Essay about Rudolfo Anaya’s Bless Me, Ultima - 1271 Words

Rudolfo Anaya’s Bless Me, Ultima In Rudolfo Anaya’s Bless Me, Ultima, the author uses Tony’s dreams as a way of displaying various symbols. Three symbols that are used often are weather, water, and the Golden Carp. Weather is used to represent conflict. Water represents cleansing, and rejuvenation. The Golden Carp symbolizes religion and Tony’s beliefs. Because dreams are not an exact mirror of reality, they become the perfect tool for introducing symbolism. The author uses the dream as a way to access the recurring themes of the book. Weather affects the lives of everyone. When the weather turns foul, it makes life more difficult. Stormy weather in Tony’s dreams represents the conflict in his life, and the lives of those around†¦show more content†¦His desire is to be washed clean from the haunting memories if Lupito’s death. Another reference to water is the waters of baptism. In Tony’s dream his parents argue about what water he was baptized in. Oh please tell me which is the water that runs through my veins. (Anaya120) The waters of baptism represent cleansing, but in the dream his parents argue over whether he was baptized with the holy water of the moon, or the salt water from the oceans. This represents his parent’s pulling him in two opposite directions. Later in this dream Ultima explains to both of Tony’s parents that in reality both of their waters are the same. This shows that Tony is rejuvenated by the idea that he dose not have to choose between one parent o r another, but can take the best of both of them. Because of the water Tony is able to live his life better. The final example of water being usedas a symbol is in one of Tony’s final dreams. He talks about his brother’s livers, They cried in such pain for release that I took their livers from the hook and cast them into the raging, muddy waters of the River of the Carp. Then they rested, and I rested. ( Anaya 235) This quote shows that because Antonio can not stop his brothers from their reckless wondering he instead casts their livers in to the river.Show MoreRelatedRudolfo Anayas Bless Me Ultima879 Words   |  4 PagesAntonio, from Bless Me, Ultima, lives stuck in a world of in-betweens, a world of borders. He must navigate this world and find his place within it, all while trying to please his parents. Tony’s surroundings and cultural background lead to this in between world and force him to pick a side before he has even began to grow up. In Rudolfo Anaya’s Bless Me Ultima, Antonio is constantly searching for answers about his future and the world around him; he finds these answers through his family, environmentRea d MoreRudolfo Anayas Bless Me Ultima1373 Words   |  6 Pages Bless Me, Ultima Rudolfo Anaya Topic #1 Stephanie Chevez Mr. Amoroso AP Literature Pd: 3 The ocean of life is a constant routine to not only reconcile with certain circumstances, but to learn, to understand, and to accept them. With every new obstacle we face, this process is repeated absentmindedly, but the way we choose to react and what we absorb from these events is what ultimately makes us grow. As humans, we tend to find a suitable comfort spaceRead MoreRudolfo A. Anayas Bless Me, Ultima Essay1321 Words   |  6 Pagesfoundation from which children can grow, but they can provide only a certain amount of advice to help children deal with life’s basic issues; the rest is left for the child to find for themself. Such is the case in the final chapter of Bless Me, Ultima, a novel by Rudolfo Anaya. In this chapter Tony, the main character, recieves important insight and very wise advice from his elders. The story shadows Tony as he seeks understanding to his many questions, we follow his spiritual awakening, and followRead MoreAnalysis : Bless Me, Ultima 1636 Words   |  7 PagesRachel Carson and Rudolfo Anaya had very similar views on the environment which were translated in their writings, Silent Spring and Bless Me, Ultima respectively. The effect and response Rachel Carson wanted to create within the audience was better illustrated in Rudolfo Anaya’s Bless Me, Ultima as they both hoped to evoke an empathetic and intersubjective relationship with nature. While Silent Spring was groundbreaking and effectively created a culture of environmental awareness, Carson objectifiedRead MoreBless Me, Ultima Literary Analysis714 Words   |  3 Pagesâ€Å"Bless Me, Ultima† by Rudolfo Anaya Literary Analysis Throughout the context of â€Å"Bless Me Ultima,† it is evident that there are many motifs and examples of dichotomy. I believe that Anaya uses the previously mentioned elements of literature in order to provoke his readers’ thinking and help embody a struggle of understanding the world we live in. Motifs in this novel include: family, dreams, religion, education, and the list continues. For examples of dichotomy, the idea of good versus evil isRead MoreBless Me, Ultima Literary Analysis Essay714 Words   |  3 PagestSam Ennis Period #4 20 September 2012 â€Å"Bless Me, Ultima† by Rudolfo Anaya Literary Analysis Throughout the context of â€Å"Bless Me Ultima,† it is evident that