Nissan Corp Swot Essay Example for Free

Nissan Corp Swot Essay Global interdependence: possible new marketsGovernment regulations: abroad in other countries as well as US and the US; global warming, CAFE standards, safety issues Growth of existing market: widen market New entrants: threat of potential inclusive of generation X,Y and baby boomersnew competitors Strong economy: economy not faltering;Changing market tastes: need for consumers still buyingcontinuous innovation to appeal to ifferent segments Nissan’s reputation: leads the industryShortage of resources: workforce in reliability, performance, and design dissatisfaction, hiring good talent Emerging technologies: innovative through the development of technologies for improving fuel economy and reducing fuel emissions Introduction This Case Paper will examine accessible information about Nissan Corporation and determine its position in the world market through a business SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats). Through this analysis, we hope to see where the Nissan has been and make suggestions as to where the corporation should go to improve their bottom line, increase market share, and plan for future products to ensure their viability in the world automobile marketplace. Market Analysis Nissan’s focus in establishing a multi-cultural company begins with regaining global market share. The company has learned from past mistakes and is determined to succeed, developing a common vision and a global ompany culture that will need to be a main driver for continued strength (Associated Press, pgs. 1-8). For instance, establishing a brand name and personality that is sensitive to nationalistic cultures. Strategic alliances and joint ventures are growing in importance in the automobile industry and Nissan is no stranger to the competition. Nissan’s mission statement delivered by Mr. Ghosn in the Automotive News World Congress in 2001, is evidenced in how the company exploits synergie s to create positive alliances with other manufacturers (Ibid). For example, Nissan’s announcement to venture with Ashok Leyland to build small trucks and other light commercial vehicles in India gives them an opportunity to enter a market that in recent years has been dominated by its competitors, Toyota and Honda. This venture will produce at least 100,000 vehicles annually for sale in India and for export, as it will facilitate the construction of a plant near the southern Indian city of Chennai to manufacture and export compact cars to Europe. The deal with Ashok Leyland will broaden Nissan coverage in the Indian market in addition to providing new LCV (lightweight commercial vehicle) products for emerging markets which will sell for around $3,000. 00. Ashok Leyland’s strengths in large and mid-sized trucks combined with Nissan’s strength in smaller vehicles creates a positive synergy (Ibid). According to Mr. Ghosn, partnering globally is an opportunity and the Chinese market is no exception. China is Nissan’s third largest single market, after North America and Japan. Vehicle production has grown over the past ten years. However, the major source of growth has been the production of passenger cars (The Business Review, pg. 7). Passenger car production has doubled in the past ten years. This shift is in response to a change in market conditions and in a desire for Chinese manufacturers to enter the global auto passenger car market. Consumer demand is also increasing and in order to satisfy this demand, auto production has been increasing. The demand for autos is expected to continue (Ibid). According to the Wall Street Journal, the car craze in China has just begun. There are two factors that create possible opportunities for Nissan: 1) the country has the world’s largest population and as incomes rise, so will the hopes of buying an auto some day. 2) the market may grow to 8 million vehicle sales annually by 2010. Nissan’s new line of cars in China will be designed and engineered in Japan, based on a common â€Å"B† platform shared with Renault that centers on smaller engines. Annual sales of the entire family of cars are expected to reach 200,000 units globally and will be launched in other markets over the next couple of years (Financial Times, pg. ). However, the threat of inadequate roads and the government’s changes in regulating how autos are purchased will make the costs unpredictable. On a financial scale, the banks are under pressure to control credit, so auto loans may not be easy to acquire. North America accounts for nearly 40% of Nissan’s global sales, and in each of the past years sales have exce eded those in Japan, with the gap widening each year. Nissan is spending several billion dollars on new models, and the U. S. assembly plant in Canton, MS is aimed at maintaining momentum (Ward’s Auto World, pg. 1). The most significant automotive development in North America is continuing growth in the luxury segment and the increasing popularity of cross/utility vehicles. Nissan is on track to rebuild its image and regain brand value. In the past, customer satisfaction was good, but the model lineup was limited. Now, with the Q45, M45, G35 sedan and coupe and the FX models, the market has begun to recognize that Infiniti provides a range of real luxury models (Ibid). According to Bloomberg, Honda Motor Co. and Nissan Motor Co. led Asian automakers’ U. S. sales gains in September as Toyota Motor Corp. posted a third straight decline. Accord helped boost sales by 9. 4 percent. Toyota’s 4. 4 percent drop marked the first time since 1995 that Japan’s largest automaker logged three consecutive months of lower U. S. sales. Sales of the five year-old Corolla model, Toyota’s second-most popular in the U. S. , dropped 8. 5 percent and demand for the company’s light trucks declined amid rising gasoline prices. Industrywide U. S. sales fell for a fourth consecutive month, by 2. 9 percent to 1. 31 million light vehicles (Bloomberg. com, pgs. 1-3). Toyota’s old models like the Corolla are dragging down while Honda and Nissan have brand-new models. Nissan reported a 6. 7 percent increase in sales (Ibid). Nissan, sixth in the U. S. , sold 94,269 vehicles, helped by higher demand for midsize Altima and Versa compact cars. Nissan’s market share edged up 0. 7 percentage point to 7. 2 percent. The Japanese are becoming more aggressive in terms of incentives and pricing, which makes them more competitive against South Korea’s largest automaker. The company faces tough competition from Japanese and Korean auto makers like Toyota, Honda and Mitsubishi, which are rapidly gaining ground in the European markets. Asian manufacturers are continuing to fortify their position in the crucial North American and European market. It can also expect stiff competition from Toyota and BMW (Ibid). Nissan believes that growing the business means introducing new products and has created the Nissan Revival Plan to realign their cost structure. Significant amounts of money are funneled back into product development, mostly going towards the North American market. This means there are opportunities for new innovations that will bring the company in line with a mix of vehicles that are currently on the road. Its RD costs in FY 2006/2007 stood at JFY 464,839 million, an increase of 3. 9% when compared to JFY 447,582 million in FY 2005/2006. The company increased its investment on RD activities to launch a host of new products throughout the year (Ibid). In 2007, Nissan launched a new version of its minicar, namely, Pino E, which is a 2WD model and equipped with a three-speed automotive transmission. It is claimed to offer a fuel economy of 21. 