The Book Their Eyes Were Watching God - 1414 Words

The topic of racism is a very intriguing one for me. Other authors criticized Zora Neal Hurtson that she, being a black woman during the black liberation movement in the 1910’s, should be writing about black people being set free and how they are being suppressed by the world around them. Instead, Zora mainly deals with the issues of the women being suppressed and not allowed to be free. This idea itself mirrors that of freeing black people, but yet authors of the time were not able to see that, they called her book artificial and did not help them in their quest for freedom. The authors of the time did have a valid reasoning to believe that the novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, was such an uninspiring novel. An artificial reading of the novel shows the reader a few small points that came make people mad. Janie the main character lives a sheltered life. Her grandmother, an ex-slave, shelters her from such a world, and she is brought up in a rich environment. All the black people that she do see are fairly well-off. She marries her first husband, Logan, who is not financially stable and she has to do labor, so she leaves him. Her next husband, Jody brings her to an all black city, Eatonville. The city mirrors that of a white city. Jody makes all the rules in the town and soon it becomes prosperous and grows while Jody makes a lot of money. She is unhappy in this rich white society. Thus when Jody dies, she goes off into the Everglades with Tea Cake and works in the fieldsShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Book The Eyes Were Watching God 1556 Words   |  7 Pagesspirit of him in the sky. Theme Word: Love Sentence: In this novel, Janie’s ultimate goal was to have romanticized love. Theme Statement: Having found love makes one’s life feels fulfilled and satisfied. Quotations: In the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God, there was a quotation that connects to my universal theme statement. In page 108 Janie states, â€Å"Dis ain’t no business proposition, and no race after property and titles. Dis is uh love game. Ah done live Grandma’s way, now Ah means tuh liveRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Their Eyes Were Watching God 944 Words   |  4 Pages She moves from an inaudible one to one that carries the lessons she has learned back to the community. Discuss the development of Janie’s voice, of her verbal abilities, in the novel. Their Eyes Were Watching God Essay Janie Crawford, the main character of Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God, strives to find her own voice in the course of the novel. Throughout the novel, the people with whom Janie lived tried to restrict her to an understood, stereotypical role, but Janie was ableRead MoreOprah Had No Eyes to See Her Make a Monstrosity1500 Words   |  6 PagesOprah Had No Eyes to See Her Make a Monstrosity Oprah’s movie did Zora Neale Hurston’s novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, an injustice when Oprah changed the entire purpose of the book. The changes made to characters, relationships, and the effects of symbolism makes the story unrecognizable. Their Eyes Were Watching God transforms into a love story and the title changes which alters the entire plot, even some settings change. Oprah truly slaughtered a work of art and her ignorance of the meaningRead MoreWhose eyes were watching God?1400 Words   |  6 PagesWhose eyes were watching God? In the movie Their Eyes Were Watching God, Oprah Winfrey manipulates events that happened in the book by Zora Neale Hurston. Oprah morphs many relationships in the movie Their Eyes Were Watching God. She changes the role of gender, and also makes changes in Janie’s character strength. Oprah also changes the symbolism in the movie to where some important symbols in the book change to less important roles. Oprah changes many important events in the book Their Eyes WereRead MoreThe Sentiment of Oprah, Not Hurston: Their Eyes Were Watching God1502 Words   |  7 PagesOprah took a magnum opus, Their Eyes Were Watching God, and remade it into an entirely different story that did not comply with the book. By altering Janie’s character, moral fiber, relationships, and public acts, it changed the meaning of the novel. The symbolism and the significance of the title varied from the book and the story morphed into a tale of love when made into a movie. Zora Neale Hurstonâ€℠¢s book held a disparate meaning before it fell into the hands of Oprah, who annihilated it. Janie’sRead MoreOverview: Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston1641 Words   |  7 PagesTheir Eyes Were Watching God was written by Zora Neale Hurston and published in 1937. Hurstons book guides us through character Janie Crawford’s hectic journey while taking place in the 1900s. The story starts out with Janie, a middle-aged African American woman, returning to her hometown in Eatonville, Florida. Her surprise visit gets the town talking. They wonder where she had gone, what she was doing, and why she was gone so long. Janie’s friend, Pheoby Watson, visits Janie to find out what happenedRead MoreThe Eyes Were Watching God By Zora Neal Hurston930 Words   |  4 PagesZora Neal Hurston’s ‘Their Eyes Were Watching God’, was published in 1937 and is often celebrated for it’s realistic use of language and dialect of the black American south. However, as Wright pinpoints, there is a sense of Hurston catering to the white aud ience in her use of language, and prompts the question of whether ‘Their Eyes Were Watching God’ should be considered a ‘community text’ or comparable to minstrelsy. This essay will explore the ways in which Hurston creates a community text throughRead MoreTheir Eyes Were Watching By Zora Hurston1172 Words   |  5 PagesThe book their eyes were watching was written by Zora Hurston, and she tells the life story of a girl named Janie. It starts off with a metaphor explaining that women are the type to chase their dreams and even when it seems they can never accomplish it they never lose sight of it. Men on the other type to have dreams but instead of chasing like how Zora says women do they want their dream to come to them. The book is a frame narrative being and told by Zora but switches from Janie s point of viewRead MoreTheir Eyes Were Watching God1571 Words   |  7 PagesZora Neale Hurston and her novel Their Eyes Were Watching God During the Harlem Renaissance, African Americans experience a cultural exposure in literature art. It was a period of great achievement in African-American art and literature during the 1920s and 1930s. This surge gave birth to several authors, playwrights and dramatists, such as Zora Neale Hurston. Zora Neale Hurston is now considered among the foremost authors of that period, having published four novels, three nonfiction works, andRead More Comparing Characterization in Alias Grace, Their Eyes Were Watching God, and Fools Crow1290 Words   |  6 PagesCharacterization in Alias Grace, Their Eyes Were Watching God, and Fools Crow      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood is a novel where the main character Grace is a sort of mystery character.  Ã‚   In the end she is at peace, but there are still many questions about her left unanswered.   Because Atwoods style of writing is informative, yet unclear at the same time, the audience is left to put the pieces of the puzzle that is Grace together themselves.  Ã‚   This leaves the reader guessing about her

