Impact of Television on American Family Life Essay

Impact of Television on American Family Life - Essay Example It has been calculated that, the time spent by each American family in watching TV, for duration of one week, is roughly fifty one hours. (2) Based on the statistical figures stated in the preceding paragraph, there is no hesitation in arriving at a logical conclusion. The quality time spent by family members, by interacting with each other, is being compromised. And that is solely for the purpose of not missing their favorite shows on the television. This trend is steadily leading to a scenario where the bond between family members is slowly getting weakened. The time that was allocated for family members, in the pre-television era, is now being given to TV. Television has been successful in getting the undivided attention of people, and has also managed to take a powerful grip of their lives. Television projects a negative image of family Apart from the disadvantages of TV that have been emphasized upon, earlier, it (TV) is showing its negative impact in another way. There is now n o dearth of television programs, which depict parents in poor light. There are now many shows, in which, parents are shown as lacking the capability to both take proper care of children, and also to be successful in life. Simultaneously, children are being depicted as the people of family who are more knowledgeable and hence having every right to question the parents. In the TV shows, the character of a family elder is projected as being a comedian who is at the receiving end of ugly jokes. All these leave a strong impression on the tender minds of children who, owing to all the stuff being shown on TV, would end up disregarding family values. They would display scant respect towards the... While speaking about the negative effects of TV on American family life, a mention needs to be made of the reality shows, which have gained immense popularity. This essay approves that the real and concrete solution for any stress-causing issue can be arrived at, only when there is a wholesome interaction between members of a family. And it is this very interaction that is consistently becoming less and less, courtesy the over importance being given to TV. Different studies carried out in the avenue of â€Å"Impact of television on American family life† have shown that, families with limited income are getting more addicted to television. There indeed is a highly valid reason for that. When compared with other means of entertainment, a television is the one that fits into the budget of low income households. Especially, it is observed that, if TV sets are present in bedrooms of children, there is every possibility that they could get distanced from other family members. Children would then show no inclination towards attending various family events. This report makes a conclusion the focus of this essay is confined to elaborating upon the adverse impacts of TV, only in relation to family life. There are several other drawbacks of television like increased risk of obesity and people becoming passive, etc, that have not been discussed here. The topic of the essay is an exhaustive one and it is not possible to be covering all the related points in a brief essay such as this one. Yet, a sincere attempt has been made to cover the most of the important aspects.

Reliability, Maintainability, and Supportability of COTS Research Paper

Reliability, Maintainability, and Supportability of COTS - Research Paper Example The use of COTS is wide spread across many business and governmental programs; this is because these products offer significant savings in maintenance, procurement and development. The motivation behind the usage of COTS a component includes reduced maintenance cost in the long run and hopes that the overall system cost and development, this is because components can be licensed or bought instead of developing them. COTS were considered remedies for intractable problems during the 1990s. COTS development came into being with tradeoffs which were not so obvious. An example been initial and development cost and time which not so much a problem can be reduced but at the expense of another. Such as depending on a third party who is to lease components and increase in the integration of software component works. Software specifications are encrypted externally so government agencies view that in the long run when changes are done to the product compatibility will be a hindrance (McKinney 23). COTS reliability can be verified using an analysis and reliability estimation technique applicable to high level designs. The technique is known as Scenario-Based Reliability Estimation (SBRE). SBRE is specific for COTS whose analysis is purely based on executable scenarios. While using scenarios, we construct a probability model known as Component Dependency Graph (CDG). These are graphs which represent component reliability, components, interface and link reliability, transition probabilities, transitions, components average time of execution. In CDG, components link and interface reliabilities are given focus as the first class elements to be put in the model. The reliability of the application is analyzed by an algorithm presented its analysis also include; reliability of its interface and components. The SBRE algorithm identifies critical component interface and critical components by interpolating the sensitivity of the application reliability to changes in the interface and components. To ensure a software application is reliable is a difficult task even if it was commercially pretested therefore, there has been the emergence of several techniques for analysis and estimation of components based application reliability. And they are categorized as: Component Based Reliability Estimation - the reliability of the application is estimated using the individual’s components reliability and interconnection mechanism. System Level Reliability Estimation – applications reliability is estimated as a whole. For example using system level architecture evaluation or system testing (Ammar, H , et al, 2004) Underestimating the technical risk associated with evaluation, integration and selection of software components can result to high maintenance/development cost and long schedule delays. Trends in computer based products, such as mobile phones and vehicles, is shorter lifecycles and shorter. Therefore, time spent on the development of new versions of a product or new products must be reduced. A solution to one of the emerging problems is reusing of solutions and software designs in new versions of products and systems. Properly handling reuse will greatly improve the reliability since the code is executed in a different context and longer time. However, reuse is not trivial; it puts strong demands on the methods of development in order to achieve success. Reuse

