BMW Human Resources Policy

BMW Human Resources Policy Organisations, Analysis and Policy REPORT To: Senior Management From: Group Accountant Date: 2nd May 2005 Subject: BMW Organisational Analysis andHuman Resources Policies This report will provide a detailed analysis of BMWscurrent corporate appraisal analysis. This will help to identify the companyscurrent strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. This will help thecompanies decision makers understand where the organisation is now. The reportwill also critically evaluate BMWs human resources policy as a key area of theorganisation. We will highlight how BMW has strategically responded to thedrivers for change in terms of its structure, conduct and performance. Finally,offer recommendations for the future development and improvements in humanresource management, and how those will impact on its organisational structure,conduct and performance. Company Background The BMW Group is the only manufacturer of automobiles andmotorcycles worldwide that concentrates entirely on premium standards andoutstanding quality for all its brands and across all relevant segments. With the brands BMW, MINI andRolls-Royce Motor Cars, the BMW Group has been focussing on selected premiumsegments in the international automobile market since the year 2000. In thesucceeding years, the launch of the BMW 1 Series meant an expansion of themodel range in the premium segment of the lower middle class and the BMW 6Series did likewise in the segment of the large CoupÃÆ'Â ©s and Convertibles. TheMINI marque was launched and production began in the Oxford plant in 2001. In2003, the BMW Group assumed marque responsibility for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.At the same time, the Worldwide Head Office and Manufacturing Plant inGoodwood, GB, was built. ( AnInternal and corporate analysis in terms of strength, weaknesses, opportunitiesand threats (SWOT) will assist in gaining an understanding of where BMW iscurrently in terms of strengths and where improvement is required within thebusiness and what outside environmental threats it may face as well as what newopportunities are available to the company in the short and medium term. Figure 1:BMW SWOT Analysis STRENGTHS Diverse ranges of Products BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce Strong Cash Flow Position Increase turnover and trading profits Strong Balance Sheet Worlds leading Premium Quality Automobile Manufacturer Brand Awareness Human resources Capabilities to turn resources into advantages OPPORTUNITIES New Products Market shift to globalisation Innovation Alliances Customers demand change to more comfortable and relevantly cheap cars Diversification New Technologies in Automobiles WEAKNESSES Perception of High Prices Customer disinterest Environmental issues: Pollutions Buyer sophistication and knowledge Substitute products or technologies THREATS New existing competition Volatility in Price of Fuel New legislations Consequences of the oil crisis September 11th Economic recession Market shift to globalisation Takeover bids Far-East Automobile companies expansion Extremely high competition for customers and resources The Five Forces Model Figure2: Five Forces Model ACCA Paper 3.5 (2001) Threats from Potential entrants Suppliers Bargaining power Competitive Rivalry Buyers Bargaining power Threats from Substitutes Porterexplains that there are five forces inherent in a market, which will jointlydetermine the intensity of competition and profitability of BMW and theautomobile industry. The first is the threat posed by new entrants, the highcapital expenditure and confidence of customers represent significant barriersto entry and the market is also sensitive to reputation. However, the emergentof low cost manufactures do pose a significant threat (as illustrated by figure2). There is an opportunity in the low price/ low economy (fast) sector. MaybeHyundai or Daewoo could consider introducing a low cost sport saloon. The second is the threats from substitutes, as thereare many make and model of other premium branded cars, hence, Jaguar, MercedesBenz, Audi etc. The third force is the threats from the bargaining power ofbuyers, is this strong for both BMW and the entire automobile industry with alarge number of alternative suppliers, hence, the aggressive pricing strategy.This results in a very str ong competitive rivalry in the industry. This isintensified as a result of little or no differentiation in the basic productoffered. Finally the threats from the suppliers bargaining power, this isfairly low in the automobile industry, due to dual sourcing strategies, using arange of alternative sources of supply for parts. The five forces analysis gives an improved understandingof the degree of competition within the business environment. The analysisshows that the automotive industry is highly competitive, with buyerspossessing and exerting a very powerful influence to the large number ofsubstitute brands available to them. BMW Human Resources Policy In response to a changing business environment BMW isbeing more business and service focus. In the past decade the organisation hasbecome much more proactive, dealing with new concepts to become more serviceand customer focus oriented. The structure of the organisation has beenredefined to deal with the new ways of operating. Organisational structuredefines important relationship within the business for achieving businessobjectives. At the same time it helps to define the new business culture withinBMW. Culture exists with the minds and hearts of BMWs employees andcontributes to business strategies of the organisation. Therefore, BMWs humanresources policies are critical in the organisations structure, conduct andperformance. Competitive pressures on BMW and national economies haveincreased markedly in recent decades. Therefore, organisations are constantlychanging, as powerful entities have arisen at the international level, theEuropean Union being a good example and multinational corporations increasinglydominate particular sectors such as cars. New competitions are emerging andforcing older companies to adopt or reform to survive. Different structuresaffect the way in which human resources are managed. BMW like all otherbusinesses require the same basic human resources activities like recruitment,development and training, appraisal and reward systems, and control andfeedback mechanisms. Organisational structures are influenced by culture.Employees have strong feelings towards the organisations they work for. Germanfirms have inherently a flat, less rigid structures. The McKinsey 7 S modelis often used to identify all the areas that make up an organisation.Structure, Style, Staff are three such areas. BMW has an equal opportunities none sexual discriminatingculture within its organisation. BMW actively supports young female executivesand gives females insight into the field of technology. BMW also offersextensive training for all level of staffs; BMW Groups Trainee PromotionProgramme (TPP) provides the perfect combination of theoretical studies andpractical work. BMW Group trainees receive many benefits in addition to theirpay, other social payments such as holiday and Christmas bonuses, meal andtravelling expenses subsidies, health programme and PC training. BMW claims that it does not see its staff as a cost factorbut as an essential performance factor. Also the employees are referred to asassociates rather that works. BMW in its human resources policy states thatany policy that is not oriented towards its associates will lead to negativecost effects in the long-run. As a future-oriented company, we seek to pursue anexemplary, creative and associate-oriented human resources policy, makingsignificant contributions to business success through our human resourcesactivities. The human resources policy of the BMW Group is an integral featureof our overall corporate policy in both strategic and operative decisions. (Corporate appraisal (or SWOT analysis) consists of the internal appraisal ofthe organisations strength and weaknesses and an external appraisal of theopportunities and threats open to organisations in competition within industry.

