Centralised organisation Essay Example for Free

Centralised organisation Essay â€Å"Outline the main ways in which a large centralised organisation might achieve a more flexible organised structure. Using examples, discuss the advantages and disadvantages of pursuing greater organisational flexibility† â€Å"The structures that organisations adopt are usually aligned to one of five generic organisational structures. These are the simple structure, the functional structure, the divisional structure, the holding company structure and the matrix structure. (Capon, C. (2009) the business environment. Chapter 4: Inside organisations. This essay will explain the various ways of how a large centralised organisation achieves a more flexible structure through de-centralisation. This essay will analyse the benefits and drawbacks of the matrix structure and the functional structure. A flexible structure allows staff to take part in decision making thus making them feel more valued and motivated, this favours the organisation because efficiency and communication is improved. Centralised structures are often referred to as bureaucracies and have a long chain of command and a narrow span of control. They are tall structures designed so that directors, owners and management can achieve maximum control. Decision making is isolated within the top part of the hierarchy with a very autocratic style of management (none/very little shared decision making with employees further down the hierarchy). Centralised structures allow benchmarks and certain procedures to monitor quality closely. A clear path can be seen by employees in terms of promotion which often aids in motivation, in turn improving the productivity of staff. However there are some downsides to a centralised or bureaucratic structure, such as the fact that it’s time-consuming for decisions to be made because the decision has to come from the top of the organisation (CEO’s/Directors) all the way to the bottom through many levels before the employees actually get told what they need to do; because of this it is difficult for companies with a tall structure to quickly react to changes in the market that they operate in. In tall organisations there is a tendency for ‘red tape’ or excessive regulation which also slows down many processes within a business. Another problem with tall organisations is that there is a divide between the top managers and regular employees, which means that the workers lower down in the hierarchy feel excluded and less valued. This In turn leads to workers becoming less motivated. Because of all these difficulties big organisations are constantly attempting to increase flexibility by changing their structure. Decentralisation provides higher subordinate satisfaction and a quicker response to problems and may give workers a sense of ownership and greater levels of motivation in their work† (Ray French, Charlotte Rayner, Gary Rees and Sally Rumbles – (2008) Organizational behaviour ). De-centralised structures are desirable because they allow flexibility within a business, it is essentially a democratic management style of running an organisation, and this means that there is more feedback and input from staff regarding decision making. With a shorter chain of command, due to the flat hierarchical structure, and increased motivation of staff production can increase. The functional structure is relatively restrictive of flexibility, it is fairly rigid and centralised. The managers of the departments are given the responsibility to manage day-to-day problems and take part in decision making only in the short term. Decision making and power in the long term rests very much within the board of directors, thus slowing down communication within the organisation. The functional structure is mainly used by small businesses; large organisations tend to move away from this structure in the search for more flexibility. The reason for this is because of product or service diversification and larger target markets. The functional structure tends to have poor career prospects, high pressure on senior managers , quality monitoring is very difficult and there are skills shortages in the sense that job roles are set so skills cannot be shared within the departments. The matrix structure integrates two structures together, often geographical and multi product structures. For example, a company may have a department for a product A in Europe and for Product A in Asia. One of the advantages of the Matrix structure is the convenience of experts simplifying the sharing of knowledge between the goods. Another advantage of the matrix structure is intra-team communication, this allows ease of communication between the different functional product groups within the same organisation, and similarly there is less pressure on managers, quality monitoring is easier and skills are interchanged within departments of the same function thus improving efficiency. In the early 90’s the majority of IBM and the business press were convinced decentralisation would aid the company in terms of â€Å"flexibility, speed and entrepreneurial motivation†. They believed splitting up IBM into smaller companies would speed up processes and promote and enhance efficiency, which can be true of decentralisation. Lou Gerstner was appointed CEO of IBM in 1993. He was convinced IBM should remain centralised and to â€Å"use its unique size and capabilities to help customers integrate the diverse components of their information technology (IT) systems†. In the end IBM was loosened up but not completely decentralised. This worked tremendously well with IBM’s stock price rising by almost a factor of ten. (Thomas W. Malone Harvard Business School Archives (29/3/2004): Making the decision to decentralise. )From this we can conclude that de-centralisation improves organisational flexibility by speeding up the process of decision making, improving efficiency and communication and increasing job satisfaction for employees. Pursuing greater organisational flexibility could be complex in the sense that the organisation may become less efficient due to the change in structure and managerial span of control. Nonetheless changing from a tall centralised structure to a flat decentralised structure favours the organisation because there are fewer levels of hierarchy and a shorter chain of command which enables better communication. â€Å"Decentralisation, in theory, provides greater potential for motivating employees and, because decisions are taken nearer the place of work, the organisation can react faster and smarter†. Ian Brookes (2009): Organisational behaviour – individuals, groups and organisation 4th edition). However not all flat structures are decentralised; take for example the functional structure, despite being flat it is a rigid and centralised structure. The Matrix structure would enable a large organisation to achieve greater organisational flexibility because one of its main strengths is allowing ease of communication.