Comparison of Beowulf to Superman - 966 Words

Heroes. From the timeless tale of Beowulf to the well-known chronicles of Superman, cultures all throughout the world have taken it upon themselves to weave a fabrication of a fantastic being, said being a hero of a sorts, that always makes it to defeat the bad guy and save the day. Even whence we as human beings always tend to have our political, social, economic and religious differences, at the end of the day we all have one thing in common that fills our dreams with hopes of the future, of safety, of a peaceful life; heroes. Helping to define who we are and what we want to be, giving us hope and inspire us to head in the right direction, showing us that good will always triumph over evil and that anything is possible if you set your†¦show more content†¦But whence digging past the loud colours and the its-a-bird-its-a-plane, generic, one realises the true face of Superman. He isnt super for his inhuman abilities or his capricious appearance, he isnt a true man for his st rong build and his appealing features: Superman is super because hes what everyone should aspire to be, and he is a man because he melds the world in a form of good and good only. For if Superman wanted to, he could rule the world and no one would be able to stop him. Superman is, literally, a god among men. He has the power to sink entire continents and kill millions of people with ease, but he chooses to protect everyone, good or bad, no matter how insignificant and tiny the life is for nothing in return. Superman is a hero because hes there for everyone, never compromising his ideals and taking the high road to support those in need. This is despite the fact that he could basically be a god lording over others without much trouble, but instead chooses to serve and inspire. That is why he is a hero. Superman is the ultimate hero, and not just because he is the most powerful being on earth but for his integrity which sets him completely apart. One could constantly remark on how S uperman looks for the best in everyone, how he is ultimately loyal and selfless, not even considering the fact that he could rule the world but chooses to serve is the greatest compliment you canShow MoreRelatedEssay on Comparison of Modern Day Heroes and Beowulf744 Words   |  3 PagesComparison of Modern Day Heroes and Beowulf Most of us have heard of modern day heroes such as Spiderman, Superman, and the Hulk. Each is a hero to many children. Heroes are introduced to people early on in life usually as fictional characters, but as children grow older their perceptions of heroes alter. The characteristics of a hero are usually based around the ideas of a society or culture. In the epic Beowulf, the main character is thought of as a hero. Beowulf, a pagan warrior and the mainRead MoreThe Four Characters Of Beowulf And Modern Day Heros738 Words   |  3 Pagesmore direct approach than Beowulf. For example, he rips Grendel’s arm right out of its socket! He also shows moral strength by being champion of the values of his society. There are also some other things that can differentiate two types heros. The first the type that sees killing as the only solution to a problem, and the second is one that sees killing as the last possible option and tries to resolve the situation diplomatically. This is what m ainly contrasts Beowulf from modern day heroes suchRead MoreThe Characteristics Of A Hero : Beowulf And Roberto Clementa911 Words   |  4 Pagesof superheroes, such as Superman or anyone who fights crime. However a hero is one who caused an impact not only based on fighting, but they are known for their achievements and accomplishments in assisting others who were in need. Owning to the fact that the smallest things heroes do count, even if its not saving the town from a villain. Based on the definition, someone who is a perfect example is Malala. She exhibits the greatest amount of heroism in comparison to Beowulf and Roberto Clemente. ToRead MoreInfluence Of Medieval Literature On Modern Films1169 Words   |  5 PagesLe’ Morte d’ Arthur and First Knight represent the influence that medieval romance has on modern film. Modern films are significantly influenced by the similarities they have with medieval romantic literature. An example of the similarities in comparison to medieval romantic literature influencing modern films would be â€Å"Macbeth’s seizing of power and subsequent destruction†; which in addition â€Å"resulted into blind ambition† in the play The Tragedy of Macbeth (â€Å"Macbeth†, par 1). This example explainsRead MoreThe Pessimism of Beowulf in the Epic Poem, Beowulf Essay2837 Words   |  12 Pages  Ã‚  Ã‚   Anticipation of catastrophe, doom, gloom are present in Beowulf rom beginning to end, even in the better half of the poem, Part I. Perhaps this is part of what makes it an elegy – the repeated injection of sorrow and lamentation into every episode. In his essay, â€Å"The Pessimism of Many Germanic Stories,† A. Kent Hieatt says of the poem Beowulf: The ethical life of the poem, then, depends upon the propositions that evil. . . that is part of this life is too much for the preeminent man

Strategic Analysis Of Shangri-La Hotel Case Study

Question: Discuss about the Strategic Analysis of Shangri-La Hotel. Answer: Introduction Shangri-La is a Hong-Kong based hotel which has spread its services across the region of Asia, Europe, Middle Eastern Zone, Australia and Northern part of America. The hotel has established itself as a five star luxurious hotel with its legendary Asian hospitality. The hotel is located outside the city area in order to provide a soothing and peaceful environment to the customers. The hotel is fully equipped with trained staff which is always present at the customers disposal. The infrastructure of the hotel has been created in a manner so as to please the customer and take their minds off through its landscaped gardens, CHI Spa, The Waterfall and picturesque view of the location. The hotel has established its strong brand identity in the market of Singapore through its exceptional services and unique customer experience. Scope of Report The report would discuss and analyze the strategy of Shangri-La Hotel which has assisted the growth of the hotel. In order to understand the impact of external factors on the hotel, PESTEL analysis would be performed comprising of