there are many motifs and examples of dichotomy. I believe that Anaya uses the previously mentioned elements of literature in order to provoke his readers’ thinking and help embody a struggle of understanding the world we live in. Motifs in this novel include: family, dreams, religion, education, and the list continues. For examplesRead More A Comparison of Bless Me Ultima and The House on Mango Street2154 Words   |  9 PagesExploring 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. AmbivalenceRead More Comparing One Hundred Years of Solitude and Bless Me Ultima Essay1675 Words   |  7 PagesMagic or Reality in One Hundred Years of Solitude and Bless Me Ultima  Ã‚     Ã‚   In the South American storytelling tradition it is said that humans are possessed of a hearing that goes beyond the ordinary. This special form is the soul’s way of paying attention and learning. The story makers or cantadoras of old spun tales of mystery and symbolism in order to wake the sleeping soul. They wished to cause it to prick up its ears and listen to the wisdom contained within the telling. These ancientRead MoreBless Me Ultima Analysis1203 Words   |  5 PagesMora and the novel, â€Å"Bless Me, Ultima†, by Rudolfo Anaya portray the curandera in different and similar ways. The literary works consist of common characteristics and qualities that the curanderos possess irrespective of the different genders. In both poems, the curanderos are knowledgeable. Besides, they have a close connection with nature, and the people from their towns respect them greatly. Bless Me, Ultima is Anaya’s first novel in which he describes the curandera, Ultima and the protagonistRead MoreThe Pros And Cons Of Bless Me Ultima855 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Bless Me Ultima, is a critically acclaimed novel of all time†(NEA); however, it is also one of the most banned books in American literature. People enjoy the book a lot, but there are also some people who want the book to be banned for good. For example, in 1992 Bless Me Ultima, was banned at Porterville high school for â€Å"many profane and obscene references, vulgar Spanish words, and glorifies witchcraft and death(banned library). Bless Me Ultima, is a story of a boy named Antonio who lives in a

Online Shopping Case Study - 1471 Words

Introduction: The evolution of technology and the internet has brought tremendous change to all facets of daily life. One area where this change is overwhelmingly evident is retail. Where once consumers had to physically go to a store in order to purchase goods and had a limited view of competitors, consumers are now able to shop from anywhere on their mobile devices, and access competing prices with ease. This was great for consumers and online retailers, but for brick-and-mortar businesses like Best Buy, this posed a significant challenge. Brick-and-mortar retailers were tasked with the challenge to adapt and overcome the competition posed by the online retail market, or risk being left in the past. Analysis: The global online†¦show more content†¦It attempted to block customers from using price-matching apps to scan barcodes by implementing their own exclusive in-store barcodes. Best Buy also created their own shopping app and partnered with third-party apps to cater to the mobile demand, and produced exclusive in-store products. However, these actions failed to prevent customers from showrooming, which forced Best Buy to implement a price-matching policy to combat the low online prices. The price-matching policy adopted by Best Buy is a risky bet, with the potential for positive and negative effects. On the positive side, permanent price-matching boosts Best Buy’s image as a trustworthy and reputable brand. A successful brand is a promise fulfilled (Diane, â€Å"Brand Power†) and with this policy, Best Buy is doing just that. By promising customers the ability to price match from reputable online retailers, it shows consumers that they are transparent, a nd are out to give consumers the best deal. Another pro of price-matching is that it gives consumers the best of both online and physical retail. Permanent price matching gives consumers the ability to test out products in store, and not miss out on better online prices. These pros enhance business-consumer relations, but have a negative impact solely on the side of Best Buy. One negative is that a lower sell price will result in lower profits if there is no increase in sales as a result. It is difficult for Best Buy to compete with online retailers becauseShow MoreRelatedOnline Shopping Case Study1407 Words   |  6 Pages Who would have ever imagined that buying groceries online would be an option to the general public? The internet has taken over nearly every aspect of the business world, and the grocery business is the most recent item added to the list. The grocery business is enormous, but they were uncertain about what their future may hold due to the increase in online reta il. They knew that their next move would have to be to take their business online if they wanted to continue to flourish. Amazon saw thisRead MoreAn Investigation Of