Dream Deferred in A Raisin in the Sun Essay -- Lorraine Hansberry

"What Happens to a Dream Deferred?" Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore– And then run?" (Langston Hughes). It is important to never lose sight of one’s dream. Dreams are what keep people moving in life, but if they are ignored, they may morph and lose their prevailing form. This is evident in Lorraine Hansberry’s "A Raisin in the Sun", as Walter’s, Beneatha’s, and Mama’s dreams become delayed, distorted, and blurred. Walter has long dreamed of making his family’s condition better, of giving them wealth that his low-paying job is unable to do. Nature appears to be against Walter and his family, for they are living in a poorly maintained tenement apartment while surrounded with racism. Walter understands this situation, so he decides to use the $10,000 check for an investment in order to exceed his primitive state. In mid-morning, he excitedly asks his family about the check’s arrival, â€Å"Check coming today?† (Hansberry I.i.868). The check is one of the few reasons that forces Walter to get up each morning, so he will eventually be able to obtain success and self pride. Walter views the check as the only solution to all of his problems, so once Mama receives it, Walter confronts her and begs for her â€Å"financial† support. Walter exemplifies his sudden, new-found confidence to Travis when Mama unexpectedly entrusts him with the remaining $6,500, â€Å"†¦your d addy’s gonna make a transaction . . . a business transaction that’s going to change our lives† (II.ii.885). Walter is finally ready to realize his dream, and he has all the possible confidence he can acquire. He foresees the significant change that awaits his family when the money is invested. Unfortunately, nature has different plans for the Youngers. Whe... ...ccomplish this if they all understand what is important in life. All of Mama’s dreams are eventually recognized, although they certainly appear hazy throughout the play. The question about whether or not they should keep the house forms inside Mama’s head near the end of the play, but she quickly changes her mind. Mama never lost sight of her goals, no matter how hard nature attacked them. The dreams of Walter, Beneatha, and Mama in Lorraine Hansberry’s "A Raisin in the Sun", may take longer than expected, change form, or fade. Even if dreams seem to never get closer, one should never give up. Without something to work towards, society would just dry up, like a grape in the sun. Works Cited Hansberry, Lorraine. A Raisin in the Sun. Literature and the Writing Process. Elizabeth McMahan, Susan X. Day, and Robert Funk. 6th ed. Upper Saddle River: Prentice, 2002. Dream Deferred in A Raisin in the Sun Essay -- Lorraine Hansberry "What Happens to a Dream Deferred?" Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore– And then run?" (Langston Hughes). It is important to never lose sight of one’s dream. Dreams are what keep people moving in life, but if they are ignored, they may morph and lose their prevailing form. This is evident in Lorraine Hansberry’s "A Raisin in the Sun", as Walter’s, Beneatha’s, and Mama’s dreams become delayed, distorted, and blurred. Walter has long dreamed of making his family’s condition better, of giving them wealth that his low-paying job is unable to do. Nature appears to be against Walter and his family, for they are living in a poorly maintained tenement apartment while surrounded with racism. Walter understands this situation, so he decides to use the $10,000 check for an investment in order to exceed his primitive state. In mid-morning, he excitedly asks his family about the check’s arrival, â€Å"Check coming today?† (Hansberry I.i.868). The check is one of the few reasons that forces Walter to get up each morning, so he will eventually be able to obtain success and self pride. Walter views the check as the only solution to all of his problems, so once Mama receives it, Walter confronts her and begs for her â€Å"financial† support. Walter exemplifies his sudden, new-found confidence to Travis when Mama unexpectedly entrusts him with the remaining $6,500, â€Å"†¦your d addy’s gonna make a transaction . . . a business transaction that’s going to change our lives† (II.ii.885). Walter is finally ready to realize his dream, and he has all the possible confidence he can acquire. He foresees the significant change that awaits his family when the money is invested. Unfortunately, nature has different plans for the Youngers. Whe... ...ccomplish this if they all understand what is important in life. All of Mama’s dreams are eventually