How Women Are Poortryed In Homers Odyssey Essay -- essays research pap

Women Portrayed in Homer’s The Odyssey Women were very important to the Greeks, and they showed this value in many ways. In The Odyssey Homer shows us the different ways women were looked upon through female characters, such as Penelope, Naussica, and Anticlia. With Penelope, a faithful and loving wife to Odysseus, Homer reveals to us how the Greeks believed wives should act. She was loyal to Odysseus the entire time he was away on his journey, and even when it appeared as if he had passed on she still had faith that he would return. She resisted the suitors on the sole basis that she loved Odysseus and could not see herself with another man when he could still be alive. She was smart, and cunning. She shows us this in Book II when we learn she has avoided having to choose a husband by telling the suitors she would choose one of them once she finished the garment she was weaving. She would work all day, and remove the stitches by candlelight while the suitors slept. Odysseus was "blessed in the possession of a wife endowed with such rare excellence of understanding, and so faithful to her wedded lord" (p.256). Penelope was the picture of a perfect, devoted Greek wife. Homer also portrayed the loyal daughter type using Naussica, the young princess of Scheria and daughter of King Alcinous. Like most daughters from the Greek civilization, she thought the world of her parents, and they thought the world of her as well. We see that she thinks highly of her father be...

Essay --

The Band and Its Placement in American Music The Band has come to be known as one of the top one hundred greatest group of performers in the twentieth century. At the height of their popularity in the late 1960s, America was drawing a harsh divide between generations, races, genders, and political ideologies. Rock and Roll at this point had become a defining feature of the counterculture (the younger generations were disillusioned with the then upheld principles of American society) and as such was seen as a menace which often voiced harsh criticisms against figures and institutions of authority really long sentence. Amidst the chaos between music and society, a humbly talented group of performers released what some have called the purest most honest music of the generation. The Band had its influences rooted in the country, rock’ n’ roll, and rhythm and blues music of the early 1950s. To more than a few members of the group, performers such as Little Richard, Elvis Presley, Conway Twitty, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis inspired them to pursue music with the passionate zeal that usually accompanies talented musicians. The members: Robbie Robertson, Levon Helm, Rick Danko, Garth Hudson, and Richard Manuel were all multi-instrumentalists and as such got their start as musicians from early ages, Levon Helm for example started playing guitar at the age of nine. In 1958, Helm began touring with an established band known as Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks throughout Ontario, Canada. This pre-incarnation of the Band earned fame throughout Canada before finally deciding to settle in Toronto where their most profitable gigs occurred at. Homesickness, however prevented the Hawks from remaining together for very long. As members of ... ... seems to highlight all of the genres that the group was influenced by and in turn showcases their progressive sound. Not only does the song recant a folk-tale in the form of a ballad but also shows the complexities of characters as archetypes of mankind and alludes to the biblical wanderings of the disciples. The song was also featured in the 1978 documentary of The Band, The Last Waltz, directed by Martin Scorsese. As a final hoorah, the Band concluded their touring in 1976 with a cadre of other influential artists such as Paul McCartney, Neil Young, Eric Clapton, Van Morrison and others. The film the Last Waltz has also lived on as an inspiration to current artists and has been acclaimed as a must see for musicians. The film not only captures the performances of The Band but also presents them in the context of the culture, amidst famous aspects of rock and roll.

