Teamwork and Motivation Essay Example for Free

Teamwork and Motivation Essay An organization should take steps that would best benefit the organization as a whole to strategize a motivation plan. It first must identify what employees value and then determine how the organization can reciprocate that what the employees want is being heard. This can be done by taking the initiative to communicate first-hand with employees so that the plan is clear and concise. In the following motivation plan, I will explain how the plan encourages high job satisfaction, low turnover, high productivity, and high-quality work. Stacy Harris (2013) tells us that â€Å"the work environment is an important talent retention tool for any workforce, but it is particularly important for the skilled labor workforce. Work environments for the high-tech, healthcare, and manufacturing industries share several common issues: long hours, high stress, and often lower pay scales than positions that may require higher levels of education†. That is why creating and structuring a plan that is intended to motivate employees is such a significant piece to retaining skilled employees. When developing this plan I had to first answer the question, what behaviors will be rewarded and how. In this organization, we manufacture and sell a commodity and although sales are high, our products and delivery services are losing credibility. We are incurring costs that are avoidable and may be losing the trust of our customers if we don’t do something fast. Therefore, employee motivation is significant in rectifying the issues at hand. Quaratul-Ain Manzoor (2012) explains that â€Å"a motivated employee is responsive of the definite goals and objectives he/she must achieve, therefore he/she directs its efforts in that direction†. To achieve high job satisfaction and high quality work, we have created a system that will reward points for incentives that will be very appealing to our employees and we found this out by taking a poll of the most desired perks. Since no one motivation plan will satisfy all employees we have taken the initiative to strategize our plan to cater to each department in different ways. Each department has goals that need to be met and when employees exceed these goals their acts will be recognized and rewarded. In our sales department, we have employees that are experiencing frequent interaction with our consumers. In order for us to know what is really happening in those interactions we have implemented a survey system that is completed by consumers in reference to how our employees handled them. Once we receive surveys we will reward those exceeding the 91 percentile rating of satisfaction with points towards obtaining a free vacation day. Also, in all departments attendance will be recognized, especially since sales and assembly are high-priority human resource areas. When an employee misses no days within a six month to one year period we will have an award presented at our annual employee recognition program. Also, employees will be recognized every quarter for outstanding service according to their points and consumer ratings. This recognition will be displayed on our STAR employee board and they will receive gift certificates to the restaurant of their choice. For those employees that do not meet those requirements, throughout the year gas cards will be given to employees who are meeting targets, showing growth. In our assembly department the key to increasing the morale is encouraging employee motivation. Keeping employees engaged at the organization will satisfy their need to feel a part of the organization and also the company’s need of high-productivity. As suggested by Philip Mirvis (2012), â€Å"there is a daunting â€Å"employee engagement gap† in business†. To close this gap at WooWoo we are striving to promote from within. Giving employees the opportunity to rise up in the assembly department to become trainers, supervisors and line leaders will be an intrinsic reward available to them. Encouraging team members to treat everyday like an interview day will keep them aware that they have the potential to move up the ranks as fast as they produce high-quality work. To effectively motivate our administration team we decided to analyze their position to the organization and what they view as perks. Since this group of employees is more focused on the processes running smoothly we have decided to reward their dedication to the company in regards to recognizing and resolving human resource issues in a timely manner. From our research the most desired perks for this group are employee recognition and developmental pay increases. Our technology department is a significant piece to the puzzle and the most difficult to chose a motivational strategy for. This department focuses on the logistics of the organization and maintaining the functioning of equipment we use. Therefore, to encourage and motivate this department we focused on the tools they need to excel. When it comes to training and recertification for this group of employees it’s really important to maintain their credibility, so we have decided to reward their outstanding services with tuition reimbursement, and free certification for every 6 months they meet and exceed their goals. To address achieving low-turnover, we as an organization have decided to create a sense of job security for our employees. We have managed to do this by offering benefits such as employee assistance programs, on-site child care, extended severance pay (should we ever have to downsize), and a defined contribution plan that constitutes the organization matching the employees contribution. Turnover can take a huge toll on an organization and we have taken the necessary steps to decrease our turnover rates and to increase our employees’ satisfaction. Methods Two methods that could be used to motivate all of the employees here are: (1) addressing their needs and wants and (2) encouraging goals to be met by praising the work they currently are doing. The most significant method would be to address the employees’ needs and wants. Once a person feels a sense of belonging; they long to know that the interested party cares about them. Employees especially have a need to know that they are not just viewed as a number that makes money for the company. Also, taking the time to recognize the work employees have already completed motivates them to do more so that they can continue to receive praise and not criticism. In return, the organization has an opportunity to yield high-satisfaction from the employees that value this type of motivation. The minimum wage worker is not motivated by the perks that are appealing to regular full-time employees. Therefore, it is a task and requirement to be creative in catering to motivate them. Three ways to motivate the minimum wage worker are: (1) encouraging participative leadership/learning, (2) employee recognition, and (3) showing them that there is potential to grow and make a career in the industry wherein they will have full benefits. These methods are used in combination to cater to what appeals to this group of workers. In today’s workforce, most minimum wage workers are in the Generation Y age group and they are not working to stay in that pay grade, so turnover is inevitable. However, using these methods to show employees how you value them can sometimes encourage them to consider making a career in the industry. The theory that best fits this scenario is the Hierarchy of Needs Theory. This theory focuses on individual needs and it places them in order of importance. In this theory the two needs classified as the higher-order needs, are closely related to the suggested methods that could be used to motivate minimum wage workers. The first need addressed in this theory, self actualization, coincides with the first suggested method of motivating minimum wage employees. This need highlights that employees have a sense of fulfillment. The need which is entitled, esteem, would benefit from the second suggestion of employee recognition. Today’s Individual Worker – Organizational Relevance In today’s organizational context the individual worker is still significant and it would not be possible to consider otherwise. Individuals are what make organizations diverse and they keep the operating procedures flowing. Today’s businesses mainly depend on teamwork and teams are made of individuals. Without individuals, organizations would produce mediocre results and have no differentiation whatsoever. I believe that is why a lot of organizations are recruiting more diverse populations so that in return they aren’t hiring employees that are like them. It is wise of organizations to value each individual in their organization especially if those individuals are growing with the organization and not benefiting from the status quo. Conclusion In conclusion, organizations truly have their work cut out for them when analyzing the best method to use when creating a motivation plan. This task is not a one-size-fits-all deal and company executives must factors in all of the key questions to reach their ultimate goal of retaining employees. Motivating employees can be a difficult task if an organization does not ask themselves the right questions. Having a clear and concise plan that is encouraged and communicated throughout the organization on a regular basis is grounds for the retaining of highly-satisfied employees.

