Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Super Bowl Ads Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Super Bowl Ads - Assignment Example The commercial of this mega event is a trend setter in the industry due to high cost and quality. The Operah was marketing a jeep. At beginning the product was not clear, it revealed surprises at the end in emotional background. Patriotic emotions were triggered with the help of a very persuasive language. The theme itself was strong enough that it needs not any musical background. Without any music the theme sounds so real and natural. Female narrator suits the theme but the gender change might reduce the impact of the commercial The commercial does not leave a quick impact on a viewer and the Google Trends (Shaughnessy, 2013) shows that there it did not leave any significant impact on the Samsung search uptick. The theme of the commercial is good but it failed to win the viewership of a large segment of the society which may hint the future business, trends and gains. Shaughnessy Haydn (2013). Did Samsungs Superbowl Ad Make A Difference In Its Battle With Apple? . Retrieved from
Sunday, October 27, 2019
Business Plan For A Handicraft Business In UK Marketing Essay
Business Plan For A Handicraft Business In UK Marketing Essay INTRODUCTION The objective of this report is to study and prepare the business plan for a handicraft business in UK. This business plan deals with the feasibility analysis, idea generation, and industry analysis at both the local and global level to understand the market and business factors. The market analysis is also done, primarily through the secondary sources to capture the potential demand of handicrafts in the UK market and the trends which the customer are looking for in this industry. After analyzing the demand, the technical analysis was done for the business. For the success of any business, it is necessary that the idea or the basis of the plan should be strong. But it is also imperative that the plan should take into account a true picture of financials to have a strong foundation on which the business can be built upon. Therefore in the report, a detailed preparation of cash flow analysis, profitability analysis and the expected expenditure in the business has been taken care of. The report has taken into consideration the risk factor also which the business needs to consider before commencing on the work. Handicraft is a business which needs not only financial capital but also human capital and it is necessary that skilled labour is available in plenty. The attrition rate is low in this industry provided they are provided with adequate support and wages. In the report I have tried to touch upon that issue as well. Also the manner in which the products would be sold and promoted in the market would be taken care of. We would not be opening our own stores for now and would be selling on to other retailers. However the idea of opening the stores is not discarded as whole for now and would be seen as an option at a later stage in the life of the business. Heavy spending is planned to promote the products in the initial phase of the business and various media vehicles would be tried upon to promote the products well in the market. The business as of now focusing primarily on the UK market and later on in the later stage, the business can be expanded further. Contents Introduction Handicraft Industry The handicraft industry is one of the most productive sectors in the economy. The reason being that this sector not only uses the raw materials but also give employment opportunities to a number of people. Thus not only financial capital and raw material is employed but also a lot of human capital is also used in this business (Garrison, 2008). According to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) International Symposium on à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Crafts and the International Market: Trade and customs codificationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ , Manila, Philippines, October 1997. Handicrafts can be defined as products which are produced either completely by hand or with the help of tools. Mechanical tools may be used as long as the direct manual contribution of the artisan remains the most substantial component of the finished product. Handicrafts are made from the raw materials and can be produced in unlimited numbers. Such products can be utilitarian, aesthetic, cultural, artistic and may have a social, religious and symbolic significance (Robertson, 2002). Industry Analysis UK has been a country with a rich and diverse culture. Lot of migrant population also resides in various parts of the country. It is because of this that handicraft industry has played an important role in this country. The industry provides economic advantage much because of the demand from various strata of the population (Mathias, 2001). Handicrafts have always attracted people much because of their cultural importance and it crosses barriers too. The customers in any market look for handicrafts from not only the local market but also from the other countries (Barlow, 1991). Therefore both the cultural and financial values are attached to this industry. This industry by its mass and production scale lies in the middle class as not much finance and manufacturing facilities are needed in this business. The industry is decentralized and is labour intensive. Not many players fight in this market and only small players