East Is East

East Is East East is East is a play by Ayub Khan-Din, first produced by Tamasha Theatre Company in co-production with the Royal Court and Birmingham Repertory Theatre. It is often cited as one of the key works to bring Asian culture to mainstream British audiences. The play is published by Nick Hern Books. Ayub Khan-Din (born 1961 in Salford, Lancashire) is a British Pakistani actor and playwright. â€Å"When I began to write East is East, I was sitting at my kitchen table pouring out my life story bit by bit.The first draft came incredibly quickly: there's writing what you know and there's writing what you've known your whole life† Given Circumstances  · Who am I? Ella Khan, 46, Irish-Catholic, housewife, works in family shop  · What time is it? Century? Year? Season? Day? Night? Early? Late? Date? 1970’s  · Where am I? UK, Salford, family house, fish and chip shop  · Who is here with me? Family (Husband, 7 children)  · What are my relationships? Husband (Geo rge) – she loves him but doesn’t agree with everything he doesChildren – she tries to protect them from George and what’s them to be happy  · What is my super-objective? Feelings? I consider Ella as the â€Å"victim† of the film. It’s easy to understand that she loves her husband, and wants to please him, but when he starts to decide too much about their children, she doesn’t know what to do anymore  · What is the obstacle? Is there more than one? She finds herself unable to stand up to George until he pushes her too far by abusing their children. Ella Khan Ella has a strong belief in freedom, fairness, family †¦ and Salford.Ella is ferociously protective of her kids. She's learnt that society is hostile to them and also that their father is not prepared to allow them the freedom she herself feels they should have. So she spends a lot of her life fighting for them or keeping things from George to protect them from his anger. I think Ella is like someone who lives under an oppressive regime – she has had to develop cunning, she is sometimes passive, sometimes aggressive and will do anything to make allies. One thing she has above George is that she sees her situation with clarity.He believes that moving to Bradford would solve their problems but Ella knows that the Pakistani community there, especially the women, will never accept her. This is why she has insisted on staying in Salford. Friendships with women are vital to her, with the affection and support they bring, and without Annie, Ella would perish. Whats the story? In EAST IS EAST, George (Om Puri), who is Pakistani, marries Ella (Linda Bassett) and they settle down in Manchester to have seven children and run a fish and chips shop.George wants his children to adopt the religion and customs of Pakistan, yet oldest son Nazir objects to an arranged marriage and bolts in the middle of the wedding ceremony, and in all the family chaos, they ha ve neglected to have their youngest son circumcised. With India at war with Pakistan, George's fear of the loss of his homeland and culture makes him even more concerned about passing on that culture to his children.They go to the mosque, grudgingly, but they feel like Brits and only one of the seven kids wants to live according to Pakistani traditions. The others want the freedom of Western culture. They may feel English, but they look Pakistani, and George fears that the culture they want will never accept them. His neighbors support a politician named Enoch Powell who is calling for repatriation of foreigners. But George and the neighbor do not know that their children are romantically involved.

Banal Evil

Murder often makes a persons blood boil and ask the question, â€Å"How can someone do that to someone else? † Most of time when a gruesome act of violence happens people wonder, â€Å"What kind of human being does it take to do something like that? † Truman Capote’s book, In Cold Blood, is about such an act of violence; a murder that, when the reader walks away, only registers a banal. The killing of the Clutter family, which happened in 1959 in the town of Holcomb, Kansas, blew most people away with its senselessness and horror. Capote, however, writes the story with personal background on the killers, making them human and giving the reader, something most people do not get to hear or even care to know, a reason to the mindless murders. Evil is easily banalized when there is a story to go along with it. At the beginning of In Cold Blood the Clutters murderers, Perry Smith and Dick Hickock, are â€Å"persons unknown† elevating them to a state of inhuman, mythical form. The town of Holcomb, a small quite place where nothing happens, is suddenly shaken and view Smith and Hickock as motiveless evil that has come down to destroy the peaceful life the community has. This hitherto peaceful congregation of neighbors and old friends had suddenly to endure the unique experience of distrusting each other; understandably, they believe that the murderer was among themselves† (88). This quote shows the havoc that is wreaked on the security of town, fragmenting the community into suspicion. They, as the town, fall from grace, a loss of their former innocence, as they are forced to confront the reality of the killers and the world they represent. However, as the book moves on so does the readers point of view, from one of the townspeople to that of the killers. Capote replaces the simplistic view to a more sensitive interpretation exploring the physiological, material, and environmental circumstances that are the catalyst for Smith and Hickock to commit murder. Smith, the reader is told, is the child of an extremely abusive household in which is subjected to alcoholism, the suicidal deaths of his two siblings and mother, abandonment, no formal education, etc. Describing his father Smith says, â€Å"But no education, because he didn’t want me to learn anything, only how to tote and carry for him. Dumb. Ignorant. That’s the way he