being financed through the ownership funds of the company rather than through borrowing, which likely means fewer short-term gains but longer financial stability. Honda, on the other hand, has a debt/equity ratio of .71, meaning that a greater percentage of the company's operations are being financed through borrowed funds rather than through ownership funds (Honda 2011). While this might lead to more short-term advantages, it is a less desirable position to be in during volatile economic and industry times.

Finally, there is…

Major markets are saturated with products. Because of high fixed costs in the industry, exit barriers are high. Competition has kept margins relatively low, so Honda must move volume since they do not have sufficient differentiation to leave the mass market category. Overall, the outlook for the automotive industry is weak for the coming years.

One environmental consideration however is with respect to higher fuel costs. hile this represents a threat to most industry players, Honda has been at the front of the curve in terms of developing automobiles that utilize alternative fuels. They also have a core competency in developing automobiles with excellent mileage. Indeed, Honda's initial success in the North American automobile market was in marketing its fuel-efficient compact cars in the wake of the oil crisis in the early 1970s.

By the end of that decade, Honda has won enough market share to open a manufacturing operation…

Acura was launched in the mid 1980s, and it was the first Japanese produced luxury car, however it lacked many of the features that customers were looking for in high end vehicles and Acura went through almost five years of net losses before Honda finally figured out their design and distribution methods. Honda depends too much on their ingenuity and ability to adjust once a product enters the market, and as a result, they often make hasty and faulty decisions that they must then spend millions and years to fix.

Honda has significant opportunities in the near future to become the premier manufacturer in the world. The biggest opportunity lies in their technology advantage, as the frontier leader within fuel economy, they have had years of research to help them build motors that are highly fuel efficient. This applies to every single market that they operate in and with the…

Results

The results of the cost and benefit comparisons were fairly straightforward. Regardless of the cost of fuel and the number of miles driven, the buyer of a hybrid consistently posts a net loss. Even assuming fuel costs of four-and-a-half dollars per gallon (the most expensive fuel scenario modeled) and an annual mileage of twenty-thousand miles (the highest mileage scenario modeled), the buyer is still at a net loss of nearly eighteen-hundred dollars. Combining the state benefit in increased sales tax and the public benefit from environmental benefits creates a surplus of less than two hundred dollars, and the federal losses from taxes on fuel are over three hundred dollars in and of themselves.

This is the scenario that creates the greatest benefit to the buyer in terms of fuel savings (the more expensive fuel is and the more the buyer uses, the more the savings when compared to a…

Downstream glass manufacturing is local, because each market has its own characteristics, it is low scale production and it is the most important success factor is good customer relationship. This step was seen as successful by some and unsuccessful by others. During the diversification in the automotive industry the company also acquired other business of similar profile, which was seen as successful. Later on, Pilkington entered the ophthalmologic and contact lens industry, which was characterized by every analyst as failure and the manufacturer abandoned these projects. However, during this last diversification, the company didn't disinvest immediately after the management realised that it wouldn't pay off. After acquiring the ophthalmologic capabilities and being faced with unsuccessful results, the manufacturer tried to find solutions to get back on the track that would maintain the investment. Consequently, the company moved forward to contact lenses area. Pilkington had both successes and failure in its…

In this order of ideas, they request the assistance of specialized auditors, from both within and outside the institution. "To ensure objective control of the Company's management, outside directors and outside corporate auditors are appointed to the Board of Directors and the Board of Corporate Auditors, which are responsible for the supervision and auditing of the company. Honda has also introduced an operating officer system, aimed at strengthening both the execution of business operations at the regional and local levels and the supervision by the Board of Directors" (Honda Motor Corp. 2008 Annual eport).

A more comprehensive take on the four control mechanisms implemented by Honda can be achieved by looking at the following lines. They are a comparative analysis of the strategic approaches to control, revealing both positive and negative impacts of each mechanism, as well as the impacts they are likely to generate upon the four functions of…

GM v Honda

In FY 2010, General Motors earned revenue of $135 billion and earned profit of $6.17 billion on this. The 2010 FY figures are distorted because of the impact of the government bailout, but in prior years GM was losing over $30 billion per year, despite recording higher sales ($177 billion in 2007 and $147 billion in 2008). Sales hit their nadir in 2009 with just $104 billion, so part of the company's success in 2010 was that sales began to rebound. Sales thus far in fiscal 2011 are higher again, with the company on pace for around $149 billion. Net income is also stronger, the company having recorded almost $8.5 billion in net income in the first three quarters of fiscal 2011.

Honda's revenue and profit figures show a similar trend, where the company had stronger profits in 2007 and 2008, only to slump in 2009 and…

According to an article entitled " New Manufacturing System Gives Honda Flexibility" The flexible manufacturing process created by Honda gives the company an advantage over competitors. The article explains that close cooperation between Honda's production and R&D departments allowed the company to create the first ever production line in North America upon which SUV's and Trucks could be produced together. On this production line Honda's popular minivan the Odyssey and its luxury SUV the Acura MDX are produced. The article asserts that using what the automaker has dubbed its "New Manufacturing System...will increase speed by reducing the time needed to bring a new model to mass production or add an existing model to a different plant. It also will increase efficiency by cutting much of the investment normally needed for retooling (right).

