Storge Art History Essay Essay Example for Free

Storge Art History Essay Essay Storge, the Greek word for familial love, is the title of the art exhibition. Consisting of six works of art, of varying mediums, all but one from the modern era, this art show is meant to project love of family, and the feelings it may bring, whether they are joy or anguish. All the pieces in the show are meant to evoke maternal or paternal feelings in the viewers, and when combined, the pieces are meant to show the journey of parenthood. The duality of the show should be clear with the contrast between some of the happier pieces, such as The Bath, by Cassat, or The Cradle, by Morisot, and some of the darker works, like Migrant Mother, by Lange, and the very famous Pieta, by Michelangelo. The exhibition is also supposed to demonstrate the timelessness of storge, that no matter what century it is, feelings of parenthood are always powerful. Each piece will be placed on its own in a large plain room, and the viewers will walk from one room the next in a sort of chronological order, illustrating the journey of a child’s growth, and how it may affect their parents. The first work shown is The Cradle, and was painted in 1872 using oil on canvas, by Impressionist artist, Berthe Morisot. The piece is of Morisot’s sister Edma gazing at her sleeping baby daughter, and is a beautiful depiction of true motherly love. Morisot used her sister Edma as a model in several other works, like Young Woman Seated at a Window, however, the most powerful works, I found, were the depictions of motherhood, of Edma with her children, such as Hide-and-Seek or On the Grass. The Cradle instills a maternal sense in most viewers, which, after closer inspection seems to be due to the way Morisot had positioned her sister. Edma’s hand drawing the curtain over the cradle, partially obscuring the baby from view creates a feeling of intimacy, and shows the traditional protectiveness a mother has for her child. While the colours that Morisot chose create a somewhat somber feeling, the piece isn’t quite sad. It projects a sense of contentment and serenity, especially coming from the mother’s expression. Some have detected a slight sense of longing in the mother’s eyes, possibly wishing to be able to keep her child safe like this forever, but overall, Morisot creates a peaceful atmosphere evoking motherly sensations in the viewers. The Bath (1892), by Mary Cassat, is another oil on canvas Impressionist painting, also depicting a mother and child. The child in this piece is a few years older than the baby in Morisot’s The Cradle, demonstrating the show’s idea of a child’s growth. Some have described Cassat’s series of pieces showing mother and child as â€Å"largely unsentimental†, however, there is an undeniable feeling of closeness between the two figures, a mother and a daughter. The body language of the mother shows tender care for her daughter, as she gently washes her child’s toes during bathtime. The child, mostly naked, sitting on her mother’s lap is a picture of innocence and vulnerability. The mother cradling her child, holding the girl on her lap with an arm around her hip, creates an image of quiet protectiveness similar to The Cradle. The effect of putting The Bath after Morisot’s piece symbolizes the strong love that mother’s have for their children, because they are both pieces that show the strong bond between parent and child. The painting in the next room after The Bath, is The Banjo Lesson, painted using oil on canvas in 1893, by Henry Ossawa Tanner, a prominent African-American Impressionist painter. This piece shows a black father or grandfather with a young boy on his lap, teaching the boy to play the banjo. Compared with the two works that came before it, The Banjo Lesson shows an even closer bond between parent and child. The closeness of the two figures shows a strong familiarity between them, and again, a feeling of intimacy and protectiveness. The child stands between the man’s legs, leaning against his knee and torso, studiously trying to play a banjo, that’s too big for him, emphasizing his youth and frailty. The man, old and weather, intently watches the child’s delicate fingers, while supporting the neck of the instrument. This painting symbolizes the sharing of knowledge between parent and child, which is a big part of the parental journey. Though there are heavy shadows on the figures’ faces, the concentrated expressions are obvious, and despite that Tanner used mostly darker colours for the foreground, the lighter background, suggesting a fireplace off to the side, creates a feeling of physical warmth, combined with the heartwarming feeling the piece brings. The next three pieces of the Storge show shift the feeling from maternal or paternal warmth, to a slightly sadder sort of feeling. Coming after The Banjo Lesson, is a series of black and white photographs, taken in 1936, Nipomo, California, by Dorothea Lange, called Migrant Mother. The photos all show a poor pea picker, Florence Owens Thompson, the mother of seven children, wearing looks of worry and extreme sadness. All the photos in the set are extremely powerful, because of the feeling of desperation and heartache they generate in viewers of the pictures. At the time, Thompson and her kids had been existing off of frozen vegetables from the field and any birds that her children could kill. The children are positioned differently from photograph to photograph, but the expression on the mother’s face remains the same. It is a mixture of different emotions: disappointment, that she was unable to give her children a proper home; deep concentration, trying to find a way to make a better life for her family; serious concern, about how to make ends meet, where their next meal would come from; and tiredness, physically and mentally exhausted. In most pictures, she cradles her infant, while her other children lean on her. The body language of all the figures represents how a parent is a support system for the child, no matter how exhausted they are. The next work in the Storge exhibition is Arrangement in Grey and Black: Portrait of the Painter’s Mother, painted by James McNeill Whistler, in 1871. The oil on canvas, Impressionist piece shows, as the title dictates, the artist’s mother. At first glance, I had assumed, as did many others, that the mother was at her child’s funeral. It is a very somber picture, the woman wearing all black, clearly old, seeming vulnerable and sad. With some research, I learned that is definitely not what happened. Whistler’s mother had, apparently, sat in on for the portrait when the model became sick. It’s interesting how this piece shows a different sort of familial love. Rather than parent to child, it’s child