wanted me to be. So that I could never escape him† (185). Smith clearly hates his father and blames him for the situation he is in now; not having an education is something that Smith seems very occupied with and resents in people around him. Hickock on the other had seems to come from a poor, but good family. Being the star athlete in high school, with good grades to boot, Hickock seems to have had a normal life. However, he is in the constant mindset of envy of money/power. Envy was constantly with him [Hickock]; the Enemy was anyone who was someone he wanted to be or who had anything he wanted to have† (200). The Clutters, in contrast, were â€Å"the perfect family†. Extremely wealthy, well to do, and educated they were a symbol of everything the murderers wanted. With the envies in toe, Smiths being education and Hickock's being money/power, the Clutters were the perfect family for the two murders to let their rage out o n. Knowing Hickock's and Smiths backgrounds, the reader now has something to empathize with and to mold into some type of understanding. The killers are being transformed from heartless, cold-blooded murders to frightful and pitiful individuals. The crime itself is boiled down to pure emotional responses. Stephen J. Whitfield compares the emotions of the Clutter murders to that of Adolf Eichmann, the man who â€Å"directed the transportation of the Jews of Nazi-occupied Europe to their death (496)†, in the book The History Teacher. â€Å"Between such multiple murders and Eichmann, some parallel can perhaps be traced in terms of the absence of any human connection, any remorse, any emotional weight to be attached to their crimes. They were frighteningly estranged form the rest of the human race† (473). Whitfield brings up any interesting point, which Smith brings up latter in the book. The fact that Smith and Hickock are so separated from the human race is something that not only scares the reader, but also puts the murders in a different light. Though remorse is thought of as the road to forgiveness, Smith makes a point that most do not think of. â€Å"Just remember: I only knew the Clutters maybe an hour. If I’d really known them, I guess I’d feel different†¦But the way it was, it was like picking off targets in a shooting gallery† (291). Capote does not mean to excuse Smith and Hickock from their action, but he does show how ordinary feelings of frustration and despair can erupted into vicious acts of murder. Smith explains it by saying, â€Å"And it wasn’t because of anything the Clutters did. They never hurt me. Like other people. Like people have all my life. Maybe it’s just that the Clutters were the ones who had to pay for it† (290). In fact, during the murders, Smith even talks about his frustration and self-loathing that finally lead him to kill Mr. Clutter. â€Å"I knelt down beside Mr. Clutter, and the pain of kneeling-I thought of that goddam dollar. Silver dollar. The shame. Disgust. And they’d told me never to come back Kansas. But I didn’t realize what I’d done till I heard the sound† (245-246). The murder comes as an automatic response to the memory of other frustrations and insults Smith has endured, of which the Clutter house is a symbol of. Another idea that Capote makes the reader take into fact is that Hickock and Smith were not inspired to murder due to literal hatred of the Clutters, but a misdirected frustration and resentment that finds a symbolic object in the Clutters and the values that they represent. â€Å"I [Smith] didn’t want to harm the man. I thought he was a very nice gentleman. Soft-spoken. I thought so right up to the moment I cut his throat† (244). The family is unlucky enough to be on the receiving end of this furry, but they are by no means the source. The fact that Capote also brings in the psychologist goes to further legitimize that the murders had no control over their actions. â€Å"When Smith attacked Mr. Clutter her was under a mental eclipse, deep inside a schizophrenic darkness† (302). Smith was acting out of his medical incapacity to manage his emotional response. However, though Capote throws all of these ideas and images at us he tries to humanize the murders and make their crimes seem ordinary because he feels that this situation could have happened to him. If one reads Capotes history, his life was not that much different from Smith. Capote touches on a human question of what people are capable of put in the right situation and the right environment. Saying that his event could happen to anyone, Capote places the readers brain on high alert and makes him or her consider his or her own situation. The evil of this crime, and of the criminals themselves, becomes banal due to Capote’s willingness to make it that way. He humanizes them in a way that no one else would. When the reader sees Hickock and Smith, they also see their past and motivations. The reader sees more then what they bargain for and, sometimes, even see themselves.

Modernization in Filipino Women Essay

For centuries, Filipino women have thought themselves of being dominated by men. From the Spanish era to the American colonization, they were brought up to believe that men are leaders in society and that they are subordinate to them [men]. This therefore affects their views on femininity. It has been said in Johanna Francisco’s Essence of a Filipino Woman that women in the Philippines are luckier among women of other countries in Asia. This has been so because men in Philippine society appreciate and honor them. In fact, it is being shown on how they [women] are permitted to educate themselves, work, and possess belongings which are prohibited [or not normal] in other Asian countries. But above all, it is primarily because of their character or â€Å"role† as a [loving] mother. How would one know what a Filipina is? Well, a Filipino woman is described as shy, reserved, prim, and discreet. She is cautious, bashful, charming, and meek. She could either be