In addition the author explains that Honda's manufacturing system utilizes new general welding equipment. This equipment allows for…

Ford v. Honda

Ford's SOT Analysis:

Strengths

eaknesses

Opportunities

Threats

Brand recognition

Low quality scores (LeBeau, 2011)

Chinese market (Forbes, 2011)

Competitors

Distribution

Management retirements (Muller, 2012)

Hybrids/fuel efficiency

eak economic conditions

New Products

Pensions/legacy costs

US recovery?

Rising costs

Renewed consumer interest

Distributor issues?

Other BRICS

High gas prices

Mulally is a good leader

No global mfg platform

Smaller vehicles

US competitors are backed by gov't

In order for Ford to address these issues, the following strategic concepts should be implemented. The company needs to improve its innovation pipeline, but it also needs to improve its production practices so that quality is restored. The customers want Ford to succeed, but poor quality reviews are going to hurt the company's turnaround. High gas prices and rising costs elsewhere may wipe out the benefits of a U.S. recovery, so Ford needs to shift its focus to emerging market growth. That said,…

New Honda City

There is a new look and feel to urban life in Australia. Simultaneously, there is a new look and feel to the recently released Honda City model made for Australia. The sleek corners, stylish cafes and major metropolitan areas Down Under are ideal for perusing through in the 2014 Honda City, which has a number of specific features for the urban Aussie traveler navigating the increasingly modern and technologically advanced realms of Australian inner city life.

City owners will never have to worry about gas mileage as its 1.5 liter, i-VTEC engine consumes a mere 5.7 liters for every 100 kilometers traveled while pumping out 88 kW of thrust. The engine is sufficiently fortified with two choices of transmission: a five-speed manual for those who prefer the race car driving feel, or Honda's new Continuously Variable Transmission Technology. The latter eschews the typical gear approach for a…

It has wide and comfortable front seats and the rear seat passengers also have enough space qualifying as a true mid-size sedan. Easy front and rear door openings render it easy to get inside and come out of the car. It is a splendid family sedan, at or near the top of its class in all degree. It offers a soft, calm ride quality, and a gorgeous interior having front and rear seats which are spacious and cosy. Driving it enthuse confidence and its VTEC engines are even, powerful and capable. This adds to Honda's reputation for quality, durability and reliability. (2000 Honda Accord: The benchmark for mid-size sedans)

The Honda may be the best mid-size cars for the masses, however the Nissan Maxima is debatably the most excellent for the people who view cars as more than transportation devices. It is priced at $25,200 as the tested price. It…

Copoate Stategies of Japanese Automake in Euope: Case of Honda

Success in the auto industy depends in pat upon the ability of automakes to build a supeio poduct that functions efficiently and economically. Taditionally Japanese automakes have been associated with this success and efficiency in the wold of auto manufactuing. Honda, one well-known competito, is paticulaly well-known fo its dive to set itself apat fom othe automakes in copoate stategy and in the fight to design quality poducts.

Auto Manufactuing Oveview: Spotlight Honda

Studies of Japanese automake stategies suggest that the success of Japanese ca sales and copoate stategies in times of old can be attibuted in pat to the quality, wokmanship and low opeating costs of Japanese vehicles (Dadis & Sobeon-Fee, 1994; Chapman, et. al, 1995). Japanese automakes have long been known fo poducing quality and highly desied vehicles. Honda is the seventh lagest auto make (Dadis & Sobeon-Fee,…

HONDA

"What objectives specific goals making ?"

What are the objectives and specific goals making these changes?

Change is constant in the business landscape, and despite being a firm with a strong reputation, Honda must strive to rehabilitate its brand image in the eyes of future consumers. Honda is primarily seen as a 'reliable' brand and while reliability is commendable, the purchase of a car must have salient emotional qualities that transcend those of mere functionality. If a car is merely a vehicle to get someone from one place to another, then Honda can easily be outflanked by other rivals that offer similarly 'reliable' transportation. In short, Honda must strive to increase its 'sex appeal' as a brand, particularly in the U.S., a nation which is so emotionally connected to its cars Although Honda is well-recognized brand, our recent survey rated the effectiveness of Honda advertising as low.

In some…

In January 2004, the J.D. Power and Associates, named Honda as the highest non-luxury brand of car. This same study looked at buyer's perceptions of problems such as engineering problems, quality of workmanship and worker errors in production. Buyers were happy with Honda, and it ranked fourth behind Lexus, Cadillac and Jaguar. The Honda also ranked first in Van and entry level SUV, and in the top three in compact, sports car, and midsize SUV (Honda anks, 2004). This study clearly shows that reliability and quality workmanship are important to the public when they are looking for an automobile to purchase.

