Saturday, August 17, 2019
Pilot Fatigue and its role in Aviation Safety Essay
ABSTRACT The aim of this paper is to observe the growing concern of pilot fatigue and the role it plays in aviation safety. A brief assessment of the effects and possible solution to this problem will be carried out. A mention of some of the incidents from the past will also find its place in this paper. Introduction                   Aviation industry is on a growing spree and in the times to come there are going to be more and more airlines filling the sky. As we move steps further towards globalization we are going to need this service more frequently which further increases the pressure on our airlines. To tackle with this situation, especially when the availability of trained pilots is less than required, the pilots are forced to fly more frequently and for longer hours. This causes physical as well as mental stress to buildup as a result of which the efficiency of pilots decreases. This non-pathologic state resulting in physical and mental stress is known as ‘Fatigue’. Human body is always in need of rest, especially in the form of sleep, after regular intervals of time. Any lack in the required rest causes fatigue to be developed in one’s body. Due to fatigue there can be a feeling of sleeplessness, tiredness or exhaustion in a person. This feeling if effective during flight hours can be really dangerous not only for the pilot but also for the lives of the passengers traveling with him and can cause accidents. The only solution to this problem that has been known so far and will ever be known in the times to come is sufficient amount of sleep. This unfortunately is what the pilots are not getting these days and are not expected to get at least in the near future.                   The findings from the past have shown that fatigue was responsible for a large number of aviation accidents. According to a study carried out by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) of flight accidents related to flight crew in US from 1978 to 1990, one of the findings related the accidents to fatigue by stating that â€Å"Half the captains for whom data were available had been awake for more than 12 hours prior to their accidents. Half the first officers had been awake for more than 11 hours. Crews comprising captains and first officers whose time since awake was above the median for their crew position made more errors overall, and significantly more procedural and tactical decision errors.†(Strauss, n.d.). Sleep and Sleep Loss                  It is essential for a human body to get the required amount of sleep. Sleep is considered to be an essential ingredient of our life without which it is not possible to survive. Whenever a person does not get enough sleep a signal is sent by brain to the body which results in Sleepiness. Eyelids start to get heavier and there is fatigue in the whole body. A person starts to loose concentration and may even go to sleep while he is on a job. If there is a deficiency in sleeping hours of a person and suppose every day a person looses 1 hour of sleep known as â€Å"Sleep Loss†, then it goes on accumulating over days and results in what is known as â€Å"Sleep Debt†. This debt if not cleared can cause serious problems ultimately resulting in fatigue. It has been found in researches that before flying a plane it is necessary to have sufficient amount of sleep (about 8 hours) for the pilots. If they are allowed to fly continuously without getting the required amount of rest (or sleeping hours) in between their flying schedules, then fatigue is most likely to develop in them resulting in, loss of concentration, memory and alertness, slow reaction time, reduced decision power, and bad mood. All these factors are basic ingredients of making mistakes and thus causing accidents. Crew rest                   Fatigue starts to build up from the time one gets out of sleep. Development of fatigue also depends on the amount of time a person was awake before the actual flight operation. Some times there are delays in flight timings due to several reasons ranging from weather conditions to mechanical problems. This means that a pilot has been â€Å"on duty†for a long time before boarding in the plane. Although he may be flying the plane for the normal length of time but delay in flight timing has resulted in him being involved in the activities for much longer, which also results in the pilot being fatigued. Similarly there may be a case of airport congestion as a result of which a pilot cannot land and has to hover in the air for a long time or due to bad whether the plane needs to be redirected to some other destination causing him to fly for longer duration than normal. These instances also cause fatigue to be developed. Overall the fact is that ample amount of rest is essentially required by the human body to keep it fit and fatigue free.                    â€Å"A brief review of US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) flight time and rest rules for scheduled domestic commercial carriers (US Code Title 14, part 121.471) are as follows†(Strauss, n.d.).: Crewmember total flying time maximum of: 1000 hours in any calendar year. 100 hours in any calendar month. 30 hours in any 7 consecutive days. 8 hours between required rest periods. Rest for scheduled flight during the 24 hours preceding the completion of any flight segment: 9 consecutive of hours rest for less than 8 hours scheduled flight time. 10 hours rest for 8 hours or more, but less than 9 hours scheduled flight time. 11 hours rest for 9 hours or more scheduled flight time. Diet and nutrition                   People all over the world use coffee as a stimulant to remain awake for longer periods of time. Same is the case with pilots. To remain alert they normally consume coffee. The problem with coffee is that although it keeps a person alert, it cannot prevent body from getting tired and thus fatigued. The body still is in working condition for all these hours and hence the effect of coffee is temporary alertness and not a solution to fatigue. Also coffee is diuretic which means that it discharges more fluids than what it takes in and hence results in dehydration which is a cause of fatigue. It is always good to keep your body fit by exercising but there should be a sufficient amount of rest and consumption of water followed by it as exercises cause a lot of dehydration. However dehydration can also be caused by the fact that inside the cockpit humidity is very. There is always a balanced diet recommended for not only pilots but everyone. A pilot should always ensure a healthy diet which provides sufficient energy as well as nutrients for his body. Hypoglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels, is a major cause of feeling sleepiness. A healthy diet ensures sufficient levels of blood sugar and thus energy, preventing hypoglycemia.                   ‘Finally, alcohol is known to disrupt sleep dramatically and therefore contributes to the poor quantity and quality of sleep obtained on trip nights. Alternative approaches to the use of alcohol to unwind after duty and promote sleep should be identified and offered (e.g., relaxation skills)’ (Rosekind, 1994). Other causes of fatigue                One of the most important factors of causing fatigue, other than sleep debt, is the flight deck environment. Inside the deck there are a lot of factors contributing to fatigue such as lesser availability of space, variation in air flow, low atmospheric pressure, low humidity and presence of a lot of noise and vibration. Also in modern aircrafts a number of additional features and systems have been incorporated which means that the pilots have to handle multiple systems resulting in more stress. History of incidents There have been incidents in the past where fatigue has proved to not only be dangerous but also fatal. A legend in aviation refers to an incident when a pilot went to sleep with his autopilot on and found on waking up that the plane was 2 hours from the nearest destination with only one hour of fuel left. This may just be a story but in many cases researches have proved fatigue to be a cause of dangerous and fatal accidents. Some of the cases have been listed below:- In June 1999 there was a runway accident of American Airlines Flight 1420 in which 11 people died, including the aircraft captain, and many injuries among the 145 passengers and crew aboard the flight KAL Flight 801 crashed in Guam on August 6, 1997, was mainly due to a lack of situational awareness resulting in â€Å"controlled flight into terrain (CFIT).†The captain prior to flying to Guam had flown from Seoul to Australia, back to Seoul, to Hong Kong, and then back to Seoul again before his fateful trip to Guam, including only a few hours of rest in between. Cessna 177B Cardinal was flown by Joe Reid, pilot-in-command in which he, seven-year-old Jessica Dubroff and her father were killed. He suffered fatigue from the first day’s flight. On August 18, 1993, a Connie Kalitta DC-8 crashed on a 1/4-mile base leg to final. The flight crew had been on duty for 18 hours and flown nine, thereby experiencing sleep loss and a disruption of their circadian rhythms. ‘On January 2, 1989, the captain of a 707 tried to maneuver his plane to land in Salt Lake City after breaking out of the clouds at 200 feet. He dragged his left, outboard engine on the runway, leaving a 60-foot-long groove. Within the preceding 30 hours, he had been on duty for 19 hours, and flown 13 hours. He had been off duty for almost 12 hours, but was only able to get one hour of sleep in that time’ (Printup, 2000). In August 1985, the crew of a Learjet killed themselves and their passenger in a failed approach to Gulkana, Alaska. One of the contributing factors was that the company would shift the crew’s duty/rest requirements from FAR Part 135 to those of FAR Part 121, thereby disrupting their sleep patterns and inducing fatigue (Printup, 2000). Countermeasures Based on several reports a number of countermeasures have been devised to improve alertness to counter fatigue. Preventive measures like 3-4 hours of sleep can restore alertness for 12-15 hours and 10-30 minutes of sleep can do it for about 3-4 hours. Similarly it is advised to rest for 15-20 minutes after awakening and before flying. Some of other means to restore alertness are:- Consumption of high protein diet and less intake of fat and high carbohydrate food. Consumption of large quantities of fluids. Use of caffeine to work against fatigue symptoms if awake for 18 hours or less. Due rotation of flight tasks and frequent conversation with other crewmembers Maintenance of temperature inside the deck to lower levels. Frequent movement of body parts and a possible walk in the cabin. Gradually shift times for sleep, meals, and exercise to adjust to a new time zone (Strauss, n.d.). Conclusion For the safety of pilots as well as passengers the issue of pilot fatigue is of major concern. Growing number of aircrafts in the sky also means longer durations of flight for the pilots, which is a major cause of this problem. History bears the testimony to the fact that fatigue has resulted in numerous aviation accidents resulting in the loss of thousand of lives. To save more lives from getting lost there is a need to solve this problem. Allowing flexible schedules for the pilots is the only viable solution in sight at the moment. Our lives are getting busier and it would be wonderful if they become safer as well. References Dawson, Drew and Reid, Kathyryn. (August 1997). Fatigue, Alcohol and Performance Impairment.  Retrieved December 1, 2007, from http://www.eurocockpit.be/media/Dawson-Reid-1997.pdf Dr Samuel Strauss. (n.d.). Pilot Fatigue. Retrieved December 1, 2007, from http://aeromedical.org/Articles/Pilot_Fatigue.html Goode, Jeffrey H. (27 March 2003). Are pilots at risk of accidents due to fatigue?. Retrieved December 1, 2007, from http://www.eurocockpit.be/media/Goode-2003.pdf Heath, Brad and Levin, Alan. (Nov. 8, 2007). Fatigue plays role in aviation mistakes. Retrieved December 1, 2007, from http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/1108sleepypilots1108.html Mann, Michael B. (August 3, 1999). Statement of Michael B. Mann Deputy Associate Administrator Office of Aero-Space Technology National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Hearing on Pilot Fatigue Before the Aviation Subcommittee of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure United States House of Representatives. Retrieved December 1, 2007, from http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/legaff/mann8-3.html Printup, Mark Brandon. (September, 2000). Guest Editorial: The Effects Of Fatigue On Performance And Safety. Retrieved December 1, 2007, from http://www.airlinesafety.com/editorials/PilotFatigue.htm Rosekind, Mark R. (November 1994). Fatigue in Aviation. Retrieved December 1, 2007, from http://cf.alpa.org/internet/projects/ftdt/alpmag/FATIGUE.html Samel, Alexender, Wegmann, Hans Martin and Vejvoda, Martin. (1997). AIR CREW FATIGUE IN LONG-HAUL OPERATIONS. Retrieved December 1, 2007, from http://www.eurocockpit.be/media/Samel-Wegmann-Veivoda-1997.pdf Â
Friday, August 16, 2019
Why Movies Are More Then Just Entertainment