0 km/1. Furthermore, the model is considered safe and environmentally friendly, as it features anti-lock braking system (ABS), brake assist (BA) and electronic braking force distribution (EBD) systems. It is low emitting, complying with the 2005 emissions regulations in Japan. In March 2007, the company also developed a new engine technology that helps balance between responsiveness and fuel efficiency, high power and low emissions (Ibid). Today, Nissan stands behind its offerings; that fundamentals of the business are strong, products are attractive to customers, and the company is poised for sustained, profitable growth. Environmental Concerns In researching the issues of automakers in regards to the environment, many nations as stated in The Wall Street Journal, are concerned about climate change and energy security. One of the most important issues all automakers are faced with on a global scale is the reduction of emissions, more specifically carbon dioxide or CO2. Concerns for the future in the minds of the majority are setting new goals for automakers of vehicles with internal combustion engines to become more efficient if they are to remain profitable or even in existence, which is further backed by a global treaty known as the Kyoto protocol (Wall Street Journal). In the protocol’s drafting of new rules they are intended to cap emissions of CO2, the gas widely blamed for global warming can potentially pose a major threat. According to scientists, it is reported that the rise in the earth’s average atmospheric temperature is largely due to this major contributor CO2 which will bring changes to the global environment, and therefore affect our daily lives (Ibid). According to the Wall Street Journal, a debate is raging in the US over how much time automakers actually need to boost fuel economy, and whether setting stringent targets will compromise safety by encouraging car makers to use lighter materials. Additionally, the US has not adopted the Kyota protocol and is under less pressure to reduce CO2 emissions as they are in Europe. Therefore, Nissan’s global prominence puts the auto manufacturer in an â€Å"opportunity† position by making concentrated efforts in advanced technology to reduce carbon dioxide emissions at every stage of the vehicles life cycle and their corporate activities, from manufacturing and transportation to use of Nissan’s vehicles by its consumers. Nissan, currently the third largest automaker out of Japan has opportunity to grow stronger from the threats of one and two automakers Toyota and Honda respectively, who lead the market in alternative fuel development (Wall Street Journal). According to Nissan’s Green Program, it is Nissan’s view that internal combustion engines will continue to be the main power source of vehicles globally in the years ahead. Therefore, Nissan therefore takes a stance of reducing CO2 emissions through the development and widespread adoption of advanced technologies for improving the fuel economy of gasoline engine vehicles. Currently in the works for Nissan is the development of cleaner diesel engine vehicles that run on biofuels made from plants and other reusable sources (Ibid). Nissan estimates that over half of the vehicles they sell by 2050 will need to be electrically powered if they are to reach their long term goal of reducing CO2 emissions. Nissan’s threat has been its major competitors in developing hybrid electric vehicles, fuel cell vehicles and electrical vehicles. Other companies such as Toyota are setting the bar in alternative fuel sources which makes them a profitable industry leader with the obvious threats of gas prices that change virtually on a daily basis (Ibid). Nissan History and Innovation Nissan Motors’ history dates back to the 1930s when Jidosha Seizo Co Ltd was established in 1933 in Yokohoma City, Japan. Its beginnings as a munitions company was short lived when the company was renamed to Nissan Heavy Industry Co Ltd and introduced the first Datsun, manufactured after World War II. After the company began exporting the cars to the US in 1958, it gained popularity due to its small size and high fuel efficiency. Subsequently, in 1980, Nissan Motor established Nissan Motor Manufacturing Corp. USA to strengthen its market potential in North America (ABI/INFORM Global pg. 1). Today, Nissan supplies a widespread customer base classified across regions, namely, Japan, the US, Asia, Europe and General Overseas Market, which includes Mexico and Canada. This market includes 150 dealers and 2,500 outlets worldwide (Ibid). This is the age of globalization and the worldwide interdependence of resource supplies, product markets, and business competition. Nissan has succeeded in meeting its challenges due to its focus in valuing diversity both in its workforce and through understanding customer needs. This is evident in how the company plans ahead and is always looking for new ways to improve current performance. For instance, the company learned from past mistakes; failure to recognize changing customer focus in non-growth sectors, and being competitively focused rather than market focused. Also, finding the right people and the right plan to maximize growth is key (Nissan News, pg. 8). Shiro Nakamura Nissan’s automotive designer is known as â€Å"The man behind the Nisan Look† and has developed some up-to-date, eye-catching designs that have no resemblance to the old models, and the company is optimistic that sales will increase once the current plan to launch 28 new cars during fiscal year 2008. Most of the changes are defined to the upper body and adjusted to make it more like the Altima (Business Week, pg. 1). Nissan’s innovations stem from producing a product that their customers want. Their philosophy is that investing in a product that will bring value and satisfaction to its customers will build loyalty as well as expand that market base. Nissan’s models include Maxima and Sentra cars, Altima and upscale sedans, Frontier pickups, the 350Z sports car, and Xterra and Pathfinder SUVs. In 1999 French automaker Renault took a 37% stake in Nissan, and installed president and CEO Carlos Ghosn (nicknamed â€Å"Le Cost Killer† based on his talent for turning red ink black) who has since returned the company to profitability. Renault now owns almost 45% of Nissan. According to Hoovers, Nissan fiscal year end sales in March were in millions, $80,583. 7. Net income in millions was $4,427. 8, and 1 year net income growth was 7. 0%. Their top competitors were General Motors, Honda, and Toyota (Hoovers. com, pg. -2) Generation â€Å"X† consumers can identify with the sports world, ESPN’s X Games. Games showcase the world’s most dangerous events. The â€Å"X† generation is also playing a big role in the fashion world, thus the automotive industry has been one of the leaders driving the â€Å"X† growing trend. Jaguar’s Web site prominently features a glowing X to promote the new â€Å"Jaguar X-Type: a car for a new generationâ⠂¬ . And Nissan has scored big with the model Nissan Xterra. This trend is enabling Nissan to tap into a pool of younger car buyers. The vehicle has attracted many new buyers, some of which have never purchased a Nissan before. The Xterra is aimed to attract 25 to 35 year old drivers. Marketing tactics fill viewers with scenes of athletes doing extreme outdoor exercise, and pushing their SUVs to the extreme. Polls cited that men were most affected with the advertisement than women. 