Nike Crm - 971 Words

Evaluation of Nike’s CRM programme Nike’s Rationale for implementing CRM programme In nowadays business world, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is an essential for a business strategy for every company. Our chosen company is Nike, one of the largest supplier of sportswear which include shoes and apparel. Implementation of CRM programme is a essential for every successful company. Customer Relationship Management is the core business strategy that integrates internal processes and functions and external networks, to create and deliver value to targeted customer at a profit. It is based on high quality customer-related data and enabled by information technology. (Buttle, 2009) The main reason for Nike to implement CRM programme†¦show more content†¦One of the CRM programme that implemented by Nike in order to build and maintain a relationship with their customer is the Nike Fuel enable their customer to record their progress with Nike+devices that are specially designed to enable customers get info rmation about the latest sports trend, get insights and, to communicate with Nike. Nike site also enable their customer to use the search function to search for information about the Nike’s latest. The answer is provided by the use of intelligent automate response technology. There are also several sections to provide customers with answers of Frequently Asked Question (FAQ). Through the implementation of this CRM programme, Nike is able to have an open communication line with the customers and have a better understanding of their customers. Another CRM programme implemented my Nike is Nike+Connect apps, it is a free application developed by Nike that uploads customer Nike+ data from their Nike+ devices such as Nike+ FuelBand, Nike+ Sportwatch to their nikeplus.com account. It enables customer to access the pleasure of sharing their sports experiences with their friends and the community any where anytime with their personal mobile devices. Nike also implemented Nike+ running app that enable customer to share their experience on social media such as Facebook, twitter. Last but not least, the main CRM programmeShow MoreRelatedCrm in Nike Adidas945 Words   |  4 Pages4. Analyse critically how Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system can play an important role to increase profits for each of the organization. CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is an information industry term for methodologies, software, and usually Internet capabilities that help an enterprise manage customer relationships in an organized way. For example, an enterprise might build a database about its customers that described relationships in sufficient detail so that managementRead MoreNike Erp1185 Words   |  5 PagesNike Case Study Nike roots trace themselves back to the 1950s with University of Oregon field coach Bill Bowerman. Bowerman was always trying to find a competitive advantage for his track runners and had the idea of a lighter show. He would late team up with recent graduate Phil Knight and create the first Nike shoe, â€Å"the Swoosh†, which debuted in 1972. Through the years, Nike would continue to create innovative sports apparel, expand into new markets, and challenge the way people look at athleticsRead MoreSWOT Analysis - Multinational Companies2442 Words   |  10 Pagesrivals Hewlett-Packard). The Dell brand is one of the best known and renowned computer brands in the World. * Dell cuts out the retailer and supplies directly to the customers. It uses information technology, and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) approaches to capture data on its loyal consumers. So a customer selects a generic PC model, and then adds items and upgrades until the PC is kitted out to the customers own specification. Components are made by suppliers, never by Dell. PCs areRead MoreHow Mobile Application Service Quality Affected Customer Relationship Management1586 Words   |  7 PagesChapter 6. Conclusion, Limitations, and Future Research 6.1 Conclusion This research investigated how mobile application service quality affected customer relationship management, pitching to Nike+ application in Taiwan as the research target. The background indicates that nowadays, online service plays one of the key roles of customer relationship management. With the implement of mobile device, organizations are more able to develop intimate relationship with their customers in order to enhanceRead MoreSupply Chain Management1653 Words   |  7 Pages| | | a. Availability | | | d. Accuracy | 1.5 points Question 3 1. ------------------------------------------------- Customer relationship management (CRM) activities: ------------------------------------------------- Answer | | c. Are those activities related to the implementation of a software package (CRM) aiming to manage sales to prospective customers only | | | a. Are planning and control activities that link a firm with its downstream customers | | | d. All ofRead MoreApple Inc. : An American Multinational Technology Company1213 Words   |  5 PagesBeing aware of consumer wants and needs will increase an organizations success in their competitive market. CRM Systems Apple Inc. uses CRM systems to support Sales Force Automation by forecasting their sales, order management, and product knowledge. Apple Inc. thrives to have associates who are helpful in any process the customer is in and contain a diverse knowledge of all their products. CRM system, customer service and support, is the helpfulness of Apple associates after the purchase is made. TheRead MoreNike Case Study Questions882 Words   |  4 Pages Nike Case Study Questions 1. Evaluate Nike by using the competitive forces and value chain models. Nike is one of the strongest sports brands, even though it is faced with competitors in the lines of clothing and shoe manufacturing. Nike constantly releases new products, and that keeps competitors from catching up to them. I can vouch for the quality of Nike, because I have had a pair of their shoes last me for over four years without any significant wear. Granted, the soles are worn to the pointRead MoreNike s Supply Chain Project2635 Words   |  11 PagesIntroduction Nike background Nike supplychain Nike supply chain project An erp solution gone bad Playing blame game what went wrong Nike rebound Lessons learned Conclusion References Abstract: The case provides a complete account of the failing of Supply and Demand Planning software program implementation at Nike , a leading Footwear and Apparel company . The case follows the background of supply chain and ERP software execution at Nike and exposesRead MoreNike Debate1223 Words   |  5 PagesCase:   Nike:   The Sweatshop Debate 1. Should Nike be held responsible for working conditions in foreign factories that it does not own, but where subcontractors make products for Nike? Yes, Nike is not only responsible but also accountable for the working conditions of foreign countries that it does not own. Nike should realize that it is a Global Organization and working globally does not only mean that taking advantage of low cost destination but also taking responsibility of the contractors/employeesRead MoreScm And Erp Software Implementation At Nike2828 Words   |  12 Pages SCM and ERP Software Implementation at Nike: From Failure to Success 　　Name: Praveen kumar reddy pandem 　　Rule no:10000126104 　　 Table of contents Abstract Introduction Nike background Nike supply chain Nike supply chain project An ERP solution gone bad Playing blame game what went wrong Nike rebound Lessons learned Conclusion References Abstract: The case provides a complete account of the failing

As Good As It Gets An Examination Of The Mechanism And...