to parent. Whistler managed to really evoke his mother’s Protestant character with the pose, expression, and colours that he used. There is exceptional attention to detail when it comes to his mother’s face, which kind of symbolizes their relationship. He would have to be very close to her to capture her character in his art, and even to physically recreate her face. I also detected a slight feeling of worry on Whistler’s part, with his mother aging. She had been standing at the start of the portrait, but she had to sit down due to her frailty. So while I did detect, after learning of Whistler’s intentions, a feeling of peace and contentment in the painting, I also felt the feeling of sadness that a child has when the realize they don’t have very much time left with their parent. The last piece, though it breaks from the vaguely chronological order of the show, is arguably the most powerful depiction of mother and son, not just in the show, but ever. Michelangelo’s Pieta, carved from Carrara marble, completed in 1499, depicts every parent’s worst nightmare, the death of a child. Mary holds Jesus’ lifeless body on her lap after the Crucifixion, cradling him in the same way she has been shown cradling Jesus as an infant. Her palms are turned upward as if asking why God would take her son from her, especially in such a violent way. Her face, a picture of numbness and vulnerability, combined with the body language of the two figures creates a sense of a very natural relationship, and shows the bond that was shared between Mary and her son. This piece evokes a very strong reaction in all viewers, of despair and empathy. Regardless of religious background, people have been known to break down into tears at the sight of Pieta, struck by what it would feel like to lose a child. Storge is meant to elicit a strong reaction in all viewers, not just parents. The pieces chosen for this exhibit were meant to show the best and worst events that could occur during parenthood, from cradling your toddler, to cradling your slain child. Viewers should go from craving the bond of parent and child at the beginning of the show, to feeling the loss of a child by the end of it. The artists chosen for this were mostly Impressionist, but I find the most powerful pieces, Migrant Mother by Lange and Pieta by Michelangelo, came from opposite ends of the time spectrum. This shows the timelessness of the journey of parenthood.

History Of The Fiat Strategic On The Market Marketing Essay

History Of The Fiat Strategic On The Market Marketing Essay The intention of this marketing strategy proposal is to examine FIATs current and historical marketing strategies and apply academic models and principles to make recommendations for their future marketing strategy. We will examine what the Agnelli family and its shareholders want to achieve for the company, which direction they are prepared to take the company to achieve their goals, and what techniques they use to evaluate their success. It is important to refer to FIATs long history, to understand some of FIATs marketing strategy options available today, and appreciates that even in this modern constantly changing environment, FIAT understands that it cannot completely lose sight of its underlying principles. History The FIAT brand was started by Gianni Agnelli in 1899 under the name Società   Anonima Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino (Turin). In the 1920s, utilising the same methods as those employed by Ford, FIAT began mass producing its first four seat automobile, the 509. Post World War II, Italys economy was booming and much of this can be attributed to the automobile industry. FIATs cars and farm machinery production grew rapidly due to the new production facilities that FIAT set up worldwide. In 1967 FIAT released the 124 model, a model that went on to win FIAT its first title of Car of the year  [1]  . FIATs success continued into the mid 1970s when the world experienced the oil crises which began when the Middle East declared an embargo on the U.S. During the 80s and 90s when it was experiencing heavy competition, FIAT promoted itself-lf as an innovative brand proposing avant-garde technological solutions at affordable prices.  [2]  and turned its focus to producing vehicles i n developing markets. Post Millennia Fiat was falling behind with the times and invested into changing its core structure, examining its corporate culture and building a relationship with the customer through quality and design innovations and to symbolise this new start, FIAT changed its traditional round badge to a square more formal badge. Chapter II 2.1. The FIAT BRAND FIAT has changed and developed as a car manufacturer through more than a century of existence. The company has had seven logos, symbolising the different development stages, time, age and current position. FIAT has been selected nine times directly and three times through its subsidiaries as the overall winner of the European Car of the Year award. No other company has received this premier automotive award more times than FIAT. The FIAT brand today has the power to evoke all the stages that have made the history of FIAT and its cars: being close to people, their needs and desires, with concrete answers that are flexible and customised.  [3]   2.2. Why did FIAT need the new start? Once the primero name in the Italian automobile market, due to increasing competition from international manufacturers such as the Japanese, Fiat had been unable to hold on to the number one spot. Historically imported cars were prohibitively expensive as high taxes were levied at customs so most people bought domestic cars, which contributed to the success that Fiat enjoyed for decades. Today these tariffs have been removed and Fiat is losing out to the Asian car producers who have the technological advantage with processing and production.  [4]   FIAT has been struggling and losing business over the past 10 years. A failed collaboration with General Motors (GM) only made this position worse.  [5]   FIAT has concentrated in designing small cars, rather than producing a gamut of models like its peers. The lack of segregation of Fiat model range and the placement of the brand means that its almost unidentifiable in the market. Fiat is predominantly reliant on the home market and concentrates its efforts there. Fiat cars are sold at competitive prices, but it is these low prices that are potentially having a detrimental effect on sales. FIAT cars are considered by many as being of an inferior quality which might very well be the physiological consequence of FIAT targeting a lower price. 