Clearly, there are differences in the markets that each automobile company targets for sales and this makes the individual qualities of the vehicle important to the consumer. By 1990, the public could choose from 572 models of vehicles. Advertising and the public's perception of the automobiles are important. The…

Aircraft Purchasing Plan

An aircraft purchase plan is a plan designed by an organization, a corporate company or an individual with the aim of acquiring an aircraft. The design of the plan matches the buyer's specifications and needs. The acquisition plan must match the buyer's monetary resources. The resources that one has, determines the aircraft that one can purchase. The purchase plan should be consistent with the goals of the buyer (Betz 2010). The plan should be adapted to suit the needs of the buyer. This is an example of an effective aircraft purchase plan. A flight department has the duty of organizing flights for the corporate managers of the business. The flight department has the duty to ensure the aircrafts that the company has are proper to transport goods and people. The department organizes flight hours and schedule for flying corporate members.

The purpose of this purchase plan is…

S. market. Instead of purchasing millions of dollars in research, Japanese manufacturers will often send their engineering and development teams to a foreign nation to study not just market conditions, but also the nuances of a given customer base as well (Aldridge, 1990). This will allow for greater insights into unmet needs, including the need to see the foreign manufacturers as being a contributor, not detractor, to national welfare. Toyota and Honda did this exceptionally well, as does Panasonic and Samsung with Google Android smartphones today.

2. Do you feel that there is really any difference, in a consumer's mind, between a Toyota Camry manufactured in the United States and an identical Camry that was manufactured in Japan but sold in the United States?

The indirect answer is that it depends on the individual consumer and their perceptual biases. From those consumers with a high level of ethnocentric mindsets, then…

Bias Critique

Thackery, John. "ybrid autos REV up: but will SUV-addicted buyers opt for an environmentally friendly car that saves on gas but commands a premium price?" Electronic Business: Automotive Electronics. Oct 2002 v28 i10 pp. 64(5)

Even before reading the article, "ybrid autos REV up" an informed consumer of the media should know that quite often automobile and electronics magazines are highly favorable of the industries they chronicle. The industry is essentially their 'bread and butter' of such magazines -- i.e. without cars, fancy car gadgets, and car aficiandos, there would be no audiences for such segmented magazines. The credentials of John Thackery, the article's author, are not immediately obvious, but the article's title "ybrid autos REV up: but will SUV-addicted buyers opt for an environmentally friendly car that saves on gas but commands a premium price?" suggests a highly positive slant is being given to the vehicles, for…

Moreover, with more and more individuals taking on motorcycling, the number of accidents is on a continuous rise (saferoads.org).

III. a. With advancements in the motorcycle industry making motorcycles safer, motorcyclists are exposed to accidents to a lesser degree. Furthermore, even when they are involved in an accident, people who ride motorcycles containing the latest technology are less likely to experience the damage they would normally undergo. The Honda Gold Wing 2006 model is one of the best examples of technological advancements put in motorcycles, given that its airbag system is extremely important in protecting motorcyclists who experience a head-on collision (world.honda.com).

b. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration promotes motorcycle safety through informing the general public (all kinds of motorists and even pedestrians) regarding motorcyclists and how they should not be discriminated. Through the NHTSA motorcycling program, authorities expect traffic accidents involving motorcyclists to be reduced (saferoads.org).

c. People…

Perceptual map is a marketing tool that is used to help place a brand in context of its competitors in terms of public perception of the brands with respect to critical industry variables (Daye, 2009). The two-dimensional nature of the map means that there are two dimensions (elements) that are evaluated. Consumer opinions about these variables and a variety of brands are taken in order to construct the map. The objective of the perceptual map is to understand how the brand's position in perceived by the public, and use this information to shape marketing strategy either to reinforce this perception or to change it.

Two major variables that people consider when purchasing a vehicle, other than price, are safety and prestige. For car buyers, safety is an important issue because of the inherent dangers in driving and the need to minimize the risk to yourself and your family. Prestige is…

" (Worden and arton, 2003) Assessment is a method that provides an estimate of the extent of the damage and prediction is the method that offers information concerning the structural safety and that provides estimation of the residual life.

It is reported that many modern approaches to damage identification are "based on the idea of pattern recognition (PR)." (Worden and arton, 2003) A PR algorithm is stated to be one that assigns to a sample of measured data a class label, usually from a finite set. In the case of damage identification, the measured data could be vibration modeshapes, full-field thermoelastic data, scattered wave profiles etc. The appropriate class labels would encode damage type, location etc. In order to carry out the higher levels of identification using PR, it will almost certainly be necessary to construct examples of data corresponding to each class." (Worden and arton, 2003, p.3) It is…

The former might be, 'What specific...' [while] Less structure might be exemplified by: "Please respond to the following in your own words: I....'" (Dereshiwsky, 1999) in addition:

adding some open-ended items such as these to a more traditionally scaled quantifiable survey, such as one with Likert-scaled attitudinal items, and/or "check/off" questions on demographic background variables, is a good way to make the survey "multimethod" in nature. This is because you'd be using that "single" data collection vehicle (survey instrument) to collect your data (responses) in more than one form: quantitative and qualitative! You could ask the same general questions in both forms and then compare the two alternative forms of responses to see if they 'converged,' or agreed, regarding the phenomenon that you are trying to measure via the survey (e.g., attitudes towards school climate). If they do, you can have greater assurance that "there's something real being captured/measured" regarding…