â€Å"Mestiza†, â€Å"Chinita†, or â€Å"Morena†. She is a lover, and, at times of trouble, a fighter. She, by nature, possesses a strong faith. She may not admit her being religious, but deep inside, she trusts in God’s loving power. It is being seen on how she always puts herself in the care of the Lord and prays for everybody she loves. She thinks of other people first before herself. She plays different roles in the society. According to Francisco, â€Å"she is a considerate daughter, a loyal friend, and a supportive and loving wife?. She is the driving force in the family, in a marriage, or in a relationship?. But for the most part, she is dignified†. Francisco also describes her as being humorous. She laughs a lot, making it one of her best asset. She is also an optimistic person who always finds â€Å"positive† things in â€Å"dire situations†. This paper talks about how Filipino women morality has been changed or influenced by modernization, therefore losing the real Filipina within. It tackles and touches on issues that are degrading to Filipino women. It has five major parts. The first would be the definition of morality and modernization, with an explanation of the connection between the two. Next is the evolution of Filipino women which starts from the very beginning of Philippine history. This would include mainly Filipino women of yesterday, and Filipino women of today. The third would be the beginning of modernization in the Philippines. This part discusses how modernization entered our country. The fourth would be Filipino women’s response to the fast growing modernization, and the last talks on the effects it [modernization] has given to Filipino women, specifically, their morality. The last pages of this paper would include a researched survey on what young adults of Silliman University of Dumaguete City, specifically from the College of Business Administration, thinks about modern Filipina morals as influenced by fast westernization of the Philippines. Modernization in the Philippines The Philippines has not been considered different from other countries. Like the countries in Africa and Asia (particularly southeast Asia), it has gone through experiences that deeply influenced Filipino customs and beliefs. It all began from the Spanish colonization to the American era to the commonwealth years and to the decades of independence that the Philippines has slowly changed its people due to factors of modernity such education, mass media, technological advancement, and the like. These changes are seen most commonly in the urban areas such as the cities and larger towns. It is in these areas where westernization is concentrated brought about by television, radio, and news papers. The impact of modernization in the Philippines has been â€Å"persuasive† since the first ever colonizer stepped into its lands. The Philippines’ attempt to compete in the highly modernized world can greatly affect the attitude of women today. However, according to a Filipino psychologist, the Filipinos have this â€Å"split-level personality. † This personality explains that some values of a Filipino remain the same even though some of his or her outlooks and aspects have been modernized. But this greatly depends on how well a person weigh things over. If he/she prefers modernization more than tradition, the â€Å"split-level personality† thing dissolves. This has been evidenced by Filipino women’s responses to modernization.

Komatsu Case Study Analysis

Komatsu Case Study Contents Executive Summary2 Evolution and Strategic Drivers of Komatsu (EME)3 Organizational Culture4 Five-Force Analysis: The EME Industry:5 SWOT Analysis8 Resource Based Competitive Advantage8 Financials & Future Course9 Company on The Right Path11 References12 Executive Summary Komatsu, the Japan based earth moving equipment taking on Caterpillar manufacturer has been studied by management students around the globe for years now. This story of David vs Goliath provides us an insight about the strategies followed by David in bringing down Goliath.Komatsu’s evolution and its strategies were studied in comparison with that of Caterpillar. Responses to each other’s moves in the global earth moving equipment industry have been analysed in the context of their international business strategies. An industry to analysis was done to understand the environmental factors that affected the competition between the giant and the emerging. A SWOT analysis identif ied the internal resources and capabilities of Komatsu that aided it to develop its distinctive competitiveness.How Komatsu achieve a sustained profitability, higher than the industry average despite the volatile international EME market was studied under the financial analysis. The role of organizational culture in enabling Komatsu to succeed in the highly competitive industry was also studied in the case analysis. Through all the above mentioned analysis, it was found out that the company was in the right track. Measures to ensure that the company continues to stay in the high profitability section have been discussed in the concluding part of the report. Evolution and Strategic Drivers of Komatsu (EME)Komatsu Limited  or  Komatsu  is a multinational corporation that manufactures construction mining, and  military  equipment, Industrial equipments such as press machines, lasers and  thermoelectric generators. Komatsu is the world's second largest manufacturer of  con struction and  mining equipments  after  Caterpillar. However, in some areas (Japan, China), Komatsu has a larger share than Caterpillar. It has manufacturing operations in Japan, Asia, Americas and Europe. Komatsu was especially dangerous to Caterpillar due to the fact that it was the second largest EME company worldwide.The 1920s to the 1930s marked major developments for Komatsu and prominent growth. The company stressed that the management should have two important perspectives * Overseas orientation * User orientation During