CITI business case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

CITI business - Case Study Example Increased competition for capital continues to force banks to innovate (Citibank, 2008). In order to differentiate its e-business products from those of its competitors, Citibank took several measures(Citibank, 2008). First, the bank developed a strategy for its corporate banking division where its target corporate clients included multinational corporations (MNCs), financial institutions, government agencies, local enterprises and SMEs. The bank understood that each of these corporate client categories had unique needs. The bank realized to need to go the extra mile to package its products to meet the unique needs of every customer (Citibank, 2008). Citibank also differentiated itself and its products from those of its competitors through an improved, comprehensive customer service. The customer service includes telephone hotlines, relationship managers who take their time to comprehend the individual customer’s needs and product advisors whose role is to advise customers on the product or products that most suits its needs. Finally, the bank continues to invest heavily in technology in order to promote both the front- and back-end electronic banking systems. Besides, the bank seeks to make itself more accessible to its customers through what is calls its unified platform. The platform uses a teamwork approach that allows the bank to work with every function in the organization of the client (Citibank, 2008). Grow its global reach: As at the time of developing this strategy in 2008, Citibank had operations in 100 countries of the world and employed over 268,000 people. This global presence, the bank believes, puts it in a strong position to meet the global needs of its customers. This being the case, the bank should continue its global expansion drive. Strengthen its brand: The bank believes that it has built a strong brand

