Malaysia Dairy Industries Private Limited Essay Example

Malaysia Dairy Industries Private Limited Essay Malaysia Dairy Industries Private Limited (MDI) began in 1963 as a joint venture between a Singapore entrepreneur, Mr. Thio Keng Poon and the Australian Dairy Produce Board. Five years later, the company became a locally owned entity after Mr. Thio and his family bought over the Australian interest in the company. MDI become the first manufacturer of evaporated milk and cultured milk in Singapore and Malaysia. Besides, it also the first to produce 100% fruit juice in both countries. Later, the company also became the first to install an Alfa-Laval UHT Steritherm plant in Asia. In 1994, MDI received the ISO 9002 certificate for Quality Management System in Production and Installation. Over the last decade, MDI has seen a tremendous growth in demand for its perishable products. Demands for pasteurised products have increased form 50,000 litres per month to more than 1.3 million litres per month today. At the same time, Vitagen has become so popular among peoples especially children, that lead MDI has had to expand production capacity to meet the growing demands. Therefore, a trend of continued growth leading well into the next century is expected. As MDI prepares to this growth, it has already built a 5-storey extension to its headquarters to provide greater capacity and scope for manufacturing in the future. While Malaysia Milk Sdn Bhd, its Malaysian subsidiary has also completed its sophisticated new building to meet the needs of the Malaysian consumers. We will write a custom essay sample on Malaysia Dairy Industries Private Limited specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Malaysia Dairy Industries Private Limited specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Malaysia Dairy Industries Private Limited specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Today, MDI manufactures as many as 21 various product lines, which under the brand Marigold include sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, cultured milk, full cream milk powder, pasteurised milk, high calcium milk, long-life milk, fruit juices, yoghurts, and dessert etc. (see appendix for the overview of products). Besides, MDIs research and development laboratory has always played an important role in MDI and especially so in the last few years in order to manufacture products that meet its high standards. In todays environment, companies are operating in an uncertain and turbulent environment, especially due to the US war that will be launch soon. The firms will experiences very high uncertainty while external environmental factors change rapidly. This is because the firms do not have sufficient information about environmental factors to understand and predict environmental needs and changes. Moreover, It will reduce the planning horizon because if the firm operates in an uncertain environment, its management is unlikely to develop plans for more than a few years ahead as they accept that will be subject to large margins of error. Thus, MDI must respond by designing its firm to adapt to the external environment and to influence that environment. The external environment for any organisation includes all elements existing outside the boundary of the organisation that have the potential to affect the organisation, which are the Political, Economic, Social cultural and Technological. Political The political dimension that affects MDI includes government regulations at the local, state, and federal levels as well as political activities designed to influence company behaviour. For the entire product, which produce by the MDI shall in all other aspects comply with the requirements of the legislation that currently enforced in Malaysia i.e. The Food Act 1983 and Food Regulations 1985 which set product standards and particular labelling requirements for milk and milk based products. Each product may by arrangement with a recognised certification body, be marked with the certification mark of that body, provided the product conforms to the requirements of this Malaysian Standard. On the other hand, dairy imports such as milk powder, cheese and butter are required to be certified halal by the Malaysian religious authority, for direct consumption and usage as ingredients for further processing. An import license, issued by the Department of Veterinary Services and Ministry of Int ernational Trade and Industry is necessary for consignments of dairy products entering into Malaysia. Economic The economic represent the general economic health of the country or region in which the organization operates. With the uncertainties over the economy in 2001 and 2002 which due to the war on terrorism since last year, there was softness in demand of dairy product in the local dairy market. The environment today became more turbulent as the terrorism happens everywhere such as the explosion that take place in the Bali in Indonesia, and the Philippine city of Zamboanga. (See appendix about more current issue) Besides, US president was declared to launch war with the Iraq. If this situation takes place, it will mainly affect our economic growth, especially in the Asian countries because the economic problems in US have had a significant impact on the Asian countries as well as the stock market. The world dairy raw material prices will increase due to the inflation of the countries. The dairy product price will therefore increase due to the high cost of raw material. The consumer purch asing power also affect here that the demand of the milk product will be reduces. The consumer may go for select the substitute product which was cheaper than the milk product e.g. soya bean. The unemployment may also take place due to the downturn of economic. Social Cultural The social cultural dimension of the general environment represents the demographic characteristics as well as the norms, customs and value of the general population. In order to meet the consumer satisfaction, MDI have to consider needs of the consumer based on their attitude, taste, age, and the family size. For instance, for the milk it self, it should aimed at various sections of the market i.e. pregnant women, breast feeding mothers, toddlers, children, adolescents, slimmers, active adults, pensioners. For example, a fruit yogurt in Thailand emphasizes health and low calories and is targeted at young women; in Europe, a drinking yogurt in a bright container and featuring a cartoon character on the packaging is aimed at children; elsewhere, a drinking yogurt fortified with vitamins is aimed at active women between the ages of 30 and 40. In this respect, it often seems as if a product is available for every age and occasion. On the other hand, the family also one of the factors affects the producing of milk product. For example, standard packaging of milk in litre and half-litre containers, is well adapted to home consumption, but not well adapted to competing with soft drinks sold from vending machines. For this market, the size of the packaging needs to change (often to between 200 and 350 ml) to encourage sales of milk products, such as flavored milk and chilled coffee, which can compete with soft drinks. Technological Technological dimension includes scientific and technological advancements in a specific industry as well as in society at large. This factor will also affect MDI since the company is using new technology equipment to develop their innovative products. With unceasingly introducing of new technology will be able to develop the innovative products with high quality and high standards. Globalisation means an adherence to universal business principles and practices, which are recognized, respected and understood by the regional and global corporate communities. It is regardless of goods and services that flow across international borders and across vast oceans with few impediments. This also a process which tends to increase the interdependence between national economies. Global markets could offer greater opportunity for people to tap into more and larger markets around the world. It means that they can have access to more capital flows, technology, cheaper imports, and larger export markets. It can be seen, as a movement towards the formation of a single market for goods and services, in which there is no discrimination based on the geographical origin of producers and consumers. Rules of business are changing rapidly and if management is not sensitive to change, their