Essays and Research Papers on Management & Business

A 3 page paper comparing traditional US cost reduction and Japanese target costing. Both apply in new product development, where cost reduction occurs much differently. The bottom line is that the Japanese approach dispenses with lost time and effort in returning to product design to achieve greater cost advantage. A product being ...

A 5 page paper discussing organizational structure that can foster innovative behavior. Organizational design designates how and when individuals can cross boundaries and so ultimately affect organizational structure, but some structure types encourage innovation more than others. Among these are the matrix, horizontal, hybrid and network structures. Bibliography lists 7 sources. ...

A 4 page paper assessing the National Naval Medical Center's stated values with observed actions. The paper concludes that there are many aspects of NNMC's operation that should and does inspire pride in those associated with it; congruence between action and stated values is clear. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

A 9 page paper that begins with brief comments about the Business Model concept and contributors to that concept. The 7-S framework, developed by Peters and Waterman, is described and explained. Each "S" (strategy, structure, systems, shared values, style, staff and skills) are described along with questions the organization may ask to asses their ...

This 10 page paper looks at the role or marketing and considers why, if marketing aims to meet customer expectation consumer rights are such an issue today. This subject is approached from the perceptive of business management and corporate social responsibility (CSR). The bibliography cites 14 sources.

A 10 page paper providing analysis and implementation sections for creating a new HRIS for Riordan Manufacturing. The project is that of integrating existing HR applications. Accomplishing this end will require new hardware and software, as well as new business processes. The paper provides a preliminary task list (WBS), schedule and milestones ...

This 4 page paper looks at the reasons why Gap lost business and faced difficulties when Paul Pressler took over as CEO. The reasons behind the failures are examined and advice is given to the new CEO. The bibliography cites 3 sources.

A 12 page paper assessing the 2005, 2006 and 2007 business results of Ford and GM. At a time when all are crying for loans from congress, it is evident that the current financial distress among the former "big three" has been building for some time and should have taken no one at all ...

A 5 page paper. This essay explains C-TPAT and ISO 9000 and comments on how each adds value to the global value chain. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

A 3 page paper discussing the benefits and uses of responsibility accounting. The antidote to micromanaging is delegation, but with that delegation arises the need for managers delegated to, to be accountable for their decisions. Responsibility accounting fills that need and is practiced at many companies, including Coca-Cola. Bibliography lists 3 sources. ...

A 3 page paper discussing forecasting and budgeting at an apparel manufacturer. The result of the combination of an accurate forecast and a budget based on that forecast is function at optimum levels for the organization's success. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

A 6 page paper that reports and discusses the five phases in an organization's life cycle. The paper discusses which may be most essential for a company, if an organization always dies, offers an alternative model and discusses what organizations need to do to stay in business. Bibliography lists 6 sources.

This 3 page paper looks at what economic indicators may be useful for Black and Decker and discusses what they might mean for the firm and how the firm will react to different changes in these indicators. The paper then looks specifically at the new housing statistics to consider what these mean for Black and ...

This 5 page paper looks at the tools of Six Sigma and TQM considers where a firm can gain training, looks at firms using them and then compares and contrasts the application and results in these firm. The bibliography cites 14 sources.

A 17 page paper. This paper provides a brief historical overview of the evolution of Six Sigma, and discusses what it is, the underlying concepts and overall goals, and the philosophy behind it. The paper explains the two formats, DMAIC and DMADV that are used in Six Sigma projects and also the most common ...

This 3-page paper focuses on a team charter and its effectiveness in helping members complete a goal and manage conflict. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

A 4 page paper identifying and discussing GE's 14 major business units; how the company leverages core competencies between them; and making recommendations for the future. NBC's abandonment of journalistic integrity also has reflected badly on GE. GE eventually does what it needs to do, however, and if it continues that pattern then ...

This 26 page paper looks at Starbucks including its' past, present and possible future. The paper reviews the development of the firm looking at then history, the strategies used and the way Starbucks competes in the context of the internal and the external environment as well as looking at the challenges that the firm is ...

This 14 page paper discusses a number of issues beginning with the typical Starbucks customer and motivation for purchasing, using Maslow's Needs theory. The writer then identifies the personality theory and the trait theory that are most applicable to Starbucks' customers as well as brand personality. The section on perception discusses attributes of Starbucks ...

A 5 page paper discussing product positioning, competitive positioning, customer perceptions and distribution-channel analysis at online shoe, apparel and electronics retailer Zappos.com. It appears that CEO Tony Hsieh did not set out with a stated marketing plan detailing all of the aspects of Zappos' current approach to marketing, but rather has been able to ...

This 7 page paper looks at the fictitious case of Classic Airlines supplied by the student. The airline is facing a number of challenges. The paper examines the current situation and the problems, assesses the opportunities that are facing the company and determines the end goals. The bibliography cites 5 sources.

A 16 page paper discussing the value of customer relationship management; implementation; measurement; and evaluation. The bottom line in making the shift from traditional to customer-targeted marketing lies in focusing on customers' true needs – rather than those assumed by the organization – and then aligning business processes and products to serve the needs ...

This 10 page paper examines the acquisition of Chrysler by Daimler-Benz in 1998, looking at why and how this acquisition took place, the perceived benefits to the companies in the context of their own resources and capabilities as well as the wider environmental factors in the automotive industry and eventual the outcome that led to ...

This 9 page paper looks at how companies choose retail sites. The writer discusses the importance of location with reference to the local population, access to the target market, footfall levels, accessibility by transport and the concept of clustering. Other influences such as property prices, competition and supply chain management are included. The paper stars ...

A 3 page paper that explains planned change, emergent change and opportunistic change. The writer reports the proportion of technology projects that fail and what not to do in project management.