What Caused World War 2 and Why Did the US Become Involved in It Research Paper - 1

What Caused World War 2 and Why Did the US Become Involved in It - Research Paper Example The Weimar Germany steamed trouble that drove towards the Second World War. The treaty received a lot of dissatisfaction claims from the Germans included the loss of part of its territories and the tribute that the Germans had to pay as reparations for the war effects. Besides this reason, the Italian fascism of the 1920s, the Japanese military development, the attack on China in 1930s and the Nazis take overinclusive with Adolf Hitler all point to the Second World War. In 1933 after Hitler and his Nazi fellows had taken over power, the grievances of the Germans over the lost war became apparent with the demands raised as part of the Nazi ideology. The demands proved more ambitious and included the uniting of the German community in one nation and the demand that led to the acquisition of space commonly referred to as â€Å"living space†. The living space used as a way of cleaning the country. Through it, the Germans gained access to the East and colonized the territories he found. The actions of the Nazis created tensions in the other states through these ideologies developed. Then started the colonization effects with Italy claiming over Ethiopia, Japan over Manchuria in the year 1931 and its avid entry into China in 1937 and the Germans rearmament and remilitarization of the Rhine lands at around 1936. The Germans went further to divide the Eastern part of Europe into a Nazi and the Soviet areas each with different levels of influence. The Danzig crisis followed that triggered the war in Europe at around 1939. In addition, competition for resources played a role in creating the Second World War.

Community College Essay Example for Free

Community College Essay After graduating high school a lot of people do not know what their next step in life will be. Some struggle between deciding to go straight into the workforce, joining the military, or continuing their education by going to college. The average person chooses college as their next step. A common issue about going to college is whether to go to a two-year college/community college or straight into a four-year university. I think community college is the smarter and better choice. People fail to realize that going to community college helps you save thousands of dollars. Not only that, but students with undecided majors better find their way while saving money at community colleges. They are very flexible and can provide students with a better transition from high school while benefiting from their smaller class sizes and campuses. As we all know, community college is cheaper to attend than a four-year university. Four-year universities cost thousands of dollars while attending a community college would cost less than half of that. For instance, the average cost of attendance at Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) is roughly 5,000 dollars per year for a freshman, compared to the cost of attendance at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) which is about 25,000 dollars a year for freshmen. The cost of attending VCU is fives times as much as attending NOVA where in retrospect the same material is being covered. To break it down, tuition and fees at VCU amount to about 12,000 dollars. One credit costs about 300 dollars while at NOVA a credit costs 150 dollars. Room and board would be 9,000 dollars at VCU, while going to NOVA in most cases you would not have to pay to live at home if you are a freshman. Books would still be around the same price because books in college are expensive regardless. Other expenses would vary depending on what a student would need. Looking back on it the cost of going to a community college saves you a tremendous amount of money and would be worth it in the long run. Growing up people would talk about community college as if it were basically the thirteenth grade. In a sense would not that benefit a student more? Classes at four-year universities can sometimes be overwhelming, having hundreds of students in one lecture class. With classes getting hard from the transition of high school to college, would not a student want smaller class sizes? It only seems reasonable. By having smaller class sizes a student would naturally be able to learn better than in a class full of 300 people. Lecture classes can be long, tiring, and filled with millions of questions. In bigger classes some communication issues might occur and information might not always get to a student depending on their seating. Also the professors might not always get to a question that a student may have which can get very frustrating. Having smaller class sizes, everything is right there in front of a student. The professor is there for easier access to questions, class discussions would be more beneficial and easier to get involved with, and a person would get to know their classmates more. Smaller class sizes would help students gain a better learning experience. Many people go into college undecided on what they want their major to be. Studies prove that 50% of students who declared their majors change them after their first year according to Dr. Firtz Grupe of mymajors. com. Some students even change their majors up to three times throughout college. Going to community college can help a student find out their major while saving money. When a student changes majors there are always some complications. Some classes that were needed for their previous major have nothing to do with the current major that they just switched to. The money that was paid for those credits is, for the most part, wasted. That can be very taxing on a student’s financial income. If these problems occurred to a student who was attending a four-year college they would have wasted thousands of dollars compared to if a student changed majors at a community college. Even though money is lost in both cases, the amount of money lost at a community college is far more manageable than losing thousands of dollars at a four-year college. Think about it this way, would you rather lose 100 dollars or 10,000? Community college is a great way for students with undecided majors to discover what they want to do while not losing as much money and time. Classes at community colleges are very flexible and can help students manage their classes around other things. People who attend community colleges sometimes seek jobs while in school. One thing that could be very frustrating for a student would be having class at a time that conflicts with a work schedule. That could be a problem if a student at a four-year university had a job because not as much night classes are offered at four-year colleges. Community colleges have better options in that case. A student working a regular 9-5 schedule would find problems trying to go to school after work. At community college classes could easily be taken after work with more night classes being offered at a community college. Students can go to work then school or vice versa, go to school in the morning then work some time after without any hardships. Having flexible classes are always a benefit because they provide more options and having options are always a good thing. Community colleges provide an easier transition from the laid back high school environment to the stressful college life. As Liz Addison says, it helps students begin. High school classes are easier compared to classes in college. Grading wise and tests, quizzes, etc. Community college can help ease a student into the college atmosphere. That classes are not that much easier than that of a community college but not as hard either. It is a step up from high school in terms of difficulty and helps to better transition students into the university world. Less stress is involved and things are more manageable. Some people argue many things about community colleges. The main thing often associated with community college is commuting . People say that commuting to community college cost so much money in regards to gas. Community colleges are in your community and most of the times have ways to get you to and from school. They are called community colleges for a reason. All the money that a student would save from not going to a four-year college would cover the cost of gas easily. Also most community colleges have operating bus systems and car pooling is always an option. Another thing people try to argue about going to a community college is that a person will not gain a true college experience. Some people go through life and do not experience many things like never being on a plane, not having a dog, or even never going to a football game. That experience is not something that a student would need to have to become successful in life. The rewards of getting to where you want to be in life are far greater than not getting a full college experience. In the long run you will make up for the experiences you have missed by gaining better ones. Going to a two-year college first before transferring to a four-year university pays off in the long run. People either do not know the benefits or are two proud to attend a community college. Money is saved, the learning experience is better, the transition from high school is easier and community colleges help undeclared majors find their majors. Seems like the smart way to go.

Ozzy Osbourne :: essays research papers fc

The Prince of Darkness and Black Sabbath On December 3rd, 1948, John Michael Osbourne was born in Birmingham, England. This child would suffer many hardships throughout his life, but somehow would force himself to overcome them. This man that came to be known as Ozzy fronted the most famous classic metal bad of all time, Black Sabbath. After trying work, Ozzy moved to petty theft, and then ended up in jail. Ozzy decided to try music as a career. He began to look for bands to join and soon found one named Music Machine. Due to illness, Music Machine was in need of a singer. Ozzy filled in and was fascinated by the traveling and wild sides of the music lifestyle. Later, he joined a band called Approach, but he disliked the band and quit shortly after. Ozzy eventually formed a band with Tony Iommi as guitarist, William â€Å"Bill† Ward as drummer, and Terence â€Å"Geezer Butler† as bassist. The four musicians first called themselves Polka Tulk Blues, and then changed its name to Earth. The Band played a gig at a place called Henry’s Blueshouse(Veinotte). The upper-class people that were at the gig had been awaiting a different Earth and totally different style of music. The night was a disaster and the band knew that a new band name was in order. Geezer suggested that the band change its name to ‘Black Sabbath’, the name of a horror movie during that time. Black Sabbath got some gigs on its own, but more often the band would wait where other bands were scheduled to perform. If the scheduled band failed to show up, Black Sabbath would take their position on stage. In January 1969, they played the Star Club in Hamburg, a place made famous by The Beatles. The club booked the band for future shows after the outstanding performance. They played seven shows a day and wrote new music and lyrics as they went. Black Sabbath completed their first album and released it on Friday, February 13, 1970. The album was recorded in only eight hours with a cost of approximately $1200 in United States currency, which was very cheap for the time. During the recording, the band still lacked popularity, but just did what they enjoyed, which was sing about the gloomy side of life. At this point, the four men were having a great time and did not expect to make it very big in the music industry.

Moving Away from Home Can Be Astessful Experience for Young People

Moving away from home can be a stressful experience for young people Nowadays, many young people don’t want to live with their parents because they think if they live along, they can do whatever they want. But maybe few months later, they will find some problems that they never know how to do before because their parents always do everything for them when they are at home. At that time, they will feel stressful. However, I think it’s a good way to teach them how to live by themselves, especially for teenagers. They can’t be dependent on their parents all of their life so they have to learn many things and do many things by themselves. Moving away from home not only can be a stressful experience for young people but can also be a good way to let them learn how to become independent. The other reason that young people will feel stressful when they move away from home is they don’t know many people in the new place or even they don’t know anyone there. When they have something they can’t solve, they don’t know they can ask who or who can help them. They will feel so lonely and upset in the beginning, especially for someone who has nothing is smooth. In conclusion, moving away from home is a stressful experience for young people but also it is a helpful experience to them because they can learn many things by this kind of experience.