business will be severely affected. Therefore, to survive in the market place, management will h ave no choice but to quickly adapt to continuous changes of globalisation to remain competitive. Opportunity and Threat Today the will to constantly upgrade and to stay at the frontier of the industry remain the key to the companys vision. To meet the challenges ahead, MDI is focusing on the vision which will cover every aspect of business, involving every member of its staff and at every level of the company. Thus, such vision and the principles such as ISO, HACCP become the guiding lights that will plot the companys course in the future. The opportunity to take part in the emerging global economy will also comes to the company. The company will not only establish himself in Malaysia and Singapore but also in other Asia countries such as Thailand, Indonesia, China, Vietnam, and Myanmar etc. However, over recent months, there had been increasing concern over the global economic slowdown, which was most clearly seen in the US and to a lesser extent, in Europe and some countries in Asia. Apparently, the events of Sept 11 had a significant impact on the global business activities. Foreign direct investment worldwide has declined by nearly 50%, indicating a lack of consumer and investor in the light of growing uncertainties in the global business and geo-political environment. This may become one of the threats to MDI in developing its global business. The company also face tough challenge in competitive environment because the competition in the global market is intense, with several major producers vying for the market share. In order to help the company understand their competitive advantage or disadvantage relative to competitors, and to give an informed basis for developing future strategies to sustain or establish advantage over competitors, competitor analysis of the following are necessary here. Competitor Analysis Porter argue that competition in an industry is determined by its basic underlying economic structure, which are the following five force models: * Rivalry among existing competitors The competitor strategic would be one of the main factors to influence the business of MDI. Competitors such as Dutch Lady Milk Industries, Premier Milk/FN Dairies, Nestle Products, New Zealand Milk Products and the Dumex (Malaysia) are constantly coming up with their own market promotional programs by introducing new and improved products and innovative packaging, in order to gain and maintain their market share. These companies often conduct product demonstrations and conduct sampling in shopping complexes and supermarkets. * Threat of new entrants The second model is the barrier to entry the industry. Where barriers to entry are high, the new entrants are likely to be deterred. While the low barriers generally mean that the responses will be slower and offering more opportunity. The barriers to entry the dairy industry are consider medium. The main barrier that the new entrant face would be the creation of strong brands of the competitors such as Nestle and Dutch Lady. * The bargaining power of suppliers This means the behaviour of supplier and their relative power which can squeeze industry profits. This power may affect MDI as most of the raw materials to produce the dairy products are imported from the foreign country such as Australia, Europe and US. Such countries are playing a major player in the world trade of dairy product and they may attempted to dominant the price of the raw material e.g. raises their price to the industry and hence take over part of the profit for themselves. * The bargaining power of buyers Buyers use their power to trade around the industry participant to gain lower prices or improvement to product quality will also affect profitability of MDI. The high standard of milk product that produced by MDI normally offers a lower price compare to other competitors and thus attract more consumer to buy it, for example the low fat of HL milk. * The threat of product substitutes The substitute products which bring the same need to satisfy consumer will bring down the purchases power of the milk product especially when the price move upwards. For example, when the price of the pasteurised milk move up, the customer may look for soya milk which is more cheaper and healthy than the pasteurised milk. In order to tackle the challenges and competitive environment and to expand the company business to the global market, planning consider the main action to MDI to decide where the company to be in the future and how to get it. In fact, the organization such as Shell, IBM, Royal LaPaige, Mazda and United Way have been undertaken a strategic planning exercise each year for reviewing their missions, goals, and plans to meet environment changes or the expectations of important stakeholders. Thus, planning is an important fundamental action for every organization to achieve their goals. There are four main stages in the planning process, which are the following. Establishing Objectives For planning purpose, it is necessary for MDI to define the companys objectives as to provide a sense of direction. The companys objectives are important because company exist for a purpose and such objectives define and state that purpose. Strategic or long-range planning therefore begins with the specification of the objectives towards which future operations should be directed. The attainment of objective also aimed to create the source of motivation and commitment among the employees because the companys goal will facilitate employees identification with the organisation and help motivate them by reducing uncertainty and clarifying what they should accomplish. The first objective that MDI should define is the mission of the company, which describes the broad purpose and its reason for existence, the nature of business and the customers it seek and satisfy. For instance, the business scope of MDI is manufacturing of dairy products. Meanwhile the purpose of the company is to improve the growing demands of the dairy products towards global economy. Another important objective which relate to the organisation as a whole is the corporate objectives. They are normally measurable and are expressed in financial terms such as desired profits or sales levels, return on capital employed, rate of growth or market share. It is important that senior managers of MDI understand clearly where their company is going and why and how their own role contributes to the attainment of corporate objectives. Once the overall objective of the company have been established they must be broken down into subsidiary objectives relating to areas such as product range, market segmentation, customer service etc. Identify Potential Strategies The following stage to the above is to identify a range of possible course of action or strategies that might enable the objectives of MDI to be achieved. Prior to developing strategies, it is necessary to undertake a strategic analysis to better understand the organisations present strategic situation. This involves SWOT analysis of MDI that assess companys strengths and weakness, opportunity and threats in relation to the internal and environmental factors. Once we understand the SWOT of the company, we will be able to identify alternative strategies for the company. The following are some of the strategic that MDI could be use. * Cost leadership This strategy is the aim at being the lowest cost producer in the industry. A firm that bases its competitive strategy on overall cost leadership must construct the most efficient facilities and obtain the largest share market so that its cost per unit is lowest in the industry. It has the ability to lower price in time of severe price competition and provides a cushion to defend profit levels against competitors. Therefore, experience with building the product is very important such as process of production, delivery and service, which lead to further their cost reductions. To bring the cost to the lowest, MDI have to reduce the import of the dairy raw material form foreign country and examining alternatives suppliers who will give the lowest price of ingredients to the company. MDI also can reduce costs through supporting research into new technologies, and using new technology to improve product value, and increasing productivity, and thus bring down the cost. Besides, the company also can use the incentive pay system in order to motivate worker to produce more of the dairy product.