operate in this area. The sector employs a lot of people and thus acts as a medium of employment for lot of people. The sector has seen an increase in growth much due to the fact that people have been more open to the culture of other countries and are accepting it more often. The era of globalization has helped in the revival of this industry not only in the UK market but also in other markets too (Andrews , 2009). Classification of Handicrafts Industry Handicraft products can be distinguished into the following: Metal ware Wood ware Hand printed textiles Embroidered and crocheted goods Shawls Carpets Embroidered goods Bamboo products Zari goods Earthenware and jute products Miscellaneous handicrafts SWOT Analysis of Handicraft Industry Strengths Market is diversified and has huge potential Presence of large product variety because of various cultures Low capital investment Flexibility in production of goods as per market demand Low barriers to the entry of new players Products sold are high value ones and have diversified usage Weakness Lack of coordination between government bodies and companies Inadequate information on the current market trends Lack of skilled labour Opportunities Development of domestic tourism sector which helps in boosting sales. Usage of internet and other technologies in boosting the market potential Rising demand because of people becoming more open to cultures Threats Lack of branding opportunities in this sector Threats from the developing countries like India and China in terms of resources Business Proposition We would be dealing in the limited set of handicraft industry as many products come under its purview. Our company would serve the needs of the customers in only the wooden handicrafts market. The reason for choosing this is that in UK market these products are used almost in every home. Products like decorative chairs, desks, beds, sofas which are made by hand are seen as high value products in the market as customers look for something different. Particularly for the UK customer, they need products which not only serve their functional purpose but also add something extra. It is with this that we plan to enter in this industry with this specific set of products. Wooden handicrafts refer to a wide range of wooden items carrying utilitarian and artistic value that are made by hand o with the use of simple tools. They are made by unmatched workmanship, have fine designs and have subtle elegance. The products require low capital investment to manufacture. The wooden handicraft sector provides a high ratio of value addition and has emerged as one of the major sources of foreign exchange in the country too. (Sumption, 2010) Market Analysis Majority of the current players in the market deal in almost all the product categories in the wooden handicraft industry. (Macleod, 2006) Retailing is not done by them and they deal in mostly the production part. They have retailing contracts with other partners which help them sell the products Monthly production units are majorly in the range of thousands of units for all the products combined Wooden and glass handicrafts are majorly in demand in the UK market. (John, 2006) Inventories are usually kept low as these products are sold and produced in lower units in the market. Almost all the players in the market hire the labor at a contractual basis rather than on a permanent basis. Many of the players take the route of exhibition to promote their products to the customers. (Mathias, 2001) These products are high margin products as they are mainly value based ones. Hence high margin and medium volume is generally the trend in the industry Competition The following players currently operate in the market and sell wooden handicrafts in the market. World Art and Crafts Ltd. Java Art Elements Ltd. Demand Analysis and Forecasting During our study we also analysed the demand pattern for the various products in the wooden handicraft market and it came to around 50000 units per month on approximation. There is a demand supply gap in the market as according to our supply the current players in the market are able to provide close to 30000 units only. Hence we consider a huge potential to be catch up in the market.(Boseley,2009) The market is growing closely at an annual rate of 15%. Hence it is decided that the capacity would be initially 60% for the first year and then it will grow accordingly. Marketing Channel As mentioned before, our business involves only manufacturing the products. Therefore we would use a network of retailers called partners to sell our products in the market. These would be mainly big retailers like WalMart, Tesco etc. Strategic Marketing Plan Wooden handicraft particularly the furniture part is an unbranded commodity and hence manufacturers generally do not have to spend too much on the promotional part. It is better for them to increase the margin given to the retailers so that they push the company product more in front of the customers. However in order to differentiate our offering and to capture the customer base, it is necessary to have a basic strategic marketing plan. The following would be the strategies used by us: Steady supply with timely delivery to fulfill the demand in the market thereby providing products with high quality Products would be given emphasis on the design front. Designs would be based on several themes Orders would also be taken online from the customers apart from being available in the retail The company plans to