Movie are much more than just something we watch it is a story being told by the writer for us to interpret, it can be inspiring or gloomy it all depends how we as viewers see it. It can also be a way for some to live out an imaginary existence in and conventional world. Just look at movies like tron, star gate or even the borne series it helps people live out the life they desire. Movies are also a way for the media to influence and open the minds of its viewers. It is much more then entertaining, informing and educating, movies plays a big role in the way we perceive things. Movies can be a way for people to tell their own stories or communicate a message or get some point across with the type of movie they write. Like for example look at star war some think it is just a sci- fi movie but it is much more it has a very deep political undertone. Or Michael Moore movies like fairenhight 9-11 they were made to inform us as viewers what is going on in the world, some might say it is a little bias but to someone who really lives the story might say it is true. Movies have also become a big part of our daily lives in which they can sometimes have quite an influence on our behavior. They intrigue our minds which captivate us as viewers they transcend us into another dimension. As we try to associate with the stories of what we see we often find ourselves searching for similarities between these characters and ourselves. Movies are much more powerful then we all believe they help us face all kinds of social issues and personal one also. It teaches us life lessons that later on will help us through our daily lives, and sometimes a movie can make us feel emotions that we never thought we will. Movies are a way to disconnect from our world and live someone else’s. Everyone has a story to tell and movies are the visualization of it. From the zoetrope in 1864 to silent movies in 1903 to the movies of the 21st century, movies have gone through many changes in history. But the change that stayed the same during that time is the emotions behind the films. Since the invention of movies, each film ever made brought tears, joy, laughter, excitement, confusion, anger, happiness, sadness, and pain to their audiences. Not only did movies bring emotions, it brought entertainment to their audiences. It entertained them during the difficult times, the worst of times, the sad times and the happy times look at movies like the wizard of oz, snow white or gone with the wind, movies that came out during the great depression. the film industry has gave us entertainment ince it was invented and it will keep doing that till audiences loses interest in movies and in the film industry. Documentary, thriller, comedy, romantic, biography, animation. Movies are huge influence in our lives. When you feel like watching a movie, you can make the choice of choosing something that makes you laugh or cry, or simply you want to learn something that you are interested. In our culture it is a way of sometimes escaping from a routine that we have. Watching a movie i n a theater is a reward that we give ourselves and in some cases to our loved ones too.
Thursday, August 15, 2019
Tokyo Moulding Company in Malaysia
1. 0 Introduction This is a study about the worldwide expansion activity of a firm in Asian region. The basic motive or aim of this study is to gain extra knowledge on international business management throughout the interview with the decision maker of that particular internationalized firm. Basically, all basic information obtained is generally come from the interviewee. Nevertheless, we had some help from the internet as well in conducting this study to enhance all the missing point that we might not consider during the interview.Next, from all information we obtain from any resources, we had done an analysis on this internationalized firm, Tokyo Mould Shd. Bhd. The tools used in the analysis include SWOT analysis, CAGE framework and market entry strategy to conduct a full analysis on all aspect regarding the strength, weakness, opportunity, threat, cultural influences, political issue, geographical issue, economical issue, and entry mode or strategy imply.During analysis by using the tools that mentioned earlier, each tools will explain the issue in detail including the advantages or disadvantages, reason and etc, to ensure reader to have a perfect understanding from all aspect such as strength of company, weakness and etc. All explanation is based on facts and data obtained. Extract from analysis tools, we are able to categorized the priority of this firm in this market or industry, able to identify the problem faced by this firm as well and determine the strategy to overcome the problems or obstacles along the path in international business.Next, we will conduct some recommendation for this particular company by suggesting some ideas which are able to improve company operations and some idea to fix some of the problems that occur to this company. Also, some personal opinion such as agree in some business strategy done by Tokyo Mould is listed in the recommendation part. Finally, we conduct a conclusion from overall data obtain by inserting brief justifica tion base on analysis, suggestion and recommendation to finalize our case study. 2. 0 Company Background Tokyo Mould Shd.Bhd is small and medium enterprise which mainly focus on Moulding business. It is currently located at Pulau Pinang, Malaysia. It is establish since the year 1985 according to our interviewee, Mrs. Lim Siew Lee. Mrs. Lim Siew Lee is one of the present owner of this company. She is the wife of the owner of this company and she had worked in this company for 20 over years with her husband. Her main duty in this company are accounting, managing staff, financing and others documentations work task. Basically, Tokyo Mould Shd. Bhd have clients from oversea including Thailand, Japan and U.K which Japan is the main customer. Japan is the first country Tokyo Mould approach due to the introduction from others business partner. The first deal was made with Japan after the inspection of Tokyo Mould’s product quality by a Japan representative which came to Malaysia to examine not only the product quality but as well as the whole operation environment indeed. Fitting all the requirement of Japan is the main reason of the success of Tokyo Mould to enter the Japan Market. Exporting is the entry mode for Tokyo Mould to internalized the business.The reason for using such entry mode is because this company had experienced failure by forming joint venture with others before. It was 10 years ago from present that this company is actually form a joint venture with LEE HENG Mould Sdn. Bhd. Back then, business was corrupted due to economic crisis and forming joint venture doesn't seems to have any help in overcome the problems. Instead, it is a burden when problems occur to the joint venture partner according to Mrs. Lim. Also, Tokyo Plastic Mould Shd. Bhd is the previous company name before the business corrupt due to economic crisis.In present, Tokyo Mould is now strive to achieve the best services and create the best product quality and aim to expand bus iness by establish own subsidiaries at foreign region in the future. 3. 