recognized, although they certainly appear hazy throughout the play. The question about whether or not they should keep the house forms inside Mama’s head near the end of the play, but she quickly changes her mind. Mama never lost sight of her goals, no matter how hard nature attacked them. The dreams of Walter, Beneatha, and Mama in Lorraine Hansberry’s "A Raisin in the Sun", may take longer than expected, change form, or fade. Even if dreams seem to never get closer, one should never give up. Without something to work towards, society would just dry up, like a grape in the sun. Works Cited Hansberry, Lorraine. A Raisin in the Sun. Literature and the Writing Process. Elizabeth McMahan, Susan X. Day, and Robert Funk. 6th ed. Upper Saddle River: Prentice, 2002.

Ford Motor Company: Organizational Agility Essay

Ford Motor Company has recently experienced a problem with regard to a fraudulent e-mail which notifies consumers that the company has chosen them as the winner of a Ford Edge Jeep and that they can claim their prize after they have deposited a certain amount in a bank account. The company immediately issued a statement within a few days saying that the notifications are not from the company and that the e-mails are scams designed to acquire personal information from unwary individuals, especially from the consumers of Ford Motors. Moreover, the company released a public statement claiming that the company is not in any way connected with the e-mails circulating over the internet inasmuch as the company has not granted either authority or permission to use the name of the company, its trademark and its intellectual properties in order to engage in such a scam. The company noted that the e-mails may be a form of â€Å"phishing† activity, and advised the consumers to simply delete the message and avoid replying. In terms of demonstrating environmental responsiveness, the Ford Motor Company has formulated a way in order to reduce greenhouse gases used in painting vehicles by as much as 15 percent. The new paint technology is not only â€Å"environmentally sound† but also efficient in terms of cost such that painted automobiles are more durable and look more beautiful than before. The technology used is a combination of â€Å"advanced chemical formulation of high-solids† with a â€Å"three-wet application process† which uses paint shop that is more earth-friendly as compared to traditional vehicle paints. Apart from the reduction in CO2 emissions from the painting of vehicles, the new paint technology also boasts the benefit of a decrease in VOCs or volatile organic compounds by as much as 10 percent. The company states that it can save money in the production of the vehicles and lessen the completion of painting an automobile by a fifth of the total time previously estimated. More importantly, there is also a great reduction in the amount of conventional paint used in the painting process. Even if the Ford Motor Company has already used the new painting technology, the company is still gathering data for wider application. The monitoring of the automobiles over the next year will give the company more data which will enable them to gather â€Å"long-term rollout plans† for the pioneering paint technology that they have developed. In fact, the company has already won international acclaim in France for the new paint technology. The concepts of Total Quality Management apply to the Ford Motor Company in terms of how it handles the current environmental requirements in the industry. Instead of abandoning or taking a step back from the automobile industry, the company opted to stay ahead of the rest by developing tools which will meet the environmental demands of the time. The ability to manage the company efficiently and effectively in such a pressing circumstance is equally significant to the ability to enact the company visions and progress on them through time. The company acts by not resorting to isolated departments in handling the issue at hand. Rather, the company makes the full use of its structured departments in order to arrive at a better approach in providing the suitable method to address the environmental issues typically attributed to automobile companies. That is, Ford Motor Company’s efforts to develop the new paint technology incorporated the input coming from the production department to the conception department. Post-production departments also share a role in assessing the actual impacts of the new paint technology which allows for the acquisition and accumulation of new data which can be used as basis for great improvements in the future.