To what extent can improvements in productive flow and product quality Essay - 4

To what extent can improvements in productive flow and product quality lead to an increase in sales and profit - Essay Example product flow and quality, and determine how their association can be harnessed to promote sales as well as profits. Business organisations exist with a goal of maintaining continuous improvement and productivity; a goal that can only be achieved if high sales and profits are maintained. Enhanced sales and profits provide adequate opportunities and resources to the manufacturers that they apply for innovation and growth. Enhanced innovation enables manufacturers to provide superior and lean quality products that attract customers. Most companies strive to leverage operational improvements into strategies that transform the company (Williams, Haslam and Williams, 1992). Production flow defines the concept of mass production. It is the idea of producing large quantities that are manufactured through application of high standardised methods. Production flow is applied by many companies because it promotes the production process; it is easier and quicker. The introduction bit of the proce ss is cumbersome and difficult although it becomes easier once the production flow attains momentum. Owing to its emphasis on production of large quantities of commodities, production flow relies on the machinery for most of its roles. This implies that surmountable resources require to be allocated in the purchase, training and maintenance for the strategy to be efficient. Machines involved in this process should be selected and handled carefully to ensure that they are not vulnerable to wear and tear. This may lead to loss in terms of maintenance and replacement costs (Womack, Jones and Roos, 1990). According to Oulton (1987), mass production has its merits as well as demerits. Installation of the machinery required for production requires abundant financial resources. However, once the machinery has been installed, organisations save considerable financial resources, especially the money required in hiring and maintenance of human labour (Gilchrist, 1971). The work output is norm ally high. The accuracy levels are also high provided the machines are maintained in a superb working form. Machines are also capable of abiding to the set deadlines with no requirement for extensions. Abiding to the performance deadline is enhanced by the presence of assembly lines that allows continuous and consistent flow of manufactured products. This enhances output as well as the quality of the products produced in the long term, leading to increased sales and profits. Investing in production flow process benefits the manufacturer due to improved sales, leading to the increase in profits. Quality can be defined as the ability of a product or service to fulfil the client needs or expectations. Therefore, it can be measured depending on the level that the quality of a product satisfies the expectations of a consumer. High quality products have superior features that satisfy the consumer needs while the features of low quality products do not correspond to the needs of the consum er. For instance, the features that determine the quality of mechanical products include appearance, safety and reliability. Product quality improvement should consider the customer’s needs and expectations, extent of fulfilment of both national and international regulations and the competitiveness of the product (Williams, Haslam and Williams, 1993). Improving the product quality will not only satisfy the consumer needs; more customers will be attracted leading to increa To what extent can improvements in productive flow and product quality Essay - 1 To what extent can improvements in productive flow and product quality lead to an increase in sales and profit - Essay Example Additionally, there is product price, product quality, customer preference, and economic stability of a market. Product quality and productive flow are also factors that affect sales and profit. They have various ways through which they affect sales and profit (Shaharudin, Mansor, Hassan, Omar & Harun, 2011, p. 8163; Shetty & Buehler, 1991, p. 8). The extent, through which product quality and productive flow can increase sales and profit, can only be shown through explaining the effect of these two factors on sales and profit. How improving these factors can lead to increased sales and profit, will clearly be produced in the explanations given about their effects. The essay is, therefore, divided into two main sections: The effects of product quality on sales and profit, and the effect of productive flow on sales and profit. These will show the relationship between product quality and productive flow to sales and profit hence; help in understanding how improving the two factors can l ead to increased sales and profit. Effect of Product Quality on Sales and Profit The main element that brings value to a customer in the market offering is the product. A product is more than a tangible object. It includes performance quality, service features, brand name, design and packaging. The quality of a product is very important since it affects the product performance and so is connected to customer satisfaction and value (Shaharudin, Mansor, Hassan, Omar & Harun, 2011, p. 8164). Consumers of today seek high quality products. The only problem is different perceptions held by customers about quality. Any company interested in selling its products should conduct thorough market research, depending on the type of product they have, to determine what their consumers perceive as high quality. Consumers in the United States, for example, rank quality based on reliability of a product, durability, easy maintenance, ease of use, brand name and the price. This is specifically on mot or cycle products (Shaharudin, Mansor, Hassan, Omar & Harun, 2011, p. 8164). Improving the quality of a product, therefore, increases the sales of a product. Sales depend on customer satisfaction and value, and product quality is one way of satisfying the customer and offering something of value depending on the customer. The extent to which product quality affects sales is great. This is because, for goods to be sold, customers have to want, need or prefer them. Preference is most common where there are a variety of products with different features, prices, brand names, quality and so on. Product quality is a determining factor in preference for a product, so affects sales. Customer satisfaction and value is vast. There are different customers with different tastes, needs, and economic capability. All these determine the preference hence the intent to purchase a product (Shaharudin, Mansor, Hassan, Omar & Harun, 2011, p. 8164). Product quality is the totality of a product or servic e characteristics that give the product or service the ability to satisfy given needs. If a product fulfils a customer’s expectations, the customer becomes satisfied and begins to build loyalty. Loyalty is developed through trust and positive relationship with the customer. Customer loyalty retains customers and contributes to the number of sales made in a given period of time. This clearly indicates one of the various ways through which product qua

Discuss the knowledge, skills and experiance you will need to manage Essay

Discuss the knowledge, skills and experiance you will need to manage contemporary health and social care services in the UK - Essay Example Defining the contemporary approaches which are used as well as how these develop into alternative needs within health care then create a stronger understanding of how management theories and styles create a direct relationship to other needs. The management theories and styles is the first concept which relates to the health care and policies that are intertwined with the various concepts of the system. There are a variety of styles which are portrayed and used for the development of a specific system. The first is the scientific methodology, introduced by Frederick Taylor. The approach which is taken with this is to develop a scientific and practical approach to the management styles to maintain and control the health care systems that are used. The scientific term is developed specifically with the ideology of favoring factual information over psychological information and knowledge that is used within society. The approaches as well as the policy development that is created is then based on creating factual information related to what is needed within the health care systems and not creating alternative responses or styles which may interfere with the expectations from a scientific viewpoint. The nature of this policy development is able to mainstream policies without interference with the complications which sometimes occur with health, specifically in terms of psychological and personal relationships that may be developed (Simpson, Connor, 2011: 25). The second way in which management is developed within health care is developed by Weber and is based on bureaucratic development with the policies. The initiation which is taken with bureaucratic policies is based on finding the legal and governmental approaches to the management styles. Decision making, policies and daily needs within health care are available specifically through the ideology of the political system. This is created with terms of

