SWOT Analysis and Table Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

SWOT Analysis and Table - Essay Example Strengths in this market environment is an internal organizational quality that enables the business to survive and compete against other similar stores, e.g. good positive cash flow. A weakness is also an internal organizational problem that affects it negatively while giving an opportunity to rivals such as accumulating bad debt. An opportunity comes basically from the external environment such as a rival’s inability to meet demand. Finally a threat is also a basically external matter, e.g. a rival’s sales promotion campaigns. SWOT analysis enables the organization to plan and execute its programmes of action with a degree of certainty about the external environmental factors that influence its own existence. A baby store would necessarily be faced with a number of external economic influences such as the government policies on taxation, interest rates, inflation, money supply, balance of payments, Gross Domestic Product, National Income, foreign governments’ protectionist policies and so on. Imported baby-care products would be more expensive if the government imposes a higher import tariff on them. The government might impose higher corporation taxes in order to control inflation. This would affect the business in a number of ways. For instance a baby store which depends much more on imported products would find that higher tariffs to be a threat to its survival, especially in the long run. It might find it difficult to reduce prices to match its rivals’ prices. Rivals might be selling domestic products that are not subject to taxes except some GST or BTT. This gives them an advantage over rivals that sell imported products. Higher sales taxes imposed on baby care products by the government in order to control inflation also could affect them. Baby stores are affected by such taxes because now people buy less (McIntyre-Mills, 2004, p.373). Next

Investments in Computer Integrated Manufacturing Technology Essay

Investments in Computer Integrated Manufacturing Technology - Essay Example By thoroughly realizing and examining these questions that need to be addressed, then we will be able to come to a much more informed and understanding viewpoint on this subject matter at hand, and as well we will be able to thus come up with new and innovative strategies in regards to what methods and means should be taken in order to put a more positive spin on this matter overall. This is what will be dissertated in the following. There are truly many different benefits when we speak of the term CIM (computer-integrated manufacturing) issues, and what CIM really is needs to be properly understood before any further measures can be taken in this regards. In all actuality, CIM is "a manufacturing philosophy in which the functions for the organization, from product definition to the disposition of the final product, are achieved using computer, communication, and information technologies" (Wikipedia, 2007). There are basically three different components that are considered and known as being essential in regards to the implementation of flexible design and manufacturing in this regards, and this includes that of the following three components: the means for data storage, retrieval, manipulation and presentation; the mechanisms by which to sense state and modify substance; and lastly, the methodologies by which to unite them. The CIM phase is the phase which is "used to describe the complete automation of a manufacturing plant, with all processes functioning under computer control and digital information tying them together" (Rockford Consulting Group, 1999). Basically then the CIM phase is without a doubt one of the most crucial, and there are quite obviously many different benefits that are gained from CIM overall. Why Might DCF Methods not Take These Benefits Into Consideration When Evaluating CIM Investments There are actually again quite a few answers when it comes to the reasoning as to why DCF methods may not take the benefits that are concluded as being from CIM processes into consideration when they are evaluating CIM investments; first we must understand what the DCF really is, in order to understand better. The DCF (discounted cash flow) is a means in this regards which uses certain methods of analysis which have both in the past and recently come under certain criticism. It really began in the 1980s when the use of these DCF methods began coming under this criticism, and in particular they were found to be especially deficient when they were being used to evaluate investments in CIM technologies, as many critics claimed and pressed to argue the fact that these DCF methods of analys