The 'euniting Families Act' would also try to increase the current per country limit of 7% to 10% for the issuing of green cards. This bill, if passed, would also permit widows, widowers and children of those persons who die before the completion of the immigration process to get LP status. (Shank, Michael Honda to Announce Key Component of Comprehensive Immigration eform: euniting Families); (euniting Families Act-2009); (Honda, The euniting Families Act (H.. 2709))

euniting Families Act also attempts to stop discriminatory clauses in other immigration rules which prevent permanent same-sex partners to reunite with their families. From the perspective of illegal immigrants, section 245(i) would be more suitable as they will not have to return to their home country before filing a petition for a change of status because if they do return, they might face a possible ban ranging from 3 to 10 years barring them from entering…

TOYOTA'S PIUS

With the increased level of awareness of the environment, automotive car manufacturers vie on the viability of selling environmentally hybrid cars. Leading this group are Honda and Toyota. The following is a market analysis of the position of Toyota's Prius. It analyzes the following factors:

Situation of the firm in the market

The industry of hybrid cars

The strategy adopted by Prius and how it is faring in the market

The barriers of the market

Some alternative strategies to rectify the weakness of Prius and The implementation of one of its alternatives.

SITUATION ANALYSIS

Firm

Toyota Motor Corporation with its subsidiaries all around the world reports $5,447 billion for the fiscal year 2001. With more than 5.5 million cars, trucks, and buses worldwide sold annually, the company boast of high profits and symbolizes the ideal in automotive industry. Spread to 24 nations and regions worldwide, Toyota with its…

Once a DMS has been created that spans across all three dealerships, financial and accounting decisions about pricing, promotion and rebates can be more effectively coordinated to a level of and accuracy not possible today. It is a common weakness in automotive retailers who represent multiple brands to be constrained by the lack of systems integration that limits their ability to create synchronized strategies (Bradford, Samuels, Wood, 2008). By having a customer system of record that spans across all dealerships that also takes into account the many variations and complexities of co-op and promotional programs, dealers are able to more cost-effectively manage selling and service programs (Zinnbauer, Eberl, 2005). Schlossmann Automotive Group needs to concentrate on how to tie together all their diverse DMS systems to create a single system of record that is based on customer activity and lifetime customer value, allowing for flexibility of integration with dealer co-op,…

Gas-electric hybrids have taken their knocks for being costly and relatively inefficient at highway speeds, but they remain very much on the agenda, not just at hybrid pioneer..." (2007) McCormick further relates that the hybrid choice for many is Toyota's 'Prius' particularly for those who drive mostly in the city. atter technology has been improved "to the point where the concept of a plug-in hybrid -- one that can be charged from the grid and/or use an onboard electrical power source (a gasoline or diesel engine or even a fuel cell) -- becomes a practical reality. GM's Chevrolet Volt concept, which debuted at the Detroit auto show, is the leading example of this effort. Much further down the road but still the focus of extensive engineering effort by most of the world's top automakers is the hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicle. To speed up the move to hydrogen, some automakers,…

Economics

Economic Value Added

Economic Value Added is an analytical tool which was developed in 1982 by Joel Stern and G. Bennett Stewart and has been widely accepted as a means of measuring a company's real profitability. This tool is unique because it involves calculating "the firm's residual profitability, net of both the direct cost of debt capital and the indirect cost of equity capital." (Grant, p. 2) Debt capital can be defined as the amount of money a company must spend on its current debt, including interest and other fees. However, because most interest expenses can be deducted from taxes, the calculation is often measured after taxes. Equity capital is a much more complicated factor in the equation because it deals with the value of all the assets of the company, which would normally be owned by the shareholders, but are necessary for the running of the company. This…

2007 Economic Crisis on American Car market

Effect of the 2008 global economic crisis on automotive industries

Crisis in the United States

Crisis in Canada

Crisis in ussia

Crisis in European markets

Crisis in Asian markets

Effects by other related crisis events

In this paper, we will review the effects of 2008 global automotive crisis. Our main focus will be on the American car manufacturers and the negative impact they suffered due to the crisis. We will also have a look at how this crisis had affected car manufacturers in other major markets around the world notably Europe, Canada and the prominent Asian markets such as China and India. Finally, we will look at some of the other factors which were important to this event namely the energy crisis since the cost of fuel is directly related to the car industry.

Introduction

The automobile industry is a very important part…

Ford Motors: Strategy to Beat Competitors Using Operations and Supply Chain

Company Overview

Ford Motor Company is the second largest automobile manufacturer in the United States apart from General Motors. The Ford Company is credited for the production of trucks and cars for mass markets. The company also produces car accessories such as cars' electronic components, vehicles' plastic, and replacement parts. Moreover, Ford Motor owns approximately 8% stakes in Aston Martin, a 2.1% stake in Mazda, and 49% stake in Jiangling. Ford Motor also develops joint ventures with several companies around the world. The company has also diversified their business operations into financial services such as American oad Insurance and Ford Motor Credit. However, Lincoln and Ford's models accounted for the approximately 10.5% of the company sales in the United States. A rise in prosperity of emerging markets has made Ford focusing their business attention in China. At the end…

This time, it was a television commercial for a community college targeted toward adults who want to go back to school. The purpose of the college, Cortiva Insitute, was to train adults returning to school in practical job related fields such as massage therapy.