Social Protest in Uncle Toms Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe :: Uncle Toms Cabin Essays

Uncle Tom's Cabin as Social Protest      Ã‚   Even today, with literature constantly crossing more lines and becoming more shocking, Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin remains one of the most scandalous, controversial, and powerful literary works ever spilled onto a set of blank pages. Not only does this novel examine the attitudes of white nineteenth-century society toward slavery, but it introduces us to the hearts, minds and souls of several remarkable and unprecedented characters.    In a time when it was quite common for a black woman to see almost all of her children die, Harriet Beecher Stowe created Eliza; a strong and powerful woman fleeing slavery and risking everything to protect her son.    In Chapter Seven, we see through Eliza's eyes, just how painful and heart wrenching her personal sacrifices are to her.    "It is impossible to conceive of a human creature more wholly desolate and forlorn than Eliza, when she turned her footsteps from Uncle Tom's cabin. Her husband's suffering and dangers, and the danger of her child, all blended in her mind, with a confused and stunning sense of the risk she was running, in leaving the only home she had ever known, and cutting loose from the protection of a friend whom she loved and revered. "    Statements like this were not simply crafted to enhance character development; they were created in an attempt to make whites see slaves as mothers, fathers, Christians, and most of all...people. The character of Tom is described as "a man of humanity"   certainly not a description commonly linked to black people at that time.    Tom was truly the first black hero in American fiction. However, Stowe based many of her assessments on her own reality. And while it is obvious that she very much advocated the abolition of slavery, she did not completely rise above her own racism. After all, this work was written during a time in which racial equality was incomprehensible to most whites. Therefore Stowe's ingrained prejudices were bound to seep out occasionally, despite her positive convictions.    There is a section in Chapter 30 which reads as follows:    "Ah, ha! that's right. Go it, boys, -- go it!" said Mr. Skeggs, the keeper. "My people are always so merry! Sambo, I see!" he said, speaking approvingly to a burly negro who was performing tricks of low buffoonery, which occasioned the shouts which Tom had heard. Social Protest in Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe :: Uncle Tom's Cabin Essays Uncle Tom's Cabin as Social Protest      Ã‚   Even today, with literature constantly crossing more lines and becoming more shocking, Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin remains one of the most scandalous, controversial, and powerful literary works ever spilled onto a set of blank pages. Not only does this novel examine the attitudes of white nineteenth-century society toward slavery, but it introduces us to the hearts, minds and souls of several remarkable and unprecedented characters.    In a time when it was quite common for a black woman to see almost all of her children die, Harriet Beecher Stowe created Eliza; a strong and powerful woman fleeing slavery and risking everything to protect her son.    In Chapter Seven, we see through Eliza's eyes, just how painful and heart wrenching her personal sacrifices are to her.    "It is impossible to conceive of a human creature more wholly desolate and forlorn than Eliza, when she turned her footsteps from Uncle Tom's cabin. Her husband's suffering and dangers, and the danger of her child, all blended in her mind, with a confused and stunning sense of the risk she was running, in leaving the only home she had ever known, and cutting loose from the protection of a friend whom she loved and revered. "    Statements like this were not simply crafted to enhance character development; they were created in an attempt to make whites see slaves as mothers, fathers, Christians, and most of all...people. The character of Tom is described as "a man of humanity"   certainly not a description commonly linked to black people at that time.    Tom was truly the first black hero in American fiction. However, Stowe based many of her assessments on her own reality. And while it is obvious that she very much advocated the abolition of slavery, she did not completely rise above her own racism. After all, this work was written during a time in which racial equality was incomprehensible to most whites. Therefore Stowe's ingrained prejudices were bound to seep out occasionally, despite her positive convictions.    There is a section in Chapter 30 which reads as follows:    "Ah, ha! that's right. Go it, boys, -- go it!" said Mr. Skeggs, the keeper. "My people are always so merry! Sambo, I see!" he said, speaking approvingly to a burly negro who was performing tricks of low buffoonery, which occasioned the shouts which Tom had heard.