0 ANALYSIS (Tools) We have interviewed one of the decision makers of Tokyo Mould Sdn Bhd and discovered issues faced by the company. From there, we did a few analyses to help overcome those issues that the company is encountering. Firstly, we started off with the SWOT analysis. 3. 1 SWOT STRENGTHS- most affordable and reasonable price- using U.S dollar currency for business transaction – experienced (20 years)| WEAKNESSES- brand not famously well-known in the foreign country- manufacture imperfect pattern (loses money)- late payment by the debtor| OPPORTUNITIES- capable for global expansion- growing future revenue| THREATS- competitors (product volatility, competitive prices)- economy crisis| 3. 1. 1 STRENGTHS Tokyo Mould offers the most affordable and reasonable price compared to other companies from the same industry.The price factor enables Tokyo Mould to compete with other competitors in the market. N ot only that, this advantage leads to customer preferences to be in the list of choices for company selection. Many business organization’s aim is to ensure that the profit of the product is more than the cost of the manufacture. Plus, every business transaction that Tokyo Mould deals with the international company is using U. S dollar currency. According The Star Online, 1 U. S Dollar is equivalent to RM3. 1590. (The Star Online, Retrieved 4th November 2011 from Exchange Rate) Website: http://biz. thestar. com. y/business/exchange. asp. It is an advantage for Tokyo Mould because by using U. S Dollar, it is easier to standardize its mould cavity and their values. Not forgetting, one of their strengths of Tokyo Mould is their expertise in this business. Tokyo Mould has been running in the market for 20 years now. This clearly shows that they are experienced and professional in their business line. 3. 1. 2 WEAKNESSES Even though Tokyo Mould has been in the market for 20 years b ut its name is not widely known by the public especially in the foreign country. This is due to the existing company from the same business line.Most probably is because of the poor marketing strategy by Tokyo Mould. They mainly focus on the ongoing process and try to maintain their loyal customers. Another one of their weaknesses is that the defect product caused by the worker. Sometimes during the Moulding process, the outcome of the pattern is not perfect as its design. Therefore, the product cannot be used and been rejected. This cause loses of money to the company. Most difficult part of this business is the late payment by the debtor. Tokyo Mould has to tolerate to the policies and procedure of the debtor.There are companies which apply to the finance policies and procedures of payment after 45 to 180 days depending of the total amount of the product purchased. 3. 1. 3 OPPORTUNITIES By doing this business, it has a great opportunity for Tokyo Mould to expand its business globa lly. Tokyo Mould’s business has gradually growing and earning profit as the years goes. Many international companies prefer to import products from Asia countries because of lower cost expenditure. Tokyo Mould is capable to fit in the criteria as they have full equipment and labor force to conduct the business.In conjunction with Tokyo Mould’s objective to gain more profit, fame and resources, going global gives a great opportunity for growing future revenue to expand its company globally. 3. 1. 4 THREATS Most threatening factor that Tokyo Mould is facing frequently is the competitor from the same company such as Sony and Broubybrown. Competitors produce more advanced and creative products seasonally. Not forgetting, competitive prices by the competitors. It is difficult for Tokyo Mould to decide on the best price to compete with others. Plus, the condition of the economy is unpredictable.Tokyo Mould has encountered economic crisis in the year 1990. That causes them a down fall but fortunately due to the economy stable come back, they are doing fairly well now. 3. 2 CAGE distance framework. CULTURE- Fulfill promises- Prefer things get done on time- Tokyo Mould priorities customers need| ADMINISTRATIVE- management policy not affected- minimal tax charges| GEOGRAPHICAL- prefect courier services so far- forgivable delay if occurs| ECONOMIC- using U. S dollar currency- economic crisis- loses money due to defect | 3. 2. 1 CULTUREThe Japanese customers are quite fussy in making deal. However, it is a good thing for both parties. The Japanese want their products to get done on time and do not give in to any delay and defects of the products. By this culture, the Japanese managed to get their things done in time whereas Tokyo Mould can proceed with other deals. Plus, Tokyo Mould priorities their customer and always try their best to fulfil customer needs. Tokyo Mould is towards allocentric. Tokyo Mould concerned with the interests of others instead of on e’s own. 3. 2. 2 ADMINISTRATIVEFor administrative issue, it does not affect the international business in terms of company policy as well as political issue or government invention. Basically, company policy do not affect business in overseas as it's only affect domestic region. Company policy of Tokyo Mould mainly focuses on employee commitment in aspect of work efficiency and personal attitude. All rules are generally similar with every small-medium enterprise as there will not much affect oversees business. As mention, Tokyo Mould chooses exporting as entry mode but not establish subsidiary in foreign region.Therefore, company policy doesn't affect much is because there is no foreign employee exist which they might not familiar with company policy as each company policy different from another especially in different country. As for political issue or government intervention, it is again because of the entry mode is exporting. There are only a few tax might charge along wit h transportation fee. Otherwise, there is not much issue occur according to our interviewee. 3. 2. 3 GEOGRAPHICAL For Tokyo Mould, there is not much geographical issue to be concern or causes trouble in business operation according to Mrs.Lim. In fact, she mentioned that she was very please and satisfies with current courier services. The basic exporting method is by using courier services such as FedEx Malaysia. From information obtain, there is seldom mistake happen before till present day. Only some small matter such as delay which is forgivable as it’s mostly causes by unexpected incident such as weather. Generally, geographical issue doesn't cause much trouble to Tokyo Mould is because Tokyo Mould does not have any subsidiary or forming any joint venture with foreign region.It is believe that only having subsidiary or joint venture with foreign country will cause troubles such as information delay due to high range of geographical area, transportation issue or delay in r ecovering data when a subsidiary incur a error of system with all information erased. 