Kraft Foods Entrance Into China Marketing Essay

Kraft Foods Entrance Into China Marketing Essay The paper that we write is about Kraft Foods which entered the Chinese market. At present, Kraft Foods is the worlds second largest food company, as far as we know, the worlds largest food company is Nestle company. However, we do believe that Kraft Foods Company has its particular advantages, for example, it has outstanding achievements in its operating management, personnel training and so on. In the near future, we think it will go beyond itself, realize new breakthrough, so we chose Kraft Foods at last. About this paper, we mainly focus on Kraft Foods history, the reason why it entered Chinese market, and the condition of organization and management in Chinese market. At beginning, the paper was made up of six parts: they are executive summary, conclusion and section one to four. Then, we divided every Section into several parts; everyone has her or his own duties. Now, the allocation of every members task is as followings. Firstly, Veras task are the second question of section 3, the forth and eighth questions of section 4. Secondly, Janes tasks are the first and third question of section 3, the sixth question of section 4, and she is responsible for the summary and clearing up as well. Thirdly, Naomis tasks are the three questions of section 2, and the fifth question of section 4, catalogue and conclusion. Fourthly, Shelias tasks are the three questions of section 2, the seventh question of section 4, catalogue and conclusion as well. At last, Alfreds tasks are section 1 and the first three questions of section 4. We distributed equally according to the difficulty of the problems and the field who is good at. We have ordered the question accordi ng to the catalogue. In the paper, we introduce the history of the company firstly, because the history is the procedure of the development of the company. we can understand the companys culture and history that in turn will help us understand why they decided to expand internationally, and specifically into China so that we can judge the wisdom of that decision. This judgment will be an important part of the Conclusion. In addition, we write the reason why Kraft Foods entered the Chinese market; we take the Chinese market as example, specifically represent the model of their operating management and achievements. Besides, the form and organizational structure Kraft Foods Company came into China. Combine our learning with them to analyze the management of Kraft Foods. Finally, we put forward some reasonable suggestions. As all the efforts we have devoted to, we have further understanding of Krafts business and management. At the same time, with Kraft Foods as an example, we got the more practical comprehension. Section I: History of the Kraft Foods Company James Kraft is the founder of Kraft. He founded the company in 1903,Ms Irene Rosenfeld headed the Kraft Foods for more than 20 years .she help Kraft foods successfully listed in 2001.Altria announced the promotion of two executive Beth Howden and Dailuomeidi served as Co-chief CEO, she became Chief Executive Officer since June 2006,in March 2007,she became the chairman of Kraft Foods. (Kraft Foods Corporate Home http://www.kraftfoodscompany.com/cn/zh/home/index.aspx Oct 29, 2012) With the development of company, especially initiating the reforms and open policy, according to GDP, China is the second largest in the world. China cached up with Japan. According to figures released by the World Bank, in accordance with the PPP (purchasing power parity), China is the worlds second-evaluation of purchasing power. The world is about $ 55 trillion. China is probably more than one trillion U.S. dollars, accounted for about 9% of the worlds, and greatly increased the proportion of Chinas international economic. Chinas foreign exchange reserves have reached more than 14,000 billion, has accounted for one in the world. The rapid development of the economy, as the most populous nation of the world ¼Ã…’Kraft Foods will not pass the big market. (Kraft Foods Corporate Home http://www.kraftfoodscompany.com/cn/zh/home/index.aspx Oct 29, 2012) Since 1924, Kraft Foods to be listed on the stock market, from time to time during the acquisition of other companies, and extended to the food business. Kraft in 1982 and 1984 respectively into Taiwan and mainland China market, in 1988, and Altria group predecessor Philip Morris acquisition Kraft Foods, in 1989, Philip Morris will its General food and Kraft merge for Kraft General Foods. In 2000, Philip Morris acquired Nano Beth and then merge it into Kraft. In July 2007 by acquiring rival Danone, Kraft starts its biscuit business. Kraft encourage the expansion into china. Before the worlds second-largest food group Kraft Global Board concluded in Beijing. Despite the growing number of multinational global board of directors moved to China, for Kraft, this is the first time. Since 2002, the global business restructuring Kraft yogurt sold to milk ternary .the name of Kraft in China is not so loud, it makes Kraft some grievances. in fact, Krafts biscuit business sit tight the first. T ANG- the Guozhen solid instant drinks and Maxwell House coffee were also occupy the first, second market share in their respective fields. Kraft was on the rise in the global downsizing while on the high-speed development of the investment in developing countries, China has become one of the five countries of the Kraft focused investment, and the Chinese people to re-recognize Kraft become increasingly important (Kraft Foods Corporate Home http://www.kraftfoodscompany.com/cn/zh/home/index.aspx Oct 29, 2012) In 1982, General Foods and Unity to set up a joint venture company in Taiwan, Kraft Foods locate in china in Beijing in 1984, in 1996, and Nabisco biscuit completed the factory in Beijing and Suzhou. So far, Krafts investment in China is more than $ 200 million. In early 2006, Kraft Australia factory production migrated to Suzhou, in 2000, Nabisco acquisition of United Biscuits biscuit business in the Greater China region, in the same year Kraft acquired Nabisco. In 2001, Kraft sold Beijing Kraft dairy business. In 2005, Kraft began building a