A Case study of j boats

A Case study of j boats Objective: The objective of this essay is to look at the issue of organizational tensions and basics for successful strategy via the case study of J Boats. This essay introduces the case study of J Boats and the key players, details the five forces analysis, looks at resources and capabilities, tensions, the 4 Ps of strategy and finally comes up with the future recommendations to management and strategic risks faced by J Boats. J Boats and Key players: J Boats is Americas most successful and famous boat-builder. Over the period has won many awards. J Boats operates its business in eight countries Argentina, Australia, Italy, France, England, Japan, Brazil and South Africa. Each year, over 100,000 people around the world sailed on one of their boats. It is operated by only five individuals of a single family. Rod who is the founder of J boats made his first boat Ragtime in 1974. Bob is the co-founder of the company and elder brother of Rod and he made the strategy of business. Jeffery, son of Rod became president of the company in 1987. Stuart and Drake sons of Bob became vice-president and sales manager in the same year 1987. Alan, son of Rod became product development manager. In 1993 Drake left his position and Jim (nephew of Rod and Bob) became sales coordinator. Tillotson Pearson International (TPI) is the major supplier of the company. J Boats has a network of 65 independent of dealers around the world . Five Forces Analysis: The five forces analysis provides a useful framework and checklist for analyzing the competition dynamics of any given industry (Simons 2000, pg 19). The five forces that determine the degree and nature of competition in boating industry are: industry 1. Threat of new entrants Easy to set up for example boat manufacturing can take place in home garage. High investment in research and development and product innovation required. J Boats has created professional dealer network distribution. J Boats have a long history of heavy advertising and this has earned brand equity and loyal customers all over the world. 2. Suppliers All the Boats of J boats are building by TPI and this gives supplier, TPI, a lot of bargaining power. On other hand there is mutual agreement between TPI and J Boats where TPI is exclusive manufacture for J boats. 3. Substitutes Large numbers of recreational activities available e.g. skiing, swimming and outdoor sports such soccer etc. 4. Buyers Buyers are price sensitive. Buyers can easily switch to different suppliers. Dealer earn industry standard margin. 5. Industry rivalry High fixed cost increases the firms willingness to discount to utilize capacity, increasing rivalry. Firms Resources and Capabilities: Resource is more broadly defined as strength of the business embodied in the tangible or intangible assets that are tied semi permanently to the firm (Simons 2000, pg 21). Capabilities refer to the special resources and know-how possessed by a firm that gives it competitive advantage in the market place (Simons 2000, pg 23). J Boats has strengths in the major functional areas of a business, such as research and development and marketing and sales. It has ability to respond quickly and effectively to market needs. J Boats capabilities are also created by being first at creating new design- a first mover and locking out competitors. Tension in organization: Organizations are complex entities in which managers must balance a variety of forces (Simons 2000, pg 7). J Boats needs to balance opportunities and attention. It has three projects in production J/160, J/32 and J/100 that absorbs time and money. It is hard for a company to decide which project to continue with for next years. The managers must ration their time and attention wisely. Secondly, J boats are attempting to grow it business however an excessive emphasis on growth can lead to danger without consideration to profitability. J boats need to balance profit, growth and control. J boats need to make strong financial planning. Only when a business is profitable can managers focus on growing the business (Simons 2000, pg 8). The 4Ps of Strategy: These are Perspective Mission, Position in Industry, Patterns of