Online Shopping1621 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction: An investigation of online shopping and how does it influence NTIC students’ daily life. Observations have shown that there has been a rapid development in an economic world. We have witnessed a tremendous change about shopping online. According to UCLA Center for Communication Policy (2001), online shopping has been regarded as the third most prevalent activity on the Internet, only followed by e-mail and website usage. It plays an important role, not only in retail stores, but alsoRead MoreThe Advantages and Risks of Online Shopping Essay1041 Words   |  5 Pagesinternet, online commerce become quite common and plays an important role in the modern world. The online business has booming development in these few years. US online retail sales raised an average of 11% in the first three months of 2009 (â€Å"US Online Sales Up,† 2009). The growth of online sales may due to the growing number of consumers who shop online. In the case of Asia, survey reported 77.6% of In ternet users have online shopping experiences in 2003 (as cited in To, Liao Lin, 2007). Online shoppingRead MoreOnline Shopping Conduct And Internet Shopping Essay1659 Words   |  7 PagesINTRODUCTION Online shopping is almost to synonymous to customary shopping through brick and mortar stores. As indicated by UCLA Center for Communication Policy, online shopping has been rising as a standout among the most famous web exercises, marginally behind e-mailing and internet surfing and in addition surpasses online entertainment search and online news. Online shopping conduct (additionally called web purchasing conduct and Internet shopping/purchasing conduct) implies to the procedure ofRead MoreCustomer Loyalty Towards E Shopping Websites Essay1285 Words   |  6 PagesThe key objective of the study about was to analyses the customer loyalty towards e-shopping websites. From this study apart from customer loyalty various other important key findings were also found. When it comes to customer retention whether its brick and mortar or through online medium the 3 major and key areas that has to be concentrated by anybody who is involved in this business are 1. Delivery of the product 2. Performance of the product 3. Post purchase service and being responsiveRead MoreDiffernce Between Online and Physical Shopping1194 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Online shopping or online retailing is a form of electronic commerce whereby consumers directly buy goods or services from a seller over the Internet without an intermediary service. An online shop, eshop, e-store, Internet shop, webshop, webstore, online store, or virtual store evokes the physical analogy of buying products or services at a bricks-and-mortar retailer or shopping centre As we know that online shopping is the easy way shopping but also there are certain advantages asRead MoreResearch Paper1655 Words   |  7 Pages Varying Definitions of Online Platform and Their effects on customers’ behaviors Research Meichen Qian University of California, Irvine HWID# 361 Author note Meichen Qian is now at Department of Social Science, University of California, Irvine. This researcher is a final paper for the Social Science 3A courses. Contact: Meichenq@uci.edu Abstract This paper explores five published articles that report on results from research conducted on online platform and the changes they madeRead MoreFactors Affecting The Indian Online Retail Market1201 Words   |  5 PagesOnline retail market in India: Recent changes in the Retail environment in India have pave way for major changes in the infrastructure, technology, regulation, shift in demographic patterns and changes in consumer preferences Broadbridge and Srivastava (2008). The main reasons for the transformation of retail market in India are factors such as rising disposable income, socio-economic growth, urbanization, demographic transitions, increasing middle income group and high demand. Broadbridge and SrivastavaRead MoreThe Spread Of Internet Usage1725 Words   |  7 Pagesthe retail sector. As can be seen, many retailers began to use online channels, as they take advantage of one of the most successful platforms of trade (Limayem et al., 2000; Levy and Weitz, 2001; Shim et al., 2001). The growth of new online shopping channels catches the attention of consumers who have become excited to try this new platform. Although Internet shopping channels seem to be growing, the growth of grocery shopping via online has been slow er than other forms of retail (Yan and OpperwalRead MoreImplementing Purchase Of Books Over The Internet Essay1451 Words   |  6 Pageseasy internet access, online shopping has reached a large number of users today. In order to buy a product online, a user has to resort to multiple sources during the course of their purchase, in order to gain information about the product and the purchase. In this project, we build a smart webstore called Shopomatic, designed to simplify the process of purchase of books over the internet [1]. Shopomatic contains the basic functionality of webstores, designed for online shopping [2] [3]. These basic