Automobile Safety Essay

Intro Automobiles! You just have to have one in this fast paced world! In the United States, or maybe just in a popular city such as Los Angeles or New York, automobiles are necessary. People need to move from point A to point B. These points can be as close as a few hundred feet or even range up to a few hundred miles! When making these trips safety is a priority. There are hundreds of thousands of automobiles on the roads across the nation and if safety was not considered, thousand would be injured or even killed daily! Automobile safety has come a long way over the years and as every day goes by more and more new ways are created to keep drivers, and their passengers, safe on the road. Thesis Since the automobile was first created, more and more safety precautions have been taken to make an automobile ride as safe as possible. I will provide information on how to keep you and your car up to date with some precautions to ensure safety on the road. Preview. We will begin with examples and tips on how to choose the safest automobile on the road, then we will look at precautions automobile companies are taking to keep you safe, and finally we will see some issues that are still to be taken care of as the automobile industry soars. Point 1 There are many different automobile companies providing buyers with many styles of cars, trucks, SUVs, and motorcycles. Toronto Star January 14, 2005 present ways to approach the automotive buying process. There are many different surveys, crash reports, and rating systems comparing different companies and their vehicles. Things you should look for when reading these published articles are who conducted the study? Who paid for it? Who gains from it? Who loses? These are all things to keep eye on as some automotive companies will run their own surveys making their products seem overpowering against the competition. Some prove their products are safer then the competition where the competition has been proven time and time again to make that survey seem inaccurate. The consumer is the biggest target for these falsifying surveys. The act of choosing the right size, shape, and color all have their own place in the process, but choosing the make of the automotive is the real hurdle some people get stuck on. Country Living November 2005 presents to the consumer what new options are available on GM automobiles and trucks. They state that, â€Å"Only GM is committed to offering a full range of cars, trucks, and SUVs that offer GM continuous safety protection before, during, and thanks to On-Star technology, after vehicle collisions. † This is a prime example of how vehicle manufacturers sell their product to the consumer before the consumer steps foot into a dealership. The consumer, relying on this ad, will step foot, in this case, in a GM dealership and then decide what vehicle to chose depending on the models they offer. The consumer has now disregarded all other vehicle manufacturers just by relying on an ad. Almost all vehicle manufacturers have their own way of selling to consumers before consumers even see the line of vehicles they offer. Catchy slogans and ads are things all manufacturers use to gain their consumers attention. Transition from 1 to 2 Now that we saw what vehicle manufacturers are doing to get your attention, lets look at the statistics on which manufacturer actually provides you with the safety that they claim. Point 2 Newswire US February 9, 2006 states valuable information about automotive safety. Frost & Sullivan’s recent analysis of active and passive safety systems in the US and consumer’s desirability and willingness to pay for such systems recognized Volvo as the recipient of the 2005 U. S. Consumer Choice of the Year Award for Brand Offering the Best Overall Automotive Safety. This particular survey was conducted using over 1,000 U. S. consumers. What this survey tells the consumer is valuable in making a decision. By stating that Volvo has received this award doesn’t mean other manufacturer’s vehicles are unsafe. This survey only states that you get the safety you pay for with Volvo vehicles and also that Volvo customers are satisfied with their vehicles. One of the things that helped Volvo achieve this award is that they provide standard three-point safety belts, which is one of the industries most cost effective vehicular safety features. Volvo was also one of the first brands to adopt padded dashboards, ergonomic seats, disk brakes, crumple zones, split steering columns, integrated child booster cushions, and side airbags. Recent additions to Volvos signature safety features are whiplash protection seating systems, rollover protection system, roll stability control, and their intelligent vehicle architecture. Volvo has been around for over 75 years and they been amazing their customers with better and stylish vehicles every time they renew or introduce a new model. Transition from 2 to 3 Now that we seen how advertisement and research studies on safety can help the consumer make their decision, let us look at some issues vehicle manufacturers have and what precautions can be taken to avoid danger on the road. Point 3 Tires. No matter what vehicle manufacturer you chose, there is always the fear of getting a flat tire or even having a tire explode while the vehicle is in motion. Tire manufacturers design all kinds of tires such as Run-Flats, which are basically thicker tires with insulation that allow the vehicle to be driven even though the tire is flat. Just like vehicle manufacturers, there are many different tire manufacturers. This is where the safety issue comes in. Tires can reach high temperatures while in motion. As the tire is turning even a small nail can cause it to explode. Keep in mind that the tire has air in it. The faster the tire rotates the more pressure it has being exerted outward from the center of the rim. To think a little hair pin or paperclip can have no affect on a tire as it is still, this is not the case as the tires are under higher pressure and are prone to damage or explode when any sharp or pointy object is present to the tire. Fleet Owner February 1st, 2006 present an article to the consumer about Automatic tire inflation systems. Some newer vehicles, such as the Cadillac Escalade, offer this new mechanism. There is an automatic pressure gauge in each tire. When the tire is deflated past the minimum psi needed for the tire to operate properly, an on-board air compressor is triggered to bring the pressure inside the tire to proper level. This new mechanism can help reduce tire damage due to driving with deflated tires, which also results in the tire exploding, but you must still be cautious yourself as there might be many objects on the road that can still cause damage to any tire. Restated Thesis Now you have better knowledge on Vehicle and road safety. Summary We began looking at what consumers should look for in a vehicle when purchasing it in regards to safety and advertising flaws. Then we moved on to the statistics that proved Volvo to be the safest automobile manufacturer of 2005. And finally we were informed about conditions that automotive manufacturers have no control over by using the tire pressure and road conditions as examples. Conclusion Safety is the number on thing automobile manufacturers have in mind no matter what type of vehicle they design. Different manufacturers have different safety standards, but there is one overall manufacturer that is awarded with the safest line of cars award. In 2005 it was Volvo. The Volvo automotive group has succeeded in meeting their safety goals. But at the same time there are other conditions that still lie between point A and point B. As safe as your car can be, always take caution when driving no matter where u may be. Keep your eyes on the road and be safe everyone. Works Cited – â€Å"Vehicle safety has come a long way over the years,† The Toronto Star, 14 January 2006, Pg G06. – â€Å"Road to progress paved with potholes,† USA Today, 15 November 2005, Pg 3B. – â€Å"Volvo Cars receives Frost & Sullivan’s U. S. Consumer Choice Award; Volvo Brand Named Best Overall Automotive Safety,† PR Newswire US, 9 February 2006. – â€Å"More complex cars and more stricter rules lead to more recalls,† The New York Times, 26 October, 2005, Pg. 32. – â€Å"Road transport: Safety remains a major problem,: European Report, 18 February, 2006, Pg. 323. – â€Å"What’s new in: Tire Inflation,: Fleet Owner, 1 February, 2006 – â€Å"Going the extra mile: your guide to continuous automotive safety,† Country Living, November 2005, Pg. 96A.

Fun Science Facts You Need to Know

Fun Science Facts You Need to Know Amaze yourself and your friends with these science facts! This is a collection of fun and interesting science facts. When you crack a whip, it makes a sharp sound because the tip of the whip is traveling faster than the speed of sound. It is a sort of mini sonic boom!You could theoretically lose weight eating celery since it takes more calories to digest celery than are contained in the vegetable. Shark teeth are as hard as steel.The only letter not used in the periodic table is J.Lobsters have blue blood.Sound travels about four times faster in water than in air.2 and 5 are the only prime numbers that end in 2 or 5.Women blink nearly twice as often as men.The billionth digit of pi is 9. (Source: Ben Peoples)On average, it takes a person 7 minutes to fall asleep.The peanut is a member of the bean or legume family and not a nut.The prefix numbus in a cloud name means the cloud produces precipitation.Anemometers measure wind speed.The only two planets in our solar system that do not have moons are Mercury and Venus.Bronze is an alloy of copper and tin.Oxygen is the most common element in the Earths c rust.

Symbolism essays

Symbolism essays In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, symbolism is the key literary device. Symbolism is when one thing stands for another. It is a sin to kill a mockingbird. This is because mockingbirds do not harm anything, they just sing to you. The mockingbird symbolized both Tom Robinson and Boo Radley. Tom Robinson was a respected black man. He supported his family by working hard. He even took time to help others. Tom helped Mayella Ewell even though he had his own chores to do. Mayella took Toms kindness for granted. When Mayella did not get what she wanted from Tom, she tried to get rid of him. She did not want to remember she tempted a Negro, and he turned away from her. Mr. Underwood simply figured it was a sin to kill cripples, be they standing, sitting, or escaping. He likened Toms death to the senseless slaughter of songbirds by hunters and children. Tom Robinson only tried to help Mayella Ewell, he never thought of hurting her. Boo the mockingbird also symbolized Radley. Boo was isolated I his house for most of his life. He kept to himself and never bothered anyone. Mr. Finch, taking the one man whos done you and this town a great service an draggin him with his shy ways into the limelight- to me thats a sin. Boo had always stayed away from people. Now tha t he saved Jem and Scout, people would be going to his house bringing him food. That would be awful for Boo because he does not like to be around people. Boo is like a mockingbird because he never bothered anyone. He did help by saving Jem and Scout from Bob Ewell. It is wrong to hurt something that has never done anything wrong. Just like it is a sin to kill a mockingbird, an innocent man, and a seclude person. ...

Common Wording Mistakes You Might Make in an Essay

Common Wording Mistakes You Might Make in an Essay Common Wording Mistakes You Might Make in an Essay Writing a powerful essay requires fully understanding the words you use, whether writing about a simple or complex subject. Proper word usage is necessary to convey the message to your audience and allows the reader to comprehend what you are trying to say. Here are some of the most commonly confused/misused words found in essays: Accept/Except The words accept and except are homophones and easy to misuse, especially when writing in a rush. Knowing the difference between the two can help you choose the correct word. Accept means to receive something willingly. Example: She was eager to accept her new engagement ring. The word except means to exclude. Example: He was eager to begin his new job, except for the fact he would have to relocate. Compliment/Complement If you share a positive thought about something or someone, you are giving a compliment. Example: He received a compliment for his outstanding performance. When something complements another, the two items/ideas go well together. Example: My husbands love for cooking complements my passion for baking. Effect/Affect The word effect is a noun describing the impact of an event or feeling. Example: The effect my professor had on me was immeasurable. â€Å"Affect† is an adjective that describes an action. Example: The devastating storms likely affect the population of the small town. Desert/Dessert Desert and dessert are easily mistaken because of their similar spelling. If you are out on a dry, hot day, you might say It feels like a desert out here. On the other hand, a delicious, sweet after-dinner treat is a dessert. Capital/Capitol Capitol is generally used to describe a city where the government of a state or country resides. Example: The capitol of Michigan is located in the city of Lansing. When you are looking to raise money for any reason (such as a business investment), you are seeking capital. Example: We were able to raise $2 million in capital this year alone. Need help with homework, essay-writing, or research? Contact today.

Report on Recommendations for changes the financial portfolio in Essay

Report on Recommendations for changes the financial portfolio in response to various scenarios in Cheep Petrol (CP- the company is not real) plc (UK) - Essay Example ble to demonstrate an excellent command of sophisticated energy derivative transactions while it strives to respond to the diverse energy risk management needs of its customers. Abstract: Developing a framework for analyzing the investment allocation and investment structure decisions facing institutions. Our model should incorporate two key features: i) value-maximizing institutions should have a well-founded concern with risk management; and ii) not all the risks they face can be hedged frictionless in the capital market. This approach allows us to show how institutional-level risk management considerations should factor into the pricing of those risks that cannot be easily hedged. Several applications should be examined, including: the evaluation of proprietary trading operations; and the pricing of unhedgeable derivatives portfolios. One of the fundamental roles of investments of the companies and other financial intermediaries is to invest in illiquid financial assets--assets that, because of their information-intensive nature, cannot be traded frictionless in the capital markets. The standard example of such an illiquid asset is to have a bond portfolio. Below were given developed diversified portfolios with varying risk/return profiles from conservative to aggressive. They are designed to help you choose a real-world portfolio suited to your investment goals, time horizon, and risk profile. Asset allocation is the process of distributing wealth among different investment types, most typically stocks, bonds, and cash. Asset allocation attempts to increase potential return and reduce risk in portfolios over time. Research has shown asset allocation decisions are the most important factor affecting overall portfolio performance. While this process can be performed on any portfolio with two or more assets, it is most commonly applied to the asset classes mentioned above—stocks, bonds, and cash. Studies between 1991 and 1995 demonstrated that allocation

[Political Economy] Derive Classical theorist Marx vs. Smith view to Essay

[Political Economy] Derive Classical theorist Marx vs. Smith view to analyze current political issues. Choose a News (from WSJ) - Essay Example Moreover, Karl Marx is a renowned Communist while Adam Smith is associated with Classical ideologies. Therefore, adequate analysis of articles will sufficiently bring out the difference between the two theorists regarding current trends in the society. Moreover, the essay will assess the debate between the different classes of thought Marx and Smith represent. To reflect claims above, the article in wall street journal titled, Politics Counts: the Red/Blue Retail Divide approaches issues affecting the rapid expansion of United States economy. United States is a two party state, which comprises of Democrats and Republicans. This article replicates that consumption of goods and services from the party supporters differs greatly. Consumer subcultures has diversified so much that it threatens communal coexistence in the country. Democrats and Republicans have adopted different ways of shopping which if not curbed early will threaten mutual understanding. From this article, Marx and Smith ideologies clash. America is a democratic state so every civilian has a right to engage in activities wanted as long as it does not ruin stability in the country. Adam Smith emphasizes on free market whereas Marx articulates economy where a ruling class should not exploit the proletariats. From this, allowing the party supporters to shop differently will aggravate political animosity in the country. Smith argues that free trade leads to increased economic prosperity while on the other hand Marx argues that allowing free trade and competition will lead to exploitation of workers by employers rendering them powerless. Conversely, labor should be part of the final product and employers need to conquer to step up free competition, accompanied by a social and political constitution adapted in it, and the economic and political sway of the bourgeois class (Theriault 37). The Wall Street also carried out an article putting Some Facts in the Tax-the-Rich Debate. This article emphasizes on tax fairness between the rich and the poor. For economic stability, the rich should be taxed a higher amount than the poor civilians. However, this sparked a debate between political elites among them president Obama who seconded the idea. This article has created a clash between classical and liberal theorists. Smith propagates on political economy where he says both political and economic systems should be integrated together to achieve political stability. He bestows all powers to political elites and entrusts them the privilege to make policies governing economic activities. Marx’s ideologies are against political economy because it concentrates property and power to a few individuals, which leads to classes for instance propertied and propertyless .Taxing the rich more than the poor will reduce the gap between the propertied and the propertyless in the society therefore, economic development will improve enabling all people access goods and services. There are classes in the world whereby the oppressed struggles to free themselves from the oppressors that make society â€Å"a manifold gradation of social rank† (Marx 14). The Wall street journal carried an article, States Get Say in Health Law. President Obama’s administration changed health policies, which will screen insurers’ considerations when charging insurance covers. Employer groups praised

