Marketing Management – Toyota

Toyota Motors Marketing Plan for Hybrid Vehicles by geographic location (Europe) 1. 0 Executive Summary The Toyota Motor Company continues to strive to be the global market leader in the automobile manufacturing industry. Over the years, Toyota has managed to remain the leader of this industry through its management structure, fuel efficient vehicle design and competitive pricing based on global market knowledge. Toyota has realized that environmentally conscious products were needed to ensure continued company (and sales) growth in the future.Toyota has been actively reducing its carbon footprint since 1998. Annually, Toyota has been publishing its Environmental and Social Sustainability report in order to enhance disclosure of information regarding environmental actions carried out in conjunction with its corporate activities. Through more efficient and â€Å"cleaner† production lines it has reduced its environmental impact. Toyota also seeks to be the market leader for so c alled â€Å"clean (or green) vehicles† such as Electric Vehicles, Hybrid Vehicles and Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles.This marketing plan will discuss Toyota's strategy with regards to green vehicles, with particular reference to one geographical location, Europe. This Marketing plan will have a closer look at how the European Branch operates within Toyota's global structure and how it reflects Toyota's overall vision of a cleaner, more sustainable future. 1. 1 Vision Toyota realizes that its future lies in the production of environmentally conscious cars. Toyota's vision of a cleaner future revolves around two main points. Firstly, the production of vehicles that have a smaller impact on the environment.Along with â€Å"cleaner† versions of its gasoline powered cars, Toyota believes that the company's success in the present and future lies in its line of Electric, Hybrid and Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles. Through this line of vehicles Toyota will be actively reducing environmental impact by producing cleaner cars for consumers to use. Secondly, Toyota believes that to achieve its goals towards a cleaner future, it must continuously strive to make its production lines even cleaner. In fact, since 2002 Toyota has managed to reduce the energy used or the production of vehicles by 40%, waste products by 50% and water consumption by 70% (Toyota Motors Europe: Sustainability Report 2011). Both of the above points fall under a global philosophy called â€Å"The Toyota Way†. As analysed by Liker (Liker J. , 2004) this holistic philosophy maintains fourteen key principles which Toyota has adopted to give its customers what they want, when they want it, in the most efficient way possible whilst leaving the smallest possible carbon footprint. Toyota also believes that continual growth can be achieved by exceeding its customers' expectations.In fact the Toyota Global website(2012) states â€Å"our attitude is to anticipate and deliver to the needs of those we ser ve† 1. 2 Objectives Toyota's main objectives are stated clearly in its Sustainability Report (2011). The said report outlines a global vision, to be attained by the year 2020. Toyota's new Global Vision 2020 comprises of three main pillars: * Lead the way to the future of mobility, which is our core business. * Commit to quality, innovation, environmental protection and by doing so, make cars that people love. Engage our people's energy and passion to â€Å"Always Find a Better Way† (Toyota Motors Europe: Sustainability Report 2011) 2. 0 Current Market Summary Traditionally, Toyota's primarily focused on the US and Japanese markets. The European market is a fairly new addition to Toyota's Sales portfolio. Although the European market for cars has seen a steady decline in recent years, Toyota currently holds a 4. 2% share of the total car market. In 2011 total sales in Europe amounted to 822,386, 10% of which were Hybrid vehicles. 2. 1 Market NeedsThrough Customer Relati onship Management and market research, Toyota has established a new set of characteristics it's vehicles need to satisfy in order to reach the Global Vision 2020. Toyota has determined it's cars need to be: * Of high quality and reliability thus requiring infrequent maintenance. * Widely affordable, including increased affordability of Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid vehicles. * Silent in a world which is increasingly aware of noise pollution. * Easy to use, with particular reference to simplified user interfacing on new Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid vehicles * Clean.Even if in a traditional gasoline engine model emissions need to be kept to an absolute minimum. Whilst identifying the need for