As Good As It Gets?: An Examination Of The Mechanism And Mode Of Treatment Of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Obsessive-compulsive disorder, often referred to as simply OCD, is a mental illness in which an individual experiences endless cycles of repeated thoughts and rituals, known as obsessions and compulsions, which she feels she cannot control (1). Although many people possess habits and routines that help them organize their every day schedules, people with OCD form patterns of behavior that are extremely time-consuming and interfere with their daily lives. Once believed to be a rare and incurable disease which people kept hidden for fear of embarrassment (2), OCD is now recognized as being far more common than previously†¦show more content†¦The second major component of OCD are compulsions, or voluntary, irresistible actions that are apparently stereotyped or ritualistic (4). Approximately 80% of all OCD sufferers experience compulsions along with obsessions (4), while only 20% experience one of the two. A person with OCD may be driven to perform the compulsive act in order t o produce or prevent another situation from happening. In most cases, the compulsive person is aware that the act is meaningless or unreasonable, however, avoiding the urge to perform the act often leads to unsurpassable amounts of stress and anxiety (4). Only when the act is carried out is the persons anxiety once again relieved. Examples of compulsions include: hand washing or wearing gloves, ordering and arranging items in specific ways, and checking rituals involving locks and appliances (2). Strong evidence suggests that OCD has both psychological and biological components (3). In the past, the causes of OCD have strictly been attributed to external factors such as family problems or learned behaviors (such as an emphasis on cleanliness). However, when OCD-like behavior was observed in other animal species including dogs, horses, and birds, attention was redirected to finding a neurobiological cause for the disorder asShow MoreRelatedOcd - Symptoms, Causes, Treatment131367 Words   |  526 Pagesfor OCD / David A. Clark. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN-10: 1-57230-963-6 ISBN-13: 978-1-57230-963-0 (hardcover: alk. paper) ISBN-10: 1-59385-375-0 ISBN-13: 978-1-59385-375-4 (paperback) 1. Cognitive therapy. 2. Obsessive–compulsive disorder. I. Title. RC489.C63C57 2004 616.85†²2270651—dc22 2003020283 To my parents, Albert and Ardith, for their support and encouragement About the Author About the Author David A. Clark, PhD, is a professor in the DepartmentRead MoreCounselling Psychology (Description and Evaluation of the Psychoanalytic Theories of Counselling and Techniques Using the)4628 Words   |  19 Pages During the history of psychology and counselling a wide range of attitudes and approaches have been developed in order to provide individuals with the ability to explore his or her inner world through varied strategies and modes of interaction. The aim was to increase the level of awareness as well as the level of motivation and changes (Sarnoff, 1960). According to Stefflre Burks (1979), Counselling doesn’t just occur between two people, â€Å"it denotes a professionalRead MorePharmaceutical Industry Ethical Practices13569 Words   |  55 Pagesthis sector which were unable to meet the local demand. Hence most of the medicines were imported to cater to the demand of Pakistani people. Facing its ups and downs throughout the time span from 1947-2010, Pharmaceutical industry has managed to get to its unique position and importance in the GDP of Pakistan. Figure on the left shows the statistics related to the pharmaceutical industry of Pakistan during 1956-66 and during 1999-2000. Numerical values shown in the chart depicts that the sectorRead MoreMergers Acquisitions in Pharma Industry21425 Words   |  86 Pages2.2.3 New Product Launches underlie market growth 2.2.5 Key Opportunities 2.2.6 FDI in Indian pharma 2.2.7 Strategy and Trends 2.2.8 Research and Development 2.2.9 SWOT Analysis 2.2.10 Mergers and Acquisitions in Pharma 2.2.11 Good Opportunities for ‘big pharma’ References Chapter Three-Merger between Glaxo Wellcome Smithkline Beecham 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Merger rationale 3.2.1 Rapid advances in Science and Technology 3.2.2 The growing importance of marketing

A Game of Thrones Chapter One Free Essays

string(68) " The hooves of their horses kicked up showers of snow as they went\." Bran The morning had dawned clear and cold, with a crispness that hinted at the end of summer. They set forth at daybreak to see a man beheaded, twenty in all, and Bran rode among them, nervous with excitement. This was the first time he had been deemed old enough to go with his lord father and his brothers to see the king’s justice done. We will write a custom essay sample on A Game of Thrones Chapter One or any similar topic only for you Order Now It was the ninth year of summer, and the seventh of Bran’s life. The man had been taken outside a small holdfast in the hills. Robb thought he was a wildling, his sword sworn to Mance Rayder, the King-beyond-the-Wall. It made Bran’s skin prickle to think of it. He remembered the hearth tales Old Nan told them. The wildlings were cruel men, she said, slavers and slayers and thieves. They consorted with giants and ghouls, stole girl children in the dead of night, and drank blood from polished horns. And their women lay with the Others in the Long Night to sire terrible half-human children. But the man they found bound hand and foot to the holdfast wall awaiting the king’s justice was old and scrawny, not much taller than Robb. He had lost both ears and a finger to frostbite, and he dressed all in black, the same as a brother of the Night’s Watch, except that his