The Snows of Kilimanjaro Free Essay Example, 1250 words

of the of the Concerned English 24 December The Snows of Kilimanjaro by Ernest Hemingway In the short story The Snows of Kilimanjaro, the writer Ernest Hemingway seems to be pursuing a stoic attitude towards death. The story tends to revolve around the memories of a writer named Harry and the stage of the story is set in an African safari. The writer in the story is awaiting a slow but sure death owing to an infected wound he suffered when he got his leg punctured by a thorn. Owing to the dearth of physical activity occurring from an injured and infected leg, the writer tends to divert his attention towards the inner aspects of his life. The thoughts of the writer are predominantly possesses by a disturbing lack of accomplishment in his primary vocation that is writing (Tyler 20). While doing so the memories of the writer shuttle continually between his past and present life. The very realization that he has been through and has experienced many amazing and brilliant things in his life is at the same time doused by a disturbing acknowledgment that he had done very litt le to transform these experiences into moving and lasting writing. We will write a custom essay sample on The Snows of Kilimanjaro or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now To relive the irritating pain of this true yet disturbing realization, he continually quarrels with the women with him, blaming her time and again from distracting him from his true vocation that is writing. The irony is that an ever present sense of failure and a lack of purpose make the death of the writer more meaningless and common. In this story that begins and ends with death, Hemingway explores the ever existing sense of waste and demise by resorting to the usage of varied symbols and double meanings (Tyler, 99). It goes without saying that throughout the story the writer is shown to be aware of the fact that he had sold his talent and aptitude by opting for an easy and luxurious life. He had bartered his skills for the kind of love that is pretentious and insincere in reality. In that sense the ever occurring representations of death in The Snows of Kilimanjaro are loaded with multiple meanings. At a superficial level, these images of death are indicative of the slow approaching death of the sick and ailing writer. However, at a deeper level they are also indicative of the death of a talent that chooses to give up before the promises of ease and comfort. This dual sense of death, one literal and other vocational are continually built up in the story through the usage of varied symbols (Tyler 99). At the very beginning of the story, the introduction of the white and lofty Kilimanjaro, as â€Å"the House of God (Hemingway 1)† hints towards the eventual destination where the slowly rotting Harry is bound to end up.

Role Reversal in Shakespeare’s Macbeth Essay - 544 Words

In William Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth, two main characters experience a change that alters their roles and brings out the worst in them. After Macbeth is promised greatness by three witches on a heath, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth try to achieve his prophecy. Because of their over-reaching ambition, they commit numerous murders to obtain their goal of becoming royalty. In order to cope with the guilt, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth undergo a role reversal, where they exchange characters and amount of ambition. In the beginning of Macbeth, Macbeth is hesitant. Lady Macbeth, being ruthless, tries to convince Macbeth to kill King Duncan, but his conscience is stronger than his ambition. He feels that the king is at his palace in â€Å"double-trust†; he is†¦show more content†¦No man that’s born of woman shall e’er have power upon thee† (V. iii. 6-7). He is not questioning anything and thinks that he cannot be killed by anyone. On the contrary, Lady Macbeth begins as a ruthless woman. She has a manipulative and controlling character, convincing Macbeth to kill King Duncan; she will do anything to gain power. When she says, â€Å"How tender ‘tis to love the babe†¦I would, while it was smiling in my face, have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums and dashed the brains out† (I.vii. 55-58), she shows her ruthlessness and her â€Å"bad† ambition. In her â€Å"role reversal† with Macbeth, she gains somewhat of a conscience and realizes her guilt. When she tells him, â€Å"You must leave this† (III. ii. 35), she wants Macbeth to forget about his plan to murder Banquo’s family. She is very hesitant about committing another murder and does not want Macbeth to follow through with his plan. The resulting role reversal of Lady Macbeth and Macbeth is evidence that guilt and greed eventually lead to a character’s downfall. For Lady Macbeth, her ruthlessness and greed of becoming royalty caused her to convince Macbeth to commit murderous acts, such as killing King Duncan. After the role reversal, she became aware of what she had done and realized the magnitude of her guilt. She goes into a state of denial, and commits suicide. On the other hand, Macbeth’s hesitance causes him to trust Lady Macbeth and kill King Duncan. After the role reversal, he becomes ruthless andShow MoreRelatedEssay on Role Reversal in William Shakespeare’s Play Macbeth1258 Words   |  6 PagesWilliam Shakespeare’s play Macbeth has a few main themes, one of which is role reversal. Macbeth is portrayed as a strong, fierce, and trustworthy soldier. At this stage in the story he had a conscience, and had a boundary