Action and Plans Goal. These are explained below. Mission statement: A mission statement is a formal commitment to stakeholders that the companys strategy incorporates and recognizes their claims on the organization (Hill 2007 p 34). J Boats mission is to become one of Americas most successful and famous boat- builders. Position in Industry: Means what industry position it wants to achieve through its strategies? (Hubbard, Jaynes, Clowes, Winter, Samuel, Pg. 3.7, 2009). J Boats wants to build best performance sailboats, thus creating value by offering quality products. Patterns of Action: To succeed over the long term, managers must keep their eyes focused on customers and competitors and their ears to the ground. They must listen and learn (Simons 2000, pg 37). J Boats is a best performing brand because of product innovation, advanced research and development and networks and relationships with suppliers and buyers. J Boat is very creative and fast moving with a new idea and currently its moving in low cost boat. Plan Goals: Goals are the ends or results that management desires to achieve in implementing the business strategy. Plans and goals can be used to communicate strategies and coordinate actions (Simons 2000, pg 32). From management perspective greater success of company is to handover J Boats successfully to next generation. Recommendation: These are a few recommendations that could support company to perform in more effective and efficient manner in future. These are explained below. Effective planning system: Effective financial planning means the development and implementation of co-ordinate plans for the achievement of a clients overall financial objectives (Leimberg 2007, p 3). J boats need to make strong financial planning. These will tell the J boats that whether the company is running as efficiently as possible or not. It will also help management to analysis cash flow position, further investment objective and goals. Quality and performance: By being the first mover (means first to create a new performance boat design) in the niche product segment ( i.e. quality and performance) alone is not sufficient to ensure this advantage is maintained, and J Boats must continue to innovate in product development, maintain good supplier and dealer network and stay one step ahead of its competitors. Expansion: To create long-term strategic advantage, J Boats really needs to look to expansion options that ensure strong growth and profitability. On this basis, expansion of new low cost boat and different supplier bases will provide a good foundation. Strategic Risk: The process of overseeing the management of all the firms risks is strategic risk management (Hubbard, Jaynes, Clowes, Winter, Samuel, 2009). However, it is vital that the risk attached to any options is carefully considered by J Boats before embarking on these options. They will significantly change the underlying business model of J Boats, increasing the level of complexity and uncertainty associated with revenue streams generated from new products and markets. In order to successfully integrate any expansion into the existing business, J Boats must ensure that risk management becomes an essential component of the business planning cycle. Conclusion: Future growth and development are clearly important factors in the J Boats business model. The development of brands loyalty and consistency of product innovation and expansion into low cost boat is likely to be the way to success. J Boats ensured that one of the Johnstons was represented on the class association executive board to monitor closely any proposed changes in racing rules that might affect specifications and allowable equipment when racing, this a good example of how the company is ensuring its well placed for the future and has strong capabilities that are able to meet the strategic goals of the company. Company should understand running a business on one supplier base is much more risky in term of long future plan thus its vital to have more than one supplier. Finally we recommend J Boats to consider rotation of duties for fear that if misfortune happen to a family member the business will continue in future without major interruption.