Assesment paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Assesment paper - Essay Example They are supposed to uphold the ethics and principles of good governance. In principle, the politicians, being public figures, are supposed to lead exemplary lives, without being influenced by any vested interests. The corporate houses too are required to operate their businesses in such a way that the no harm is done to the society, to the environment and the polity of the nation/s. With the emergence of globalisation, the concepts like 'corporate governance' have emerged for managing the businesses more effectively. Media in general and electronics media in particular, too plays a very important role in telling the people about the values, ideas, opinions and culture of any political party and organisation. Therefore, now there is an exponential increase in the reliance on the broadcast media for political campaigns. This has proved to have a powerful role in making or breaking the chances of any political party. Opinion builders are entrusted with the task of spreading good words about the candidate (often this is termed as planting stories). In addition, candidates take up extensive tours to meet as many people as possible. All such exercises require good amount of money and hence the need for arranging funds. While it is true that businesses are supposed to work within the framework of rules and guidelines formulated by the political bosses, it is now an accepted fact that politics too cannot survive without a 'big' helping hand from businesses. But companies are placed in an unenviable position of being labeled as sympathizer to one particulars party or candidate if they support one at the cost of the other. Just in case the results are different, then there's a threat of retaliation. During earlier times, politicians used to get finances from some big companies, in a hush-hush manner so that their political affiliations are not divulged. This trend continued for quite a while, but gradually started resulted in arm-twisting tactics on the part of both politicians as well as corporate houses. This led to the debate of bringing in more transparency in matters relating to political campaign finances. Such reforms are being supported by political parties as well as business houses. Some bus iness houses are not very happy with the unreasonable demands from some political quarters, while the behavior of some politicians and political parties under the influence of money-power has also brought down the image of governments. There are some differences in the manner and extent of implementation though. Such attempts to regulate campaign finances are being supported by people at large and if theirs is any opposition, it comes from within the political establishment. In USA the common term for such political efforts is campaign finance reform (Chapman, 1999). In US campaign funds are generated by the politicians and the political parties' mainly using four sources (Cantor, 2007); i. Own funds of political leaders, their family and friends ii. By soliciting contributions from individual citizens iii. Using the party funds (which too require to be replenished from time to time) iv. Different interest groups (comprised business etc) generally with the formation of political action committees (PAC) on political, social or economic issues. v. Public funds (available only for some elections like Presidential elections) A first timer to

Chinas Many Faces Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Chinas Many Faces - Research Paper Example The writer is focusing on the racial segregation in China. She first compares it with other developed nations that have mixed races, but the racial factor is less regarded. The author has introduced China basing it on three factors as viewed by the Americans. These include political image, injustices waved on the people and violation of human rights, and the last dimension is the economical image. However, the author has decided to distant herself from this perspective and decided to bring about how China exists in many faces in terms of ethnical diversity.The major ethnical tribe in China is the Han, which constitute about 92% of the total population, the other 8% is for the minority tribes which are marginalized and are referred to as the Minzu (Blum, n.d,). The author has decided to raise concern on this minor ethnic group. In China people are not classified according to their physical appearance. This fact is supported by the anthologists, who state that physical appearance is no t a distinctive factor for human beings. This mode of approach is different from the one used in America, where identification of persons is based on appearance. Although some groups like the Yi and the Tibets are tall, they are not classified using this feature.Most of these minority groups live along the borders of China and the good thing is that they have not been neglected by the state. Rather, there is high concern and their residence along the border is beneficial to the country. The larger majority group is in the central area and is less conversant with the minority tribe, except in the regions where both the majority and the minority are found. Although the government had impacted a lot of efforts to ensure that the minority live in harmony, they still suffer from discrimination and abuse whenever they mingle with the Han (the majority tribe) in the urban regions. Due to their marginalization, they are poor, uncivilized, and uneducated, features that clearly distinguish them from the Han. As a result, according to the author, they have not been able to hold powerful positions in the government. The author further took an outlook on each of the minority groups, the largest of them being the Zhuang, who live in the Vietnam border. Others are the Hui ethnic group, who are well spread across the nation; they are Chinese speaking Muslims with Asian ancestry. The Hui community is also known for their constant clashes with the Han. The Mongolian community is another minor group, whose main economic activity is pastoralism. Wa are hunters and are the most primitive with a unique religious belief. The Han, who are the majority tribe, have diverse cultural practices and regional diversity. According to the author, China is divided in to two main regions; the north and the south; the north is where there is