The target market of this advertisement is most likely adults who are either unsatisfied with their jobs, have recently lost their jobs, or who have never been employed. The MTV audience, however, is traditionally made up of young people who are not yet ready to consider a professional career. Though an advertisement for a four-year college seeking high school students or students who had recently graduated might be appropriate for this audience, a commercial targeting adults who want to move on with their careers is not. By advertising on MTV, the marketing planner choose to advertise to an audience too young and too inexperienced with the…

The first consideration is that employees may be reluctant to reveal their innermost feelings about the company for fear that they will be punished for their responses. For this reason, it is imperative that employees are assured of absolute anonymity. This will also encourage honest answers and be the most likely to result in discovering the root causes of the problem. Employees will be able to respond anonymously by dropping their folded responses into a box by human resources.

Those that feel good about their job may be more eager to respond to a survey than those that are unhappy. A voluntary response would be more likely to result in a biased sample population. It is important that the sample is representative of the entire plant, rather than a small, select group. Therefore, employees will be told that the survey is mandatory. Although, there will be no real way to…

Use of electricity a d heat production is to systemize this process (.Nurettin Demirdoven, 13 Aug. 2004)

In contract Hybrid and fuel vehicles are efficient plus its engine is conventional with internal combustion. Fuel vehicles which consume hydrogen from fossil fuels dose not offer efficient energy with an advantage to operate an urban drive cycle used by hybrid vehicles. However, priority is mostly given to hybrid vehicles by government and various industries. In Addition, One of a famous company, Honda has released its Honda hybrid car in 2007 namely Honda Civic Compact Sedan. This car is made on the basis of new technology for saving gas. This car generally operates with three features including battery pack, gas powered engine and an electric motor to save its energy. There is also a full hybrid car which consists of the same major features mentioned above. Honda's hybrid car can easily be powered…

Lotus ental Car's CFO feasibility adding alternative fuel vehicles fleet

The problem of switching to a more fuel efficient car, especially ones that are considered non-polluting will arise for all tourist and individual car owners. The reason is the rising cost of fossil fuels and the actions of environmentalists and other powers that try and curb the use of fossil fuels and cars in many places. While the operators have some more breathing time, it can be predicted that in the near future there will be a forced shift to hybrid cars, electric vehicles and non-fuel-based vehicles in all sectors of the world. The automotive industry is itself gearing up for the change. One factor that has made the automobile producers take to producing hybrid vehicles and electric and other fuel vehicles is primarily the costs of fuel as is obtained now. The rising cost in fuel has made automobile…

The last century has seen an increase in the level of international purchases which has been supported by the developments in transportation and technology. Goods can move faster than before with developments in logistics. The negotiation and forming contracts for purchase with companies and communicate with potential suppliers in distant countries is also easier than in the past with the internet and tools such as video conferencing and emails. This facilitates the use of international suppliers. However, other firms may choose local suppliers believing strategy will best suit their needs. Local suppliers may be able to provide where there is an increase in the transparency of the supply chain, less exposure to risks such as interruption and exchange rate risks and proximity may allow closer collaborative relationships to develop. Both procurement strategies are viable, to assess the advantages associated with each approach the procurement from international and local suppliers can…

External Environment

Ford Motor Company is - according to its financial statements for the last year - in relatively good financial shape, especially if one considers the current weak state of the economy, the past recessionary months and the still extremely shaky state of the recovery. This paper analyzes the current strengths and weaknesses of the company as it moves toward increasing globalization.

A useful tool in analyzing the external environment in which Ford is presently situated can incorporate Michael Porter's Five Forces model, which is graphically summarized below: (http://www.marketingteacher.com/Lessons/lesson_fivefoces.htm)

Ford is vulnerable to the threat of both new entrants (in terms generally of new car models as well as specifically of new environmentally friendly cars) as well as the threat of substitute products from other car companies eager to attract the same consumers that Ford wishes to attract. Honda, for example, is likely to become one of Ford's primary…

Human Resources

Domestic and International Human Resources

Adler (1990) emphasizes the importance of the international experience in the business world. The developing technologies between the time of Adler's presentation and 2004 has made this all the more prominent. When distinguishing between domestic and international human resources then, it is important to note that the one seldom goes before the other, while the domestic human resources paradigm has developed over a far longer time than international human resources. Adler (1990) explains that there has been an evolution in the business world from domestic human resources to international or global human resources. This has to be taken into account when business is conducted both on the local and international level.

When a company is domestically orientated, the product or service remains focused on the domestic market. Thus, research and development, as well as marketing occur on the domestic level. With a centralized…

technology for hybrid vehicles is proven to work, we as a nation should only build and sell hybrid vehicles to help reduce the damage done to the nation's air quality. Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs) have reached the point that they are affordable for most drivers, they use less energy, and they are cleaner than gasoline and diesel powered vehicles. These vehicles make sense for today and for the future, and Americans need to recognize the importance of saving the environment over their attachment to large, fuel inefficient vehicles. As a nation, the people should support and demand that automakers only build and sell HEVs. It is time to take the nation's air quality into our own hands, and demand carmakers take responsibility for the decrease in air quality standards in America today.

