Evaluate Is Acceptance Model Essay Example for Free

Evaluate Is Acceptance Model Essay There are many models have been developed to understand the factors affecting the acceptance of computer technology such as Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) (Fishbein Ajzen, 1975, Ajzen Fishbein, 1980), Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) (Ajzen, 1985, 1991), Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) (Davis, 1989), Decomposed Theory of Planned Behavior (DTPB) (Taylor Todd, 1995), and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) (Venkatesh et al., 2003). TRA proposes that individual beliefs influence attitudes which will create intentions that will generate behavior. There are two major factors that determine behavioral intentions which are the person’s attitude toward the behavior and subjective norms. Attitude toward the behavior refers to the person’s judgment that performing the behavior is good or bad according to his or her belief. While the subjective norms are a function of normative beliefs that reflect the person’s perception of social pressures put on him or her to perform or not to perform the behavior in question. TRA model TPB is an expansion of the TRA. TPB includes the construct, perceived behavioral control to measure and account for the extent to which users have complete controls over their behavior. Perceived behavioral control relates to the extent to which the person believes that she or he has control over personal or external factors that may facilitate or constrain the behavioral performance. TPB model TAM pioneered by Davis advances the TRA by postulating that perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEU) are key determinants that lead to the actual usage of a particular technology or system. Perceived usefulness is the degree to which an individual believes that using a particular system would enhance his or her productivity while perceived ease of use is the degree an individual believes that using a particular system would be free of effort. TAM model DTPB was formulated through combination of both TAM and TPB, which was intended for providing better understanding of behavioral intention by concentrating on the factors that are likely to impact systems use. This model explores dimensions of subjective norms and perceived behavior control through decomposing them into particular belief perception whilst constructs from the innovation characteristics has also been regarded as the basis of DTPM formulation. DTPB also offer a clearer understanding of behavior and behavioral intention by giving detailed information about impacts of normative and control beliefs over system usage. DTPM model UTAUT had synthesized the eight prominent user acceptance models including the TRA, TAM, the motivational model (MM), TPB, a model combining the technology acceptance model and the theory of planned behavior (C-TAM-TPB), the model of PC utilization (MPCU) (Ronald et al., 1994; Thompson Higgins, 1991), the innovation diffusion theory, and the social cognitive theory (SCT) (Compeau et al., 1999 and Compeau Higgins, 1995). This model was formulated with four core determinants of intention and usage including performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and social influence and facilitating conditions and also with up to four moderators of key counting gender, experience, age and voluntariness of use. However, the authors argue that in order to strengthen this model, the culture also need to take consideration since different culture can affect the acceptance behavior among user towards the computer technology. UTAUT model There are more theories that had been developed and many variables had used to evaluate the IS/IT acceptance rate. For example, the interactive model of technology acceptance and satisfaction (IMTAS) which integrate the user satisfaction with and user acceptance of IT. This model expands user satisfaction and user acceptance into SME sector simultaneously as two basic constructs of system usage behavior (as the key measure of IT success) while addresses specific characteristics of SMEs such as resource constraints, management method and direct interaction of SME users with external environments. Base on this model, user satisfaction can be influenced by user involvement, system quality, and information quality. High quality of information and system enable the user to produce good decision making, hence, increase the user satisfaction. However, user involvement is the key determinant of user satisfaction since high user involvement allow the user  involve in major area of the system which this give the user opportunity to enjoy most of the benefits of the system. User satisfaction will increase the usage of the system and the usage will be even higher if the system has high user friendliness. Another key determinant that influence the system usage in SMEs is user computer competence. User computer competence can be enhance through providing training by assuming that assistance of SMEs’ external environment have a crucial impact on the success of newly implemented IS by increasing SME user acceptance and satisfaction since SMEs are typically suffering from lack of resources such as internal expertise, knowledge and user skills. The training can influence the perceived ease of use and perceived of usefulness among user, hence, influence the user attitude and intention which than influence the actual usage of a system in SMEs.