Macbeth †The Supernatural Essay

The term supernatural in the dictionary is described as ‘a phenomena that cannot be explained by the laws of nature of physics’. The term supernatural today can be connected with a lot of subjects; ghosts, poltergeist, mediums, physics and many more. In my own definitions supernatural means something that cannot be explained. The term supernatural in the 21st century has become more popular with the media about ghosts, psychics and making contact with the dead. Generally people are categorised today as believers and non-believers, the supernatural is an issue, which divides people. However in the time where James I was king almost everyone believed in the supernatural and this is why the issue of the supernatural was of an importance to contempory audiences. The majority of people that believed in the supernatural in Jacobean times were also frightened of it. People believed ion a metaphysical world, which is a spiritual world. The reason they were frightened was they believed evil, as well as good, was all around. An evil spirit could affect your body or your mind/spirit as they were different things and a person would have no control over himself or herself if an evil spirit took over. An example, of what they believed when spirits took over, is how healthy they were. If they were well they believed good spirits ruled over and if they were ill the evil spirits ruled. Witchcraft was also considered evil and in 1605 a law was passed which meant if you had anything to do with witchcraft you were killed. Shakespeare wrote the play Macbeth with the subject of the supernatural to be at the centre point of everything that happened. Its importance is high and it affects the audience, the characters and the plot in different ways. The first scene of the play opens with the ‘weird sisters’. The witches open the scene to introduce the audience to the play and show the main theme is evil and the supernatural, this gives the audience a good idea of what to expect. The scene itself, for the audience, is also set it is on the moor and the audience would have recognised and associated this setting with bleakness and a place where dark spirits are. This scene also sets up the plot with the supernatural being present. Dramatic effects are used from the start of this scene which interest the audience, the witches use incantations to suggest control and power: â€Å"When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightening, or in rain?† The witches have control over the weather, the rhyme also sounds like spells, which supports the supernatural effect on the scene. The conversation between he witches is also started mid scene which adds to the dramatic effect of the scene: â€Å"Hover through the fog and filthy air† Is another quote which suggests the witches have the ability to fly but they are not clearly seen, this is hint that the witches my not seem to be all they are through the play. â€Å"That will be ere the set of the sun† The third witch also predicts the battle will be over before the sun sets, another point which shows they have the power to accurately predict events. Language in the first scene gives both history and themes of the play: â€Å"When the hurly-burly’s done When the battle’s lost and won.† The word hurly-burly is to suggest the Scotland civil war and suggests the battle of good and evil is lost and won. This is interesting for the audience as it adds to the historical content and keeps the audience interested in the play. The battle may also be seen from another point of view however, the battle for Macbeth’s soul. â€Å"Fair is foul, and foul is fair† This quote also suggests when the battle is finished it is good for 1 but bad for 1. It also suggest things are not always what they seen to be which gives the theme of ambiguity of reality and humanity for the play. Rhyming couplets are also used; this gives the sound of an incantation. In this scene the witches are planning to meet Macbeth: â€Å"There to meet with Macbeth.† As mentioned before they talk about the battle between good and evil and they seem to be predicting what will happen, however, you could think the witches are purposely putting the evil events in motion. This is a factor, which has to be taken into consideration when interpreting their characters. Their characters are also a symbolism of fate. In Act 1 Scene 3 the Witches meet Macbeth for the first time, they are important in this scene to do three things. The witches entertain the audience using their powers: â€Å"I’ll give thee a wind,† This, along with Act 1 Scene 1, again suggests the witches can control the weather. The witches also talk of a sailor’s wife who refused to give her chestnuts and she will get revenge on the woman by victimizing her husband and delaying his arrival home: â€Å"Here I have a pilot’s thumb, Wreck’d as homeward he did come.†