Hybrid electric vehicles have been talked about for many years. It is only in the last decade that…

The assumptions of industry structure and pricing are based on the market shares of the leading competitors in the motorcycle market including Harley-Davidson with 65% and Honda with 12.9%. There are over 40 different manufacturers of motorcycles globally who comprise the remaining 22% of the worldwide market (Murphy, 2008). Gaining distribution for a new motorcycle model will be challenging given the concentration level of competitors in the market. As motorcycles are considered discretionary purchases, they are influenced by the consumer sentiment index, the level of per capita disposable income, the downstream demand for motorcycle dealership and repair, and the available time consumers have for using them (Diamond, 2008). All of these factors are taken into account in the factoring of both the baseline motorcycle industry forecast and the hybrid motorcycle forecast as well.

Sales and Unit Forecasts

Using exponential smoothing and an average sale price of $9,100, the forecast for…

Consumer Behavior

Consumer Needs and Marketing Efforts

Consumer Needs

A need is defined as "a state of felt deprivation in a person" (Kotler, Chandler, Gibbs, & McColl 1999, p. 4). The most basic human needs are those for food, clothing, warmth, and safety. There are also needs that are more psychological, such as the need to feel loved, to feel successful, or to feel a sense of belonging. A more thorough explanation of needs can be found by considering Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory.

Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory describes five levels of need that exist in a hierarchical order. In order from highest to lowest, these needs are: physiological, safety, belongingness, esteem, and self-actualization (Daft 1997, p. 530). The physiological need refers to the basic human needs for food and water. These are essentially the basic things that every individual needs to physically survive. The safety need refers…

With.573 correlation of Unibody directly influencing Body-on-Frame sales in the years sampled. Table 3 provides the results of the query made in SPSS Version 13.

Table 3: SPSS Correlation Coefficients

Kendall's tau_b

BodyOnFrame

Correlation Coefficient

Sig. (2-tailed)

UnibodyCrossover

Correlation Coefficient

Sig. (2-tailed)

Spearman's rho

BodyOnFrame

Correlation Coefficient

Sig. (2-tailed)

UnibodyCrossover

Correlation Coefficient

Sig. (2-tailed)

With the statistical analysis showing reasonably strong predictability, the next step is to evaluate the specific 14-month time series for greater insights into the variability and predictability of the data. What emerges from completing a Linear egression along with every exponential smoothing techniques for curve fitting is further evidence of linear (.702 regression) in addition to quadratic (.737 regression) shows that variations in Body-on-Frame demand are explained through these statistical techniques.

Table 4: Model Summary and Parameter Estimates

Dependent Variable: BodyOnFrame

Equation

Model Summary

Square

Linear

Logarithmic

Inverse

Quadratic

Cubic

Compound

Power

Growth

Exponential

Logistic

The…

technologies used in various industries. e will also explore the operations management procedures that are used in these industries. Let's begin with a look at IBM, which is part of the technology industry. IBM utilizes advanced technologies in many operational management procedures. According to the IBM website these technologies are particularly important to supply chain management. The website explains that the company offers end to end business solutions, employs 5500 industry specific consultants and offers flexible financing. All of these processes aid the company in the area of operations management. ("Forecast and demand planning solutions from IBM")

The apparel manufacturing/textile industry is quite different from the technology industry because it still requires a great deal of manual labor. The tour that we reviewed in this industry was from the Northeast Knitting Mill. This company was established in 1911 for $50. The tour of the manufacturing facilities displays the circular knitting…

Strategy Development at Tesla Motors
The hybrid and all-electric vehicle market is growing rapidly, and some industry analysts suggest that the future of personal transportation is in the hands of these manufacturers. One company that is in the vanguard of this industry is Tesla Motors, named for famed inventor Nikolai Tesla. The purpose of this capstone project is to provide an industry analysis to develop a strategy for the CEO of Tesla Motors to help shape the company's future.
Review and Analysis
Define strategy and examine how the definition of strategy fits Tesla Motors and its situation
Although a number of different definitions have been advanced over the years, a useful definition in an organization context states that “strategy determines the direction and scope of an organization over the long term, and it should determine how resources should be configured to meet the needs of markets and stakeholders” (Three levels…

If Boca Raton, Fla. buys 32 Explorers, we need to let the entire municipal market know about it.

Foreign sales

The key to foreign sales is understanding that the Explorer will be a luxury item in much of the rest of the world. Ford Explorers may be driven by middle-class families and soccer moms in the United States, but the $30,000 price tag is going to make the Explorer an upper-class item in countries with a lower standard of living than the United States.

Naturally, to overseas upper-class drivers, the vehicles they drive are status symbols, and we must focus on the prestige element of owning an Explorer. We should look for luxury lifestyle magazines - foreign versions of the Robb Report, for example - and purchase adverting that focuses on the luxury features and prestige factor of owning the Explorer. Ads with American celebrities, who often are even more…

Consumer Buying Decision

Consumer purchase decision may appear random at times as a person goes to the market to buy groceries. But whether it is a low involvement product (LIP) like a jar of mayonnaise or a high involvement product (HIP) like a house, the consumer will usually go through five stages of purchase decision which are less pronounced in the case of LIP than it would for a HIP.