between good and bad. However, Lady Macbeth is depicted as a devious and an extreme organizer, without a good sense of what is right and wrong. She would do anything in order to obtain supreme authority. Gradually they both change their views of power, treatment of one anotherRead MoreMacbeth by William Shakespeare1293 Words   |  5 PagesThe play, â€Å"Macbeth† is one of William Shakespeare’s tragic plays written approximately in 1606. The play centres on Macbeth who is a general in King Duncan’s army. Upon returning from a successful battle, Macbeth is confronted by three witches who claim they know the future. The three witches tell Macbeth that he will be the future King. The events that occur after this encounter between Macbeth and the witches are what makes this play a tragedy. This essay will focus on the treatment of gender inRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Macbeth And The Witches1277 Words   |  6 Pagesday, the women of Shakespeare’s time were typically regarded as feeble and inferior to men. Compare d to men, women weren’t thought of as important or competent, let alone capable of power. Shakespeare’s Macbeth declares this stigma wrong. In the play, the most prominent female characters, Lady Macbeth and the Witches, are domineering and mighty, while several male characters are are attributed with weak and â€Å"woman-like† traits. Through the use of reversed gender roles, Macbeth highlights the factRead MoreThe Gender Roles Of William Shakespeare s The Tragedy Of Macbeth 989 Words   |  4 PagesThe gender roles in William Shakespeare’s, The Tragedy of Macbeth are made clear from the very first act. Masculinity is associated with strength, bravery, ruthlessness and apathy while femininity is usually coupled with docility, fragility and reliance. Gender, and the behavior expected from each, is a constant motif that reappears throughout the play. The instances that appear in the play reveal that the characters are expected to act according to their g ender and limit their emotions and the wayRead MoreGender And Gender Roles In Macbeth By William Shakespeare1043 Words   |  5 PagesIn Macbeth by William Shakespeare, gender plays a pivotal role in the development of the overall plot and as the play advances, certain characters, including Macbeth and Lady Macbeth experience a reversal in traditional gender behaviors. Additionally, we see gender confusion among other characters that enhances conflict in the play. Originally, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are portrayed in ways that enforce their respective masculinity and feminism in accordance to the society around them. As MacbethRead MoreMacbeth Gender Roles Essay807 Words   |  4 PagesWilliam Shakespeare’s tragedy â€Å"Macbeth† completely challenges the idea of traditional gender roles and social norms during the renaissance period. The male characters have many feminine traits while the female characters have many more masculine and manlier traits. This was going entirely against the stereotypical outlook of the roles you’re supposed to play as your gender during that time of history. During the renaissance period women were only expected to clean, cook, and to have babies. Men onRead MoreEssay about The Transformations of Lady Macbeth and Hamlet646 Words   |  3 PagesThe Transformations of Lady Macbeth and Hamlet In William Shakespeare’s tragedy Macbeth, we experience a completely different Lady Macbeth at the beginning of the play, than we do as the play unfolds. Lady Macbeth is the perfect example of a character playing a dramatic role reversal. At the beginning of the play, her character was that of a strong, controlling wife, whose goal was to make her husband commit a murder in order to become king. Lady Macbeth ends up going crazy and having a nervousRead MoreLady Macbeth And Lady Macbeth : How Crime Murders Relationships1544 Words   |  7 PagesRelationships Shakespeare’s Macbeth follows the journey and downfall of the titular protagonist, and it illustrates the effects of Macbeth’s descent into villainy on his once loving and close relationship with Lady Macbeth. As their initially mutually trusting and co-dependent relationship deteriorates through the progression of the three great crimes, Shakespeare demonstrates how murder can permanently destroy a person and their relationships. Leading up to the murder of Duncan, Lady Macbeth is an influentialRead MoreTheme Of Animal Imagery In Macbeth925 Words   |  4 Pagesmost prominent tragedies, Macbeth, contains many examples of animal imagery, most of which characterizes Macbeth himself. Animal imagery at the beginning of the tragedy, such as the comparison of Macbeth to an eagle and a lion, characterize him as loyal, brave, and honorable. As the play develops, however, the animal imagery used, like a predatory bird and a ferocious beast, begins to characterize him as power hungry, violent, and truly inhumane. In his tragedy Macbeth, William Shakespeare uses animalRead MoreGender And Its Impact On Gender Essay2026 Words   |  9 Pagesthe case. Shakespeare’s characters and stories are of a varying nature, and he plays with the notion of gender binaries and the two-gender paradigm. He can be ambiguous, he can flip traditionally expected roles, he can challenge the notion of gender altogether, it just depends on which of his works is being read. Shakespeare’s approach to gender and its significance, is that of a challenging one. He challenges not only the physical presentation of gender, but also the traditional roles associated

Fast Food Makes Up A Large Portion Of Many Millions Of...