Challenges of Public education

America needs solutions Immediately because the gap represents Its future leaders of tomorrow. If thing Is done soon to correct the disturbing trend, the united States will be In danger of falling even further behind other developed countries. The many challenges are frightening: (1 ) too many high school students quit school before graduation, (2) too many high school students graduate without the ability to read or write well, (3) too many high school students are not prepared for the workforce, and (4) too many high school students are not prepared for college.In this short essay, the writer will explain some of the consequences, causes and possible solutions for America's educational dilemma. Consequences of the Problem First, if America's public school leaders don't devise a plan to improve the nation's troubling schools, the consequences will be devastating. Normally, consequences can be traced back to the student's level of education and usually comes to light when making choi ces or decisions.Furthermore, certain characteristics come In play such as a lack of motivation, which may prevent someone from securing a Job because the person wasn't motivated enough to take classes or gain the skills needed for a job. The lack of motivation is a problem in my hometown of Lenore, NC, located in Caldwell County. The county has seen substantial job losses lately because many workers were unqualified to enter into advanced manufacturing methods. As a result, many jobs have been shipped overseas resulting in high unemployment rates within the region.Although the graduation rate in Caldwell County has been rising over the past decade, that wasn't always the case decades ago. The county high school dropout rate was significantly higher approximately 20 years ago, well above the national average. One of the mall reasons was that many furniture factories didn't require a gig school diploma for low-paying and unskilled labor. This statistic isn't to say the workers weren' t Intelligent, only that they weren't motivated enough to Improve themselves when educational opportunities were available.As a result, most of the uneducated factory workers will face high unemployment rate for the rest of their life Probably the most important consequence of failing public schools is that students are not prepared for college upon high school graduation. My dad, a department chair and instructor at a local community college, tells me that a majority f students come to the college unprepared for college-level classes. Most students have to be placed in so-called developmental classes, which don't count as college credit. Plus, the more developmental classes students have to take, the less likely it will be for them to graduate.Therefore, many students drop out of college because they either can't do the college-level work or determine that it will take them too long to graduate. Causes of the Problems Second, in order to address America's public school crisis, it i s first necessary to understand the underlining causes of the problem. For many students, the reason for poor academics can be traced to their own self-esteem. Thus, it is quite possible that the student wasn't challenged enough in school or encouraged enough by the teacher or parent.Without a doubt, a poor teacher has a tremendous impact on the academic achievement of a student. As an example, â€Å"how many times have you heard of students who credit their teacher for their success in life because the teacher believed in them? † Likewise, a dysfunctional home life has a negative effect, as conditions around the home may not conducive to student learning. For instance, if a student can't find a quiet place to read or study without distractions, then it makes it more difficult to learn the subject matter, usually resulting in a lower grade.On the other hand, Sam Dillon of The New York Times concluded that the blame for America's sagging academic achievement does not lie solel y with public schools, but also with dysfunctional families and a culture that undervalues education. Schools are inheriting an over-entertained, distracted student (3). Moreover, first-generation students whose parents never attended college also face numerous obstacles making t more difficult for them to be successful in the classroom. It's really sad that many parents don't care about their child's grades.In doing so, it's the students who suffer at no fault of their own. In addition, low academic standards are a major problem in public schools. Often, too many school systems have set the graduation bar so low that nearly everyone graduates from high school, whether the student is ready or not. Furthermore, many teachers assign students â€Å"busy-work† that's not very challenging. This type of work does nothing to develop critical thinking skills. In laity, low academic standards Oust like student cheating) will only hurt the student in the long run.This loss of knowledge is literally slipping through the student's fingertips without them knowing the harm it causes. Thus, not only is the student harmed, the reputation of the school might be as well. No doubt the academic reputation of a school influences the parent's decision on whether to move into or out of school districts. To the contrary, friends from private schools have told me their academic standards are much higher than public schools, and that their SAT scores are higher on the average too. Perhaps, the main cause of public school failure can be blamed on poverty.Without a doubt, people living in poverty have more important things on their mind than making good grades in school. Parents may be more concerned about rent, groceries, car payments, and less concerned about their children's education. My dad has always told me that there is a direct correlation generally have lower Gaps, while students from wealthier families tend to have higher Gaps. † Unfortunately, this disturbing tre nd has plagued this country for decades, and it doesn't appear to be getting any better. Solutions for ProblemsAlthough the writer suspects that many possible solutions have already been tried to improve our failing public school systems, the state public schools systems may want to try the following innovative solutions: (1) provide students free college tuition for the first two years of college if the student maintains a certain high school GAP (say a B average) and is also able to maintain that same â€Å"B† average in college, and (2) base teacher's bonus on a combination of evaluations done by the students, other teachers, and their own student scores on standardized test.To begin, if the state loud add a motivator or incentive like free college tuition for the first two years of college for any student who maintains a â€Å"B† average in high school, it would greatly improve high school graduation rates. Not only that, more people would graduate with higher-leve l reading, math, and writing skills. Moreover, student debt levels would be much lower (at least 50%) if they attended a four-year college, or have no debt if they went to a two-year community college. It's a win-win situation for the student and school.Also, the state can base a teacher's bonus pay on a combination of students, other cheer evaluations, and their own student scores on standardized test. Initially, students get to evaluate their own teachers. Next, teachers get to rate or evaluate other teachers teaching the same subjects (I. E. , English teachers rating English teachers), since they would probably know which teachers are most respected among their peers. Lastly, the other part of the teacher's bonus could be based on student achievement on standardized test. Combining all three factors together helps determine the teacher bonus for that year.By doing it this way, those superior searchers will be rewarded with higher bonuses, while the underperforming teachers will g et little or no pay bonuses. Then, maybe the underperforming teachers will consider switching Jobs, as students deserve only the best. Likewise, since teachers are considered the backbone of the education systems, the school systems should do all they can to retain the good teachers. While the new pay standard for teacher's bonuses might be difficult to pass (especially with teacher unions and lobbying organizations), the reward may outweigh the risk because outstanding teachers will produce better students.Conclusion America's public educational standards are low compared to other international educational systems. In short, America's high school students Just aren't prepared for college or even high-tech Jobs after entering the workplace after high school. At the very least, public schools need to set the educational bar higher in terms of reading, writing, and math skills. In addition, schools need to hold underperforming teachers accountable. As discussed above, many challenges and factors make it difficult for the school and student to succeed in the classroom.