A low involvement product is defined as "a product where the process of searching for information is minimal, without distinct brand loyalties." (Grebitus, p. 43) A hair brush, beauty soap, a bath towel for example would all be low involvement purchases. They do not require considerable amount of effort, energy or money and hence even if the decision goes wrong, it won't have a significant effect on the consumer.

A high involvement product on the other hand is the one…

Motorcycle Market

Motorcycle Industry Environmental Analysis

One of the primary determinants of success or failure in most industries is the level of competition and response to that competition by individual firms. In many industries this is entirely straightforward, as competition is direct in terms of product offering and pricing scale: McDonald's and Burger King are clearly in direct competition with each other, for example. Things are not quite so clear-cut in the motorcycle industry, as the product lines of many of the key players in this industry differ dramatically and cannot all be said to be in direct competition with each other, the competitive forces and macroenvironmental influences that exist in the industry can affect different companies in very different ways.

Numerous Competitors: In some regards, the motorcycle industry is very well populated and well balanced, and there is not a clear industry leader. While Harley Davidson has the largest…

Psychoanalysis

The opening phase of dynamic psychotherapy helps the therapist to understand why the patient is seeking treatment; what kind of triggers to current problems are present; and house troubled the patient is in terms of both physical and psychological health (text p. 41). Yalom (1989) allows for several sessions of introductory therapy, also in keeping with the psychodynamic model. At this introductory phase, the therapist gets an idea of what treatment options to present and how to proceed. Yalom (1989) also determines the frequency of the treatment in the introductory phase (text p. 41). The core way that the relationship between Yalom (1989) and Carlos exemplifies psychodynamic therapy is in regards to the transference neurosis, which intensifies in therapy (text p. 53). However, transference is worked through as a core element of the therapeutic process. In the case with Carlos, neurotic transference is exemplified most clearly in the way…

Up here in this parking lot cell coverage was never very good. I wonder if she knows about the improvement (no one who knows this neighborhood would have even attempted to make a call up until September of this year) or just happened to be making a call and it went through.

A senior citizens community bus pulls in and parks right in front of the store, in a place reserved for handicapped drivers. No one gets out for a minute or two. I get out of my car and walk closer so I can see who will get out. I leave my clipboard in my car and go to the newspaper racks as though I'm deciding which one to buy. A white-haired man who is thin and wears a Hawaiian shirt drives the bus. He looks back at the two passengers as if to say, "We're here." The first…

Multi-National Report on Ford Motor Company:

Ford Motor Company is a worldwide company that operates in both the Automotive and Financial Services sectors with its major operations being to build up, devise, produce and service cars and trucks. hile Ford's automotive sector basically sells vehicles under various brand names such as Ford, Volvo, Mercury and Lincoln, the financial services sector provide several automotive financing products both through and to automotive dealers. Ford's automotive sector is responsible for marketing trucks, cars and vehicle parts through the retail dealers, distributors and dealers in North America. Additionally, this sector offers a series of after-sale vehicle products and services in several segments like car accessories, maintenance, repairs and extended service. On the contrary, the financial services sector provides retail financing, wholesale financing and financing to profit-making customers.

Ford's financial services sector also provides other financing services incorporating loans to dealers for operational capital, developments…

buying a motorbike.

Motorbikes have always appealed to me. I am an inveterate cyclist feeling free only when on my bike, but lately it entered my head that motorbikes are cool and sporty and they may be a big plus for getting the new job that I want plus -- if they can be used fro advertising for procuring girlfriends, why can they not be used for procuring boys. Superman turns into superwoman on motorbike, and so my dram plan (ignoring issues of inability to ride one and safety concerns) is to get the latest super-duper motorbike out there on the market and let the reviewer of this essay pay for it.

How does one get a motorbike?

One can always steal, but my intent is to play it honest and buy, therefore my first steps were to do some Internet research and this being a major ticket item I…

Work, Energy, And Momentum

Work out the following problems. Be sure to show your work in detail. See the " uploaded file for examples of how the problems should be solved.

A freight elevator has a mass of 3,000 kg, including cargo. The elevator motor raises the load 50 m in 30 s. How much work is done by the motor? What is its power?

W= F*d

F=m*a

W=m*a*d

W= 3000kg *9.8m/s2*50m

W= 1,470,000J

P=W/t

P=1,470,000J/30s

P= 49,000W

What is the KE (in J) of a 2650 lb Honda Civic traveling at 100 mph?