MBA BUSINESS ANALYSIS, portfolio 1 sub Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

MBA BUSINESS ANALYSIS, portfolio 1 sub - Essay Example Business analytics is the key for the company to run its business activities. As Vijayan (2011, p. 1) states, â€Å"predictive analytics approaches are focused on helping companies glean actionable intelligence based on historical data†. For working on the data provided by the clients and checking its operational feasibility through predictive models, the use of business analytics seems essential. Moreover, the company also uses management information system to manage information in a logical manner. The management information system helps the company in storing and processing of information into useful data which can be used for decision making purposes. Let us take a real life example of the use of business analytics in Front Guide investment Solutions. A client goes to the company to know whether he/she should make investment in the telecom sector of any particular country or not. Now, the company will gather data related to the telecom sector of that country which may incl ude annual revenue, growth potential, GDP deflator, and other important data and will perform statistical analysis of the data to know whether investment in that sector will be a feasible option for the client or not. Looking at this example, it is obvious that the company is a data driven organization and has adopted the use of business analytics to a great extent. How is it benefiting from doing so? The company is getting a number of considerable benefits from the use of business analytics. For example, the company is able to provide accurate details about the feasibility of investment to the clients. Clients come to the company to know what the investment will yield for them in future. The company provides the clients with information based on statistical analysis of data which in not only accurate but also very close to reality as the analysis is done using predictive models. As Stubbs (2011, p. 1) states, â€Å"the value of analytics lies in its ability to deliver better outco mes†. The more the employees will be skilled in using business analytics, more accurate and consistent will be the results of analysis. The well organized business analytics system also provides many other benefits for the company. For example, one of the main benefits of using business analytics appears when the company applies re-apply existing competencies to get real life data regarding investment scenarios. The company also applies modeling skills to increase the revenue, improve customer retention, and maintain the business image. Along with improving the business efficiency, business analytics helps the company in avoiding the risk of miscommunication by communicating the value of business analytics clients in such a way that become able to build support and gain traction. Business analytics does not just relate to statistics, it also plays a key role in organizational change processes (Stubbs 2011). Do analytics contribute to business performance and profitability? The business analytics definitely contribute to improved business performance and profitability. It helps the company maintain its competitive advantage that comes from the firm’s ability to capitalize on uniqueness. Front Guide investment Solutions has the potential to make use of that exact uniqueness in a unique and matchless way. The company takes advantage critical data, which is the biggest

Han China and Gupta India Essay Example for Free

Han China and Gupta India Essay Han China differed from Gupta India politically, developing a strong bureaucratic system while India allowed local rulers to stay in control, but the Guptas focused more on trade and made more intellectual achievements than China, especially in mathematics. They established empires that were successful, but also distinct in their own ways. Although these two civilizations were notably different politically, economically, and intellectually, both were successful in bringing prosperity to their empires. During the Han dynasty, China successfully improved its bureaucracy, but in India local rulers maintained regional control. India’s territory never grew to be as large as China’s, so different forms of government were needed for each civilization. Han China retained the centralized government formed by the Qin, and expanded the bureaucracy. The bureaucratic system suited China, because it was able to support the civilization as it expanded into a large empire. The emperor Wu Ti created civil service examinations for his bureaucrats, which could be taken by any male. Wu Ti also urged Confucianism in order to gain support, as it urged respect for the government. On the other hand, India lacked an extensive bureaucracy, and local rulers were allowed to keep control as long as they remained loyal to Gupta authority. Because of its separated regions, it was very difficult to politically unify India. Similar to China, the Gupta rulers turned to religion to strengthen support for the government. In contrast to China, they favored Hinduism because they claimed to be appointed by Hindu gods. Additionally, Hinduism encouraged the rigid caste system. The empires were also similar because political power was given to landowners. Although the Gupta period is considered the golden age of India, providing its greatest period of political stability, it never developed the solid bureaucracy that Han China did. Although trade is vital to any civilization’s success, India emphasized trade far more than China did. China’s economy focused on extensive internal trade, while India developed more maritime trade. Trade gradually became more important during the Han dynasty, focusing on luxury items for the upper class such as silks, leather, and jewelry. Internal trade was made easier by the standardization of currency and circulation of copper coins. Han rulers expanded the empire, which allowed trade with more places. Some merchants even took profitable trips to India. Even though they were important, trade and the merchant class did not become the focal points of Chinese economy. This was due to the emphasis on Confucianism, which frowned upon a life devoted to moneymaking. On the other hand, the Guptas established a strong economy. It was partly based on technological sophistication, new inventions, and production. For example, Indian artisans were the first to manufacture cotton cloth, calico, and