World War II, Komatsu thrived by producing for the Japanese military surplus of products (military tractors,  bulldozers,  tanks,  howitzers etc. ). After the war, the company introduced commercial bulldozers and forklifts to its equipment line up meanwhile experiencing exponential growth precipitated by strong market demand in a post-war construction era. The company brought a wide range of new products to market by the late 1960s.The company c ontinued to expand through the 1970s but sales began to steadily decline as early as 1982. Komatsu now understood the competition it faced but still held a 60% market share within Japan. With the threat of the Caterpillar/Mitsubishi venture taking place Komatsu decided to attempt a revitalization of the company. Since Komatsu mainly exported whole machines, the company soon realized that needed to also expand into other markets and set up assembly plants. Unable to persuade dealers to sell its equipment, the company set up its own branch sales offices and authorized small repaid shops to be Komatsu service agents.The company set two goals during the 1960s. * The acquisition of the necessary advanced technology from abroad * The improvement of product quality within the company. In the early 1970s, Komatsu started to recognize its distributor network worldwide, aiming to supplement the direct sales offices with more servicing dealers (similar to CAT’s). The company entered lic ensing agreements with two major EME manufacturers in the United States – International Harvester and Bucyrus-Eric. They also launched quality upgrading programs in its factories.The program was used to reflect the Total Quality Control (TQC) concept. All personnel were expected to strive for TQC. In 1964, the company started Project A which aimed to upgrade the quality of the small and medium-sized bulldozers. In 1972, the company launched project B which focused on exports. In 1979 the company launched Project called â€Å"F and F† which stood for â€Å"Future and Frontiers† and its objective was to develop new products and new businesses. The project encouraged suggestions from all its employees by asking them to consider both the need of society and the technical know-how of the company.The company also began to focus more towards its Research and Development during the early 1970s. Efforts continued with some attention to basic research as well as product d evelopment. It had the distinction of introducing the world’s first radio-controlled bulldoze, amphibious bulldozer and remote-controlled underwater bulldozer. The management decided to focus on improving the competitiveness of its products. A four- part cost reduction plan was initiated. During the same time the company also accelerated its product development program.In 1981, they launched EPOCHS (Efficient Production Oriented Choice Specifications) whose main purpose was to allow the company to respond to the diverse market needs without compromising its cost position. Also, by the end of 1983, the company’s manufacturing had become fully integrated, producing all of its parts in-house. Komatsu has been a leader in innovative quality-control initiatives ever since President Yashinari Kawai decided to leverage MITI’s opening of the EME industry in 1963, and fight back in the face of the Caterpillar/Mitsubishi joint venture.The company had managed to overcome v olatile market fluctuations over the last few years, particularly in key construction markets, as a result of aggressive organizational restructuring and corporate mergers and joint ventures. Organizational Culture We can analyze the organizational culture on the basis of the following parameters: 1. Strength/Weakness of the Culture: Komatsu’s culture can be classified as a strong culture because of their strong alignment to organizational values, which makes them respond to stimulus and help the firm operate in a highly efficient manner. 2.Power Distance: Due to hierarchy being a very important aspect of the culture in Japan, the power distance is quite high in Komatsu with a well defined hierarchy though the interactivity between different levels of the organization is also fairly high. The power is also mainly concentrated in the hands of the chairman who maintains a tight control. 3. Individualism vs Collectivism: Again in line with Japanese culture, the organizational cu lture is more collectivistic with every employee striving towards a common goal. Yet certain individualistic natures are also encouraged to satisfy the intrinsic needs of the workers. . Goals and Objectives: The culture of Komatsu underlines the clear goal it has, i. e. beating Caterpillar and becoming the number one in the EME industry. In fact Komatsu’s internal slogan is Maru-C, which when roughly translated means encircle Caterpillar. 5. Employee relations and empowerment: Komatsu maintains very strong employee relations and ensures that each employee has satisfaction in terms of work, cooperation with colleagues and winning approval from others, making them feel that they’re contributing to the organization greatly while ensuring that they’re in line with the organization values and goals.Five-Force Analysis: The EME Industry: I. Threat of New Entrants| 1| 2| 3| Remarks| 1. Economies of scale is low | X| | | The industry is based on ‘Build to Orderâ⠂¬â„¢ and the machine specs differ from customer to customer. | 2. Experience effects are high; therefore| | | X| Experience in running the business in this industry is vital because huge capital is invested. | 3. Product differentiation is medium| | X| | Differentiation in the product quality and the customer requirements is moderate during the time of sales but the differentiation factor lies in the after sales service & availability of spares| 4.Brand identification is high| | | X| Customers blindly rely on branded equipments. E. g. Caterpillar (55% market share)| 5. Capital requirements are very high| | | X| Because of the capital intensive nature of the product/ industry, new entrants would stand weak comparatively| 6. Incumbents control of distribution channels is high| | | X| Access to distribution channel for new entrants is difficult because the branded players maintain strong relationship with the partners| 7.Incumbents proprietary knowledge is high| | | X| Ease of startin g business in this industry is low for an individual. It demand high degree of prior knowledge| 8. Incumbents control of access to raw materials is low| | X| | Procurement of raw material (basically steel) is not too difficult as there is cut throat competition in the steel industry| Overall Threat of New Entrants| Low| | 6. II. Bargaining Power of Buyers| 1| 2| 3| Remarks| 1. Buyer concentration is low | X| | | Not many are involved in buying these equipments. Even the amount is high but the distribution is concentrated. 