Introduction Fast food makes up a large portion of many millions of Americans’ diets: every day, one in four Americans visits a fast food restaurant (Schlosser 3). SUBWAY ® is the #1 restaurant chain in total restaurant count with 39,000 locations in 101 countries than any other fast food industry and continue growing rapidly (Fishman, 2013). It has become the world’s most ubiquitous restaurant chain, posting armies of â€Å"sandwich artists† in more outposts in American than McDonald’s and Starbucks combined (Harwell, 2015). The organization now prides itself on having one store for every 2,00,0000 people worldwide (Smith, 2012). Background and History At the age of 17, Fred Deluca opened his first sandwich store in order to raise some funds to sponsor his college education. The founder of Subway initially had a dream of becoming a medical doctor but that dream did not materials due to lack funds. As a result of the challenges of pursuing his medical career, a family friend, Peter Buck offered him a loan $1,000.00 to operate a submarine sandwiches shop. In 1965, Deluca and Buck operated their first Joint Venture, called Pete’s Super Submarines in Connecticut. The duo struggle in the business Venture and at the end of the summer, Deluca had only $6.00 remaining (Petrakas). Notwithstanding the challenges, Buck led to the opening of a second restaurant, which Deluca believed the purpose was â€Å"to create the image of success.† In 1968, the duo opened their thirdShow MoreRelatedThe NEH Must Take Action to Reduce Obesity Essay1448 Words   |  6 PagesIn recent years, portion sizes have continued to increase, and over 190 million citizens are obese. According to the CDC, in the Appalachian region of the United States more than 81 percent of people suffer from obesity related health problems. These statistics are shocking. At some point the government and the NEH has to step in and do something for the sake and health of citizens, specifically children. â€Å"Many researchers have theorized that media use by children, excessive snacking during mediaRead MoreCasual Analysis Essay : Obesity Essay1367 Words   |  6 Pagestells us that there are 97 million obese adults. This number is expected to increase by over 42 percent by 2030. If a persons body weights is 30% or higher then he or she is considered obese. The leading causes of obesity include fast food restaurants, portion sizes, lack of exercise, and medical reasons. Obesity in America is an epidemic, but in most cases it is avoidable. A large contribution to the obese population in the United States is due to how many fast food restaurants there are. In mostRead MoreThe Obesity Epidemic Of Obesity1252 Words   |  6 PagesEnglish 001B Section 021 9 February 2015 Obesity in America Obesity has started to rise not only in America, but also worldwide. America has begun consuming more fuel, more electronics, and most importantly, more food. Not just any food though. Americans are eating unhealthy foods and eating them more consistently. This means our energy intake has increased while our output has decreased or stayed constant, leading to an increase in weight for both adults and children. Obesity can lead to an increaseRead MoreThe Problem Of Childhood Obesity1261 Words   |  6 Pagesanswer is simple: fast food is convenient. Fast food restaurants are located just about everywhere, and it is extremely simple to find one on every corner. In his article â€Å"Don’t Blame the Eater†, David Zinczenko explains that growing up â€Å"lunch and dinner†¦was a daily choice between McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Kentucky Fried Chicken, or Pizza Hut† (241). The author indicates that these are still the only available options for children to get an affordable meal. Zinczenk explains that fast food has not changedRead MoreFast Food Industry Is Banned Everywhere Essay856 Words   |  4 PagesLiving in the fast - tempo society, people do not have time to prepare their food during the day. They have to left home early in the morning and spend most of the time at their workplaces. Thus, they have to depend on the instant foods which are available in restaurants. Today, fast food industries develop more and more popular in the U.S. American hosts the largest fast food industry in the world. The people that eat fast food range over all ages, from young children to retired senior people. HoweverRead MoreFast Food America1498 Words   |  6 PagesFast food has become a major phenomenon here in America. According to Eric Schlosser, he writes in the New York Times, on average $301,369,863 is spent a day on fast food. As Schlosser shows, American people are abusing fast food. In accordance with fast food binging, obesity has become a widespread epidemic. According to Joseph Mercola M.D., on a personal website states obesity is, A chronic condition that develops as a result of an interaction between a person s genetic makeup and their environmentRead MoreObesity : A Major Impact Of Obesity1715 Words   |  