cashmere. In these areas, India and China were rivaling, but the India’s economy became more vigorous. Merchant activity was greater in India than in China, with merchants at a relatively high caste status. They traveled by land, and also by sea, increasing maritime trade. Han China and Gupta India’s economies can be compared as firmly agricultural, both relying on a large peasant class, organized into cooperative close-knit villages. Han rulers regulated agricultural supplies by storing extra grain and rice in good times, preventing price increases when harvests were bad. The Gupta period in India was known for its wealth, which was due to extensive trading both internally and by sea, as opposed to Han China’s economy, which relied more on technological innovations. The Hans and Guptas both made many important intellectual achievements, but there was more academic success in India, especially in mathematics. The Chinese studied astronomy, calculating the movement of planets, as well as observing sunspots. During the Han dynasty, scientists invented a seismograph to register earthquakes. In addition, they actively researched medicine, studying principles of hygiene that would support longer lives. Generally, the Chinese focused their studies on practical findings, such as discovering how things worked. They studied the mathematics of music that led to advances in acoustics. Like China, Indian scientists also progressed in astronomy and medicine. Many astronomical discoveries were made, such as the calculation of the solar year, the circumference and daily rotation of Earth, a theory of gravity, and the discovery of seven planets. In medicine, hospitals also stressed cleanliness, like China. India surpassed China in mathematical discoveries. Scholars created a numbering system and the concepts of zero and negative numbers. Mathematicians also calculated square roots and a more accurate value of pi. These advances in both civilizations were possible because of support from the government. In China, the government sponsored intellectual life, organizing research in astronomy. The Guptas had a vast university center in Nalanda featuring lecture halls, libraries, and an observatory. This supported the new discoveries that were being made. Both civilizations made important intellectual achievements that were advanced by world standards, but Gupta India especially excelled in mathematics. The Han and Gupta dynasties were both successful periods in China and India. Their success was due to different causes, because their societies were very unlike each other. China’s government centered on its strong bureaucracy developed during the Han dynasty, while India never advanced a decent bureaucratic system. Both civilizations had strong economies, but India focused more on over-sea trade than China did. Also, Gupta India made more intellectual achievements particularly in science and mathematics. The Han and Gupta periods were similar in some ways, but their civilizations showed distinct differences politically, economically, and intellectually.

TATA Steel: UK Case Study

TATA Steel: UK Case Study Nicolson Mustapha Tata steel UK is one of the largest and geographically most diversified steel producers of Europe which is operating in 26 countries and have its commercial offices in around 35 countries around the globe (Tata Steel, 2017). They have been serving different markets such as energy and power, automotive, lifting and excavating, packaging, aerospace, construction etc. with their innovative products. The success of their business lies in their operations being centered on benefiting the society on the whole and making collaborative relationships with customers. The main business values of Tata steel UK include excellence, understanding, responsibility, integrity and unity (Tata Steel, 2017). The proposed strategy for Tata Steel at corporate level is market penetration while the proposed business strategy for penetrating in the market is the hybrid of cost leadership and product differentiation. Tata Steel has the capacity to penetrate into its market because it has a strong brand image and good customer base but due to increasing supply of steel from China and decreased demand, the revenue generated in the last period was a bit less than expected. In a dynamic environment, the foremost priority of a business is to keep an eye on the external environment. So, to cope with the changes taking place in the external environment, Tata Steel has to penetrate the market for increasing its market share. The cost leadership can be achieved by the capacity expansion and employment of new technology. The new technology would be used for differentiating its products from those of its competitors. Tata steel UK is one of the largest and geographically most diversified steel producers of Europe which is operating in 26 countries and have its commercial offices in around 35 countries around the globe (Tata Steel, 2017). They have been serving different markets such as energy and power, automotive, lifting and excavating, packaging, aerospace, construction etc. with their innovative products. The success of their business lies in their operations being centered on benefiting the society on the whole and making collaborative relationships with customers. The main business values of Tata steel UK include excellence, understanding, responsibility, integrity and unity (Tata Steel, 2017). This paper demonstrates the importance of understanding and in-depth knowledge that a firm must have for the formulation of its strategies from time to time. The environment in which the businesses have been operating currently has become dynamic and it is necessary for the businesses to adapt themselves with such environment by continuously updating their strategies to carry out the business (Hitt, Ireland and Hoskisson, 2003). The previous analysis conducted about Tata Steel suggested that it has strong brand equity and value-chain efficiency due to which it has expanded its operations overseas in the foreign markets. One of the main competitive advantages for Tata Steel UK is that there products are unique and innovative but there are also certain threats for the survival of business i.e. increasing competition, changing economy of UK and the fall in demand from China (Schram, 2015). The first part of this paper discusses different strategic options that are available to Tata Steel UK or to propose a strategy at corporate level, second part deals with formulation of business strategy, while the third part deals with the evaluation of strategy on the