2. Buyer purchase in small volume, and less frequently| | X| | The number of transactions is low (non-recurring) but post-sales the dependence on the vendor increases due to spares & support| 3. Buyer switching costs are high| | | X| Because of the huge initial investment, high life span of the product & the dependence for the after-sales support makes the buyers immobile| 4. Buyers have good information| X| | | The buyers are well experienced in their particular b usiness and hence have full knowledge of the product| 5.Buyers’ ability to integrate backward is low| | | X| It is almost impossible for a retail customer to start up such a business (capital intensive, knowledge based)| 6. Close-substitute products are rarely available| | | X| A tractor cannot be replaced by other equipments or a bullock-cart| 7. Product differentiation of suppliers is low| X| | | Players tend to match the product quality is very low because of the cut-throat competition| 8. Buyers’ profitability is very high| | | X| EMEs in these industries (mining, forest, agriculture) holds high importance | Overall Bargaining Power of Buyers| Medium| | . III. Bargaining Power of Suppliers| 1| 2| 3| Remarks| 1. Concentration of suppliers is low | X| | | The number of suppliers is less. | 2. Availability of substitute products is moderate| | X| | Raw Materials involved are normally irreplaceable except in highly innovative product. | 3. Importance of customer to the supplier is moderate| | X| | Steel industry has other customers also (automobile, real estate/housing, other mfg. industries) but due to lower margins the volume is also important for them. Thus, moderate. | 4.Differentiation of supplier’s product & service is low| | | X| Basic raw materials required are almost of equal quality from other suppliers. | 5. Switching costs of the buyer are moderate| | X| | Due to strong relationships and credit dependence, the buyers would resist switching very often. | 6. Threat of forward integration by the supplier is low| | | X| A steel supplier is least likely to start the EME business. | 7. Importance of the input to the quality of the buyer’s product is high| X| | | The quality of the raw materials determines the quality of the final product. 8. Cost of the input, relative to the total product cost is high| X| | | The raw material contribution to the final product comprises of ;50% of the total cost| Overall Bargaining Power of Su ppliers| Medium| | 8. IV. Threat of Substitute Products| 1| 2| 3| Remarks| 1. Profitability of industry producing substitute is NA | | | X| There seems to be no substitute industry for EMEs| 2. Rate of improvement in price-performance relationship of substitute product is NA| | | X| NA for the same reasons as above| 3. Buyers switching costs are high| | |X| As mentioned earlier, dependence for after sales support and big life span of the product makes it difficult for the buyers to switch| Overall Threat of Substitute Products| Low| | 9. V. Competitive Rivalry & Barriers to Exit| 1| 2| 3| Remarks| 1. Concentration of competitors is high | X| | | There is close competition among the existing players. There are around 10 competitors in the industry. | 2. Industry growth rate is moderate| | X| | The growth rate of the industry is moderate (6%-7%) because of maturity in the industry (more competitors coming in and depleting margins)| 3.Fixed Costs are high| X| | | The CAPEX involved in setting up facilities is high and this is lowered by JVs to an extent. | 4. Product differentiation is low| X| | | There is not much difference in the main equipments the competitors make except the after sales service| 6. Switching costs are high| | | X| Because of the huge initial investment, high life span of the product & the dependence for the after-sales support makes the buyers immobile| 7. Exit barriers are high| X| | | Asset specialization is high & huge investment makes it difficult to quit| 8.Strategic stakes are high| X| | | Caterpillar was exposed to loss in Europe due to Komatsu eating up its market share. | Overall Intensity of Competitive Rivalry| High| | 10. *1-High 2-Medium 3-low 11. SWOT Analysis STRENGHTS * Wide range of products – Full Line offered * Excellent quality levels in terms of products and processes with Total Quality Control (TQC) being adopted for all practices and supplemented by the Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA) cycle. * Price advantage with r espect to major competitors. Large international presence and market leaders in its home country as well as a few other countries, especially in the eastern bloc. * Low cost and highly productive nature of the labor force. * Excellent R & D facilities and development of breakthrough and specialized products and adaptation of products to suit user requirements in various countries. * Able to respond to diverse market needs without compromising on the cost position (EPOCHS project). * Fully integrated manufacturing with production of all components and parts in house. WEAKNESSES * Centralized production system which will lead to less flexibility