Athenian Artistic Performances Were They a Form of Propaganda Essay Example for Free

Athenian Artistic Performances Were They a Form of Propaganda Essay The â€Å"glory that was Greece† reached its height in 5th century BCE in Athens, under the leadership of Pericles. He opened Athenian democracy to the ordinary citizen, was responsible for the construction of magnificent temples and statues on the Acropolis and he, in effect created the Athenian empire. The definition of propaganda is â€Å"the planned use of any form of public or mass-produced communication designed to affect the minds of a given group for a specific purpose, whether military, economic or political† (Linearger, p. 39, 1954). This has connotations of dishonesty and while people assume it is a modern phenomenon, its roots go back much further. The question is however, was propaganda rife in 5th century BCE Athens and if so, was it the driving force whether explicitly or not behind many of the public displays? A funeral oration or epitaphios logos is an official speech delivered at a funeral. The epitaphios is regarded as a virtually unique Athenian concept, although early elements of such speeches exist in the Epic poetry of Homer and in Lyric poetry of Pindar; in addition modern parallels have been drawn between Lincoln’s Gettysburg address and Pericles. When Pericles gave the epitaphios for Athenian soldiers who had been killed in the first year of the Peloponnesian War. He took the opportunity to not only praise the deceased, but Athens itself, in an oration which has been both praised as enshrining the archetypal democratic system and condemned as barefaced propaganda. In Thucydides’ book History of the Peloponnesian War, Pericles’ Funeral Oration is a powerful rhetorical piece. In addition it is important evidence for the study of the Athenian sense of identity and the way they represented themselves and others. It eloquently discusses the ancient democratic model and the picture it portrays serves as a prototype for democratic states today (Abbott, 1970). Thucydides specified a man would be chosen to make an ‘appropriate speech’ i. e. it matched formulaic prescriptions of the epitaphios, which according to Edinger, â€Å"consisted of a number of recognised topics: praise of the dead, praise of the ancestors, praise of the city, consolation of the families of the dead.

Repercussions Of Childhood Trauma

Repercussions Of Childhood Trauma `An estimated 905,000 children were victims of child abuse or neglect in 2006. While physical injuries may or may not be immediately visible, abuse and neglect can have consequences for children, families, and society that last lifetimes, if not generations. (Childwelfare). We are all conceived, born and nurtured. Each individual has to mature, struggling through hardships faced by society. In these instances the world feels dark and cold, isolation is felt, yet it is through these hardships that we grow stronger. We are all born with unregulated emotions, it takes years before they can be truly governed, in this time our young and innocent minds are targets of disorders and pathologies. Parents dont understand this; even medical practitioners can underestimate it. According to researchers and specialists in child psychiatry, activities done by a child before the age of 10 will influence their future learning patterns. Therefore parenting methods have large influences on childrens la ter life. Parenting is similar to guiding your offspring on a boat expedition. Children learn through example, at a young age parents are role models for their children, who watch and learn through actions witnessed in the household. Parents help guide their children in the right direction, teaching them how to use the tools they are given. In this way they are not going to waste their talent. As we see in Wolf Hall by Hillary Mantel, Thomas Cromwell the central protagonist is constantly beaten by his father he is not lead and guided through life, however instead of becoming a cowering wimp scared of his own shadow, he starts a new life, leaving his home, village and primarily his father. Thomas goes on to become one of the most famous politicians of his time, he had to learn and experience on his own, through his troublesome childhood he learnt to become a strong, tough and imposing figure. On the other hand, Holden Caulfield, the main character in JD Slingers controversial novel The Catcher in the Rye, has parents who are persistently absent but however they try as hard as possible to care for him but from a distance, this is mainly due to their hectic lives in the working world. They are trying to make enough money so that they can care for Holden and his siblings financially, so that they can have a good education amongst others. Holdens has a dream job, which is being a catcher in the rye, which entails saving little childrens lives; he is more calm and caring in comparison to Thomas who had a tougher childhood. This influenced by their different upbringings. This paper will discuss the repercussions and possible childhood trauma caused, due to parents psychological condition and upbringing methods. As said by Keanu Reeves in the 1989 movie, Parenthood, You need a licence to catch a fish, but anyone can become apparent. Unfit parents are conceiving children, they are not ready to The first part of the paper will discuss how parents unstable psychological condition has effects on their offspring. The second will deal with physical abuse and domestic corporal punishment and the side effects of these violent actions. Finally sexual abuse of children will be discussed. Parental psychopathology increases risk of the offspring developing conduct disorder. Depression, alcoholism, and antisocial behaviour from a parent can be linked directly to the development of the misconduct. The two main reasons for which the parental physiological condition has this effect is, firstly the depressed parent could misperceive their childs behaviour as inappropriate, resulting in a scolding and missed punishment. The child knows he is going to get into trouble no matter if he/she is well behaved or not, so he/she decides to do whatever comes through their mind, without considering the consequences. This type of conduct leads behavioural problems. As said by Stratton an American Professor working as a research affiliate in the centre on human development and disability in Washington suggested that depressed and irritable mothers indirectly cause behaviour problems in their children through inconsistent limit setting, emotional unavailability, and reinforcement of inap propriate behaviours through negative attention. The second considers the fact that depressed parents react differently towards misconduct. Studies have shown that depressed parents give a larger amount of criticism and commands towards their children, which results in turn in deviant child behaviour. OConnor motioned in his article Depressed Parents and the Effects in Their Children children of depressed parents are at great risk for depression, as well as substance abuse and antisocial activities. It has been found that depressed mothers have difficulty bonding with their offsprings. They are less sensitive to the childs needs and are less consistent in their responses to his/her behaviour. The child appears more unhappy and isolated than other children. They may also become difficult to comfort, feed and put to sleep and as they get older they become more defiant towards imposed rules. This reinforces the parents sense of failure. Father and mothers parenting is likely to remain inconsistent, because nothing they do has any visible effect. Through analysis of the article paraphrased above, it becomes evident that growing up with a depressed parent increases a childs risk for mental health problems, cognitive difficulties and troubled social relationships. It is for this reaso n, it is important that parents are in a sane physiological state when upbringing of a child otherwise there could be irreversible damages to their childs well being later in life. Thomas Cromwell is beaten and abused by his father from an early age; he becomes accustomed to the concept of violence. He flees his home town in search for a war, in order to make money I might go and be a soldier (5). Considering the fact that he was extremely young at the time, between the ages of 11 and 13, this is not at all normal. A child at that age should not be looking for a war in order to make pocket money. Instead they should be working as a shoe polisher or a news paper delivery boy. These are safer and more appropriate positions for a boy of his age. Thomas life reeks with violence; he gets involved in fights with other boys in the town. All this is due to one persons behaviour, his fathers. Negativity from parents, for example you cant do it can result in the realization of the thought, if the person who has taught, and shown us everything we know tells say it is impossible then, it must be true. If a parent has a pessimistic personality it will rub off negatively on their child. She/he will be surrounded by a realm of negativity and will consequently not be able to achieve his/hers full potential. In addition to developing conduct disorder, substance abuse and obesity amongst others, Parental psychopathology can not only but result in the development of disorders and pathologies but it can lead directly to death. Suicidal behaviour in offspring is largely increased by parental psychopathology. There are tremendous possibilities for children between childhood and adulthood, but it could also be a time of great confusion and anxiety. There is immense pressure to fit in socially. Teens with adequate support networks are helped with coping with everyday frustrations. However many teens do not have such a support system, due to physiologically unstable parents feel isolated and disconnected from family and friends. These teens are at increased risk for suicide, they develop a physiological disorder especially depression, bipolar disorder and substance abuse which leads to substance abuse. Approximately 95% of people who die by suicide have a physiological disorder at the time of de ath. In The Catcher in the Rye Holden commences by explaining is current situation; he says that his parents were occupied working in order stratify his material needs. But they neglected his emotional state. My parents would have about two haemorrhages apiece if I told anything pretty personal about them.