3. 2. 4 ECONOMIC Basically, Tokyo Mould uses U. S dollar currency for every business transaction. Tokyo Mould does not have problem with that as it they consider it as one of the advantage to earn more. However there is one threatening issue is the economy crisis.They have once experienced it and this situation is barely avoidable. It is part of business risk. 3. 3 STRATEGIES One of Tokyo Mould strategies for global expansion is by exporting. They started off with Japan and then followed by the U. K and Thailand. They use courier express such as DHL. So far their record is good and hardly any complaint is filed against the product and services of the end molding products. Tokyo Mould is more to direct exports where direct marketing and selling to the client is practiced. Tokyo Mould would not consider joint venture at this moment due to history.They have joined venture with LEE HENG Sdn Bhd that fo cuses on plastic, injection and molding but alas their business failed due to economic crisis. They lose a huge amount of money and forced to shut down the company. It was a crucial time for the Tokyo Mould owner. Currently they are not planning to have subsidiaries in international company because they have insufficient financial aid to set up their company in those respective countries that is dealing with right now. Maybe in the future, Tokyo Mould would consider this strategy once the Penang Company is really stabilized in domestic market.The co-owner, Ms Lim Siew Lee advised us that networking is the key in doing business internationally. This is so because the help of other big company has help SME Company like Tokyo Mould to experienced a chance to deal with international client. Furthermore, we are advised to be humble when doing business and keep our words with the clients. 4. 0 Recommendation (Analysis) After the SWOT and CAGE framework analysis, in my perspective, there a re some plans should be implemented by Tokyo Mould Sdn. Bhd. Firstly, Tokyo Mould an be consider is a very successful although this company does not have a very proficient business website, as Mrs. Lim told us, the most of the customers are introduced by others bigger company or business partner. Business website can be said have the potential for reaching a wider audience, regarding this, Tokyo Mould should upgrade their internet site about own company business, With a more proficient internet site, the product or service is accessible easily, the loyal customers or potential customers can 24 hours a day, 7 days a week update the Tokyo Mould latest information.These can convenience communications between Tokyo Mould and its customers in order to build a better business relationship around the world. Besides that, the reputation of the company can be increase, gained competitive advantages and can save a lot of money in communication and administrative cost through creating a qualit y business website. Secondly, after they start up the business, Tokyo Mould already entered their business in certain overseas countries such as Tokyo, Thailand and also UK, we can see the financial for this company can be consider stable.As Mrs. Lim mention earlier, the prices they offered enable Tokyo Mould to compete with other competitors in the global market and this advantage leads to customers preferences to be in the list of choices for company selection. Hence, Tokyo Mould can expand their business to other foreign country such as Indonesia, China and so on. Since the reason made Tokyo Mould move to international expansion is to gain more profit, fame and resources in the future, the company should take this action in their consideration in order to achieve to goals.Thirdly, from before till present day, Tokyo Mould only used exporting through courier express as their entry mode to enter international market. As Mrs. Lim mention earlier, this is because previously they trie d joint venture with other similar company and it doesn’t work so well. In my perspective, Tokyo Mould should try again joint venture with company that located in foreign countries, joint ventures often relate to the whole enterprise and could be the viable option to grow Tokyo Mould business without sacrificing what they have already built instead of a company may have less control when exporting their product into a foreign market.However, although joint venture more control is exerted, but the level of risk is also higher compared with through exporting. Last but not least, since the economic crisis issues if one the problem that Tokyo Mould often worrying, the company should control very well in their finance situation and cash flow in order to faced this kind of problem. As a conclusion, these are the suggestion and recommendation we can provide to Tokyo Mould Company after the interview analysis which is to create a more quality business website, expand business to more foreign country and also try to build joint venture with other foreign or local company. . 0 Conclusion As a conclusion, Tokyo Mould is a quite successful company in Moulding industry. Since the performance of the company keep growing in these few years, the company has the potential to become a bigger company in order to gain more profit, fame, and resources and also qualify to compete with their competitors. However, we discovered that are some challenge and obstacles encountered by Mrs. Lim such as economic crisis, Mould dimension defect and also competitors in running the company that are related with boots up the company performance.Besides that, networking is very important for Tokyo Mould as it is the tools to gain more international business regarding to its company performance. As Mrs. Lim mention earlier, networking, humble, keep the words is the key focus in doing business internationally, with the help of the business partner, Tokyo Mould only will have the chance to de al with international client and also expand the business globally.Moreover, every company have their strengths to cover up its company weaknesses, hence, Tokyo Mould must maintain its company strengths to conceal its company weaknesses, also keep seeking for the incoming opportunity to growth up their business and be aware of the uncertainty threats that will affect to their company business. By the way, when Tokyo Mould entered in international business, culture, administrative, geographical and economic issues should always in their mind to ensure no misunderstanding, misleading and miscommunication while making business with overseas clients especially Japan clients.Last, like I mention in recommendation, in order to get a better company performance, the company can create better quality of business website, try to joint venture with other company, and also expand the business to more overseas country. However, there is definitely barriers will incur when wider the business, the company can try to figure out the problem by using suitable strategy in order to overcome such barriers. 