political factors, economic factors, social factors, technological factors, environmental factors and legal factors. Political factors would help to assess the political stability and scenario of Singapore. Economic factors would shed light on the inflation, cost of labor, income of people and overall economically favoring factors in the country which supports the operational activities of the hotel. Social factors would help us to understand the demographics, disposable income and lifestyle of the people of Singapore. Environmental and legal factors would help us to understand the laws of the country that affects the operations of the hotel. Industry analysis is performed to shed some light on the market factors and assess their impact on the hotel. Critical success factors, porters five forces, competitors analysis and strategic group analysis are few of the tools which would be incorporated in the report to evaluate the industry. Further, an internal analysis would evaluate the internal operations of the Shangri-La Hotel. A value chain analysis would be performed to assess the primary and support activities of the hotel. SWOT analysis and core competency would assist to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the hotel. Recommendations would be suggested based on the analysis of the hotel. Business Challenges Shangri-La Hotel has been facing several business challenges which affect its overall operational activities. According to the Sustainability report of the hotel, the company has been consistently making efforts to attain its corporate social responsibility goals and objectives (Shangri-La, 2013). In order to attain its corporate social responsibility goals, the companys sustainable operations are affected. The sustainability report of the company shows companys financial status and the measures taken by the company to achieve the future goals. The company has been struggling to reduce its carbon emission activity and potable water consumption in order to attain its CSR goals and objectives. The major challenge is to attain CSR goals by considering the profitability and economies of scale of the company. External Analysis Political Factors Singapore is a politically stable country with reliable infrastructure and government competency. The country has fostered an open and positive attitude towards the tourists and foreigners (Weizhen, 2015). This helps in attracting the tourist from all over the world which supports the growth of revenue for hotel industry. Another political factor is international relations with other countries. Singapore has developed and maintained healthy relationship with its neighboring and other countries including United States and Philippine (Embassy of the Republic of Singapore, 2012). Singapores relationship with its neighboring and other countries also make it a great destination for tourists. Though, recently there has been threat of terrorism in the country which could affect the tourism of the country by hindering the international air travel or scaring the people (Liang, 2016). Economic Factors The overall economy of the world affects the business of Shangri-La Hotel because of global economic recession. The slowing economy of China, US and the countries of Europe also endangers the business of Hotels. The economic turmoil of the world has reduced the disposable income of the people which has lessened tourism. Further, rising income inequality due to rising economic threat has also reduced an individuals ability to stay at hotel. Social Factors Social factors have contributed towards the growth of hotel industry because number of people planning international trips has increased by 13% in Asia. Approximately 15.5 million tourists visited Singapore in the year 2013 which led to growth of sales of hotel by 3.9% (Chow, 2014). The cultural changes around the world have increased the demand for packaged tours and luxury resorts which has also benefitted the hotel industry. Technological Factors The emerging technology has increased the business of hotel industry. The online rental services facilitate the consumers to book their hotel rooms in advance. This service has increased the sales revenue of hotel industry by giving the consumer an access to the information about hotels anywhere across the world. Legal Factors The change in jurisdiction of Singapore which deals with the food hygiene and standards has an impact on the business of Shangri-La Hotels. Singapore has very strict laws concerning the food safety management. Singapore has also adopted a grading system for the food industry in order to maintain the quality standards of food (NEA, 2017). The other legal factors which could affect the hotel are immigration rules and procedures for Singapore visa and consumer protection and employment laws in Singapore. Singapore has recently eased its immigration policies in order to stay economically competitive which had a positive impact on the hotel (Chang, 2015). The consumer laws of Singapore are strict to ensure a fair transaction between the supplier and the consumer (Singapore Statutes Online, 2017). Singapore has strict policies to protect the rights of employees. Environmental Factors The hotel industry faces criticism for polluting the beaches, forest areas, historical places and other tourist places. The Shangri-La Hotel is required to adhere to the strict government laws which increase its operational cost. Industry Analysis: Critical Success Factors Critical success factors are those factors on which business must focus in order to survive within the market. The factors keep changing with the time due to global competition and the changing need of the customers. For hotel industry, following are the critical success factors: Location: Location has always been a significant factor of the hotel industry despite the changes in the industry. The travelers prefer to have a location which has a picturesque view and close to the airport and other basic amenities. The business travelers specifically look for a hotel which is close to the city and airport (Howell, 2009). Global Outlook: The consumer perception tends to get biased towards the globally owned hotels. A hotel must establish itself on international level in order to attract customers. Quality Management: This factor takes into consideration several factors including customer services and employee satisfaction. Hotels can improve their quality standards by making their employees satisfied which could lead to customer delight. When the employees of the hotel are satisfied then they would put their best individual efforts to satisfy the customers (Melia, 2010). Flexibility: The personnel staff of the hotel must have the liberty to deal with the critical situations in order to satisfy the customers. On the other hand, a manager with strict policies would not be able to resolve the customer conflict which would lead to customer