â€Å"cleaner† cars, Toyota has also launched the Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) demo project in 18 European countries. This project involves a limited production line of 200 PHEV vehicles which are being road tested by customers in 18 European countries till 2013. So far the project has already increased awareness of PHEV cars and provided crucial data with regards to technical performance and customer satisfaction.This data will be used in the near future to launch a large scale PHEV production line. Toyota realises the importance of its customers time. The increasing use of the internet, especially in the early stages of a purchase, has made the company's website an important asset. Therefore an updated website will all models, colours, specifications and options is of vital importance. 2. 2 Market Growth Despite the afore mentioned drop in car sales in Europe, Toyota has managed to sustain a positive growth within this market. Toyota aims to increase its European market share from 4. % to 4. 5% ( 835,000 vehicles sold) in 2012. In 2011 its Hybrid sales amounted to 10% of the total sales figure. Toyota seeks to increase this to 14% in 2012 and up to as much as 20% in 2013/14 (Reuters: 5th March 2012). To do so, Toyota has re-designed some of its more popular mode ls (Yaris and Auris) and has offered them in both traditional gasoline engines and Hybrid configuration. To further maximise growth in the Hybrid and Plug-In sector, many of Toyota's European distributors have started offering very advantageous finance schemes on these models.This means that a customer no longer needs to go through the bank to purchase a new car. 2. 3 Market Segmentations Toyota's European Market is vastly diverse and requires heavy segmentation. Each market segment requires separate market research, a separate marketing strategy and a separate product offering all together. When segmenting the European market one has to take the following considerations: * Age of the target consumer * Social Standing * Occupation and thus purchasing power * Educational background * Other cultural and socio-economic factorsFor the purposes of this plan we shall conduct a socio-demographic segmentation. Market segments may include : * Young ,trendy people who opt for small, inexpensi ve, cheap to run vehicles. this segment is also very environmentally conscious. * Young adults with higher spending power who opt for small saloon, small SUV's/mini-vans and 4Ãâ€"4 vehicles. This segment is also very environmentally conscious but less so than the young trendy people * Middle aged adults who are better off and can afford higher end vehicles such as large saloons and high end 4Ãâ€"4 vehicles.This segment is less environmentally conscious and therefore less likely to invest in a Hybrid or PHEW vehicle unless these become trendy to own. * Mature adults who are about to retire or have retired from work. This segment looking for comfort and practicality while still maintaining style. Depending on their occupation and ability to save(throughout their career), their spending power will vary. This segment is the least environmentally conscious. Other market segments include small, medium and large business organisations for which Toyota has developed a range of trucks and vans of various sizes and payload capacity. . 4 SWOT Analysis Strengths * Toyota has firmly placed itself as one of the leading car manufacturers in the world and is also steadily gaining ground in Europe. Toyota's reputation for quality and reliability has help to breach and gain a foothold in the European automobile market. * Toyota is on the forefront of cutting edge technology and is the leading manufacturer for Hybrid vehicles in Europe and aims to further increase sales of Hybrids and PHEV in the next 2 years. * The Toyota Way of management continues to advocate efficiency in the production, distribution and sales of Toyota vehicles.Toyota's continues drive towards efficiency has led to a reduction in cost of production/distribution/sales * Toyota's Sustainability Report informs partners, distributors, employees and customers of the company's commitment to a cleaner future. This further reinforces Toyota's Corporate Social Responsibility in the minds of all third parties. * Th e company has a highly skilled workforce * Wide distribution network through clearly marked Toyota stores and other authorised distributors allowing potential customers easy access to the company's vehicles Weaknesses * Toyota's size as an organisation is in itself a weakness.The scale of the company presents different sets of challenges. The decision making process may be slower than in other organisations due to the sheer size of the management structure. * A wide distribution network requires a large