What Was the Pax Mongolica

In much of the world, the Mongol Empire is remembered as a cruel, barbaric conquering force under Genghis Khan and his successors that laid waste to the cities of Asia and Europe.  Certainly, the Great Khan and his sons and grandsons did more than their fair share of conquering.  However, what people tend to forget is that the Mongol conquests ushered in an era of peace and prosperity for Eurasia - a time that is known as the Pax Mongolica of the 13th and 14th centuries. At its height, the Mongol Empire extended from China in the east to Russia in the west, and south as far as Syria.  The Mongol army was large and highly mobile, enabling it to patrol this enormous territory.  Permanent army garrisons along major trade routes ensured the safety of travelers, and the Mongols made sure that their own supplies, as well as trade goods, could flow smoothly east to west and north to south. In addition to enhancing security, the Mongols established a single system of trade tariffs and taxes.  This made the cost of trade much more equitable and predictable than the previous patchwork of local taxes that had prevailed before the Mongol conquests.  Another innovation was the Yam or postal service.  Ã‚  It connected the ends of Mongol Empire through a series of relay stations; much like the American Pony Express centuries later, the Yam carried messages and letters by horseback across long distances, revolutionizing communications. With this vast region under a central authority, travel became much easier and safer than it had been in centuries; this, in turn, spurred a vast increase in trade along the Silk Road.  Luxury goods and new technologies spread across Eurasia.  Silks and porcelains went west from China to Iran; jewels and beautiful horses traveled back to grace the court of the Yuan Dynasty, founded by Genghis Khans grandson Kublai Khan.  Ancient Asia innovations like gunpowder and paper-making made their way into medieval Europe, changing the future course of world history. An old cliche notes that at this time, a maiden with a gold nugget in her hand could have traveled safely from one end of the empire to the other.  It seems unlikely that any maiden ever attempted the trip, but certainly, other traders and travelers such as Marco Polo took advantage of the Mongol Peace to seek out new products and markets.   As a result of the increase in trade and technology, cities all along the Silk Road and beyond grew in population and sophistication.  Banking innovations such as insurance, bills of exchange, and deposit banks made long-distance trade possible without the risk and expense of carrying large amounts of metal coinage from place to place.   The golden age of the Pax Mongolica was doomed to end.  The Mongol Empire itself soon fragmented into different hordes, controlled by various descendants of Genghis Khan.  At certain points, the hordes even fought civil wars with one another, usually over the succession to the Great Khans throne back in Mongolia. Worse still, smooth and easy movement along the Silk Road enabled travelers of a different sort to cross Asia and reach Europe - fleas carrying the bubonic plague.  The disease probably broke out in western China in the 1330s; it hit Europe in 1346.  Altogether, the Black Death probably killed about 25% of the population of Asia and as much as 50 to 60% of Europes population.  This catastrophic depopulation, coupled with the political fragmentation of the Mongol Empire, led to the breakdown of the Pax Mongolica.