dissatisfaction. Therefore, the manager must have the authority to take appropriate actions to turn a situation around and offer a great deal to the customers (Howell, 2009). Porters Five Forces Threat of New Entrants This factor is determined by barriers to entry such as economies of scale, switching costs and loyalty of the customer, product differentiation and other factors (Hill Jones, 2009). The hotel industry has very high cost of capital which is required for construction, furnishing and the pre-operational expense. The minimum number of hotel rooms required in a metropolitan city is 500 rooms. Shangri-La Hotels has developed a brand image of its own over so many years which is difficult to build up within a short span of time. Therefore, Shangri-La does not face any threat of new entrant in the industry. Threat of Substitute Products The substitute products offer the products which are less costly and offer same services as that of the original product. Motels, hostels, guest houses are some of the substitute products of Shangri-La Hotel. The target market for substitute products is low income consumers or price sensitive consumers. Shangri-La Hotel does not face any competition from the substitutes because it has a different target audience which does not clash with the substitutes (Cheng, 2013). Shangri-La has very strong marketing strategy of attracting tour groups to maintain its sustainable framework of business. Thus, the hotel is not vulnerable to the market competition because of fragmented nature of the competition. Bargaining Power of Suppliers According to Porter, suppliers could dominate an industry if they are more concentrated as compared to their customer. In order to maintain the sustainability of the business, the hotel must develop a strategic relationship with its suppliers (Cheng, 2013). Labor and trained staff is the most crucial suppliers of Shangri-La Hotel. In order to have a competitive edge over its competitors, the hotel must work to reduce its labor cost. The hospitality staff is in great demand all over the world which is the main challenge of hotel industry. Shangri-La faces challenges to recruit competitive staff at lower cost because of their great industrial demand. Further, the hotel has to abide the employment laws of Singapore which creates intense pressure on the hotel. Bargaining Power of Buyers According to Porter, the buyers could exert great pressure to bring down the prices of product or service if they are more concentrated than the players. Shangri-La is consistently working to increase its customers through strong marketing strategies. Now in order to increase the number of customers, the hotel has to listen to its customers and bring down the prices. Existing Competitors According to Porter, the intensity of completion within an industry depends upon the size of competitors along with their number. Shangri-La is a five star hotel and does not face intense competition from its rivals. The rivals of the hotel are Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, Four seasons hotel resorts and Marriott hotel. Competitor Analysis Mandarin Oriental Mandarin Oriental Singapore is a part of Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group which is known to offer its legendary services to the customers. The strategic vision of the company is to increase its global visibility through its luxurious services and increase its rental rooms. The mission of the company is to achieve the highest level of customer satisfaction (Mandarin Oriental, 2017). The hotel has developed a long lasting brand image. Mandarin Oriental Hotel has established its hotels at very picturesque location which is one of the major reasons to attract the customers. The hotel is located in Marina Centre which is connected to Marina Square Shopping Mall and within a short radius of Resort Marina Bay Sands. Mandarin Hotel its hotels spread across the regions of Europe, middle east, Africa, America and Asia Pacific. The hotel has very high standards of rules and regulations in order to maintain its quality. Due to its large operations, the hotel has very high line of authority which makes the decision making a complicated process. This creates challenges in terms of communication and cooperation among the employees. The housekeeping and front office departments face challenges to maintain the status of rooms. Further, the hotel has to incur huge cost in its food and beverage department. Further, the hotel has numerous opportunities to increase its revenue from the FB department. Mandarin serves different variety of food which attracts in house and outside guest (Jardines, 2011). Apart from that, the hotel could also generate its revenue from its meeting rooms and conferences facilities. The opportunity also lies to target the female business travelers along with the families. Marriott International Inc. Marriott is an international chain of hotels across the world in over seventy countries which targets the segment of leisure travelers, premium travelers and business travelers (Marriott, 2017). The target group comprises of upper class, corporate, families and newly married couples. Marriott has established its brand name through its prime location and luxury living strategy. The hotel consistently thrives to enhance its technical services in order to improve its business processes. Marriott has very strategically maintained the performance of its employees by achieving high levels of employee satisfaction which has led to highly satisfied customers. The hotel has thus, maintained good employee retention. Marriott has spread its wings across the globe and has developed very large sized operational system. Marriott has to maintain its quality standards in order to maintain its brand reputation which it has built over a span of time. The decision making process becomes complicated when the hotel manager faces a critical situation of customer conflict. In order to resolve the conflict, the manager must have the authority to take an independent decision. The hotel faces the challenge of brand dilution due to its complicated decision making process. Further, the hotel has huge potential in the emerging market of Singapore through its innovative services. Four Seasons Hotels Resorts Four Season Hotels and Resorts is a five star luxury hotel services which offers wide range of services including accommodation, spa and other leisure services for travelers. Apart from these leisure services, the hotel also offers sports services including golfing, fishing, scuba, tennis, sailing and water sports. Four Seasons has its hotels located across the regions of America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Middle East and Africa. It is headquartered at Toronto in Canada (Four Seasons, 2017). The hotel has maintained its excellent services throughout the world. Four seasons consistently thrives to bring innovative services in order to