(LOVE) Country Research Project - Country - India - Industry - Mobile Paper

(LOVE) Country Project - Country - India - Industry - Mobile Telephone - Research Paper Example V. Narasimha Rao to initiate the liberalization and globalization process in full swing to put the country in high growth trajectory. That was indeed a turning point of the country. The state behemoth BSNL was the only service provider in the public sector and landline was the only available way of communication to the people. The people of the country had to wait several years to get BSNL landline connection as wait-list was fairly long and state resources were not enough to meet the investment needs of the country. In the wake of economic liberalization process, India suddenly became lucrative and telecommunication was earmarked as one of the thrust area. The government introduced National Telecom Policy in 1994 that defined certain objectives and also recognized the fact that the government does not have enough resources to meet the desired objectives. In 1995, the government of India decided to setup an independent regulatory body called TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India). The purpose was to regulate and spearhead the growth and investment in the field of telecommunication and formulate all policy matters striking a balance between users and industry. India is a second largest country in the world in terms of population. As per the latest census, population of the country has crossed 121 billion marks and that offers huge telecom market in the making. Administratively, the country is divided into 28 states and seven union territories. On religious composition, 80.5 percent of the population follows Hindu religion. Muslims constitute almost 13.4 percent of the population as the largest minority community. Christians constitute almost 2.3% of the population. India is also a land of many languages; however, Hindi is understood and spoken by a large section of the society. Most of the educated classes of the people understand

How Can We Find Happiness from Sports Research Paper

How Can We Find Happiness from Sports - Research Paper Example Tackling the initial half first; sports can be defined as the competitive or cooperative activities, which are usually physical in nature and performed between either individuals or a team (Delaney & Madigan, 2009, 23). There are various kinds of sports, but two main categories are indoor and outdoor sports. Soccer, tennis and Cricket are a few of the most popular outdoor sports worldwide. Diehard fans that play such sports themselves physically or follow it by watching it on media are very passionate about these games and it is amongst the favourite hobbies of many people. If their teams or preferred players are victorious in their fixtures they are overwhelmed with happiness, however the opposite happens if their selection is defeated. This is so because many people derive happiness from sports by deviating their minds from other worries and stress related activities. When they do so they look for an escape where they can feel positive and gain hope and inspiration from? Victory in sports for their team gets them this happiness they look for. This is further evidenced by various scholars, who regard sports to have a direct linkage with our moods, and its ability to either make us happy or upset according to its outcome (Forsyth, 2010, 80). Here the favourable outcome is related to victory, and thus being victorious in the sport is the main aim for all the ones participating or watching it. Sports also becomes a reason for happiness when they bring about a positive improvement in one’s health, as being healthy is directly related with having a good mood according to various researches (Kahneman, 2003, 364). In order to stay abreast with the high level of competition in today’s fast- paced world, many people have the excuse that their busy schedules are the reason they cannot devote any time to exercise (Weinberg & Gould, 1995, 420). However, by being active in sports which are physical in nature even for a short session every alternate day can be the most effective way in keeping such people fit and away from a sedentary lifestyle. Another benefit of sport is that it keeps people away from unproductive activities which they might otherwise have indulged in, if they were not playing or following sports. Sports which are physical take up a lot of energy of the person and once done, people prioritise the rest of their chores and responsibilities for the day and only carry out the ones really worth doing. Consequently they skip those events which were unproductive from the start. This way they do not feel guilty by doing anything wrong and therefore feel content and satisfied with the way they spent their time. ‘Guilt’ is a very strong emotion which can really weigh us down if its cause is not identified and solved. It adds immensely to depression and can be the eventual catalyst towards many physical ailments as well. Thus being content with oneself is the process which keeps people happy and cheerful about themse lves. Sport also teaches us the importance of cooperation and through indulging in sports, men and women both learn the value of team work and collaboration (Delaney & Madigan, 2009, 22). They learn that more can be achieved through working with others and this keeps them away from being selfish or self-serving (Delaney & Madigan, 2009, 22). By working in cooperation and helping out others who are weak there is no gap left in the overall performance as all resources are utilized. Through working together, a better

Type II Diabetes Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Type II Diabetes - Research Paper Example This equates to approximately $1 of every $10 health care dollars spent caring for this illness. Like all other healthcare issues in the United States, this cost has only increased in recent years. Although the statistics in the U.S. are staggering, the International Diabetes Federation reports that of the ten most diabetes-prone countries in the world, seven of them are developing countries that don’t typically have access to the best treatment, medicine or have reliable reporting techniques to be able to track the illness. Diabetes increases an individual’s risks of stroke and heart disease as well as present a number of other health problems. â€Å"These life-threatening consequences strike people with diabetes more than twice as often as they do others† (American Diabetes Association, 2006). Other complications associated with diabetes include kidney disease, blindness, and the threat of amputations. â€Å"In some countries in the Caribbean and the Middle Ea st, the percentage of the diabetic population ranges from 12 to 20 percent† (Dorfman, 2007). Regardless of one’s position within the medical profession, one should have knowledge of this illness and the way in which it can affect patient health. Insulin is the primary factor involved in diabetes. A healthy body produces insulin as a means of managing the levels of glucose within the bloodstream. Glucose is a simple sugar that enters the body through consumed food and makes its way into red blood cells as one of the body’s primary sources of energy. In a healthy body, the levels of glucose remain relatively constant, giving the individual a stable source of energy throughout the day. This is accomplished through the production of glucagons and insulin, both specific forms of hormones produced by the pancreas. The insulin acts as a regulator of glucose, preventing it from disproportionate increases. Type II diabetes refers to ‘non-insulin-dependent’ or

How Can We Find Happiness from Sports Research Paper

How Can We Find Happiness from Sports - Research Paper Example Tackling the initial half first; sports can be defined as the competitive or cooperative activities, which are usually physical in nature and performed between either individuals or a team (Delaney & Madigan, 2009, 23). There are various kinds of sports, but two main categories are indoor and outdoor sports. Soccer, tennis and Cricket are a few of the most popular outdoor sports worldwide. Diehard fans that play such sports themselves physically or follow it by watching it on media are very passionate about these games and it is amongst the favourite hobbies of many people. If their teams or preferred players are victorious in their fixtures they are overwhelmed with happiness, however the opposite happens if their selection is defeated. This is so because many people derive happiness from sports by deviating their minds from other worries and stress related activities. When they do so they look for an escape where they can feel positive and gain hope and inspiration from? Victory in sports for their team gets them this happiness they look for. This is further evidenced by various scholars, who regard sports to have a direct linkage with our moods, and its ability to either make us happy or upset according to its outcome (Forsyth, 2010, 80). Here the favourable outcome is related to victory, and thus being victorious in the sport is the main aim for all the ones participating or watching it. Sports also becomes a reason for happiness when they bring about a positive improvement in one’s health, as being healthy is directly related with having a good mood according to various researches (Kahneman, 2003, 364). In order to stay abreast with the high level of competition in today’s fast- paced world, many people have the excuse that their busy schedules are the reason they cannot devote any time to exercise (Weinberg & Gould, 1995, 420). However, by being active in sports which are physical in nature even for a short session every alternate day can be the most effective way in keeping such people fit and away from a sedentary lifestyle. Another benefit of sport is that it keeps people away from unproductive activities which they might otherwise have indulged in, if they were not playing or following sports. Sports which are physical take up a lot of energy of the person and once done, people prioritise the rest of their chores and responsibilities for the day and only carry out the ones really worth doing. Consequently they skip those events which were unproductive from the start. This way they do not feel guilty by doing anything wrong and therefore feel content and satisfied with the way they spent their time. ‘Guilt’ is a very strong emotion which can really weigh us down if its cause is not identified and solved. It adds immensely to depression and can be the eventual catalyst towards many physical ailments as well. Thus being content with oneself is the process which keeps people happy and cheerful about themse lves. Sport also teaches us the importance of cooperation and through indulging in sports, men and women both learn the value of team work and collaboration (Delaney & Madigan, 2009, 22). They learn that more can be achieved through working with others and this keeps them away from being selfish or self-serving (Delaney & Madigan, 2009, 22). By working in cooperation and helping out others who are weak there is no gap left in the overall performance as all resources are utilized. Through working together, a better

Zipcar It's Not about Cars It's about Urban Life Case Study

Zipcar It's Not about Cars It's about Urban Life - Case Study Example By offering customers something other than the conventional car-rental, Zipcar offered an array of benefits that included reduced traveling time in densely populated cities like New York. By offering a variety of cars to choose from customers had the opportunity to experience new vehicles according to their moods. It helped in saving money and catered to their need of having a car without actually owning one. By tapping on their values of greening, it widely promoted the positive environmental impact of Zipcar through reduced emissions, fuel consumption etc. comfort of rental and easy accessibility also made it easy for customers to trial, use and remain loyal to the business. A2 Zipcar started off by tapping on one of the attributes of the prevalent value system, environment friendliness. By promoting the environmental benefits like reduced emissions and responsible initiative, Zipcar managed to differentiate itself from the other market players. Pairing this with a set of benefits like convenience, affordability, variety and green attitude etc., Zipcar was able to consolidate both the benefits and value to reflect the company’s image of economy and efficiency. The positioning of ‘we love earth’ and subsequent promotion of how they do so through their offering they are able to focus on how the efficiency of their business and its purpose contributes towards convenient, affordable and safe traveling. A3The value-based positioning by Zipcar based on environmental consciousness and responsible actions towards reducing environmental harm, which they started off with, was successful in giving them a strong footing in the market. This is the positioning that allowed them to differentiate themselves from the array of car rental services that were prevalent in the market at that.Customer oriented strategies are driven by the needs of the customers. A combination of tangible benefits and intangible values make a perfect strategy mix that can help gain market standing and make a business a success, much in the case of Zipcar.