should smoking be ban essays

should smoking be ban essays Should smoking really be banned in public places? Tobacco which had been discovered more than five hundred years affects our daily life deeply. It was used as effective medicine initially, the relationship between illness and cigarette had been found until the early 20th century. Since then, the discussion should smoking be banned had being argued until today. One support banning claim smoking is bad for health, whereas the opposite insist that totally banning smoking will make smokers upset, violates human right and creates negative effects on the economy. A lot of people may know that there is a definite link between smoking and diseases. The NSW Cancer Council reported that about 25 diseases such as lung cancer, heart disease are caused by tobacco and nearly 10,000 people are killed by tobacco-related illnesses every day in the world. What the worse is not only the smokers can be negatively affected by smoking, the non-smokers who breathe other peoples smoke also in danger such as passive smokers have more chance to suffer from the lung cancer and the heart disease. The research shows children whose parents smoking have increased frequency of middle ear infections, bronchitis, tonsillitis and pneumonia compared with children who grow up in a non-smoke environment. That is no doubt that ban smoking can offer us a more healthy life. As a coin have two sides. The smokers claim although smoking has it negative effect on physical health, cigarette help them to resolve psychological problem in some extents as well. A smoker said smoking can help relief stresses, if those people do not smoking, some of them may try some more serious illegal drugs which may increase crime rate the addicts who grabbed by cigarette seriously find if they quit smoking, there are a lot of problems they will suffer such as: easy to get angry and worry, feel boring, get insomnia. In addition, my grandfather who is 80 said it ...

History of China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

History of China - Essay Example Mao used an approach similar to that of Qin dynasty that is ruling with spreading fear and hatred against himself due to his policies and style. After his victory over Chiang Kai-shek in 1949 that was a communist leader, and the creating of the People's Republic of China, Mao's position was seen as very strong in China. Although Chinese people had endured a lot during this time, but it seemed not too hard for Mao to persuade them of his visionary force and practical need for the Great Leap Forward of the late 1950s and he was successful in doing so. Despite the deaths of millions he caused, Mao was both a creative thinker and a practical person. He learned as a youth not only how Shang Yang a previous Qin Dynasty leader brought cruel laws to the Chinese people. Mao also knew that the Qin rulers had been both hated and feared and that there dynasty was soon ended due to their actions, despite its strength of force and efficient use of terror. Finally Mao died in 1976 but left a mark o n the history of China. Mao had difficulty during his time to establish a successful domestic economic and social policy for China. In 1958, Mao placed a Great Leap Forward, which was mainly a trial to break with the Russian model of Communism and to fill the Chinese people with renewed radical energy. Approximately 20-30 million people died in the food crisis as the program badly failed, between the years 1958-61. Thus, Mao withdrew temporarily from public view. As the result of the failure, help from Soviet Union also ended which was another shock for China. The major cause of the failing of every strategy implied by Chairman Mao whether its socialism, capitalism, dictatorship or democracy was his way of ruling over the people. A solid proof is his continuous changing of the five-year plan. Chairman Mao is held in high regard in China and is often portrayed as a great revolutionary leader and a military and political genius. He led China through difficult times such as of the War of Resistance and the Ci vil War and changed China from a weak country into a major power through his social and economic reforms. However a number of the reforms put into action by Mao have been condemned and held responsible by critics from inside and across the borders of the territory of China to result in stern harm to the culture, economy, society, and foreign relations of the country on the whole. Mao launched the First Five Year Plan in 1953-58. It aimed to end Chinese reliance upon agriculture in order to become a world power. With assistance from USSR, new plants were set-up and agricultural production declined heavily and low enough from the point where the industrialization prospered enough that the country needed no further support from the USSR. The success of the First Five Year Plan gave confidence to Mao to instigate the Second Five Year Plan, the Great Leap Forward, in 1958, which turned out to be a major failure because of his tyranny. The opposition against him was so large and strong that he had to take some action, which he did in the form of massive killings. Another reason for the failing of all kinds of reforms implemented by Chairman Mao was the motive behind them. According to many writers this is proved that every five-year plan and every social or economic policy Chairman Mao implemented was to reduce the power of his opponents or was to eliminate them. During the Great Leap Fo