Essay for Shakespeares Sonnet 73 -- essays research papers

Anthony Tseng Gloomy, dejected, depressed: These are the emotional elements that William Shakespeare implemented into the speaker of Sonnet 73. An understanding that time doesn’t last forever and we all will age with the current of time. Thus he has accepted his fate, but wants us the readers to feel what he feels and see what he sees.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Each year more time passes by. Each year we age a little more. A year also dies out, and then comes a new year. An endless cycle of life and death. Represented each year by trees with yellow leaves. This is how the speaker has aged. Aged so much that â€Å"few do hang.† Those leaves are the very strands of life a person has in this world. It’s why people hold so dearly to the people they love, so they won’t lose them. But there’s always the last fork in the road, and that is death. No matter how strong a person is or determined, death will bring one’s downfall. He will be shaken to death by the strong cold wind. How cold it is to die old while the person you love is young. How he must die before someone he loves. It's a feeling of hopelessness, but a feeling that is dispelled by the â€Å"sweet birds† songs. Songs sang by his lover. Conversations that bring the essence of life back into him. What more can one have, than fo r a person that cares.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Without friends and family, solitude will blow the â€Å"dim light,† final gasp for life. Just like the sun setting in the west, an end to the term of life....

Competitor analysis Essay

IKEA is an internationally known home furnishing retailer. It has grown fast since it was founded in 1943. Today it is the world’s largest furniture retailer, recognized for its Scandinavian style and the low priced high quality furniture items. Most of IKEA’S furniture is flat-pack. This allows a reduction in costs and packaging. IKEA has around 9500 products, including home furniture and accessories. The products are available in all IKEA stores and customers can order them as well online through IKEA’S website. There are about 140 IKEA stores in the world in 30 different countries. IKEA stores include restaurants and cafà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s serving typical Swedish food. They also have small food shops selling Swedish groceries, everything from the famous meatballs to jam. 2. Analysis of current situation Current mission: IKEA’S mission is to offer a wide range of home furnishing items of good design and function, excellent quality and durability, at prices so low that the majority of people can afford to buy them. They aim to attract customers who are looking for quality products at reasonable prices, but who are willing to assemble their furniture themselves and participate in a self-service culture. The typical target customers are young families with a low to middle low income. – Goals: Their recent goals is that all new stores will be built to a certified green building standard and sell more organic goods. And to encourage their customers to travel with public transport to visit their store. They want to be more recognized as an eco-friendly business. Strategies: The basis of IKEA’S strategy is a mixture of innovate their own modular designs, mass produced components and a dedicated supplier network all geared towards serving price conscious customers while still maintaining a to high standard of goods and workmanship. They design their own furniture and it’s a self-service, that is a big part of their strategy. They also have a lot of facilities to offer. For instance they offer paper and pencils, computers so you can look certain things up, they have a playground for children and a restaurant with delicious and payable food. Since IKEA was founded it always had concern for people and the environment. The IKEA vision is â€Å"to create a better everyday life for many people†. IKEA’S concern for people and the environment encourages it to make better use of both raw materials and energy. This keeps costs down and helps the company to reach its green targets and have an overall positive impact on the environment. 4 3. Internal environment -Strengths: Strengths could include a company’s specialist marketing expertise or its location. They are any aspect of the business that adds value to its product or service. IKEA’S strengths include: It’s a worldwide brand which attracts a lot of consumer groups, they also offer the same quality and range in their stores. its vision ‘to create a better everyday life for many people’ A strong concept based on offering a wide range of well designed, functional product at low prices. A positive Human Resource Management approach towards its staff, which leads to a positive attitude among the staff and increased performance for the company. This makes the staff happy with their jobs. The staff has an equal treatment, no matter which background they have. This makes them adapt to the consumers in different countries en within different cultures. They adapt quickly to change. They use the latest technology such as IKEA IT (information technology), this provides IKEA with all its system requirements such as common business solutions, architecture, infrastructure, service and support. Such as KPI (Key performance indicators) it helps IKEA to measure the progress of its vision and long-term goals by setting targets and monitoring progress towards it. Environmentally friendly policy. Volume commitments