attract the customers and maintain a sustainable model. Due to the high standards of customer services, Four season has been able to create long term relationship with its customers. The hotel has integrated an effective supply chain system within its process so as to dominate the entire market. One of the weaknesses of the hotel is that it has not incorp orated effective communication strategies within its system. Further, due to high cost of labor and maintenance, the hotel is not able to achieve its economies of scale. Four Seasons has great opportunity through its product and service expansion. The hotel could increase its customer base by strategically partnering with the international airways. Strategic Group Analysis Strategic group is a concept of strategic management which forms a cluster of companies within an industry which have similar business strategies or model (Freeman, 2010). Strategic group analysis helps us to identify those similar characteristics among the companies. The characteristics could be extent of branding, pricing policy, product diversification, degree of vertical integration, target market segment, channel of distribution. After studying and analyzing the competitors of Shangri-La Hotel, it can be construed that a strategic group could be formed including Shangri-La Hotel, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Marriott International Inc. and Four Seasons. They all have similar products and target market. All of these hotels are luxurious five star hotels with customer services. They all offer leisure facilities to the customers such as spa, golfing and water sports. Their target audience circumference revolves around the same market segment of business travelers and upper class travelers. They all have also incorporated strong marketing strategies in order to attract the tour packages and increase their sales revenue. Pricing strategy is also similar among the group of hotels and they have been consistently thriving in order to reduce their prices. The group of hotels has established a strong brand entity through their quality services and going beyond the expected level of customers. Their international presence a lso increases their overall market value and adds to their global outlook attribute. Internal Analysis: Value Chain Shangri-La value chain comprises of those business activities which offers value proposition to the customers in order to win the competition in the market. Value chain analysis could be broadly categorized into two segments of primary activities and support activities (Ivanova Ivanov, S2012). (Source: Ivanova Ivanov, 2012). Shangri-La Value Chain Analysis Primary Activities Inbound Logistics Shangri-La has an excellent inbound logistics system to maintain smooth operations in all of its three hotels in Singapore. The hotel has a specialized procurement team to develop purchase agreements with the vendors. The hotel has a unique supply chain management and inbound logistics which ensures smooth relationship with the suppliers through fair deals and prices. Warehousing and delivery is handled by the distributors through negotiation. Operations Shangri-La Hotel has ownership and franchise operational system. Shangri-La is a Hong-Kong based hotel which operates on both franchise and ownership model. Singapore has a management and franchise model system. Outbound Logistics Outbound logistics involves those activities which ensure finished product delivery to the customer. Shangri-La has deployed very high standards of customer services by maintaining trained staff. The hotel also conducts employee engagement activities in order to ensure employee satisfaction, which in turn leads to enhanced customer services. Shangri-La ensures that employees adhere to the quality standards prescribed. Further, in order to offer comfort to the customers, Shangri-La offers complimentary Wi-Fi, facilities for physically challenges, business centre, butler service, postal service, spa, child care service, travel and transportation privilege, salon and other basic amenities. Marketing and Sales Shangri-La has incorporated effective sales and marketing practices through marketing mix component. The hotel has employed sales professionals in Singapore to create business from leisure travelers, travel agencies and conventions. The company has increases its revenue over the past five years through its effective marketing strategies. Further, the hotel also launches special offers to increase its revenue by attracting the customers repeatedly and build long term relationship with the customers. The offers include special festival, value rate, weekend special and value vacation. The customers can enjoy the luxurious and valuable services of the hotel at very economical prices (Linsheng, Yu Na, 2010). Service Shangri-La offers quality and prompt services to its customers through its well trained employees. The members of customer service team can speak more than seven languages in order to assist the customers coming from various parts of the world. The team also has its presence on social media network in order to facilitate the customers to resolve their queries. Shangri-La offers exclusive services of CHI Spa which is inspired from Chinese philosophy. The customers get an opportunity to receive the privilege of one of the most rejuvenating spas by getting access to finest selection of aromatic oils, bath salts, incense, spa robes and other accessories. Yoga studio is another facility offered by the hotel to the customers. The yoga studio is led by highly knowledgeable yoga master who takes yoga and meditation classes. VRIN Framework Resource Valuable (effectively uses opportunities and neutralizes threats) Rare (only few of the firms have it) Imitable (Costly affair) Non-Substitutable Human Resource Management Yes, Shangri-La effectively utilizes manpower resource through deploying training program and policies. Yes, only few of the hotels have been able to implement it. No. It requires patience and commitment to develop skillful manpower. Yes, there is no other substitute for an effective manpower. Quality Service Shangri-La offers luxurious services to the business travelers and upper class segment. Its CHI Spa service is a unique service offering. Yes, CHI Spa service is inspired from Chinese philosophy and is an exclusive product offering. No. Providing quality services requires a strong value chain which is costly to build. Yes, quality service cannot be substituted. Ambience Infrastructure Shangri-La has one of the best ambience and infrastructure where tourists can enjoy their vacation. No. Almost every competitor has its own unique ambience and infrastructure. Maybe, though it is a costly process but can be easily imitated. Yes. Core Competency Shangri-La has differentiated itself from its competitors through its high quality product and services. Its high quality service has led to the establishment