The murder case against Lizzie Borden Research Paper - 1

The murder case against Lizzie Borden - Research Paper Example Her older sister’s name was Emma Lenora who was the daughter of Sarah and Andrew. Emma Lenora was born on 1 March 1851. At the age of two, Lizzie’s mother caught uterine congestion and passed away. After her mother’s death, Lizzie’s father got married to another woman named Abby Durfee. â€Å"In 1884 when Andrew gave his wifes half-sister a house, his daughters objected and fought with their stepmother, refusing thereafter to call her "mother" and calling her simply "Mrs. Borden" instead† (Lewis, 2013). Lizzie was the patient of psychomotor epilepsy that causes the temporal lobe to be seized with a symptom. The patient of psychomotor epilepsy is able to execute the actions in the state of a dream, and is yet aware of all the actions without knowing what he/she is doing. As a result of this, Lizzie developed two personalities that were entirely different from each other; one, she was a sweet daughter, and another, as a mean daughter. As a sweet daughter, Lizzie was a brilliant conversationalist as well as a member of the Congressional Church. As a mean daughter, Lizzie was very resentful of the patriarchy. The family’s contradiction regarding the social statuses explained the development of these two personalities by Lizzie. In addition to this, Lizzie was also habitual of stealing things from the local merchants. J. Borden and his wife got murder while they were in their family home on 4 August 1892. It was a hot day. The Borden family’s maid was resting in her bed after she had washed the outside windows. The time was 11 o’ clock. Lizzie Borden was heard crying asking her elder sister Maggie to come down as she had discovered her father’s dead body. The body of her father had been hacked almost to the point that he could not be recognized. Almost half an hour later, after her father’s body had been discovered, Adelaide Churchill discovered the dead body of Abby Borden, Lizzie’s

The Social Problem of Bullying Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Social Problem of Bullying - Research Paper Example The dependent variable in the proposed research will consist of the rate of bullying evident in a variety of schools having different characteristics, expressed as a percentage.   As such the dependent variable will be a ratio-type variable, having the ability to be expressed as a measurable number of fine distinctions possible as to quantity.   The independent variables to be utilized for this study will be drawn from data provided in the Statistical Abstracts, including age-level of students (expressed as an ordinal variable measured as elementary, middle, of high school), enrollment of school (expressed as ordinal breakdowns determining the size of schools), and minority enrollment within schools (again expressed as an ordinal breakdown).   It is expected that these different independent variables will each have an impact on the rate of bullying, as they determine the developmental age of students, as well as the size and supposed social stresses and inter-community cohesion of the various school types.   The proposed relationships of the variables will be as   The basic research problem will be to discover how the age and population characteristics of a given school are associated with incident rates of bullying.It is expected that the older the student population, the more likely it will be that bullying will be prevalent, largely because the students will be more likely to be willing to use coercion and violence against their peers as they grow into their own independence. This leads to the following hypothesis. H1. The older the student population, the higher the rate of bullying that will exist. Similarly it is expected that the larger a school is the more likely bullying will be prevalent, because (1) the school community will be more difficult to govern, and (2) the larger number of students will likely include more of the personality type that is prone to violence and bullying. This results in the second hypothesis. H2. The larger the school, the higher the rate of bullying that will exist. Finally, it is expected that the higher the rate of minority students within a given school, the more likely bullying will be prevalent. It is expected that two factors will work toward this end. First, the prevalence of more diverse communities will likely result in more social cohesion problems at this developmental age. Second, it is expected that minority students will be more likely to be involved in bullying, either as its victims, or as perpetrators, as they seek to express their own independence. This leads to the third hypothesis. H3. The larger the minority enrollment, the higher the r