7 Pagesmajor impact in America population, approximately 127 million American are currently overweight. The American Obesity Association conduct a survey that shown 9 million adult are â€Å"Harshly Obese† and 17.9 million children under the age of 5 are overweight. (Spurlock, 2005, p 66). The blame for obesity is virtually, constantly and positioned toward fast food restaurant? American as a liberty of choice which is up to the individual who consumed the food should be facing the responsibilities for his or herRead MoreThe Problem Of Child Obesity1454 Words   |  6 PagesChildren today face many problems that may cause them to become obese. Child Obesity is becoming a major issue in the 21st century because of circumst ances like marketing strategies, fast food restaurants, and parental influence. To begin with, marketing strategies, including the location of the advertisement of unhealthy foods, the advertisement may affect the child’s food decision. For example, schools can allow advertisements from local food companies to promote their food. The author who wroteRead MoreThe Problem Of Food Industry1599 Words   |  7 Pages1. Addressing the Problem Too many people pick up food products off of the shelves and put it into their shopping cart without knowing what exactly it is or what the product has been through. After watching an absolutely disturbing documentary called Food Inc. I started to feel strongly about the problems of the Food Industry. The problem is that our food is no longer being produced in an all American farm, but in dirty abusive factories. Not only is the food unhealthy for us after all of the processingRead MoreThe World s Fattest Nations1497 Words   |  6 Pagesthe biggest nations in the world. This is illustrated through our land area coverage, gross domestic product, population etc. the list can go on and on; however; one area America takes the cake on is their large waistbands. We are a country that prides itself on large portions and producing foods of greasy deliciousness by the mass. It is not difficult to understand how we have become one of the world’s fattest nations. There has been ongoing debate regarding what and who is responsible for creating

Revenue Management for Cost and Performance - myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about the Revenue Management for Cost and Performance. Answer: Being a hospitality accountant, one can easily make its potential guest understand the pricing strategy of his hotels. There is a situation where demand for the hotel rooms has increased and the supply is limited. In such situation, generally the prices of the rooms increases as there is high demand for them. It is justified that increase cost will led to a rise in prices but it is also true that if the cost reduces the price can remain high. Reason being, there are basically two types of guest in a hospitality sector, one is transient and other one is group. So if rooms are booked by a group, then it can affect the transient sales because they are been occupied for more than one day. Therefore, in such situations it is difficult to reduce the prices. Also high demand and low supply is taken as a hard constraint for the hoteliers which force them to increase the prices. Being a potential guest, after having an understanding of the cost based pricing strategy, one could easily compare the prices of different hotels and related benefits. As the cost based strategy provides competitive prices, so it will be easier for the customer to compare and choose the best hotel. It is very usual that the customer will choose that hotel which offers less prices and best facilities. Part 4 First of all, the forecast done by Director of Sales reflects that the hotel is capable enough to attract its target market. Also the mangers knows their customers very well. As it is the history of hotel that it sells its room on Tuesday and Wednesday nights to the business travellers. So from the forecast it can be predicted that the number of business travellers will be high in the coming six months and they are willing to purchase room on these specific nights. Another reason that reason for the purchase willingness will be that do not have another alternative and are truly a willing customer. Instituting differential pricing strategy will make the hotel managers to face an ethical dilemma of charging illegally. According to the Robinson-Patman Act, there are anticompetitive effects of differential pricing and the customers may find it illegal or violation of price fixing laws (Ivanov, 2014).However, due to the high demand of rooms on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, the managers are required to keep their prices high in order to earn more profit. Part 5 The fundamental difference between the approaches followed by hoteliers and restaurants in setting their prices is based on the following general concepts: Product cost percentage: This pricing strategy is generally followed by the restaurants as they