13% to 9%. According to the Gallop polls, the ads scored highest among those 30 to 39 years old, which is right where the company was trying to segment. The 25 to 35 year old target market (USA Today, pg. 2-3). Baby Boomers on the other hand are most attracted to the Nissan Murano, or Nissan Bevel. Nissan’s long term vision for 2015 is that future vehicles will save lives by installing a series of sensors that can detect sobriety of a driver and can immobilize the car. Other features include detecting operational changes, such as drifting out of a lane, at which time the system navigation system alerts the driver with voice message alerts and the seat belt is tightened. Nissan is currently testing an on-board breathalyzer and road sensors to help reduce accidents. Other plans to develop an Intelligent Transport System Project and road sensors will help reduce accidents (Nissan. com, pg. 1-2) The company understands the importance of agility in a dynamic 21st century market and is continuously reinventing itself to stay ahead of the competition. Sometimes, this means taking risks. Most recently, the company made an announcement that it was moving its headquarters from California to Tennessee. The new facility will accommodate 1300 plus employees and favorable for business, not to mention contributing to the infrastructure and supporting the community with more jobs. It’s inevitable that there could be some unforeseeable threats perhaps with current labor force. Some issues could be that they are not in agreement with the transfer and choose to leave the company, thus the need for new hires. Other potential threats are the risk of new competitors in the area, and developing a new sense for the new market. The California population may not have the same tastes and likes as the Tennessee population, thus Nissan could expend additional resources to substitute products and services (Tennessean. om, pg. 1-4). A strategy for the future that Nissan could consider would be to offer a motorcycle product. Exploring and pursuing this opportunity would allow them to remain competitive and also to offer products to meet different needs. Honda, BMW, and Suzuki, all of whom offer cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles, Nissan too should visit the idea of offering a motorcycle. Over the years Nissan has developed quality products that are dependable, hi ghly functional and desirable; this being an advantage for Nissan. Along with remaining competitive, the high price of fuel recently would make a Nissan motorcycle more appealing. The motorcycle would alleviate fuel expenses and consumption. The Nissan motorcycle would also be appealing in geographic locations such as Japan, China and major cities in the United States that do not have the space on roads for larger vehicles. Nissan plans to offer a concept vehicle that resembles a car and a motorcycle. This vehicle is called â€Å"Urge† and offers state of the art gaming systems that allow the driver to use the gas and brake pedals to play. When considering the pricing of a Nissan motorcycle and remaining competitive, Nissan should consider that Honda and Suzuki offer motorcycles at reasonably affordable prices. Suzuki offers several types of motorcycles to include cruisers, motocross, and sport bikes all at reasonable prices ranging from $6,000. 00 to under $10,000. Honda also offers cruisers, motocross, and sport bikes. Honda motorcycles range from $3,000 to $13,000. In order to lure prospective buyers into purchasing a Nissan motorcycle, Nissan should strive to offer its motorcycles at reasonable prices, similar to Suzuki and Honda. The price range for motorcycles made by BMW is slightly higher starting at $8,000 to $15,000. BMW has offered a motorcycle since 1923. Its tenure along with the fact that consumers have learned to trust the German made motorcycle are what keep BMW competitive. Offering reasonably priced and desirable styles similar to BMW, Honda and Suzuki is a great opportunity that has not been approached by Nissan. The cruiser styles offered by Honda, Suzuki and BMW resemble that of a Harley –Davidson motorcycle without the high cost. The market for Nissan motorcycles is positive with the increasing cost of fuel and the ages of future drivers. Most of the baby boomer generation have become accustomed to the quality of Nissan vehicles and would be approaching retirement age in the next few years. Nissan’s release of motorcycles would segment the soon retired baby boomers as a fun and recreational of transportation. The Nissan motorcycle would also segment the new drivers of today which in a few years will be the young generation to market to. Nissan would have to be conscious of expenses in marketing and production of the motorcycle, a product never offered and could use the business model already established by its competitors offering both motorcycles and automobiles in the industry. According to Analysts, the economy is not faltering and people are still hopeful for the future. It is a race to the finish line, and who ever gets there first wins. It will be interesting to see how automobile manufacturers will implement new strategies (Economy Today, pg. 1) Nissan Technologies –Past and Future New technologies were as important to Nissan’s past as they are to Nissan’s future. Nissan has always addressed environmental issues, including the development of clean power sources for vehicles and recycling of natural resources. Nissan has been able to release one new model after another with fuel-efficient direct-injection gasoline engines and direct-injection diesel engines since 1997. This has led to the expanding application of the Hyper CVT (continuously variable transmission) , the Extroid CVT, the Tino Hybrid and the two-seater Hypermini electric vehicle in the early part of 2000 for efficient fuel economy (Nissan global. om). Nissans history goes back to an automobile factory started by Masujiro Hashimoto in 1911 called the Kwaishinsha Co. In 1914, a box-type small passenger car was completed and in the following year the car made its debut on the market under the name of Dat Car. Another predecessor of Nissan was Jitsuyo Jidosha Co. , Ltd. , which imported m achine tools and components from the U. S. , and was one of the most modern automobile factories of its time. Kwaishinsha Co. and Jitsuyo Jidohsa Co. merged in 1926 to form Dat Jidosha Seizo Co. , and two years later to the establishment of Nissan Motor Co. Ibid). In preparation for post war capital investment in Japan, Nissan developed two state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities leading to the advancement of motorization and increased traffic accidents; and contributed to the problem of air pollution. Nissan developed its first Experimental Safety Vehicle (ESV) in 1971 and over the years created a reputation for excellence in engineering and advanced technology. Nissan has developed weight-reducing materials, engine management systems for controlling combustion, and using CAD/CAM systems and industrial robots (Ibid). Recently, Nissan has also been localizing R;D operations, which has now advanced decision-making through the regional headquarters in North America and Europe. Nissans local operations in their respective regions oversee product development, manufacturing, procurement, fund-raising and mutual complementation of parts between companies (Ibid). Nissan’s Vision Nissan is developing corporate activities centered on automobile manufacturing based on their vision of â€Å"enriching people’s lives. In order for cars, which provide mobility, to truly become reliable partners for our customers, a number of issues including global environmental issues, traffic accidents and congestion problems must be tackled as part of a long-term vision (Nissan global. com). The global automotive industry is entering an era that will change almost every facet of the car in the future to come. Nissan’s global vision includes the pursuit of environmentally sustainable technologies creatin g one of the greatest engineering competitions in history that has the potential to deliver significant benefits to humanity (Ibid). To realize our vision, Nissan is developing technologies based on a framework called the â€Å"Orchard† concept. † This