Loreals New Product Development Strategy Marketing Essay

Loreals New Product Development Strategy Marketing Essay This report is based on LOreals new product development strategy and the way they have successfully managed to achieve considerable market shares through consistent RD efforts. The case continues with an insight into LOreals innovations that have been a success among the diverse segments of the global market. LOreal has not only followed a comprehensive, long term RD strategy that has resulted in creating innovative break through products like Fructis, but it has also tried to maintain its balance between RD and marketing interface. Company overview LOreal UK is the Groups fourth largest subsidiary in Europe and fifth in the world and has been present in the UK for 75 years. Also A significant player in the UK cosmetics market, turnover in 2006 reached  £626 million and 67% of women in the UK use one or more LOreal product. Approximately 170 million units were produced at the Llantrisant factory in 2006 and nearly 70% of the factory output is exported. overseas Recent investments have included a biological waste water treatment plant and more efficient heating, ventilation and lighting systems.The new distribution centre adjacent to the factory covers an area of over 18,000m2 and can house up to 10 million products and 300 people are employed at the factory. 25% of the permanent staff has worked for LOreal for over 20 years. (www.loreal.co.uk) Introduction Innovation is the most crucial stage for a company and it carries significant risk in the context of product failures that might occur right after their launch in the market. The product failure rate can be as low as 30% and as high as 90% in this regard. (Antil, J.1988). The global market is characterised by different taste patterns of consumers. Therefore in the face of rapidly changing consumer tastes, technology and competition, companies should continuously provide the global market with new products that satisfy all segments of the market. This requires systematic Research Development and innovation by companies in order to create successful products that have a considerable market demand. In the case of LOreal, the company has always tried to be innovating through their RD efforts. The case sites the example of LOreals Feria range that was exclusively innovated for Asian people. Product innovation is a complex task and it requires careful planning by the company based on the above mentioned factors. Today the global market is a fiercely competitive environment in which the important target for companies is to capture increasing returns to scale while minimizing / lowering costs of production with great speed and flexibility (Kotabe, 1990). LOreal as an international chain tries to achieve these targets through its consistent RD innovations in order to create products that are marketable throughout all international market. LOreals RD innovation expends about 20% more for new product development as compared to its competitors such as Procter Gamble and Unilever, occupying number one position in the market. Why is new innovation so important for a company like LOreal LOreal is a well established company in fashion business and in order to maintain its superior standing in the global market, it has to concentrate on the strategies it employs for innovation. The speed at which fashion markets change is very high, with very short product life cycles. Many fashion items have product cycles as short as half a year, or even a few weeks. Consumers preferences depend on the season, on the social and cultural environment and on the effects of previous marketing communication for fashion items or substitute products (Mintel, 2005). Responding in a timely way to these changing demands is vital for success. Moreover, without new products, firms will certainly be at a stand still And Research also highlights that early entry of new products can result in competitive advantage and long term market dominance. The characteristics of the fashion industry require companies to make strategic choices about factors such as quality, speed, technology, price and flexibility: these factors define the positioning of a company (Abell, 1993). Drawing upon the information provided in the case study, it can be suggested that LOreal operates in the top end of the fashion market with clear market positioning. LOreals targeted market segments can be characterised as fashion trend-setters, and these are the customers in the high and medium segments. They demand products with innovative styles, with top-level quality by scientists and designers that have built the reputation of powerful brands. It should be noticed that firms that operate in the mass segment which targets fashion followers tend to imitate the high performing products of top brands like LOreal and therefore the competitive advantage of top brands recedes over time, making product lifecycle short. Given the high quality expected of its products and the short product life cycle prevailing in fashion, LOreal has adopted a vertical integration, which afforded it a full control of quality and operations (Erica Stefania, 2004). Therefore, innovation is a critical and complex process that has a direct impact on the companys prestige, which justifies the importance of such developments. Therefore LOreal has to come up with such innovations that not only appeal to the various segments of the global market, but also enhance the companys position once they penetrate the market. hence LOreal would have to invest heavily in the launch of new products and be confident about the effectiveness, marketability and practicality of these products.. Moreover, successful innovation is likely to earn LOreal a superior market share and turnover, increasing the value of the company. Also, LOreal has been a front line of fashion and in order to keep up with the expectations of its consumers, the company has to lay in line new formulas that are carefully researched and tested for their effectiveness. For e.g. when the Japanese people were tired of having black hair and required an alternative to western hair colours due to their poor results, LOreal came up with an effective new hair formula that first bleached their hair and then dyed them according to their desirable colour. Therefore it is clear that in order for a company like LOreal, operating in a volatile and turbulent fashion industry, to create a sustainable competitive advantage should have a fast innovative product development cycle. Because LOreal tries to grab the maximum market share through the introduction of innovative products that are not only different but also cater to the different segments of the international market. Problems of managing Innovation and has LOreal solved these problems In order to launch new products successfully, companies like LOreal have to spend a great deal of time and energy in research and development. Thinking profitable/effective new ideas and implementing them are the core issues to be addressed and in this regard LOreals RD performs the task of coming up with successful innovations while the implementation lies in the hands of how these innovations are marketed. If LOreal launches a new product that cannot be marketed effectively, the RD efforts would be marked as inefficient and useless. Before launching or marketing any new product locally or internationally, a company has to be sure that its innovation would be differentiated from other products and is based on consumers preferences. Such ideas are most likely initiated by marketing and then RD takes over the task. Once the RD process is complete, the launch of new product requires the companys scientists/engineers to observe the market reality and