2.3. Automotive Industry The automotive industry is one of the largest industries in the world. Although the traditional markets have reached saturation point for the conventional combustion engine (excluding vehicle replacement), emerging markets such as China and India are driving new demand. 2.4. Internal and External Analysis 2.4.1. S.W.O.T. Analysis The Internal analysis of strengths and weaknesses focuses on internal factors that give an organisation certain advantages or disadvantages in the market. 2.4.1.1. Strengths Fiat has a strong historical brand name. Fiat is very good at producing small cars such as the Fiat 500. Fiat has a strong presence of Plants overseas. The senior management of Fiat are open-minded to new technologies and are very good at reviewing different ways to organise the organisation. Fiat has a strong senior management team. 2.4.1.2. Weaknesses Poor economies of scale. Fiat tries to put into operation economies of scale, even though it does not the financial power to sustain them. Fiat is rarely a pioneer in introducing new models for the target market. Fiat has a weak marketing network. Their marketing department does not understand market trends and customers expectations. Meaning that Fiat tries to sell something which is not in line with what the customers wants. Poor product quality. Focus on small car segment which has lower margins. The External analysis of opportunities and threats focuses on external factors that exist in the environment. Both of them exist separately of the firm. 2.4.1.3. Opportunities Emerging markets such as the Chinese market or the Indian market. The Chinese automotive market is one of the most rapidly growing in the world. Fiat wishes to focus on expanding into third world countries, markets believing that they are the only markets where firms can expect growth. With less stringent safety requirements, and people happy to trade off non-essential features for a cheaper car, Fiat does not need to invest in development of new models and features. For example, most lack air-conditioning. In fact, Fiats specialisation in smaller cars puts it at a benefit in those markets. A general trend of reintroducing classic models, or models inspired by classic models to try and take advantage of the prestige on the cachet and cool that they generated the first time around. For example, the Beatle by VW and the Mini by BMW. The technology of fuel cells, and hybrid cars presents new opportunities for the industry, and the environment. Government scrappage schemes that encourage people to purchase new cars with the incentive that their old vehicle will be scrapped in exchange for a generous minimum payment, even when this far outweighs the value of the car. 2.4.1.4. Threats The recent macroeconomic downturn has also affected the demand for automotive products worldwide. Manufacturers have had to resort to widespread sales tactics to stimulate demand. Most automobile manufacturing companies around the world face innovation rivalry from Japanese manufacturers, from high technology, through just-in-time production to extensive warranties. Raw material costs are increasing. In the last decade, North American, Japanese and European markets saw a slow progress in demand. Conversely, strong demand is present in emerging Eastern European and especially in Asian markets. Both developments may stimulate price competition between firms as we approach world over-capacity. Safety standard requirements are increasing which requires more research and development, more testing and other costs associated with compliance with external bodies. 2.4.2. P.E.S.T. ANALYSIS FIAT GROUP This type of analysis is used to determine the external driving factors in the automobile industry which can affect the performance of FIAT and the automobile industry altogether. These encompass political, economical, social and technological factors. 2.4.2.1. Political Factors 2008-2012 According to the Kyoto protocol, all the participating countries including the UK have to decrease greenhouse gas emissions by an average of five per cent over the five-year period. Nearly 200 countries have deposited their ratification paperwork. The most notable country that has not ratified the protocol is the United States of America The recent expansion of the EU between 2004 and 2007 should be taken into consideration, which in May grew from 15 to 27 States, including the following countries; Poland, Slovakia, Malta, Estonia, Cyprus, Lithuania, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Latvia, Romania and Bulgaria. 2.4.2.2. Economic Factors The Chinese automobile market is growing rapidly. In the past decade it has gone from an also ran to the largest producer and market in the world. Recent instabilities in the price of oil have affected the price at the pump. The price swings have been so great that fuel retailers have been unable to smooth out the price using the recognised method of buying exchange traded futures contracts or over-the-counter forward contracts. The general move to hybrid and all electric vehicles is being assisted by penalising conventional combustion engine vehicles by offering discounts on more environmentally friendly models and governments introducing progressive taxes based on carbon dioxide omissions. 2.4.2.3. Social Factors Most world conflicts relate to oil production/transportation (e.g pipelines) or at least involve a country that has a significant oil supply/infrastructure, which adds to the price volatility. The increasing importance of environmental factors and the effect this has on consumers spending should not be ignored. People are gradually becoming less interested in owning a high performance, petrol guzzling car, and would rather drive a more efficient, less polluting green vehicle. This social consciousness of population extends to people who use public transportation, which is well supported in Europe. 2.4.2.4. Technological Factors The demand for oil will outstrip global oil (ASPO, Association for Study of the Peak Oil Land Gas, 2005). Consequently, automobile producers are researching into alternative fuels. For instance, Iceland hopes to be self-contained in energy in another 40 years by using hydrogen fuel cells. 2.4.3 PORTER GENERIC STRATIGIES Porter summarised that there are three main strategies for a successful business model. Cost leadership, differentiation and market segmentation. Companies that pursued moderate market share often suffered the hole in the middle problem, giving them the lowest profit. Fiat Group utilises all three of these strategies, cost leadership through its relatively low cost small cars, differentiation through commercial and agricultural vehicles, aviation, financial services and publishing, and niche markets through its acquisition of Ferrari and Maserati. So one might instantly consider that by covering all three strategies, it runs the risk of spreading itself too thinly and suffering the fate of low profitability. However, Fiat has been careful keeping its different activities separate, allowing each business to focus on its core strategy, so that each one can achieve optimum success. These successful enterprises are then combined at the group level for the purpose of differentiation to make the group more resistant to market shocks. 