IKEA believes in creating long-term partnerships with its suppliers in order to achieve this. By committing to buying large volumes over a number of years IKEA can negotiate lower prices. This also benefits the suppliers because they enjoy the greater security of having guaranteed orders. Economies of scale for instance, bulk buying at cheaper unit costs. Good marketing. Weaknesses: IKEA has to acknowledge its weaknesses in order to improve and manage them. This can play a key role in helping it to set objectives and develop new strategies. The size and scale of its world wide business. This could makes it difficult to control all the stores, the staff and the standards. The need for low cost products. This needs to be balanced against producing good quality. That is hard to do, sometimes they do have low quality. IKEA also needs to be different from competitors. IKEA needs to keep good communication with its consumers and other stakeholders about its environmental activities. The scale of the business makes this a difficult task. 5 4. External environment: – Opportunities: A business uses its strengths to take advantage of the opportunities. a growing demand for greener products a growing demand for low priced products. Low economy makes low priced furniture even more appealing. demand for reduced water usage and lower carbon footprints – Threats Porter’s 5 forces model: 6 ââ€"  Threat of buyers growing bargaining power: – there is a little power because of the existing low price options. – IKEA ensure that their customers in all aspects will be satisfied for quality service they provide – Focused their marketing approach on demands and needs of the buyer. – IKEA uses their corporate responsibility as a good public image to their customers. – IKEA family card as a membership. ââ€" Threat of suppliers growing bargaining power: – Because of the low-pricing, IKEA’s profit margin also affects the prices in raw materials than by prices in labour. – IKEA has a wide network of 1300 suppliers. They carefully select the manufacturer of its products. The company has own production factories and designers which makes it less dependent on others. – Bargaining power of supplier could be threat for the profit of the company. ââ€" Threat of substitute products or services: – There is no specific product that can be a substitute for the furniture but IKEA at least, have to keep up with the latest trends, to avoid becoming out of style. – Problems faced due to distribution channels. ââ€" Rivalry among existing firms: – The IKEA’s furniture competitors’ offers different styles and functionality – IKEA is the most successful in delivering the complete package for the customers that reflect in weak rivalries. – There will always be substitutes for furniture’s but IKEA competes with price and there isn’t competitors in the same price range. ââ€" Threat of new Entrants: – IKEA stores do not reach many small towns and this is an opportunity for the new competitors to move into small and midsize cities with smaller stores and less selection. But not easier in city because new entrants have to establish a vast supply chain and create an unique brand name. – The furniture market is already highly competitive, the risk of new entrants is not extremely high. 7 5. Conclusion. IKEA is a well-known global brand with hundreds of stores across the world. In order to improve performance, it must assess its external and competitive environment. This will reveal the key opportunities it can take advantage of and the threats it must deal with. IKEA responds to both internal and external issues in a proactive and dynamic manner by using its strengths and reducing its weaknesses. Through this, IKEA is able to generate the strong growth it needs to retain a strong identity in the market. 6. SWOT-analysis Internal Environment SWOT Analysis External Environment Strength Opportunities ââ€" ¦Adapt quickly ââ€" ¦Worldwide brand ââ€" ¦ Low price – high quality ââ€" ¦ Positive Human Resource Management ââ€" ¦ Environmentally friendly policy ââ€" ¦ Good marketing ââ€" ¦ A growing demand for greener products ââ€" ¦ A growing demand for low priced products. ââ€" ¦Low economy makes low priced furniture even more appealing. ââ€" ¦ Demand for reduced water usage and lower carbon footprints Weaknesses Threats ââ€" ¦ Low communication of environmental activities ââ€" ¦ The size of their worldwide business ââ€" ¦ The need for low cost products ââ€" ¦ The IKEA’s furniture competitors ââ€" ¦ New trends ââ€" ¦ IKEA family card ââ€" ¦ Bargaining power of supplier 8 Foreword This assessment is about the company IKEA. I will discuss several issues including an introduction of the company, an analysis of the current situation within the internal (Strengths and Weaknesses) and external environment (Opportunities and threats) . The treats are described in Porter’s 5 forces model. The answers of my research can be found in the conclusion and SWOT analysis. 3 Index: Page numbers 1. Introduction4 2. Analysis of current situation4 3. Internal environment5 4. External Environment6,7 5. Conclusion8 6. Swot-Analyses8 7. Bibliography9 2 7. Bibliography ââ€" Continuing Case by Alan Hogarth ââ€"  http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/swot-analysis-and-sustainable-business-planning/swot-analysis.html#axzz2eJ2NvcnR ââ€"  http://www.slideshare.net/FenellaAndrade/ikea-9167089 ââ€"  http://www.strategicmanagementinsight.com/swot-analyses/swot-analysis.html ââ€"  http://research-methodology.net/porters-five-forces-analysis/ 9 IKEA