both manufactures the products locally in the UK market as well as import some of it from the Indian market. Indians play a vital role in UK both in terms of trade and demographics and thus there is a market to serve the Indian community. The other reasons to source the products from India are: The demand for Indian wooden handicrafts is evergreen. It is both difficult for the labour in UK to produce these handicrafts as the design in Indian art work is quite intricate. Hence it is decided that some portion of our products would be sourced directly from the Indian producers, mainly based in states like Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Indian being a developing country, both the labour and raw materials are quite cheap as compared to other developed countries. Hence it makes sense to outsource some of the production work. Indian artisans are well known around the world. British make a major portion of the people visiting India every year and hence they come in contact with Indian art and culture too. Thus getting products from market like India helps in understanding the customer taste and keep the product portfolio up to date. Some of the Indian players which have been shortlisted and considered for sourcing of the products are as follows: Khan Arts India Madnik International Goyal India Indus Trade Handmade Crafts Antiquity Handicrafts All the products in the portfolio would be sourced from these six major exporters in India. These players have been selected after thorough search of their business and their financials. They enjoy good reputation in the Indian market and also export to other players in different countries. It is decided to have business with six players as it will help us diversify our risk and help us maintain a steady flow of products from India. These players are from different parts of the country and thus the products served by them would have different designs as India being a vast country has many sub cultures which attract many people worldwide. Technical Analysis Wood carving is a time consuming process as craftsmen take time to make every piece. The process may take a week to months depending upon the level of intricacy in the design. The process use a lot of different tools also like saw, lathes, drills, chain saws etc. Machinery Involved The following machinery would be used by the workers in the business: Chemical treatment plant Seasoning plant Surface planner Grinder Driller Gaze machine Sanding machine Structure and Civil Work Sr.No. Particulars Area (Sq. feet) Amount (British Pounds) 1 Factory shed 1800 6000 2 2 stock room 360 1050 3 Guard room 80 250 4 Power room 80 250 5 Boundary wall 3200 6 Washroom 48 150 5 labour quarters 7 Rooms 120 18000 8 Wash rooms 48 700 9 Office rooms 180 550 10 Fire fittings 600 Total 30750 Labour Requirements Handicraft is a labour intensive product and thus a lot depends on the kind of labour employed. Employees Number Annual Salary (British pounds) Production supervisor 1 25000 Accountant 1 25000 Skilled workers 5 20000 Semi skilled workers 8 16000 Unskilled workers 3 13000 Peon 1 10000 Guard 1 10000 Total 20 119000 Financial Analysis Particulars Land and site development Building Plant and Machinery Other fixed assets Preoperative expenses Preliminary expenses Provision for contigency WC Margin Total Means of Finance Particulars Promoterà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s capital Long/Medium term loan from banks Total Basic Assumptions underlying the financial projections The construction period will last one year The company would work 365 days a year The expected capacity utilization will be 60% in first year, 65% in second year and the increment based on past performance. The term loan would be re-paid in 14 equal half-yearly installments. The interest rate on the outstanding term loan would be 12% The bank finance for working capital will cost interest rate 12% The depreciation rates for company law purpose would be Building 3.34% Plant and Machinery 8% Misc fixed assets 5% The suppliers for raw material would provide credit for 15 days The salvage value is assumed to be 5% of fixed assets. Sales Forecast Sales Forecast (units) Year 2010 2011 Units 9500 12000 Conclusion The business plan has been prepared keeping in mind all the factors and taking financials to the best of the present picture. It is therefore expected that the actual outcome would represent the true picture of this outlined plan. Finally, my personal interest in this field will lead to establish my own business. These will result in successful and sustainable business. References Andrews, J.(2009).Handel allinglese, Playbill,. Accessed from: http://www.playbillarts.com/features/article/4236.html (Last Accessed: 5th March 2010) Barlow, I.( (1991) Metropolitan Government. Accessed from: http:// www.new.wales.co.uk (Last Accessed: 5th March 2010) Boseley, S (2009). The question: Whats behind the baby boom? The Guardian. Accessed from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/jul/14/familyandrelationships.women (Last Accessed: 5th March 2010) Garrison, Webb B. (2008).Why You Say It. Accessed from: http://www.readbooksonline.net (Last Accessed: 5th March 2010) MacLeod, Donald (2006). Britain second in world research rankings. The Guardian. Accessed from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2006/mar/21/highereducation.uk4 (Last Accessed: 5th March 2010) Mathias.P (2001). The First Industrial Nation: the Economic History of Britain. Accessed from: http://www.johnbirchall-economist.com (Last Accessed: 5th March 2010) Mathias.P (2001).The First Industrial Nation: the Economic History of Britain. Published by: Routledge, ed.2, pp. 56-58 Mensah. J (2006). British culture on a high rise. Robertson, Kirsty (2006), How to Knit an Academic Paper. Queens University, 30 March 2006 Sumption, M.(2010). The UKs new Europeans: Progress and challenges five years after accession. Equality and Human Rights Commission. Accessed from: http://www.equalityhumanrights.com (Last Accessed: 5th March 2010)