Community and Social Benefits Essay Example for Free

Community and Social Benefits Essay The investigation of the reasons by which volunteers involve themselves on specific organizations, and actually stay for a long period of time, or leave groups which they became a part of is the theme of this article. The researcher wanted to provide an explanation that will cover the queries on volunteerism including its effects on the lives of the volunteers, importance in our current society, and the overall impact of these activities in the modern American lives (Strigas, 2006). The general hypothesis of the study is depicted on the title which states that volunteers are offering their free time to specific associations because they believe that such activities will render community and social benefits. The testable and more specific hypothesis, on the other hand, states that volunteers for sport and recreation activities provide their services based on five major motivational factors which include the following: â€Å"social functions for leisure,† â€Å"material,† â€Å"egoistic,† â€Å"purposive factors,† and â€Å"external influences† (Strigas, 2006). In a more formal presentation, the null hypothesis of the study can be presented as ? 1 – ? 2 = 0 where ? 1 comprise the motivational factors of the volunteer that are based on personal needs and interests while ? 2 accounts for the factors that are influenced by social and personal development (Experiment Resources, 2010). In like manner, it can be said that the null hypothesis of the study represents the idea that no relationship exists between personal and societal-based reasons for volunteering. A thorough analysis of the article will reveal that the null hypothesis was actually rejected as shown by the enumeration of evidences that link personal interests of the volunteers and their desire to help the society as some of the factors on why they join various organizations. Furthermore, it was shown that volunteers join organizations because they want to gain self-fulfillment or because they want to win favors from others. The importance of rejecting the null hypothesis (Trochim, 2006) and believing in the original notion that volunteerism is influenced by both personal and societal reasons in order to allow the cohesion of community and society provides framework on the encouragement of volunteerism empowerment in our society today. Consequently, the study emphasizes the importance of testing the hypothesis in order to confirm or disprove the observations of the researcher. Reference Experiment Resources. (2010). The Null hypothesis. Retrieved 03 June 2010, from. http://www. experiment-resources. com Strigas, A. (2006). Research update: making the most of volunteers: a study shows volunteers are giving their time in exchange for community and social benefits. Parks and Recreation. Trochim, W. (2006). Hypotheses. Retrieved 03 June 2010, from http://www. socialresearchmethods. net

Platos Allegory Of The Cave: Importance Today

Platos Allegory Of The Cave: Importance Today Our society so values education that sociologists have recognized the problem of over-education (Hadjicostandi). Many people are spending years pursuing degrees which they simply do not need for the jobs they perform. It is therefore prudent for students to question whether pursuing a liberal education is really as important as our society believes. What is the point of a college education? Does it have any purpose beyond its material benefits. Are these benefits worth their cost? These are important questions that need answering. In the end, we may see that there is far more to this debate than simple accounting. Perhaps what makes education worth pursuing is that it gives us the freedom to makes these kinds of decisions about what is best for us. In many ways, this debate over education has its roots in the writings of Plato (Jowett). In Book VII of The Republic, Plato discusses such topics as enlightenment, epistemology, forms, and the duties of philosophers Allegory of the Cave vs The Matrix: Imagine living through life completely bound and facing a reality that doesnt even exist. The prisoners in Platos Allegory of the Cave are blind from true reality as well as the people in the movie The Matrix written and directed by the Wachowski brothers. They are given false images and they accept what their senses are telling them, and they believe what they are experiencing is all that really exists. Plato the ancient Greek philosopher wrote The Allegory of the Cave, to explain the process of enlightenment and what true reality may be. In the movie The Matrix, Neo (the main character) was born into a world of illusions called the matrix. His true reality is being controlled by the puppet- handlers called the machines who use the human body as a source of energy. In the movie, Neo, finds and alternate reality and he has to go on a journey to discover himself and what is around him. Much like The Allegory of the Cave the prisoners in a dark underground cave, who are chained to the wall, have a view of reality solely based upon this limited view of the cave which is but a poor copy of the real world. Both the prisoners of the cave, and Neo from the Matrix, have to transcend on the path of enlightenment to know the truth of their own worlds. The Allegory of the Cave in Different Perspectives The Allegory of the Cave, written by Plato, is an interpretation of a conversation between Socrates, Platos mentor, and Glaucon, one of Socrates students.  ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ §The Allegory of the Cave ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¨ can be interpreted several different ways. Imagine men in a cave chained up by their necks and legs, forcing them to only look forward at a wall. An opening behind them lets the light in. Above the burning fire and chains, there is a road. Have these chained men ever seen anything else of themselves or others beyond the cave ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¦s shadows made by the fire? Some people would say the truth is only perceived by the shadows seen on the walls of the cave. What if one of these men ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¦s chains were taken off and he was free to leave? Would the man feel pain when seeing the real world? Would he be confused on believing what is real? Would it make a difference if the chained man was briefly educated about what he was going to see first? Perhaps he would understand and not be confused about what is real. Will the man think what he saw before was much more real than what he sees now? Questions like these will bring different opinions and meaning to The Allegory of the Cave. ¨ Whose interpretation, if any, is correct when explaining the meaning of The Allegory of the Cave? Does it have mathematical meaning, explain a vision of the whole world, or is it just a comparison to the field of social work? Similarities between Platos and Descartes Epistemologies Summary Philosophy is a subject that can take many twists and turns before it finds an answer to a general question. Sometimes, an answer is still left unfound. Philosophy, in its broadest terms, can be described as the systematic pursuit of knowledge and human excellence. What we are concerned with is knowledge. Many people have theories of knowledge. Amongst them, there are two we will be looking at, Descartes and Plato. We will examine Descartes epistemology in Meditations on First Philosophy and Platos in The Republic. Descartes epistemology is known as foundationalism. In the Meditations, Descartes doubts everything he was taught to believe because it is human tendency to believe what is false. In the first, he claims that most of what he believes is from his senses and that those senses are sometimes deceived. His solution to doubting everything is compared to a basket of apples. You fear that some apples have gone bad and you dont want the others to rot, so you throw all the apples out of the basket. Once this is done, you examine each one and return the good apples to the basket. This is what he does with his beliefs. He keeps only those he is certain of. We must discard our beliefs as a whole and then examine each one individually. We must build on the good beliefs. Descartes, however, does realize we cant throw every belief out because they are a part of us, unlike the apples. We would have no basis for recovering any of our beliefs. We would be unable to justify anything. No belief based on sense-perception is free from doubt. He said it is possible that his life is all a dream and he is being deceived into thinking it is reality. He also holds false anything that is physical exists, including his own body. The only things we should trust are those beliefs that are subject to rational scrutiny. We must also declare our mathematical judgments to be false also because an evil demon might be deceiving us. Now, Descartes has cast doubt on all his beliefs about everything but himself. He cannot be deceived about himself. It is on himself that he will be able to rebuild his knowledge of other things. If he had no knowledge of himself, then nothing can be certain. If he doubts, he must be an existing self which is engaged in doubting. If he doubts, he must also be thinking and Descartes said I think, therefore I am. He must also exist so that he can be deceived. If he is dreaming, then he is also thinking, thus he still exists. This is the first step to acquiring knowledge, to Descartes. You must build on what you know is certain, starting with yourself as the foundation. In the second meditation, Descartes tries to show we know bodies through reason and not through senses. He uses a piece of wax to demonstrate. Over a period of time, a freshly produced piece of wax placed by the fire loses or changes all its specific properties, yet it is known to be the same object. Its taste and odor disappear. Its color, size, and shape are completely transformed. It loses its hardness and coldness to liquidity and warmth. To know the wax, you must be able to anticipate its changes. Descartes argues, though, that the imagination could not possibly figure out all conditions, for they are infinite. One can only know an object through understanding, rather than through images, sensation or imagination. He now has knowledge about himself and any object that he has thought about through reason. We are now moving along nicely in rebuilding our house of knowledge. In the third meditation, we move into another building block of knowledge, God. We look at the example of two plus three equaling five. We see this to be clear and distinct, but it is possible that we are being deceived. He tries to dispel the doubt about propositions of mathematics by claiming that God exists and would not allow such a deception. He makes an argument for Gods existence. Premise one states that we have an idea of God. Premise two states that the only way to have an idea of God is if God exists. Therefore, the conclusion is that God exists. Us having an idea of God means us having an understanding of the infinite. We cant understand the infinite through the finite, but only through the infinite, thus God must also be the cause of the idea of God. We as finite substances cannot cause the existence of an infinite substance. The idea is also an objective reality, thus it can be held as true. God is not deceiving us and now we have added the final building block to our ho use of knowledge. In The Republic, Plato has his own epistemology. His is more along the lines of idealism. The ascent to knowledge is not based upon understanding an object, but understanding the idea of that object. The highest idea or form is the idea of the Good itself. Socrates is the main character of this section of The Republic. He engages in a conversation with Glaucon about knowledge. Socrates gives two images of the ascent from chaotic opinion to orderly knowledge, the image of the divided line and of the Cave. Knowledge is what is certain and true and opinion is what is fallible. This is where we may see a connection between Plato and Descartes. They both agree that knowledge must be certain and all other things false. Plato held that all knowledge can be derived from a single set of principles. Knowledge rests on the Good as its foundation, unlike Descartes, where ones self is the foundation. Plato compares the power of the Good to the power of the sun. The sun illuminates things and makes them visible to the eye. The absolute good illuminates things of the mind and makes them intelligible. According to Plato, the idea of the Good is too much for humans to understand, but can be thought of as the idea of absolute order. The sun is the cause of generation, nourishment, growth, and visibility. The Good is the cause of essences, structures, forms, and knowledge. This is somewhat similar to Descartes because God is the cause of the idea of Himself, thus the cause of everything else also. There are four levels of knowledge. First, there are two ruling powers though. The good is set over the intellectual world and the sun over the visible world. We start with two lines, one for knowledge and one for opinion. Now we cut them once more and now there are four sections, two belonging to the intelligible world and two belonging to the visible world, two belonging to knowledge and two belonging to opinion. The first section is that of images such as shadows and reflections. The second deals with us seeing actual things, sense-perception. Unlike Descartes, we will not discard this, but use it to build on our knowledge. Descartes believes sense-perception to be false, but Plato uses it as a stepping stone towards knowledge. Now we have the two subdivisions of the intellectual. The third section is where the soul has understanding through its assumptions based on images. The fourth section is where the soul moves past the use of any images and strictly reasons things out. One d oes not use objects, but ideas to reason. Next is the Allegory of the Cave. Platos allegory is a copy of the reality of the divided line. Plato realizes people can think and speak without being aware of the Forms. Plato treats these people as prisoners chained in a cave, unable to turn their heads. All they are able to see is the wall of the cave and a fire burns behind them. There is a place to walk between the prisoners and the fire. There are others in that place that hold up objects to cast shadows on the wall of the cave. The prisoners are unable to see these objects behind them. They see and hear only the shadows and echoes cast by these objects. Prisoners like these would mistake appearance for reality. They would think the shadows are real, but would be unaware of the causes. Plato points out that they would refer to the shadow rather than the real object. The only way for the prisoner to see what he is talking about is to turn his head around. We actually name things we can not see, but things that we can only grasp in the mind. When the prisoners are released, they can see the real objects and realize their error. The way we can see the causes of our shadows is by grasping the Forms with our minds. The prisoners now ascend upwards out of the cave( into the intellectual world). When they first leave the cave, their eyes feel pain the same way the jury that convicted Socrates felt pain. They were not used to the light just like the jury was not used to Socrates manner of speaking. The prisoners would, at first, react violently as the jury did and try to descend back into the cave. This is similar to when the jury sentenced Socrates to death. But the prisoners must go on. Once they adjust, they are able to see the objects and what they must possess in itself. This takes us back to Descartes again. Descartes also believed we must look for an objects uniqueness without relying on sense-perception. The light shows them what the external conditions must be and then they finally see the sun, the sour ce of the external condition. Plato and Descartes have their own epistemologies. Platos is that of Idealism and Descartes is Foundationalism. They differ somewhat while they also share similarities. Plato says what we see are shadows, not the real objects. A philosopher is one who strives to see the object and what makes the object unique. Finally, the philosopher will be able to see the idea of the object. Descartes also aims to find the uniqueness of an object and the idea of it through reason, but his approach differs. He casts doubt on what he feels isnt certain and starts to rebuild his house of knowledge on what is, himself being the foundation. Plato is not necessarily looking to cast doubts on ones beliefs, but is trying to expand ones knowledge of it. Their ends are the same, try to reach the Good or God, but their means are different.