(5-6). Judging by this statement Holden is a teen who is lacking an emotional support for confronted with hardships. As a result, Holden has difficulty in integrating society, which he feels is phoney. He feels isolated and disconnected from friends and family. For this reason he has difficulty in dealing with everyday life situations. He cannot cope academically and his social interaction is somewhat similar. Having dealt with parents unstable psychological condition and its effects on children, the focus will shift towards physical abuse and domestic corporal punishment. Here the side effects of parents actions will be discussed. As quoted in the opening lines of the paper, physical injuries may appear immediately and disappear equally as fast; however abuse had severe consequences for children, possibly lasting a lifetime. It is true that not all abused children will experience long-term consequences. Outcomes of individual cases vary widely and are affected by a combination of factors, including: The childs age and developmental status when the abuse or neglect occurred, the type of abuse (physical abuse, neglect, sexual abuse, etc.), the frequency, duration, and severity of abuse. Nevertheless it cannot be denied that no matter the case, there will be a negative effect on the child. The factors stated about will determine how long the side effects will last. Physical abuse not only has a harmful influence on a childs behaviour but also has detrimental impacts on the psychological wellbeing of an individual. The victim could in the long-term develop undesirable behavioural patterns and will not learn the lessons parents are trying to teach. The use of corporal punishment by parents in order to put their child back in line is highly ineffective, the results may seem instant and effective yet repercussions are severe. Children become deceitful and start lying using any means possible to avoid punishment .In their eyes punishment results in physical pain. As they grow older they continue what was done at home. When they perform criminal actions, to avoid punishment, in this case imprisonment and not a spanking, they use any means possible to flee the punishment. This results in a society of adults who are uncapable of assuming their own actions. In wolf hall we see exactly this, Thomas was often beaten by his father. He went on to become a successful politician, as is common knowledge most politicians are often deceitful, avoiding to tell the truth when not suited to their situation. The use of violence corrodes childs trust in his/her parent. Walter and Thomas have a horrible father son relationship. Not only Walters chil dren have no trust in him but they have lost all respect for him. Kat, Thomas older sister states that Shame was left out when God made my dad (4). There are several repercussions of child abuse. Victims are 1.75 times more likely to experience posttraumatic stress disorder as adults. In addition, child victims are more likely to experience depression, attachment difficulties, and low self-esteem. A Canadian study found that a history of child abuse was one of the leading predictors of psychological problems in adulthood. Doctors at the University of McGill in Canada, studied rats with differing maternal styles the pups who had naturally nurturing mothers were equally caring towards their pups. However, pups with neglectful parents were less attentive towards their own pups. It was found the mother rats placed in stressful environments like isolation had greatly decreased capacity for nurture. This shows that there are long-term effects due to maltreatment. These can therefore be carried over from one generation to the next. Various studies have shown that domestic violence will inevitably increase the risk of children becoming aggressive delinquents with long-term an unstable physiological condition. Worldwide, approximately 40 million children are subjected to child abuse each year (Child abuse effects). Society should pose itself a question, in a decade or two the same children will be our lawyers and doctors and politicians. These same kids are our future. It is vital that children have a normal childhood for the welfare of progressing society. Abusive parents often have experienced abuse during their own childhoods. It is estimated approximately one-third of abused and neglected children will eventually victimize their own children (Childwelfare). As stated above the long-term effects of maltreatment can carry over from one generation to the next, this will have an ex ponential effect spreading through households. In the long run it will result in a negatively affect society, with rise in delinquency and increased depressed individuals. It is difficult to reach this situation, because there are many factors needed before there is long-term develop undesirable behavioural patterns become permanent. However Physical punishment has become an increasingly serious problem in the United States, affecting the mental health of children. Studies show that over 60% of families use physical punishment as a form of discipline. (Apsa) Ironically, research shows a positive correlation between physical punishment and the increase in delinquency, antisocial behaviour, and aggression in children, this is coupled with a decrease in the quality of the parent-child relationship. Due to the severe consequences of abuse, 24 countries have prohibited physical punishment in all settings, including the home. Approximately 100 countries have banned corporal punishment in schools. United Nations to has taken action by creating a Convention on the Rights of the Child, this is an international treaty prohibiting all forms of violence The lack of physical contact between parent and child can also have negative effects. For example, Holden finds intimate physical contact difficult with people he is emotionally attached to. Holden states that he cannot imagine getting to sexy with a girl he has genuine emotion for. Children need physical and emotional care to be balanced and to be able to cope in society. Finally, the impact sexual abuse on children will be discussed. Often it is difficult to single out sexually abused children; they are often ashamed of what is happening to them and tend not to tell anyone. Children who are abused by their own parents are limited with respect to the people whom they can confide to, because normally children would go to a parent, seeking help for a difficult situation which they cannot handle alone. They find it difficult to report it to the police because of a lack of confidence in themselves and often inability to admit being abused. Stockholm syndrome is useful in explaining the victims experiences and the relationship between victim and abuser. The abuser terrifies the victim, who cannot flee, though sexual abuse. Consequently the frightened victim searches nurturance and protection. Since the abuser is a parent, the child is isolated from everyone else and had no choice but to turn towards his/hers abuser. There are various consequences on children due to sexual abuse the most common is post traumatic stress disorder. This type of stress falls into three categories: re-enactment of the event, avoidance or withdrawal and physiological hyper-activity. (All about life challenges). However each human being is different, they will therefore experience these differently. Another problem is the due to sexual abuse children engage in increased sexual behaviour in comparison to non-sexually abused children. Approximately 95% of teenage prostitutes have been sexually abused. (Prevent abuse now) This could lead to premature pregnancy. The child will be born in a stressed environment and in most cases will not be treated for adequately; due to the fact that his/hers parents cannot look after themselves let alone a child. The child could also contraction of sexually transmitted diseases, for example the Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which would in the long term result in death. Since the abuse took place on the body, the body is an enemy. Victims try desperately to forget, they want to cope with the pain leading to eating disorders such as obesity or anorexia, self-inflicting injuries, the inability to have sex, or engaging in sex too often, and gender-identity issues. There are also many emotional effects such as helplessness, confusion and pain. Oft en siblings blame the abused child because they believe the perpetrators denials. Children also wonder if their mother knew anything about the abuse and did not take action to stop it, resulting in trust of both parents being lost. This results in them having difficulty to trust other human beings because if they cannot even trust their parents, who are the people children can conventionally trust, then in who can children have confidence in. In addition to the emotional and physical immorality of the act, God makes it clear in His Word, if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck (Mark 9:42). These actions spread sin throughout the world making His children suffer; for this reason that He condemns it. The purpose of the current study was to determine the repercussions of childhood trauma. One of the more significant findings to emerge from this study is that there can be long-term effects due to physical and mental child abuse and they can be carried over from one generation to the next. The study showed a positive correlation between physiologically unstable parents and child abuse. The study has addressed childhood trauma with relation to parents, however they are the main individuals affecting a kids childhood. Society should be careful because child abuse could lead to the degradation of the world as we know it.

Innovation Strategy for Tata Nano

Innovation Strategy for Tata Nano 1. INTRODUCTION: Seldom do we see cars that rewrite the history books even before they are seen running around on the roads. And hardly ever do we see cars that vow to put the nation on four wheels. The Tata Nano is one such car that has been in the news for quite a few years, for reasons good and evil. Nano is a car which has breathed into life due to one man. Give credit to Mr. Ratan Tata for his determination to build a low cost family car that has come true, finally. Took long it did, but the Nano came in a beautiful form. Touted as worlds cheapest car by a far cry, Nano has been the talk of the town around the globe. Head honchos of big organizations have been pouring in by numbers to have a look at this engineering master piece. Nano as a part of a new breed of 21st-century cars that embody a contrarian  philosophy of smaller, lighter, cheaper and portend a new era in inexpensive personal transportation and potentially, global gridlock. The Wall Street Journal confirms a global trend toward s mall cars, led by the Nano. The prefix Nano derives from the Greek root Nanos, meaning dwarf as with nanometer. Nano also means small in Gujarati, the native language of the Tata family, founders of the Tata Group. The project to create a 1 lakh rupees (3000SGD) car began in 2003, under the Chairman of Tata Motors, Ratan Tata. The strategy behind the project was the awareness of the number of Indian families who had two wheeled transport, but couldnt afford a four wheel car, and was based on the companys success in producing the low cost 4 wheeled Ace truck in May 2005. To discuss the innovation strategy for Tata Nano, we first discuss the constraints as per which the company had to operate. In pursuit of excellence and to keep up to the initial promise made to people that Tata will come out with a compact, quality car within a price tag of Rs. 1 lakhs(3000 SGD), Tata Motors came up with a design, marketing and operational strategy keeping in my mind the constraints of: Price Market Scalability Customer aspiration Resource efficiency 2. COMPANY PROFILE: Tata Motors Limited is Indias largest automobile company, with consolidated revenues of USD 14 billion in 2008-09. It is the leader in commercial vehicles in each segment, and among the top three in passenger vehicles with winning products in the compact, midsize car and utility vehicle segments. The company is the worlds fourth largest truck manufacturer, and the worlds second largest bus manufacturer. The companys 24,000 employees are guided by the vision to be best in the manner in which we operate best in the products we deliver and best in our value system and ethics. Established in 1945, Tata Motors presence indeed cuts across the length and breadth of India. Over 4 million Tata vehicles ply on Indian roads, since the first rolled out in 1954. The companys manufacturing base in India is spread across Jamshedpur (Jharkhand), Pune (Maharashtra), Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh), Pantnagar (Uttarakhand) and Dharwad (Karnataka). Following a strategic alliance with Fiat in 2005, it has set up an industrial joint venture with Fiat Group Automobiles at Ranjangaon (Maharashtra) to produce both Fiat and Tata cars and Fiat powertrains. The company is establishing a new plant at Sanand (Gujarat). The companys dealership, sales, services and spare parts network comprises over 3500 touch points. Tata Motors also distributes and markets Fiat branded cars in India. Tata Motors, the first company from Indias engineering sector to be listed in the New York Stock Exchange (September 2004), has also emerged as an international automobile company. Through subsidiaries and associate companies, Tata Motors has operations in the UK, South Korea, Thailand and Spain. Among them is Jaguar Land Rover, a business comprising the two iconic British brands that was acquired in 2008. In 2004, it acquired the Daewoo Commercial Vehicles Company, South Koreas second largest truck maker. The rechristened Tata Daewoo Commercial Vehicles Company has launched several new products in the Korean market, while also exporting these products to several international markets. Today two-thirds of heavy commercial vehicle exports out of South Korea are from Tata Daewoo. In 2005, Tata Motors acquired a 21% stake in Hispano