concept allows Nissan to embrace technologies in a comprehensive manner (Nissan global. com). In order to create a distinct value in order for customers to choose their cars, Nissan is likening its approach to the management of a fruit orchard in which â€Å"fruit† is planted and raised. The process has three phases, one the Harvest Plan, two Seeding and Growth and three – Soil Enrichment. The Harvest Plan takes into account social needs and market demands for the commercialization of technologies and the timing of releases. Seeding and Growth will implement strategies for the realization of the Harvest Plan and to formulate development of schemes. Lastly, Soil Enrichment will create value for the long term by researching reliability improvement and analysis technologies (Ibid). Some of the proposed solutions are more efficient fuel-cells for electric cars, bio-fuels, advanced diesel fuels or combinations of these solutions. However, the most effective solutions will not be decided by engineers. It will be decided by consumer demand, which is the most powerful force for global environmental progress. Every new car buyer in every country gets a vote by exercising their right to choose, thereby dictating both the pace of future change and its direction (Ibid). Nissan’s vision is to invest massively in RD in pursuit of new technologies. This has not always been the case. Due to perilous financial decisions, in 1999 Nissan could not afford to invest in the core of its brand identity technological innovation. Today, Nissan’s RD budget is much healthier than the level of 1999 due to significantly increased efficiency of their RD activities. This has led to an environmental blueprint known as Nissan’s â€Å"Green Program 2010†. Also taking advantage of the alliance with it’s parent company, Renault, Nissan is able to focus on specific promising technologies – such as advanced lithium-ion batteries and other areas, such as clean diesels. Nissan’s vision includes the determination to be the leader in environmental progress. It is Nissan’s belief that motoring can be both green and fun allowing consumers to expect new technologies that will enhance dynamic performance (Ibid). Some of the latest technologies being embraced by Nissan are the X-Trail Fuel Cell Vehicle, Ultra-low Friction Diamond-like Carbon (DLC), the Super Motor, and the Compact Lithium-ion Battery. Nissan continues to raise the practicality of FCVs, which are being developed as the most eco-friendly vehicles. The X-Trail FCV provides increased cruising range. (Nissan global. com). The FCV also provides improved acceleration. The new model features a Nissan-developed fuel cell stack that is more efficient than the previous stack resulting in maximum power of 90 kw compared with 63 kw in the 2003 model. Ultra-low Friction Diamond-like Carbon (DLC) is Nano-technology based on ultra-low friction technology. Nissan has substantially reduced friction between engine parts by developing the first technology in the world to combine a hydrogen-free diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating with special oil. Energy is lost due to friction that arises between the hundreds of parts that comprise an engine. This ultra-low friction technology uses nanotechnology in order to reduce friction by approximately 40% compared to conventional engines. The DLC works by use of a hydrogen-free DLC coating, improves binding with the engine oil, and results in the formation of a firm ultra-low friction film when special oil additives are added. It is now possible to reduce overall engine friction by 25% (Ibid). The Super Motor and Compact Batteries Nissan has independently developed the Super Motor based on an all-new concept. One motor provides output through two shafts, enabling it to function as both a motor and a generator. This innovative technology has a wide range of potential applications (Nissan global. com). The Super Motor can dramatically reduce the size and improve the efficiency of the drive unit compared with the use of two conventional motors. Independent control of the power obtained from the two shafts. The Super Motor has rotors positioned on both the inside and outside of one stator, enabling power to be delivered through two shafts by use of a new technology to apply compound current to the Stator coils (Nissan global. com). Nissan has succeeded in independently developing a laminated lithium-ion cell that displays an exceptionally high output characteristic. This cell is the result of many years of lithium-ion battery research that began in 1992. The laminated cell is featured from the 2003 model X-TRAIL FCV (Nissan global. com). The laminated cell design and high-power electrode technology improve power output by 1. 5 times and reduce the volume by more than half compared with the conventional cylindrical cell. The thin cell construction also enables a thin module design for a substantial improvement in battery ooling efficiency. Locating the battery under the floor achieves compact and highly efficient vehicle packaging, including a low, flat floor, among other advantages. Compared with the cylindrical cell, the laminated cell has fewer components and is extremely compact and lightweight. Moreover, Nissan has succeeded in achieving higher power output through material improvements made to the lithium manganate positive electrode and the carbon negative electrode (Nissan global. com). Executive Summary Like any other automobile manufacturer, to stay competitive in today’s world markets, one must consistently innovate and stay one step ahead of the competition. In the past, automobile manufacturers have been first in presenting more fuel efficient vehicles, increased gasoline mileage rating through body redesign, and have introduced new safety features for the yearning public marketplace. Nissan current project in India is to try to regain market share from its competitors Toyota and Honda by creating Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV’s) which are small cars that can be sold for around $3,000. 00. This innovative idea can create a brand new market segment of customers who could not, up until this point, afford to purchase and operate a vehicle. Along with being fuel efficient and maintaining competitive, Nissan’s offering a motorcycle would be an added strategy to pursue. Dealing with the myriad of different cultures across the globe is also a major focus of Nissan’s Chief Operating Office Carlos Ghosn who realizes that the creation of multi-cultural company can flourish and grow through exploiting it synergies, believes that feeding off each other’s strengths, and minimizing its weaknesses are key. Automobile manufacturers like Nissan can never be â€Å"one size fits all†, but they can certainly try to understand and adapt to different cultures to maximize desired commonalities and maximize profits. These days, partnering globally cannot be realized without including China. China is Nissan’s third largest single market (only after North America and Japan). Although vehicle production has significantly increased over the last ten years, passenger car production has actually doubled in the last ten years due to market conditions and Chinese automobile manufacturers ntering the car market. China has a great position in the future manufacturing of automobiles because of increased income and an already over-inflated population. However, threats of inadequate roadways, governmental regulations on how automobiles are purchased, and pressure on Chinese banks to â€Å"control credit† may temporarily slow the process. North America has captured 40% of Nissan’s global sales and has caused an ever-widening gap with Japanese sales which has been increasing each year. Nissan has recently spent several billion