themselves pay for the ingredients that are been included in their menu. The logic behind this is in order to serve best quality food, cost will be more. Another logic is that they need to take into account the factors such as products, labour, profit and other expenses. Product Cost: plus: In this system, the price is been set after adding addition cost related factors to the initial product cost. The menu prices include the additional cost and the prime cost of the food along with the profit margin. Contribution margin: Another approach is the contribution margin which is to be maintained by each and every restaurant. A high or low popularity index is been set for the items presented in the menu as per their degree of contribution (McGuire, 2015). So, because of all the above factors, the foodservice operators keep their prices fixed for a certain period of time and do not change them as per the change in demand. From a customer point of view, the approach followed by restaurants for setting their pricing strategy is better than the one followed by the hotels. As the prices are fixed, the quality and value of the products are also maintained. The food service operators does not lower down their prices as per the fluctuations in the demand. They are required to maintain quality in their menu items, which require high costs and make the prices high. So the approach followed by restaurants give more value to the products. Chapter 3 Part 3 As per the consumer perception, if the customer go for having a lunch that he or she need to consume in ten minutes, then the individual will look for good quality, fast service and low price. He would choose the product which has a low price and can be served quickly, as he is short of time. As a result, he will give more value to the price and service, while the quality factor remains constant. On the other hand, if he is to enjoy a leisurely dinner with special someone, then he will look for everything to be the best. The price will be up, quality will be at its best and the service will be good and smooth, instead of being fast paced. In this case, more value will be given to the food quality and services, while price factor will remain up and constant. So, this is how customer value the products as per their perception. The manner of valuation will differ in both the cases and it surely impact the RMs of hospitality industry. The value given to service quality will determine the reputation of the organization and the level of quality maintained by it in its products. Customer feedback is the most important factor in building the goodwill of an organization in hospitality industry. The values given by them to the products price, quality and service offered will help the company to have a good position and make profits. Part 4 Sometimes it is the customer fault that he did not clearly understand the product and its quality, which led to the dissatisfaction in himself related to the product. And sometimes it is the sellers mistake that he is not efficient in communicating the value propositions to the buyers. Some of the following steps can be taken by the seller to remove such dissatisfaction: Communicate clearly everything about the product. Deal with them positively and find the reasons for disappointment. Improve the product or service as per their requirements. Lead the customers to solutions and make them satisfied. In some cases, provide refund if possible and apologise for the misconduct. Evaluate their problems and give personalized assistance. Chapter 4 Part 1 Identifying characteristics of room buyer The potential customer must have a strong purchasing power. Quality focused buyer. The preferences of the customer in respect of buying a room. The buyer must be a frequent traveller. The one who are attracted by brand valuation of the hotel. Sharon can advertise and promote about her hotels in order to communicate with her targeted group. To increase the business sales, she should offer attractive packages to the consumer such as pre-booking discounts, complementary services and amenities. Such offers will help her to attract more consumers from her targeted group. Also the pricing factor should be reasonable and as per the clients requirements. Instead of lowering down or keeping the prices higher than the competitor, Sharon should focus on providing more offers to her customers. As the hotel is running from past 20 years, so as per its brand value, keeping the price lower than the competitor is not a solution. The hotel must provide different more packages to the consumer and discounts in order to increase its sales. The other factor which is to be kept in mind is to maintain the quality of services offered. This will enhance the reputation and increases the profits. References Ivanov, S. (2014).Hotel revenue management: From theory to practice. Bulgaria: Zangador. McGuire, K.A. (2015).Hotel Pricing in a Social World: Driving Value in the Digital Economy. New Jersey: John Wiley Sons.