Case Study on Entrepreneurship: Larry Page

Business Analysis

The Boundaryless Career: Modern Contemperory Perspective on Career

Human Resource Management

Concepts of Throughput Accounting and Theory of Constraints

Financial Management

Kaizen – Understanding the Japanese Business Philosophy of Continuous Improvement

Operations Management

Role of Leaders in Shaping Organizational Culture

Management Principles

Platform Leadership – Meaning and Examples

Platform Leadership is a new  concept in strategic management, introduced by Annabelle Gower and Michael Cusumano in their book , “Platform Leadership: How Intel, Microsoft, and Cisco Drive Industry Innovation,” HBS Press, 2002.  Platform leadership enables companies to exert influence over the direction of innovation that is taking place in their industry, thus extending their weight over the network of firms and customers involved with the industry. In the initial phase of many industries, the early movers tend to develop most of the components necessary to make the products. But later, specialized firms typically emerge to develop different components. Along with components, evolve platforms, which consist of various components made by different companies. Some companies become platform leaders. They ensure the integrity of the platform by working closely with other firms to create initial applications and then new generations of complementary products. “Becoming a platform leader is like winning the Continue reading

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Features of Management By Objectives (MBO)

Management by Objectives (MBO) was first popularized by Peter Drucker in 1954 book ‘The Practice of Management’. Drucker drafted MBOs as an approach to get the management and employees to jointly set goals to achieve known as objectives. The main purpose for setting objectives was to give both the managers and employees a clear understanding of what they were expected to do in the organization in order to achieve the objectives set. The objectives were set during certain time periods which at the end of the period to evaluative performances are carried out to determine the extent to which the set objectives had been achieved. An example of an objective includes attaining a sales or profit target by the end of a financial year. In the modern world of business where gaining competitive over competitors has became one of the main goals by organization, Management by Objective has become one Continue reading

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Decision Making Conditions

There are different conditions in which decisions are made. Managers sometimes have an almost perfect understanding of conditions surrounding a decision, but in other situations they may have little information about those conditions. So, the decision maker must know the conditions under which decisions are to be made. Generally, the decision maker makes decision under the condition of certainty, risk and uncertainty. 1. Certainty Certainty is a condition under which the manager is well informed about possible alternatives and their outcomes. There is only one outcome for each choice. When the outcomes are known and their consequences are certain, the problem of decision is to compute the optimum outcome. Similarly, if there are more than one alternative they are evaluated by conducting cost studies of each alternative and then choosing the one which optimizes the utility of the resources. The condition of certainty exists in case of routine decisions such Continue reading

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Case Study: Apple iPod Silhouette Ad Campaign

Released by Apple Computer, Inc., in November 2001, the iPod rapidly grew in sales and by 2005 had become the world’s top-selling MP3 player. With a 1,000-song capacity, the first iPod worked only with Apple computers and retailed at $400. From 2003 to 2005, however, Apple ferociously promoted five new Windows-compatible iPod models, along with the company’s digital music store, iTunes. In an attempt to define the fun associated with the iPod brand and to steer advertising away from the Apple computer, the company released its ‘‘Silhouette’’ campaign. In October 2003 ad agency TBWA\Chiat\Day (TBWA\C\D) introduced outdoor ‘‘Silhouette’’ ads in Los Angeles, followed by a nationwide print and television launch. All ads displayed black silhouettes of people listening to white iPods and dancing in front of radiant green, yellow, fuchsia, and pink backgrounds. The television spots were accompanied by upbeat music from bands like N.E.R.D. and the Black Eye Peas. Continue reading

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Introduction to Supply Chain Management (SCM)

Definitions of  Supply Chain Management Supply chain management (SCM) is the management of a network of interconnected businesses involved in the ultimate provision of product and service packages required by end customers (Harland, 1996). Supply Chain Management spans all movement and storage of raw materials, work-in-process inventory, and finished goods from point of origin to point of consumption (supply chain). Another definition is provided by the APICS (The Association for Operations Management) Dictionary when it defines Supply Chain Management  as the “design, planning, execution, control, and monitoring of supply chain activities with the objective of creating net value, building a competitive infrastructure, leveraging worldwide logistics, synchronizing supply with demand, and measuring performance globally.” Supply Chain Management (SCM) as defined by the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP): “Supply Chain Management encompasses the planning and management of all activities involved in sourcing and procurement, conversion, and all logistics management activities. Continue reading

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Commodity Futures – Meaning, Objectives and Benefits

What is “Commodity” and “Commodity Exchange”? Any product that can be used for commerce or an article of commerce which is traded on an authorized commodity exchange is known as commodity. The article should be movable of value, something which is bought or sold and which is produced or used as the subject or barter or sale. In short commodity includes all kinds of goods. Indian Forward Contracts (Regulation) Act (FCRA), 1952 defines “goods” as “every kind of movable property other than actionable claims, money and securities”. A commodity exchange is an association or a company or any other body corporate organizing futures trading in commodities for which license has been granted by regulating authority. In current situation, all goods and products of agricultural (including plantation), mineral and fossil origin are allowed for commodity trading recognized under the FCRA. The national commodity exchanges, recognized by the Central Government, permits commodities Continue reading

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