2.4.3. FIAT FIVE FORCES 2.4.3.1. Competitive rivalry within the industry There is always intense competition between companies in the automobile industry that focus both on the international and national markets. Fiat has pursued advancing itself compared to its competitors through product differentiation, improving quality and implementing producer process innovations. For example, Fiat began to look seriously at outsourcing more contracts and cutting component costs in the 1990s. FIGURE 1: Porters Five Forces for FIAT (Cammarata et al., 2006) In a continuously changing market, there is always a threat of rivalry from overseas. Intense competition from Japan and Korea has rewarded them with piece of Fiats domestic market share. 2.4.3.2. Threat of the new entrants Fiat strategic aim is to expand its portfolio through acquisition. Firms can choose to merge in order to remove barriers to entry in new markets. Nearly all the main automobile companies, for instance, Toyota, Honda, Renault and Nissan acquired separate divisions or merged into a group such as Volkswagen Group and many find themselves in a very complicated cross-ownership network. In addition, Fiat has to be able to manage brand identity to keep away the threat of new entrants to its markets. 2.4.3.3. Threat of the substitute products Although in the strictest sense there is not an equivalent substitute for the car, there are many alternative brands. Fiat is focused on cheaper models, good design and quality. 2.4.3.4. Bargaining Power of Customers Selecting a low price point compared to its competitors reduces the ability that customers have when bargaining over the price. With its range of models and levels of equipment it can find a suitable vehicle to satisfy the customers wallet. 2.4.3.5. Bargaining Power of Suppliers Fiat produces many components in house, or from within the Fiat Group. Fiat has a strong relationship with its outsourced partners. 2.4.4. PRICING STRATEGIES 2.4.4.1. Premium Pricing . The practice of setting a high price for desirable and/or unique products. Fiat Group utilises this strategy for its premium marques such as Ferrari and Maserati as they have a substantial competitive advantage due to their prestige and brand loyalty. 2.4.4.2. Penetration Pricing Here the price is set low initially to encourage take up, and then increased once the popularity rises. The initial low offering may result in losses which will be covered once the price is raised. Fiats pricing strategy is always to be low cost, so there is less scope to reduce prices at launch. Some naysayers might say that its Fiat motor car brand is lower quality than other mainstream produces, so this strategy might not be available to Fiat. 2.4.4.3. Economy Pricing Costs of marketing and manufacture are kept at a minimum to create a product that is available to the masses. Fiat has always had the strategy of penetrating the market by setting consistently low prices, partly due to concentrating on producing small cars and partly due to avoiding competing on quality. Only recently has Fiat started investing more heavily in marketing. 2.4.4.4. Price Skimming Is where a new product is released at a high price point and typically targeted at those that are early adopter and are price insensitive, or need the product at any cost. Having high prices, and more importantly high margins attracts competitors, which drives the price down. In a mature market such as the car market, price skimming is not a viable option except for possibly in the car accessories market e.g. satellite navigation when it was first introduced. Along with the four main pricing strategies, there are other approaches to pricing 2.4.4.5. Psychological Pricing This approach targets the consumers emotional responses, rather than their rational response. One common trick is to select a price point such as  £19,950,  £19,990, or even  £19,999 rather than  £20,000. 2.4.4.6. Product Line Pricing This is where the product is priced based on the benefit relative to other products in its range. Fiat sells its cars based on size and performance which helps the buyer understand the price relative to a, for example, a smaller model with a lower price and a high performance variant with a higher price. 2.4.4.7. Optional Product Pricing Here a basic product is advertised and sold. Optional extras will then be adding to the overall price of the vehicle. Fiat, as well as all car manufacturers create a fully safety compliant vehicle with a standard engine to get people interested in their car. Once the buyer is interested then it is up to the retailer to promote the advantages over performance, styling and functionality of the optional extras 2.4.4.7. Captive Product Pricing Manufacturers will charge a low price initial and recoup its margin through complementary purchases or maintenance. A recent trend in the motor industry is to sell the vehicle at low price but recoup extra money through after service and high costs of parts and labour. To counter this other companies have introduced up to a 7 year warranty. 2.4.4.8. Geographical Pricing Geographical pricing is where there are variations in price around the world. Variations may occur due to shipping costs, local competition, laws and regulations. Most of Fiats vehicles sell to mainland Europe and so have the steering wheel on the left. However in the UK and elsewhere in the world the steering wheel is on the right. In tropical countries cars do not need to be fitted with a heating system, likewise in cold climates air condition need not be fitted. Car manufacturers usually create a basic model to be sold in developing countries 2.4.4.9. Value Pricing In the current recession, people have less disposable income and are more likely to put off large purchases such as a vehicle, hence Fiat has to reduce margins further to present extra value to the customer. 