furs were ragged and greasy. The breath of man and horse mingled, steaming, in the cold morning air as his lord father had the man cut down from the wall and dragged before them. Robb and Jon sat tall and still on their horses, with Bran between them on his pony, trying to seem older than seven, trying to pretend that he’d seen all this before. A faint wind blew through the holdfast gate. Over their heads flapped the banner of the Starks of Winterfell: a grey direwolf racing across an ice-white field. Bran’s father sat solemnly on his horse, long brown hair stirring in the wind. His closely trimmed beard was shot with white, making him look older than his thirty-five years. He had a grim cast to his grey eyes this day, and he seemed not at all the man who would sit before the fire in the evening and talk softly of the age of heroes and the children of the forest. He had taken off Father’s face, Bran thought, and donned the face of Lord Stark of Winterfell. There were questions asked and answers given there in the chill of morning, but afterward Bran could not recall much of what had been said. Finally his lord father gave a command, and two of his guardsmen dragged the ragged man to the ironwood stump in the center of the square. They forced his head down onto the hard black wood. Lord Eddard Stark dismounted and his ward Theon Greyjoy brought forth the sword. â€Å"Ice,† that sword was called. It was as wide across as a man’s hand, and taller even than Robb. The blade was Valyrian steel, spell-forged and dark as smoke. Nothing held an edge like Valyrian steel. His father peeled off his gloves and handed them to Jory Cassel, the captain of his household guard. He took hold of Ice with both hands and said, â€Å"In the name of Robert of the House Baratheon, the First of his Name, King of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm, by the word of Eddard of the House Stark, Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North, I do sentence you to die.† He lifted the greatsword high above his head. Bran’s bastard brother Jon Snow moved closer. â€Å"Keep the pony well in hand,† he whispered. â€Å"And don’t look away. Father will know if you do.† Bran kept his pony well in hand, and did not look away. His father took off the man’s head with a single sure stroke. Blood sprayed out across the snow, as red as surnmerwine. One of the horses reared and had to be restrained to keep from bolting. Bran could not take his eyes off the blood. The snows around the stump drank it eagerly, reddening as he watched. The head bounced off a thick root and rolled. It came up near Greyjoy’s feet. Theon was a lean, dark youth of nineteen who found everything amusing. He laughed, put his boot on the head, and kicked it away. â€Å"Ass,† Jon muttered, low enough so Greyjoy did not hear. He put a hand on Bran’s shoulder, and Bran looked over at his bastard brother. â€Å"You did well,† Jon told him solemnly. Jon was fourteen, an old hand at justice. It seemed colder on the long ride back to Winterfell, though the wind had died by then and the sun was higher in the sky. Bran rode with his brothers, well ahead of the main party, his pony struggling hard to keep up with their horses. â€Å"The deserter died bravely,† Robb said. He was big and broad and growing every day, with his mother’s coloring, the fair skin, red-brown hair, and blue eyes of the Tullys of Riverrun. â€Å"He had courage, at the least.† â€Å"No,† Jon Snow said quietly. â€Å"It was not courage. This one was dead of fear. You could see it in his eyes, Stark.† Jon’s eyes were a grey so dark they seemed almost black, but there was little they did not see. He was of an age with Robb, but they did not look alike. Jon was slender where Robb was muscular, dark where Robb was fair, graceful and quick where his half brother was strong and fast. Robb was not impressed. â€Å"The Others take his eyes,† he swore. â€Å"He died well. Race you to the bridge?† â€Å"Done,† Jon said, kicking his horse forward. Robb cursed and followed, and they galloped off down the trail, Robb laughing and hooting, Jon silent and intent. The hooves of their horses kicked up showers of snow as they went. You read "A Game of Thrones Chapter One" in category "Essay examples" Bran did not try to follow. His pony could not keep up. He had seen the ragged man’s eyes, and he was thinking of them now. After a while, the sound of Robb’s laughter receded, and the woods grew silent again. So deep in thought was he that he never heard the rest of the party until his father moved up to ride beside him. â€Å"Are you well, Bran?† he asked, not unkindly. â€Å"Yes, Father,† Bran told him. He looked up. Wrapped in his furs and leathers, mounted on his great warhorse, his lord father loomed over him like a giant. â€Å"Robb says the man died bravely, but Jon says he was afraid.† â€Å"What do you think?† his father asked. Bran thought about it. â€Å"Can a man still be brave if he’s afraid?† â€Å"That is the only time a man can be brave,† his father told him. â€Å"Do you understand why I did it?† â€Å"He was a wildling,† Bran said. â€Å"They carry off women and sell them to the Others.† His lord father smiled. â€Å"Old Nan has been telling you stories again. In truth, the man was an oathbreaker, a deserter from the Night’s Watch. No man is more dangerous. The deserter knows his life is forfeit if he is taken, so he will not flinch from any crime, no matter how vile. But you mistake me. The question was not why the man had to die, but why I must do it.