dollars on new models and a new U. S. ssembly plant in Mississippi to ensure that this momentum continues. Nissan believes that growing this business means introducing new products while realigning cost structures. Large sums of money are being placed back into product development – most geared towards the North America market. Although the United States never signed onto the popular Kyoto protocol which planned to significantly reduce the amount of carbon emissions in the world, many other nations did because of the ever growing concerns of climate change on a global scale which many believe poses a worldwide threat. Nissan, however, has proactively realized this concern and has taken advantage of this opportunity by making concentrated efforts in advancing technology that reduces carbon dioxide emissions â€Å"at every stage† of the vehicle’s life cycle. Nissan is vigorously working on the creation of cleaner diesel engines that run on biofuels made from plants and other renewable sources. The threat to Nissan has been its competitors who are developing hybrid electric vehicles and fuel cell vehicles. Toyota has lead this aspect of the automobile industry, and has been setting the bar in alternative fuel sources making them the very green and very profitable company that envisions change in the industry. Nissan began exporting cars to the U. S in 1958 and gained popularity because of its small size and great fuel efficiency. Today, Nissan has developed new eye-catching designs that do not resemble older models. Nissan is very optimistic that sales will increase significant once these 28 new models are launched during the 2008 year. But the look of new models alone isn’t all Nissan is after. Safety features such as installing a series of sensors that can detect alcohol levels in the driver will alert the car to slow and/or become immobilized. Corporate agility is also a key factor as is shown when Nissan moved its headquarters from California to Tennessee, which accommodates over 1300 employees, supporting the community with more jobs, and reducing significant overhead. New technologies developed at Nissan have addressed environmental issues including clean power sources for its vehicles and recycling of natural resources. Nissan has envisioned that the future of their company will greater enrich peoples lives through global environment issues, and reducing traffic accident and congestion problems. Some of Nissan’s proposals include more efficient fuel-cells for electric vehicles, bio-fuels, and advanced diesel fuels. The most important facet that Nissan realizes is that effective solutions will be decided by consumer demand, not engineers. Nissan has constructed a â€Å"Green Program 2010† which has become their environmental blueprint for success in the industry.

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Globalisation

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Globalisation Job design purpose and objective is for quality, speed, dependability, flexibility, cost, health and safety. Job design is also mean by application of working principles and techniques humanization of work. This is the way of conducting their working style and working techniques. The aim of job design is to make sure and improved the job satisfaction of the company. Improved quality of product is an objective of design. New Balance Corporation is a company that stress on quality. New Balance is an athletic shoes company that mainly focus on performance rather than the outlook and style. The aim of job design is also to raise the productivity levels, challenge and responsibility of oneà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s work. Example is the New Balance shoes come in a wide range of widths and sizes. The quality can be achieve because New Balance Company have their philosophy which is listen, learn and refine. Another method that New Balance Company uses is well-trained workers. The well train workers are train to perform different jobs and tasks. New Balance Company is creative by adapting to new technologies to shoemaking. The company also constantly give training to their employee in teamwork and technical skills so they can work by sharing and helping each other on the task to make sure everything done on time. Dependability is a job design method that New Balance Company stresses on. New Balance Corporation is a company that design and manufacture their product in the United States. Example of dependability is buyer or consumer will look into where the product is manufacture because consumer depend and trust product that are import from countries such as United States, Germany, Japan and others. Reduce employee problem is also one of the main purpose of job design. Job design is an aimed to reduce or overcoming job dissatisfaction and employee bad behaviour arising. Dissatisfaction and employee bad behaviour arising will cause the employee to make mistake. Once the employee make mistake then accident will happen and that will cause health and safety. 1.1.5 Flexibility Running shoes of new balance company is made United States. This is the culture where it produces close to the customers and also allows quick turnarounds on new design and order fulfilment. This is the flexibility of the company to fulfil the desire of customer to purchase the product. 1.1.6 Cost One of the method that New Balance Corporation is they refuse to hire superstars to endorse its product and this will also help to cut a lot of cost. Borrowing technology from apparel manufacturers is also one of the company methods. This will help the company to save money and also following the modern trend. 1.2 Globalisation Globalisation is claimed that globalization increases the economic prosperity and opportunity in the developing world. There are advantages of globalisation and also disadvantages on going global. 1.2.1 Advantages of globalisation Staying in one country is not a good method to remain competitive, so the New Balance Corporation chooses to launch a strategy to distribute all over the globe. To gain more profit is a company aims. Profit can be gain by expand their products to all over the globe. Expand the products to worldwide will be a global marketing advantage. From the global business, New Balance Company can be advertised on the internet and customers can easily view and purchase wherever and whenever they want. Advertising in the internet is a good advantage for the global business. Increased sales are for sure under the advertising in the internet. Under the global marketing, higher profits can be earn and achieve. New knowledge and experience is also an advantage under the internet global marketing. Another advantages going global is jobs been created. Once the company invested in another country, the job opportunity created. Once there are jobs for people, the economy will run smoothly. Wealth can be ob tained under the global marketing and productivity can growth wider. Wealth can be obtained means that human is going to gain money and an easier lifestyle. When going global, business will not only depend on the existing market but it will also have wide scale market. This means that new markets and producing dynamic sales can be obtain easily. The brand can consistency maintains their brand image. When the consistency in brand image is achieved, the brand will became famous and popular. This will also bring to higher sales and profit. Besides that, good ideas will be gain under going global. Good ideas can be gain from any individual in the globe and that can lead to a better design. This will help to identify what consumer needs and wants for their product. Going global will also establish good relationship between countries. After establish good relationship between countries, free trade between countries also increases. Furthermore, the flexibility of corporations to operate ac ross borders increases. This will ensure the company to run their business smoothly and without difficulties. 