Carrocera, a reputed Spanish bus and coach manufacturer, and subsequently the remaining stake in 2009. Hispanos presence is being expanded in other markets. In 2006, Tata Motors formed a joint venture with the Brazil-based Marcopolo, a global leader in body-building for buses and coaches to manufacture fully-built buses and coaches for India and select international markets. In 2006, Tata Motors entered into joint venture with Thonburi Automotive Assembly Plant Company of Thailand to manufacture and market the companys pickup vehicles in Thailand. The new plant of Tata Motors (Thailand) has begun production of the Xenon pickup truck, with the Xenon having been launched in Thailand in 2008. Tata Motors is also expanding its international footprint, established through exports since 1961. The companys commercial and passenger vehicles are already being marketed in several countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, South East Asia, South Asia and South America. It has franchisee/joint venture assembly operations in Kenya, Bangladesh, Ukraine, Russia, Senegal and South Africa. The foundation of the companys growth over the last 50 years is a deep understanding of economic stimuli and customer needs, and the ability to translate them into customer-desired offerings through leading edge RD. With over 3,000 engineers and scientists, the companys Engineering Research Centre, established in 1966, has enabled pioneering technologies and products. The company today has RD centers in Pune, Jamshedpur, Lucknow, Dharwad in India, and in South Korea, Spain, and the UK. It was Tata Motors, which developed the first indigenously developed Light Commercial Vehicle, Indias first Sports Utility Vehicle and, in 1998, the Tata Indica, Indias first fully indigenous passenger car. Within two years of launch, Tata Indica became Indias largest selling car in its segment. In 2005, Tata Motors created a new segment by launching the Tata Ace, Indias first indigenously developed mini-truck. In January 2008, Tata Motors unveiled its Peoples Car, the Tata Nano, which India and the world have been looking forward to. The Tata Nano has been subsequently launched, as planned, in India in March 2009. A development, which signifies a first for the global automobile industry, the Nano brings the comfort and safety of a car within the reach of thousands of families. The standard version has been priced at USD 2500 (excluding VAT and transportation cost). Designed with a family in mind, it has a roomy passenger compartment with generous leg space and head room. It can comfortably seat four persons. Its mono-volume design will set a new benchmark among small cars. Its safety performance exceeds regulatory requirements in India. Its tailpipe emission performance too exceeds regulatory requirements. In terms of overall pollutants, it has a lower pollution level than two-wheelers being manufactured in India today. The lean design strategy has helped minimize weight, which helps maximize performance per unit of energy consumed and delivers high fuel efficiency. The high fuel efficiency also ensures that the car has low carbon dioxide emissions, thereby providing the twin benefits of an affordable transportation solution with a low carbon footprint. In May 2009, Tata Motors introduced ushered in a new era in the Indian automobile industry, in keeping with its pioneering tradition, by unveiling its new range of world standard trucks called Prima. In their power, speed, carrying capacity, operating economy and trims, they will introduce new benchmarks in India and match the best in the world in performance at a lower life-cycle cost. Tata Motors is equally focused on environment-friendly technologies in emissions and alternative fuels. . It has developed electric and hybrid vehicles both for personal and public transportation. It has also been implementing several environment-friendly technologies in manufacturing processes, significantly enhancing resource conservation Through its subsidiaries, the company is engaged in engineering and automotive solutions, construction equipment manufacturing, automotive vehicle components manufacturing and supply chain activities, machine tools and factory automation solutions, high-precision tooling and plastic and electronic components for automotive and computer applications, and automotive retailing and service operations. Tata Motors is committed to improving the quality of life of communities by working on four thrust areas employability, education, health and environment. The activities touch the lives of more than a million citizens. The companys support on education and employability is focused on youth and women. They range from schools to technical education institutes to actual facilitation of income generation. In health, our intervention is in both preventive and curative health care. The goal of environment protection is achieved through tree plantation, conserving water and creating new water bodies and, last but not the least, by introducing appropriate technologies in our vehicles and operations for constantly enhancing environment care. With the foundation of its rich heritage, Tata Motors today is etching a refulgent future. 2.1 TATA GROUP AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES TATA groups portfolio includes wide range of businesses which are leading in their fields. Its total revenue in 2006-07 is $ 28.8 billion which is 3.2 % of Indias GDP. TATAs business empire extends to over 80 countries across 6 continents. Similar to Jack Welchs opinion that the business should either be first or second else it is better to sell the business, TATA groups companies excel it the fields wherever they started the business. TATA group has ninety eight companies that are basically operating in seven sectors. 3. ORGANIZATIONAL INNOVATIONS SYSTEM Innovation in Tata Motors is not a recent phenomenon, but is a part of its legacy. The Companys culture of perpetual search for excellence is highly attributed to the Tatas ethos and incessant efforts of its employees in the past several decades to serve the customers by bringing continuous innovation in its products and processes. The three major areas to illustrate how Tata Motors has effected innovation in the past few years. Products Processes People 3.1. PRODUCTS: Tata Motors created several breakthrough products in the past which changed the market dynamics and helped in providing a new customer experience. 407 platform in 1980s Japanese LCV players had made inroads into the Indian automobile market inthe 1980s. Tata Motors came out with its innovative 407 platform which was designed to suit the Indian conditions. It quickly became the bestseller in LCVs and the platform still continues control 2/3rd of the market even in the third decade of its existence. Indica in the late 90s- This was the first indigenously designed passenger car in India and it was innovative in the sense that it provided more value for money in terms of internal space (comparable to the Ambassador which was the benchmark in the country for internal space), contemporary features (comparable to Maruti Zen) and all that at a very competitive price. ACE Ace was Indias first mini-truck launched in 2005. While heavy trucks ply on the Highways, research showed the need for a small sub one-ton truck for intercity and truck terminal-to-nearby locations connectivity. The vehicle offered 4 wheeler functionality at 3 Wheelers price. The unconventional design features used in the vehicle were: Innovative 2 cylinder Indica engine Semi-monocoque body to withstand abuse Rigid front axle and rear wheel drive for low cost Flat face vs. semi-forward face to enhance the loading space. NANO The target price itself became the source of innovation, as you all must have read that the big names in the industry just rubbished it as false claims and commented that it was impossible to make a â€Å"CAR† at that price. However, you all know that the promise was kept. This was made possible through series of innovative ideas which led to acquisition of 37 patents by Tata Motors. Engine was packaged on the rear side. 2 cylinder engine (conventionally there are 3-4 cylinder engines) Identical handles and mechanisms for left and right side doors Instrument cluster in the middle of the dashboard Unconventional seats Interior space was maximized by pushing wheels to the corners and power train below the rear seat. Product created was very contemporary and It has sufficient Space inside to accommodate 4 persons comfortably. Highly fuel efficient Exceeds the current Safety requirements Complies with the current emission requirements. WORLD TRUCK The new generation range of trucks which would match with the best in the world in performance at a lower life-cycle cost is being unveiled in just a few hours from now. It will create a new benchmark in India in terms of power, speed, carrying capacity, operating economy and trims and a new experience for the drivers in terms of drivability and comfort. 3.2. PROCESS: Sustainability of innovation in products needed to be complemented with innovative changes in the organizational processes too. Some examples are: Adoption of the Tata Business Excellence Model (TBEM) It is based on Malcolm Baldridge Award for business excellence and Balance Score Card. This has created a culture of exploring various innovative ways to achieve excellence in all the organizational processes. Use of IT systems: It has been a benchmark and highly leveraged in the organization throughout the VALUE CHAIN. Supply Side Free-Markets for e-Sourcing, Supplier Relationship Management (SRM). Product Development Process. Institutionalized Stage Gate process in the organization is a benchmark in itself and ensures development of right product for the market and also an effective and efficient program management. Transition from in-house product development to a collaborative product development, utilizing the capabilities of suppliers, design houses, subsidiaries and associate companies specializing in different verticals. Internalization philosophyofTata Motors made some major global acquisitions like TDCV, JLR, Hispano, etc. Unlike many other Japanese / US players, they followed an innovative approach to be seen as a local company in the country of operation, i.e, as a South Korean player in South Korea and as a Spanish Player in Spain. This has helped them to appreciate the need and importance of all the stakeholders and they achieved this in four stages. This involves â€Å"Initiating†, by understanding the language and basic facts of the country, â€Å"Familiarization† with their c ulture, â€Å"Harmonization† and finally â€Å"Synergizing† by sharing the best practices and work ethics. 