new biscuit factory in Beijing. In 2006, Kraft will integrate all the entities in China to Kraft Foods. (Kraft Foods Corporate Home http://www.kraftfoodscompany.com/cn/zh/home/index.aspx Oct 29, 2012) Section II: Why Kraft Foods Company came to China? Kraft Foods came to China in 1984. Now, the company has 4,000 employees in China approximately, and its products cover 4 consumer goods sectors: biscuits, coffee, powdered beverages and confectionary. The company has set up offices in 250 cities across China and 8 manufacturing facilities in Beijing, Suzhou, Shanghai, Guangzhou and so on. Kraft Foods Corporate Management (Shanghai) Co., Ltd is the headquarters of Kraft Foods in China. (Expanding Market in China: Kraft Foods Commissions New Production Line in Suzhou http://www.kraftfoodscompany.com/cn/en/mediacenter/kraftfoodschinanews/2011/20110704.aspx 10-30-2012) Obviously, Kraft Foods Company expanded elsewhere. October 1, 2012, MondelÄâ€Å"z international launched the worlds top snack food brand of former Kraft food with 10 million people around the world. Kraft Foods is the worlds second largest food company, doing business in 145 countries around the world, one of the subsidiaries of MondelÄâ€Å"z International Company. It is one of the most outstanding makers of coffee, chocolate, gum, biscuits and candy in the world. The company has its main branches in North America, China and Canada. The company already has around 100,000 MondelÄâ€Å"z International employees across more than 80 countries and areas. Kraft has become the giants of the food industry, and its affiliates are around the world. Though MondelÄâ€Å"z International is new, the companys brands are as diversified and rich with heritage as the 170 countries in which its products appear on the market (Kraft foods Company http://www.mondelezinternational.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/pdf/mondelez_intl_fact_sheet.pdf 28 October 2012 ) The Kraft focuses on improving its growth to expand the Companys global scale, the Company is expanding its marketing now, also they growing markets and making infrastructure investments larger, such as the markets like China, Brazil, Mexico, Russia and so on. (United States Securities and Exchange Commission http://www.mondelezinternational.com/assets/pdf/KraftAR04_10K.pdf 10-30-2012) In addition, they consider differences in governments. The U.S. government has an open attitude and policy about export. The company is no longer a simple export the brand of the United States around the world, but expects them to automatically do well. Kraft priority to China as the most important countries in its developing markets division. They have taken into account the differences in the Chinese government and the Chinese market and will use the advantage of the Chinese market. It has invested distribution, research and development, marketing Oreo, Tang orange drink, its best-selling item, and its dozens of brands of disproportionate resources. Their company official said that they believe that the Chinese market is to teach us how to focus and how to distinguish and how innovation. The official also said that they will continue to do their utmost to provide safe, delicious, high-quality products for Chinese consumers with a variety of methods, expanding the scale of productio n, increased R D investment intensity, open up new markets, and so on. (Kraft food Company http://www.kraftfoodscompany.com/cn/en/mediacenter/kraftfoodschinanews/2011/20110704.aspx 28 October 2012) At the same time, they consider differences in business practices and customs. China is one of the top 10 markets in terms of development priority for Kraft Food. Many famous brands of Kraft Foods, such as Oreo, Chips Ahoy, and Uguan, have become the favorites of Chinese customers. said Lorna Davis, and she told us that they will continue to make their best efforts to provide safe, delicious and high quality products to Chinese consumers with a variety of approaches, their goal is expands production scale and develops new markets, because China is a big market. When Kraft firstly came to China, their products sold not very well. Because that it different between Chinese and foreigners tastes. The Chinese people can not stand the sweetness of the products. Then Kraft changed the sales strategy. (Expanding Market in China: Kraft Foods Commissions New Production Line in Suzhou http://www.kraftfoodscompany.com/cn/en/mediacenter/kraftfoodschinanews/2011/20110704.aspx 10-29-2012) At last, there are same personal differences within the company in deciding that China was a good market for them. Shawn Warren is the president of Kraft Foods China. Due to the sale trouble in 2005, he proposed to launch a combination of local tastes Oreo cookies. Shawn Warren said, Consumers in China said they hope to get a little taste of the stimulus as well. Therefore, that is what we want to hear. He advocates should seize the opportunity, improved the taste of the food, according to the tastes of Chinese consumers to take full advantage of the Chinese market. By clicking on Krafts distribution network in Chinas cities, the number of Cadbury candy sales will rise to about 40. Lorna Davis, president and chairman of the board of Krafts business in China in an interview with reporters, Reuters reporters said on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum. Chinas economic situation has been changing annually, the real challenge is how to choose the right opportunity Davis said. If I had unlimited resources and unlimited people, I will take with Kraft, but now the focus is in the integration of Cadbury biscuits and expanding our product line. She advocated a long-term view point, and not just confined to the Chinese market. (Kraft Foods China pushes for local flavors in Oreos http://www.china.org.cn/learning_english/2012-06/08/content_25597524.htm October 28, 2012) Section III: The Form Kraft Foods Company Came into China Kraft Foods chooses the form of expanding to come into China. Kraft Foods expand a brand in China, and up to now, it has several brands not only in china but also some Asian countries. Traces back to its history, Kraft Foods started to sell the products in China in 1984. At