Impressing Your Boss Free Essays

It sounds like a no-brainer, but quiz your boss on what is the most important way you can spend your time and then make those tasks a priority, suggests Steve Langerud, director of professional opportunities at DePauw University. By tackling the objectives that your boss holds in high esteem, you’ll naturally be in a better spot to get attention and praise for your work. 2. We will write a custom essay sample on Impressing Your Boss or any similar topic only for you Order Now Demonstrate your value Forget what your job description says, create an action plan for how you can be doing your job better, says Mary Hladio, founder of Ember Carriers Leadership Group. Consult your boss and other leaders within the organisation for their input, and put the ideas in motion. 3. Be a team player Shaunti Feldhahn, author of ‘The Male Factor’, says high-level managers of both sexes want to know that their employees are on board with the team, especially at critical moments. â€Å"In a demanding period, you want to make sure you are sharing the same pain,† she says. For example, this might mean staying late for a meeting or pitching in on a company-wide initiative. (For more, see Seven tips for staying off the chopping block. ) Even if it’s not part of your job requirements or you haven’t been asked to do it, voluntarily offer your boss reports on your progress, says former human resources trainer, Mimi Donaldson. â€Å"Bosses are busy,† she says. â€Å"You cannot expect them to notice when you do something great. † But a routine email summing up your day-to-day accomplishments and where you stand on major projects is an influential way to keep your boss informed without monopolising time. 5. Network like you’re unemployed Langerud also advises reaching out to colleagues in other departments and requesting their feedback on how you can help them be more effective. Around the company, it will only improve your reputation, he says, and it will likely get circulated back to your boss that you are a problem-solver and a dedicated worker. (Learn more in Four career networking tips that work. ) 6. Be heard and seen It’s not about gossiping around the water cooler every morning, but finding subtle, yet powerful, routes to contribute to your firm. For instance, it may be presenting a strong, thoughtful point in a meeting, or sharing innovative ideas up the ranks about ways to improve your company’s operation. Plus, being seen at company events, such as holiday parties and other social gatherings, volunteer activities and corporate retreats, shows you care about your job. The bottom line Not only is the job market more competitive in recessionary times, it’s also increasingly difficult to get a raise. That’s because the pool of money corporations reserve for rewarding staff – even the most stellar of employees – is shrinking. The current work environment demands that you must stand out in your boss’s mind if you want to get a bump in your salary or a promotion. How to cite Impressing Your Boss, Papers

Marketing Strategies Capabilities

Question: Discuss about the Marketing Strategies Capabilities. Answer: Introduction The first section in the report gives the brief explanation regarding the analysed and the marketing objectives that the company has rendered. The marketing strategies that are currently applied by the company are emphasized and mentioned. The second section, states about the recommendations and the marketing options that can be applied in the Aldi Australian market. The marketing tools and the strategies would help the success of the company. The Aldi Australian market has been analysed with the current marketing strategies and providing the recommendations for the near future; there are some promotional measures as mentioned (Kottler Amstrong, 2012). Background to the company Aldi is a retail supermarket store that consists of two main groups such as Aldi Nord and Aldi Sud. The groups are as such independent ad performs different operations. The company has survived in the competitive retailing market and is a well-known retail store in Australia. Aldi was established by two brothers Karl and Theo in the year 1948; now the company turns into world's biggest food retailer store that wons more than 7000 stores all over the world (Mizik and Jacobson, 2007). The company established in Australia in the year 2001 and then has a rapid growth in the next decade. So, the company follows the policy of providing goods with quality and at a reasonable price compared to other retail stores. The market is wide, and the marketing strategies implemented by the company have become an integral part of the strategies and the success of the company (Debra and Abbie, 2010). The company has faced various challenges in the recent past, so it has to overcome and achieve competit ive advantage by its marketing strategies as the report says. There are areas of improvement that can be justified and applied in the grocery stores with the help of strategic advantage as a response to the face the challenging