Supernatural in Shakespeares Macbeth - Power of the Witches :: GCSE English Literature Coursework

The Power of the Witches in Macbeth      Ã‚   Myths and religions often include divine or devilish beings with incredible powers. William Shakespeare incorporated witches with bizarre powers in his play, Macbeth. These witches possessed devilish powers to set the course of events in the plot and added to the flavor of the story. The witches' powers included omnientness, vision and apparition creation, and the ability to set the conditions for disaster, and the utilization of these abilities sets the movement of the play.    As opening characters in the story, the witches establish the major theme of the tale and predict future events. Upon hinting of their insight to the end of the war and revealing their relationship with demonic forces, the witches call out, "Fair is foul, and foul is fair,"(I, i, 12). In his first meeting with the Weird Sisters, Banquo questions the witches powers and asks, "If you can look into the seeds of time and say which will grow and which will not?"(I, iii, 65). The witches prophecies linger through the story and reveal their accuracy, and Banquo takes notice and comments to Macbeth, "I dreamt last night of the three Weird Sisters. To you they have showed some truth,"(II, i, 25). The witches prophecies place an underlying thought in Macbeth and Banquo's minds and hide there throughout their actions with an ever-present influence.    Another influential power of the Weird Sisters was their ability to create visions and apparitions. Early in the murder scene of Duncan, Macbeth sees a bloody dagger   and in a phantasmagoric state, remarks, "Thou marshal'st me the way that I was going, / And such an instrument I was to use,"(II, i, 51). Macbeth also states, "Witchcraft celebrates Pale Hecate's offerings,"(II, i, 60). Both of these statements may suggest a supernatural force in the affair. The witches' powers also extend to the summoning of apparitions that foretell future events. The three apparitions tell Macbeth, "Beware the Thane of Fife,"(IV, i, 81), "none of woman born / Shall harm Macbeth," (IV, i, 91), and "Macbeth shall never be vanquished be until / Great Birnham Wood to high Dunsinane Hill / Shall come against him,"(IV, i, 106). These visions and apparitions, as seen later on, have a profound effect on Macbeth's actions.    The most significant power of the Weird Sisters lies in their ability to set the conditions for disaster.