basis of suitability, acceptability and feasibility. The main objective of this paper is to see the Tata Steel UK from strategic management perspective. Different models and frameworks from previous academic literature have been used for the purpose of analyzing the industry and proposing a relevant strategy for the selected firm. Strategic options have been defined as the resourceful substitute action-oriented reactions to the major external trends faced by an organization. These options are exercised by taking into consideration the factors, trends, threats and opportunities in the external environment in which an organization is operating. These options are usually taken into consideration for the purpose of increasing the sales and profits of our business (Trigeorgis and Reuer, 2016). The main objective of Tata Steel UK is to become a global benchmark for creating value for the customers and corporate citizenship by offering innovative products and services. Ansoff Matrix Strategic options can be best explained with the help of Ansoff matrix that takes into account existing and new products and markets. There are four strategic options available to a particular firm (Jeyarathnam, 2008). These are explained as follows Selling existing products to existing market which is known as market penetration Developing new products and selling them to existing market which is known as product development Taking existing products to new markets segments which is known as market development Developing new products for newer markets segments also known as diversification The strategic options or Ansoff matrix is presented in the figure as follows Tata steel UK can expand its customer base with the help of market penetration strategy. This strategy is used for the purpose of growing our business. The current market share of Tata Steel UK is 60% sales to the manufacturers of different products in UK while 40% comes from sales to main Europe and 15% outside the Europe. The main products that contribute to the sales revenue of Tata Steel include automotive, construction, packaging, aerospace, and energy and power. The corporate strategy of Tata Steel UK is to become a global benchmark by creating value for the customers at global level. Â   Â   The rationale behind using the market penetration strategy is to sell existing products to existing consumers. According to the SWOT analysis conducted for the Tata Steel Europe and other sources suggest that it is losing the market because of various factors including decreased demand from China, changing economy of Europe, increasing international competition and steel available at cheaper prices. Tata Steel UK can penetrate the market by making its products unique from those of its competitors. It should increase its investments in the projects which helps in differentiation of its products by improving the overall marketing mix and getting closer to customers by forming collaborative relationships. The unique and innovative products as compared to competitors will give Tata Steel UK a competitive edge in gaining the largest market share. This product differentiation requires Tata Steel to develop cutting-edge manufacturing and production technology and to improve their business c ycle to a greater extent to make the products sustainable for the customers as well as for the environment. Tata Steel UK should strive to upgrade their manufacturing and distribution operations because it will help the firm in providing on time products and services to their consumers. An efficient supply chain and closer production plants help in increasing the effectiveness and optimization of services to customers. The presence of competitors cannot threat the existence of Tata Steel unless it is continuously striving to improve its business operations and differentiation of products and services. Overall, in improving the business operations and product differentiation of Tata Steel, it must not compromise the corporate responsibility it owes towards the environment and all its stakeholders (Jha and Arora, 2013). The main point to be considered in the market penetration strategy is the cost-benefit ratio. Market penetration specifically deals with increasing already captured customer base. The fact sheet of Tata Steel UK represents that 25% of Tata sales revenue is generated by automotive industry, 30% by construction, and 10% by packaging. It also exports 80% of its energy and power products to big firms such as Shell, Chevron and Total etc. it also has 10% global market share for the supply of aerospace products (Kelsey, 2016). The main competitive advantage of Tata Steel UK is its brand identity i.e. it is a well-known brand for its quality products, so its customers have loyalty with its products. The factsheet about Tata Steel UK suggested that the demand for its automotive products is increasing in the mainland Europe as well as in other countries because the annual car production rate is increasing at a greater pace. So, this is an opportunity for Tata Steel UK to penetrate the market by using its world-class manufacturing and distribution facilities. The market penetration strategy requires Tata Steel to strengthen its own manufacturing, production and distribution infrastructure to manufacture differentiated products as compared to its competitors. By using this strategy it will be able to increase its sales revenue in the existing market by strengthening the manufacturers of different products across Europe. Own manufacturing and production plants will be helpful for Tata Steel in reducing the cost of manufacturing and achieving the economies of scale. Tata Steel has the capacity and resources to penetrate into its existing market e.g. it has a string brand loyalty, it is producing the products in an environmentally sustainable way, it has its own cutting-edge manufacturing and production plants that only need upgradation. The commitment of Tata Steels towards manufacturing unique and innovative products can help them conquer the market and increase their market share relative to their competitors. After a successful scrutiny of internal factors affecting the business and a thorough scan of external business environment, the next stage is to formulate an ideal strategy for business which is capable of achieving the desired objectives. Business strategy is designed for the purpose of getting to the place where we want to see ourselves. Business strategy requires careful planning and implementation and it also requires a lot of resources that must be used handy to maintain the cost benefit ratio (Teece, 2010). According to a model proposed by McKinsey, it is necessary on the part of organization to have talented staff, an integrated system, proper structure, a unique style, skills, a perfect strategy and shared values to achieve the desired business goals. According to Johnson et. al (2011), strategy clock is a perfect framework that can be used to analyze the customer focus for the prices and differentiation among the products. For Tata Steel UK, it is analyzed that the market penetration strategy could be used for increasing the market share of the company. And it has been already known that it has a strong brand name and also a very good customer base. But the recent statistics of financial times confirmed that the earnings and sales revenue of Tata Steel was not up to the mark and didnt meet the forecasts set earlier (Markets.ft.com, 2017). This requires Tata steel to penetrate into its market with the help of hybrid strategies i.e. cost leadership and product differentiation. Cost leadership is an intensive growth strategy in which the company tends to decrease the cost of its products for the purpose of increasing its sales. Tata Steel UK can exercise the cost leadership strategy either by reducing its costs to increase the profits and charging average industry price for its products or it can increase the market share by reducing the price of its products (Jha and Arora, 2013). For practicing this strategy, a firm must make sure that it will remain number one in terms of low-cost producer and wont be easily attackable by other low cost producers. This requires the firm to have enough capital for making investment in the technology that reduces the overall cost of producing the products, have efficient logistics and being sustainable in terms of its resources and environment. For Tata Steel UK, all of these options are exercisable so they can easily penetrate their existing market with their existing products. One of the main competitive advantages of Tata Steel is capacity expansion i.e. it can expand its capacity of manufacturing and production which will ultimately reduce its cost of producing the products. The quality and sources of raw materials are highly secured from various captive mines which can be used for the enhancement of production capacity. The manufacturing plants of Tata Steel are already located in many countries including USA, Canada, Sweden, Germany, France, and Belgium etc. These plants can be used for the purpose of increasing the global sales revenue and market share of Tata Steel by offering diversified products and services to the customers. Technology and the manpower are two most essential resources that are required for increasing the innovation and uniqueness in products of Tata Steel. The up-to-the-minute technology can be used for producing larger numbers of steel and aluminum products differentiated from its competitors, available in various designs and colors and are sustainable for the community which is using the products. Recently in 2013, Tata Steel made an investment of 250 million pounds to set up two blast furnaces in Port Talbot, 25 million pounds investment at Hot Strip Mill, and 15 million pounds investment in Stockbridge plant in 2015 which will improve the operations of Tata Steel to a greater extent thereby reducing the overall costs of production (Kelsey, 2016). Product differentiation is another strategy through which Tata Steel can penetrate its market. Customers switch products or brands only when they are not satisfied of the quality and prices of the products. A bit of value added to the products and services can increase the customer loyalty and improves the brand image (Anderson and Vincze, 2004). Tata Steel is providing a wide range of its products to the most renowned and big companies around the globe. Tata Steel can increase its market share by offering customized products to its customers e.g. for automotive industry it can provide customized products right from initial design to the fully manufactured vehicle or they can provide effective solutions related to steel in the construction projects. For consumer goods, customers prefer reliability and after sales services and it can also gain a good market share by offering sustainable packaging products to packaging firms. The bottom line is that Tata Steel can use its core competen cies for gaining the market share. A summary of core competencies of Tata Steel is presented in the following table. Core competencies Cost leadership and product differentiation Technology Different manufacturing plants of Tata Steel UK located across the Europe must use the cutting edge technology for the production of high quality and low cost products. Installation of technology helps in the mass production which achieves the economies of scales hence making the firm low cost leader and technology also improve the quality of products by presenting more immaculate outlook and product design to the products. Supply chain management The supply chain of Tata Steel is very sophisticated because it has its own distribution and processing units across the Europe, USA, Middle East and many other parts of the world. This is the competitive edge for Tata Steel because they dont have to make the customers wait longer for the products rather they provide on-time delivery of their products due to their numerous production hubs. Efficient supply chain also helps in making the products differentiated and low cost because there are no additional tariffs and raw material import costs incurred on the products. Quality and customer focus Quality and price of the products are the two essential elements that customers look for in the products. The research and marketing department of Tata Steel continuously tries to analyze the customer preferences for products and tries to invest in the projects which offer the best marketing mix i.e. best price for the products and differentiated products as compared to the customers (Tata Steel, 2017). Based on the core competencies listed in the above table, the competitive advantage of Tata Steel i.e. capacity expansion, and the financial position of Tata Steel UK (SWOT analysis), it is evaluated that Tata Steel can competently reduce the cost of its operations for increasing its revenues and earnings as well as increasing its market share. Moreover, these strategies are also useful for Tata Steel to exist its penetrating market everywhere its operations are in process. Evaluation of strategy is as important as the formulation of strategies because the strategic management process requires a lot of resources for implementation. So, it must be made certain that we are not wasting our resources or using them in a wrongful manner (Atkinson, 2013). Strategic evaluation is carried out in order to know whether the strategy that has been designed will be able to achieve the required objectives or not. Three criteria are used for the purpose of strategy evaluation i.e. suitability, acceptability and feasibility. 