environment. Marketing mix and market segmentation can help the company to achieve the predetermined goals and objectives of the company. The company has survived in the competitive market and has eventually become one of the respectable retailers. The argument states that other rivals are even great retailing corporations which are well known and has made their name by proving to expand their strategies while indicating and contributing to the success. The marketing position and the target market gives an overview of the marketing strategies that help to analyse the report, while particularly chasing over to the strategies that can be a future option. The Australian market is as such a dominated one and has expanded while adopting acquisitions as such with two big companies in the past decade. The growth of the supermarket is being analysed while the skills are examined to give a success rate. So, the price, product, place and promotion are the main marketing mix components that help to decide over the successful marketing strategies. The company has applied a marketing strategy that affects the consumer choice and he lps to build within a stipulated area with an increase in the sales volume. Marketing analysis Marketing analysis and the strategies implemented by Aldi is being discussed a foremost part that indicates different strategies and policies adopted by the company. The recommendations as such for the next decade are even being discussed in the report. Marketing strategies by Aldi Aldi being a discounted supermarket chain in the country has mainly controlled cost in the business. The model as such has been unchanged, but the grocery retail store has moreover tried to control the price and increase the quality of the product. The philosophy that is focused on the company is as such as aiming to avoid the superfluous and focusing on indispensable investment. The report justifies the cost and the expenses that occur while the market has a possible saving even after reducing cost. The cost indicates with a figure of 15% that helps in the procurement of the price; the logistics include as such merely 2% and the rental heads and other marketing plus strategies indicate a higher cost including the staff and the payment (Ethiraj, Kale, Krishnan and Singh, 2005). The company observes that instead of extending the hours of opening, the store has a 12 hours opening hours that can be favourable when compared to other competitors in Australia. As such, the competitors have open for 24 hours and 365 days round the year (OSullivan, et, al., 2009). There are no advertisements that can be seen for Aldi store as such the company has already its name in the market and the market position that the company plays during the recent years are favourable and apparently with strategic intention. There are no as such lottery terminals add, photo booths, dry cleaning and news agent that has a separate counsellor with a service centre that occupies space for marketing (Douwe, et, al., 2006). The company has made current changes in the with the facility and has ended up with the minimised cost that occurs for the products and the pricing policy. These are the main marketing components that are scattered and are widely used to target the customers while dividing the customer with the market segmentation (Newbert, 2007). The firm then achieves the payroll that helps to increase the turnover ratio with its staffing level and lowers the price as indicated. According to the Business case studies and fortune 500, the key idea which the company makes while adopting the approach is simple and believes in the limited assortment. The store size is small when the competitor's grocery stores are compared (Cravens and Piercy, 2009). The space occupied is 650 square meters to a maximum of 1000 square meters as per the report as an approximate number. The Aldi store has a common layout that interprets the common layout with four shopping aisles. The packaging of the products and as such the dispatch are even an effective means which undertakes the cost-effectiveness strategy that is provided when price and product are compared with the free parking space. The customers are attracted towards special deals and discounts that the company has over its year. The philosophy that consists of the sales volume is again a different approach that leads the grocery store in Australia. The operating profit for branded products are comparatively less, and the company has taken an approach to moreover sell the products to its brand name (Morgan, Vorhie and Mason, 2009). The success key is achieved by the company while Tesco and other stores even have a market position which cannot be dealt with if marketing strategies are not as competitive as it should be in the recent years. Strategic marketing options The strategic marketing options that the company may adopt shortly can be discussed while studying the report and analysing the current strategies that the company applies in the market. The promotional strategies can be initiated, and unique marketing strategies can be adopted by the company which can be in the form