Future events Essay

Richard here talks of a forthcoming golden era full of glory and hope. Whilst speaking in public, Richard uses this opportunity to defend him from being accused in future events. By praising the running of the country nobody would suspect him of becoming a family murderer. Again, in private Richard reveals his true feelings and again reveals to the audience future plots.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"I am determined to prove a villain and hate the idle pleasures of these days. Plots I have laid, inductions dangerous.† (Act 1 scene 1.Lines 30 +32) When speaking concealed away from the public, Richard provides insight into future events. Although it may appear that the war is over the royal family is about to confront another battle in the eyes of Richard. It is through what is said in private that Richard sheds light on future plots and events and to an extent he draws a relationship with the audience because of this.  The final area in which I will explore appearance and reality will be through the manipulation of religion. Richard of Gloucester is not the only character in the play to use appearance and reality as his two â€Å"partners in crime† prove. Catesby and Buckingham use religion as a weapon of disguising for Richards true personality and intentions. † He is within, with two right reverend fathers, divinely bent to meditation †¦.. To draw him from his holy exercise.† (Act 3 scene 7.Line 60 + 61)  Buckingham endeavors to make Richard appear holy and innocent by portraying him as a devout, holy and religious man. By this point in the play we know that Richard’s life is not based on serving god but rather serving his own desires. His allies continue to do their utmost to mask his evil traits in front of the politicians.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"This prince is not an Edward. He is not lulling on a lewd love-bed, but on his knees at meditation.†(Act 3 scene 7.Line 70-71) Again, religion is manipulated to give a false identification of Richard. Their aim is to get Richard to become king and attain ruler ship thinking that they may get something in return. Buckingham’s language reveals that he; Catesby and Richard are play acting.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Two props of virtue for a Christian prince †¦.. and see a book of prayer in his hand.† (Act 3 scene 7.Line 95+96)  Buckingham makes it apparent that this is a play within a play and uses the church and the word of god as a prop to make Richard look convincing on stage. Richard also does his part in covering up his true personality. â€Å"I do beseech your grace to pardon me, who, earnest in the service of my god.† (Line 104-105)  Richard once again stresses how devoted he is to god when really he is only devoted to getting himself raised to a godly figure in the form of king. Shakespeare reveals yet another plane to Richard’s ever- changing character through the manipulation of religion as we not only see a deceitful interpretator, a cold-blooded murderer but also a manipulative man. He has no regard for family, women or even god and this manifests the extent that he is willing to go to get what he wants. Shakespeare provides us with another peek into future events through the manipulation of Richard. â€Å"Come, let us to our holy work again.†(Act 3 scene 7.Line 245)  This â€Å"holy† work will in fact not be holy but will rather entail unholy and irreligious dealings. The work will contain further plotting and this braces the audience for further manipulation. This device measures the extent to which Richard will go to change his character. It also reveals that Richard isn’t the only character that utilizes appearance and reality in the play and this reflects the amount of manipulation contained within the play. Appearance and reality is a device that Shakespeare cleverly uses to keep the character Richard of Gloucester running throughout the play. It revitalizes his character and interest in him is always stimulated because of this. To an extent, Richard uses appearance and reality as a stepping stool for further dealings in the future. Richard, the anti-hero, uses his physical appearance as a driving force for evil traits and deceive4s others into thinking that it makes him weaker. His contrasting treatment of women perfectly illustrates how well he can adjust roles when required. He is the master of deception as his opening soliloquy proves. It is what is said in private that reveals to the audience what Richard’s true intentions are and it is what is said in public that reflect lies. Shakespeare makes this link early on so that Richards changing won’t fool the audience. Shakespeare mirrors appearance and reality through the manipulation of religion to show the extent that Richard will go to obtain what he requires. Appearance and reality is important because it shows that Richard is a character of dual interpretations and Shakespeare makes sure Richard uses it continually so that his character continues to fuel interest for the audience. Appearance and reality is a vital tool in the play as it not only plays a huge part in shaping events in the play but it also reveals future events that are to take place.