† Bran had no answer for that. â€Å"King Robert has a headsman,† he said, uncertainly. â€Å"He does,† his father admitted. â€Å"As did the Targaryen kings before him. Yet our way is the older way. The blood of the First Men still flows in the veins of the Starks, and we hold to the belief that the man who passes the sentence should swing the sword. If you would take a man’s life, you owe it to him to look into his eyes and hear his final words. And if you cannot bear to do that, then perhaps the man does not deserve to die. â€Å"One day, Bran, you will be Robb’s bannerman, holding a keep of your own for your brother and your king, and justice will fall to you. When that day comes, you must take no pleasure in the task, but neither must you look away. A ruler who hides behind paid executioners soon forgets what death is.† That was when Jon reappeared on the crest of the hill before them. He waved and shouted down at them. â€Å"Father, Bran, come quickly, see what Robb has found!† Then he was gone again. Jory rode up beside them. â€Å"Trouble, my lord?† â€Å"Beyond a doubt,† his lord father said. â€Å"Come, let us see what mischief my sons have rooted out now.† He sent his horse into a trot. Jory and Bran and the rest came after. They found Robb on the riverbank north of the bridge, with Jon still mounted beside him. The late summer snows had been heavy this moonturn. Robb stood knee-deep in white, his hood pulled back so the sun shone in his hair. He was cradling something in his arm, while the boys talked in hushed, excited voices. The riders picked their way carefully through the drifts, groping for solid footing on the hidden, uneven ground. Jory Cassel and Theon Greyjoy were the first to reach the boys. Greyjoy was laughing and joking as he rode. Bran heard the breath go out of him. â€Å"Gods!† he exclaimed, struggling to keep control of his horse as he reached for his sword. Jory’s sword was already out. â€Å"Robb, get away from it!† he called as his horse reared under him. Robb grinned and looked up from the bundle in his arms. â€Å"She can’t hurt you,† he said. â€Å"She’s dead, Jory.† Bran was afire with curiosity by then. He would have spurred the pony faster, but his father made them dismount beside the bridge and approach on foot. Bran jumped off and ran. By then Jon, Jory, and Theon Greyjoy had all dismounted as well. â€Å"What in the seven hells is it?† Greyjoy was saying. â€Å"A wolf,† Robb told him. â€Å"A freak,† Greyjoy said. â€Å"Look at the size of it.† Bran’s heart was thumping in his chest as he pushed through a waist-high drift to his brothers’ side. Half-buried in bloodstained snow, a huge dark shape slumped in death. Ice had formed in its shaggy grey fur, and the faint smell of corruption clung to it like a woman’s perfume. Bran glimpsed blind eyes crawling with maggots, a wide mouth full of yellowed teeth. But it was the size of it that made him gasp. It was bigger than his pony, twice the size of the largest hound in his father’s kennel. â€Å"It’s no freak,† Jon said calmly. â€Å"That’s a direwolf. They grow larger than the other kind.† Theon Greyjoy said, â€Å"There’s not been a direwolf sighted south of the Wall in two hundred years.† â€Å"I see one now,† Jon replied. Bran tore his eyes away from the monster. That was when he noticed the bundle in Robb’s arms. He gave a cry of delight and moved closer. The pup was a tiny ball of grey-black fur, its eyes still closed. It nuzzled blindly against Robb’s chest as he cradled it, searching for milk among his leathers, making a sad little whimpery sound. Bran reached out hesitantly. â€Å"Go on,† Robb told him. â€Å"You can touch him.† Bran gave the pup a quick nervous stroke, then turned as Jon said, â€Å"Here you go.† His half brother put a second pup into his arms. â€Å"There are five of them.† Bran sat down in the snow and hugged the wolf pup to his face. Its fur was soft and warm against his cheek. â€Å"Direwolves loose in the realm, after so many years,† muttered Hullen, the master of horse. â€Å"I like it not.† â€Å"It is a sign,† Jory said. Father frowned. â€Å"This is only a dead animal, Jory,† he said. Yet he seemed troubled. Snow crunched under his boots as he moved around the body. â€Å"Do we know what killed her?† â€Å"There’s something in the throat,† Robb told him, proud to have found the answer before his father even asked. â€Å"There, just under the jaw.† His father knelt and groped under the beast’s head with his hand. He gave a yank and held it up for all to see. A foot of shattered antler, tines snapped off, all wet with blood. A sudden silence descended over the party. The men looked at the antler uneasily, and no one dared to speak. Even Bran could sense their fear, though he did not understand. His father tossed the antler to the side and cleansed his hands in the snow. â€Å"I’m surprised she lived long enough to whelp,† he said. His voice broke the spell. â€Å"Maybe she didn’t,† Jory said. â€Å"I’ve heard tales . . . maybe the bitch was already dead when the pups came.† â€Å"Born with the dead,† another man put in. â€Å"Worse luck.† â€Å"No matter,† said Hullen. â€Å"They be dead soon enough too.† Bran gave a wordless cry of dismay. â€Å"The sooner the better,† Theon Greyjoy agreed. He drew his sword. â€Å"Give the beast here, Bran.† The little thing squirmed against him, as if it heard and understood. â€Å"No!† Bran cried out fiercely. â€Å"It’s mine.† â€Å"Put away your sword, Greyjoy,† Robb said. For a moment he sounded as commanding as their father, like the lord he would someday be. â€Å"We will keep these pups.† â€Å"You cannot do that, boy,† said Harwin, who was Hullen’s son. â€Å"It be a mercy to kill them,† Hullen said. Bran looked to his lord father for rescue, but got only a frown, a furrowed brow. â€Å"Hullen speaks truly, son. Better a swift death than a hard one from cold and starvation.† â€Å"No!† He could feel tears welling in his eyes, and he looked away. He did not want to cry in front of his father. Robb resisted stubbornly. â€Å"Ser Rodrik’s red bitch whelped again last week,† he said. â€Å"It was a small litter, only two live pups. She’ll have milk enough.† â€Å"She’ll rip them apart when they try to nurse.