3.3. PEOPLE: The changing business environment and increasing complexity of business posed a huge challenge in achievement of business plans. Tata Group, of which Tata Motors is a part of, is well known for identifying and nurturing leaders. Tata Motors in the past has adopted several innovative means to leverage its human resource capabilities for achieving extremely challenging goals. Identifying leaders through assessment centers This process has been effectively utilized by Tata Motors to identify young managers with very high potential. This process was started some 20 years back and has progressively created a pool of very strong and effective leaders who have proven their capabilities in some very challenging assignments given to them. This process has now been replicated by many other organizations too. Putting them into challenging assignments and giving them International exposure Key projects like ACE and NANO are examples of some challenging projects which constituted of young leaders and engineers. Breaking the functional silos by shifting from a hierarchical organization to a more CFT approach All these experiences have helped us to redefine the way we have looked at innovation. And while innovation is normally understood as introduction of new and radical ideas in the area of products and services, our experience says there are several other areas that also require innovation in tandem, so as to effect an innovation in a company. Three of them I have already mentioned, that is, product, process and people. Four other areas of innovation Source of inspiration/ Purposefrom which the concept emanated, which stresses upon the fact that agility and understanding the unstated/ unfulfilled need of customers is the most important source of innovation. Tata Nano: In this case the idea struck in the mind of our Chairman when he saw a family of four (a man, his wife and two kids) riding on a scooter on a rainy day. He felt that there was an unfulfilled need of safe, affordable and an all weather alternative. Price: The price of Nano got fixed at Rs 1 lakh (2500USD). The achievement of price target was definite to create a major disruption in the car market as it fell midway between the price of a scooter and the cheapest car available which was priced at Rs 2(5000USD) lakh. Product design was choked for options because of the price target. Hence the setting the price as target triggered a series of innovation which involved: Target Cost approach which involved breaking down the cost targets to sub-system and then to component level. Suppliers were challenged with the stringent cost target given to them, but they accepted the same and the result is in front of you. Promotion: Innovation lies in reaching the right customers always and communicating in a simple and effective manner. Tata Motors in case of Nano developed a portal, which got as high 30 million hits even before the launch of the car. After the launch there were another 30 million hits in less than a month. This helped the customers in becoming more aware of the product features. They received around 2 lakh(.2 million) applications, which is a good response by all standards. Place/Reach: Conscious of the fact that demand for such cars would be substantial from the remotest corner of the country, the sale of form for booking were facilitated through several banks. New insurance schemes were co-designed with the insurance companies, and now we are in the process of enhancing the sales and service network for better reach and service to the customers. To summarize the experience, path breaking ideas, conceived and implemented in one or more of the 7 Ps, leads to INNOVATION. Purpose Product Price Place Promotion People Process 4. INTRODUCTION TO THE NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT: Before the introduction of a product into the market, it goes through several stages of development. The stages of the product development includes the following idea Generation Idea Screening Concept Testing and Development Market Strategy Business Analysis Total Sales Estimation Estimation Costs and Profits Product Development Test Marketing As far as Nano is concerned, it falls new to the world products in the context that it has made a history for the cheapest car ever made without compromising on quality. i.e. best way value analysis. Category Players 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 A Maruti 800 28 24 21 14 10 7 B Alto,WagnorR,Santro,Indica 33 41 47 57 64 75 C Esteem, Swift, Indigo, Ikon, Ascent 12 15 18 22 26 33 D Mercedes-C, Skoda Superb 1 2 3 4 P/L Mercedes-E, BMw 1 1 1 1 1 1 74 81 88 96 104 120 Average Monthly Category Sales 4.1. idea generation The main idea behind TATA NANO was perceived by the chairman of TATA group himself who saw a family of four going on a scooter in rain he wanted to develop a transport which was affordable, safe and could face all types of weathers. This turned out to be the most ambitious project of Tata motors till date when Mr Ratan Tata told this to one of his managing directors Mr. Ravi Kant he was also interested about the idea. Mr. Ravi Kant had learned from his experience that â€Å"People want to move from two-wheelers to four-wheelers but they cannot afford it†. More and more can, but Indian car buyers today represent a tiny slice of a potentially giant market India has just seven cars per 1,000 people. Indias auto industry has grown an average of 12% for the past decade, but just 1.3 million passenger vehicles were sold in India in the fiscal year ending March 2006. That means a billion Indians buy about the same number of cars in a year as 300 million Americans buy in a month. If f our wheels cost as little as two wheels, that could change fast. About 7 million scooters and motorcycles were sold in India last year, typically for prices between 30,000 rupees and 70,000 rupees, about $675 to $1,600. Tata is targeting a price of 100,000 rupees one lakh, in Indian 19 terms of measurement or about $2,500 at current exchange rates, for its small car. That sounds impossibly cheap in the West but remains three times higher than Indias annual per capita income. The average pay for factory workers at Tata Motors is just $5,500 a year. 4.2. IDEA SCREENING The next step was screening of ideas. There were many ideas like to make a scooter with two extra wheels at the back for better stability, A three wheeled car like a closed auto- rickshaw but the market requirement was a car, the car should be such that it doesnt convey a message that its just an extension of a scooter it should be a proper car and likewise should also give the feel of a actual car. Trying to build a car cheap enough for motorcycle buyers seems to make sense now but seemed unachievable several years ago when Mr. Ratan Tata, chairman of Tata Motors had first mentioned his dream of building a one-lakh car in 2003 at that time the whole world thought that this gamble will never work out but ironically the whole world is now talking of small cars as $5,000 or $7,000 after TATA NANO was launched in 2009. 4.3. CONCEPT TESTING AND DEVELOPMENT After surveying customers the end result was that people wanted a four wheeler which was cheap, dependable and strong enough to carry a load of 1 ton additionally four wheelers also increased the social status of the person who owns it .Four wheels not only practical appeal but also had a emotional appeal. Thus the new product was now to be developed but the following considerations would have to kept in mind when developing it- The car should be built on a different platform than conventional ones. It must be meeting all the safety and regulatory requirements. It has to be built on a scale which shall be more than double the earlier launches of similar products and the ramp up must be smooth. The car has to be designed so that it can be exported to other countries as the domestic demand may not materialize as per projections. There were three main requirement of the new vehicle: it should be low cost, adhere to the regulatory requirements, and achieve performance targets such as fuel efficiency and acceleration capacity. Nearly 500 engineers were involved in the development of the vehicle and everyday they had meeting so that the decision taking and the problem solving process could be accelerated. Each engineer represented a different part of the car: engine and transmission, body, vehicle integration, safety and regulation, and industrial design. The body of the vehicle had to go under a number of iterations because the Mr.Ratan Tata wanted that a person whose height is over six feet can also fit into the car without any discomfort and finally the length of the car had to be increased by 100mm but eventually. The hard work of designing the car paid off and the designers were successful in their attempt to design an actual car which did not look shabby and inexpensive but looked sleek and sophisticated. 4.4. BUSINESS ANALYSIS: COST: Since the car had to be built within a cost of Rs. 1 Lac, no conventional design would work as the costs shall be higher and so the entire car has to be redesigned. The design has to question the need of each and every component from the point of view of its necessity of existence and also the minimum requirements of its functionality. Value Engineering concepts have to be deployed to finalize the minimum requirements. DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGY: Its a technology which brings radical change by introducing new ways of doing things. Technology that is Significantly cheaper than existing Technology. Much higher performing? Has greater functionality and Is more convenient to Use. Brings to market a totally different Value proposition than the one available and can change the Paradigm about a product. The Guiding factor was that the cost has to be minimized for each component yet maintaining its basic functionality. The Alternatives are: Reduce Consumption of Material being used. Alternate Suppliers to get same material at fewer prices. Use alternate materials. Eliminate use of Material. Eliminate a process Or a Combination of the above. COST REDUCTION PARADIGM: Value Engineering Alternatives: The target was very clearly defined that, within the given cost structure all the components have to be allocated and the same had to be achieved using the available alternatives. The Guiding factor was that the tax structure on materials and manufacturing must support the final cost. Decisions were Establish factory in a tax free zone. Get the tax advantages on infrastructure development. Get the suppliers to establish base near the factory. Get special concessions from State Govt. In short select a manufacturing location where all the advantages could be achieved. 4.5. TOTAL SALES ESTIMATION: The total sales had been estimated based on the following decisions It was estimated that the demand for the peoples car shall be at least twice the demand for Maruti 800, the lowest end car. Initial projections were at about 500,000 cars per year. The basic reason was the conviction that the target price shall redefine the 4 wheeler segment. The price decision of Rs 1 lakh is definitely going to make a lot many people transit to 4-wheeler fold and that shall explode the demand. Only 10% customers of 9 Million two wheeler market transit to 4-wheelers it shall amount to 50% of the passenger car market share. It was decided to set up plants with 5 lakhs cars per annum capacity and ramp the same up in stages, in line with increase in market demand. 4.6. MARKETING: Product: Tata has a very wide range of products it has passenger cars, utility vehicles, Trucks, Commercial passenger Carriers and Defense Vehicles. Nano received media attention due to its targeted low price. The Tata Nano is a rear-engine, four passenger ,city car built by Tata Motors, It was first presented at the 9th annual Auto Expo on 10 January 2008, at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi, India. Aimed primarily at the Indian market. Price: The prices of Tata motors are generally affordable acceptable by the general public at large. Tata always have something for the lower class people with Nano being their trump card. Giving discount every month and special promotion for certain type of vehicle also one of the strong strategy use by Tata Motors. Discount can be made from Companys profit or from dealers profit at certain range. Pricing strategies: Penetration pricing Low pricing policy with minimum profit margin. Though the one lakh price tag is not fixed by TATA group, it was the word of mouth of people which fixed that range. This expectation of people creates a big challenge for the company. Place: Tata Motors has an extensive dealer network covering Indian and International markets. Wherever you are, there is a Tata Motors Sales and Service dealership close to you. The channel of distribution, physical location, and dealership method of distribution and sales is generally adopted. The distribution of vehicle must be in a very systematic way, from the plant to dealership and to end user. This is not only in India itself but also to the world-wide dealership. Promotion: Tata motors promote their products via Advertising and after sales services. Enough use of one of the most important element of promotion mix, publicity reduces the necessity of other promotional devices for Nano. Publicity as â€Å"One lakh car† by mouth to mouth. Auto expo 2008,New Delhi Geneva Publicity through print electronic media For other type of promotional activities, cost factor that is 1 lakh price tag is to be keep in mind, nano watches, nano T-shirts available in retail clothing stores. Advertising: TV other mass media will be less effective, thus too much money will not be invested in this regard. Mainly word of mouth advertising will get more emphasis. Internet will be a major media for advertising.