workforce dedicated to logistics and distribution which can be quite expensive. * A weakness can also be identified in the supply chain for hybrid vehicles in Europe. Even though hybrid Yaris and Auris models are produced in Britain (and as of April 2012, also in France) almost all of the parts used to make these vehicles have to be imported.This will increase the overall cost per unit, therefore reducing competitiveness. (Reuters 5th March 2012) * Toyota owns and runs 8 manufacturin g plants, 14 parts centres and 9 vehicle logistic centres in Europe. These plants and centres have high fixed costs. With an expected 5% decrease in the demand for cars in Europe, these plants' fixed costs may become a long term burden on Toyota Europe and may decrease profitability. Opportunities * Being on the forefront of hybrid and PHEV technology, Toyota is an ideal position to strengthen its hold on this market segment and increase overall sales in Europe.In fact sales targets for 2013/14 for hybrid vehicles are initially set at 14% and 20% at a later stage. Various governments are imposing lower licensing fees on hybrid vehicles thus providing the perfect incentive for consumers to opt for a Toyota hybrid model * Soaring fuel prices are driving consumers to look for alternative modes of transport. Toyota's hybrid and PHEV vehicles are very fuel efficient thus providing Toyota with the perfect opportunity to increase its market share. * Toyota plans to start manufacturing part s for hybrid and PHEV in Europe once sales reach 150,000 hybrid vehicles per year.At present, these parts are imported from Asia and the US. The production of parts in Europe would bring significant savings in transport and logistical costs which would bring a lower cost per unit and in term allow Toyota to be even more competitive with its prices. This would also put Toyota in a position to offer maintenance services to its customers at a lower price. Threats * In recent years Toyota has had to recall millions of vehicles due to defective brakes, suspensions and accelerator units. Recalls have cost Toyota millions of dollars in the past and they continue to be a costly problem in the present and foreseeable future.Recalls can also have a negative effect on brand equity and effect sales growth in the long term. * New brands could increase competition and erode Toyota's sales. New entrants from Korea, China and India are providing various market offerings, at different levels of qual ity and at increasingly competitive prices. * Soaring fuel prices and raw material prices could have a negative impact on costs of production and distribution therefore further reducing profitability. * Economic factors such as the global recession in the last 3/4 years and the lack of consumer confidence in banking institutions will have a negative effect on sales.In recent years, unemployment rates have risen in Europe making selling expensive commodities, such as cars, even harder. 2. 5 Competition The Automobile industry is in itself a fiercely competitive industry. Even more so in the European market place due to the numerous European car manufacturers. Toyota faces stiff competition from most European car makers as they market and sell the bulk of their products in Europe. Therefore when it comes to purchasing a car, the European consumer has many more product offerings to chose from. Most of the European car makers have developed entire fleets of cars to suite different budge ts, demographics and astes. In Europe, specifications such as miles per gallon, design features and retail price, have become battle grounds for car manufacturers. Toyota also faces a socio-cultural challenge: European car manufacturers take pride in the fact that their cars are designed and built in Europe for Europeans. This, in a way, can prove to be an advantage for brands such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen. These brands can give the perception of being able to understand the European consumer's needs better than their Asian and American counterparts. Toyota also faces stiff competition from other Asian manufacturers such as Kia, Hyundai and Honda.These manufacturers have also realised the importance of maximising fuel efficiency (with particular emphasis to small urban/city cars). Asia manufacturers have also been able to compete when it comes to retail price. Labour is relatively cheap in certain parts of Asia, thus allowing Asian manufacturers to keep costs of producti on low and passing on the savings to its customers. Competition has also risen due to new entrants into the European market. American giant General Motors launched Chevrolet Europe in 2005. Chevrolet have redesigned product offerings and created new product offerings to suit the European market.