† â€Å"Lord Stark,† Jon said. It was strange to hear him call Father that, so formal. Bran looked at him with desperate hope. â€Å"There are five pups,† he told Father. â€Å"Three male, two female.† â€Å"What of it, Jon?† â€Å"You have five trueborn children,† Jon said. â€Å"Three sons, two daughters. The direwolf is the sigil of your House. Your children were meant to have these pups, my lord.† Bran saw his father’s face change, saw the other men exchange glances. He loved Jon with all his heart at that moment. Even at seven, Bran understood what his brother had done. The count had come right only because Jon had omitted himself. He had included the girls, included even Rickon, the baby, but not the bastard who bore the surname Snow, the name that custom decreed be given to all those in the north unlucky enough to be born with no name of their own. Their father understood as well. â€Å"You want no pup for yourself, Jon?† he asked softly. â€Å"The direwolf graces the banners of House Stark,† Jon pointed out. â€Å"I am no Stark, Father.† Their lord father regarded Jon thoughtfully. Robb rushed into the silence he left. â€Å"I will nurse him myself, Father,† he promised. â€Å"I will soak a towel with warm milk, and give him suck from that.† â€Å"Me too!† Bran echoed. The lord weighed his sons long and carefully with his eyes. â€Å"Easy to say, and harder to do. I will not have you wasting the servants’ time with this. If you want these pups, you will feed them yourselves. Is that understood?† Bran nodded eagerly. The pup squirmed in his grasp, licked at his face with a warm tongue. â€Å"You must train them as well,† their father said. â€Å"You must train them. The kennelmaster will have nothing to do with these monsters, I promise you that. And the gods help you if you neglect them, or brutalize them, or train them badly. These are not dogs to beg for treats and slink off at a kick. A direwolf will rip a man’s arm off his shoulder as easily as a dog will kill a rat. Are you sure you want this?† â€Å"Yes, Father,† Bran said. â€Å"Yes,† Robb agreed. â€Å"The pups may die anyway, despite all you do.† â€Å"They won’t die,† Robb said. â€Å"We won’t let them die.† â€Å"Keep them, then. Jory, Desmond, gather up the other pups. It’s time we were back to Winterfell.† It was not until they were mounted and on their way that Bran allowed himself to taste the sweet air of victory. By then, his pup was snuggled inside his leathers, warm against him, safe for the long ride home. Bran was wondering what to name him. Halfway across the bridge, Jon pulled up suddenly. â€Å"What is it, Jon?† their lord father asked. â€Å"Can’t you hear it?† Bran could hear the wind in the trees, the clatter of their hooves on the ironwood planks, the whimpering of his hungry pup, but Jon was listening to something else. â€Å"There,† Jon said. He swung his horse around and galloped back across the bridge. They watched him dismount where the direwolf lay dead in the snow, watched him kneel. A moment later he was riding back to them, smiling. â€Å"He must have crawled away from the others,† Jon said. â€Å"Or been driven away,† their father said, looking at the sixth pup. His fur was white, where the rest of the litter was grey. His eyes were as red as the blood of the ragged man who had died that morning. Bran thought it curious that this pup alone would have opened his eyes while the others were still blind. â€Å"An albino,† Theon Greyjoy said with wry amusement. â€Å"This one will die even faster than the others.† Jon Snow gave his father’s ward a long, chilling look. â€Å"I think not, Greyjoy,† he said. â€Å"This one belongs to me.† How to cite A Game of Thrones Chapter One, Essay examples

Entrepreneurship of Bill Gates Click Now to Get Free Solution

Question: Describe about the Project focuses on the Entrepreneurship of Bill Gates in building Microsoft as the worlds leading company in PC software? Answer: Introduction: The Project focuses on the Entrepreneurship of Bill Gates in building Microsoft as the worlds leading company in PC software. He is not only considered as worlds brilliant business magnate but according to the worlds wealthiest title holder, he ranks in the top in Forbes Magazine. Though Gates is criticized by many for his tactics used in business still his tactics proves to overrule the controversies. Thus it must be an interesting fact to know about how the entrepreneur established himself as one of the most powerful entrepreneur in the world. The study goes deeper into the role of Bill Gates for his company, certain traits that helped the organization to reach its goals. As the company slowly progressed in its business, how Bill Gates fulfilled the necessary social responsibilities and how he maintained the business ethics is a remarkable journey to explain. Background of Bill Gates: Bill Gates original name was William Henry Gates III, son of William H. Gates II, who was a Seattle attorney. He belonged to a well educated and social family. His late mother Mrs. Mary Maxwell Gates was the Chairwoman of United way International and faculty of Washington University. At the age of 13, he registered his name in Lakeside School. In eight grades at the Lakeside School, Bill Gates got introduced to computers for the first time. Gates showed his interest in programming the General Electronic system, in popular programming language of that time BASIC. In order to follow his interest, he was allowed to be excused from his maths class. His first effort in computer program was an execution of tic-tac-toe that allowed computer users to play games in the machine. He used to implement software codes easily and perfectly. Along with Gates, his peers also used to find time on systems that included PDP DEC in mini computers. The foundation of Microsoft: Around January 1975, Gates