Managing Transitions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Managing Transitions - Essay Example Therefore, if change is inevitable, the question the author brings up is how to manage the transition so that the change occurs smoothly. The change, according to the author, is an event, an inescapable event. Company CEO's eventually age and retire. Or an entire industry, such as the automotive industry in the US, is adversely affected by costs spiraling out of control over a long period of time, which results in a financial crisis for the entire industry. No longer is business a usual possible. The question addressed by the author is this - when these events confront the business, what is the process of change which will allow the business or organization to transition smoothly through the change, and become stronger as a result. The marketplace is littered with examples of companies which did not succeed in answering this question. They did not succeed, according to the author, because the change process is a cultural, and psychological - social process, and not simply an event. For example, when a new CEO takes the reigns of a company, he of she does so with new ideas, and the desire to expand the business to new markets and new customers. By definition, this means that the company must change; they must transition out of an existing psycho-social culture and take on a new one which is representative of the new leader. This is a process that often takes years. The company that understands this, and manages the transition well, remaining productive with existing business while creating new opportunities is the company which succeeds. The company which allows the transition to consume valuable resources which are needed to 'feed' the existing business often winds up 'starving' its current clients, or pushing its people past the point of effectively. The results are declining productivity, profits, and can result in the total implosion of a business. The author uses the three step model for managing change which has been identified since 1935. First called the "unfreeze, change, refreeze' model by Kurt Lewin. Lewin used the example of changing the shape of an ice cube as an illustration of changing the social culture of an organization. Simply chipping away at the ice cube does not change its shape; it reduces the ice cube to shavings. Energy must be put into the social system, held in a 'frozen' state by the existing market, cultural and social forces in order to bring the system to a pliable state where transition is possible. Next the entire process of transition must be managed. The process often requires new control systems, new training or existing staff as well as new staff. Managing the process often can require bringing in an outside consultant, a new player who is put in a position of non-biased authority to assist all stakeholders to make adjustments to a changing social order. When the process of change has transacted, and the new culture is emerging, a final surge of energy is required by the system in order to 'refreeze the system in its new state, and prevent old habits and old culture from reemerging in the newly transitioned organization. William Bridges described this three step process as follows. He calls the unfreeze process as the 'ending, loosing, or letting go' phase. One could call this a death phase, as old habits and methods must be terminated, and left behind. However, this death is the

Consumer Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Consumer Law - Essay Example Consumer protection law is a part of law that regulates personal law relationships between consumers and the firms that sell those products. Consumer protection policies are designed to guarantee fair competition and the free exchange of truthful information in the market arena. These laws are established to prevent businesses that take part in fraud or particular unfair practices from getting an advantage over their competitors and can too offer additional protection for the inferior and those incapable of taking care of themselves. Consumer Protection policies are a type of government directive that protects the welfare of consumers. For instance, a government might require businesses to unveil detailed information concerning products; mainly in areas where safety or health of the public is a concern, like food. Consumer safeguarding is associated to the thought of "consumer rights" as well as to the creation of consumer organizations that assist consumers put together healthier choices in the marketplace. Misleading and deceptive practices are the world over. And the plan is to make the consumers to pay more than they ought to for goods and services, or make them pay for items they don't need. Irrespective of if its misleading advertising, erroneous assumptions, or absolute lies, the outcome is alike: they may pay over what they ought to for what they should get. The interests of consumer can also be protected through enhancing competition in the marketplace that directly and indirectly offer good and services to consumers, steady with economic competence. Consumer protection may too be asserted through non-government organizations and persons as consumer activism. Consumer protection deals with a wide variety of issues, such as privacy rights, product liability, unjust business practices, deception, misrepresentation, and some other consumer/business interactions. These laws handle credit repair, debt repair, goods safety, service and sales deals, bill collector ruling, turnoffs, pricing, utility consolidation, personal loans which may guide to bankruptcy and much more. In Europe, some particular restrictions have been positioned on the standard of party autonomy. Such restrictions naturally apply in circumstances where there occurs a qualified extend of disparity between the parties in regards of their individual negotiating powers. A significant example of such a state of affairs occurs when a business sells products to a consumer and the consumer is deemed as being in an inferior position than the business. Therefore, the jurisdictional regulations in Europe require that the vendor can only take legal action against the consumer in the state where the consumer is dwelling; whereas the consumer can at all times sue the seller in the consumer's state of residence. The EU is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life of its residents. Additionally to direct action to defend their rights, the Union guarantees that consumer interests are put into the EU legislation in every relevant policy field. Because of the sole market and the sole currency open operation borders, as utilization of the internet and electronic commerce develops and as the service division grows, it is significant that the almost 500 million people

Direct and Interactive Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Direct and Interactive Marketing - Essay Example The following is a discussion of strategic approaches in relation to the strengths and opportunities that the management seeks to accrue from the business environment. The details further establish the salient use of the variables in rebuilding the supermarkets’ strategic framework. Analyses for Morrisons’ supermarkets Situation analysis in Morrisons Morrisons has competently claimed its position in the U.Ks retail market through the lead in the delivery of quality food and groceries. The supermarket chain has grown tremendously after merging with Safeways Company. Morrisons invested in a total of 32 million pounds for online marketing to ensure prompt approaches to the clientele groups. This investment approach targeted to acquire the stipulated clientele given that the consumer groups were deviating from point-of-sale purchases to placing orders and expecting home deliveries (Vickers, 2013:3). The threat of competition is overwhelming in the UK’s retail market, factors articulated to Morrisons dwindling rate of profitability despite the struggle to retaliate accordingly by offering the best retail services in the UK market ahead of their fellow competitors. In 2011, the month of November, the company’s management evaluated that profitability rates were dwindling along various quarters, and their market leadership was falling under a continued rate of threat. The current forecasts implement that Morrisons’ supermarkets have competitively engaged in a recovery program to recuperate and yield profitability (British grocery market, 2012:4). The company shall possibly achieve the desired market edge through the expected success of the M-Local initiative. Direct marketing in determining market size and trends The strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats determine the rate of profitability in the market segments. Through the analytical approach, Morrisons’ management must determine of the approaches that seem most appropriate to reaching the desired market share. As the company currently holds 10% of the total market share, perceptions are that the management may ensure precise research and development study to ensure that all factors of the product mix favor the outlined specifications of prompt delivery of value and satisfaction at a profitable rate to the clientele community of the UK. As Morrisons competes with Tesco, Marks and Spencer, Asda, Sainbury, and Waitrose among others (Vickers, 2013:4). Morrisons held a worrying 10% market share as at November 2012 and situation reflected to the company’s diversification of investments through big stalls and shopping centers while competitors gradually adjusted to direct marketing approaches. The retail stores accrued importance through the purchase of online channels of communication (Dahle?n, and Lange, 2008:144). As rival competitors such as Tesco and Asda lose their market share -43% and due to the discovery that the beef sold in the market contained horsemeat up to 50%, the companies lost accordingly while Morrisons acquired over 20 small-sized stalls. SWOT analysis As the company evaluates of the probabilities of success to prosper and compete with others effectively, the management realized that the reinvestment rate of Asda and Tesco posed considerable threats to competition and success. The competing firms remained threatened by the rate of