Skil Corporation

Harvard Business School 9-389-005 op y September 15, 1988 Skil Corporation On March 23, 1979, Emerson Electric Company acquired Skil Corporation, a manufacturer of portable power tools, for $58 million. With sales of $2. 6 billion in 1979, Emerson Electric produced a broad range of electrical and electronic products and systems. tC Emerson Electric Company Emerson Electric, originally a manufacturer of electric motors and fans, had gradually expanded into a broad range of consumer and industrial products.It classified its businesses into commercial and industrial components and systems; consumer goods (including portable electric tools); and government and defense products (see Table A). Table A Sales and Pretax Income of Emerson Electric by Business Segments ($ millions) 1978 Pretax Income No Sales Commercial and industrial Consumer Government and defense Intercompany sales $1,380 698 176 (20) $201 123 21 1979 Sales Pretax Income $1,570 865 199 (20) $232 141 24 Source: Company annua l reportsEmerson’s business units manufactured products principally in electrical and electronic fields, such as electric motors, controls, drives, and heating, ventilating, and air conditioning equipment. The company also manufactured power chain saws, gas cutting and welding equipment, vacuum cleaners, bench power tools (which it sold to Sears), and other consumer goods. Do With a stated goal of being the so-called best-cost producer in as many of its markets as possible, Emerson stressed cost reduction. Emerson defined best cost as the lowest-cost producer of high-quality products, making its products a superior customer value.Each division was measured on growth and return on invested capital. Cheng G. Ong wrote this case in collaboration with Professor Michael E. Porter on the basis of published materials and interviews with company executives. It is intended as a basis for class discussion rather than to illustrate effective or ineffective handling of an administrative situation. Copyright  © 1988 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College. To order copies or request permission to reproduce materials, call 1-800-545-7685 or write Harvard Business School Publishing, Boston, MA 02163.No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the permission of Harvard Business School. 1 Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [email  protected] harvard. edu or 617-783-7860. 389-005 Skil Corporation op y Emerson had embarked on a program of acquisitions to meet its aggressive goals of growing sales 15% annually and doubling earnings by 1981. Previously, Emerson had acquired only financially successful companies and had retained existing management.With the Skil acquisition, it broke precedent. Carried by a highly profitable electronic switch company, Skil had regist ered mediocre financial performance. Because of Emerson’s major position in the chain saw industry with its Beaird-Poulan Division, for antitrust reasons Emerson had to divest Skil’s $20 million in chain saw sales on acquiring Skil. From Emerson’s perspective, Skil was a turnaround situation. Chuck Knight, CEO of Emerson, wondered if Skil would represent a successful new diversification approach or prove that Emerson’s past acquisition philosophy had been correct.Jim Hardymon and Bill Davis, Emerson veterans installed as Skil’s new president and marketing vice president, had a more pressing problem. Faced with stiff competition from Black & Decker, Sears, and emerging Japanese competitors, Hardymon and Davis had to forge a new strategic direction. tC The Portable Power Tool Industry The power tool industry consisted of portable and stationary tools powered by electricity, gasoline, or air. Stationary tools such as table saws, band saws, radial arm saws, large grinders, and sanders were large, heavy units mounted on floor stands. Portable tools were hand held and mostly powered by an electric motor.The gasoline-powered chain saw was one of the few portable tools with a nonelectric engine. Pneumatic power was largely restricted to automotive tools such as grinders, buffers, impact wrenches, drills, and hammers. In 1979, portable electric power tools accounted for the majority of industry volume. No Portable electric power tools came in a wide range of sizes, prices, and qualities. Principal products were saws (circular, reciprocating, sabre, or jig); drills (corded or cordless, regular or hammer); and sanders (disc, orbital, belt, or combined sander/grinders). Other products included outers, planes, roto hammers, impact wrenches, polishers, and screwdrivers. Exhibit 1 shows domestic U. S. sales of portable tools by type of tool. A typical company product line consisted of about 200 tools plus accessories, for which a variety of sizes and price points were available. The portable power tool market was becoming increasingly segmented by price point. Circular saws, for example, ranged in price from $24. 99 to $199. 99 with typically 20 price points in between, each point designating a certain level of quality, durability, horsepower, and other product features. A typical manufacturer had 15 models. DoPortable electric power tools were used primarily for woodworking, metalworking, or automotive repair. Power tools could be broadly divided into professional (also called industrial) and consumer categories. Professional tools were designed for heavy-duty use and had higher horsepower and a longer useful life. They were markedly superior in quality and precision to those designed for the consumer market. For example, the gears for a professional saw were made of steel, whereas consumer saw gears were made from powdered metal, a lower-strength material. Professional tools sold at higher prices and gross margins t han consumer tools.For example, while a professional drill retailed at $100 or more, a consumer drill typically cost less than $50. The average gross margin for a consumer drill was 37% compared with 45% for a professional drill. Within both markets, the range of price, quality, and size gradations was wide. As consumer tools were becoming more sophisticated and of higher quality, however, the traditional distinction between consumer and professional tools was blurring. As a result, more and more tradespeople and other professionals were buying consumer tools, especially in developing countries where both markets were served through the same channels. Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [email  protected] harvard. edu or 617-783-7860. Skil Corporation 389-005 op y Product improvement in portable power tools took several forms. First was the use of battery power. Although the first cordless drill, driven by nickel cadmium batteries, was introduced in the early 1960s , cordless tools did not become commercially successful until the early 1970s. Cordless tools were generally less powerful than corded ones because of the limits of battery power and lightweight motors. They were generally regarded as consumer tools.As battery technology improved, professionals began using cordless tools for quick â€Å"touch-up† jobs while using corded professional tools for the main job. By the late 1970s, sales of cordless tools were growing rapidly. tC The second improvement was the availability of lighter materials, such as aluminum, magnesium, and plastic. For example, Skil and Black & Decker, leading U. S. competitors, had pioneered the use of high-strength plastic in consumer tools and had lowered their costs significantly. Tools were also being redesigned for improved ergonomics and balance.Japanese and European manufacturers had taken the lead in creating tools with better-fitting handles and improved gripping surfaces, thus providing better control for the user. Producers were also designing tools to be more energy efficient. Safety was the final area of development. Saws and other tools increasingly had features such as impact resistance, safety switches, and guards. Typically, using a team of four to six engineers, the design development for a new tool took two to four years, at a cost of $200,000 to $700,000 a year. Manufacturing a new model required $250,000 to $800,000 in tooling. Buyers NoProfessional buyers of tools were a highly diverse group that included metalworkers, building contractors, carpenters, plumbers, electricians, and farmers. They were concerned with performance, quality, durability, and service. They were very knowledgeable about portable electric power tools, which were often the primary tools used in the professional’s work. Tradespeople frequently purchased what they perceived as the best individual tool of each type and were only moderately influenced by the brand name. Portable electric powe r tools were also used in manufacturing firms for production activities and plant maintenance.Users in factories were generally less concerned than tradespeople about a tool’s quality and generally purchased whichever brand was available at their supply stores. Sales to the professional segment were growing steadily at 8% per year. Do Consumers were mainly hobbyists and do-it-yourselfers who bought mostly drills and circular saws. Consumer users tended to be more price conscious than professionals and more susceptible to brand advertising and promotions. The consumer segment had grown rapidly in the early 1970s and by 1979 accounted for half the U. S. power tool market.The growth rate for consumer tools varied greatly by individual product category. For example, between 1978 and 1979 alone, sales of cordless tools grew 50%. In the United Kingdom, the do-it-yourself market was growing at 23% annually and the industrial market, at about 2%. The do-it-yourself market in Europe w as projected to grow at a similar rate. In 1979, the portable electric power tool market was approaching $2,350 million worldwide, with about $868 million of that in the United States. Western Europe represented about one-third of the world market and Japan, 12. %. Table B shows the sales distribution of portable electric tools by geographic region. Developed country markets were similar in their channels and product varieties, although safety and electrical standards differed. In Europe, the industrial segment had traditionally dominated, and Black & Decker had pioneered the introduction of consumer tools. European tool designs tended to be more stylish than American ones. In Europe, tools were used primarily on concrete, and in the United States, on wood. 3 Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright.[email  protected] harvard. edu or 617-783-7860. 389-005 World Portable Electric Power Tool Market in 1979 (sales by geographic region) Region Dollar sales United States West ern Europe Japan/Far East Latin America Canada Australia Other Total 37. 0% 34. 5 12. 5 3. 7 3. 1 2. 2 7. 0 100. 0% Units 40. 0% 32. 2 12. 5 3. 3 3. 3 2. 2 6. 5 100. 0% Channels op y Table B Skil Corporation No tC There were 15 separate distribution channels for power tools, ranging from specialized industrial outlets to mass merchandisers. Exhibit 1 gives estimated sales and growth rate by channel.Traditionally, industrial suppliers supplied professionals with their job needs and carried a broad range of higher-priced tools. Consumer channels such as hardware stores and mass merchandisers carried tools for consumers. With the advent of the do-it-yourself market in the mid-1970s, consumers also began shopping at more industrial channels such as lumber and building materials supply stores. These do-it-yourself consumers demanded higher quality and more features in their tools. By 1979, these stores were being partially displaced by home centers, which catered to both professionals an d consumers.A substantial volume of professional tools was increasingly sold through consumer channels. There were significant product and price point overlaps between the high-price consumer channels and the contractor and mill supply outlets. Industrial channels included plumbing supply, electrical supply, contractor supply, automotive repair, tool rental, mill supply, and lumber/building materials supply outlets. Consumer channels included mass merchandisers, hardware stores, home centers, and new outlets such as catalog showrooms and buying clubs.Consumer channels had not developed fully outside the United States and Europe but were emerging in Japan. Industrial channels generally purchased directly from manufacturers; consumer channels were served direct, through wholesalers, or via buying groups. Both types of channels provided customer assistance, while manufacturers supplied service and repairs through company service centers. Fast service was a strong factor in stimulating sales, especially to tradespeople who relied on their tools for their livelihoods. Do Industrial Channels Contractor supply. In 1979, there were about 750 contractor supply stores in the United States.These stores supplied building contractors with a variety of products, ranging from fasteners and tools to generators and building materials. This channel stocked a complete line of portable power tools from many different manufacturers, including at least the top two brands for each tool. Usually independent or part of small chains, contractor supply outlets purchased portable power tools directly from manufacturers. It was a common practice for manufacturers to train the contractor supply outlet’s sales force in selling their new tools to tradespeople and contractors at job sites.Portable electric power tools represented 20% to 30% of a contractor supply outlet’s total business and were generally priced below tools sold through other industrial channels. Mill supply. Mi ll supply stores were usually small, independent outlets buying directly from manufacturers. In 1979, there were about 1,100 mill supply houses in the United States. These outlets 4 Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [email  protected] harvard. edu or 617-783-7860. Skil Corporation 389-005 op y carried a broad line of products for factories, ranging from food to work clothes to tools.Although power tools comprised only 1% to 2% of total sales for mill supply stores, they were the most important channel for portable electric power tool sales to factories. Mill supply stores carried a limited line of portable power tools, selecting their assortment from only a couple of manufacturers. They sold mostly drills and grinders for metalworking and maintenance. Mill supply stores expected fast delivery of tools from manufacturers since customers often purchased tools on the spur of the moment. Portable power tools were usually sold at abovemarket prices. tC Tool specialist s.The 300 tool specialists in the United States were mostly independent single outlets whose primary buyer groups were general contractors and manufacturing workers. In 1979, sales of portable power tools were $45 million, growing at an estimated 5% annually. Tool specialists carried the greatest number of product lines, especially low-volume tools. The tools carried were usually the brand leader, high-priced, of professional quality, and sold at prices similar to those of contractor supply outlets. Electric-powered tools constituted about 30% of total sales. Plumbing and electrical supply outlets.In 1979, there were about 700 plumbing and 1,800 electrical supply outlets in the United States. Although several electrical supply chains were large and some were consolidating, plumbing and electrical supply outlets were usually small, independent stores; Graybar, Westinghouse, and General Electric maintained national electrical distributorships. These outlets carried a limited line of h igh-priced tools, especially reciprocating saws and drills, for sale to plumbers and electricians, respectively. Tools represented a minor (1% to 2%) portion of their total business.These outlets normally stocked only one or two brands and bought directly from the manufacturers. No Lumber/building materials supply outlets. These outlets stocked products similar to those in contractor supply stores, but concentrated more on materials. They carried a limited line of portable electric tools, those most in demand by contractors. Automotive distributors. These distributors supplied a wide range of products to the automotive service industry. The portable power tools they carried, such as grinders and impact wrenches, represented less than 1% of total sales. Tool and equipment rental outlets.These outlets rented higher-priced tools such as roto hammers and large sanders to tradespeople, contractors, or do-it-yourselfers for the occasional job. There were a few national rental companies. C onsumer Channels Do Mass merchandisers. Department stores such as Sears, J. C. Penney, and Montgomery Ward and discount merchandisers like K Mart were the largest sellers of portable power tools, accounting for almost 40% of U. S. consumer portable power tool sales in 1979. Sears sold private-label tools under its Craftsman line, which was primarily manufactured by Singer Company.Sears was the most significant single consumer outlet for portable electric power tools. Montgomery Ward and J. C. Penney sold Black & Decker, Skil, and Rockwell products under those brands and private labels. Department stores carried low- to mid-price point products for the middle market, while discounters concentrated on low-price point items. Mass merchandisers generally carried a narrow range of branded consumer tools. Sears offered the broadest line of all consumer channels. Sears, for example, stocked six to ten circular saws, while K Mart stocked two.Discount merchants frequently engaged in aggressi ve promotional campaigns, and tools were often highly discounted, sometimes to the level of the wholesale price of 5 Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [email  protected] harvard. edu or 617-783-7860. 