1.2.2 Disadvantages of globalisation Global marketing also have its disadvantages which is the difference of consumer response can be unpredictable. Some of the product might be selling fast and out of stock. Differences of consumer likes will cause the product to pile up and cannot be sold. Product that cannot be sold might go for a very cheap price and that might cause losses to the company. The disadvantage on internet marketing is when their product is promoted in the internet; they will have to compete with different type of brand and product development. Besides that, the disadvantages also include differences in consumer patterns such as needs and wants that is influence by their regional. Differences in legal concerns may also create conflict to the home market. Language barrier is a disadvantage on going global because different countries have their own languages and they might not understand English. There are also additional costs to set a website on the internet. Besides that, advertising and maintaining the website will also cost another sum of money. Another disadvantage on going global is the company will faces a lot of challenges and competitive environment. The company will face challenges from other brand that offer cheaper and quality product. Cultural problems are also a disadvantage for the globalization. This will endanger the age old cultures which have been followed religiously all over the world. There are many countries which would never agree when it comes to culture or religion. The influence of local cultures and tradition will slowly start to wear down when the migration become easy. Globalization will also increase the spread of diseases. Disease can be spread because of the increase in flow people. This will cause human to vulnerable to health issues. Conclusion is there is advantages and disadvantages of going global. http://www.newbalance.com/company/ http://www.newbalance.com/usa/#/factories http://www.buzzle.com/articles/advantages-of-globalization.html http://www.buzzle.com/articles/disadvantages-of-globalization.html

The Invisible Man Book Report English Literature Essay

The Invisible Man Book Report English Literature Essay The novel begins in a town called Iping, where Griffin arrives at a local inn called The Coach and Horses. Griffin does not want anyone to know of his invisibility, and therefor wears large clothes that cover his whole body, as well as goggles and bandages that cover his whole face. The owner of the inn, Mrs. Hall, notices the odd apparel and inquires about it. The reader learns quickly, however, that Griffin likes to keep to himself and does not entertain Mrs. Hall with reason for his bandages and goggles. He informs her that he is an investigative reporter and has supplies that need to be shipped to the inn. To his dismay, she informs him that they would not arrive until the following day. When his possessions do finally arrive, they consist mostly of bottles and beakers. What he does with them is unknown to the rest of the town due to his extreme level of privacy and seclusion. Within only a few days of arrive in Iping, Griffin breaks into the house of Mr. Bunting, who is the town vicar. Although Mr. Bunting hears Griffin, he is unable to see him as Griffin is completely naked, making him entirely invisible. That same morning following the robbery, the inn keepers notice Griffins door is open and they enter the room. They notice that Griffins only clothes were on the floor, but Griffin was nowhere to be seen. As they are snooping through the room, inanimate objects begin to leap at them, eventually pushing them out of the room. Later, Mr. and Mrs. Bunting confront Griffin regarding the incident and demand rent money. Griffin eventually reveals to the townspeople that he is invisible. It is also learned 2 that Griffin had been the thief, but when the police try to capture Griffin, he strips off his clothes and runs away. Soon after escaping the town, Griffin runs into a bum by the name of Mr. Marvel. At first, Mr. Marvel believes he is hearing spirits and is scared. Griffin convinces Mr. Marvel that he is indeed invisible and forces Mr. Marvel to assist him. Together, they return to Iping and The Coach and Horses where Griffin steals some clothes while Mr. Marvel gets Griffins belongings. After the robbery, Mr. Marvel tries to run away from Griffin and tell the police what had happened. Mr. Marvel retreats to an inn in the town of Burdock. Griffin tries to break into the inn to get Marvel, but instead ends up getting shot and badly injured. Griffin finds a nearby house to break into to doctor his injuries. The house turns out to belong to Dr. Kemp, who Griffin had coincidentally gone to medical school with. Griffin gives insight into his life leading up until the time he turned himself invisible. He lists events and circumstances that led to him turning himself invisible. Griffin also explains to Dr. Kemp that he had planned to try and make himself visible again. Since that had failed, Gri ffin says he now plans on beginning a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Reign of Terrorà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ , where he would terrorize the entire country. Griffin desires for Dr. Kemp to help him, but Kemp realizes that Griffin is crazy and has no intention of helping him. Instead, Kemp alerts the police. When an officer arrives, Griffin beats up both Kemp and the officer and fleas the scene. Griffin decides that Kemp will now be the first person he kills during his Reign of Terror, and conveniently leaves a note for Kemp letting him know his plan. Kemp then devises a plan to capture the Invisible Man. While the plan is being delivered by one of Kemps servants, Griffin attacks her and steals the plans. Later, Griffin breaks into Kemps house yet again, this time to attack him. Kemp runs from his home to town. There he alerts a man of what is going on. People in the town realize what is happening, and when Griffin attempts to kill Kemp, the townspeople beat Griffin to death. There are several themes that can be derived from the novel. However, the most relevant appears to be the theme of intolerance. Clearly, being invisible made Griffin different from everyone assumed the worst of him and reject him as a person who needs help. Instead of trying to understand the situation and attempt to help Griffin, the townspeople simply made the situation worse. Eventually Griffin can no longer withstand the rejection, which causes his already fragile mental state to break down, leaving him feeling so much hate for everyone, to the point where he comes up with his Reign of Terror idea. Another theme is rational, logical thinking. Many characters, whether it be the townspeople or Griffin, display a lack of reasonable thought process. As previously mentioned, the townspeople dont give much thought to what they will do to Griffin; they simply want him gone and out of their hair. Griffin also doesnt seem to make the smart choice when it comes to how he handles his invisibility. Instead of taking credit for creating a substance that turns him invisible, he tries to hide and undo it. Had he made it a positive thing instead of a shameful thing to hide, he may have been more successful in life. In conclusion, The Invisible Man is a book that failed to truly capture my attention and certainly didnt stand out in comparison to other novels that I have read. However, it does contain a unique story plot as well as themes and morals that can be learned from if one takes the time to study and apply them to everyday life.