of strong brand recognition across the Singapore. The hotel has also been able to achieve high level of customer satisfaction by fostering high standards of services. Further, the hotel has also integrated unique product and services in order to achieve customer delight. The hotel has been able to attain its high level of customer services through its employee training program. Shangri-La conducts extensive training programs for its staff in order to develop their competency skills and increase their performance level. The hotel has fostered a healthy environment at the workplace to increase the overall productivity of the company by increasing the level of customer satisfaction. The company has very well grasped the concept that only a satisfied staff can lead to high level of customer satisfaction. Further, the hotel has also deployed loyalty program in order to increase its business revenue. It has also introduced special offers for its loyal customers to give them the privilege of value vacation and other incentives. CHI Spa service of Shangri-La Hotel is a unique offering to the customers where they get access to the finest selection of oil and bath accessories. The spa service offers personalized accessories to the customers. The customer feels rejuvenated after taking the spa service. This is one of the unique concepts of the hotel industry which leads to customer delight. Thus, Shangri-La Hotel has very well incorporated the concept of customer centric approach through its unique and quality services. Financial Analysis Shangri-La Hotel has very well structured its differentiation strategy which fully utilizes the resources of the firm. The company has adjusted itself as per the economic trends of the leisure industry to increase its profit every year in spite of decreasing revenue. The company has great financial management system which has supported its overall growth. Further, the companys plan of expansion within the next two years would increase the value of the company. The current financial performance of the company is positive, yet the firm needs to enhance its overall revenue. The company needs to focus on its qualitative efforts in order to increase its profits and revenue. TOWS Matrix Threats Shangri-La faces threat from the Asias market shift towards mid-market segment. Shangri-La is a five star hotel which targets the upper class segment of market. The Singapore tourist market is witnessing a shift in market to mid-market segment which has affected the growth of the hotel. Another challenge faced by the hotel is the increasing labor cost which increases the prices of products and services. The increasing price is the result of scarcity of manpower in the country. Recent terror attacks across the globe have shaken the entire tourism and travel industry because the people are frightened of being attacked. Shangri-La Hotel faces threat due to terrorist attacks and natural calamities which disastrously affect the business of hotel industry. Opportunities Shangri-La is one of the most reputed brands in the Asian region. The hotel has developed its brand recognition through its quality and luxurious services to the customers. The customers perceive the hotel as a luxurious brand. The brand has also developed long term relationship with its customers through its special promotional offers and schemes. On the other hand, tourism industry is witnessing a rise which creates opportunity for the hotel. Shangri-La could use its brand identity and global outlook to enter new market segments. Weaknesses Shangri-La has not been able to glorify its brand name outside the Asia-Pacific region because of its limited marketing strategies. The hotel only targets the market segment of business travelers and upper class segment and has ignored the rest of the market which comprises of huge population. Strengths Shangri-La has effectively incorporated the culture of Asia in its system and has developed strong brand identity through its quality services. It is known as one of the best business hotels for its quality and quick services. Through its quality services, the hotel has been able to create long term relationship with the customers. Objectives Long Term v/s Short Term Vision (Long Term Goal): To be the first choice for guests, colleagues, shareholders and business partners. The long term goal aims to build customer centric approaches and ensure customer satisfaction in order to build a sustainable business model. This helps to increase the overall profitability of the business and benefit the shareholder, employee and business partners. Mission (Short Term Goal): To delight our guests every time by creating engaging experience straight from our hearts. The mission or short term aims to attract more number of customers in order to increase the business revenue of the company and dominate the market industry. Recommendations Growth Strategy Ansoff matrix is a strategy used by the companies to grow their market share through market penetration, market development, product development and diversification (Baines Fill, 2014). Market penetration aims to increase growth of the existing products in the existing market. Market development aims to grow the market share by targeting the new market segments. Product development aims to create new products and services for the existing market. Diversification supports the growth of business by developing new products for new markets. Shangri-La could use diversification approach and develop new product for new market segment. Shangri-La is a five star hotel which only targets the business travelers due to which it has restricted its growth in the market. The hotel could introduce new product to target the middle class segment. Since the market is moving towards the mid-segment hotels which is a huge opportunity for the hotel. Shangri-La could utilize this opportunity and create a service with less luxurious facilities to target the middle class segment. Positioning Strategy Positioning is marketing strategy which helps to create a brand name in the market through a differentiation factor. Positioning strategy for Shangri-La could be derived from its long term strategy of quality services. Shangri-La could offer value for money to the middle class segment by offering its quality services at economical prices. Thus, it could use the strategy Like Services only economical prices. This would create a differentiating factor and would position the brand in the market. The hotel would be able to drive large number of customers who are price sensitive and look for economical hotels. Since price sensitive customers contribute to the large segment of the population, the hotel would be able to dominate the market by covering a large share of the market. SAVED Strategy Arena Shangri-La Hotel has several options to consider for its target segment. The business class travelers are the existing customers of hotel. The