spoke to the creators of MITS (Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems) to aware that he along with others was working for the platform on Basic Interpreter, in order to boost their interest (Wallace and Erickson, 1992). A demonstration about an Altair emulator turned out to be successful. Bill Gates took a leave from Harvard (his graduate School) and along with Allen and named their partnership as Micro-Soft, located at Alburquerque. After that Bill Gates decided to leave Harvard. Later in 1976, Microsoft became an independent entity from MITS and proceeded to develop software applications for computers. Similar to most start-ups, the company also had a vision of making computers available everywhere and every people must have access to computers. In 1980, Microsoft was approaches by IBM to work on a project named Chess to which Microsoft began focusing on a newer concept of operating system that served as a bridge to the gap between computer programs and computer hardware (Eisenach and Lenard, 1999). This program later was called MS-DOS. Since then the company diversified into many other products and did many projects in an alliance with other companies. The innovation went on as a process and today Microsoft has taken over popular and perhaps the first popular mobile phones Nokia. Economic Contribution of Microsoft: With the flourishing business of Microsoft, the business progress also contributed in economic development of the country. It would be fair to consider how Microsoft made an impact in every sphere. The company is presently earning revenue of US$86.83 billion having employees more than 128,000 worldwide. The company earns a net income of US$22.07 billion. Microsoft has offices in 112 countries and out of all labor force worldwide, 57% of its labor force belonged to United States. With is number of employees employed and its revenue the company supports the infrastructure of the Economy of USA. The direct impact is the compensation of employees it is not only for USA but for each and every country where Microsoft is operating. It has been found that Microsoft pays 33% above market rate and the employers 13% above market (Jennings, 1999). Hence in general the compensation is very much higher in comparison with other companies. The competitive nature of the company helps the economy to a great extent (Glader, 2006). It is because with the efforts to top the market the competitors also contribute to the economy. Giant companies like Google, IBM, Apple, and Oracle maintains a tough competition in the market. Following table shows the annual report of Microsoft for 2014. Figure: 1 Financial highlights 2014 2013 2012 2011 Revenue (in $) 86,833 77,849 73,723 69,943 Operating Income (in $) 27,759 26,764 21,763 27,161 Net Income (in $) 22,074 21,836 16,978 23,150 (annual report, 2015) Role of Bill Gates in establishing and the success of Microsoft: Bill Gates emphasized the significance execution and clarity of thoughts. He never moved from his subject where he was excellent at. He chased the objective of supremacy over operating system and softwares. He always felt the higher degree of risk that entrepreneur faces while venturing into unaccustomed grounds (Gregory, 2013). Bill Gates always had this keenness to achieve his targets. In general the role of an entrepreneur is to run his business successfully with the help of of certain characteristics. They are: Aligning personal interest with business: Bill Gates kept his interest as the prime priority and prolonged his business operations in that perspective. He loves his work and so it clearly reflected on his success. A Perfect planner: The example of Bill Gates that how he managed to bring forward his proposition to MITs creators to present his proposal is a big instance for a good planner (Gates and Lowe, 1998). The attempt was not to present a proposal but the idea was to make an impression so that he and his peer could move forward with their plans. Financial Management: for any entrepreneur it is important to make an estimation of the business operation (Read, 2011). In order to establish the proper idea, the financial requirements should be met. In the year 2011, Microsoft invested on a music player names Microsoft Zune which competed with apple iPod. But the venture became a financial loss (PCMAG, 2015). The need Identification: Bill Gates united the business need with the need of the society. His interests on invention paved way to the unparallel success of the business. He had a mission of making computer available for every people. He has this vision of making the revolution of computer to be accepted globally. It is because of his vision today computer operations have become easily accessible (Hulten, 2010). The entrepreneurship traits: Bill Gates belonged to an educated family. After scoring 1590 out of 1600, on SAT, he opted for Harvard University for further studies. But his nature of constant innovation made him continue to work with software applications. There are certain traits that an entrepreneur should posses, for Bill Gates the traits were His intelligence: Bill Gates always understood the significance of understanding the opportunity. In 1980 Gates grabbed the opportunity of creating software for IBM to which he and his friend Allen created MS-DOS. He made deals with the software developers to agree to license Microsoft as their sole licensed agent for software application. His ambitious nature: Gates was ambitious and passionate about his business. He identified the scope for expansion for his company and profitability of his business (Jennings, 1999). His Tenacity: According to Cantillons Theory an entrepreneur is an agent who takes risk in order to equalize the demand and supply in the economy (Kuratko and Hodgetts, 2004). This concept