Biblical Concept of Sin Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Biblical Concept of Sin - Article Example The present research has identified that the bible is the Christian’s guide to live a spiritually healthy life. The bible has many authors in the different books, who were inspired by God. The Bible teaches Christians to live a pure life with no sin; however, it does not provide a precise definition of sin. Instead, the Bible elaborates on remedies to sin. Like other doctrines, Kinghorn acknowledges the need to apply the concept of progressive revelation. In his attempt to reveal the biblical view of sin, Kinghorn studies the doctrine of sin in both the old and new testaments. He uses this approach in order to follow the revelation of the doctrine of sin throughout the centuries, from the creation of man, as God manifests himself in the human families setting. Kinghorn identifies numerous terms that look into the concept of sin in the Old Testament, which makes it an ideal study in order to understand the doctrine of sin. Mentions of sin in the Old Testament are in Hebrew, who se translations may distort the precise definition of the terms. In this article, we see sin as having an inward concept and an outside concept. The inward concept is best seen in the case of the tenth commandment, while the outside concept of sin is seen in cold-blooded murder. There are many concepts of sin including an act of wrongdoing with regard to ethics, breaking the law due to ill motive, and breaking the covenant of God as a deflection from the lawgiver.   giver. We also look at the doctrine of sin according to the new testament, as portrayed by Jesus through parables and Paul in his letters. The author concludes by relating the doctrine of sin to the opinions of Wesleyans. Critical interaction In defining sin according to the New Testament, Kinghorn looks at human family and the relation it had with God. The family setting in the Old Testament defined sin as an inward act, owing to the sins of our first parents, before it became an outward act. In this regard sin was seen as breaking the law, which made it punishable. According to the Hebrews, there was a clear distinction between sin, which was defined as an act of wrong doing, and what did not constitute sin. According to the book of Leviticus, sin was any act that was contrary to the command, whether it was done knowingly or unknowingly, due to ignorance. Kinghorn supports this claim by quoting the book of Leviticus 5: 17, which says "And if any one sin, and do any of the things wh ich Jehovah hath commanded not to be done, though he knew it not, yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity." The Old Testament looks at both the ethical and legal concepts of sin. In the former, sin involves an act, while in the latter, it is about breaking a law, regardless of knowledge of its existence. Another kind of sin in the Old Testament is one that is not portrayed on the outside, like in the case of condemning murder only if it’s done willingly. Analysis of the sin according to the Old Testament is fouuunded on the idea of progression, whereby the concept of sin is revealed in various people and prophets as we move towards Christianity. Kinghorn identifies some bible characters that had greater vision than others, like in the case of Enoch. He also reveals another concept of sin that involves breaking the covenant of God that is built on human obedience. In such cases, sin is seen as a rebellion against God since the covenant forms the basis of the relationship between God and man. In the Old Testament, sin was seen as not only breaking the law, but also a deflection from the law giver. The analysis of sin according

Renault Vehicle Industries Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Renault Vehicle Industries - Essay Example Agility in the organizational process in responding to market demands can only be achieved through organizational structures, which are well-integrated, less bureaucratic and collectively aligned towards achieving the organizational objectives (Thomson & Strickland 2003). Â  The case study analyses the current issues being faced by Renault Vehicles Industries, (RVI) the French Auto manufacturer with regards to organizational structure and culture. The analysis will take into account the current status of the organization and identify the problem areas being encountered at Renault. The insight gained from the analysis will aid in explaining the past background and how the company has developed to its current stage as well as what the future may hold if the organization proceeds without interventions. Lastly, the analysis will also provide suggestions and recommendations for intervention and create change at Renault to succeed in the ever-competitive field of automobile industry. Â  Renault Vehicle Industries, initially established in 1915 as Berlite was nationalized in 1915 and name changed to Renault in 1978. The company mainly focuses on the manufacturing of heavy goods & transport vehicles and buses. The company’s annual turnover levels are in the range of 25,000 million francs and across Europe, the company holds nearly 10% of market share for heavy goods & Transport vehicle segment. Renault busses and coaches hold over 50% of the market share in France. The company is ranked third in the world market for heavy goods and transport vehicle market. The Venissieux site houses two production facilities, which produce buses and coaches. Little over 5,000 people are employed at the Renault factories and 60% of the workforce is shop floor workers.