Atropa belladona: The Deadly Nightshade :: Botany

Atropa belladona: The Deadly Nightshade What might a person bothered with intense gas, or flatulence to be blunt, do in today's society? Perhaps they would visit a type of "health food store" for a type of common natural remedy. Often, the mangers at such stores recommend that comphrey tea be taken to relieve the problem. However, after taking just such a concoction of the tea powder and water, one man became light-headed, agitated, confused and had problems urinating. His pupils became dilated, he had a rapid heartbeat and warm dry skin. After admitting himself to the hospital, the doctors concluded that his comphrey tea was "contaminated" by Atropa belladona.....the deadly nightshade.(11) This very poisonous plant acquired its name from Theophrastus back in the third century B.C. It has been termed "the Mandragora of Theophrastus." It's English name, Dwaule, is derived from a Dutch word dwaul, meaning to wander or to be delirious.(1) It is a perennial herb, and one of the more important species of the nightshade family. Because it is so poisonous it was given the name Atropos, which is the Greek word for inflexible. Another meaning is that it refers to "one of three Fates who cut the thread of life."(2) Taxonomically, Atropa belladona is classified in the Solanaceae, a family that also includes the common potato, tobacco and chile pepper. This species probably came originally from southern Europe and Asia, but is today naturalized in many parts of the world. The plant itself stands between two and six feet in height. Its green berries change to a shiny purplish-black as the plant matures. Some people say the berry is sweet and others say its bitter tasting, but all agree that the size is like the common cherry. To many, the entire plant has a very nauseating odor. The plant also has a thick root, a five-lobed calyx, leaves that are simple, ovate and alternate, and solitary bell shaped flowers. Today, belladona is a very important plant to science and the medical field because of its chemical content. Dioscorides knew of the active constituent of this species in the first century, but it wasn't "discovered" for another eighteen hundred-years. In 1809, the chemical was isolated and by 1819 it was classified an "alkaloid." Today, we know that belladona contains atropine, scopolomine and hyoscyamine. According to the U.S. Pharmacopoeia, "atropine is extremely poisonous."(2) It is so potent that a dilution of only 1 part in 130,000 parts water is sufficient to dilate the pupil of a cats eye.

The Trials Of Toilet Training :: essays research papers fc

The Trials of Toilet Training Toilet training is difficult for both parent and child. Based on the research of two psychologists, Nathan Azrin and Richard Foxx, the average child can be fully trained in less than four hours. They began their training with mentally handicapped adults and successfully taught 95% in three days. With the added emphasis on language and verbal rehearsal they attempted to teach children and were astounded at the results. Their methods eliminate the fear damaging the child's psyche by making toilet training a pleasant experience. The child is not simply toilet "trained", he is toilet "educated", that is, the complete process from knowing it's time to emptying the pot and flushing the waste down, all unsupervised. Any parent would agree, this is incredible. They use a combination of the same principals used in Practical Applications of Psychology. The overall objective is to teach the child to toilet himself with the same independence as an adult without the need for reminders, continued praise, or assistance. This method is rapid because of the variety of learning techniques. Learning by imitation, learning by teaching, a partial reinforcement schedule with rewards that increase the need and the negative reinforcement of disapproval are all employed. Children learn best by imitation and teaching with the aid of a hollow doll. The child gives the doll a drink then is told the doll has to "peepee" and he must help her. After the child assists in removing the doll's pants, the liquid is released. The child must observe the flow of liquid. into the potty chair. The adult and the child then praise the doll and the child then assists the doll in redressing and emptying the pot in the standard toilet and flushes. Then the child is instructed to ask is the doll is dry and feel her pants. If they are dry the doll gets a treat. The child is then asked if he is dry; if he is, he can then eat the doll's treat. After two or three drills, distract the child and cause and 'accident' by spilling some liquid on the doll's pants. When the child discovers the wetness, use instructions and guidance to help the child correct the doll. First, let the doll know he is displeased, "Big girls don't wet their pants." Second, the child helps the doll practice again on the potty then back to the scene of the accident. Since the pants will still be wet, this can be continued three times. Then have the child feel his own pants, and if they are dry he is rewarded with

Gap between Rich and Poor Essay

The issue of gap between rich and poor has still been significant over recent decades in our society. At present, the article â€Å"Issue Area: Gap between Rich & Poor†, Joyce deBoer and Ryan Warmouth inform growing gap between rich and poor will pose unstable feature for society in the near future by surveying and comparing the statistical evidences from Golden and Area A. In addition, authors hope this issue must be mentioned by the society and anticipate it will be controlled by developing policy. While others researchers state that growing gap between rich and poor can enhance the competition of the entire society. By looking through this article, I claim that growing gap between rich and poor without control will pose serious threaten for the local stability and development. In this article, writers indicate the case of growing gap between rich and poor in Golden – Area A by filing plenty of data. Initially, authors select Golden and Area A which has a stable middle class as a sample. Moreover, authors think analyses have constraints as a result of some elements, such as â€Å"back-to-the-Landers† in the Columbia Valley. Then, authors illustrates overall poverty rate in term of LICO and LIM and make a comparison between Golden – Area A and British Columbia. Also, writers describe the impact of community growth on the gap, such as the increasing price of house and food. Then, talk about household incomes in disparate levels. Ultimately, the article concludes that growing gap between rich & poor can impact the diversity and stability of the community. For growing gap between rich and poor, those who argue that it can cause the enhancement of the competition for the society my build their view on such an assumption that this gap can be considered one motivation for lower income class, who want to be higher class. Obliviously, growing economic gap can cause the the evolution in some sense. Even so, this view should be too idealized for the current intense social competition. In my opinion, it has detrimental influence in aspects local stability and evolution. According to the description of the article, this issue can cause the local wealthy people can change to be rich increasingly and have adequate money to buy the local tracts and stores. In addition, along with the huge immigration of the new comer, the majority of them are wealthy or retired. Thus, the local rich people increase the price of land and food for high interest from immigrants. However, the local income does not grow, thereby causing the economic burden for local young people and low income earners. Apparently, this tendency causes the rich people more abundant. But, it can also cause the growth of criminal rate in the local. On the other hand, an increasing number of people can no longer afford to live there and move out to others place, thereby causing the loss of local labor force. This can impact the evolution of local economy. To sum up, growing gap between rich and poor have drawbacks for local stability, which cause the high burden live for local young people and low income earners. On the other hand, it can also bring about the loss of local labor force. I would concede that growing economic gap can create the competition of the society. Despite that this opinion should be too unreal. This article talks about the Canadian area has lived in the gap rich and poor. However, under financial crisis, this issue has already altered to be severe in some developing country. Afterward, I will research some articles about this problem in developing country.

