Herman Millar Inc. Essay Example for Free

Herman Millar Inc. Essay The office furniture manufacturing industry market in the United States is very competitive since many companies offering similar products. Companies compete primarily on price, product and service quality, differentiation, design, speed of delivery and customer service. Firms compete within each market segment and are pressured by growing competition from overseas manufacturers particularly from China and Vietnam. Six manufacturers-Steelcase, Herman Miller, Haworth, HNI, Kimball International and Knoll-account for approximately 60% of the U. S. office furniture market. The remainder of the market is captured by a large number of small and privately owned businesses that successfully supply the local communitys retail demand. The large number of existing companies definitely shaped the landscape of the Chinese market competition. Furniture manufacturing industry concentration has increased in last couple of years because many operators have gone out of business. Following the downturn of US economy, high unemployment rates, have created an intensely competitive environment for existing players; faced with low margins and volatile input costs, many underperforming operators were forced to exit the market. However, as the economy will recover, demand for new office furniture is expected to increase, expanding the number of companies over the five years to 2016. In conclusion, the intensity of rivalry is moderately high. Although current concentration of the industry is a low, the trend of the industry is to become more competitive in future. This would decrease the potential future profit of department store industry. Threat of new entrants The barrier to entry in this industry are medium and are steady. In the US office furniture industry, the capital required to enter the industry is considerably higher. New operators entering the industry face various challenges, including existing and well established distribution networks among operators and suppliers. To remain price competitive, the new operators need to establish strong supply relationships with manufacturers and wholesalers in order to secure good quality and low-priced stock. Since the concentration is expected to rise, it places an indirect pressure on new entrants that need to invest more in advertising to develop brand and market awareness. Marketing and promotional activity must exceed that of the existing players to build customer awareness and overcome retailer resistance. Furthermore, the productivity difference between the small-sized companies and the large-sized companies is very large. The combination of all this evidence indicates that the entrant barrier into the US office furniture industry is relatively high. Bargaining power of Supplier The intense internal competition force for resources among the large number of manufacturers pushed the bargaining power of suppliers to the most significant influence on domestic furniture industry. This refers primarily to suppliers of most important goods i. e. raw material and electric power, which are used in intermediary consumption during furniture manufacture. Purchases of raw materials are the largest expense for the Office Furniture Manufacturing industry, accounting for about 43. 7% of industry revenue. This proportion is typical for manufacturing industries, since operators require significant raw materials to produce final outputs. Input materials used for office furniture include hardwood, such as oak, cherry and maple wood; plywood and veneers; steel; glass; plastic; and glue. During the five years to 2011, the prices of these inputs have been volatile, making it difficult for manufacturers to anticipate future spending and reduce costs. In general, rising commodity prices have negatively affected the industry, increasing purchase costs for manufacturers. Bargaining power of buyers According to the research of IBIS World, department store sales depend heavily on the financial health of the consumer sector, including per capita disposable income. During periods of economic recession and decreasing income of people, consumers cut their spending by delaying purchases or substituting brands’ products with lower level products. This is heavily influenced by the unemployment rate and general economic growth. In the periods of strong economic activity people’s disposable income increase, and vice versa. Threat of substitutes Furniture has been used for thousands of years and built mostly of wood. There is little evidence indicating that wood furniture will be totally replaced by some other material in the foreseeable future. In the industry of furniture manufacture probability of substitutes is almost impossible. Current global trends have a favorable influence on increase in demand for furniture, due to ever faster obsolescence and shorter furniture lifetime, i. . due to frequent changes in design and manufacture technology. Possible threat of trend changes exists, i. e. furniture made from other materials than wood, that is, various metals, plastics and glass. However, despite the reduction of wood in furniture manufacture in the past years, wood is expected to stay one of the most important raw materials for furniture manufacture, because of its advantages when compared with oth er materials. Question: What are the driving forces and the key success factors in the industry? Answer: Having contacts within key markets: It is preferable that manufacturers have established links with a number of customers, including wholesalers, contractors and retail outlets, rather than having one or two that account for the majority of their business. Guaranteed supply of key inputs: Established links with key suppliers enable a steady flow of key inputs and price locks, which may provide cost savings for bulk purchases. Flexible production processes: Furniture items are often custom-made. Producers must be able to adjust products to suit individual requirements. Adapting to changing customer preferences: Goods produced should reflect current trends favored by consumers in order to remain competitive. Highly trained workforce: Staff is required to assemble office furniture efficiently and provide quality workmanship. Question: How have the company’s values shaped its strategy and approach to strategy execution? Provide illustrations of how these values are reflected in company policies. Answer: Question: What is Miller’s strategy? Which of the five generic competitive strategies most closely fit the competitive approach that Miller is taking? What type of competitive advantage is Miller trying to achieve? Answer: They focus on a growth strategy, through innovative products and production processes. Reinvention and renewal. They survived the Great Depression and multiple recessions, recovered from the dot-com bust and were able to continue expanding overseas. They adapted to save the company, by introducing new designs. In 1996, Herman Miller began an aggressive drive to reinvent its operations and established a fruitful relationship with the Toyota Supplier Support Center. Unique to the office furniture industry, the relationship enabled the company to adopt and implement world-class, lean manufacturing processes based on the Toyota Production System principles. Through the Herman Miller Production System (HMPS), the company dramatically reduced manufacturing square footage and inventories, cut lead times for standard product from 8 weeks Question: What is your overall appraisal of Miller’s financial performance? Answer:

A Tale of Two Cities :: Tale Two Cities Essays

Free A Tale of Two Cities Essays  - Sydney Carton and Charles Darney   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sydney Carton and Charles Darney were alike in certain ways but completely different in other ways.   Some of their characteristics were very similar while others were unlike.   Carton was an attorney’s assistant who lived in Paris while Darney was a teacher who lived in London.   They both had intangibles about them that you just couldn’t put your finger on.   These similarities and differences helped develop Dickens’s theme.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Though there were some similarities between Sydney and Charles there were not that many.   The few there were in the book helped Build symmetry.   These two people both had a love for lucie though carton had a hard time expressing it.   These two people had a stunning resemblance in their physical features.   This helped acquit Darney the first time as carton pointed out their resemblance a said no one could tell them apart.   This also helped at the end of the story. These two people are both very smart, even though they don’t know it at times.   They come up with brilliant ideas between them.   These two people may look similar and have a few similar qualities they have many more differences.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The differences between Carton and Darney were overwhelming.   While Carton was a disheveled, insolent, indifferent and rude man, Darney was a handsome, gentle successful, responsible human being.   When carton sees Darney he realizes what he could have done with his life.   Carton realizes he is not good enough for lucie.   Darney is rather flat and predictable, while Carton is exciting throughout the book.   Though Carton is less likeable, he is witty, entertaining and has many levels.   In the end, while Darney stays a very respectable person, Carton digs himself out of dismal, indifferent existence to become the hero of this novel.   These differences between Charles and Sydney supported his themes of resurrection and revolution.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The way Dickens’s used symmetry to develop was quite interesting.   He showed that two things can be similar, but never exactly alike.   He used the symmetry to show revolution, as carton and Darney became more alike as the story went along.   Dickens’s used it also to develop resurrection.   The symmetry symbolized resurrection, as Carton resurrected Darney two times.   The first was in the trial as he convinced the jury not to kill him and proved he was innocent.   The second was when he took Darney's place at the execution because he realized Darney had everything and he had nothing.

