Marketing Strategy of Volkswagen

The Sustainable Competitive Advantage of Volkswagen Rugraff (1) stated that the global automobile industry has been suffering from unsteady competitive advantage for the last three decades due to changing the choice of the customers, market rivalry, outsourcing technological development, a new division of labor and increasing oligopolies nature of global component suppliers that generated new business opportunity and welcomed new entries.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Marketing Strategy of Volkswagen specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As a result, the automobile industry players looked for their competitive advantages on environmentally friendly technology and their internationalization through intensive investment in abroad while Volkswagen explored its competitive advantages through its expansion in the emerging market with 53% foreign employment and 76% of its revenue generated from foreign sales. Acc ording to the Volkswagen Group (7) the company’s green mobility, eco-friendly production processes, continuous effort to develop resource efficiency, 62 production facilities all over the world, characteristic global labor relations including its brand image and prolonged culture have provided the company with stability and a clear competitive advantage than its competitors. The company added that the appropriate utilization of competitive advantages provided the company huge opportunity to uphold its ecological principles, brand image, introduction of attractive vehicle models with low emissions targets, strong position in the global market, low fuel consumption, responds to the customers needs, and to fulfill the cost target of the regional customers. Das Auto (3) added that German-engineering, strong resale values, fuel-efficiency safety, clean technology, carefree maintenance program covered by the total cost of ownership have generated further competitive advantages that provided the customer excellence, operational excellence for all brands, product-excellence with a variety of models, location excellence through local distributors and the customers identified it as a symbol of their dignity. Growth Strategies of Volkswagen Volkswagen Group (11) added that its growth strategy has based on gorgeous vehicles that plead the customers all over the world meeting different regional requirements linked with their cost targets through it innovation, quick implication, and improved efficiency with huge brands that facilitated the company at an unparalleled position in the global market. Here the paper analyzed its growth strategies.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Market Penetration Strategy Wen (52) pointed out that the market penetration strategy of Volkswagen Group has organized with three different modes, such as, Acquisition and Green field, Joint Ventures Strategic Alliances with the local companies and Foreign Direct Investment in the emerging markets and the company has long evidence to practice all three strategies where they feel appropriate. At present, the company holds at least seven famous brands and all of the brands have experienced successful acquisition Volkswagen starting from 1964 to 1998, later on, the company has taken cautious measures for further investment and condensed its acquisition activities shifting to the foreign direct investment and strategic alliances through the joint venture. Market Development Strategy The Times of India (1) reported that the global giant of Automobile manufacturers Volkswagen is a multinational carmaker in Europe has aimed to turn itself at the top of all automaker by 2018, through its market development strategy to address such challenges. The marketing team of Volkswagen has focused on the further innovative approach of market development through communication s and advertising to all prospective markets. For instance, Volkswagen in India has introduced itself as a landmark automaker by its digitalized marketing campaign and introduced first talking newspaper using light-sensitive chips, while the readers turned the pages of the newspaper that readers regarding the products of Volkswagen, such digitalization has provided the company huge brand awareness measured at 38% to connect with customers. Product Development Strategy The Alternative Mobility Department of the Volkswagen Group has engaged to develop the conceptual framework for strategic product development keeping its close observation to the international and regional market integrating with new technologies, research, market trend and competitors analysis that brings future success by meeting customers demand while the product diversification strategy acts as an integral part of this strategy. Works Cited Das Auto. Volkswagen of America Corporate Fleet Sales. 2010. Web.Advertisin g We will write a custom research paper sample on Marketing Strategy of Volkswagen specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Rugraff, Eric. The new competitive advantage of automobile manufacturers. 2011. Web. The Times of India. Marketing Solutions: Volkswagen India Case Study. 2011. Web. Volkswagen Group. Sustainability Report 2010. Web. Wen, XiaoFeng. The Investigation of Volkswagen’s Entry Strategy in China’s Car Market. 2007. Web.. This research paper on Marketing Strategy of Volkswagen was written and submitted by user Tombstone to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Biography of Christopher Columbus