Relevant Information for Decision Making Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Relevant Information for Decision Making - Essay Example packing with this eventual end in mind would be something that the company would be losing money on in the short run; yet something that it was willing to doing order to both see to the needs of the environment as well as engage the customer with the idea that it was a primary focus of the brand to seek to develop a degree of sustainability. Naturally, as with any key decision, relevant and non-relevant costs both factors into such an implementation. As such, this brief analysis will consider the relevant and non-relevant costs associated with management’s decision with regards to aforementioned issue. The change mechanism which will be discussed herein took place over a period of two weeks during the beginning of September 2012. Of course the relevant costs associated with such a change will necessarily be those associated with the differential between the cost of continuing to provide the old form of packaging as opposed to the new. With respect to this differential, as has been noted, it will be more expensive for the firm to engage in the new form of packaging due to the fact that it will require new and emergent technology to be utilized in seeking to reduce the overall amount of waste generated as well as seeking to ensure that the waste that is generated is both photosynthetically degradable as well as biodegradable in enhanced ways. Similarly, the key non-relevant cost associated with this decision is the manner and degree to which the customer will readily embrace the new packaging and/or find themselves unhappy with the changes that have been wrought. This concern is of course highly relevant and important in an industry that is oftentimes subject to the dissatisfaction of consumers based on no other rational than a key component of expected value that they have grown accustomed to has changed or is slightly differentiated than before (Argawal et al 2011). Implementing such a change was not especially difficult from the employee approach as

Finance and Accounting Problem Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Finance and Accounting Problem - Essay Example Bank interest is deducted at source at the rate of 20%. Therefore, they cannot be included as taxable income. Depreciation reflects how fixed assets of business reduce in value through wear and tear. However, depreciation is just an accounting concept with nothing to do with taxation. Depreciation can be manipulated and taxmen do not recognize it as an allowable tax. Instead, annual capital allowance is computed. Vehicle of businesses have a standard rate of 25% on a reducing balance. In April 2008, Annual Investment Allowance (AIA) of ?50,000 per annum was introduced. This allowed business entities to spend ?50,000 annually and claim the full cost against tax. For Sam’s case, the tax written down value for the car in 2012 is ?6,750. According to the tax law in the UK the capital allowance on the car is the lower of 25% of the written down value of the car or ?3000 each year. ... 234.00 Add Car Tax (178 g/km) ? 210.00 Less those form charity ? 100.00    ? 31,542.08 Notes PAYE tax and NIC thresholds are ?7,475 and ?7,225 per year respectively. Table 3- Computation of PAYE Income   Rate   Amount Amount ?7,475.00 ?35,000.00 20% ?27,525.00 ? 5,505.00 ?35,001.00 ?80,771.25 40% ?45,770.25 ? 18,308.10   Total ?23,813.10 Table 4- Computation National Insurance Contribution (Sam is categorized as in class 4) Income   Rate   Amount Amount ?7,225.00 ?42,475.00 9% ?35,250.00 ? 3,172.50 ?42,476.00 ?80,771.25 11% ?38,295.25 ?4,212.48 Total ?7,384.98 The dividends paid as tax was 32.5% of ?720=?234 Car tax for a car producing 178 g/km CO2 is ? 210.00. Contribution to charity is computed taking into consideration that Sam declared that he is UK’s tax payer. Therefore, Sam has to be refunded some money, which is computed as follows. The amount to be refunded = ?400? ((40-20) ?80) = ?100 Question 3 Table 5- Sam’s Income Tax and National Insurance Comp utation for 2011/12 if he is classified as an employee of West London Ltd. Add PAYE ?22,303.12 Add NIC class 1D ? 11174.06 Add taxable dividends ?234.00 Add Car Tax (178 g/km) ?210.00 Income tax ? 3,477.18 Notes Table 6- Taxable income Item Amount Basic Salary ? 76,996.31 Benefits 0   Taxable income ? 76,996.31 Table 7- PAYE computation Income Amount Used Rate Amount ?7475.00 ?35000.00 ?27525.00 20% ?5505.00 ?35001.00 ?76996.31 ?41995.31 40% ?16798.12 Total PAYE    ?22303.12 Sam earns higher income and will be paid ?90,000 annually inclusive of National Insurance Contributions. No reimbursement for any travelling or accommodation when away from home on branch visits and no refund for trade subscription and reference materials. Mileage payments for business travel. The mileage expenses are qualifying amounts