other target segments are low income consumers, middle class segment, youth, family groups, executives. Now, the company could choose one of the options in order to successfully create its marketing strategy. Middle class segment is one of the lucrative segment and would support the growth of the company. Vehicles In order to target the middle class segment, the hotel needs to introduce new products and services specific to this group only. The services would be cost effective so as to not incur huge cost. Staging In order to target middle class consumers, the hotel needs to develop strategies and new products which would take minimum of 2-3 years. Economic Logic The middle class segment is the growing segment of Asia and therefore, future success can be attained by targeting this market segment. Since the existing market segment is business travelers which could not generate huge profits. The shareholder could be convinced that the middle class segment would drive huge profits for the company. Differentiators The strategy would increase the overall sales of the company. References Baines, P., Fill, C. (2014). MARKETING 3E P. UK: OUP Oxford. Chang, R. (2015). Singapore 'will have to ease immigration laws to stay competitive': EIU. Straitstimes. Retrieved from: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/singapore-will-have-to-ease-immigration-laws-to-stay-competitive-eiu Cheng, S.Y. (2013). Analyze the Hotel Industry in Porter Five Competitive Forces. The Journal of Global Business Management, 9(3) pp. 52-57. Chow, J. (2014). Tourist arrivals and spending hit record highs in 2013; spending growth slowest since 2009. Straitstimes. Retrieved from: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/tourist-arrivals-and-spending-hit-record-highs-in-2013-spending-growth-slowest-since-2009 Embassy of the Republic of Singapore. (2012). Foreign Policy. Embassy of the Republic of Singapore. https://www.mfa.gov.sg/content/mfa/overseasmission/manila/about_singapore/foreign_policy.html Four Seasons. (2017). Four Seasons Hotel Singapore. Retrieved from: https://www.fourseasons.com/singapore/landing_3/?gclid=CIuzr5qI2tICFZAGKgodBiYEmAsource=gaw16sngS01KW_ID=su4i4Q8Bq_dc|pcrid|159836158786s_kwcid=AL!4732!3!159836158786!e!!g!!four%20seasons%20singaporeef_id=WLTwLgAAAFR9cfWy:20170316031822:s Freeman, R.E. (2010). Strategic Management:A Stakeholder Approach. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Hill, C., Jones, G. (2009). Strategic Management Theory: An Integrated Approach. Australia: Cengage Learning. Howell, M.T. (2009). Critical Success Factors Simplified:Implementing the Powerful Drivers of Dramatic Business Improvement. New York: CRC Press. Ivanova, M.G., Ivanov, S.H. (2012). Conceptual Framework of Hotel Chains. Research Gate. Retrieved from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/256022446_Conceptual_Framework_of_Hotel_Chains Jardines. (2011). Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group A Global Luxury Brand. Thistle The Magazine of Jardine Matheson, 3. Liang, C.Z. (2016). ISIS terror threat greater now, says Shanmugam. Straitstimes. Retrieved from: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/isis-terror-threat-greater-now-says-shanmugam Linsheng, F., Yu, H., Na, W. (2010). Analysis on Hotel Service Innovation and Value Promoting Paths Based on Value Chain Theory. Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Innovation Management. Mandarin Oriental. (2017). About Us. Retrieved from: https://www.mandarinoriental.com/about-us/ Marriott. (2017). About Marriott International - Find Your World. Retrieved from: https://www.marriott.com/marriott/aboutmarriott.mi Melia, D. (2010). Critical Success Factors and Performance Management and Measurement: a Hospitality Context. THRIC Conference 2010: the 6th annual Tourism and Hospitality Research in Ireland Conference. NEA. (2017). Food Hygiene Standards in Singapore. National Environment Agency. Retrieved from: https://www.nea.gov.sg/public-health/food-hygiene Shangri-La. (2013). Shangri-La Asia Limited Issues Second Sustainability Report. Retrieved from: https://www.shangri-la.com/corporate/press-room/press-releases/shangri-la-asia-limited-issues-second-sustainability-report/ Singapore Statutes Online. (2017). Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act. Singapore Statutes Online. Retrieved from: https://statutes.agc.gov.sg/aol/search/display/view.w3p;page=0;query=DocId%3A%22403774c5-3764-4c57-bf79-ceb0a3b5ba5d%22%20Status%3Ainforce%20Depth%3A0;rec=0 Weizhen, T. (2015). Singapore still 3rd in world competitiveness ranking: Study. Channel Newsasia. Retrieved from: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/business/singapore-still-3rd-in/1876922.html

Cranberry Litlefield Simulation free essay sample

Littlefield Technologies is a low volume, high margin manufacturer and distributor of digital satellite system receivers. Littlefield Technologies seeks to minimize production costs and sell at the highest price the market will allow, with the end result of maximizing profit, or value for shareholders. In order to be successful they needed to maximize utilization of every stage of the process from inventory control to shipping. With the negotiated contracts available in order to maximize profits Littlefield has little room for inefficiencies and must meet all delivery requirements. At the time of change over, Littlefield was not maximizing the capacity of the plant. It was not effectively processing items through station 2 and was exceeding the utilization of all stations in the production process. In addition, it did not have a delivery agreement with suppliers that would maximize raw product inflows at the least cost. Finally it did not have a contract negotiated with customers that maximized the price the market was willing to bear given taking into account the order lead time the customers required. Capacity Management In order to determine the number of machines to purchase for each station we started by pulling all historical data for the plant to analyze the potential bottlenecks. We analyzed the utilization and capacity of each station and determined the current number of machines was inadequate and would not meet demand even if inventory levels were under control. We started with only adding one additional machine to station 1 which had a large backlog, had the highest utilization, and was the starting point for the production process. Soon after we noted the backlog of the equipment in all other stations began to exceed station 1 so one machine was purchased for station 2 and one machine was purchased for station 3. This effectively decreased the queue at each station and materials started moving through the factory more efficiently. It was noted the queue for station 2 was not effectively balancing the flow from stations 1 and 3. We took control over the factory at a point when there was a backlog at all stations. Even