present, there has been have 4 consumer goods sectors in the field of foods; they are confectionary, biscuits, coffee, and powdered beverages, each of them is popular in China. The headquarters of Kraft Foods in China is Kraft Foods Corporate Management (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. The company has set up 250 offices and 8 manufacturing facilities across China, the main brands are distributed in Beijing, Suzhou, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Jiangmen. This measure makes people in china enjoy the nice snacks from America. (Expanding Market in China_ Kraft Foods Commissions New Production Line in Suzhou http://www.kraftfoodscompany.com/cn/en/mediacenter/kraftfoodschinanews/2011/20110704.aspx 10-30-2012) As the words said above, it is not the only option for Kraft to enter Chinese market. And it has other options. For example, they came into china by the form of acquisition. As Danone was in Chinese market, and when Kraft acquired Danone, the market in China which Danone had was belong to Kraft. (Expanding Market in China_ Kraft Foods Commissions New Production Line in Suzhouhttp://www.kraftfoodscompany.com/cn/en/mediacenter/kraftfoodschinanews/2011/20110704.aspx 10-29-2012) You must have a doubt that why did they make the decision? China is one of the top 10 markets in Kraft Food in terms of development priority. There are many famous kinds of Kraft Foods, these products attract almost every Chinese. Such as Oreo, Chips Ahoy, and Uguan, many people think these are their favorite foods. Nowadays, Suzhou Industrial Park is preparing to welcome the Kraft foods coming. Because Kraft foods bring us energy and talents, promote employment and economic development. The most important is that they intend to take root germination in China and based on their sustainable development, they want to make use of their business philosophy to create win-win situations for the whole society. (Expanding Market in China_ Kraft Foods Commissions New Production Line in Suzhou http://www.kraftfoodscompany.com/cn/en/mediacenter/kraftfoodschinanews/2011/20110704.aspx 10-30-2012) Section IV ¼Ã… ¡The Organization Structure Taken by Kraft Foods Company in Coming to China Strong corporate governance is essential, Our Board of Directors believes that effective corporate governance principles and practices, together with the companys Articles of Incorporation , By-laws , Code of Business Conduct and Ethics for Directors and Corporate Governance Guidelines , provide a strong framework to assist them in upholding their fiduciary responsibilities to shareholders and promoting the long-term success of the company. (Corporate Governance http://www.mondelezinternational.com/Investor/corporate-governance/index.aspx Oct 30, 2012) When Health staff are working, they are full of enthusiasm, a successful business needs a healthy workforce, which is why we want to encourage our employees to have a healthy lifestyle, and every year our goal is to expand these efforts. Our staffs Lifestyle need to improve, they can do such as stress management, weight management and smoking cessation, and so on. (Wellness http://www.mondelezinternational.com/DeliciousWorld/workplaceandculture/wellness.aspx Oct 30, 2012) We may make it a priority to treat our people well, we can help them develop and give them a rewarding working life, Excel in their performance Develop skills for improvement Move towards their career goals By providing training and development programs, on-the-job learning, coaching and feedback, we could make sure that everyone who works with us has the resources they need to learn more and build their careers. The success depends on motivated and committed employees. We would need them to feel that they play a real part in helping our business meet its goals and have an understanding of what they are. We should have several different ways of measuring our employees level of engagement with the business and satisfaction with their working lives such as through constructive dialogue with our employee representative groups and employee survey. (Wellness http://www.mondelezinternational.com/DeliciousWorld/workplaceandculture/wellness.aspx Oct 30, 2012) The organizational structure of Kraft is matrix structure. Kraft has five global consumer sectors, which are Beverages, Cheese and Dairy, Snacks, Convenient Meals, and Grocery. Then in this structure, organization dimensions are also divided into three parts. First, in order to improve growth and global expansion, a brand new global marketing and category development group is being established. Second, for the sake of better severing local consumers and customers, the geographic-based commercial units is forming to strength the development county by country. Third, within our business system, our key functions will be responsible for promoting cost savings and accelerating effectiveness. (Kraft Foods Announces New Global Organizational Structure http://www.lexdon.com/article/kraft_foods_announces_new_global/56574.html 10-30-2012) There are other structure discussed in the chapter might allow Kraft to operate more effectively. The move to a product team will lead to greater effectiveness and efficiency. The dual reporting relationships that are at the heart of matrix structure have always difficult for managers and employees to deal with. Often, the functional boss and the product boss make conflicting demands on team members, who do not know which boss to satisfy first. The product team structure differs from a matrix structure in two ways. First, it does away with dual reporting relationship and tow-boss managers. Second, functional employees are permanently assigned to a cross-functional team that is empowered to bring a new or redesigned product to market. And it can avoid problems of two-way communication and the conflicting demands of functional and product team bosses. (Kraft Foods Announces New Global Organizational Structure http://www.lexdon.com/article/kraft_foods_announces_new_global/56574.html 10-30-2012) Then, there are three levels in the organizations hierarchy. And it is authority centralized. Irene B. Rosenfeld presides over one of the worlds biggest food companies, she has the supreme