The Pathways of Pain Essay -- Medicine Medical Papers

The Pathways of Pain In 1931, the French medical missionary Dr. Albert Schweitzer wrote, "Pain is a more terrible lord of mankind than even death itself." Today, pain has become the universal disorder, a serious and costly public health issue, and a challenge for family, friends, and health care providers who must give support to the individual suffering from the physical as well as the emotional consequences of pain (1). Early humans related pain to evil, magic, and demons. Relief of pain was the responsibility of sorcerers, shamans, priests, and priestesses, who used herbs, rites, and ceremonies as their treatments. The Greeks and Romans were the first to advance a theory of sensation, the idea that the brain and nervous system have a role in producing the perception of pain. But it was not until the middle ages and well into the Renaissance-the 1400s and 1500s-that evidence began to accumulate in support of these theories. Leonardo da Vinci and his contemporaries came to believe that the brain was the central organ responsible for sensation. Da Vinci also developed the idea that the spinal cord transmits sensations to the brain. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the study of the body and the senses continued to be a source of wonder for the world's philosophers. In 1664, the French philosopher Renà © Descartes described what to this day is still called a "pain pathway" (5). What prompted me to research about the various pain pathways was my grandmother's arthritis. She has suffered for many years with severe joint pain and in the past, has been treated with corticosteroids. Currently, she is taking Celebrex, (COX-2 inhibitor) which is a relatively new drug in the family of 'superaspirins'. What impressed... ...ds the promise of an even greater understanding of pain in the coming years. Their research offers a powerful weapon in the battle to prolong and improve the lives of people with pain: hope (1) . References 1)National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke http://www.ninds.nih.gov/ 2)American Pain Society http://www.ampainsoc.org/ 3)American Academy of Pain Management http://www.aapainmanage.org/ 4)PainNet.Inc http://www.pain.com/ 5)International Association for the Study of Pain http://www.halcyon.com/iasp 6)MayDay Pain Project, The. http://www.painandhealth.org/ 7)Pain Treatment: Janssen-Cilag Pharm. http://www.janssen-cilag.com/ 8)American Chronic Pain Organization http://www.theacpa.org/ 9)Rest Ministries Chronic Illness http://www.restministries.org/ 10)Worldwide Congress on Pain http://www.pain.com/ The Pathways of Pain Essay -- Medicine Medical Papers The Pathways of Pain In 1931, the French medical missionary Dr. Albert Schweitzer wrote, "Pain is a more terrible lord of mankind than even death itself." Today, pain has become the universal disorder, a serious and costly public health issue, and a challenge for family, friends, and health care providers who must give support to the individual suffering from the physical as well as the emotional consequences of pain (1). Early humans related pain to evil, magic, and demons. Relief of pain was the responsibility of sorcerers, shamans, priests, and priestesses, who used herbs, rites, and ceremonies as their treatments. The Greeks and Romans were the first to advance a theory of sensation, the idea that the brain and nervous system have a role in producing the perception of pain. But it was not until the middle ages and well into the Renaissance-the 1400s and 1500s-that evidence began to accumulate in support of these theories. Leonardo da Vinci and his contemporaries came to believe that the brain was the central organ responsible for sensation. Da Vinci also developed the idea that the spinal cord transmits sensations to the brain. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the study of the body and the senses continued to be a source of wonder for the world's philosophers. In 1664, the French philosopher Renà © Descartes described what to this day is still called a "pain pathway" (5). What prompted me to research about the various pain pathways was my grandmother's arthritis. She has suffered for many years with severe joint pain and in the past, has been treated with corticosteroids. Currently, she is taking Celebrex, (COX-2 inhibitor) which is a relatively new drug in the family of 'superaspirins'. What impressed... ...ds the promise of an even greater understanding of pain in the coming years. Their research offers a powerful weapon in the battle to prolong and improve the lives of people with pain: hope (1) . References 1)National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke http://www.ninds.nih.gov/ 2)American Pain Society http://www.ampainsoc.org/ 3)American Academy of Pain Management http://www.aapainmanage.org/ 4)PainNet.Inc http://www.pain.com/ 5)International Association for the Study of Pain http://www.halcyon.com/iasp 6)MayDay Pain Project, The. http://www.painandhealth.org/ 7)Pain Treatment: Janssen-Cilag Pharm. http://www.janssen-cilag.com/ 8)American Chronic Pain Organization http://www.theacpa.org/ 9)Rest Ministries Chronic Illness http://www.restministries.org/ 10)Worldwide Congress on Pain http://www.pain.com/

Productivity in The US :: essays research papers fc

Productivity in the U.S. and What the Government Must Do   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  John sits at home each night with his wife and two children and watches the news. He listens as experts on the economy tell him that the economy is growing and that the GDP is growing. He wonders how this can be, because he lost his job months ago and has not been able to find work since. Has the very country that John lives in moved on and left him behind? This is the question that many Americans are asking themselves, and many more will be soon. In the 1960s and early 90s productivity in America increased by record amounts. The nation was prospering, people had jobs, and they were spending their money. All of this was done by simple government intervention. Now America is looking at another rise in productivity, but this time it may be a little bit different unless the government takes the proper steps.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The 1960s was a period of prosperity for the America. This was largely due to policies and the tax cuts that President Kennedy initiated at the beginning of the decade. His tax cuts were successful in lowering unemployment, encouraging people to invest more, and making the overall economy improve. To begin a period of prosperity there must be something to start it off. A tax cut gives people an incentive to work, save, and invest. President Kennedy said, â€Å"A rising tide lifts all boats† (Garfield, 1). This is proof that the government can have a big role in the economy. The Kennedy administration cut business taxes as well as investment taxes. This caused the Gross Domestic Product to grow by 4.5 percent in the 60s as compared to only 2.4 percent from 1952 to 1960 (Garfield, 3). Many people were worried that these tax cuts would raise the deficit, which makes since because lower taxes means the government will receive less money. However this was not tr ue. The tax cuts increased spending and investment to much that the government’s revenues increased 6.4 percent as compared to 1.2 percent from 1952 to 1959 (Garfield, 3). This proved that cutting the taxes can stimulate the economy enough to raise the government’s budget. This intervention by the government raised the standard of living for American citizens as well as increasing government revenue.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  President Bush has cut the taxes himself. However these tax cuts are far different from those of the 1960’s. Productivity in The US :: essays research papers fc Productivity in the U.S. and What the Government Must Do   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  John sits at home each night with his wife and two children and watches the news. He listens as experts on the economy tell him that the economy is growing and that the GDP is growing. He wonders how this can be, because he lost his job months ago and has not been able to find work since. Has the very country that John lives in moved on and left him behind? This is the question that many Americans are asking themselves, and many more will be soon. In the 1960s and early 90s productivity in America increased by record amounts. The nation was prospering, people had jobs, and they were spending their money. All of this was done by simple government intervention. Now America is looking at another rise in productivity, but this time it may be a little bit different unless the government takes the proper steps.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The 1960s was a period of prosperity for the America. This was largely due to policies and the tax cuts that President Kennedy initiated at the beginning of the decade. His tax cuts were successful in lowering unemployment, encouraging people to invest more, and making the overall economy improve. To begin a period of prosperity there must be something to start it off. A tax cut gives people an incentive to work, save, and invest. President Kennedy said, â€Å"A rising tide lifts all boats† (Garfield, 1). This is proof that the government can have a big role in the economy. The Kennedy administration cut business taxes as well as investment taxes. This caused the Gross Domestic Product to grow by 4.5 percent in the 60s as compared to only 2.4 percent from 1952 to 1960 (Garfield, 3). Many people were worried that these tax cuts would raise the deficit, which makes since because lower taxes means the government will receive less money. However this was not tr ue. The tax cuts increased spending and investment to much that the government’s revenues increased 6.4 percent as compared to 1.2 percent from 1952 to 1959 (Garfield, 3). This proved that cutting the taxes can stimulate the economy enough to raise the government’s budget. This intervention by the government raised the standard of living for American citizens as well as increasing government revenue.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  President Bush has cut the taxes himself. However these tax cuts are far different from those of the 1960’s.