was of 1755 but very much universal in approach. To start a business with a very new concept is a big challenge. Success can never be achieved in one day. Bill Gates saw many ups and downs in Microsoft. There was a time when the company was suffering because of hackers creating a pirated version of Microsoft windows (Mitchellette, 2008). Not only that, Microsoft Zune was a huge failure to the company while competing with Apple (McDonald, Smith and Ward, n.d.). He was also a very hard working man, he use to work all night long irrespective of the idea whether the outcomes would be positive (Rogak, 2012). Self- Belief: Bill Gates was passionate about computer software. He had a self-belief of pursuing his career as an entrepreneur to which he dared to drop out from Harvard University. It was a big step because Harvard is a reputed Institute and every student has their dreams to get an opportunity to study in Harvard (Aronson, 2009). In psychological theories of Entrepreneurship, it concentrates on the emotional traits that drives an individual to entrepreneurship (Mishra and Zachary, 2014). Psychologist David McCLelland stated that entrepreneurs hold a requirement of achievement that forces their activities. Vision: according to Opportunity based theory, Peter Drucker explained entrepreneurs excel at taking advantage of potentials that are created by cultural, technological and social changes (Shane, 2003). This is one of the remarkable traits that Bill Gates has. Bill Gates Knew it from the beginning that computer would play an important protagonist in future. He had the ability to inspect opportunities that will give a successful result. The leadership Quality that helped Microsoft to succeed: An entrepreneur is not necessarily a good leader. A company requires different talents and skills to bring from a start-up business to a successful enterprise (Shane, 2003). For that the entrepreneur must have the ability to hire the appropriate talent for the appropriate job that will help in successful business operation. A leader leads the organization, but they are not responsible for the shutdown of the company (Lussier and Achua, 2004). Even managers could be leaders, but managers are not the risk bearers like the entrepreneur. A decision maker: a leader has to be a good decision maker irrespective of time, place or situation. Bill Gates spends 6 hours a day in his office, where he regularly visits. He attends every board meeting and gives his views and makes decision that is best suited for his company. There are many decisions that he had to take, and necessarily they had to have good outcomes. To decide tactfully is what the founder of Microsoft founder had to do every day. Ability to track opportunities: This is also an important trait of an Entrepreneur. It is very clearly established that without a clear vision Bill Gates wouldnt have been able to reach this far. His ability to track opportunities inspired to reach this far. Team player: a leader leads a team; he takes the responsibility of his team of workers (Kets de Vries, 2009). A leader is a peoples person; he must possess the basic quality of caring about his people. His philanthropic nature and responsibility towards the society makes him followed by people. A team player motivates his workers, so does bill gates. There were several hardships that Microsoft faced, but with the motivational power and the problem solving ability Bill Gates managed bring Microsoft come out of it. Communication skills: Bill Gates gives a continuous effort to increase his communication skills despite being the worlds richest man. Gates likes to increase his knowledge as many times as he can, he believe it is very important to acquire knowledge from every subject. Reasons for the growth of Microsoft: The garage start-up of Bill Gates and Paul Allen never knew in its initial phase, what was going to be its future, twenty years down the line. The growth of Microsoft is remarkable in history. It made Microsoft the fastest mounting company and listed Bill Gates as one of the richest entrepreneurs in the world. The reason for the growth was Gates`s excellence in creating a leap toward personal computing. Microsoft developed software. Ballmer and Gates were running a commercial business in a competitive market without any insight and much experience on business. The wave that changed the whole view came when they started making DOS (disc operating system) it was their biggest quest in retaining in a market. At the same time, IBM was developing its first computer, which needed an operating system to operate itself. IBM approached Microsoft in a view to develop operating system but till that time Microsoft had not started developing operating systems. IBM was then directed towards CPM, a giant in the market then. However, the deal could not strike because of the cultural clash of both the countries. Bill Gates developed bought an operating system for fifty thousand dollars and gave the licence to use it to IBM for eighty thousand dollars and a deal was signed between IBM and Microsoft. Microsoft licensed it to different companies. Microsoft could demand any amount in the market for its operating systems. It was like a pass for all the personal computers. Without operating systems it was not possible for the companies to make the experience of personal computing more exciting. Since then, Microsoft started working on new projects and found new ways to reproduce a business model that would generate good revenues. It started branching out in various other products (Gates, 2008). All the products gave a wonderful experience to personal computing. Microsoft had constantly focussed on devices that connected 700 million people round the globe. The main reason of the growt h of Microsoft was the conscious mind of