Analysis of ‘The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life’ Essay

Erving Goffman’s The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life provides a detailed description and analysis of process and meaning in everyday interaction. Goffman writes from a symbolic interactionist perspective, emphasizing a qualitative analysis of the components of the interactive process. Through a sociological analysis he explores the details of individual identity, group relations, and the movement and interactive meaning of information. Goffman’s perspective provides insight into the nature of social interaction and the psychology of the individual. Goffman employs a â€Å"dramaturgical approach† in his study, concerning himself with the mode of presentation employed by the actor and its meaning in the broader social context (Goffman, 240). Interaction is viewed as a â€Å"performance,† shaped by environment and audience, constructed to provide others with â€Å"impressions† that are consonant with the desired goals of the actor (17). The performance exists regardless of the mental state of the individual, as persona is often imputed to the individual in spite of his or her lack of faith in the performance. Goffman uses the example of the doctor who is forced to give a placebo to a patient, aware of its impotence, as a result of the desire of the patient for more extensive treatment (18). In this way, the individual develops identity or persona as a function of interaction with others, through an exchange of information that allows for more specific definitions of identity and behavior. The process of establishing social identity becomes closely allied to the concept of the â€Å"front,† which is described as â€Å"that part of the individual’s performance which regularly functions in a general and fixed fashion to define the situation for those who observe the performance† (22). The front acts as a vehicle of standardization, allowing for others to understand the individual on the basis of projected character traits that have normative meanings. As a â€Å"collective representation,† the front establishes proper â€Å"setting,† â€Å"appearance,† and â€Å"manner† for the social role assumed by the actor, uniting interactive behavior with the personal front (27). The actor, in order to present a realistic front, is forced to fill the duties of the social role to communicate activities and the characteristics of the role to other people in a consistent manner. In constructing a front, information  about the actor is given off through a variety of communicative sources, all of which must be controlled to convince the audience of the appropriateness of behavior. Believability, as a result, is constructed in terms of verbal signification, which is used by the actor to establish intent, is used by the audience to verify the honesty of statements made by the individual. Attempts are made to present an â€Å"idealized† version of the front, more consistent with the norms and laws of society than the behavior of the actor when not before an audience (35). Information dealing with aberrant behavior and belief is concealed from the audience in a process of â€Å"mystification,† making prominent those characteristics that are socially approved. This legitimatizes both the social role of the individual and the framework to which the role belongs (67). Goffman also explores nature of group dynamics through a discussion of â€Å"teams† and the relationship between performance and audience. He uses the concept of the team to illustrate the work of a group of individuals who â€Å"co-operate† in performance, attempting to achieve goals sanctioned by the group (79). Co-operation may manifest in the assumption of differing roles for each individual, determined by the intent of the performance. Goffman refers to the â€Å"shill,† a member of the team who â€Å"provides a visible model for the audience of the kind of response the performers are seeking,† promoting excitement for the realization of a goal, as an example of a â€Å"discrepant role† in the team (146). In each circumstance, the individual assumes a front that is perceived to enhance the group’s performance. As a result, disagreement can be carried out in the absence of an audience, where the performance changes and may be made without the threat of damaging the goals of the team or individual. This creates a division between the team and audience. Goffman describes the division between team performance and audience in terms of â€Å"region,† describing the role of setting in the differentiation of actions taken by individuals (107). Goffman divides region into â€Å"front,† â€Å"back,† and â€Å"outside† the stage, based upon the relationship of the audience to the performance. While the â€Å"official stance† of the team is visible in their front stage presentation, in the backstage, â€Å"the impression fostered by the presentation is knowingly contradicted as a matter of course,† indicating a more â€Å"truthful† type of performance (112). To be outside the stage involves the inability to gain access to the performance of the team, de scribed as an  Ã¢â‚¬Å"audience segregation† in which specific performances are given to specific audiences. Thus allows the team to create the appropriate front for the demands of each audience (137). This routine allows the team, individual actor, and audience to preserve proper relationships in interaction and the establishments to which the interactions belong. Though detailed and very well portrayed, Goffman’s study does not provide a complete description of interactive processes. In exploring the construction of presentation among individual and teams, Goffman does not fully explore the nature of marginalized individuals. This is significant due to the notion that these individuals and the groups could assume somewhat different roles of interaction among members due to their placement outside of major groups. The methodological approach used by Goffman was also somewhat inconsistent and the approaches to testing to gather data seemed random at times. By limiting his work Goffman also eliminates the possibility of applying the activities of the everyday to the larger social world.Goffman’s The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life overall provides insight into the nature of interpersonal interaction and the institutions to which interaction applies. Despite methodology, Goffman’s work displays an analytical thoroughness in dealing with an interesting area of social thought. Through an inquiry into the everyday life of humanity, Goffman’s work provides an effective foundation for understanding the nature of social   interaction and the development of the individual.

Ford Motor Company A Global Company - 1573 Words

Ford Motor Company has been in business since 1902. Since that time Ford has grown into a global company in spite all of the competition. In 1987, Ford has a record profit of $4.6 billion. It was during this time that import manufacturers were starting to make their cars in North America and creating more competition in the auto industry (Holusha, 1988). It has not always been easy for the manufacturer, there have been tough times, but always seem to weather the storms. Despite these tough times, Ford Motor Company has not filed for bankruptcy, even though Henry Ford himself had twice before founding Ford Motor Company (Dunlop, n.d.). The company has continued to expand their business with new products and new auto designs. Ford has two major segments, automotive sector and financial services sector. These are presented as two sectors to evaluate performance of each and make appropriate decisions and to have consistency in reporting. 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