2.4.5. MARKET SEGMENTATION Market segmentation is the process of identifying subsets of a market made up of individuals demanding similar products based on attributes such as price, function or style. A true market segment is distinct, homogenous, reacts to stimuli and behaves in the same way to stimulus. Market Segmentation, includes but is not limited to the following bases Geographical continents, countries, town, region Demographical Age, Gender, Social Class, Family Type Psychographic Cultural, Activities, Interests, Opinions, lifestyle, religion Geodemographic a combination of Geographical and Demographical Behavioural usage rate or loyalty Fiat selects models and equips vehicles based on the geographical segment of the market that they are to be sold. For example, in countries with unsealed roads it sells 4 wheel drive models, rather than sports models. In hot countries air conditioning is standard and heating is optional, likewise in cold countries the opposite is true. In South America, cars are modified to run on compressed natural gas, and ethanol fuel is used as an alternative to petrol or diesel Demographically, Fiat aims smaller, economical models at the young, performance cars at 25-45 year old men, estate/hatchback cars at young families and large saloons at senior businessmen and retirees treating themselves to a quality car that will last. Psycho graphically, electric/hybrid models aimed at the environmentally conscious. The redesigned Fiat 500 or other stylish models at trendy young people, who consider themselves a bit different Behaviourally, Appeals to those who have owned a Fiat before. The Fiat 500 is also targeted at nostalgic middle aged people who probably had one, or at least wanted on the first time around, as a second car. 2.4.5.1. Fiats Four Ps Jerome McCarthy proposed the 4 Ps for describing the marketing mix Product Various models, sizes, configurations, equipments standards Price Fiats cost leadership means that its customers pay a low price Place Fiat has a worldwide presence for direct sales and distribution. Promotion How effectively Fiat can market its products through direct and indirect advertising, public relations, word of mouth and point of sale. The original four Ps can be extended by a further three Ps for marketing services People: includes employees, management and consumers Process: Procedure, mechanisms and flow of activities Physical Evidence: The environment in which the service is delivered. Both tangible goods that help to communicate and perform the service, and the intangible experience of existing and potential customers 2.4.6. Bowmans clock An expansion of Porters three generic strategies, Bowman compares price against value. The strategies form around the central spoke hence the comparison to a clock. ValuePrice Low Price Medium Price High Price High added value Hybrid. By carefully off-shoring, Fiat can reduce production costs whilst still delivering the same product Differentiation. Investing in exciting new models to build its customer base and brand loyalty Focus Differentiation. Hybrid cars and Electric cars currently have a high price, to recoup the costs involved to bring this high value attribute to the market Mediocre added value Cost Leader. Through low prices, Fiat attempts to be a cost leader Raise Price. High Margins for its premium car brands. There is a possibility of losing sales to competition, but it is unlikely to be price related Low Added Value Fiat retails budget, low specification variants to developing nations Increased Price and Low Value. With the amount of competition in the car industry, this option is not really viable. Selling such a big ticket item, people weigh up the cost vs benefits 2.4.7. Boston Matrix Created by the Boston Consulting group, this chart is used to plot a companies business units to allow a company to make decisions on strategic marketing and brand marketing. Detailed in the chart are 4 specific business units of the Fiat brand. Its important to note that even with low market share and low growth, satisfactory profits are still possible. High market share low High Star question mark / problem child growth of market cash cow dog Low European Car Market Chinese car market South American market Financial services Chapter III 3.1. Direction of Growth 3.1.1. Ansoffs Matrix 3.1.1.1. Market Penetration This theory advocates the strategy that the company markets its existing products to its existing customers. By promoting the product and repositioning the brand the company can gain competitors customers, increase sales to existing customers and gain new customers that are considered part of the existing market but have not yet invested. 3.1.1.2. Market Development This theory advocates the strategy that the company markets its existing products to new customers. The product remains the same although it may be repackaged physically and metaphorically for a new audience. The product may be exported to reach a new international market. FIGURE 2: ANSOFFS MATRIX (Source:http://tutor2u.net/business/presentations/strategy/ansoff/default.html slide3) 3.1.1.3. Product Development This theory advocates the strategy that the company markets new products to its existing customers. The company may develop innovative replacement products, complementary products to existing products, or sell entirely disconnected products to its existing customer base. For FIAT this means updated existing models or replacing them to be marketed to existing customers, or offering complementary products such as car accessories or finance. However, Fiat divested its insurance sector in 2003. Fiat also offers aspirational brands to its existing customers in the form of Maserati and Ferrari. 3.1.1.4. Diversification This theory prescribes the strategy that the company markets new products to new customers. The company diversifies into new markets where it previously had no presence. This diversification takes two forms, related diversification, where the diversification remains in the industry or market where the company is established, or unrelated diversification, where the company enters a new industry in which they have no market experience Fiat diversified itself in the related personal transportation market through its Piaggio motorcycle brand, which in 1999 it sold to Morgan Grenfell Private Equity, through the related, components, metallurgical products, production systems, commercial vehicles, buses and services vehicles, agricultural and construction equipment. It also diversifies itself into less related and unrelated industries through aviation, IT, finance, leisure, publishing, communication and even sponsorship of the Jamaican bobsledding team!  [6]   Chapter IV 4. The Method of Development 4.1. Merger or Acquisition of FIAT Apart from in its home country where FIAT is well received, it cannot rid itself of the perceived and genuine quality issues internationally. To combat this FIAT should consider recommencing its attempted allegiance with General Motors or seek a well known domestic manufacturer with a track record of delivering quality. If neither of these options are viable, FIAT could look to other strategic alliances perhaps with the Japanese, or with a German Manufacturer, highlighting the qualities that these partnerships bring when promoting their vehicles in the UK. Only by pursuing a joint venture or by associating itself with a recognised service provider will FIAT be able to be a contender in Europe. This approach will invariably be a costly one, but if the sincere objective is to increase the market share of the brand, FIAT has to follow this determined approach. Along with the failed allegiance with General Motors, over its history FIAT has had many associations (and attempted associations) with various European producers which have all ultimately failed. The reason for failure is down to two imperative reasons. Firstly any substantial agreement with an external entity would require a considerable shake-up of the production capabilities which would result in a substantial reorganisation for the employees of both parties. Secondly the outcome would change the dynamics of the Agnelli family involvement and control of the company, vastly reducing its impact in the management and running of the company. If FIAT had reached a satisfactory resolution with General Motors the combined business would have been able to win market share from its competitors by leveraging off of the synergies created by the two entities in engine, and component design. The union between the two would have allowed for the Agnelli family to control the implementation of the agreement in the Europe market.  [7]   This united company would surely be a definite force in the emerging markets of Russia, Brazil and other South American countries, particularly with its existing exposure unsurpassed by its Chapter V 5. Conclusion The analysis shows that Fiat is not a well represented and truly desirable universal brand. Its goal, and therefore its marketing effort must be to change consumers attitude and perception of the brand and promote Fiat as being superior to its competitive peers such as Vauxhall and Peugeot. By identifying rivals in the industry such as these, its possible to access relative strengths and weaknesses, similarities and disparities so as to gain an insight into the changes that must occur for the company to be successful in achieving the companys target. Similarities Differences FIAT vs. Vauxhall -Both are targeted as familiar or traditional (associated with practicality over style.) Impersonal sales -Similar notion about prices (but FIAT is considered cheaper) Vauxhall target customers are slightly older FIAT is poor quality while Vauxhall is medium quality Vauxhall is recognised for the full range of car types, FIAT is recognised for its small vehicles FIAT is less popular Fiat vs. Peugeot -Similar notion about prices -Equally reliable Peugeot is considered good quality (well built and comfortable to drive) while FIAT is poor quality. Peugeot is well designed with more has better performance Due to Fiats competitive price strategy, and its position of being a cost leader, it is considered by many as offering an unreliable, low quality alternative to the other majors. However, it is not the actual quality of FIAT cars that is driving this belief, but the customers perception of quality based on their competitive price point. Purchasing a motor vehicle is an expensive investment, and an investment that will reduce in value over time. Buyers use a combination of rational values and emotional elements when making their selection decision. Rational values involves all the costs associated with the vehicle and affordability and the emotional elements involve the selection process of choosing a vehicle or brand that you identify with and which one you would be most happy living with for a number of years. One must consider the Points of Parity and Points of difference when marketing a brand. This table is related to the points of parity and difference of each brand. Points of parity Points of difference FIAT   Traditional, rudeness Leader in cost Vauxhall   Familiar, comfortable, rust Many models (you can choose for different purposes) Peugeot   Comfortable, good design   Sportive design People need to identify with a car, feel that the car represents them. Fiat does not employ a strong enough emotional message to distinguishing it from its competitors, and offset its negative perception and creating desire am

Microprocessor-based Mobile Robot with On-board Vision System Driving Range Golf Ball Retriever :: essays research papers

Microprocessor-based Mobile Robot with On-board Vision System Driving Range Golf Ball Retriever   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Golf Retrieving Mobile Robot is an undergraduate thesis of the DLSU students. It is a robot that is capable of retrieving golf balls automatically without the assistance of a person. This is very useful in a driving range or the area where golfers practice their swings to hit golf balls. The robot is named Greg, it is able to accumulate golf balls on the field. The problems that might arise are the confusion of the driving ranges and re-use of golf balls.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The flow of the operation starts from capturing the image, after which is the process image for detection of the borders as well as the golf balls. Using image processing base on the RGB values or the white and non-white image, the system is capable of distinguishing whether the object is a golf ball or not. The logic of the system is created using neural networks. The logic is programmed in such a way that the robot is able to determine how far the golf ball is and whether the object is actually a golf ball or not. The dimples of the golf ball are also one of the considerations they use in creating the logic of the system. The person is able to set the boundaries for the robot to move around. This is done by putting a boundary using blue or red tapes for the robot to sense. The border detection and avoidance is used to prevent the robot from going out of the prescribed area.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The main objective of the system is to be able to identify and retrieve golf balls. There are five main components of the system, namely, the PC compartment, the remote control, the wheels and chassis, the vision system, and the ball counter. The vision system used is the modified desktop computer. Wheels and chassis are utilized to have the mobot move around the field. The robot is capable of moving around and retrieving golf balls by itself, but the user has the option of controlling the robot through the use of the remote control or the master control of the robot. The robot consists of a front wheel which is the caster wheel and a back wheel or the rubber wheels.