Disposing Nuclear Waste in Ocean Trenches

Disposing Nuclear Waste in Ocean Trenches It seems to be a perennial suggestion: lets put our most hazardous wastes into the deepest sea trenches. There, they will be drawn down into the Earths mantle well away from children and other living things. Usually, people are referring to high-level nuclear waste, which can be dangerous for thousands of years. This is why the design for the proposed waste facility at Yucca Mountain, in Nevada, is so incredibly stringent. The concept is relatively sound. Just put your barrels of waste in a trench - well dig a hole first, just to be tidy about it - and down they inexorably go, never to bring harm to humanity again. At 1600 degrees Fahrenheit, the upper mantle isnt hot enough to alter the uranium and make it nonradioactive. In fact, its not even hot enough to melt the zirconium coating that surrounds the uranium. But the purpose isnt to destroy the uranium, its to use plate tectonics to take the uranium hundreds of kilometers into the Earths depths where it can naturally decay.   Its an interesting idea, but is it plausible?   Ocean Trenches and Subduction Deep-sea trenches are areas where one plate dives beneath another (the process of subduction) to be swallowed up by the Earths hot mantle. The descending plates extend down hundreds of kilometers where they are not the least bit of a threat. It isnt completely clear whether the plates disappear by being thoroughly mixed with mantle rocks. They may persist there and become recycled through the plate-tectonic mill, but that wouldnt happen for many millions of years.   A geologist might point out that subduction is not really secure. At relatively shallow levels, subducting plates become chemically altered, releasing a slurry of serpentine minerals that eventually erupt in large mud volcanoes on the seafloor. Imagine those spewing plutonium into the sea! Fortunately, by that time, the plutonium would have long since decayed away. Why It Wont Work Even the fastest subduction is very slow - geologically slow. The fastest-subducting location in the world today is the Peru-Chile Trench, running along the west side of South America. There, the Nazca plate is plunging beneath the South America plate at around 7-8 centimeters (or approximately 3 inches) per year. It goes down at about a 30-degree angle. So if we put a barrel of nuclear waste in the Peru-Chile Trench (never mind that its in Chilean national waters), in a hundred years it will move 8 meters - as far away as your next-door neighbor. Not exactly an efficient means of transport.   High-level uranium decays to its normal, pre-mined radioactive state within  1,000-10,000 years.  In 10,000 years, those waste barrels would have moved, at maximum, just .8 kilometers (half a mile). They would also lie only a few hundred meters deep - remember that every other subduction zone is slower than this. After all of that time, they could still be easily dug up by whatever future civilization cares to retrieve them. After all, have we left the Pyramids alone? Even if future generations left the waste alone, the seawater and seafloor life would not, and the odds are good that the barrels would corrode and be breached. Ignoring geology, lets consider the logistics of containing, transporting and disposing of thousands of barrels each year. Multiply the amount of waste (which will surely grow) by the odds of shipwreck, human accidents, piracy and people cutting corners. Then estimate the costs of doing everything right, every time. A few decades ago, when the space program was new, people often speculated that we could launch nuclear waste into space, maybe into the sun. After a few rocket explosions, nobody says that any more: the cosmic incineration model is infeasible. The tectonic burial model, unfortunately, isnt any better. Edited by Brooks Mitchell