1.1. Suitability Suitability refers to the overall objective and rationale of the proposed strategy i.e. whether the strategy proposed will be able to achieve the economies of scale or not or will it acquire the proposed strategic objectives to improve the overall position and outlook of business. For the purpose of measuring the suitability of market penetration for Tata Steel, it is important to analyze the trends and key drivers explained in the assignment 1. Trends: The current trends for the Tata Steel are not good because there is an overall decrease in demand due to cheap supply from China. Another reason is stricter regulation changes on the part of European Union and lower wage laws as well as expensive cost of production in Europe (Islam, 2016). Key drivers: The key drivers that prove to be helpful in boosting the sales revenue of Tata Steel include reduces costs of renewable energy, flexibility in emission regulations placed in by European Union and support provided to UK for numerous steel construction projects to increase the job market for people. So based on the trends in the market and key drivers, it is evaluated that Tata Steel can overcome the cost of production in UK by employing the expatriate labor into its steel industries so that the cost of labor is reduced. The employment of technology in all of its production plants can improve the production rate as well as differentiate its products in terms of quality. The reduced cost of energy i.e. 30% reduction in electricity bills and in gas prices is also a favorable driver for employing the technology in UK plants. Government should also make its regulations flexible so that Tata Steel can invest into steel projects and provide jobs to numerous people. As a result of evaluation, it is suggested that the proposed strategy can work well with Tata Steel because it has enough capacity to expand its operations, have improved infrastructure to add value to its supply chain and have enough competencies to take the market as a cost leader. 1.2. Acceptability Acceptability of strategy relates to the concern with which it meets and exceeds the expectations of its stakeholders. It is obvious that changing the cost of operations and prices of the products also affect the overall revenue of the business which in turn affect the dividend payment to its shareholders, flexibility in regulations involves government and increased production affects the environment (Atkinson, 2013). The key stakeholders of Tata Steel are presented as follows infleuntial stakeholders active particpants Stakeholders that impose The most influential shareholders of Tata Steel are its customers, competitors and the environment in which it is operating. The reduced costs of operations will reduce the prices of products which is beneficial for the customers. Competitors will have tough time imitating the strategy of Tata Steel. For environment, it is certain because Tata steel is producing environmentally sustainable steel. Government and suppliers are the most active participants in the business operations of Tata Steel. It is good that UK has been provided flexibility to invest in steel projects and the supply chain management of Tata Steel is already better and sophisticated and will be enhanced with the help of capacity expansion. The BODs, employees and shareholders of Tata Steel are better off with this strategy because increasing the markets share will eventually increase the market share and profits of the company. Shareholders, employees and BODs are the stakeholders who know the vision and mission of the company so at the end they are confident that market penetration strategy would pay something off to them. The acceptability criteria of strategy evaluation suggests that market penetration strategy will be acceptable to all of the stakeholders of Tata Steel. It can be evaluated in more detail by using the stakeholder matrix of power and interest. The matrix is as follows When the power and interest of stakeholders in an organization is high, it is necessary for them to be both engaged and influential while in case of low power and interest, they only need to monitor the company or keep an eye upon the company. While those stakeholders who impose the company strategy have both high power and high interest in the company. Tata steel UK is safe on all ends because the strategy is acceptable for the customers due to quality and price of products and for shareholders to receive the increased dividends. The most influential stakeholder in case of Tata Steel is environment because the production may impact the environment in an adverse way but it is operating in an environmentally and social sustainable and responsible manner. The strategy of market penetration is meeting the needs and expectations of all stakeholders of Tata Steel UK. 1.3. Feasibility Feasibility means that the strategy is good in terms of resources available to the organizations for its implementation (Atkinson, 2013). It has been studied that the main competitive advantage of Tata Steel is its ability to expand or capital expansion. Different elements have been taken into account for the purpose of checking the feasibility of strategy. The most important enabler affecting the implementation of market penetration is the cost and quality of products. The cost of products can only be reduced when a high cutting-edge technology is employed for the manufacturing and production of products. The RD of Tata Steel continuously strives and works hard to know preferences of customers for newer and innovative steel products. Another important consideration is workforce of Tata Steel. Although the workforce is highly talented and able to boost the revenue generated by Tata Steel, Tata Steel should pay them a handsome amount of salaries to them. They should invest in their workforce to boost their confidence to increase the market share. The financial viability of this strategy is considerably favorable because Tata Steel have enough resource for capacity expansion and reducing the overall costs of operation. Capacity expansion will generate the increased outcome thereby leading to increased market share. The new