on account of changing competitive factors like protectionism, exchange rate fluctuations etc. * Logistical difficulties in shipping and high landed cost. * Weaker sales and distribution network as opposed to that of Caterpillar. * CAT still has wider brand recognition and a larger brand value * Product range still smaller than that of Caterpi llar. | OPPORTUNITIES * Increase in infrastructure development in developing countries in Asia and Latin America. * Mining boom in Australia. A number of unique products in its kitty like amphibious and remote controlled bulldozers which can be used for specialized purposes such as working at toxic dump sites and underwater mining. * Ever increasing usage of robots in manufacturing will give a large market share for its industrial robots. | THREATS * Reduction in demand for EME equipment due to the decline of the construction boom, especially in developed countries. * Fluctuating nature of the Yen. * The rise of trade frictions between the US and European Community and Japan. The rise of smaller domestic companies in the international market. | Resource Based Competitive Advantage Let us now analyze Komatsu on the basis of its Physical, Reputational, Organizational, Financial and Intellectual resources. 1. Physical: The physical resources of Komatsu are quite valuable and some of it is quite rare such as its unique products such as the amphibious bulldozer but is not hard to copy and is substitutable. In fact CAT still has advantages over it in terms of sales and distribution and factory locations. 2.Reputational: The reputation of Komatsu is quite valuable and is widely known as a maker of good quality EME machines at competitive prices but CAT still has a higher reputational advantage over it. 3. Organizational: The organizational set up of Komatsu is highly efficient and it is one of its most valuable resources. It has one of the best labor relations in the industry. 4. Financial: The financial position of the company is quite stable at the moment but is subject to a lot of risks on account of various factors like the fluctuating Yen, decreasing demand for EME equipment etc. . Intellectual: The intellectual resources of Komatsu is one of the best in the industry, making it highly valuable and rare, leading to the development of its excellent R & D infrastru cture and highly productive nature of its labor force. Financials & Future Course From the limited and abridged version of the financial performance of Komatsu, we can see that the company has shown consistent growth. Yet, there has been considerable fluctuation in the sales revenue and net income over the years. Plotting the data in a graph gives us a clear picture of this trend.The above three figures show that the market-share of Komatsu, in the global EME market, has steadily grown between 1978 and 1984. It is interesting to note that the net sales and net income of the company does not correspond to the steady growth in the market share. These ups and downs can be explained in a case by case basis. In the early 1970s, the company started focusing on upgrading the quality of its products to compete in the global market. MITI’s decision to open the EME industry to foreign investments led to an obsession for quality and acquisition of advanced technology.Licensing technolog ies from International Harvester and Bucyrus-Eric and implementation of quality improvement programs led to high costs but they started paying off in the late 1970’s in terms of increased market penetration and lower cost of manufacturing. Aggressive exports to Western Europe and other parts of the world in the early seventies led to the sustenance of growth in market share and sales. But poor dealer network and lack of global servicing facilities led to a overkill of inventories and parts in international subsidiaries that led to substantial decrease in net income.Pricing its products at 30-40% less than that of CAT’s products enabled Komatsu to sell high number in LDCs. Komatsu’s ratio of exports grew from 20 % to 55 % in 1975. Late 1970s saw an increased investment in R to facilitate the V-10 program to reduce cost by 10 %, reduce the number of part of by 20 %, focus on value engineering and rationalizing the manufacturing process. This dented the balance she et. Rapid appreciation of Yen against many major currencies led to further constraints. Though the engineers used pessimistic internal yen/dollar exchange rate, the volatile nature of Yen had an impact on the net income.Buying its way out of the licensing contracts between International Harvester and Bucyrus-Eric again led to a major expense in the early 1980s, but they saved the company a great deal of trouble and licensing fees. This led to the unrestricted introduction of products like hydraulic excavators and wheel loaders to the world market. This led to a spike in the net income and net sales of the company in early 1980s. The rise of trade friction between European community and USA on one hand and Japan on the other slumped Komatsu’s international sales after 1982.Subsequent freight costs from shipping heavy earth moving equipment with poor volume to value ratio, simultaneous initiatives such as EPOCH, PDCA and increase in R spending to 5. 