HPV in adolescens, a health project Research Paper

HPV in adolescens, a health project - Research Paper Example As a clinician, one is tasked with general advocacy and involvement in educating the public on health practices, from parents down to the children. This requires thorough campaigns in schools, communities and general public learning institutes. Issues of adolescent patients’ sexuality, risk behaviors, and other psychosocial risk factors should be a priority within the working procedures of all physicians. Adolescence is one of the most vulnerable life passages for the acquisition of human papillomavirus (HPV) (Anonymous, 2010, p19-20). Nurses and other health practitioners have a unique role to play in the fight against HPV amongst adolescents. This is effective by early health screening, effective communication and good care to the adolescent patients (Nancho, n.d, p30). The process is long and involves participation of many stakeholders and hence necessitates good organization and management of the whole process. Therefore, this process requires competitive and skilled leade rship from the responsible health care managers (Cherie and Gebrekidan, 2005, p4-5). From an early age in my upbringing, I knew very well what I wanted do when I grow up. I loved helping patients and attending to the less fortunate in the society with medical attention. However, amongst the many health practitioners categories, nursing interested me most. ... Amongst the participants present in the meeting were other invited global players whose role was monitoring the programs and evaluating the progress of the professional group. The health organization is a national, not-for-profit, independent, voluntary association. It represents public health in the country and is globally linked to the international public health community. The organization believes in universal, equitable and accessible basic life conditions, which necessitate the acquisition of health services to all in the country. The organization’s mission is to constitute a nationwide resource that has the main role as to advocate for the improvement and maintenance of health among individual citizens and the community at large as according to the public policy. The meeting was organized and convened by the interim chair of the organization and the board and directors to deliberate on the mechanisms and ways to address the rampant cases of spread of HPV amongst adolesc ents in the country and the globe at large. The main agenda was the role of nursing profession in the treatment and control of the condition in the overall health practitioners’ fraternity. The meeting resolved unanimously that the youthful stage of adolescence is the main target in the fight against Human papilla virus, which easily transcends through risky sexual behaviors amongst adolescents. The nursing fraternity proposed effective mechanisms to be employed to ensure effective and successful fight against the threat posed by the viral condition. However, one of the greatest challenges outlined was the leadership program that would facilitate the success of the campaign. The leadership skills important in

Pediatric radiography discussion Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Pediatric radiography discussion - Case Study Example Other destructors such as TV, video games, or movies on tablets or phones can also be used to help the child remain destructed for a while. This is the simplest and least expensive immobilizing method since it uses equipment found in most departments. Devices used include tapes, sheets or towels, compression bands, sand bags, covered radiolucent sponge blocks, stockinettes and ace bandages. After each procedure, it is required that the item is either disposed or be cleaned with bleach if coated with vinyl. The tapes should be twisted so that the adhesive surface is not against the skin. Gauze pads can also be placed between the skin and the adhesive tape. For small infants and young children, a 4 inch ace bandage can be used effectively. On the other hand, 6 inch ace bandages work well for older children and they are best used to immobilize legs. They look like midevil torture devices and they are rarely used since parents do not like to see their children put in them. The method uses the Pedia-poser chair that provides fast, gentle and secure immobilization of infants through 4 years old. In this device, the patient is secured only once and the chair rotates to quickly position for different views. It is simple and reliable, therefore, child friendly for pediatric positioning. One is able to adjust the chair back to the height of the child. Non-stretchy Velcro straps can be used by the stronger toddlers to secure their arms in different views. This is a faster, easier and commonly used method where the parent is used to position the child or hold the child in position. This works best for extremity exams like an elbow. The devices used in this method include gloves and aprons worn by the parents in case their anatomy slips in the exposure. During pediatric radiography, proper immobilization and high mA, short exposure time techniques are used and applied to reduce the motion unsharpness. Also, accurate