authority, so in my mind, it is authority centralized. Then, let me describe the span of control of the top manager and of middle or first-line managers. The CEO in Kraft Foods is Irene B. Rosenfeld. She presides over one of the worlds biggest food companies. Under the CEO, there are some Executive Vice Presidents and Presidents; they are responsible for each region and each field. Then, there are some teams leaders, their work are specific, what they need to do are concentrating on variety kind of production. (Management Team http://www.kraftfoodscompany.com/eu/en/about/management_team/index.aspx Kraft foods Team leader profiles _ LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/title/team-leader/at-kraft-foods) According to all the learning that we got, we think that the distribution of authority appropriate for the organization and its activities. Kraft produces food goods at refrigerated, dry and frozen Kraft plants third party manufacturers located across the country. From the plants to a network of upstream Kraft buffer facilities as storage overflow buffer located near the plant. The physical characteristics of these are similar products, so we can not say that it is very fragile or brittle, these goods should flow through the DSD channels, in order to reduce the losses caused by touch points on the network and product damage. (Direct Store Delivery Versus Centralized Distribution http://www.mwpvl.com/html/dsd__vs_central_distribution.html October 30, 2012) I think it is possible to flatten the hierarchy by decentralizing authority and empowering employees. Roger K. Deromedi is the Chief Executive Officer of  Kraft Foods. He announced a new global organizational structure to achieve a more solid positioning Kraft sustainable growth. Krafts management team is unmatched. Every member has a vision of a world-class leader in professional knowledge and broad perspective to help Kraft to achieve sustainable growth. said Betsy Holden, 48, has been named President, Global Marketing and Category Development, and will continue as a member of the Kraft Foods Board of Directors. Holden, co-CEO of Kraft Foods (Kraft Foods) and Kraft Foods North America President and CEO.Holdens group will fugle Krafts growth agenda by driving category development across countries with global category strategy, new product development platform and superior marketing. This new team will build on the success of Kraft Foods global categories Parliament by creating a g lobal classification team. Krafts business units based on geographic location will be divided into the North American commercial and international business, with directly responsible for the marketing and sales between countries, including profit and loss responsibility. At the local level, these organizations will promote the Kraft business; make full use of the category strategy, development platform development and global marketing cooperation with global marketing and category development group. (Kraft Foods Announces New Global Organizational Structure http://www.lexdon.com/article/kraft_foods_announces_new_global/56574.html 30 October 2012) The principal integrating mechanisms used in Kraft Foods Company and sufficient coordination among individuals and functions that they provide are followings. The Krafts final strategy is to act responsibly. As the Company strives for sustainable growth, it seeks business success in ways that honor ethical and legal standards and that respect people, communities and the natural environment. This strategy includes a commitment to strong compliance and integrity programs and sound corporate governance, as well as a number of health and wellness initiatives, such as enhanced nutrition labeling, the development and funding of community-based programs and voluntary limitations on advertising to younger children. It also includes taking steps to contribute to the sustainability of the Companys agricultural supply base through several programs with respected international and local partners. Through the Krafts years of the development process, we can see that Kraft has been continuously through the acquisition of local enterprises to expand its business in China, and this is Krafts business model in America. At the beginning, Kraft came to China, Kraft also did not think too much about the changes about demand for cross-cultural product development or local marketing decision. Completely copy American model approach also makes Kraft lose the Chinese market narrowly. Until 2005, Kraft realized the problem and began to reform, increase the Chinese capital market and the investment of human resource and so on. Then Kraft earns a success in China. (United States Securities and Exchange Commission http://www.mondelezinternational.com/assets/pdf/KraftAR04_10K.pdf 10-30-2012) Now that we have analyzed the way this organization is organized, we want to give Krafts managers to help them improve the way it operates. Matrix structures have been successfully used for years at high-tech companies where new product development takes place frequently and the need to innovate quickly is vital to the organizations survival. However, the dual reporting relationships of a matrix structure have always been difficult for managers and employees to deal with. So, it is better to improve the organizational structure to product team structure. The product team structure differs from a matrix in that: 1) it does away with dual reporting relationships and two-boss managers, and 2) functional employees are permanently assigned to a cross-functional team. It can help them gain a competitive advantage in fast-changing organizational environments. Conclusion: An Analysis of Kraft Foods Companys Entrance into China To conclude, Kraft Foods is the worlds second largest food company, doing business in 145 countries around the world, one of the subsidiaries of MondelÄâ€Å"z international. It employs more than 60,000 employees worldwide. Krafts core product line is for coffee, confectionery, dairy products and beverages. Krafts business is in more than 70 countries, its products sell in 150 countries worldwide. Kraft North America and Kraft International two units manage the market of the United States