Sex Education Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sex Education - Assignment Example As the essay declares  the information that is supposed to be presented within the scopes of sex educational process must contain the following items: sexual development and reproduction, means of contraception and other information about birth control, relationship dynamics and norms, and different kinds of sexuality.  It is difficult to say which aspect of sex education is the most needed for nowadays society, as all of them concern the most problematic personal issues that appear among people of all countries.This paper stresses that  it is important to say that sex education plays crucial role for the society in general, because it has the goal to reduce the rates of early pregnancies which may lead to increase in the quantity of abandoned children, and also it prevents expansion of such dangerous sexually transmitted diseases like AIDS and HIV.  Being aware of the possible outcomes of unprotected sex makes young people more attentive concerning their sexual relations; mo reover, apart from becoming conscious of the means of contraception, they may even refuse having early sex and be more careful in relationships in general.  The point is that, according to some psychological researches, the roots of understanding of the concept of sexuality and formation of sexual identity happens in childhood, when a person observes one’s environment and comes up to certain understanding of sex.

Training Program And HR Order Essay Example for Free

Training Program And HR Order Essay Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   We are in the epoch of organizational reform and innovation. Our time is marked with rapid changes in the demography of workforce, changing corporate culture, and changing institutions. In the light of the rapid shift in today’s organizations, the skills required of human resource managers, beginners in the profession and even aspiring students in the discipline, rest on the foundation of knowledge on the whole gamut of human resources and organizational development. Corporate America is not without its complications. When the company â€Å"succeeds,† there is with it (the success) a corresponding notion of responsibilities and liabilities. Organizations thrive today because of the policies and guidelines they have managed to fixed firmly in their set-up and translated into their day to day affairs. Big businesses have the competitive edge over others – i.e., over small entrepreneurs, because they have arrived at their positions in the market place by securing certain parameters in the many facets that comprise their organizations. This is especially true on government laws and regulations (McKenna, 2000).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Company policies reflect the company’s intentions of not only looking into employees’ benefits and/or plight, but its willingness to comply with authorities. Safety must be of prime importance in each organization and cooperation between employees and the imposed restrictions must be monitored and regulated. Any accident prevention program can only be effective and successful with the combined efforts of the management, supervisors, foremen and employees. This is where motivating the employees to participate is also critical and the constant and proper communication channels are employed in the organization. Government’s monitoring should also be unceasing because the tendency for institutions to make lapses and/or company support to be negligent with their duties can oftentimes occur (McKenna, 2000; Clement, 1981). Discussion ~ Training Programs: its purpose and efficacy   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Training and training programs instituted by an organization requires that the management realizes the need for a systematic program for employee training and development through the formulation of company policy and its implementation by specifying who should be responsible. Management must therefore consider training as one of its major functions. It must realize this need because training is a continuous activity and requires management’s attention and support. Without management’s continued backing, financial, and moral, the program will fail (Clement, 1981).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Regardless of the sophistication and predictive validity of a selection program, it is almost always necessary to expose newly hired employees to some kind of training before they can be maximally effective on a new job, even if the employees are already experienced with the tools utilized in the workplace. The purpose of which is to increase the employee’s productive efficiency and to enhance organizational goals. Training requirements are made more complicated when the workers have had little actual job experience or are being hired for a type of work they have never performed (Baron, 1983). The organization’s selection procedures ideally ensure that new employees have sufficient intelligence, aptitude, and attitude to learn the job. The effects of a training program are in some cases tangible and in other cases, intangible. In the case of the former, empirical measurement of effectiveness is