389-005 Skil Corporation op y the tool to a hardware-store. Customer service was generally limited, although Sears offered aftersales service. Hardware stores. Independent hardware stores and chains offered a broad range of consumer tools and accessories, and some professional tools, often from several manufacturers.Hardware stores offered high levels of customer purchase assistance and service. Manufacturers sold direct to hardware chains and buying groups or through wholesalers. In 1979, there were 5,000 hardware stores serviced by 200 wholesalers. Manufacturers frequently engaged in cooperative advertising with this channel. Sales of portable power tools through hardware stores had been static. Home centers. Home centers were an emerging channel in 1979. They carr ied a wide range of merchandise connected to the home, including tools, lumber, lawn mowers, and general hardware.Home centers carried broad lines of tools at a number of price points but tended to avoid the lowestpriced consumer lines. Home centers offered customer purchase assistance and service. They had partly replaced traditional lumberyards. Other Channels tC Both consumers and professionals shopped at home centers. Consumer-oriented centers carried fewer product lines and lower-priced items than professional home centers or hardware stores. Home centers competed with mass merchandisers for consumer sales. Home center sales were $83 million in 1979 and growing rapidly at 12% to 14% per annum. NoOther smaller channels included government supply agencies, military supply stores, catalog showrooms, agricultural and farm supply outlets, premium and incentive supply outlets, hobby stores, and general merchandise stores. Marketing Most companies maintained a sales force to call on t he channels. The sales forces provided training to the outlet’s sales teams and demonstrated tools at job sites and in the store. They also maintained the company’s product displays. Tools were sold to each channel using different price lists with different discount structures. High-volume channels could qualify for volume discounts.Cooperative advertising with major channels was a common promotional practice by manufacturers. Catalogs and point-of-sale merchandising at industrial channels supplemented co-op advertisements. All the manufacturers also participated in trade shows. Do Competitors that targeted consumer users engaged in heavy media advertising. Exhibit 2 gives the advertising expenditures of major manufacturers. Manufacturing Portable electric power tools generally consisted of an outer shell, an electric motor, and screw machine parts such as gears and shafts, switches and attachments.The manufacture of portable electric tools involved fabrication and ass embly of these components. Parts fabrication technologies included machining, die casting, metal stamping, and heat treatment. The motor housing and tool handle were often made of molded plastic. Professional tools usually had more aluminum diecast parts than consumer tools. Purchased materials, machining, diecasting/ molding, motor win ding and assembly, and final assembly were the most significant costs in manufacturing. Diecasting and molding were subject 6 Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright.[email  protected] harvard. edu or 617-783-7860. Skil Corporation 389-005 op y to the most significant economies of scale. In-house diecasting and molding reduced costs by about 20% over purchased components. The costs of molding, machining, and diecasting depended on the volume per part. The cost of motor and final assembly was determined by the volume per product family, that is, product lines that could be produced with the same manufacturing process. Purchased materials were the least scale-sensitive of the cost elements, with cost falling by only 3% when volume was doubled.Table C gives an approximate breakdown of manufacturing costs for a typical manufacturer. Table C Breakdown of Manufacturing Costs Consumer Tool 56% 5 5 14 20 100% 43% 25 14 10 8 100% tC Purchased materials Machining Diecasting and molding Motor assembly Final assembly Total Industrial Tool No Manufacturers could achieve significant cost savings through automation. Single-task machines like screw machines and grinders were being replaced by machining systems. A typical machining system cost $400,000, but the cost could be much higher.An automated motor production line cost $3 million and required that a million motors be produced a year to break even. Hitachi, a Japanese competitor, and several European manufacturers had invested heavily in automation and developed lines of tools from common base designs. Table D shows estimates of the percentage of total manufacturing cost, wit h and without automation, represented by each part of a circular saw with annual production of 100,000 units. Table D Estimates of Manufacturing Costs Saw Without Automation (% Unit Costs) 25. 0% 23. 0 5. 0 2. 0 1. 5 Do Housing MotorElectrical Bearings Packaging With Automation (% Unit Costs) 20. 0% 20. 0 5. 0 2. 0 4. 0 Manufacturers varied in their levels of integration, but none were completely integrated. The largest manufacturers produced attachments such as saw blades or feet for jigsaws, which smaller manufacturers purchased from outside suppliers. No tool manufacturer possessed the technology or scale to produce all the necessary components. Critical components that directly affected the performance of the tool (i. e. , parts that required machining or diecasting) were generally fabricated in-house.Most manufacturers also produced the motor, which consisted of two basic parts, the armature and the field. Proper balancing of the 7 Copying or posting is an infringement of copyr ight. [email  protected] harvard. edu or 617-783-7860. 389-005 Skil Corporation op y armature was critical to the performance of a tool. A motor’s power depended on the number and size of the laminations. Because of the high cost of the equipment and the long changeover time per model, lamination stamping was extremely scale-sensitive. A lamination press cost between $750,000 and $1 million, and a set of tooling dies cost $250,000.Production of about 10 million of a particular lamination size was required to break even. Typical motors required 10 to 20 laminations each. Manufacturers could purchase all the main components for power tools from specialized suppliers who sold to a variety of industries. Many supplier industries were mature, and some components were sourced from abroad. The components most often purchased included batteries, direct-current motors, metal stampings, plastic resins and parts, powdered metal parts, switches, cord sets, motor laminations, saw blades , ball bearings, and packaging.The cost of most purchased materials was determined by the overall volume purchased. Table E gives an approximate breakdown of costs as a percentage of sales for a typical manufacturer. Estimated Costs as a Percentage of Sales tC Table E Materials and supplies Direct labor Indirect labor and overhead Advertising expense Sales force expense Competition 35%—53% 6%—8% 10%—22% 4%—10% 4%—8% No In the 1960s and early 1970s, more than 70 manufacturers worldwide made portable electric tools, with approximately 20 located in the United States and the balance in Europe and Japan. Until the mid-1970s, competition in ower tools was largely domestic. Except for Black & Decker and Skil, few competitors exported or manufactured abroad. When manufacturers began selling in foreign markets, they differed in their marketing approach to buyers in different countries. U. S. manufacturers produced a different and wider line of products in their foreign plants compared with that produced for U. S. sale. Japanese manufacturers tended to offer the same range of products worldwide from plants in Japan. Table F lists the brand share of dollar sales in the world market in 1979. Table F Brand Share of World Portable Electric Power Tool Market, 1979Company 31. 1% 11. 1 10. 7 8. 3 7. 1 5. 0 4. 3 3. 5 2. 6 1. 9 1. 5 1. 4 1. 0 1. 0 9. 5 Do Black & Decker Makita Bosch Hitachi Skil AEG Singer Milwaukee Metabo Rockwell Peugeot Fein Elu Ryobi Others Percentage 8 Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [email  protected] harvard. edu or 617-783-7860. Skil Corporation 389-005 op y In 1979, there were approximately a dozen manufacturers of portable electric power tools competing in the U. S. market. Of these, seven were U. S. companies. Exhibit 3 shows the share of major companies by distribution channel in the United States.Black & Decker had a U. S. market share estimated at 40% to 43% of total dollar sales. Sears Roeb uck was in second position, with an estimated 16% to 20% market share. Skil was third with about 15%. The balance was held by Milwaukee, Rockwell, small specialist producers, various private-label manufacturers, and some emerging foreign competitors. In the industrial tool segment, Milwaukee was market leader with approximately 25% market share. Black & Decker was second with an estimated 20% market share. In third position was Skil with about 15%. Exhibit 4 lists selected financial data for the major U.S. portable electric tool manufacturers. tC Black & Decker Manufacturing Company. Black & Decker manufactured a broad line of electric and cordless portable power tools, portable air tools, and stationary and gasoline-powered equipment. In the late 1960s, Black & Decker moved into lawn care and began manufacturing lawn mowers and hedge trimmers. A chain saw company, McCulloch Corporation, was acquired in 1974. McCulloch began manufacturing moped engines in 1979. In the same year, Bla ck & Decker introduced its hand-held rechargeable vacuum cleaner. In 1979, worldwide sales were $1. billion. Portable electric tools represented about 75% of Black & Decker’s overall sales. The company’s goal was a yearly 15% growth in sales and earnings per share. In 1979, Black & Decker appointed the first person outside the Black and Decker families to head the company. No Black & Decker was known as the world’s oldest and largest power tool manufacturer. Black & Decker segmented the portable power tool industry into consumer and professional markets. Its product line was extremely broad and consisted of 280 models designed specially for either the professional or consumer markets.The company was best known for its consumer drills and industrial sander/grinder. Black & Decker’s line was designed around approximately 200 motor sizes. 1 Table G shows Black & Decker’s sales by market category. Black & Decker sold to virtually all distribution chann els, including national merchandisers such as K Mart, J. C. Penney, and Montgomery Ward. It had an extremely strong position in consumer channels, especially in low-priced drills and saws. In industrial channels, Black & Decker had established leadership in most product categories in mill upply outlets by focusing on the largest regionally dominant distributors where they were the sole line. The company’s products were in more than 70% of all U. S. homes. In the United Kingdom, Black & Decker had a 90% market share. Black & Decker’s distribution system involved more than 100,000 outlets worldwide. The company sold direct, through wholesalers to smaller outlets and via its network of 104 company-owned service centers in the United States and 221 in 45 foreign markets. Black & Decker’s service centers were supplemented by several hundred authorized service centers operated by independent local owners.Do Black & Decker enjoyed an extremely strong brand reputation a mong both consumers and industrial users. Black & Decker’s tools were priced below most of its competitors’. The company spent heavily on print and prime- time television advertising. Its worldwide advertising budget for 1978 was $47. 3 million, a 20% increase over 1977. Black & Decker had 31 plants in 10 countries. The company was largely nonunion, with only one unionized plant. Manufacturing was divided between professional and consumer tools. Each division produced tools for its own market. Black & Decker plants were partly automated.The company required a three-year payback on its investment in automation. In 1979, the company began replacing single-task machines with machining systems. The machining system comprised four units, an automatic sawing machine, a facing and centering unit, and two tracers. 1In 1979, Black & Decker’s U. K. company had reduced its number of models from 130 tools to 50. 9 Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [email  protected] harvard. edu or 617-783-7860. 389-005 Skil Corporation op y In late 1978, the company began to standardize its motors and armature shafts. Its U. K. plant produced 3. million consumer motors with one standard field lamination and one armature shaft; the different power requirements were achieved through variations in the windings, produced on an automated winding line. Black & Decker had developed its own â€Å"production flow† system, a combination of conventional flow-line techniques and group technology, in which machine tools were grouped around the production needs of components rather than components distributed among successive production processes. To reduce its work-in-process inventory, the company relied on computerization to organize the flow of parts through its plants.Black & Decker first adopted group technology and related automation in the mid-1960s. It applied the technique to the production of 7 ? -inch power handsaws, with a resulting decrease in direct labor from one hour per saw to 30 minutes and a 16% reduction in selling price. Black & Decker was one of the most vertically integrated manufacturers in the United States. Table G tC Foreign subsidiaries were responsible for marketing and product development in their markets. Research and development was conducted in the United States and four other countries on a budget exceeding $15 million.Each manufacturing facility had its own engineering staff. Black & Decker transacted 60% of its total business outside the United States. Black & Decker’s distribution of sales by geographic area is shown in Table G. Distribution of Black & Decker Sales By Market Category (percent) 1978 1977 63% 28 9 63% 28 9 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 $531. 9 480. 0 193. 2 $386. 4 414. 5 159. 0 $311. 4 361. 7 138. 5 $277. 8 334. 5 135. 9 $249. 0 293. 2 111. 7 67% 25 8 No Consumer products Professional products Service 1979 By Geographic Area ($ millions) Europe United States Pacific 1976 63% 2 6 11 1975 58% 31 1 Source: Black & Decker Annual Report, 1979. Do Sears Roebuck & Company/Singer Company. Sears Roebuck & Company operated 866 retail stores, 1,388 miscellaneous other stores (mostly catalog stores), and 14 catalog merchandise distribution centers. Sears also provided after-sales service at its retail centers. Positioned as a general-line retailer, Sears carried a broad mix of lines directed at the middle-class customer. Many Sears products were sourced from outside vendors and sold under a variety of Sears brand names. Sears had by far the highest sales of power tools of any single retailer.Sears’ own brand, Craftsman, had been an established trademark for more than 55 years. Craftsman portable power tools were seen as a consumer line and priced moderately. Sears’ excellent reputation for service was a major Sears advantage in selling power tools. Portable power tool sales at Sears had been flat. Singer manufactured all of the portable power tools for Sears, which for more than 40 years had been its sole tool customer in the United States. Singer also produced lawn and garden appliances and floor care products for Sears. In 1979, Singer’s total sales were $2. 9 billion. The company also manufactured sewing machines, furniture, and air conditioning and heating equipment for consumers, and aerospace and marine systems for the government. 10 Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [email  protected] harvard. edu or 617-783-7860. Skil Corporation 389-005 op y Singer manufactured 50 models of portable power tools in two plants. Its pricing was on a known-cost basis. Sears paid Singer an agreed-on markup over its actual costs, which were disclosed to Sears. Sears owned most of the specialized tooling.In 1979, Singer and Sears marketed power tools for the first time in Brazil under both the Craftsman and Singer trademarks. Singer was believed to enjoy above-average profitability in power tools. Rockwell Internationa l Corporation. Rockwell International was a diversified company operating in the automotive, aerospace, electronics, energy, graphics, textile, and power tool industries. Rockwell had entered the power tool business in the early 1960s with the acquisition of Porter Cable, a well-respected industrial portable tool manufacturer, and Delta, an industrial stationary tool company.The company then marketed professional tools under the Rockwell label. tC Rockwell’s power tool division was estimated to hold just over 6% of the market. Rockwell tools had been sold through industrial channels until the late 1970s, when the company began marketing a new line of tools to consumers through mass merchandisers, hardware stores, and other retailers. Rockwell’s new product line matched Black & Decker’s. Rockwell set out to aggressively grow the business through heavy advertising. The company advertised to end users through comparative advertisements in trade and consumer magazin es.Rockwell’s bench top (stationary) power tools became quite popular among consumer users, although progress in portable tools had been modest: Rockwell produced a line of 130 tools in three plants. It had both company-owned service centers and a network of authorized independents throughout the United States and Canada. Components had been standardized so that 80% of the repairs involved 40% of the parts, lessening inventory requirements. Rockwell entered the U. K. market with its line of consumer tools in the late 1970s and suffered losses.In 1979, Rockwell took a $35 million write-off in consumer tools. No Milwaukee Tools. Milwaukee Tools was a subsidiary of Amstar Corporation, the largest producer of sweeteners in the United States, with sales of $1,056. 