Acquired Immune Difficiency Syndrome :: essays research papers

Acquired Immune Difficiency Syndrome AIDS is a life and death issue. To have the AIDS diseas is at present a sentence of slow but inevitable death. I've already lost one friend to AIDS. I may soon lose others. My own sexual behavior and that of many of my friends has been profoundly altered by it. In my part of the country, one man in10 may already be carrying the AIDS virus. While the figures may currently be less in much of the rest of the country, this is changing rapidly. There currently is neither a cure, nor even an effective treatment, and no vaccine either. But there are things that have been PROVEN immensely effective in slowing the spread of this hideously lethal disease. In this essay I hope to present this information. History and Overview AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Defficiency Disease. It is caused by a virus. The disease originated somewhere in Africa about 20 years ago. There it first appeared as a mysterious ailment afflicting primarily heterosexuals of both sexes. It probably was spread especially fast by primarily female prostitutes there. AIDS has already become a crisis of STAGGERING proportions in parts of Africa. In Zaire, it is estimated that over twenty percent of the adults currently carry the virus. That figure is increasing. And what occurred there will, if no cure is found, most likely occur here among heterosexual folks. AIDS was first seen as a disease of gay males in this country. This was a result of the fact that gay males in this culture in the days before AIDS had an average of 200 to 400 new sexual contacts per year. This figure was much higher than common practice among heterosexual (straight) men or women. In addition, it turned out that rectal sex was a particularly effective way to transmit the disease, and rectal sex is a common practice among gay males. For these reasons, the disease spread in the gay male population of this country immensely more quickly than in other populations. It became to be thought of as a "gay disease". Because the disease is spread primarily by exposure of ones blood to infected blood or semen, I.V. drug addicts who shared needles also soon were identified as an affected group. As the AIDS epidemic began to affect increasingly large fractions of those two populations (gay males and IV drug abusers), many of the rest of this society looked on smugly, for both populations tended to be despised by the "mainstream" of society here. But AIDS is also spread by heterosexual sex. In addition, it

Inflammatory Bowel Disease :: Crohns Disease

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of chronic disorders that cause inflammation or ulceration in the small and large intestines. Most often IBD is classified as ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease but may be referred to as colitis, enteritis, ileitis, and proctitis. Ulcerative colitis causes ulceration and inflammation of the inner lining of a couple of really bad places, while Crohn's disease is an inflammation that extends into the deeper layers of the intestinal wall. Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease cause similar symptoms that often resemble other conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (spastic colitis). The correct diagnosis may take some time. Crohn's disease usually involves the small intestine, most often the lower part (the ileum). In some cases, both the small and large intestine (those really bad places again) are affected. In other cases, only the SUPER really bad place is involved. Sometimes, inflammation also may affect the mouth, esophagus, stomach, duodenum, appendix, or some nasty sounding word. Crohn's disease is a chronic condition and may recur at various times over a lifetime. Some people have long periods of remission, sometimes for years, when they are free of symptoms. There is no way to predict when a remission may occur or when symptoms will return.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The most common symptoms of Crohn's disease are abdominal pain, often in the lower right area, and diarrhea. There also may be rectal bleeding, weight loss, and fever. Bleeding may be serious and persistent, leading to anemia (low red blood cell count). Children may suffer delayed development and stunted growth. What Causes Crohn's Disease and Who Gets It?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many theories about what causes Crohn's disease, but none has been proven. One theory is that some agent, perhaps a virus, affects the body's immune system to trigger an inflammatory reaction in the intestinal wall. Although there is a lot of evidence that patients with this disease have abnormalities of the immune system, doctors do not know whether the immune problems are a cause or a result of the disease. Doctors believe, however, that there is little proof that Crohn's disease is caused by emotional distress or by an unhappy childhood. Crohn's disease affects males and females equally and appears to run in some families. About 20 percent of people with Crohn's disease have a blood relative with some form of inflammatory bowel disease, most often a brother or sister and sometimes a parent or child. How Does Crohn's Disease Affect Children?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Women with Crohn's disease who are considering having children can be comforted to know that the vast majority of such pregnancies will result in normal children.