and Canada, as well as Europe and developing markets. As the end of December 2007, Warren Buffets Berkshire Hathaway holding 8.6% of Kraft stock, is a float institutional investors. So far, Krafts investment in China is more than $ 200 million. In early 2006, Kraft Australia factory production migrated to the factory in Suzhou. The Suzhou plant is one of the few food factories that Kraft first entered the Chinese investment in the construction. The production of Krafts biscuit brand Oreo, music , Wealthy, Taiping and grimace toot has become the fastest-growing source of income in China. In the North American market, Kraft has a lot of product improvements, and mark calorie content on the packaging, in order to concern about peoples waist. In China, even though most people do not realize this, Kraft has taken the lead in product packaging clear stated calorie content. So that consumers can clearly choose to control the amount of food. As we have researched the situations, we find some interesting problems that they encountered. Kraft Group as the worlds leading food companies, in recent years in China, with good operating performance and a remarkable position in the market, many of its products have been well known to consumers. However, as early as in 2005, Krafts sales in China are not satisfactory. In the beginning, Kraft came to China, Kraft also did not think too much about the changes about demand for cross-cultural product development or local marketing decision. Completely copy American model approach also makes Kraft lose the Chinese market narrowly. Until 2005, Kraft realized the problem and began to reform, increase the Chinese capital market and the investment of human resource and so on. So Kraft actively adjusted its marketing strategies in order to better adapt to the requirements of the competitive environment, Kraft eventually created the success in China market. Then Kraft earns a success in Chin a. I think the way they solve the problem is very scientific. Kraft made à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹some adjustments to the company in accordance with the China market situation and the tastes of Chinese consumers. They seize the opportunities. So they achieved success. Of course, they also have insufficient. I think they can be more active innovation. They can release more flavors and varieties of biscuits to catch the consumers stomach. So Kraft can attract the attention of consumers and increase sales and market share. I believe Kraft do create a better future. Over the years, Kraft has always insists on the principle of related to food quality never concessions, which achieved a sales of over 300 billion U.S. dollars in the global top 500 enterprises. In order to ensure the food quality, Krafts new factory controls of physical, chemical, biological, three major sources of pollution tightly. Physical sources of pollution, the workshop all organic glass windows and stainless steel, metal, glass and hard plastic material to avoid entering the production line, all corner radian design to prevent dust left; plant cleaning are edible grade cleaner agents, equipment lubrication points with the product contact parts, use only food grade lubricants, to do so despite the high cost, but to avoid chemical pollutants entering the food; biological pollution control, Kraft raw flour define the amount of heat-resistant Bacillus, oven temperature curve have a special instrument verification, to ensure that the quality of food.  The Krafts strict quality control is also reflected in many details. Some consumers are allergic to peanuts, and in order to protect the health of these people, Kraft specifically arranged a dedicated production line. Kraft pays attention to product quality in order to open the door to success.

Human Resource Management :: Personnel Management

Human Resource Management This project is designed to show what I have learned in the Human Resource Management course. The project provides guidelines on the information I learned in class about real life scenarios. This would give me the opportunity to identify and explain all the factors that relate to organizational behavior. I intend to demonstrate my knowledge and my ability to implement the skills that I have acquired in this class. In the movie â€Å"Gladiator† Russell Crowe plays the role of the Roman general Maximus, who was betrayed by his friends and was ordered to be killed. He was able to escape death and return home, where he found his wife and son killed by the New Emperor. Maximus sought revenge, but he was captured by slave traders and was brought to the gladiator school. Once again Maximus showed great potential as an outstanding fighter and a leader. His decisions were quick, which made his spectators love him. Maximus was selected to go to the gladiator game in Rome; if he lived there, he would be granted freedom. Maximus accepted the offer and went to Rome. During the games, Maximus proved that he was a great leader and warrior—he was able to capture his spectators. The New Emperor was extremely frightened when he recognized Maximus as a potential threat. The Emperor had many enemies and with Maximus being in Rome, his situation was worsened. Maximus was going to over throw the Emp eror with the aid of Senate and the Emperor’s sister. Maximus’ army was loyal to him; they would help him avenge his family and over throw the Emperor. The plot against the Emperor failed, which lead Maximus’ face-to-face confrontation with the Emperor in the Coliseum. The Emperor stabbed Maximus before the match, which made him very weak. Despite the wounds inflicted by the Emperor, Maximus was able to defeat and kill the Emperor. Maximus too died (from his wounds) but he accomplished his goal to avenge his family. In my opinion Maximus is an extravert owing to his ability to get along with people. He had a lot of energy, and has a great deal of relationships with other characters in the movie. Throughout the movie, Maximus showed his ability to deal with people in many situations. For example, in the beginning of the movie, when he was fighting the barbarians before the battle he drove throughout his army talking to his soldiers and getting them ready.