Friday, October 25, 2019
Analysis of Robert Frosts Fire and Ice Essay examples -- Frost Fire a
Analysis of Robert Frost's Fire and Ice     For Robert Frost, poetry and life      were one and the same. In an interview he said, 'One thing I care about,      and wish young people could care about, is taking poetry as the first form      of understanding.' Each Robert Frost poem strikes a chord somewhere, each      poem bringing us closer to life with the compression of feeling and      emotion into so few words. This essay will focus on one particular poem,      the meaning of which has been much debated due to the quantity of words      used, or the lack there-of.             There have been many readers of Frost's poem "Fire and Ice", thus      being interpreted in many ways. Many readers would interpret the poem to      mean something about 'the physical end of the world, or the end of the      physical world' (1). Lawrence Thompson views the poem as hinting at the      destructive powers in "the heat of love or passion and the cold of hate,"      sensing that "these two extremes are made so to encompass life as to be a      gathering up of all that may exist between them; all that may be swept      away by them" (2).             Upon closer examination of "Fire and Ice", I found a distinct      parallel that closely mirrors the tale of Dante's Inferno. The Inferno is      the first part of Dante Alighieri's poem, the Divine Comedy, which      chronicles Dante's journey to God, and is made up of The Inferno (Hell),      Purgatorio (Purgatory), and Paradiso (Paradise). In The Inferno, Dante      begins his journey on the surface of the Earth, guided by the Ro... .... Much later, and in what I think is      'a veiled tribute to Robert Frost', John Ciardi translates these lines      as(2):      I come to lead you to the other shore,      into eternal dark, into fire and ice. (3.83-84)                                                                              Works Cited:     http://www.epcc.edu/Faculty/joeo/fire_scientific.htm. Online. Netscape Navigator. Feb. 4, 2001.  Thompson, Lawrance. Fire and Ice: The Art and Thought of Robert Frost. New York: Henry Holt, 1942.  Dante Alighieri. The Inferno. Trans John Ciardi. New York: Mentor, 1954.  Dante Alighieri. The Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri. Vols. 9-11. Trans. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.  http://www.divinecomedy.org. Online. Netscape Navigator. Feb. 5, 2001. Â
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Compare and Contrast Women at Home in Ww1 and Ww2
Compare and contrast the role of women at home during World War I and World War II. Before World War I and World War II, women at home had the roles of maintaining duties for their family and children, such as cleaning, caring for the house, and cooking for the family. They were more likely judged by their exquisiteness rather than their ability. Just before World War I began, women were beginning to break away from the traditional roles they had played at home. Throughout both World Wars, women in the United States faced similar challenges, however, during the Second World War; women were trusted with much more freedom and responsibility than they had in the First World War. In comparison, the first and second World Wars set a great change in the ways women interacted with the rest of the world. While many men in the United States had to serve in war, women took on many of the roles at home that traditionally belonged to men. Women in both wars took on jobs in the war effort which included being military nurses, factory workers, journalists, and many more occupations that helped the war and occupied women in jobs that were primarily for men. One of most ordinary jobs women took during both wars was that of a nurse. Women joined the military forces to become nurses that helped heal soldiers who were wounded. Although men doubted the effort women can put in an emergency situation, women proved themselves and men became more certain. An important job that was taken by women at home during both wars was working in a factory. Having so many men serve in war, women were obliged to work in factories and showed their best efforts into helping the war. Once women began taking over, the idea was caught by the government in which they put great effort into hiring women for many jobs that helped the war effort. The First World War marked the beginning of the women’s new era. During World War one, women were greatly demanded to fill in jobs for men who served in war. Jobs such as nursing, telephone operations, and working in factories were some of the important jobs women were permitted to take. At the time of World War one, the Young Women Christian Association (YWCA), Patriotic League, and the Red Cross organizations were made to help the war efforts. The Red Cross for example, allowed women to work and help the war effort as nurses. As women were