Timber Harvesting Methods That Encourage Forest Regeneration

Timber Harvesting Methods That Encourage Forest Regeneration A major portion of the practice of forestry silvicultural systems is timber harvesting methods designed to ensure successful and succeeding forest stands for the future. Without the application of these methods of reforestation, there would only be random tree stocking of both preferred and non-preferred species leading to major shortages of wood and trees demanded by the consumer. Nature, when left alone, uses its time-consuming natural process of reforestation and is appropriate in many situations. On the other hand, foresters may need to manage for a forests best use when forest owners and managers need reliable income and other necessities in an appropriate time frame. Many of the accepted forest regeneration concepts were first introduced to North America by German forestry professors during the late 19th Century. Germany had practiced these forest reproduction schemes for centuries and one of the earliest books on the subject was written by German forestry pioneer Heinrich Cotta during the late 17th century. These western European educated foresters were first to define the profession of forestry and became overseers of the training of foresters who managed large forest tracts owned by kings, aristocrats, and the ruling classes. These imported tree reproduction systems have continually evolved and developed into what are now used today. They are separated into classifications and used throughout the world where the practice of forestry and forest management is necessary to encourage sustainable forests. These classifications are conducted in logical sequence and the steps lead to healthy, well-stocked forests for future generations. The Classification of Tree Reproduction Methods Although there are innumerable combinations, for simplification we will list the six general reproduction methods listed by silviculturist D.M. Smith in his book, The Practice of Silviculture. Smiths book has been studied by foresters for decades and used as a proven, practical and widely accepted guide at the point where a timber harvest is necessary and where natural or artificial regeneration is the desired replacement. These methods have traditionally been called high-forest methods which produce stands originating from a remaining natural (using a high or aerial) seed source. The clear-cutting method is one exception where artificial planting, vegetative regeneration or seeding is necessary when the cut area limits complete reproductive tree seeding. Methods to Use When Even-Aged Management Is Preferred The Clearcutting Method - When cutting all trees and removing the entire stand that lays bare the ground, you have a clearcut. A clearing of all trees should be considered when residual trees are starting to lose economic value, when biologic over maturity leads to decadent stands, when the purity of a stand is compromised by cull and lower value trees, when the coppice method of regeneration is used (see below) or when disease and insect invasions threaten the loss of a stand. Clearcuts can be regenerated either by natural or by artificial means. To use a natural regeneration method means you must have an available seed source of a desired species in the area and a site/soil condition advantageous to seed germination. If and when these natural conditions are not available, artificial regeneration via nursery seedling plantings or prepared seed dispersal must be used. The Seed-tree Method - This method is simply what it suggests. Upon removing most of the mature timber, a small number of seed trees are left singly or in small groups to establish the next even-aged forest. In effect, you are not dependent on trees outside the cutting area but must be concerned about the trees you do leave as the seed source. The leave trees should be healthy and able to survive high winds, produce viable seeds prolifically and enough trees should be left to do the job. The Shelterwood Method - A shelterwood condition is left when a stand has had a series of cuttings over the period between establishment and harvest, often called the rotation period. These harvests and thinnings occur over a relatively short portion of the rotation by which the establishment of even-aged reproduction is encouraged under a partial shelter of seed trees. There are two objectives of a shelterwood cut - making ground space available by cutting trees of lowering value and using trees increasing in value as a seed source and for seedling protection as these trees continue to financially mature. You are maintaining the best trees to grow while cutting trees with a lower value for new understory seedling space. Obviously, this is not a good method where there will be only intolerant (light-loving tree species) tree seeds available to regenerate. The sequence of this particular method should be ordered by first making a preparatory cutting which prepares and stimulates seed trees for reproduction, then a seed tree cutting to further open vacant growing space for seeding; then a removal cutting which frees the established seedlings. Methods to Use When Uneven-Aged Management Is Preferred The Selection Method - The selection harvest method is the removal of mature timber, usually the oldest or largest trees, either as single scattered individuals or in small groups. Under this concept, the removal of these trees should never allow a stand to revert back to an even-age. Theoretically, this style of cutting can be repeated indefinitely with adequate wood harvest volumes. This selection method has the widest variety of interpretations of any cutting method. Many conflicting objectives (timber management, watershed and wildlife enhancement, recreation) must be considered and managed differently under this scheme. Foresters know they are getting it right when at least three well-defined age classes are maintained. Age classes are groups of similar aged trees ranging from sapling-sized trees to intermediate sized trees to trees approaching harvest. The Coppice-forest or Sprout Method -Â  The coppice method produces tree stands that originate mostly from vegetative regeneration. It can also be described as low forest regeneration in the form of sprouts or layered branches as opposed to the above examples of high forest seed regeneration. Many hardwood tree species and only a very few coniferous trees have the ability to sprout from roots and stumps. This method is limited to these woody plant types. Sprouting tree species respond immediately when cut and sprout with exceptional vigor and growth. They outpace seedling growth by far, especially when cutting is made during the dormant period but may suffer from frost damage if cut during the late growing season. A clear-cut is often the best cutting method.