employ different ways of marketing their product. Any negligence in this context would not only result in product failures once they are launched, but would also harm the companys image. For companies like LOreal which continue to thrive on innovation because good ties between marketing and RD to perform their activities during the process of launching innovative products in the global market. However, reality appears a bit complex because studies have shown that RD and marketing tend to have different perceptions and interpretations of the characteristics of a new product, particularly in terms of its technical innovation and the extent to which it affects the established consumption patterns. In reality, marketing perceives a more critical role of a new product for positioning in a market segment than RD. Also marketing perceives a higher degree of customization of individual products than RD. Wang and von Tunzelmann (1997) However, the need for long-term innovation always exists and the scientists need to be given some independence to design new formulas that are not unveiled unless desired. The different views of innovation-marketing are influenced by their different personality, cultural background, time orientation, ambiguity, tolerance and level of detail of language used (Griffin and Hauser, 1996). Therefore for companies like LOreal the innovation-marketing interface needs to be managed in such a way that it satisfies both the needs of innovation as well as marketing. According to a study conducted by Wang in 1997 the innovation and marketing functions were found to have collaborated in accomplishing tasks in three areas. * Conceptual development, identifying and evaluating relevant information * Strategic development, market positioning and product differentiation * Implementation, Internal and external communication. For LOreal these three functions are an important consideration in the process of innovation without which innovations might involve a high degree of risk, resulting in product failures. Once the concept for new product is developed through thorough research, LOreal focuses on identifying its target market segments for effective market positioning followed by laying a much greater emphasis on differentiating its products from its competitors like Procter Gamble and Unilever. Therefore it has to maintain a careful balance between creative innovation-marketing. An important link also exists between the innovation-marketing management. For instance, a strong mismatch between what is desired by customers and what is developed by LOreal would reduce the companys ability to predict market response to its new product. This would result in a reduced level of confidence on the effectiveness of marketing (Shankar, 1999). Therefore, in this context, a clear understanding of customer needs would be helpful in determining a companys innovation timing. This means that by effective management of innovation and marketing interfaces, firms can come up with better strategies both in terms of resource allocation and entry timing. It has been seen that most companies that spend great deal of time and effort on innovation to come up with new ideas, have created such products that resulted in a technological break-through, captivating a huge market share. In case of LOreal, the company has been spending a lot on its innovation department, (spending about 20% greater than its competitors). LOreal employs 2500 chemists, biologists, pharmacists and the companys RD aims to deliver 2000 new ideas to its marketers in order to launch 2000 new products annually. It not only has to develop successful ideas, but also find a perfect marketing strategy that addresses the target markets for the new products, their positioning, sales, market share and profit goals at initial stages. It therefore tries to maintain the balance between creative innovation marketing. The company not only analyzes the marketability of its new products but also tests its effectiveness through its careful innovation process. For e.g. when the marketers desired a fruit based shampoo for the European market, LOreals RD took over the task and it took the company 10 years to come up with Fructis, which captured LOreal a 28% share in the European market alone. This was, in fact, a result of the long term RD efforts of the company and LOreal tries to follow a three-level strategy for efficient management of innovation to marketing interface. Also the company launched a sun lotion exclusively for children, the Ambre Solaire Childrens Sun Lotion, which took three years for its launch and development. Therefore LOreal has tried to solve most of the problems resulting from an imbalanced innovation-marketing interface and needs to lay a greater emphasis on satisfying the individual needs of innovation and marketing respectively. It needs to continue by having a clear focus of the technological innovations and fashion trends. LOreal takes on the new product development screening task during its innovation phase when the company evaluates ideas generated from its own advanced research and whatever is being done externally (outside the company). LOreal makes sure that in order to boost the excitement of its products among consumers it needs to evaluate the effectiveness of its new formulas and offer a clear benefit to the consumers in order to get it accepted by the masses. It was this new product development screening process that resulted in the launch of Ambre Solaire childrens sun lotion by LOreal after three years of full research, thus, coming up with a formula that offered maximum protection to childrens delicate skin that instilled the confidence of their parents in the new product. LOreal has tried to launch its products which are characterized by these thorough screening processes, and it has succeeded to a considerable extent. However, during the screening process LOreal also needs to make sure that its new product developments are consistent with the companys objectives, that they are feasible in terms of product design and are suitable for the identified target markets. CONCLUSION After analysing this case in great detail, both in terms of marketing literature and practical application, it can be undersood that global companies like LOreal have to keep in line with the technological changes as they bring about marked product or process design transformations. Innovation plays a significant role in this regard, without which any new formula/idea is unable to be processed into a tangible new product. This requires professional scientists/engineers to be hired by companies and LOreal expends a great deal on hiring such professionals who can come up with effective, innovative and marketable ideas. The need to respond quickly to the dynamic global market forces requires companies to integrate rapidly to the perceptions and needs of both product developers and potential consumers Therefore, in todays fierce global competition, it is tough to differentiate. products and companies are required to have sufficient knowledge about their target markets/segments locally as well as internationally. Therefore product screening is another important process that needs to be carried out by companies in order to have a closer look at competitive products and evaluate their own product demand and LOreal seems to stand out in this regard as it employs professionals who carefully monitor competitors products in great detail. All this needs to be synchronized with an effective marketing strategy that is in balance with innovation functions of the company, which eventually builds up new products image in the various targeted segments, hence, boosting the companys prestige. It is not easy to gain customer satisfaction without long term effort.