not seen to work in higher praised jobs that only men could do, they proved themselves to be as skilled if not more during World War one. Women worked in industries and their development was drastically spoken about in newspapers and articles. There successes and skilled efforts was commended and was beginning to change the minds of men who thought women were incapable. Women, during World War one, replaced men in skillful jobs such as railroad workers, and other machine operators. During the beginning of World War one, women were seen as incapable of holding professional jobs that men took. However, demonstrating their efforts in factories and helping the war effort showed the capability of women to work in any job that was traditionally for women. Throughout World War one, women gained the positions of being doctors, lawyers, and bankers. These job opportunities during World War one gave women a chance to show the male-dominated society that they were proficient and were able to more than staying at home and raising their children. Throughout World War one, women had played a vital role in helping the war and its soldiers. Women also played a key role in helping the nation moving in their efforts in industries. Prior to the First World War, women had no power socially and economically. Women were seen as house wives and were to follow the road of raising children and taking caring of the household. However, the First World War was a turning point for women. By the end of war, they had proved to be just as important to the war effort as men. Transportation, nursing, and working in factories were needed to a great extent and it was given to women to handle which shows their significance to society. Before the war, none of these jobs had been permitted to women, only with the exception of nursing. Women, in World War one, proved that they could contribute and take as much responsibility as men could. However, as many have seen women as capable and skillful as men, some still see women as not proficient and skillful to play the roles of men in society. The role of women tended to differ in importance between World War I and World War II. Women began to gain more freedom and respect when men realized that women were capable of working. Women fought for equal pay and made a drastic impact on the workforce. Women began to gain confidence in themselves, and took over many male-dominated jobs. During War World One and Two, women took on many of the same jobs such as nursing, machine operators, doctors, and lawyers. However, in World War Two, women power was in demand and changed tremendously. In World War One, many debated and opposed the use of women in armed forces and were needed in jobs such as telegraphers and operators. However, during World War Two, thousands of women served in the Women’s Army corps and the United States Navy. The Women’s Air Force also began during World War Two, where women were trained as pilots who would be able to fly planes to military bases. Women helped the war effort by working to help with machinery and making weapons for the war. Women had more responsibility during World War Two in operating heavy construction machinery, working in steel mills and munitions. The number of women working had significantly increased since World War One. In World War Two, over six million women entered the work force making them one third of the labor force. A drastic increase of women began to work in war industries in helping the war effort. For the majority of women, World War Two was a symbol of freedom. Women were able to work in any profession they wished to work in rather then forced into the roles the society created for them. World War One and War World Two for many women was about the gaining strength and mobility. As many men had to serve in the war, women took over many male responsibilities. Women have always been limited in strength and mobility; however, both World War I and World War II had changed the set of any rule. Both these wars became the doorway in which women were released. The roles of women in the World Wars had affected the future significantly. Due to their vital roles in both Wars, their roles in society became much different then it had been before World War I. After both these wars, women became free to create their own lives; there was an increase in freedom and an increase in equality. World War II was another chance for women to prove their capability and efforts. Life for women had changed, and they were able to do what they pleased and became more independent. There were far few obstacles that stood in the way of women proving themselves as extremely capable and worked through extreme barriers to prove to society what women can do.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Ducati Case Study Essay