Biography of Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) was a Genoese navigator and explorer. In the late 15th century, Columbus believed that it would be possible to reach the lucrative markets of eastern Asia by heading west, instead of the traditional route which went east around Africa. He convinced Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain to support him, and he set off in August of 1492. The rest is history: Columbus discovered the Americas, which had been unknown until then. All in all, Columbus made four different journeys to the New World. Early Life Columbus was born to a middle-class family of weavers in Genoa (now part of Italy) which was a city well-known for explorers. He rarely spoke of his parents. It is believed that he was ashamed to have come from such a mundane background. He left a sister and a brother behind in Italy. His other brothers, Bartholomew and Diego, would accompany him on most of his travels. As a young man he traveled extensively, visiting Africa and the Mediterranean and learning how to sail and navigate. Appearance and Personal Habits Columbus was tall and lean, and had red hair which turned prematurely white. He had a fair complexion and a somewhat reddish face, with blue eyes and a hawkish nose. He spoke Spanish fluently but with an accent which was difficult for people to place. In his personal habits he was extremely religious and somewhat prudish. He rarely swore, attended mass regularly, and often devoted his Sundays entirely to prayer. Later in life, his religiosity would increase. He took to wearing the simple robe of a barefoot friar around court. He was a fervent millenarist, believing that the end of the world was near. Personal Life Columbus married a Portuguese woman, Felipa Moniz Perestrelo, in 1477. She came from a semi-noble family with useful maritime connections. She died giving birth to a son, Diego, in 1479 or 1480. In 1485, while in Cà ³rdoba, he met young Beatriz Enrà ­quez de Trasierra, and they lived together for a time. She bore him an illegitimate son, Fernando. Columbus made many friends during his travels and he corresponded with them frequently. His friends included dukes and other noblemen as well as powerful Italian merchants. These friendships would prove useful during his frequent hardships and bouts of bad luck. A Journey West Columbus may have conceived of the idea of sailing west to reach Asia as early as 1481 due to his correspondence with an Italian scholar, Paolo del Pozzo Toscaneli, who convinced him it was possible. In 1484, Columbus made a pitch to King Joo of Portugal, who turned him down. Columbus proceeded to Spain, where he first proposed such a trip in January of 1486. Ferdinand and Isabella were intrigued, but they were occupied with the reconquest of Granada. They told Columbus to wait. In 1492, Columbus had just about given up (in fact, he was on his way to see the King of France) when they decided to sponsor his trip. First Voyage Columbus’ first voyage began on August 3, 1492. He had been given three ships: the Nià ±a, the Pinta and the flagship Santa Maria. They headed west and on October 12, sailor Rodrigo de Triana spotted land. They first landed on an island Columbus named San Salvador: there is some debate today as to which Caribbean island it was. Columbus and his ships visited several other islands including Cuba and Hispaniola. On December 25, the Santa Maria ran aground and they were forced to abandon her. Thirty-nine men were left behind at the settlement of La Navidad. Columbus returned to Spain in March of 1493. Second Voyage Although in many ways the first voyage was a failure–Columbus lost his biggest ship and did not find the promised route west–the Spanish monarchs were intrigued with his discoveries. They financed a second voyage, whose purpose was to establish a permanent colony. 17 ships and over 1,000 men set sail in October, 1493. When they returned to La Navidad, they discovered that everyone had been killed by irate natives. They founded the city of Santo Domingo with Columbus in charge, but he was forced to return to Spain in March of 1496 to obtain supplies to keep the starving colony alive. Third Voyage Columbus returned to the New World in May of 1498. He sent half of his fleet to resupply Santo Domingo and set off to explore, eventually reaching the north-eastern part of South America. He returned to Hispaniola and resumed his duties as governor, but the people despised him. He and his brothers were bad administrators and kept much of the little wealth generated by the colony for themselves. When the crisis reached a peak, Columbus sent to Spain for help. The crown sent Francisco de Bobadilla