Bill Gates, he has always looked up with a positive mind towards all the opportunities and availed them at the right time. The first opportunity that knocked his door was when he prepared a programme for the Altair microcomputer for MITS. The second was when IBM approached Microsoft for operating systems. Clutching the best opportunities at the right time is the trait of a good businessperson. He explored the opportunities to the core with great hard work and this helped him climbing the ladders to success. Believing in one`s own dream to start his own business is what makes an entrepreneur a successful businessman. The success to ladder is not easy to climb. An entrepreneur has to have a lot of patience to see success. He fulfils the theory of opportunity-based entrepreneurship; this theory brings out the opportunity-grabbing trait of an entrepreneur (Stearns, 2014). International achievements of Bill Gates: Bill Gates has done which makes him the most recognized man on earth. He has been named as the world`s richest man many times by various organizations. The activities that his organization has incorporated all over the globe is commendable (Technology Entreprenuership and Policy: In Memory of Bruce A. Kirchhoff, 2011). Apart from the assets that the company has earned, many things make Bill Gates known globally. He became a billionaire at the age of 31 and he bid goodbye to the company in the year 2008 and became a full time philanthropist. The bill and Melinda gates foundation is one of the world`s largest foundations that fight for many causes in the world. The foundation works globally and there are many countries, which are in the purview of the foundation (Yamada, 2009). Entrepreneurship at an early age: He was born to a lawyer father and a teacher mother. His passion was for developing soft wares and doing business (The Economist, 2015). He was tech savvy from his early childhood, he wrote his first computer programme at the age of 13 (allen, 2015). He was a genius and he had a SAT score of 1590 out of 1600, which meant a IQ level of 170 (GATES, 2015). He met the co-founder of the company Paul Allen in school. The notable things about bill gates are that in the year 1975 the company generated revenue of 16000 billion, the next year the company made a profit of 22000 dollars, the company was doing loss but Gates did not lose hope and continued with the business (Gavai, 2010). He has a great ability to grow a business. Gates hires (Gates and Rogak, 2012)the best people as his employees and rewards them well with high salaries(Allen, 2011). There were thousands of backlashes that the company faced but the company moved till the end with the help of its motivated employees. Managing and retaining a company whose growth is 600% is an incredible achievement. He is named as the one of the 100 most influential people of the world in the tear 2004, 2005, 2006. He has received the honorary knighthood from the queen of England. His contribution to the world has a lot to talk about (Kovacs, 2011). Awards and Recognition from the world: Queen Elizabeth (ii) honoured this great entrepreneur with the honorary Knighthood. His illustrious life has a long story to tell, Times magazine named him as one of the most influential man of the previous century. The government of Mexico recognized Gates and his wife with the Aztec Eagle (gates, 2015). This award is received in Mexico for a developmental contribution made by any foreigner. He has authored two books The road ahead and the speed of thought. He donated the royalties from these books to various non-profit organizations. The accomplishment that he has made in the recent years was after the establishments of the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation. Since 2011, the company has made a contribution of 3.6 billion dollars toward global development (Isaacs, 2010). Ethics awareness of Microsoft: Ethics in business is a very vital thing. These ethical implications of their actions start with a careful thought to ensure that the company is behaving with responsibilities. A huge business giant like Microsoft is known worldwide for its values and ethics (gates, 2015). These list of ethics include good relationship with employees, relationship with other business groups. The ethical awareness of the company is so high that they encourage their employees to volunteer at local schools and create an interest for technology in them (gates, 2014). The company is ranked as the highest paid company in America and in addition to the salaries they give their employees a handful perk and a 100% coverage on their health care insurance (Birn, 2014). Bill gates have played many roles in his life. Apart from being a huge business tycoon, Gates is a great social worker with a heart to serve the world and make it a better place (Bygrave and Zacharakis, 2008). He is a motivator, he has been motiv ating a lot of students and new entrepreneurs through his lectures and books. The contribution of Gates in different directions is huge and there is nothing that anyone can claim unethical towards the company. Budding entrepreneurs are the people who create opportunities for the other people of the society. They create jobs and help the economy in growing. Therefore, creating entrepreneurs and motivating them to follow their dreams is what Bill Gates taught the world (Demuth and Hammond, n.d.). Conclusion: Entrepreneurship is something that includes many virtues. These virtues include patience, perseverance, and the ability to analyse. The study on world`s` biggest business tycoon Bill Gates brings out the true meaning of an entrepreneurship. His start as an entrepreneur, his achievements, and international goals has encouraged many others in the world. 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