8 % in 1983 pulled down the net income figures. These are temporary downtrends which will be turned in to rapid up swing once these efforts start to paying off. Company on The Right Path The company is on the right track. Results of R efforts like superior cast iron development, 1000 bhp bulldozer, and diversification to arc-welding robots, heat systems etc have ensure the future of the company.It has spread its risk and has capitalized on changing trends like the embargo by Reagan’s administration which got Komatsu the Siberian natural resource project. Through it initiatives like F, it has identified the future course of the organization with the participation of its employees. But a competitor like CAT will definitely bounce back stronger than ever. CAT has its distinctive competitiveness built through strong dealership, huge financial reserves, global learning and experience. Innovation, operational efficiency, quality and consumer responsiveness are the key factors in achieving distinctive competit iveness.Komatsu has already addressed the needs of innovation, quality and operational efficiency. But there is a big gap in the consumer responsiveness aspect. CAT offers service and spare parts in 24 hours in any part of the world. Inventory overkill is a not a sustainable solution, hence the company’s immediate concern should be of improving the consumer responsiveness to ensure repeat purchase and nurturing customer loyalty. Company’s internal exchange rate has kept it buoyed during turbulent times in the money market, but initiatives like hedging revenues from international business will reduce forex risk.Innovation is vital, but innovation should be backed by organization commitment. If these innovations are not deftly handled, the sunk cost in R will scuttle the company. Komatsu should hence avoid falling in to the ‘Chasm’ between the early adopters and early majority of its new products. This can be achieved by sensing the different needs of the ea rly majority and perfecting the design of the products, adopting the distribution network to commercialization and revamping its business model based on the new requirements.If Komatsu fails in these fronts, it will fall in to the ‘Pioneers’ category of the Icarus paradox Danny identified by Miller. References * http://www. cat. com/about-the-company * http://www. komatsu. com/CompanyInfo/profile/ * C. W. L. Hill & R. Jones, ‘Strategic Management- an integrated approach’(2009). Bizantra, New Delhi. * C. W. L. Hill & Arun. K. Jain, ‘International Business – competing in the global market place’ (2009). Tata McGrawHill, New Delhi.

Chromate Conversion Coating replacement Term Paper

Chromate Conversion Coating replacement - Term Paper Example This paper focuses upon corrosion as an essential process. It is one of the many ways in which nature recycles its contents. Kamis indicates that it is the destruction or deterioration of materials as a result of reaction with the environment and involves the electrochemical conversion of metals to its original form. Though the process of corrosion cannot be prevented, the rate at which it takes place can be reduced. Kamis in the article entitled â€Å"Cost of Corrosion† indicates that corrosion affects all materials, whether they are metal or non-metal. Chromate coating is a process that is used to reduce the rate of corrosion. Zhao et al indicates that it is a widely used method especially for A1 alloys in aerospace applications as it is considered to be very effective. However, Zhao et al points out that a number of factors including environmental regulations; the requirements for increased service life of airplanes; and the high cost of preventative maintenance has forced the US Air Force to search for other environmentally friendly methods of reducing the rate of corrosion that are also an improvement over the use of chromate. Zhao et al also indicates that an understanding of how CCCs protect metal surfaces against corrosion is fundamental to any research. As Kamis points out a proper understanding of corrosion along with the appropriate engineering application would lead to a major reduction in its damaging effects as well as the costs associated with it. 2.0 Factors influencing chromate replacement There are a number of factors that have contributed to the need for replacing chromate as a coating. They range from environmental concerns which have led to regulations governing the quantities of chromium that is included in certain processes. Additionally, the need to increase the service life of assets means that the replacement required should be able to exceed the level of protection that chromate provides. Furthermore, it needs to be a cost effe ctive technique that will facilitate cost savings in situations where the cost of corrosion preventative maintenance is considered too high. 2.1 Environmental Regulations The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) in their report – â€Å"Alternatives to Chromium for Metal Finishing† points out that the need to find alternatives to replace chromium has been mainly influenced by the effects on the health of humans as a result of exposure to hexavalent chromium which is considered to be a cancer causing agent in humans (1.1). In fact, Pellerin and Booker in their article â€Å"Reflections on Hexavalent Chromium: Health Hazards of an Industrial Heavyweight† indicates that from as early as the 1920’s people who worked in the chrome ore industry in Germany were found to be developing cancer at a rate that exceeded that of the general population (A402). Additionally, people who worked in areas where industrial processes were being carried out suffered from higher rates of both lung and nasal cancers (A402). Therefore, NCMS sees it as no surprise that there are concerns relating to high exposures of the substance in the workplace and the environment generally. NCMS points out that various concerns have led to a number of consequences including: i. increased liability associated with claims for both exposure at the workplace and environmental exposure; ii. increases in the cost of tracking inventories, monitoring and controlling emissions, reporting the use of compounds that consist of chromium, as well as the disposal of waste which contains chromium; and iii. strict rules and regulations relating to the limits for discharging dissolved chromium in waste water (1.1). Kermani and Harr (8) indicate that if corrosion is left unchecked other health and safety issues arise. If plant and equipment are not maintained then the integrity of plant and equipment as well as their serviceability. This will result in leaks and discharge of fla mmable