as governor: he soon identified Columbus as the problem and sent him and his brothers back to Spain in chains in 1500. Fourth Voyage Already in his fifties, Columbus felt he had one more trip in him. He convinced the Spanish crown to finance one more journey of discovery. Although Columbus had proven a poor governor, there was no doubting his sailing and discovery skills. He left in May of 1502 and arrived to Hispaniola just ahead of a major hurricane. He sent a warning to the 28-ship fleet about to depart for Spain to delay but they ignored him, and 24 of the ships were lost. Columbus explored more of the Caribbean and part of Central America before his ships rotted. He spent a year on Jamaica before being rescued. He returned to Spain in 1504. Legacy of Christopher Columbus Columbus’ legacy can be difficult to sort out. For many years, he was thought to have been the man who â€Å"discovered† America. Modern historians believe that the first Europeans to the New World were Nordic and arrived several hundred years before Columbus to the northern shores of North America. Also, many Native Americans from Alaska to Chile dispute the notion that the Americas needed to be â€Å"discovered† in the first place, as the two continents were home to millions of people and countless cultures in 1492. Columbus’ accomplishments should be considered in conjunction with his failures. The â€Å"discovery† of America would certainly have taken place within 50 years of 1492 had Columbus not ventured west when he did. Advances in navigation and ship construction made contact between the hemispheres inevitable. Columbus’ motives were mostly monetary, with religion a close second. When he failed to find gold or a lucrative trade route, he began collecting slaves: he believed that a trans-Atlantic slave trade would be quite lucrative. Fortunately, the Spanish monarchs outlawed this, but still, many Native American groups correctly remember Columbus as the New World’s first slaver. Columbus’ ventures were often failures. He lost the Santa Marà ­a on his first voyage, his first colony was massacred, he was a terrible governor, he was arrested by his own colonists, and on his fourth and last voyage he managed to strand some 200 men on Jamaica for a year. Perhaps his greatest failure was his inability to see what was right before him: the New World. Columbus never accepted that he had not found Asia, even when the rest of Europe was convinced that the Americas were something previously unknown. Columbus’ legacy was once very bright–he was considered for sainthood at one time–but now he is remembered as much for the bad as the good. Many places still bear his name and Columbus Day is still celebrated, but he is once again a man and not a legend. Sources: Herring, Hubert. A History of Latin America From the Beginnings to the Present.. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1962 Thomas, Hugh. Rivers of Gold: The Rise of the Spanish Empire, from Columbus to Magellan. New York: Random House, 2005.

International & Comparative Employment Relations Essay

International & Comparative Employment Relations - Essay Example As it is a comparative study, the comparison between America and Japan shows them to be on completely different sides in terms of HR systems while the position of Germany is somewhere in the middle. With the socioeconomic situation in focus, the writer concludes that socioeconomic factors become highly important for the proper establishment of an HR control system. Using these measures other HR systems can be brought in line with the socioeconomic situation the company is placed in internationally. The results are based on a literature analysis conducted by the researcher where 12 elements of a socioeconomic system are used to place the three countries on a scale. Within each of the 12 elements, there are four HRM related operands which further define the position of the HR systems in each country. As the countries were placed and ranked according to these operands and elements their relative positions became clear within the social context which is prevalent in the country. While some of these elements showed the researcher that the countries are more or less similar when it comes to approaching Human Resource Management, the majority of the elements i.e. more than 70% showed that there are vast differences between them. In these cases, American and Japanese HRM systems were at opposite ends of the scale and the German system was in the middle. In this manner, Germany is considered the middle ground between the polar opposites of Japan and America. The pattern described above became very strong when factors such as social demographics and principles of management were examined. The writer notes that the Germans have a system of co-determination when it comes to industrial relations and this is supported by the evidence presented by Block (1999) who reports that it is common to see union members on the board of a company in Germany. Similarly, Torrington and Hall (2002) note the importance of HR in America which is supported by the