Causes and Effects of the Civil War Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Did you know America’s bloodiest battle fought on their own soil was the Civil War? The Civil War was fought on American soil between the northern states and the southern states. Many causes provoked the war, which would affect the nation for decades to come. Slavery, the Missouri Compromise, and John Brown’s attack on Harpers Ferry, Virginia, were some of the many causes. In turn hundreds of thousands of soldiers died, the South’s economy was devastated, and the northern ideals flourished.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the later 1700’s to 1863, slavery was an intricate part of the South. Slaves were needed for plantation work like planting, caring for, and harvesting crops to maintaining the land. After Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin, more slaves were needed to keep up with the increased cotton production. In the South their belief was African-Americans were property. On the other hand, the North’s economy was based on industry and manufacturing powered by European immigrants. They believed slavery was wrong and inhumane and African-Americans are just as human as everybody else. These two different views are one of the major reasons that led to the Civil War.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Americans in the early nation agreed that slavery was legal south of the Ohio River and illegal north of the Ohio River. However, in 1819 the issue came up should Missouri be admitted to the union as a slave state or a non-slave state since Missouri ...

A Comparison of Bless Me Ultima and The House on Mango Street Essay

Exploring Syncretism in Bless Me Ultima and The House on Mango Street      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Syncretism is the fine line between Christianity and Native American Religions because it is the ambivalent, simultaneous attraction of choice and identification to the influences of two or more religious belief systems. Syncretism is most common among minority groups such as Hispanics. The definition applied to their unique position of culture is brought about by the Native American and Spanish ancestry. Ambivalence is shown even by the word Hispanic, which is an "umbrella" term. The novels, Rudolfo Anaya's Bless Me Ultima(1972) and Sandra Cisneros' The House on Mango Street(1984) explore syncretism and how it enhances and exemplifies the issue of ambivalent behavior in regards to the combined use of Native and Christian religions. In Bless Me Ultima and The House on Mango Street, syncretism is displayed through the actions of both novels to show that syncretism is the "bridge" of ambivalence. Syncretism in context of Anaya and Cisneros' novels, merge Christianity and Native American pagan religions to form the syncretic nature of ambivalent Hispanic Americans. There are several main points in each text that exhibit the issue of syncretism. These points or issues include the "Christ-like" comparison, the witchcraft comparison, and the comparison of pagan religions of superstition and sorcery. The concept of good and evil revealed in the two Hispanic novels through the mixture of Christianity and Native religions is a type of syncretism created by folk Catholicism. According to Ellwin Stoddard's Mexican Americans, the concept of folk Catholicism, "is driven on the idea that the formal sphere of the Catholic church is blended with the Native ... ...on, folk Catholicism. In consequence, Hispanics have in a sense walked a fine line of ambivalence in relation to syncretic religious practices. Works Cited Anaya, Rudolfo. Bless Me Ultima. New York: Warner Books, 2002. Cisneros, Sandra. The House on Mango Street. New York: Random House, 2006. Dictionary of Hispanic Biography. "Rudolfo Anaya" Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1990. Penguin Dictionary of Religions, ed. John R. Hiumells. 2004. Stoddard, Ellwin R. Mexican Americans. New York: Random House, 1973. The Heath Anthology of American Literature. 3rd.ed., v.1. "The History of the Miraculous Apparition of the Virgin of Guadalupe in 1531.Ed. Paul Lauter. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1998. Wiget, Andrew O., "Native American Oral Narrative" in The Heath Anthology of American Literature 3rd ed., v.1. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1998. 24-27.    A Comparison of Bless Me Ultima and The House on Mango Street Essay Exploring Syncretism in Bless Me Ultima and The House on Mango Street      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Syncretism is the fine line between Christianity and Native American Religions because it is the ambivalent, simultaneous attraction of choice and identification to the influences of two or more religious belief systems. Syncretism is most common among minority groups such as Hispanics. The definition applied to their unique position of culture is brought about by the Native American and Spanish ancestry. Ambivalence is shown even by the word Hispanic, which is an "umbrella" term. The novels, Rudolfo Anaya's Bless Me Ultima(1972) and Sandra Cisneros' The House on Mango Street(1984) explore syncretism and how it enhances and exemplifies the issue of ambivalent behavior in regards to the combined use of Native and Christian religions. In Bless Me Ultima and The House on Mango Street, syncretism is displayed through the actions of both novels to show that syncretism is the "bridge" of ambivalence. Syncretism in context of Anaya and Cisneros' novels, merge Christianity and Native American pagan religions to form the syncretic nature of ambivalent Hispanic Americans. There are several main points in each text that exhibit the issue of syncretism. These points or issues include the "Christ-like" comparison, the witchcraft comparison, and the comparison of pagan religions of superstition and sorcery. The concept of good and evil revealed in the two Hispanic novels through the mixture of Christianity and Native religions is a type of syncretism created by folk Catholicism. According to Ellwin Stoddard's Mexican Americans, the concept of folk Catholicism, "is driven on the idea that the formal sphere of the Catholic church is blended with the Native ... ...on, folk Catholicism. In consequence, Hispanics have in a sense walked a fine line of ambivalence in relation to syncretic religious practices. Works Cited Anaya, Rudolfo. Bless Me Ultima. New York: Warner Books, 2002. Cisneros, Sandra. The House on Mango Street. New York: Random House, 2006. Dictionary of Hispanic Biography. "Rudolfo Anaya" Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1990. Penguin Dictionary of Religions, ed. John R. Hiumells. 2004. Stoddard, Ellwin R. Mexican Americans. New York: Random House, 1973. The Heath Anthology of American Literature. 3rd.ed., v.1. "The History of the Miraculous Apparition of the Virgin of Guadalupe in 1531.Ed. Paul Lauter. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1998. Wiget, Andrew O., "Native American Oral Narrative" in The Heath Anthology of American Literature 3rd ed., v.1. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1998. 24-27.   

Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie real name was Agatha Mary Clarissa was born in 1890. She was a fictional crime writer with about 80 detective novels credited to her.   Her father was a rich stockbroker; while her mother was British aristocrat; while her sister and brother older than her. Her father died when she was young that lead her mother to resort to Agatha Christieing.Her writing career spanned more than 50 years; where she wrote more than 80 detective works including short stories and plays; such as The Mousetrap that opened in London in 1952 and is still running.   Her first novel was The Mysterious Affair at Styles was published in 1920; where she created the famous detective Poirot.This was her famous character which was depicted in more than 33 novels and 54 short stories. Another of her famous character was Miss Maple that appeared in more than 12 novels and 20 short stories.Agatha Christi has been considered the best selling writer of all times in the Guinness Book of Records. She w as been the only writer that has competed the Shakespeare as her books has reached about one billion sold copies.Her books have also been translated into many languages including French. For example; she is considered all time best seller as over 40 million copies have been sold in France.Due to her enormous success and popularity she was made Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire. Christi died at the age of 85 on 12 Jan, 1976 of natural causes in her home at Cholsey parish in Oxfords hire (UK).ReferenceKatheen Gregory Klein, Great Women Mystery Writers: Classic to Contemporary. : Greenwood, 1994.Earl F. Bargainnier, The Gentle Art of Murder: The Detective Fiction of Agatha Christie . Bowling Green State University Popular Press, 1980.Patricia D. Maida, Nicholas B. Spornic, Murder She Wrote: A Study of Agatha Christie's Detective Fiction . owling Green State University Popular Press, 1982.â€Å"Queen of Crime.† http://uk.agathachristie.com/site/about_christie/quee n_of_crime.php. 10 Nov 2007

Outlook Towards Maintenance of Liquid Assets to Ensure

How to maintenance of liquid assets to ensure frm has adequate cash? Asking the above-referenced question without statistics makes it impossible for anyone to give you a proper answer. Generally speaking, you must limit expenses and ensure that some of your assets are in the form of short term assets. The higher your short term assets and the less your short term debt, the better your ability to pay the debt (short term liquidity ratio / liquidity ratio help you determine this). There is no perfect number or ratio for every firm. Each industry/business is unique.Strive to control debt (some debt is very good since it helps a business grow) and to maintain enough assets in the form of cash and cash equivalents Companies (Acceptance of Deposits) Rules, 1975 Maintenance of liquid assets (1) Every company shall, before the 30th day of April of each year, deposit or invest, as the case may be, a sum which shall not be less than 23[fifteen per cent] of the amount of its deposits maturing d uring the year ending on the 31st day of March next following in any one or more of the following methods, namely: a) in a current or other deposit account with any scheduled bank, free charge of lien; (b) in unencumbered securities of the Central Government or of any State Government; (c) in unencumbered securities mentioned in clauses (a) to (d) and (ee) of section 20 of the Indian Trusts Act, 1882 (2 of 1882); 24[(d) in unencumbered bonds issued by the Housing Development Finance Corporation Limited, Bombay, a company incorporated under the Companies Act, 1956 (1 of 1956), and notified under clause (f) of section 20 of the Indian Trusts Act, 1882 (2 of 1882)]: 5[Provided that with relation to the deposits maturing during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1979, the sum required to be deposited or invested under this sub-rule shall be deposited or invested before the 26[30th day of September, 1978]. ] Explanation. – For the purpose of this sub-rule, the securities re ferred to in clause (b) or clause (c) shall be reckoned at their market value. 2) The amount deposited or invested, as the case may be, under sub-rule (1), shall not be utilized for any purpose other than for the repayment of deposits maturing during the year referred to in that sub-rule, provided that the amount remaining deposited or invested, as the case may be, shall not at any time fall below 23[fifteen per cent] of the amount of deposits maturing until the 31st day of March of that year. ] Maintainence of Liquidity in Business One of the principal aims of a Manager is the maintenance of liquid assets.Maintenance of liquid assets connotes that the firm always has enough cash in hand to pay for – 1. Recurring Expenses 2. To make unexpected large purchases 3. To meet emergencies at all times The best way to maintain a cash flow is to prevent overdue accounts and avert a blockage in the inflow of income. The ideal way to do this would be avoiding doing business with custome rs who have proven bad credit histories however, on the other hand rigid customer policies limiting the firms business with companies having only irreproachable credit records would deplete the firm's pool of potential customers.With the Management looking at expanding the business it becomes necessary to do business with most people who want to do business with you. The reality of a growing business is that the biggest and best clients also want sufficient billing period and then ask for two months time for making payments. Here is where the Manager is caught between two horns. While the firm does not want to lose clients or destroy any potential or established business relationships by laying down harsh payment terms, it is also necessary for the Manager to take some control of accounts receivable to avoid causing chaos with the cash flow.Expansion of business requires extension of credit and when a firm extends credit, it is in effect loaning customers money, which in turn affect s liquidity as any company wants to be reasonably sure that the money will be paid back. The primary step towards maintenance of liquid assets therefore commences with verification of ‘customer credit worthiness’. Certain steps can be taken to check whether the customer is good enough on his payments- 1. Check each company’s credit history before extending credit. 2. Check how long the company has been in business. 3. Obtain Credit Reports as they show historical payment data; bankruptcy records; any