Muscular Dystrophy Essay -- essays research papers

Muscular dystrophy refers to, not one, but a group of muscle diseases. These diseases have three features in common: they are hereditary; they are progressive; and each causes a characteristic and selective pattern of weakness. Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most prevalent and severe childhood form of this group of diseases. Each form of muscular dystrophy is caused by a defect in a specific gene. In 1986, scientists discovered exactly which piece of genetic material is missing in Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients. They named it for Guillaume Benjamin Amand Duchenne(1806-1875), a French neurologist who was one of the first doctors to discover and study the disease. When functioning properly, the Duchenne gene carries instructions for assembling a muscle protein known as dystrophin. At about 2,500,000 nucleotides, dystrophin is one of the largest genes known. Dystrophin is largely responsible for reinforcing and stabilizing the sarcolemma. Dystrophin associates with the muscle fiber sarcolemma by interacting with the actin microfilaments and with a transmembrane protein complex linked to the extracellular matrix. This latter dystrophin-associated glycoprotein complex (DAGC) includes the extracellular proteoglycan, [Alpha]-dystroglycan, which binds to merosin in muscle fiber basal laminae, as well as a number of other integral and cytoplasmic membrane proteins: [Alpha]-dystroglycan; [Alpha]-, [Beta]- and [Gamma]- sarcoglycans (see Figure 1). The DAGC provides a physical link and, potentially, a signaling pathway between the extracellular matrix and the internal scaffolding of the muscle cells. Mutations in the Duchenne gene result in dystrophin deficiency, which constitutes the pathogenic basis of DMD. Dystrophin is either absent or severely deficient in a person with DMD. When dystrophin is lost through gene mutation, the muscle falls apart under the tension generated when it contracts. Without dystrophin, the muscle fibers also lose their ability to regenerate and are eventually replaced with adipose tissue and fibrous connective tissue (see Fig. 2 and Fig. 3). The Duchenne gene has been located on the short arm of the X chromosome. This means that Duchenne muscular dystrophy is inherited as an X-linked recessive disease. Females have two X chromosomes, while males have one X chromosome and one Y chromosome. Therefore, in females, a normal X... ...re out how get only one gene in the right cell, how to keep the gene from impairing any other functions and how to get the gene to produce the right amount of protein. Some researchers are trying a different approach; that of myoblast transfer therapy. This school of thought attempts to fuse healthy, immature muscle cells with dystrophic cells to make hybrid muscles that function normally. Unfortunately, initial tests have not fared very well because the injected myoblasts do not seem to travel very far from the injection site. The last type of research deals with a protein called utrophin. It is hoped that this protein could functionally take over for dystrophin. Scientists are trying to discover a chemical that will upregulate utrophin production without disrupting anything else in the body.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Until a cure is found 1 in approximately every 3,500 boys will inherit Duchenne muscular dystrophy and eventually die from it. The current treatments only place a temporary obstacle in front of the disease. It is hoped that advancements in the fields of science and medicine will help to speed along the discovery of a cure for this debilitating muscular disease.

Is Humanity Suicidal? Essay

I do not think that humanity is suicidal, we just sometimes fail to realize the long-term effects that certain actions have on our environment. I completely agree with E.O. Wilson when he said, â€Å"We are smart enough and have time enough to avoid all environmental catastrophes of civilization-threatening dimensions.† Basically what he is saying is that we have the time and capability to prevent an environmental catastrophe, but the time to act is now. We as a society need to change our thought process in which â€Å"the mind works comfortably backward and forward for a few years, spanning a period not exceeding one or two generations† (Smith 3). We need to start thinking ahead and consider four to five generations ahead of us rather than two or three. The only way to achieve this is by spreading awareness. We need to start convincing people that changes must be made now in order to sustain our environment. People may not listen at first, but they will if enough people start to discuss it and it gains momentum. For instance, I can remember when the topic of electric cars first came up in the media about ten years or so ago. Back then, people laughed at the idea of an electric car, but now hybrids and non-gasoline powered vehicles have become a norm in today’s eco-friendly society. That is just one example, but there are many others in which society doesn’t take things seriously at first, but then comes to realize that maybe there is a problem and we should do something about it. All we can hope for is that we as a society address these problems sooner rather than later.

Free Essays on Truancy In Schools

Truancy in Schools â€Å"Everyday, hundreds of thousands of students are absent from school without a legitimate excuse.† (Baker, 2000) Every year, cities, states, and school districts across the country announce new initiatives designed to entice, counsel, threaten, or coerce kids to attend school but poor attendance still remains a problem. Good attendance involves not only the student, but also teachers, family, and the community. According to the U.S. Department of Education, truancy is the first sign of trouble in a young person’s life. â€Å"It is also the first indicator that a student is giving up or losing their way.† (U.S.) Student nonattendance is a problem that extends much further then the school. It affects the student, family, and community. â€Å"Police departments across the nation report that many students who are not in school during regular hours are committing crimes including shoplifting, vandalism, and graffiti.† (Baker) Absenteeism is detrimental to students' achievement, promotion, graduation, self-esteem, and employment potential. Clearly, students who miss school fall behind their peers in the classroom. In the four years that I was at Carmel High School, the attendance policies were revised in attempt to reduce student truancy. When I was a freshman, the only consequence to truancy was a detention or an in-school suspension. Now Carmel has a low tolerance for truancy. On a student’s first truancy, an in-school suspension is assigned and parents are notified. On a student’s second truancy, two days of in-school suspension are assigned and the parents are notified again. On a student’s third truancy, two days of out of school suspension are assigned and the parent’s are notified. A student’s 4th truancy is assigned to out of school suspension for a week and a referral to the Carmel court. When I was a sophomore, Carmel High School implemented a program called â€Å"Skip a Final.† At the end of... Free Essays on Truancy In Schools Free Essays on Truancy In Schools Truancy in Schools â€Å"Everyday, hundreds of thousands of students are absent from school without a legitimate excuse.† (Baker, 2000) Every year, cities, states, and school districts across the country announce new initiatives designed to entice, counsel, threaten, or coerce kids to attend school but poor attendance still remains a problem. Good attendance involves not only the student, but also teachers, family, and the community. According to the U.S. Department of Education, truancy is the first sign of trouble in a young person’s life. â€Å"It is also the first indicator that a student is giving up or losing their way.† (U.S.) Student nonattendance is a problem that extends much further then the school. It affects the student, family, and community. â€Å"Police departments across the nation report that many students who are not in school during regular hours are committing crimes including shoplifting, vandalism, and graffiti.† (Baker) Absenteeism is detrimental to students' achievement, promotion, graduation, self-esteem, and employment potential. Clearly, students who miss school fall behind their peers in the classroom. In the four years that I was at Carmel High School, the attendance policies were revised in attempt to reduce student truancy. When I was a freshman, the only consequence to truancy was a detention or an in-school suspension. Now Carmel has a low tolerance for truancy. On a student’s first truancy, an in-school suspension is assigned and parents are notified. On a student’s second truancy, two days of in-school suspension are assigned and the parents are notified again. On a student’s third truancy, two days of out of school suspension are assigned and the parent’s are notified. A student’s 4th truancy is assigned to out of school suspension for a week and a referral to the Carmel court. When I was a sophomore, Carmel High School implemented a program called â€Å"Skip a Final.† At the end of...