of advertisement or promotional measures. When the research about the down period of the company was examined, it stated about the low marketing strategies regarding promotion and place at a very high point (Frosen, et, al., 2013). Certainly, this may fetch a better option with the campaigns and other marketing build confidence connections that attract the customers and targets the audience. Target market and market segmentation are an important measure with the effective campaigns that can be used by the company (Morgan, Slotegraaf and Vorhies, 2009) Conclusion The report examined the marketing concepts, marketing mix and the target market strategies that can be implemented by the company with promotional measures. The blend of product and price strategy are very well acknowledged with intense competition. Aldi has made a significant approach in the competitive world by providing good quality of products at a reduced price. Both cost and product are being an integral concept that helps Aldi to attract its customers. References Cravens, W. David.and Piercy, F. Nigel. (2009). Strategic Marketing, 9th Edition. Singapore: McGraw Hill/ Irwin. Ethiraj, S. K., Kale, P., Krishnan, M. S., and Singh, J. V. (2005). Where do capabilities come from and how do they matter? A study in the software services industry. Strategic Management Journal, 26 (1), 2545. Frosen, J.,Tikkanen, H., Jaakkola, M., andVassinen, A. (2013). Marketing Performance Assessment Systems and The Business Context. European Journal of Marketing, Vol.47, Issue.5/6, p. 715-737 Kottler, P. andAmstrong, G. (2012).Principles of Marketing, 14th Edition. New York: Pearson Educated, Limited. McCharty, E. J. Perreault, D. W.and Cannon, P. J. (2011). Basic Marketing: A GlobalManagerial Approach, 18th Edition. New York: McGraw Hill/ Irwin. Mizik, N., and Jacobson, R. (2007). Myopic marketing management: Evidence of the phenomenon and its long-term performance consequences in the SEO Context. Marketing Science, 26(3), 361379 Morgan, N. A., Slotegraaf, R. J., and Vorhies, D. W. (2009). Linking marketing capabilities with profit growth. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 26(4), 284293. Morgan, N. A., Vorhies, D. W., and Mason, C. H. (2009). Market orientation, marketing capabilities, and firm performance. Strategic Management Journal, 30(8), 909920 Newbert, S. L. (2007). Empirical research on the resource based view of the firm: An assessment and suggestions for future research. Strategic Management Journal, 28(2), 121146. OSullivan, Don.,Abela, V. Andrew., Hutchinson, Mark. (2009). Marketing Performance Measurement and FirmPerformance. European Journal of Marketing, Vol.43, Issue.5/6, p. 843-862 Van den Brink, Douwe., Schroder, Odekerken Gaby., and Pauwels, Pieter. (2006) The Effect of Strategic and Tactical Cause-RelatedMarketing on Consumers' Brand Loyalty. Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol.23, Issue.1, p. 15-25 Zahay.D., and Griffin, A. (2010) Marketing Strategy Selection, Marketing Metrics, and Firm Performance. Journal of Business Industrial Marketing, Vol. 25, Issue, 2, p. 84 93

Between Silence and Light essays

Between Silence and Light essays Architecture is a meeting place between the measurable and the unmeasurable. The art of design is not only rooted in the aesthetic form, but in the soul of the work. In Phenomena and Idea, Stephen Holl once wrote, " The thinking-making couple of architecture occurs in silence. Afterward, these "thoughts" are communicated in the silence of phenomenal experiences. We hear the "music" of architecture as we move through spaces while arcs of sunlight beam white light and shadow." Undoubtedly, Holl adopted this concept from its author, Louis I. Kahn. Unquestionably, I am referring to "Silence and Light", a concept created and nurtured by Khan, and one that dominated the later half of his work. Kahn had chosen the word Silence to define the unmeasurable or that which has not yet come to be. According to Khan, the unmeasurable is the force that propels the creative spirit toward the measurable, to the Light. When the inspired has reached that which is, that which known, he has reached the Light. Eloquently expressing the architect's passion for design, Khan wrote "Inspiration is the of feeling at the beginning at the threshold where Silence and Light meet. Silence, the unmeasurable, desire to be. Desire to express, the source of new need, meets Light, the measurable, giver of all presence, by will, by law, the measure of thing already made, at a threshold which is inspiration, the sanctuary of art, the treasury of shadow." Khan believed that in order for architectural theory to be credible, it had to be constructed. Thirty years ago, Khan began one of his most successful executions of the Silence and Light with the Library at Phillips Exeter Academy. This New Hampshire landmark physically illustrates and ideologically embodies many of Khan's concepts and incorporates many of his beliefs, synthesizing them into a tight little package with a powerful punch. The subtleties of materiality coupled with multiple plays of light truly e...