relatively easy; but in the case of the latter, it is not so. For example, the effectiveness of a training program, such as one for operator training, work study or inventory control, can easily be measured in terms of increased productivity or reduced cost, after the trainees have completed the program. But in the case of a program on human relations or leadership, the benefits cannot be measured in terms or units; they are seen and felt over a period of years. The effectiveness of such programs can also be measured from the point of view of objectives of the program by conducting in depth interviews of the participants, their superiors and subordinates (Baron, 1983). ~ The HR Manager’s role to make training effective   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The HR manager should determine, in consultation with the different line departments, what training activities are needed, arranged according to priorities. He should evaluate the training programs and submit to management annual reports on the status of each program, their effectiveness, and the quality of the training activities. He should continually sell the training programs to all supervisors and managers and integrate the programs with other personnel actions, such as promotions or transfers. He should also extend technical aid to the supervisors and managers at all levels in determining training needs, selecting instructors or demonstrators and evaluating results (Landy, 1985; Baron, 1983; Clement, 1981).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another important role of the HR manager is to evaluate whether the training conducted met what was intended for and if further follow-up or reinforcements are needed, there are contingencies that are also in place. Management, furthermore, as a rule wants to know whether or not the expense involved in the training and development of its employees will be a profitable investment. In evaluating the effectiveness of training there is a need to define what one wants to get from that particular training to be able to evaluate its results. The usual approach of relating the effects of training to gross changes in the organization in terms solely of the attitudes and behavior of workers is not enough as these are not all the effect one gets out of training. There are intangible benefits that a trainee acquires which broaden his outlook in life through his contact with society at large, boost his morale and motivation towards his work, and develop his pride to belong to his organization. Quantification should be in terms of identifiable units as psychomotor skills, knowledge and information gained and specific behavior patterns instilled (Landy, 1985; Baron, 1983; Clement, 1981).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Effectiveness is measured in terms of the application of what the learners have acquired during the training course. This application in turn is affected by various factors, the most important of which is the organizational framework and climate within which to apply the ideas learned from the course. Training is not transferred until it is well-integrated and successfully applied in a given job for which it was intended. Not all knowledge or skill can be used immediately in all situations but the learner will have it ready for his use when the need arises (Landy, 1985; Baron, 1983; Clement, 1981). Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The rapid technological and environmental changes which have engulfed the world in increasing proportions have drastically transformed the placid face of the earth. Organizational as well as industrial behaviors have evolved towards dynamic materialism thereby elevating worker’s and customer’s demands and expectations. Trends show that: 1) there is a great and growing shortage of high talent managers; 2) there will be an increasing need for better managers; 3) the manager’s job will be more demanding; 4) there will be increasing competition for managers. This reality is sustained up to the next decades. Hence, the manager himself constantly must undergo training and advanced schooling for him to remain in the competitive edge. He can also pinpoint to the staff in the workplace the significance of training when he himself refreshes in the profession he is involved in (Clement, 1981).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When the HR manager thoroughly knows his stuff and had done his research, studies and analysis into the problems and challenges of his workplace, it is no wonder that the training provided for the organization is appropriate and fitting for the members of the organization. His job seems to be continuous and he updates himself constantly to pull the rest of the organization to a level of competence. Reference: Baron, R. 1983. Behavior in Organizations: Understanding and Managing the Human Side of Work, Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Clement, R.W. 1981. Evaluating the Effectiveness of Management Training. Human Resources Management. Vol. 20, pp.8-13. Landy, F.J. 1985. Psychology of Work behavior. 3rd Ed. Dorsey Press. McKenna, Eugene, 2000. Business Psychology and Organizational Behavior: A Student’s Handbook. 3rd Ed. Psychology press: Taylor and Francis Group.