strategy proposed for Tata Steel is the market penetration using hybrid strategies of cost leadership and product differentiation. The analysis is conducted on the basis of thorough internal and external analysis of Tata Steel and it has been evaluated that the strategy is perfect in terms of its suitability, acceptability and feasibility. Tata Steel should adopt market penetration strategy for the purpose of boosting its market share because it has the capacity to expand its operations by using newer technology, the power of its labor and its efficient supply chain. Tata Steel UK has strong brand image and identity which will be very helpful to penetrate into its current market. It has to reduce the costs of its operations so that the products become a bit cheaper and attracts a new market share. This strategy will be helpful because China has been supplying the steel to the market at much lower price so for its survival and growth, Tata Steel has to adopt cost leadership al ong with product differentiation strategy. Strategy formulation starts with the thorough analysis of internal and external factors affecting the business. The external analysis for Tata steel UK suggested market trends for steel industry and the key drivers that are helpful for boosting the industry. Formulation and implementation of strategy is based upon the environmental analysis of Tata Steel. Market penetration is the best alternative for Tata Steel to increase its market share. It can be done with the help of cost leadership and product differentiation. 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The bond between them seems to infer that they have most of their trust in each other, but trusting the notorious nation, China, is something that they can both get on terms with. Disagreements between the two powerful nations can form, for example, one being Japans role in regional security. The old nation is located in the continent of Asia, being an chain of islands, it is surrounded by the Sea of Japan ( East) and Pacific Ocean (West). Japan or Nihon as it is said in Japanese, translates to the suns origin. It is also known as, by its nickname Land of the Rising Sun. The old nation consist of a series of islands, which is close to around 6,852 islands. There are also four main islands as well, which include: Hokkaido, Honshu {largest island}, Shikoku, and Kyushu. Although there are no bordering countries since the country is a chain of islands, there are some neighboring countries by Japan, promptly consisting, but not excluding: South Korea, North Korea, China, Taiwan, Russia, and the Philippines. The current size of Japan is around some 145,932 miÂÂ ² and compared to the U.S. which is some 3,536,695 square miles. The country of Japan has the third-largest economy, after the United States and China, in the modern world. The country exports vital goods such as automobiles ( ex. Toyota, Honda, Mazda), computers, and other electronics. etc. Not to mention the fact that Japan natural resources that it exports it ems such as: fish and other seafood, gold, silver, magnesium, oil, Japan greatly depends on foreign/imported natural resources and fuels to keep manufacturing industries functioning and thriving. Some industries in Japan include: shipbuilding, textile, mining, bioindustry, processed foods, and construction. Besides noting Japans economy, the old nation is known for its unique physical features. The geography of the country consists of a mountainous terrain with basins, valleys, plains, and coral reefs; while also having temperate weather and consisting of four seasons. The country has many cultural traditions and holidays throughout the year. Obon, Lantern Festival, ( August 13- 16) is a buddhist festival that is held within the month of August, it that pays tribute to ancestral spirits by lighting lanterns in from of home and on rivers to guild spirits back home and to the underworld. Cultural Day ( November 3rd ) was previously known as the day of commemorating the birthday of the Meiji Emperor, but it was renamed to Culture Day to rejoice the Japanese Constitution as well as peace and freedom. Another holiday is Marine Day (Umi no hi [ July 3rd] ) which commemorates the blessings of the oceans and its significant importance for Japan as a nation. Both Japan and America share unique cultural difference, but their main difference is concerning education, not to mention the fact that recreation among them is quite the same. Similarly Japanese and American elementary schools last for six years. The difference is the in Japan junior high last for thr ee years, while in America it lasts for two. Another distinction is that students in Japanese high schools go to school for three years, while in American high schools students go to school for four years. Japanese and Americans typically do the same thing the same things for fun sports, shopping, hanging out with friends, and using electronics. Meals consumed by the Japanese are mainly homemade meals which may consist of a bowl of rice, miso soup, pickled vegetables, fish, and (or) meat. Religion is a thing that sets Japan apart from most countries. Religions in Japan are Shinto, Taoist, Confucian, Buddhism, and surprisingly Christianity. As far back as historians can date, Shinto was the most popular religion and oldest among the Japanese and even today it is. Buddhism was brought by monks in the 6th century. Both religions have been coexisting with each other in harmony for quite a long time, and most classify themselves as either Shinto or Buddhist, but in some instance both. Christianity on the other hand was introduced to Japan ( 1506- 1552) by a man named Francis Xavier. Although its not the most popular religion in Japan it still is practiced by some individuals. Surprisingly religion doesnt play a major role in the everyday lives of ordinary Japanese citizens. People may visit shrine or temples on New Year and participate in local festivals, all in which hav religious (historical) background. As an island nation, Japan has flourished and bloomed into a well known nation full of old traditional and modern ways of life. One may find that the nation is some like any other nation; a rich and old history, recreation, and important holidays/traditions. The fact that Japan is no bigger than the state of California may surprise foreigners at best and that although its a nation with the tenth highest population, its population is slowly decline every year. Such rural and old historical seem to be present in Japan to this day, hopefully this countrys unique history shall never fade.