assuming the correct capacity at each station, we were still left with a backlog in the system. Therefore, we changed the priority at station 2 to favor station 3. This was done so that the final step of the process (final verification of the products) has priority before the initial verification. We hypothesized that in doing so, we will efficiently decrease the backlog in the system. We noted that through increased capacity (purchased machines for stations 1, 2 and 3) and through switching station to preferentially process the input from station 3, the backlog was reduced quickly which allowed us to decrease the delivery times from approximately 7 days (when we took over the control) to 0.8 days. This, in turn, allowed us to move to the contract which required delivery in maximum 24 hours, which maximized our profits. Our approach was effective. Product began efficiently moving through the plant and order lead time was being met on most orders. If we could do the simulation again we would purchase new machines for all three stations at the onset to allow the backlog to clear quicker and the company to begin realizing profits earlier. Inventory Management Prior to the start of the simulation we calculated the current reorder point and quantity. We determined the amounts were too low to meet customer demand based on the number of stock outs and number of orders completed each day. In response, we updated the reorder point and quantity to a level consistent with the calculated average demand and stock outs ended. We utilized calculations from OM class, namely optimal Q calculation and ROP calculation. After the plant began operating efficiently, we noted inventory levels were staying higher than anticipated. In response the reorder point and quantity were adjusted down slightly to decrease the amount of inventory on hand in an effort to decrease inventory holding costs. Close to the end of the project it was noted the inventory was still high and the reorder points and kits were reduced one last time. Our approach was effective in that the number of stock outs went to zero and the plant was no longer waiting on material to produce product. Our execution of readjusting the reorder point and reorder quantity as the plant became efficient was not effective. We were ordering smaller amounts more frequently and holding more inventory on hand each day than was necessary to meet average demand. If we could play the game over again we would decrease the reorder point to where it would create a more just in time inventory. In addition, we would increase the reorder quantity in an effort to decrease the number of shipments required to maintain the necessary inventory thereby decreasing the amount of shipping fees paid. Priority Management After other inefficiencies were lessened, it was noted the queue for station 2 was not effectively balancing the flow from stations 1 and 3. To resolve we changed the scheduling policy to process items from station 3 with priority. The reasoning was that when we took control of the plant, there were 2 issues. First issue was that the capacity of the plant was too low compared to the demand. The second issue (arising from the first) was that the low capacity vs. demand created a backlog in the factory, and we had to deal with this backlog. There were 2 ways to deal with the backlog: we could have increased the capacity of the factory more, so that the extra kits already in process are processed, or we could have changed the priority to station. We chose to change the priority at station 2, because it was free (compared to purchasing additional machines). We believe the prioritization scheme selected was the best optimization of the unit to ensure finished goods were flowing through the factor. The change decreased the overall queue at station 2 from an average of 341 to 145 and increased the number of completed jobs per day from an average of 4 to an average of 7. Endgame Management Toward the end of the game we began calculating the potential impact of remaining on contract 3 with all levels the same, or switching to a new contract, and selling off equipment. Plan one was to sell off the equipment purchased, drop back down to contract one, and decrease the reorder point and quantities to minimize the inventory cost and penalties for late deliveries. Plan 2 was to decrease the reorder point and quantity, sell equipment and switch to contract 2 in order to maximize the per unit profit. In the end we ran out of time and made no adjustments. As a result we stayed in third place overall after reaching a high of second place. If given the chance to play the game over again we would have changed the reorder point and quantity earlier to decrease inventory shipping and holding costs. Next, we would have sold off one piece of equipment from each station. This would allowed us to still meet production levels while increasing the inflow of cash prior to shut down. Finally, to ensure we met delivery requirements we would have changed to the second contract which would have maximized our profit on the units in the final processing stages while minimizing the penalties for late delivery. Conclusions We learned how to apply some of the basic manufacturing operations concepts through the Littlefield simulation. We learned to first observe the current operating processes of the plant to locate efficiencies and inefficiencies. By calculating the existing reorder point and reorder quantity we were able to arrive at an estimate that provided the necessary raw materials to complete the products in work, fill the estimated customer demand over the short term, and create a small inventory buffer to prevent the plant from being unable to fulfill orders due to a lack of inventory. This inventory buffer was enough to absorb the variability in customer demand. In addition to inventory we were able to decrease the production time, increase the productivity, and increase the overall plant capacity by adding one machine to each station. Adding more than one machine may have allowed us to fill all customer’s orders within the minimum lead time and maximize our profits but given the short duration of the factory it was best to retain the funding in house to create a cash buffer for future projects. Comparing 268 day of data versus 50 days is not an accurate comparison for items such as profit, quantity sold, overall efficiencies, etc. One point that can be compared is the utilization of each station. As you can see from the chart provided below by adding just one additional machine the overall utilization of each station was brought into reasonable levels. Before the additional machines the utilization of each station frequently hit or exceeded 100% which indicated it had no capacity or buffer to take into account the customer’s variable demand. Also we have included below a chart showing the transactions processed by group 3 during the project period.