Introduction: Being a motorcycle company that produces high performance, highly successful racing motorcycles, as well as motorcycles for the commercial market, has proven to be a winning strategy for Ducati. This case focuses on Ducati Corse, a subsidiary of Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. that manages racing teams, bike development, promotions, and sponsorship areas of the company. Ducati Corse is a relatively small organization that encourages cross-departmental integration with its internal teams to achieve the best motorcycle design and racing outcomes as possible. Ducati started racing in the new MotoGP Circuit during the 2003 race season. With unexpected positive racing results, Ducati took the data collected from the 2003 racing season and changed too many aspects of the bike in 2004. The 2004 racing season proved to be far worse partially because Ducati failed to test all changes made. Looking forward to the 2005 season, Ducati is debating whether to switch to a modular design for their racing motorcycle that would, over time, lead to grander designs for Ducati. Discovery: Question 1: What is the organization trying to achieve? Ducati is after a competitive advantage, via learnings from previous races, which has produced a new product design process that will allow modularity of their racing motorcycle. With success on-track, Ducati believes they can achieve increased commercial sales through a popularity increase, which comes from the surge of interest following a winning race or season. Ducati engineers collect and use enormous amounts data from previous races and tests along with rider feedback to build a winning combination of bike attributes that are specifically tuned to the nuances of the ride. Question 2: How would you describe their operating environment? The Ducati operating environment is informal and small when compared to competitors. With most departments under one roof, the company has a siloed feel to it. Ducati has hired top graduates, who have an intense passion for motorcycles. Ducati encompasses three main principles: a data-driven approach to problem solving, a clear priority in solving problems, and frequent face-to-face communication. The importance of face-to-face communication cannot be underestimated and Ducati Corse, being a small operation, can seize the advantage of having a small floor plan, more direct personal relationships, and close geography to push operations that are more efficient. Question 3: Who are their customers and how does this affect their decision? Ducati’s customers are in-market, sport motorcycle enthusiasts looking for a high performance bike. They also have customers, likely race fans, who may one day consider a Ducati for purchase, but may not necessarily be in the market for one now. Customer-wise, Ducati has a primary focus on the Western European and North American markets. If Ducati can win on the track, marketing has additional opportunities for promotion via traditional and non-traditional media. It is crucial that Ducati performs well on-track to give customers additional assurance and confidence when applying purchase rationale that they are buying a high performance machine. Question 4: What at this point is the current dilemma? The current dilemma is whether or not to take a modular approach to their GP5 design for the 2005 race season. In the past two years, they applied an integrated design approach, which had made small design changes very expensive, but resulted in high performance. This pushes Ducati Corse to evaluate the risk of taking a modular approach, which offers ease of manufacturing and the ability to change one aspect of the bike at a time, but could result in a compromise of performance. Development: Question 1: What accounts for Ducati’s success? The perceived performance of the street bikes was positively influenced by successes on the track, which was intimately intertwined with sales. The two played well together because Ducati realized increased off track sales as they continued to win on track. Ducati’s success was a combination of Ducati engineers’ passion for their work, their detailed attention to the design process, and a well-defined, developed method called the â€Å"Ducati Method.†The â€Å"Ducati Method†helped lead to modular design via extensive use of CAD and simulation technology to optimize the design before physically developing the components followed by intense testing to validate the design. Question 2: How did Ducati use data? Processing, interpreting, and using real-time data is a complex task which the Ducati engineers employed with the help of other departments. They utilized rider feedback from the races, videos of each race, track tests, data on race performance, and functional data acquired by on-bike sensors. Ducati used the data from the track to identify problems that could not be detected in simulation. This type of data is excellent for measuring relative performance, evaluating structural stress loads, drivetrain torque, and system temperatures. However, it can be greatly influenced by the driver and environmental conditions. Data of this volume proved difficult to sift through, and additional staffers were hired to tackle it for the 2004 season. Question 3: What is your assessment of their approach? We feel that Ducati’s approach was ineffective due to the lack of a structured plan with clear priorities. Ducati Corse tried to solve more problems than they were able, which seemed to result in missed opportunities even though each team member was hungry for success. They were overconfident with the positive results of the 2003 season, and that proved faulty for 2004. Ducati did not give themselves enough time to test everything and should have researched why they performed so well in 2003. Their decision to make big changes to GP3 in order to make GP4, despite initial success of GP3, is not comprehensible. The company should have taken an incremental approach to design changes to improve the design. Question 4: What options do they have to improve the performance in both the short and long term given their capabilities? What are the strengths and weaknesses of these options? In the