6. 0 References 1. (Banking, 2011) Banking, M. (2011). Exchange Rate. Retrieved November 08, 2011, from The Star Online: http://biz. thestar. com. my/business/exchange. sp 2. (Contact :Tokyo Mould Industries, 2002) Contact :Tokyo Mould Industries. (2002, March). Retrieved November 2011, from Tokyo Mould Industries: http://tokyolow. asiaep. com/contact. htm 7. 0 Appendices 7. 1 Verbatim Chris : Good morning madam Mrs.. Lim : Good morning Chris : Can you please introduce yourself? Mrs. Lim : Ok, my name is Lim Siew Lee, I’m one of the owner of this company, I’m 47. I’m also the wife of the company. Chris : Can you briefly tell us that what is your education background and your working experience in this particular company? Mrs.Lim : Well, my education background is only Form 5, I had worked in this company for 20 over years. My main duty in this company is acc ounting, managing staff, financing and also some documentation. Chris : Can you briefly tell me your company background? Mrs. Lim : Ok, as you know, my company is Tokyo Mould Shd Bhd. Our company mainly focus on Moulding business. We have clients from overseas like Thailand, Japan and U. K. We had established this company around 20 over years. 10 years back, our company name is Tokyo Plastic Mould Shd Bhd, that time we joint venture with LEE HENG Mould Sdn Bhd, the previously company ainly focus on plastic, injection and Moulding, but during the economic crisis time, we faced some financial problem and forced to shut down the company. After few years, we start up a brand new Mould company which is the current company. Chris : Ok, can you tell me which country is your company first internationalize? Mrs. Lim : Well, Japan is the first company we internationalize, because we get to know the first Japanese client from other business partner. After the Japanese client come to observe ou r product and service, they deal the first Moulding business with us and so on.Chris : So what is the reason had made your company move to first international expansion? Mrs. Lim : Because we want to gain more profit, fame and resources and our company now located at Penang, there are so many competitors existing like Sony, Broubybrown and so on. Chris : Which entry mode did your company use to expand internationally? What I mean is through something like exporting? Joint venture? Subsidiary? Or else? Mrs. Lim : Well, we only use export as our entry mode. This because previously we tried joint venture with other company, but it seem doesn’t work so well.So now we only export our Mould through courier express. Chris : Is there any advantages or disadvantages by using export as your entry mode? Mrs. Lim: For the advantages, can say all of our business transaction currency is using U. S dollar, this is easier to standardize our Mould cavity and their values. For the disadvantage s, can say is the duration of receiving payment is longer than the local transaction. Like for example, the duration of receiving payment will normally up to 180 days. Chris : Besides that, to which country your company export too? Mrs. Lim : As I mention earlier, we also export our Mould to Thailand and U.K too. Chris :Ok, when you expand your business globally, what is the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and also threats of your company in foreign market?. Mrs. Lim : Well, for the strengths, I can said that our Mould are more cheap compare with other bigger company. For weaknesses, I can said that our company popularity is not high as other bigger company, so sometime the foreigner not even know our company name. for the opportunities, I think our company might have chance to be like other bigger company someday, since this company business is keep growing.Threats, there are some larger company sometime will lower the market price and this will effect to our selling price as well as our profit. Chris : Is there any cultural or political issue will effect to your business when exporting Mould to foreign market? Mrs. Lim : Ya , sure, like cultural, the Japanese client prefer we can produce Mould to them on time. They might be unhappy if we delay our exporting our Mould to them. For the political issue, not much actually, there is no extra taxes as well. Chris : is there any geographical and economic issues will effect to your business globally?Mrs. Lim : Well, so far no. we very please with the courier express service, there is no any mistakes happen before. For economic, as I mention earlier, the U. S currency is actually give advantages for me to earn more. Chris : Ok, is the any other problems or challenges that might effect to your business globalize? Mrs. Lim : So far as I mention earlier, the competitors might be the big problems that we faced. Economic crisis also is one of the issue that we always worrying, this is because we faced this kind of ex perience previously and the company forced to shut down eventually.There is also sometime the Mould dimension might defect and cannot be use, so we have to redo the Mould, this will increase our cost and reduce our profit. Chris : Last, do you have any suggestion in doing global business or any extra information which like to share with us? Mrs. Lim : I can said networking is the key in doing business internationally, because the help of other big company, our SME company only will have the chance to deal with international client. Besides, we also must be humble when doing business and keep our words with our client. That’s all. 7. 2 Photo Gallery
Wednesday, August 14, 2019
Business Plan Project Essay
BUSINESS NAMES V-cigs. The V stands for vapor and victory. Vapor is the substance identical to smoke while Victory is the victory that all the heavy smokers out there will get when they manage to quit smoking. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS Our business will be a distributor of Electronic cigarettes where we get the item shipped straight from US. An electronic cigarette is a battery powered device that provides inhaled doses of nicotine or non-nicotine vaporized solution. It is an alternative to smoked tobacco products such as, cigarettes, cigars or pipes. In addition to purported nicotine delivery, this vapor also provides a flavor and physical sensation similar to that of inhaled tobacco smoke, while no smoke or combustion is actually involved in its operation. An electronic cigarette takes the form of some manner of elongated tube, though many are designed to resemble the outward appearance of real smoking products. Another common design is the â€Å"pen-style†, so named for its visual resemblance to a ballpoint pen. Most electronic cigarettes are reusable devices with replaceable and refillable parts. FORM OF BUSINESS OWNERSHIP It will be a sole proprietorship because it’s a startup company and we’re planning to lay low and go small at first and see how it goes, so it’s easier to form by one owner and it doesn’t need high startup costs and we’ll get tax benefits. IDEAL CUSTOMER We try to target on adults and teenagers in the range of age from 18 to 55 years old. Not just males but females too because in this century now the population of females who smokes is slightly equal to males who smokes. But our priority is the ones who have health problem, a pregnant lady and ones who have basic desire to quit smoking. OUR ADVANTAGES V-cigs carries some of the finest electronic cigarettes and supplies on the market. Our selection of kits and accessories for both new & advanced vapers truly offer a unique alternative to smoking in an incredibly lower price. It is designed for the people who want the freedom to smoke anywhere without having to put it out. Apparently it is more eco-friendly because it does not emit the same toxins as a traditional cigarettes. It provides nicotine while not producing carbon dioxide and other harmful fumes and chemicals. We don’t have any direct competition but we do have indirect competitors and they are; All the companies that make cigarette locally and internationally like Dunhill, Winston, Marlboro, Salem and etc. Shisha Cigar Pipes Competitive substitute Our advantages THE EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT Environmental Variables Key impacting factors Political Economic Socio-Cultural Trend of anti-smoker have wide-spread Technological BUSINESS PLAN PROJECT TEMPLATE PART 2: THE BUSINESS OF MANAGING MISSION STATEMENT â€Å"To protect the environment and provide a complete freedom to smoke anywhere, anytime without any harmful effects to the body and environment as well and also to give the same real taste of traditional cigarette but with style†. We strive to maintain that type of customer service at V-cigs. We want to be available to our customers to answer your questions as you continue to vamping. We want to be approachable and helpful and ready to help you with all of your vamping needs and desires. Our main reason for being a vendor is so that we can help people when and where they need it. Though our customers come from all walks of life and several parts of the country, we hope to continue to have a local atmosphere. BUSINESS GOALS Every company has its goals while ours are; Short-term goal Our short-term goal is a target of 400 customers by the end of the first year, where each customer spends a minimum of RM150 per purchase. Intermediate goal Our intermediate goal is to open few branches when net profits reach RM20 000. SWOT ANALYSIS The purpose of the SWOT analysis is to know the V-cigs strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that are internal and external.
Proctor and Gamble Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Proctor and Gamble - Essay Example The products of choice in this paper are Ariel and pampers. Ariel is a cleaning agent while pampers is a personal care product which is applicable mostly to babies to protect them of baby rashes as a result of wetting themselves. The products have been launched in various countries with the aim of diversifying the marketability and scope. Ariel soaps and detergents target all households including offices (WHITE, 2009)). Both high end and low end customers are targeted. The new products for Ariel and Pampers will be launched into the maturing market considering the fact they have been in existence for some time. P & G faces several threats from other companies such as Unilever and Henkel which are firms that are growing very fast. However, there are various opportunities which prevail such as the strong marketing mechanisms that the firm uses and its reputation which makes its product very firm and stable (HOLLIS, 2010).). Price sensitivity of pampers and Ariel detergents Ariel and Pa mpers products are all less sensitive to price. This is because each company has the liberty to sell its product at the price it desires given the different materials required to make the product. The other competitors such as Johnson and Johnson, Unilever have their own products which do compete with the case products hence it can price them according to their own estimation. Product Cost Estimate The product is estimated to be priced according to the size or quantity offered to the customers. It should be noted that Ariel and pampers comes in various sizes and quantities to be able to distribute to various market niches according to the demand in place. It is therefore, important to note that Pampers falls in various sizes and quality similar to Ariel which also falls in different quantities (AMERICAN UNIVERSITY IN CAIRO, 2011). Variable Costs The variable cost in the manufacturing of Ariel is the cost of raw materials which vary due to the economic conditions prevailing in the Un ited Kingdom. Other variable costs include the costs of transportation, the costs incurred on payroll of senior management, costs of floating shares on the stock exchange (HOLLIS, 2010; 33.). Fixed Costs Some of the main fixed costs include; the costs of insurance, costs of advertisement and the costs related to distribution of the products within the country. Other fixed costs include; the cost of utilities such as electricity, water and communications. These costs can be predetermined in advance before costing the products ((KAPFERER, 2008; p. 79). Cost leadership aspects of the products In an attempt to beat rivalry in the market and the increasing level of threats in the market, the company puts more emphasis utilization of the economies of scale. This is because of the high fixed costs incurred in the manufacturing sector which is required to be spread throughout the numerous units (CHERUNILAM, 2010; p. 57). By pulling down the costs incurred per unit cost of the product the ul timate product is then sold at a lower price which fosters the company’s competitiveness in the market (KAPFERER, 2008; p. 79). Market Price The market price is determined by the law of demand and the competitors’ quality of products. The market price of pampers and Ariel depends highly on the consumer preferences and tastes and according to the level of income. The products might have a higher price due to quality but the population does not have the cash to buy the products (DYER, DALZELL & OLEGARIO, 2004; p. 227). Break Even Analysis The breakeven analysis of Ariel and pampers arises when costs of production is exactly equal to the revenue acquired from the sales of the products (Drury, 2008; 2006). At this point the sales revenue equals the
Tuesday, August 13, 2019
International Marketing models Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