Assess the postmodernist views of the mass media Essay

PM argue mass media are central to the PM theory, as the decline of traditional communities, time-space compression and flexible production – all derived through the media. PM argue the global society is media-saturated, making it harder to distinguish between reality and hyper-reality, and making culture fragmented and unstable. PM challenge viewing audience as passive and easily manipulated, as they use media images to construct individual identities. The major criticism of PM is that their argument is based on abstract concepts and a lack of empirical evidence. Marxists criticise PM for ignoring inequalities in media access, and that the media messages can mislead the audiences, as the main effort behind them is maintaining profit for capitalists. PM argue the society today is media-saturated. BAUDRILLARD argues the media messages dominate and distort the perception of the world. People live media-led virtual lives, spending time on social networks (eg. Twitter) or playing such video games as Second Life. Media-saturated society had created increasing uncertainty in the world by making it hard to discern reality from fantasy. BAUDRILLARD notes people are bombarded with the mass media daily. As a result, the media define our sense of reality and self-perception. To support, BAUMANN suggests people live in a liquid modernity, where we base our identity around consumption, and pick n mix identities. BAUDRILLARD agrees that identity is driven my media-created pressure to consume. However, Marxists argue capitalism is behind media-created pressure to consume, and the growth of consumerism represents the success of capitalism rather than diverse media messages. Nonetheless, BAUDRILLARD still argues that identity is formed by media images, rather than class and imposed values. PM argue the media actively create reality. BAUDRILLARD argues media images have replaced reality to such an extent that we live in hyper-reality, i. e. reality structured by electronic communication. In turn, the media present simulacra (artificial copies of real events), which is hard to differentiate from reality. There is no longer separate reality for things like TV programmes, highlighted by media stories about fictional characters. TUCKLE notes that the lives of TV characters have become more real to the audience than actual communities. For example, people felt so strongly about TV show Cheers that they created Cheers bars in America, similarly to creating Central Perk coffee shops after popularity of Friends. Moreover, the media can create realities of such major events as wars. BAUDRILLARD argues that the First Gulf War was a simulation created by the media, noting that ‘the war only happened on TV’. While not denying the existence of conflict, he criticised its portrayal in western societies. However, the impact of hyper-reality and simulacra is uneven between social groups. They are only significant to those who can access them. PM are criticised for ignoring that media images can increase perception of inequality. More importantly, PM ignore concerns over concentration of media ownership and ideological function hyper-reality may perform. Marxists suggest the RC may create the hyper-reality to reinforce their ideology, whereas Feminists suggest some aspects of hyper-reality, particularly games like GTA, reinforce patriarchy and misogyny. PM highlight the increasing importance of popular culture promoted by the media. STRINATI notes the mass media have caused a breakdown of distinction between high and popular culture, making popular culture dominate the way people define themselves. Popular culture has more influence on our lifestyles than social structures, as opposed to Marxist view that the media owners influence the media output thus influence our identities. However, PM are criticised for not being able to empirically prove the link between popular culture and creation of identities. PM conducted small scale ethnographic research, as they reject possibility of discovering objective truth about social world. However, it severely undermines their argument. In support of PM, however, neo-functionalist PUTNAM found empirical evidence to highlight the breakdown of the real world social interaction and declining social capital due to the influence of the media, and especially new media. In conclusion, PM view of the media is influential in drawing attention to the impact of the media on creation of identities and how consumption influence people’s ability to create their identities themselves. However, the major limitation of PM theory is reluctance to recognise the significance of the market forces and concentration of media ownership in understanding the media impact on the society. Moreover, PM do not acknowledge the media’s role of promoting and exacerbating inequalities among audiences.

Toyota Production System and Kanban System

This article was downloaded by: [210. 212. 186. 193] On: 17 July 2012, At: 23:18 Publisher: Taylor & Francis Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK International Journal of Production Research Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www. tandfonline. com/loi/tprs20 Toyota production system and Kanban system Materialization of just-in-time and respect-for-human system Y.SUGIMORI , K. KUSUNOKI , F. CHO & S. UCHIKAWA a a a a a Production Control Department, Toyota Motor Co. , Ltd, 1 Toyota-cho, Toyota-shi, 471, Japan. Version of record first published: 28 Mar 2007 To cite this article: Y. SUGIMORI, K. KUSUNOKI, F. CHO & S. UCHIKAWA (1977): Toyota production system and Kanban system Materialization of just-in-time and respect-for-human system, International Journal of Production Research, 15:6, 553-564 To link to this article: h ttp://dx. doi. org/10. 1080/00207547708943149PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Full terms and conditions of use: http://www. tandfonline. com/page/terms-and-conditions This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date.The accuracy of any instructions, formulae, and drug doses should be independently verified with primary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand, or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material. INT. J. PROD. RES. , 1977, VOL. 15, No. 6, 553-564 Toyota production system and Kanban sy stem Materialization of just-in-time and respect-for-human system Y. SUGIMORIt, K. KUSUNOKIt, F.OHOt and 8. UOHIKAWAt The Toyota Production System and Kanban System introduced in this paper was developed by the Vice-President of Toyota Motor Company. Mr. Taiichi Ohno, and it was under his guidance that these unique production systems have become deeply rooted in Toyota Moter Company in the past 20 years. There are two major distinctive features in these systems. One of these is the' just-in-time production I, a specially important factor in an assembly industry such as automotive manufacturing. In. this type of production,