Why has Nucor performed so well in the past Essays

Why has Nucor performed so well in the past Essays Why has Nucor performed so well in the past Paper Why has Nucor performed so well in the past Paper The following section discusses the reasons that Nucor has been able to perform so well in the past. It examines the internal and external (industry) factors impacting success. Industry Analysis This section examines industry forces using Porters Five Forces Analysis (See Appendix 1). Porters Analysis illustrates that both Industry Competition and Barrier to Entry are HIGH. Threat of Substitutes and Buyer Power are Medium and Supplier Power is Low (See Appendix 1 for detailed analysis). However, even in the face of such stable and fiercely competitive market, Nucor was continually able to maintain its strong position within the industry. Thus we now look to Nucors internal characteristics as a source for competitive advantage. Internal Analysis This section compares Nucors superior resources and capabilities to its competitors, and discusses how it has exploited them for competitive advantage. Resources Capabilities * Strong Financials Resources with forecasted growth in cash flows further strengthening its investment or borrowing capacity. * Pioneering technology and technical sophistication in Thin Slab casting * Critical Mass of existing Mills and geographic locations in proximity to customer base. * Its reputation, brand equity and relationships with suppliers within the industry. * Its large existing customer base. * Its highly motivated workforce, build through a series of performance goals and high powered performance incentives (Nucor Case, 1990) * Lower cost production through pioneering technology. * Technological Superiority for greater efficiency in volume production * Rapid supply to assist in low inventory levels for customers. * Extensive experience in building Mini Mills efficiently * Consistent investment in maintaining capacity of production. * Long Term experience and success in the industry. * Lean, flat, decentralised organisational structure for rapid decision making. Michael Porters resource-based view suggests that the key to profitability is not through doing the same as other firms, but rather exploiting differences (Grant,2002). Aside from strong financial resources, Nucor understood its greatest resource was is its people. It utilised a combination of non unionised workforce, incentive systems, training and decentralised decision making to ensure the more effective is (was) to communicate with employees and the greater autonomy they had to make rapid and effective decisions (Nucor Case, 1990). This lowered production costs and improved employee productivity. In addition, Nucor had other significant resources at its disposal such as modern technology, advantageous locations, cheaper and more co-operative labour, entrepreneurial management, and narrow product lines, that let them wrest away share from integrated steel makers in the segments they served (Nucor Case, 1990). Nucor also demonstrated superior capabilities by effectively using its resources to develop efficiencies in volume production, and bring products to market more cheaply and more quickly than its competitors. There were three components to this capability. Firstly, Nucor utilised combination of research and development activities that refined speed and efficiency of the production process. Nucor had invested steadily and heavily in upgrading its capacity, old as well as new, (Nucor Case, 1990) and leveraged this capability to lower production time and costs. In addition, Nucor was consistently able to defend itself against substitutes through its cost reduction capabilities and lower prices. Secondly, Nucor was able to lower its investment/construction costs using their extensive experience in building and remodeling Mini Mills in ways other firms were unable to emulate. Nucor designed and built plants concurrently, reducing engineering costs to 2% of total costs, from the industry standard of 10%. With this experience, Nucor was able to make adjustments on the fly, and reduce time to project completion, thus providing positive cash-flows more quickly. Finally, it had speed of delivery to customers and suppliers by locating mills in similar geographic regions. Nucor was able to leverage these competencies to create sustainable competitive advantage in the marketplace. From a positional advantage (Porter, 2000) perspective, Nucor used its resources and capabilities for cost advantage. It was able to utilise its superior MM technology to lower its cost structure by taking advantage of the declines in integrated steel makers demand for scrap and eliminating coke ovens and blast furnaces (Nucor Case, 1990). No other competitor in the industry has used this focus to create value for its customers and superior profits for itself as Nucor had. Nucor was the low cost leader in the market. With this unique combination of resources and capabilities, Nucors distinctive competencies enabled high levels of innovation and efficiency in Mini-Mill (MM) production technologies. Such technology had the effect of reducing the minimal efficient scale of production from millions of tons to hundreds of thousands of tons, or less (Nucor Case, 1990) as well as reducing the capital cost per ton of capacity by a factor of 10.

Sucess and Misery Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sucess and Misery - Essay Example These challenges include becoming a success or failure in terms of academic achievements or the ability of a child to become strongly involved in sports activities. (pp. 16 – 17) When a child becomes unsuccessful in either school or sports activities, they tend to develop a self-inferiority complex as they grow old even if they have very supportive parents (p. 16). There are also cases wherein some children may not experience financial problems because their parents are able to financially support his/her material needs. However, not all of these children are able to enjoy a good family life since their parents need to spend more time on career rather than spending time on them. On the contrary, some children can experience having supportive parents but failed to enjoy the benefit of having excessive monetary wealth. The childhood experience of each person has something to do with their ability to balance having a good career and a family life. Normally, children who had experienced having a good childhood and family life are the ones with a greater chance of being able to maintain a successful family life when they get married. Some people are unsuccessful when it comes to balancing a successful career and a good family life. As a result of staying focus on career growth, some people could be experiencing enormous success with his or her professional life but remains empty in terms of being able to maintain a good relationship with a special someone or build a long-term happy family (p. 3). It is not a very bad thing to become successful in business or having a stable profession. However, the consequences of spending too much time on career development is so great that we tend to lose our relationship and attachment with our love ones. As an end result, a married man can have uncontrollable family and relationship problems which may have started from the absence of regular communication and quality time with the wife and children. Eventually, a successful