Gray and Goldsmith’s Attitudes towards Loss

Death as man’s fate can never be controlled by anyone or by anything. This is what one can infer from the poems of Thomas Gray and Oliver Goldsmith. These poems deal about death or loss of life and all other losses humans experience in life. Consequently, this paper is a comparative analysis of the attitudes of Gray and Goldsmith towards death or loss in their poems. This includes a discussion of the similarities and differences of the poet’s attitude which can be deduced from the speaker’s involvement or attachment, the speaker’s feelings towards the subject and the tone of the poems â€Å"Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard† by Thomas Gray and â€Å"The Deserted Village† by Oliver Goldsmith. Obviously, both poets have similar attitudes and feelings about the subject. However, Gray communicates stronger attitudes about loss or death in his poem than what Goldsmith articulates about the subject in his poem. To begin with, Gray’s â€Å"Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard† is a poem composed of 128 lines grouped into stanzas and it focuses on the dead people buried in a country churchyard. While, Goldsmith’s â€Å"The Deserted Village† is a poem consisting of 430 lines grouped into irregular number of lines per thought and it talks of the wretchedness of a village named Auburn. These poems have the following similarities. Initially, both poets are emotionally attached to the topic on hand. Gray feels the loss as he contemplates of his own death someday. Meanwhile, Goldsmith has personally experienced the loss of happy memories in Auburn especially in the first 34 lines of the poem. Next, the poems â€Å"Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard† and â€Å"The Deserted Village† attest that death prevents humans from doing what they were used to doing and from experiencing the pleasures they used to experience. In lines 17 to 28 of Gray’s poem, the speaker cites that the dead can no longer wake up every morning with the sounds of the â€Å"swallow†, the â€Å"cock† and the horn, be with their wife and children or go to work in the farm fields. Likewise, lines 243 to 250 of Goldsmith’s poem say that those who die can no longer enjoy the different pleasures in life. Another is that according to the two poems, death or loss will come to any person regardless of his/ her social position, prestige and economic status. No one is exempted from experiencing death. It comes to the poor as well as to the rich. It comes to the kind and to the unkind. This is exemplified in the lines 33 to 40 of Gray’s poem which point that even the rich will die and their riches will not prevent death or loss from happening. It is also cited in the lines 107 and 109 of Goldsmith’s poem that man will â€Å"meet his latter end† and will go down â€Å"to the grave†. The lives of the â€Å"village preacher† in lines 140 to 187 and the â€Å"village master† in lines 196 to 240 both exemplify that death comes to anyone in the poem â€Å"The Deserted Village†. Subsequently, both poems show that a human being goes to another place after his or her life on earth is over. Gray mentions the word â€Å"heaven† found in line 124 and â€Å"God† in the last line of the poem. Goldsmith also speaks of â€Å"heaven† in lines 112 and 188. This means that both poets believe that when death comes to a person, he or she has the hope of going to heaven to be with God who is the creator of man and of the universe. Lastly, the tone of Gray and Goldsmith’s poems is similarly mournful, hopeful and wishful. Since the poems talk about death or loss, they are obviously in a state of mourning for the dead. Gray evokes an atmosphere of mourning in the first twelve lines of the poem with the images of â€Å"the parting day† (line 1), the farmer going home, and the coming of darkness. Gray also uses the wailing of the â€Å"owl† in line 10 to conjure this tone. Meanwhile, Goldsmith uses the words â€Å"saddens† in line 38, â€Å"cries† in line 46, â€Å"griefs† in line 84 among others to present this tone. But in spite of the tone of mourning in these poems, they also express the hopes and wishes of the poets that after death or loss, there will be a new life or a new beginning as alluded to in words â€Å"heaven† in lines 122 and 124 and the word â€Å"Father† and â€Å"God† in line128 of Gray’s poem. In addition, Goldsmith mentions the word â€Å"heaven† in line 188 and the phrase â€Å"worlds beyond the grave in line 374 of his poem. The differences in the attitudes and feelings of Gray and Goldsmith towards loss in their poems are the following: first, Gray seems to feel uninvolved in the poem because he uses the pronouns â€Å"them† and â€Å"their† most of the time. Perhaps, this is because he does not personally know the people who died and who were laid in the country churchyard. In fact, he was just making guesses or contemplating of possibilities of what these could have become and what could have happened to them if they did not die yet. In contrast, Goldsmith feels very involved because he uses the personal pronouns â€Å"my† and â€Å"I† for many times in the poem. This could mean that what he has written in the poem is based on his very own experiences. Second, Gray demonstrates that death prevents anyone from achieving their ambitions or from discovering their hidden potentials. This can be interpreted from lines 45 to 64 where Gray elaborates the things that those who have died could have done in their lives if they were still alive. The speaker thinks of someone who could be a â€Å"Penury† in line 51, a â€Å"Hampden† in line 57, a â€Å"Milton† in line 59, and a â€Å"Cromwell† in line 60. On the contrary, Goldsmith does not mention the what- could-have-been in his poem because he primarily talks about the loss of the simple pleasures as part of village life. Third, Gray encourages that man should be prepared to die because it is a part of the natural course of life. Just as a day in a person’s life comes to an end as literally stated in lines 1 to 4 of the poem so does a person’s life on earth ends. If there is a beginning, there is also an ending. Nothing is ever permanent in this world. Everything is temporary. What has been commonly quoted by many: â€Å"The only thing that does not change is change itself† and â€Å"There is an end to everything† are indeed true. Gray tells us in the poem that humans need to prepare for that time when they will die because it is inevitable. He even makes himself an example of a person who gets ready for his death. As a matter of fact, he includes in lines 116 to 128 of the poem an epitaph that is to be written in his own grave. However, Goldsmith implies fear or suggests dread for the day of one’s death in lines 363 to 370 of his poem. The words or phrases â€Å"sorrows gloom’d†, â€Å"look’d their last†, â€Å"wish’d in vain†, and â€Å"shudd’ring† gives an idea that the poet is not yet prepared to die if he feels that death is something that comes to everyone. Fourth, Gray presents that nothing can bring back a dead person to life. He asks in the form of rhetorical questions in lines 41 to 44 if the things he has mentioned are able to bring back a dead person’s â€Å"breath†. Since these are rhetorical questions, obviously the answer to all these is a resounding â€Å"NO†. There is really nothing that can be done or no one can do anything to make life come back to someone who is already dead. A realization can then be made based on this. A person has to do what he can do and what he wants to do while he/ she is still alive because when he dies he can never do them or he cannot return to life to do them. Goldsmith, on the other hand, does not talk about these things. Fifth, Gray feels that those who are still alive should honor and remember those who have died. This is implicitly expressed in lines 77 to 112. The words â€Å"memorial† (line 78), â€Å"tribute† (line 80), â€Å"forgetfulness† (line 85), â€Å"unhonour’d† (line 93), and â€Å"tale relate† (line 94) are some of the hints that tell us that the poet wants to be honored. He also wishes in these lines that a friend or a â€Å"kindred spirit† (line 96) would remember him when he has died. Contrariwise, Goldsmith does not refer to these hopes in his poem. Instead he has other things revealed. Sixth, Goldsmith in â€Å"The Deserted Village† presents that loss is caused by a person’s discontentment or his/ her desire for luxury and wealth. The loss specifically referred here is the loss of the â€Å"ignorance of wealth† which leads to the loss of the simple pleasures in life that is analogous to the loss of one’s own life. It can be surmised from the poem that when humans lose their desire for the simple sources of joy and happiness and instead desire for luxury and wealth, then destruction or loss of life results just like what happened to Auburn. The speaker implicitly condemns â€Å"luxury† which caused the desolation of Auburn in lines 51 to 56 and lines 385 to 390. The discontentment of the village people for the simple pleasures referred to in the words â€Å"sports† (line 18), â€Å"pastime† (line 19), â€Å"sleights of art and feats of strength† (line 22), â€Å"dancing† (line 25), and â€Å"laughter† (line 28) led the people to â€Å"leave the land† (line 50). This idea is indeed true but Gray was not able to mention it in his poem. Seventh, according to Goldsmith, loss causes pain or is very painful on the part of the person who has lost someone or something very dear to him/ her. The words â€Å"pain† in line 82, â€Å"vexations† in line 95, and the phrase â€Å"sorrow, guilt and pain† in line 172 prove that it is painful to loss someone or even something. Likewise, the loss of happy memories can be as painful as having lost one’s body part. Conversely, Gray is silent about pain in his poem. Perhaps, he does not consider a natural process of life which is death as something painful or something which causes sorrow. Eighth, Goldsmith proposes that loss comes after luxury, wealth and pleasures. So for him, one should stay away from these things. He even calls â€Å"luxury† as â€Å"curst by Heaven’s decree† in line 385. He also demonstrates through irony in lines 52 to 56 that when riches abound, men’s lives deteriorate. In addition, lines 63 to 74 support the proposition that â€Å"trade’s unfeeling train† (line 63) resulted to â€Å"mirth and manners† (line 74) being lost. Finally, the tone of Gray’s â€Å"Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard† reveals his attitude or feelings for the poor, his readiness to die and his resignation to the inevitability of death whereas; the tone of Goldsmith’s poem is a mix of happiness, sadness, irony, and condemnation. Furthermore, the tone of Gray’s poem remains constant throughout the poem. In contrast, the tone of Goldsmith’s poem changes its tone from one feeling to another such as being happy then sad, ironic then condemning. To sum it up, both Gray and Goldsmith feel that death or loss comes to every human being whether he or she is poor, rich, kind or unkind at anytime. When loss comes, one can no longer do what he or she used to do or would want to do. And that loss comes with hope of going to heaven to be with God.