short term, the company can continue to do parallel testing and make incremental changes to the design rather than making big changes. The strength in this is that improvements would be progressive in nature, but the downfall could be that you cannot always predict or assure riders’ confidence levels and it would not simplify the design process. In the long term, they should continue with the modular design development. They cannot effectively pull off an entirely new modular design in-between seasons. The strength in this is that calculated steps toward better performance will more so guarantee movement in the right direction. Since this would be a new, large-scale design approach, it would require more testing, analysis, and validation before it could be successfully implemented. Question 5: Should they go to a modular approach†¦what should they do? The modular approach is a positive change for Ducati. With it, they have the opportunity to build a greater amount of flexibility in the engineering framework in order to provide higher results on track. This change would allow them to more easily make greater strides in performance with less effort and effect on other systems – all of which could translate to higher off track sales. Deployment: Question 1: What do you want to do? Ducati should strive to accomplish a modular design for the 2005 racing season, while working on evolutionary improvements to the current bikes as a backup plan. Ducati might want to consider re-weighting the importance of data that delivered via the riders during the race season. Perhaps focus their feedback on ergonomic features of the bike, while taking hard data from engine and subsystems to measure the performance of the bike. This will help to fine tune the changes and deliver an increased amount of on-track victories moving forward. Finally, we would need to consider the design options from commercial standpoint and will only support those design changes that can be implemented in commercial bikes. Question 2: What will it take and what approaches, tools and techniques will help? Leaving enough time to analyze the data from the current and previous racing seasons will help Ducati to use the information to the best of their ability. Improvement of this nature will take many calculated improvements. The continued use of concurrent engineering and computer-aided design will help Ducati to stay on top of technological changes in the marketplace. The use of classic engineering tools: team structure, design reviews, effective accelerated testing, careful planning, utilize Plan Do Check Adjust and lean the problem solving. Also, more component level testing needs to be done before full system level testing is done because the eventual use of the models will be in the commercial motorcycle industry. Thus, the engineering team should collaborate with manufacturing and follow the concurrent engineering model. Question 3: How will this impact decision making, product development, and operating structure? Switching to a modular design will help Ducati in their decision making process by focusing on the advantages and disadvantages of each individual change as opposed to many all at once. The modular design will allow for smaller development teams which can work more independently and possibly even have competing teams develop variants of a given component. The product development process will become more integrated company-wide even though the product itself will be less integrated and more modular. The operating structure of the Ducati environment will effectively remain the same. Debrief: Question 1: What can you take away from this case study? There are a few overall takeaways with this case. First, effective communication done with respect is of utmost importance to effective engineering operation. Second, the need to use tools, systems, along with human feedback, provides a balance of the use of human and mechanically collected data and is most beneficial when analyzing an operation. Finally, a proper root cause analysis of any problem must be done before designing a solution. Question 2: What can you take away from the decision making approach? Ducati benefited from taking a step back and altering their approach, moving from integrated to modular design. It is not easy to be without a robust design, or a product that can function over a broad range of conditions, but Ducati kept their organization flexible enough to be able to do so quickly and have it based on real-time results. Management is making decisions and changing approaches based on learnings from past mistakes and what competitors are doing, which will only serve to enhance their product offerings in the future. Summary: Ducati was already a successful company before taking the brave step of altering a process that had been in place for years. They had always brought in top talent, with the passion to make the company a force on the track and extremely desirable to consumers off the track. It was time to take the company to the next level and deliver consistent results on track. The engineering approach and internal collaboration led to a modular design and a more flexible approach. This renewed way of design and manufacturing is a sign that Ducati will be successful for years to come not only because they can change, but because they have the leadership and personnel who are willing to take risks and put the company ahead of any personal interests.
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