Gender in The Storm, by Kate Chopin Essay

Kate Chopin’s â€Å"The Storm,† is a story about adultery, focused on a housewife by the name of Calixta, who is expected to undertake household chores as the principal goal of her everyday life. The woman had had a flirtation with Alcee years before the story took place. Chopin informs the reader about the current situation between Calixta and Alcee: â€Å"She had not seen him very often since her marriage, and never alone† – certainly for the reason that the woman was not expected to see a man who was not her husband very often, and by herself. The woman has suppressed emotions and passions for Alcee, who too is married to another. The fact that she has suppressed emotions is revealed by her unspoken permission granted to Alcee to have a sexual encounter with her. She does not resist the encounter. However, being a man, Alcee is the one who begins to touch the woman as a way to start the sexual encounter. The woman responds with â€Å"generous abundance of her passion (Chopin). † At the same time, Calixta’s husband is at the general store where he probably went to fetch viands for the household and has been stopped by the storm. Thus, the story uses gender to inform the reader about perceived gender roles during the time it was written. As mandated by her gender role, it is perfectly normal for Calixta, a housewife, to be engrossed in housework while her husband is out. She is sewing a cotton sheet and involved in other household tasks when the storm arrives. She is airing out her husband, Bobinot’s Sunday clothing on the porch. Her husband is visiting the general store with their son, Bibi, because he is expected to purchase goods for the household, being the man of the family and the breadwinner who must keep account of the household purchases and buy only that which his family truly needs. If Calixta had gone to the general store instead, perhaps she would have spent indiscriminately and unwisely. Thus, men and women have different roles to play in â€Å"The Storm. † When Alcee arrives at Calixta’s doorstep to seek shelter from the storm, it appears as though the woman had been sleeping through her housework. Chopin writes: â€Å"His voice and her own startled her as if from a trance†¦. † What is more, the woman has been so focused on her housework that she begins talking excitedly about her work at first. She also talks about preparing her house for the storm. It is her responsibility, after all, to stay in charge of the entire household while the man of the house is away. Hence, she has to gather up the cotton sheet she had been sewing before the arrival of Alcee. With no housework left between the man and the woman, they are prepared to play their gender roles in a sexual encounter. When Alcee grabs the woman close to himself, Chopin describes Calixta’s first reaction thus: â€Å"Bonte! She cried, releasing herself from his arms encircling arms and retreating to the window†¦ If I only knew were Bibi was! † After remembering for a brief moment her marital role that demands her to stay faithful to her husband in her sex life, through which she gave birth to Bibi, Calixta easily submits to Alcee’s sexual move. As a man, Alcee was required to make the first sexual move. As a woman, Calixta had to submit because she desired the man. Furthermore, as a woman she was required by the perception of her gender to try modesty at first by resisting the sexual move. Once she has stopped resisting a sexual encounter with Alcee, Calixta gives in to the experience by thoroughly enjoying her sexual role just as Alcee takes great pleasure in his. After the sexual encounter and the storm, Alcee leaves Calixta’s house, and both appear happy as they smile through their respective gender roles, which apparently have been played rather well and would continue to do so. When Calixta’s husband returns home, she pretends as though nothing extraordinary has happened. Things get back to normal. Calixta never thinks about relating the experience to her husband. As a woman, she cannot dream of discussing the experience with her husband. Alcee, on the other hand, returns to his own house to write a letter to his wife stating that he is enjoying himself very much, and she too must enjoy her vacation. As a husband, Alcee is required to keep in touch with his wife, informing her about his state so as to touch base. Like Calixta, Alcee also does not mention to his spouse that he had had a sexual encounter with another. Rather, both the man and the woman are required to stay faithful to their spouses. Gender roles are fixed, and so both Calixta and Alcee are expected to continue playing their gender roles in their marriages as well as in society after their adulterous encounter. Neither is expected to share with society any information about the adulterous encounter, because society does not tolerate the breaking of marital norms. Moreover, Calixta is expected to continue being engrossed in her household chores, and sleeping through them when she must. Bobinot and Alcee, on the other hand, are expected to continuing fending for their families, and going to general stores to purchase household goods. When Bibi grows up, he too is expected to behave like Bobinot and Alcee – the breadwinners of their families. Thus, gender roles would not depart from society during the time of â€Å"The Storm. † Works Cited Chopin, Kate. â€Å"The Storm. † 1898. 20 Oct. 2007. .