4 million in 1979. Milwaukee had been producing portable electric tools since 1924 and was acquired by Amstar in 1976. Amstar’s Industrial Products Group consisted of Milwaukee and other companies producing hoists , jacks, fluid joints, couplings, and other industrial tools and equipment. Sweeteners accounted for 84% of Amstar’s sales, although it was seeking greater diversification.Sugar prices were severely depressed in 1979 and were expected to be soft for the next few years. Milwaukee concentrated on tools for the professional market. Its line consisted of about 280 models of portable electric tools manufactured in three plants. The Milwaukee Sawzall and drill were the company’s best-known tools. Milwaukee sold through more than 5,000 distributors in the United States and Canada serving industrial channels. It had a very strong brand image in the professional market and a good position in all industrial channels, especially plumbing and electrical supply outlets.Milwaukee had established a strong position in contractor supply in high-priced drills and reciprocating saws. Milwaukee’s tools were priced above other brands. Do Makita Electric Works Ltd. Makita Electric Wo rks (Japan) was originally a motor repair shop. It entered the power tool market in the 1950s. By 1979, its annual sales approached $250 million, with international sales accounting for about 45%. Makita concentrated on tools for the professional market, especially for woodworking. The company had 250 professional-quality tool models in its product line.There were strong similarities in Makita tools sold in domestic and overseas markets. Makita priced its tools aggressively, sometimes 20% to 30% below prevailing market prices for the normal professional tools. Makita had pioneered the introduction of lower-priced materials on professional tools (for example, plastic versus metal housings). To sell its tools, Makita had to convince users they were as good as conventional tools but less expensive. 11 Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [email  protected] harvard. edu or 617-783-7860. 89-005 Skil Corporation op y Makita manufactured tools in two plants located in Japa n. Dedicated equipment manufactured specific product families. The cost-conscious company awarded employees for recommendations on cost savings or new product ideas. In Japan, Makita had 400 salespeople selling directly to retail outlets. Makita’s sales in the U. S. market had grown from less than $10 million in 1976 to approximately $25 million in 1979. Makita was making a major push for U. S. market share, combining high quality with aggressive pricing.In 1979, Makita sold primarily through industrial channels, although it had an aggressive direct sales force selling at job sites. Robert Bosch Gmbh. Robert Bosch (West Germany) was the second-largest portable electric power tool manufacturer in the world. The company manufactured a variety of products and equipment, ranging from automotive parts to production machinery and systems. In 1979, sales of portable electric power tools were approximately $400 million; $22 million were in the U. S. market. tC Bosch had a very strong position in Europe and distributed through all channels.The company manufactured about 250 models in six plants located throughout Europe. In the United States, the company concentrated on the professional segment. In 1979, it acquired Stanley Tool’s portable power tool business in the United States. Stanley was a strong brand name in routers. Hitachi. Backed by Japan’s largest electrical manufacturer, Hitachi had portable electric power tool sales in 1979 of $175 million, commanding about 40% of the market in Japan. Sales in the United States were less than $1 million. No Hitachi’s power tools were of industrial quality, primarily for metalworking.The company was regarded as an industry leader in several tools. Tools were designed for the world market and manufactured in one plant located in Japan. Others. AEG Telefunken of Germany was an established manufacturer of portable electric power tools in Europe. Ingersoll-Rand, a U. S. manufacturer, also produced po rtable electric tools under its Millers Falls brand. Skil Corporation Skil Corporation was founded in the 1920s in Chicago. Its original product was the circular saw, which it invented, but gradually it expanded into other power tools.Skil had a long history of introducing new products. It had a number of industry firsts or near firsts to its credit, including an early cordless drill, the first portable electric saw, and the first consumer electric hedge trimmer. Do Skil entered the Canadian market in 1946. In the 1950s, Skil invented the roto hammer but, while retaining manufacturing rights, sold the patents to Hilti, a company in Liechtenstein, to raise cash. In the 1960s, the company began producing lower-priced tools for consumers. During the same period, Skil began manufacturing in Europe and Australia.In the 1970s, the company entered markets in the Far East and Latin America. In the 1960s, Skil developed an electronic switch and formed a new company, Capax, in the Netherlands to produce and supply electronic switches to Skil and other power tool manufacturers. Various competitors soon used electronic variable speed switches to control speed in many tools. The Capax subsidiary was still highly profitable. Since its inception, Skil had been managed by members of one family that had controlling interest in the company.Under increasing competitive pressure, Skil’s financial results had not been 12 Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [email  protected] harvard. edu or 617-783-7860. Skil Corporation 389-005 op y stellar, although reported profitability had improved in recent years. Exhibits 5, 6, and 7 give recent Skil financial results. Products Skil served both the professional and consumer markets. It had a broad product line, including all significant types of tools in numerous shapes and variations at all price points. In the United States, more than 130 models employed 11 motor frame sizes.Skil also had about 150 different Europ ean models and about 75 for the rest of the world. Its circular saw line remained Skil’s single strongest product area. The company also had good positions in mid-priced drills and roto hammers. tC Skil engineers were encouraged to aggressively develop new models, and the company strove for the best product performance rather than commonality with other models. New designs were released for manufacturing at one of Skil’s plants. In 1978, Skil had 93 engineers and technicians employed in its research laboratories.Expenditure for research and engineering was approximately $2. 7 million. Skil product designs varied in different countries according to local needs. In circular saws, for example, Skil had seven different U. S. saws, two European versions, two Canadian versions, and two for other export markets, totaling 35 models using 12 different motors worldwide. Skil had a higher percentage of professional tools in its product mix than Black & Decker. Skil tools were pre dominantly metallic, with cut steel gears and metal housings. Channels No Skil sold through all the distribution channels for power tools.Skil was well established in hardware stores and had a strong position in circular saws in contractor supply channels due primarily to a â€Å"worm drive† professional saw that was the industry standard. Skil tools were also sold through department stores. The company’s major domestic accounts were with Montgomery Ward and J. C. Penney, which represented 10% of its sales in the United States. Skil’s sales force serviced all its distributors except the mass merchandisers, who were sold to direct, and hardware stores, which were served through wholesalers.The company had 2,200 customers, including 200 wholesalers, which serviced hardware stores. From the beginning, the company had established service centers throughout the country. In 1979, it had 76 company-owned service centers and 427 authorized service stations throughout th e United States. Marketing Do Skil’s 150-person sales force was broadly specialized by channel. Merchandising techniques included self-contained displays that show-cased promotional tools to the consumer. Skil seldom advertised (except in cooperative programs with channels), relying more on product publicity.Occasionally the company sponsored sales promotions and consumer media advertising campaigns in magazines, newspapers, and television. Manufacturing Skil manufactured products in 13 plants throughout North America, Western Europe, and Australia. Plants were dedicated to either component fabrication or assembly. Components plants were generally single-function facilities for such activities as diecasting, screw machining, saw blade manufacture, and motors production. The most popular motor frame size was manufactured in five 13 Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright.[email  protected] harvard. edu or 617-783-7860. 389-005 Skil Corporation op y plants located in four countries, with annual production ranging from 50,000 units to 800,000 units per plant. Annual motor production in other frame sizes varied from 12,000 units to 870,000 units per plant. In the United States (Illinois, Arkansas, and New York), three feeder plants produced components and four manufacturing plants produced different products. The Netherlands had two plants, one for electronic switches, as did Canada; Australia and Brazil (a joint venture) had one each.Skil plants were partly automated with motor winding lines and some machining centers. Skil’s newest plant in Heber Springs, Arkansas, had opened in 1979. International Do No tC Skil sold tools on a worldwide basis, with its greatest international strength in Europe. The company’s worldwide operations were divided into three regions: the United States, Europe, and Other. Each was autonomous and had plants that produced the full product line for that region. A network of country managers was responsib le for sales and service in each country. 14 Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright.[email  protected] harvard. edu or 617-783-7860. Skil Corporation U. S. Portable Electric Power Tool Market in 1979: Product Sales by Distribution Channel ($ millions) Consumer Mass Merchandisers Circular saws Drills—corded Drills—cordless Jigsaws Orbital sanders Belt sanders Roto hammers Sander/grinders Planes Miscellaneous Parts/service Total Percentage growth $ 40 36 3 21 19 11 — 6 2 29 22 $189 2%–4% Industrial Hardware/ Home Centers $ 37 37 9 12 7 6 — 3 1 37 42 $191 Mill Supply Contractor Supply Plumbing/ Electrical $ 20 46 2 3 5 8 4 26 1 14 15 $144 2%–3% $ 36 32 3 3 2 8 6 0 2 11 12 $135 2%–3% $2 25 2 2 1 1 3 2 — 13 11 $ 62 2%–3% Others/ Service Total $8 19 1 1 3 1 19 2 — 18 75 $147 $143 195 20 42 37 35 32 59 6 122 177 $868 Do No tC Product op y Exhibit 1 389-005 15 Copying or posting is an infringement of copyrig ht. [email  protected] harvard. edu or 617-783-7860. 389-005 U. S. National Consumer Advertising of Portable Electric Tools by Leading Manufacturers, 1975–1979 ($ thousands) 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 $2,613. 5 178. 7 1,793. 5 590. 1 51. 2 $4,479. 3 — 3,506. 1 973. 2 — $6,487. 6 12. 8 6,339. 4 135. 4 — $6,208. 3 — 5,560. 1 648. 2 — $1,222. 258. 4 345. 3 618. 3 — — $870. 6 318. 6 — 396. 0 — 156. 0 $2,147. 3 761. 4 1,252. 7 77. 0 — 56. 2 $320. 5 217. 7 — 102. 8 — — $1,038. 5 270. 8 767. 7 — — — $1,769. 8 584. 4 1,169. 7 — 15. 7 — $2,541. 7 950. 1 1,425. 2 — 164. 6 1. 8 $3,808. 1 926. 4 1,608. 2 1,163. 8 109. 7 — $4,252. 7 699. 8 2,712. 2 771. 2 69. 5 — $940. 3 106. 4 256. 9 577. 0 — — $1,800. 4 153. 6 — 1,645. 0 — 1. 8 $852. 7 — — 848. 2 — 4. 5 $1,342. 2 — 1,217. 7 13. 8 110. 7 $2,724. 9 99. 9 1,839. 3 699. 9 85. 8 Rockwell Total Magazines Network TV Spot TV Outdoor Newspaper $1,396. 8 434. 2 927. 9 33. 3 1. 4 —No tC Black & Decker Total Magazines Network TV Spot TV Newspapers Sears Total Magazines Network TV Spot TV Radio Outdoor op y Exhibit 2 Skil Corporation Skil Total Magazines Network TV Spot TV Radio Outdoor — — — — — — Source: Leading National Advertisers, Inc. , â€Å"National Advertising Investments. † Includes companies spending $25,000 or more on the combination of national magazines, newspaper supplements, network TV, network radio, spot TV, and outdoor advertising. The data do not include cooperative advertising by retailers, the cost of which is shared by manufacturers. DoNote: No data on advertising expenditures for portable electric tools were available for Bosch, Milwaukee, and Makita. 16 Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [email  protected] harvard. edu or 617-783 -7860. Skil Corporation U. S. Portable Electric Power Tool Market in 1979: Brand Sales by Distribution Channel ($ millions) op y Exhibit 3 389-005 Hardware/ Home Centers Skil Black & Decker Milwaukee Rockwell Bosch AEG Millers Falls Makita Hilti Singer Wen Total $8 54 — 9 — — — — — 107 11 $189 $ 44 115 6 14 — — — 2 — — 10 $191 Mill Supply $ 12 93 11 13 7 3 2 3 — — — $144 ContractorSupply Plumbing/ Electrical Others/ Service Total $ 26 36 33 11 10 3 5 11 — — — $135 $1 13 35 2 3 2 2 4 — — — $62 $ 15 63 10 5 5 2 1 4 32 9 1 $147 $106 374 95 54 25 10 10 24 32 116 22 $868 Do No tC Company Mass Merchandisers 17 Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [email  protected] harvard. edu or 617-783-7860. 389-005 Selected Financial Information on Portable Electric Tool Manufacturers ($ millions) 1976 Black & Decker Sales Net income ROS % Debt/eq uity % ROE % Capital expenditures 1978 811. 7 51. 7 6. 4 0. 22 13. 4 29. 4 959. 9 66. 2 6. 9 0. 20 15. 6 38. 3 1,205. 0 94. 4 7. 8 Skil Corporation INSTITUTE OF BUSINESS MANAGEMENT SKIL CORPORATION CASE ANALYSIS STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT SECTION: C ASSIGNMENT #: 3 INSTRUCTOR: ABDUL QADIR MOLVI DATE: 12TH MARCH, 2013 Q1. What is your analysis of structure of possible Electric Power Tool Industry? According to the Porter’s Five Forces Analysis the industry is moderately attractive. Q2. How the industry structure is changing? Are these changes for better or worse? The power tool industry consisted of portable and stationary tools with wide range of sizes prices and qualities.The industry was becoming increasingly segmented by price point, with each point representing a certain level of quality. The power tools were broadly divided into two categories; professional/industrial and consumer. The professional tools were superior in quality and therefore were sold at higher prices and greater gross margins than the consumer tools. However, as the consumer tools were becoming more sophisticated and of better quality the distinction bet ween both the categories started to blur.As technology was improving the trends of usage of power tools changed (corded tools were replaced by cordless ones). The other improvement was the availability of lighter materials (aluminum, magnesium and plastic). This helped in lowering the costs of production. Also, energy efficient tools were developed and safety was emphasized as an area of development. All the occurring changes reflected growth potential in the power tool industry.Some of the changing factors which indicated the potential for development, betterment and growth of the industry include the increasing emphasis on quality, safety, more energy efficient products, advancements in technology and wide ranges of product with varying prices. Q3. What was Skil’s competitive strategy in 1979? How would you evaluate its relative position? In 1979 Skil Corporation had 76 company owned service centers and 427 authorized service stations throughout United States. It followed a lower-priced tools strategy for its consumers.Also, it differed in its strategy while catering to each country’s (where it exported or manufactured) particular needs. The corporation encouraged its’ engineers to aggressively develop new models and strive for the best product performance. Skil hardly advertised its products and relied mostly on product publicity. It catered to both professional and consumer markets. Initially, circular saws were strongest product among the contractor supply channel because of the industry standard for a professional saw which any other competitor did not match.The circular saws remained Skil’s strongest product area. The evaluation of Skil Corporation’s relative position indicates that it was focusing on new products in existing markets. In short, it was inclined towards new product development. Q4. What strategic options does Skil Corporation have? According to the analysis of Porter’s Five Competitive Forces Mode l the industry was moderately attractive. On the other hand we can also notice that the competition was extremely fierce in the industry by analyzing the brand shares given in the case:Company| Percentage| Black & Decker| 31. 1%| Makita| 11. 1%| Bosch| 10. 7%| Hitachi| 8. 3%| Skil| 7. 1%| AEG| 5. 0%| Singer| 4. 3%| Miiwaukee| 3. 5%| Matabo| 2. 8%| Rockwell| 1. 9%| In this situation it’s not just merely selection and implementation of a strategy that matters but also the right selection (out of the options) and adequate implementation along with follow-up. Following were the strategic options for Skil Corporation: * To go for mergers & acquisitions in order to increase sales and profitability. To use defensive strategies in order to put obstacles in the path of would-be challengers and fortify the company’s present position while undertaking actions to dissuade rivals from even trying to attack. * To use best-cost strategy. This strategy would have enabled Skil to creat e strong market presence by giving buyers more value for the money. * To go for divestment. Q5. What strategy will you recommend to Skil Corporation? Skil can gain its strong position back in the market if it follows certain strategies such as: * Focusing on a particular segment or broadening its distribution horizon to more than just the departmental stores.In short, Skil’s relative position in the market of only around 7% share (1979) is clearly due to the company trying to please more markets than it is capable of and hence, focus and integration could ensure a better position to an extent. * Considerably more spend on consumer advertising. According to the figures shown in Exhibit 2, it is quite evident that the advertising spend of Black & Decker in 1978 was approximately 300% more than Skil Corp.