McDonald competitive strategy and position in the fast food industry Essay

McDonald competitive strategy and position in the fast food industry market - Essay Example This essay explores that makes MacDonald stand out is that it has a strong brand name and is among the nine world popular brand names in the fast food commerce. The brand names has been popularized by consistent promotion strategies and promoting superior personal relations. One of the inimitable attributes of McDonald is that it offers uniform products in all its branches. This includes, chicken, soft drinks and hard drinks. Over the previous few eons, a range of new products has been introduced to provide customers with a wide range of products to choose from increasing the number of sales compared to in earlier years. However, notwithstanding the upsurge in the quantity of foodstuffs offered, McDonald has promoted uniformity of the standard of services offered in its various branches. Competition in this industry is exceptionally stiff. McDonald has tried to stay top in the market by using extremely expensive promotional strategy a move which has narrowed its revenue. However, the corporation has shifted its focus from promotion to exploring other ways of promoting its market share. It is trying to set itself separate by increasing the items in its menu and also coming up with innovations. Its competitors have also employed the same strategies. However, these companies compete differently. This is because they are structured differently and as such the choices made should suit the structure of each in individual company. This paper focuses on how the organization of each separate company influences the decision making and on the type of competitive strategy adopted. McDonald chief competitive factors McDonald is faced by the challenge of operating in a saturated market. This makes it difficult to open up fresh outlets. The market grow prospects are very low about 2% annually. It also has numerous competitors who offer competitive prices making increase of product prices not to be a viable option of increasing source of revenue. It has, however, tried to over come this by adopting a diversifying approach instead of a value approach. The corporation has shown low innovativeness with its last new product being the chicken nugget introduced in the year 1983. However, it has compensated for this lack of innovativeness by introducing new salads. The following are the most important competitive factors of McDonald: Uniformity of standards and services in various locations Despite the fact that McDonald offers an array of products, it has guaranteed its customers consistency in the standards of services offered. The consistency is evident in all the outlets founded in the U.S.A and in the global markets (Cateora & Graham 2007, 68). The company is very selective in forming affiliated ventures and franchises: it only affiliates itself to companies that meet its standards. Furthermore, testing of new products is done within a limited promotion time. Establishment of branches addressing different market needs. In addition to its restaurants, McDona ld has also launched other branches addressing various market segments. This includes the fresh Mex-grill and Chipotle Mexican Grill in America which offers tacos and gourmet burritos. In the UK, It has a coffee chain serving pastries and sandwiches called the Aroma Cafe. This has made it conceivable for the establishment to access a larger market compared to its rivals who are limited. Large size The corporation has a very strong global impact with its closest contenders being only half its size. It has shown a hint in both the indigenous and international markets. As such, it enjoys reduction of cost via economies of scale brought about by its large size. Its large size also the fact that it has branches in few nations