International Marketing models - Essay Example The three models can however not be applied independently. There is an overlap in their application with the business organizations currently leaning towards the polycentric model. International Business Part One Legal Issues Relating To Global Commerce International business involves trading within and without national boundaries. The fact that business spreads across different jurisdictions gives rise to legal issues especially because many times the laws across countries are not the same. There is therefore, the need to harmonize the laws. Some of the legal considerations in international trade include the following: Tariffs (Customs) and Quotas A tariff is a tax imposed on imports and exports within a jurisdiction. The amounts of tariffs charged by the government in-charge determine whether the investors would be able to invest in a particular jurisdiction or not. Many jurisdictions use the tariff rates as the bait to either attract or chase away investors. Charging high rates wo uld effectively discourage investment (Schaffer, Agusti, & Earle, 2010). Quotas refer to the restriction of quantities to be imported or exported in a particular jurisdiction. Governments impose maximum limits of imports to protect their domestic industry mainly from inflation caused by unfavorable balance of trade. The governments may impose exports to caution the country from scarcity of commodities which would shoot demand high and consequently occasion inflation within the economies. The use of tariffs and quotas affect businesses as they have to toil within the agenda of a particular jurisdiction (Schaffer, Agusti, & Earle, 2010). Antidumping and Transfer Pricing Laws Antidumping refers to rules against dumping. Dumping essentially refers to a situation where multinationals import goods of lesser quality and value into foreign jurisdictions. Governments have come out strongly against dumping as it defeats the ideals of trade and erodes the standards by perpetuating mediocrity ( Schaffer, Agusti, & Earle, 2010). Transfer pricing is a concept of taxation that concerns multinationals. Owing to the different taxation rates by different jurisdictions, multinationals exploit transfer pricing so as to tax their products within the lower taxation rates jurisdictions. Governments have come up with laws to prevent cases of tax avoidance and evasion under the guise of transfer pricing. Intellectual Property Rights International business recognizes intellectual property rights although the rights are granted within individual jurisdictions. These include copyrights, patents and trade secrets. Governments have been considerate enough to provide laws to enable innovators enjoy the fruits of their work through the intellectual property rights (Schaffer, Agusti, & Earle, 2010). Sources and Forms of Political Risks Political risks refer to the effects the politics of the day in a particular jurisdiction has on the businesses within that jurisdiction. Political risks could be caused by the government, the people or the activities of competitors and non-governmental organizations. Governments mainly expropriate or nationalize companies in effect taking over the share ownership of the companies. The people may be at war creating un-conducive environments detrimental for business. Activists in the guise of protection of the environment or societal interests may render the business working environment
Monday, August 12, 2019
The influence of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) on Taiwanese Dissertation
The influence of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) on Taiwanese Consumers' Purchase Intention and Brand Image in the Diamo - Dissertation Example They also reported that compared to 2010, the global diamond sales significantly increased by 18% to $71 billion, close to the 2007 peak of $73 billion before the crisis. IDEX (2013) and Tacy LTD (2013) indicated that the majority of growth contributed to the mounting demand from Chinese and Indian markets. De Beers, which is reviewed in this proposal as an example of the world’s leading diamond companies for more than a century, reached their second highest level of sales ever to $6.5 billion in 2011. In the 1990s an issue of â€Å"conflict diamonds†or â€Å"blood diamonds†was heatedly debated across the globe. The diamond industry encountered the crisis from their diamond sourced countries. In several politically unstable African countries, such as Angola, Sierra Leone, Liberia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the diamond mines were under control of the military as a means to finance their military power. With the media‘s widespread coverage and t he movie â€Å"Blood Diamond†, the transactions between diamond buyers and the military, although not all from such illegal channels, were regarded as intensifying violent tribal conflict. Consequently, the reputation of the diamond industry was blackened (The Kimberly Process, 2013; Pauwelyn, 2003; Worldbank.org, 2013). In response to this situation, the Kimberley Process was organized in 2002. Under the auspices of the United Nations, The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) conducted a list of rules that every diamond trading country should obey: certification of rough diamonds is now required before being exported (Pauwelyn, 2003; Schefer, 2005). This is to "guarantee that their trade does not finance rebel activities" (The Kimberly Process, 2013). To establish a positive prestige from the infamous â€Å"blood diamond†image, and to ensure that De Beers’ â€Å"corporate activities contribute significantly to the development and prosperity of the co untries and communities in which they operate†(De Beers Group, 2013), their CSR principles has developed across five sustainability factors – Economics, Ethics, Employees, Communities and Environment, as all well as obeying the KPCS trading system (ibid). The case of De Beers will be explored, because it is a company which has executed its CSR policy since 2006, which provides luxury industry marketers a possible framework for strategic thinking and the effective use of CSR activities. There has been an upward research trend on how a company’s corporate social responsibility policy benefits consumer communication for several decades (Maignan, 2001). Meanwhile, this academic stream has invigorated the potential marketing development of corporate responsibility initiatives, such as the issue of corporate sustainability, environmentalism and corporate citizenship, among the real business world (Menon & Menon, 1997; Drumwright, 1994; Wigley, 2008; Lee, 2009;). Howev er, most of previous research discussed on CSR is more in the context of sustainability management or shareholder theory, rather than consumer aspects of understanding of this notion. Reinforcing this, Sen and
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