Coach Carter

Abydos Passion Play is mainly considered to be the first play to ever be performed and depicted as a religious ritual or event. Zen Buddism is one for most common and well-known Japanese Dada. It is the kung fu monks. How to read a Play according to Aristotle you must have six parts in order to read a play. Character, plot, thought, music, diction and spectacle. Blindness as it is depicted in Oedipus Rex, signifies the ignorance a character possesses (Oedipus was blind to the clues of his birth).The Noh Play Production is an interesting Japanese production that contains only male actors, and revolves around Zen Buddism. The Noah play is very simplistic in terms of the design, usually with prayer and front-center stage. It also involves musical structure. Character * Physical * Socio-economical * Psychological * Moral/Ethical Noah and his sons is a play with major dramatic structure. It was written in the middle ages, depicting the Great Food. Noah is the main character of the play. I n my opinion the major question in this play is, will Noah fulfill God’s orders on a consistent basis?He argued and fought with his wife at all times, they could never be on one accord, and have more good days then bad days in terms of their marriage. His physical appearance in this play was around his 50s and 60s in terms of age. He is introduced in the play to be considered as an old, still aging 600 and some years old. He has a wife and has children. The socio-economical of this play Noah and his sons is that they were believers in Christ but really never obeyed God especially Noah he was very stubborn and never listened to anyone.The Psychological perspective of this play is that Noah mentally disobeyed God in all of his ways in orders. He also threaten to beat his wife, then as they play goes on he and his wife agree stop fighting and become together as one. The moral/ethical perspective of this play is God. It’s simple to respect God and his orders. The flood onl y happened because the flood and the only way they were saved are because of the Arc. Personally if I was them I would always listen to God, because disobedience to God could lead to consequences. Coach Carter Abydos Passion Play is mainly considered to be the first play to ever be performed and depicted as a religious ritual or event. Zen Buddism is one for most common and well-known Japanese Dada. It is the kung fu monks. How to read a Play according to Aristotle you must have six parts in order to read a play. Character, plot, thought, music, diction and spectacle. Blindness as it is depicted in Oedipus Rex, signifies the ignorance a character possesses (Oedipus was blind to the clues of his birth).The Noh Play Production is an interesting Japanese production that contains only male actors, and revolves around Zen Buddism. The Noah play is very simplistic in terms of the design, usually with prayer and front-center stage. It also involves musical structure. Character * Physical * Socio-economical * Psychological * Moral/Ethical Noah and his sons is a play with major dramatic structure. It was written in the middle ages, depicting the Great Food. Noah is the main character of the play. I n my opinion the major question in this play is, will Noah fulfill God’s orders on a consistent basis?He argued and fought with his wife at all times, they could never be on one accord, and have more good days then bad days in terms of their marriage. His physical appearance in this play was around his 50s and 60s in terms of age. He is introduced in the play to be considered as an old, still aging 600 and some years old. He has a wife and has children. The socio-economical of this play Noah and his sons is that they were believers in Christ but really never obeyed God especially Noah he was very stubborn and never listened to anyone.The Psychological perspective of this play is that Noah mentally disobeyed God in all of his ways in orders. He also threaten to beat his wife, then as they play goes on he and his wife agree stop fighting and become together as one. The moral/ethical perspective of this play is God. It’s simple to respect God and his orders. The flood onl y happened because the flood and the only way they were saved are because of the Arc. Personally if I was them I would always listen to God, because disobedience to God could lead to consequences.

Writing News Elizabeth Gilbert a Writer Whom Nobody Expected

Most people know Elizabeth Gilbert only as the author of a bestselling novel Eat, Pray, Love, telling the story of her spiritual journey from the depths of depression to self-fulfillment and enlightenment. There is, however, much more to her. It may come as news to those who have heard about her only as the author of this book, but she has been an accomplished writer and journalist long before its publication. It is not hard to understand why she may have remained pretty obscure – none of her previous works have attracted that much attention as Eat, Pray, Love, a novel that stayed on New York Magazine Bestseller list for 187 weeks and led to a film adaptation starring Julia Roberts. However, this kind of popularity had a downside to it – it stigmatized Elizabeth Gilbert as a writer of generic self-help books or, as she herself puts it, even worse – a chick lit author, without any hope of being treated seriously ever again. Ironically, the book that brought her much more money and fame than any other part of her work simultaneously eliminated her reputation as a writer, creating instead almost a cult following that she probably didn’t ask for. For quite some time she was apprehensive about writing and publishing anything else – simply because she was afraid of disappointing her readers who expected something fundamentally different from what she had to offer them. She even considered giving up literary career for good, following the examples of Harper Lee and J.D. Salinger. She worked on several projects half-heartedly over the next few years but abandoned them; the change came only when she decided to write a second memoir, this time dedicated to the concept of marriage and commitment; the book itself is called Committed and was published in 2010 – as Gilbert puts it, at the time she was more nervous than elated, all for the same reason – she was afraid of disappointing her fans. To her joy, the book was received rather warmly – and since then Gilbert lost the fear that hindered her work, the fear that comes to any author of a particularly successful novel – the fear that the next project will be found wanting in comparison with the previous work. So now Gilbert has returned to her literary career full-time and is not going to leave anytime soon. With all probability, we will hear about her more than once in future.