Wells Fargo Analysis

MERCK & COMPANY INC.1. The marketing mix A. Product / Service Wells Fargo is an American bank that provides financial services to its customers throughout North America and Internationally. Our marketing mix starts with the description of the service mix of the firm Wells Fargo. This company gathers different ranges of services offered to the market place to meet the customers’ needs and expectations. Wells Fargo counts nine different kinds of bank services to compete in the financial industry.Ranges of services: Banking (Debit, credit card, Checking and saving account) * Brokerage (Facilitate the buying and selling of financial securities) * Insurance * Wealth management * Retirement services * Investments * Mortgages (4000 in 2009) * Consumer finance services (financial advice) * Well Fargo’s Financial Securities: Security business (merger advice, stock and bond underwriting, loan syndications, and fixed-income trading) B. Price We do not have any information about th e price of the services in the case study. C. Place Wells Fargo has a wide presence throughout the US territory.Headquartered in San Francisco, the company is decentralized to provide an optimization of the geographical coverage. Therefore, every local Wells Fargo store is like the headquarter for satisfying all their customers. The decentralization is an effective strategy when a company tries to have an effective wide presence on any market. This strategy has made the success of many of the Scandinavian organizations or institutions. Indeed, it allows any company, like Wells Fargo to get closer to its customers and be able to understand and meet better their needs and expectations.As we can see from the case, the company is doing well with its distribution and the customers service in general, it has even been rewarded Retail banker of the year according to US Banker. Consumers want and need a bank office near to the place where they live or where they work. The bank company must be strongly present in the quite big city and in the metropolitan area where the demand for the financial services is important. That is why Wells Fargo has developed a wide distribution, in the US domestic market, throughout more than 6,700 retail stores in 40 states in widely in North America.The acquisition of Wachovia is a part of a new distribution strategy to reach more consumers with an extended presence on the market. Now, Wells Fargo has branches almost all the states from the East to the West both in the North and the South. This acquisition has allowed Wells Fargo to extend its presence in the Eastern part of the US, which represents a huge part of the financial market. Indeed, Wachovia had a strong presence in the part of the US especially in Connecticut, Florida, Virginia, North and South Carolina. 6,700 Banking Stores: 3,296 US Wells Fargo Banking stores * 3,314 US Wachovia Banking stores * 90 Other financial branches Finally, in addition to the classical distribution channel, Wells Fargo use the electronic distribution with its online website where customers can be informed and have an access to some services like checking accounts, make wire transfer, plan a rendezvous with a financial adviser†¦ D. Positioning Without information about promotion, we chose to develop a part about positioning that is, in fact, a sub part of the promotion.In marketing, positioning is the process by which marketers try to create an image or identity in the minds of their target market. Positioning on the global market with a presence in Canada, in the Caribbean, Latin America and other countries, Wells Fargo is especially focused on the US national market. In 2008, after the acquisition Wachovia, a Wells Fargo’s press release said that the company was:† the most Extensive Financial Services company, Coast-to-Coast in community banking†. Wells Fargo is widely recognized in the financial industry.The company has built a very credible reputatio n with its promotional campaigns, its track records and the customer loyalty. The statistics based on the industry and government sources clearly show its size and brand image: * 41st revenue among all US companies ranked by Fortune * 17th most profitable company in the US * 33rd Largest employer in the US * 18th most respected company in the world as ranked by Barron’s * â€Å"AAA† credit-rated by Moody’s * The only standard & Poor’s AAA bank in the US * Among the top 50 companies as ranked by Diversity Retail Banker of the Year according to US Banker * Number-one commercial real estate lender * 18th among the world’s most valuable brands according to the Financial Times Wells Fargo tries to communicate to its customers, how much they are important for the company, saying that they are the center of everything they do. The mission is now to improve the quality of the services. Indeed, the company is, according to the CEO, Mr. Kovacevich, enough de veloped and enough big. The services are now provided with an easy access for the consumers.Now the direction to take is the quality provided: â€Å"We are a big company. We will continue to grow – not to become bigger but as a result of getting better†¦ Regardless of how big we are and how much territory we cover our team shares certain values that hold us together wherever we are and whatever we do†. Wells Fargo puts considerable emphasis on its culture in brand image toward the customers. It wants to be known as a financial partner, for outstanding services and sound financial advice, satisfying all of their financial needs and helping them to succeed financially.The company even considers its customers as friends. However, the company, does not only communicates to its customers but also with: * Its employees, telling them how much they are important for the company. Indeed, Wells Fargo wants to be known as a company that believes in its people as a competitiv e advantage over the competition, a great place to work, and as an employer of choice that really care about them * Its communities, promoting the economic advancement of each partners including those not yet able to be economically self-sufficient.Being seen as a community leader in economic development, in services that promotes economic self-sufficiency, education and social services is a necessity. * Its shareholders, insuring them that investing in Wells Fargo will be a great investment with financial results among the entire Fortune 500 and with the Moody’s credit-rated of â€Å"AAA† (the highest possible one) 2. Customer’s Analysis and Target Market The Wells Fargo’s target market gathers more than 25 million customers across the USA, and internationally.Demographically, the firm does not really have a specific target, and wants to provide financial services to all consumers who need either rich people or those who have financial difficulties. Geog raphically, the customers are divided up over 40 US states out of the 55. Mostly located in the metropolitan area, they are concentrated near the cost (both East and West). However, Wells Fargo, still provide its services in the less dense areas, where people need to have an access to a bank for community banking services.About buyer motivations and expectations, we noticed that customers are looking for efficient, reliable and adapted financial services and advice from the company. They expect good quality services and want from the bank the ability to meet their needs and expectations. Wherever they are, the consumers need to have an easy access to financial services in the bank office and in the Internet as well, where customers check their different bank accounts and transactions. Wells Fargo is specialized in different segments where it is one of the top companies, if it is not the top one.The most important segments are the homeowners, the small businesses, the agricultural bu sinesses, the debit card users and the prime home equity. In these segments, the company is performing very well, providing good quality services and good customer service which allow the company to constantly increase the customer loyalty, being able to keep its customers from the competitors. However, it does not mean that the others are abandoned. Wells Fargo really tries to emphasis that all customers are important, from the consumer banking over lending to the big institutional client. 3. SWOT MatrixThe SWOT Matrix is an important matching tool that us to develop four types of strategies for Wells Fargo: * The SO (Strengths-opportunities) strategies use a Wells Fargo’ internal strengths to take advantage of external opportunities. * The WO (Weaknesses-opportunities) strategies aim at improving internal weaknesses by taking advantages of external opportunities. * The ST (Strengths-threats) strategies use a Wells Fargo’s internal strengths to avoid or reduce the imp act of external threats. * The WT (Weaknesses-threats) strategies are defensive tactics directed at reducing internal weaknesses and avoiding external threatsStrengths 1. Brand Image and Culture and values (ethical behavior) 2. Credibility 3. Statistics based on the industry and the government sources show its size and strength 4. Acquisition of Wachovia: extension of the distribution channel and the number of customers 5. Decentralization strategy 6. Strong position in the markets involved in 7. Management: 8. Innovation leadership (Internet: E-commerce) 9. Market leadership in the West: the largest financial institution headquartered in the Western US that has a strong balance sheet and is able to steer through the pitfalls that plagued many of its competitors 10.The new products like the Wells Fargo Securities took from Wachovia securities business 11. Moody’s credit rate â€Å"Aaa† (the highest possible) Weaknesses 1. Decrease of the net income and ROA and ROE 2. L imited international presence 3. Bad reputation as a bank since the economic recession 4. Weakness asset quality among high real estate exposure 5. The Wachovia subprime mortgage problems 6. Overcommitted in credit default swaps 7. High amount of goodwill ($23 billion) Opportunities 1. Many banks are struggling like Citigroup with negative Operate margin (-57. 9%), Net income ($ -23. 9 Billion), and EPS (-3. 651) 2. Some Banks have recently failed and have been seized by Federal officials like Lehman Brothers Colonial Bank and Guaranty Financial group: Delinquency rates on their holdings has soared as high as 40% -> Decrease the competition 3. Grow internationally 4. Keep improving the internet uses 5. Develop new products for new businesses SO Strategies| WO Strategies| 1. Develop new internet applications and services for customers (S8, O4) 2. Increase promotions to attract more customers (S1, S2, O1, O2) 3. Open branches in foreign markets (S1, S3, O3) 4.Get closer to the custome rs needs and develop loyalty programs (S2, S5, O6)| 1. Advertising campaign to reassure the consumers (W3, O1, O6) 2. Open branches in foreign markets (W2, O3) 3. Develop alternative services to diversify the ranges and not focus and mortgages (W4, O5)| ST Strategies| WT Strategies| 1. Develop completive services and use competitive advantages to gain market share (S3, S5, T7) 2. Take advantage of the lack of regulation 3. Develop a strong customer loyalty database (S4, S5, S6, O7, O8)| 1. Develop alternative services to diversify the ranges and not focus and mortgages (W4, W1, T4) 2.Charging lower interest rates to the customers (W1, T1)| Threats 1. Continued deterioration in the housing and credit market 2. High unemployment rate 3. Tight credit 4. Many homeowners cannot make mortgage payments 5. The value of houses has dropped the amount borrowed -> great problem for owners and banks 6. The lack of regulation today has blurred the product and services bank offers 7. Competition w ith Bank of America and Citigroup 8. Superregional and International Banks are growing, they all tend to expand globally 9. Assurance rates increase 4. Industry and Competition analysisThe financial industry counted nine main players before the economic crisis in 2008, which meant height potential competitors for Wells Fargo including Bank of America, Citigroup, US Bancorp, Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanly, Lehman Brothers, Colonial National and Guaranty Financial Group. The economic recession has eliminated the weak banks that were not doing well enough to overcome the outcomes of the economic crisis, like Lehman Brothers, Colonial Bank and Guaranty Financial Group. Furthermore, an economical selection has been made and only the best banks are still competing on this industry.The industry is currently suffering from the economic recession and all of its outcomes including the deterioration of the housing and credit market, high unemployment rate, and tight credit. That is why many bank s, especially the community banks, are struggling and some even have failed, including Colonial National, and Guaranty Financial Group. Moreover some Banks like Citigroup are not performing well by loosing money and market share. Guaranty had more than $3 billion of securities baked by adjustable-rate mortgages.The bank has seen the delinquency rates on holdings soared by 40% before the federal officials seized the bank in August 2009. As we can see from the chart, in term of revenue Wells Fargo is not the best financial service company. Until 2007; Citigroup was the leader in sales but the economic crisis and the recession that have followed this crisis has led to a sharp decrease of its sales. Since 2008, Bank of America is the leader in sales and the stronger competitor for Wells Fargo. However, its sales are fluctuating whereas the Wells Fargo’s sales show a slow but steady rise.This chart displays the evolution of the net income of the three main companies including Well s Fargo, Citigroup, and Bank of America. Wells Fargo was the last company in 2007 before the economic crisis in term of net income. However, we can see that the two competitors are not doing well enough to keep being competitive, especially Citigroup, which had a decrease of 210. 