Review Essay Example

Review Essay Example Review Essay Review Essay Questions 1. What is forensic science? The application of science to the criminal justice system 2. What three tasks or responsibilities does a forensic scientist have? Three responsibilities of a forensic scientist are collect and analyze evidence, and train other law enforcement or officials in how to record and collect evidence 3. What criteria might be used to establish someone as an expert witness? Criteria used to establish an expert witness might be the person’s degrees, and the number of years of experience that that person has in the field 4. What are two of the ways that a forensic pathologist might use to help determine the time of death? Two ways a forensic scientist can determine the time of death are algor mortis and liver mortis 5. What does a forensic anthropologist do? Specializes in the identification and examination of skeletal remains Critical Thinking Questions 1. Why do you think it is so important to use proper methods when collecting evidence from a crime scene? The criminal could get away because you didn’t use proper methods to collect evidence, which could lead to another crime 2. Why do you think forensic science has been increasingly used by the criminal justice system? They use science in an investigation so on a court system it isn’t â€Å"person A† against the criminal, there would be proof and evidence 3. Which of the forensic scientist’s responsibilities do you think would be the most challenging? Why? I feel like the hardest responsibility would be finding evidence at a scene. Sometimes criminals wear gloves so there would be no finger prints, so you would have to look for tire tracks or foot prints, making the investigation even harder. . Which of the forensic scientist’s responsibilities do you think would be the most interesting to you? Why? I feel that the most interesting responsibility would be gathering and examining the evidence because I am one to wonder how things work and how things fit together like a puzzle. An investigation is similar to a puzzle. 5. Which of the specialty areas do you think you would most like to work in? Why? I would want to specialize in forensic pathology because determining the time and cause of death you be really interesting to me

Original definition of faux intimacy Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Original definition of faux intimacy - Term Paper Example The bond developed in faux intimacy often appears to be similar to the strength of that holding a house of cards. It is created as we work to collaborate with others regardless of whether we want it to be created or not. The characteristic of faux intimacy is brought out when a ‘friend’ calls out an event and the ‘friends’ do not show up or come only a handful. Recognizing the type of intimacy, genuine or real, that you share with someone can go a long way in helping recreate the relationship with other people (Sobonfu and Some, 2004). Taking a strong and enduring interest in the wellbeing of you colleagues is the proper domain that faux intimacy lies in. Workplaces and society are among the larger class of things that this concept belongs. Employees may develop this kind of relationship with their bosses and with the intent of getting pay rises, remuneration, leave etc. Jobs and social interaction are platforms for the development of faux intimacy. Witnessing a setting which encourages people to sincerely care about each other would help see a different workplace. This is likely to achieve more genuine intimacy and closeness of individuals. It is frequently said that the test of a friendship is when one is in hard times. Thus, if a person has been through a traumatic experience they would hope that their work colleagues send a message or call to check up on

Multinational corporation have great postive effects on developing Essay

Multinational corporation have great postive effects on developing countries - Essay Example Their investment in developing nations have improved the material well being of the people in these nations through access to better goods or services and improved wages. Studies conducted by the OECD reveal that developing nations tend to receive higher wages from multinationals than their local counterparts. The OECD report found that a person working for a multinational is likely to earn 40% more wages than their counterparts in local firms. This is especially true for workers in Latin America and Asia. MNCs are motivated by the need to retain more workers in order to reduce turnover costs (OECD 44). Not all such organisations intend to pay workers more for similar work. Instead, they do so because the nature of industries they invest in is capital intensive. Additionally, a number of them have fairly large operations which may require committed employees. It is for this reason that they tend to pay better rewards to workers than their peers in firms within the same industry. Irrespective of their motivations, the end result is better earnings (Dunning and Sairanna 5). Analyses conducted in developing nations concerning how wages change over time after foreign direct investment show that wages may increase by close to 20%. Indonesia enjoyed a 19% increase in wage labour owing to foreign acquisitions of local firms. The increase emanated from the use of modern techniques of production. Parent companies in the first world already had the technical expertise needed to enhance production. Therefore, workers accumulated new skills that were eventually used as a precursor for better pay (Hijzen and Swaim 8). If a person moves from a locally-owned firm to a foreign-owned one in a country like Brazil, they are likely to enjoy a 21% increase in earnings. The OECD Employment outlook report also shows that those who make the same transition in a country like Portugal can enjoy increases of about 14%. It is for this reason that many third world countries seem to be so