KE=1/2mv2

Conversions from English to metric m=2650lb * 1kg/2.2 lb m=1204.55kg

100 mph * 1 hr/3600 sec * 1609.344 m/mi= 44.7 m/s

KE= 1/2 * 1204.55kg * (44.7m/s2)

KE= 1,203,399.7 J

A standard baseball weights 145 g. If it is thrown vertically with an initial velocity of 50 mph, what is its potential energy change at…

Sirius and XM Satellite Radio

Satellite radio has emerged in the past few years as the hot new trend in broadcasting. Operating similar to DirecTV, satellite radio companies bounce their signals off satellites to beam high-quality digital service coast-to-coast, offering exclusive ad-free programming. Satellite radio offers listeners the opportunity to hear any show anywhere in the United States, combining the benefits of premium quality sound and convenience when traveling on the road. Research indicates that similar to the way FM radio grew against dominant AM radio, satellite radio is becoming known for "edgier" alternative programming (McCarthy, at http://www.usatoday.com/money/media/2004-10-6-radio-compare_x.htm). The entire satellite radio industry is currently made up only two companies, XM Radio, which started broadcasting in 2001 and has 2.5 million customers, and Sirius, with 600,000 subscribers since going live in 2002. This paper will offer a comparative analysis of the two companies and a general overview of the satellite…

M." 2005)

Aligning current practices

Instead, to distinguish GM from both foreign and domestic competitors, "we are certainly in the process of creating a family of diesels which could be used in a light-duty application - i.e., 1500 Tahoes, Yukons and Escalades. And we very much believe in the diesel as one of the solutions to fuel economy issues. And we know that with a diesel we could get these vehicles to maybe 25, yes 25, miles per gallon, and with plenty of horsepower and torque." ("The Solstice's Proud Daddy: Interview ith Bob Lutz of G.M." 2005) But diesel should be only one prong of a solution to create newly innovative cars to meet environmental challenges and changing consumer desires, and these vehicles and sports cars like the Solstice do not address the desires of the core, middle-class consumer of fuel, which further research must explore, via GM's marketing and…

GE Aviation Division, Aircraft Engines

This paper discusses General Electric Corporation (GE), specifically the arm which focuses on the production of aircraft engines. Until 2005, the GE Aviation division (GEA) operated under the designation of General Electric Aircraft Engines (GEAE). We will analyze GEA from a product standpoint, as well as from a business operations standpoint. We will firstly discuss the beginnings of GE as a maker of aircraft engines. We will discuss some of the products GEA has built which have resulted in its leadership position as one of the world's best makers of aircraft engines. The product related discussion will conclude with a look into what the future may hold related to engine technology and projects that GEA will focus upon. Secondly, we will examine GEA's unique business human resource management model. Specifically, we will examine GE's leadership education organization and its belief in the practice of rotating…

Founded in Bologna, Italy in 1926, Ducati is a leading manufacturer of high performance motorcycles. Since the 1950s, its motorcycles have dominated international motor racing competitions and have competed in road racing competitions with engine capacities of over 500cc (a measurement for the motor cylinder capacity). he motorcycle market is primarily spread across North America, Europe and Japan with new markets emerging in South America, India and China. Product diversification can be divided into four segments: the motor scooter market, the off-road market, the road market with engine capacities of less than 500cc, and the road market with engine capacities of over 500cc. he road market segment with engine capacities of over 500cc includes four sub-segments: sport, touring, dual and cruiser. he following analysis will investigate possible strategies for the company over the next 5 years.

Analyzing the Internal Environment

General Environment

Demographic -- Ducati has a diverse customer base…

Collapse of the Big Three

America was once the leader and pioneer in the auto industry, a title that the country had for decades and a title that was so dear to America's heart that it was unfathomable to think that title might ever be lost. It's commonly misconstrued that America invented the automobile, when in reality that honor goes to German Karl Benz in 1885 (ozema, 2010). "Americans did, however, industrialize the love of the automobile. America loves big, fast cars, and for many decades American car companies shared the biggest slice of the auto industry pie" (ozema, 2010). America made having a car and the business of making cars firmly entrenched in American culture. This was a fact which kept the economy stimulated and which provided a consistent level of financial stability for the nation and the civilians within it. However the decade of the eighties marked the…

For this reason, they have stepped out to pursue alternatives, especially foreign cars. On the contrary, as consumers become price oriented, they have minimal purchasing power because they are not buyers of large volume automobiles (Porter, 1985).

3.3 Threat of New Entrants

It is extremely difficult for new entrants penetrate the auto industry because of the existing high level of brand loyalty. Nevertheless, the few popular overseas firms and entered the American auto industry easily. For example, Honda Motors entered Ohio by opening a new office. This marked the beginning of a major stiff competition in the industry. Foreign entrants have expanded leading to decreased markets for American auto companies (ubenstein, 2011).

3.4 Bargaining Power of Buyers

In the current marketplace, consumers have been given various options, models, and brands to make their selection. However, various factors affect the buying decisions of consumers. They include price, appearance, and effect on…

Strategic Plan for General Motors Upper Mid Sedan Vehicle Segment

Mission Statement

To maintain and consolidate the status of the company as the number one auto manufacturer in the U.S. y employing the core values of continuous improvement, innovation and integrity and teamwork. To foster consumer enthusiasm and also enhance the team by giving them individual respect and responsibility.

External Environment

Remote Environment

Economic: Currently the U.S. economy is experiencing a slowdown. The buying power of the American consumers is shrinking and that is causing the sellers of goods to suffer. The automotive industry, being seller of high priced and high involvement product, is suffering as a result of this slowdown. The consumers are spending less and less on upgrading their cars or buying second hand cars. This will cause the sales of light vehicles in 2002 to go down from the 17 million units' barrier that has been achieved…