7%. All of the companies have seen its net income decreased but Wells Fargo has the slightest decrease which allow it the to have the highest net income in 2009 and shows by the way its capacity to overcome though situations. 5.Type of strategies Wells Fargo shows the desire to take part in the top financial companies in the domestic market. This is one element from their long-term strategies. This desire to compete with the market leaders such as Bank of America represent the results expected from pursuing certain strategies. According to this case, we can say that Wells Fargo is pursuing a market development and market penetration strategy, introducing present services into new geographic areas. This stra tegy, has particularly led to the acquisition of Wachovia and the extension of the Wells Fargo’s presence to the Eastern US.This market development strategy has required intensive effort for Wells Fargo in terms of investment and management. This strategy basically involves introducing present products or services into new geographical areas. Here by acquiring Wachovia, Wells Fargo can use a strong presence through the Wachovia’s distribution. The firm’s competitive position was clearly to improve compared to the market leaders. However, the company was rather successful at what it does before the acquisition, which was a primordial condition prior to such acquisition.Then but not least, it already had the needed capital and management quality to manage the expended operations. With this acquisition, the firm has a huge distribution capacity throughout all of the Wachovia’s bank offices and retail stores. Combined with the strategy of decentralization, th is will allow them to reach more consumers and increase the productivity. The year 2009 shows a quick preview about what the firm can achieve in the next years. The acquisitions or mergers are two commonly used ways to pursue strategies like market development or more generally intensive strategies including, market penetration and product development.The market penetration consists in increasing market share for present products or services in present markets through greater marketing efforts (increase number of salespersons, advertising expenditures, promotion, and publicity efforts). Then, the product development strategy seeks increase sales by improving or modifying existent products or services (it entails large research and development expenditures). A merger occurs when two organizations of about equal size unite to form one enterprise. That is what often happened in the Wells Fargo’s history and what helped the firm to grow faster and reach the size the firm had in 2 008.On the other hand, an acquisition occurs when a large organization like Wells Fargo purchases a smaller firm or a firm not doing well, like Wachovia. By acquiring Wachovia, Wells Fargo has realized some major benefits: * Provide improved capacity utilization * To gain access to new customers and products 6. SPACE Matrix The Strategic Position and Action Evaluation (SPACE) Matrix, is a marketing tool used to help the company to define the best strategy to develop according to its internal strategic position (Financial Position and Competitive Position) and the external strategic position (Stability Position and Industry Position).The four quadrants of the Matrix indicate whether aggressive, conservative, defensive, or competitive strategies are most appropriate according the characteristics of the company and its industry. Financial Position * The bank’s return on asset is 0. 44 (decrease of 72%) but superior of all competitors * The Bank’s Net income was 3. 58 Bill ion (increase of 28%) and superior of all competitors * The Bank’s revenue was 42. 84 Billion (increase of 1. 51%) compared to the industry average of 7. 98 Billion * The Bank’s earning per share 0. 912, over the main competitors and over the average industry (0. 91)Total| Rating465520|Industry Position * Deregulation provides geographic and service freedom * Deregulation increases competition in the banking industry * Economic recession * Growth potential * Financial Stability Total| 4213410| Stability Position * Banking deregulation has created instability throughout the industry * Less-developed countries are experiencing high inflation and political instability * The barriers to entry into the market is high * The competitive pressure is highTotal| -4-4-2-4-14| Competitive Position * The bank provides financial services through 6700 offices and retails stores in 40 states * Superregional banks, international banks are becoming increasingly competitive * The bank ha s a large customer base * Customer loyalty Total| -1-5-2-2-10|According to the SPACE Matrix, Wells Fargo presents an aggressive profile. The company is financially pretty strong, has some competitive advantages in a rather stable industry. The Wachovia acquisition is a great operation following the product development or market penetration strategy. 7. External Factor Evaluation Matrix (EFE) Regardless of the number of key opportunities and threats included in EFE Matrix, the highest possible total weighted score for an organization is 4. 0 and the lowest is 1. 0, and the average total weighted score is 2. 5. An organization with 4. 0 total weighted score is responding in an outstanding way to existing opportunities and threats in its industry.It means, the firm’s strategies effectively take advantage of existing opportunities and minimize the potential adverse effects of external threats. Key External Factors| Weight| Rating| Weighted Score| Opportunities: * Many banks are s truggling like Citigroup with negative Operate margin (-57. 9%), Net income ($ -23. 79 Billion), and EPS (-3. 651) * Some Banks have recently failed and have been seized by Federal officials like Lehman Brothers Colonial Bank and Guaranty Financial group: Delinquency rates on their holdings has soared as high as 40% * Grow internationallyKeep improving the internet uses * Develop new products for new businesses * New customers in the Eastern US financial market| 0. 090. 120. 050. 040. 070. 11| 342423| 0. 270. 480. 100. 160. 140. 3| Threats: * Continued deterioration in credit market * High unemployment rate * Tight credit * Many homeowners cannot make mortgage payments * The value of houses has dropped the amount borrowed * The lack of regulation today has blurred the product and services bank offers * Competition with Bank of America and Citigroup * Superregional and International Banks are growing, they all tend to expand globallyIncrease in insurance rates | 0. 100. 030. 070. 050 . 110. 060. 050. 030. 02| 222323423| 0. 200. 060. 140. 150. 220. 180. 200. 060. 06| Total | 1. 00| | 2. 80| Here we can note that the total weighted score is of 2. 80 is above the average of 2. 5, which means Wells Fargo is doing pretty well in the Financial industry, taking advantage of the external opportunities like the bad shape of the competitors and also containing the threats facing the firm like the competition with Bank of America. Of course, the firm could do better, improving its strategies to respond in better way to the threats and get a higher total weighted score close to 4. 0.According to the case, Wells Fargo should expand more its activities on the international market, and develop new financial products and services to be more attractive and competitive. Moreover, the firm must find solutions to overcome the bad state of the economy and its outcomes. 8. C. Internal Factor Evaluation Matrix This strategy-formulation tool summarizes and evaluates the major strengths and weaknesses in the functional areas of business. Like in the EFE Matrix, the total weighted score can range from a low of 1. 0 to a high of 4. 0 with an average score being 2. 5. Total weighted scores well below 2. 5 characterize organizations that are weak internationally whereas scores significantly above 2. 5 indicate a strong internal position. Key External Factors| Weight| Rating| Weighted Score|Strengths: * Brand Image and Culture and values (ethical behavior) * Credibility: Statistics based on the industry and the government sources show its size and strength * Acquisition of Wachovia: extend the distribution channel and the number of customers * Decentralization strategy * Management * Innovation leadership (Internet: E-commerce) * Market leadership in the West: the largest financial institution headquartered in the Western US that has a strong balance sheet and is able to steer through the pitfalls that plagued many of its competitors * Moody’s credit rate  "Aaa† (the highest possible)| 0. 070. 090. 110. 100. 060. 040. 090. 04| 44443343| 0. 280. 360. 440. 360. 180. 120. 360. 2|Weaknesses: * Decrease of the net income and ROA and ROE * Limited international presence * Bad reputation as a bank since the economic recession * Weakness asset quality among high real estate exposure * The Wachovia subprime mortgage problems * Wachovia is overcommitted in credit default swaps| 0. 080. 060. 080. 060. 070. 05| 212212| 0. 160. 060. 160. 120. 070. 10| Total | 1. 00| | 2. 89| The IFE Matrix provides important for strategy formulation. With a total weighted score of 2. 89, we can say Wells Fargo has a pretty strong position in the financial industry and can expect to become stronger and stronger because the firm knows how to create competitive advantages and how to use its strengths. 9.IE Matrix The IE Matrix is based on two key dimensions: the IFE total weighted scores on x-axis and the EFE weighted scores on the y-axis. The Internal External Matrix inputs are the EFE and IFE total weighted scores. As the EFE Matrix and the IFE Matrix have shown, Wells Fargo had 2. 89 for EFE and 2. 80 for IFE. In the IE Matrix, we can see the red dot represents Wells Fargo’s position on the Matrix. It is in the V cell, which suggests that Wells Fargo should use a hold and maintain strategy consisting of the Market Penetration and Product Development strategies; it should the most efficient strategy for the firm after the stage of the acquisition.However, the firm is very close to the cell I, II, and IV, which means the company’s situation can be descried as slow growth and build and where intensive strategies would be the most adaptable like market penetration and market development. 10. Grand strategy Mix The Grand strategy matrix is based on two evaluative dimensions: competition position and market growth. Wells Fargo is located in the Quadrant I of this Matrix, which means that it is in a rather excellent strategic po sition. Therefore, continued concentration on current markets (market penetration and market development) and products (product development) is an appropriate strategy. We can notice that a notable shift from its established competitive advantages would be unwise. Rapid Market Growth Quadrant I Quadrant II Strong Competitive Position Weak Competition Position Slow Market Growth Quadrant IV Quadrant III