International HRM Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

International HRM - Term Paper Example Consequently, it also enhanced its sustainability and competitive advantages among other apparent competitors in the market substantially assisting the organization to retain its market share and brand fidelity. Under the leadership and control of Adelia Adolfo, the productivity and profitability level in Calidad was enhanced to a significant extent, making headlines in a leading tourism industry publication of Yucatan's in the year 2010. Calidad became successful in the attainment of 14 new car-rental sites, which facilitated the enlargement of its brand image and its uniqueness in the market among other competing firms. In addition, acquisition of new rental sites also enhanced the efficiency and profit margin of Calidad, thereby amplifying its sustainability in the long run. Moreover, the management also decided to operate internationally, by purchasing the Belizean Auto Rentals (BAR), situated in the neighboring country of Belize. Therefore, to maintain the varied sites of BAR in an efficient and effective way, employing numerous skilled site-managers has become quite essential for Calidad. By employing skilled site-managers, the company intends to facilitate Calidad in broadening its market value and supremacy among other organizational players of the specific region. Due to this fact, the management of Calidad has made an attempt to recruit 10 site-managers, who will be responsible for supplementing the site operations, leading towards the improvement of its corporate image and revenue as it is extremely essential for Calidad to execute its operations in an effective way. The job responsibilities offered for the position of a site-manager will encompass the decision-making as well as strategic designing aimed at facilitating the company’s expansion and thereby will require highly skilled and experienced professionals. It will be a permanent job with 10 vacancies, comprising the liability of handling diverse types of site-related issues and client l iaisons. It is an urgent vacancy and the interested candidates should possess the below mentioned Knowledge Skills and Abilities (KSAs) along with other personal and desired abilities to fulfill the assigned Tasks, Duties and Responsibilities (TDRs). Tasks, Duties and Responsibilities (TDRs) Management and supervision of the day to day actions of a particular site Controlling labor related issues in that particular site Maintaining vigilance over the number of cars, hired by the tourists Maintaining a record of all the tourists, hiring vehicles from the site of Belizean Auto Rentals (BAR) Providing the customer with every piece of requisite information as per their desires and requirements Maintaining both hard and soft copy of the charges of all cars, hired by tourists Preparation of balance sheets and profit and loss statements at the end of each month Knowledge Skills and Abilities (KSAs) Must possess excellent communication skills in English and Spanish An engineering degree in any discipline is mandatory Additional degree such as MBA or any other professional course will be preferred The candidate must have a minimum of 5-10 years experience in a similar field The candidate must have adequate local knowledge regarding the hiring rates of the rented vehicles Desirable Skills Excellent mastery of Microsoft Word and Excel along with other

The Impact of Mobile Banking on the Finance Profession in Banking Article

The Impact of Mobile Banking on the Finance Profession in Banking Environment - Article Example   However, there is also a group of stakeholders, including the staff that is concerned about the negative consequences of mobile banking. The crucial question is then how the finance work in the banking environment would be affected. The trending developments regarding mobile banking are well documented. According to SWIFT (2005), mobile banking is still considered as one of the pertinent topics in the finance industry, as well as for banking institutions. This has been exacerbated by the growing ubiquity of mobile phones across the global population. In a population of about 7 billion people, as many as 5 billion people will be in the possession of mobile phones. At the same time, out of all that population, only 2 billion people will be holding the bank accounts. Consumers are now increasingly using their mobile phones in making payments and bank their money. Mobile banking is described as a growing business, with users expected to increase to about 900 million while the transac tion value is expected to exceed 1 trillion dollars by 2015. Finance staff would also have to reap from the benefits that accompany the mobile banking operation. It is agreeable that mobile transfer is cheaper than teller transfer by about fifty times and ATM transfer by about ten times. Mobile banking comes with a lot of flexibility, both to customers and the firm itself. For instance, the service makes it easy for the bank to combine and sell other services and products that are offered in the bank, such as credit cards and loans, with relative ease. Mobile banking is the best way of realizing drastic growth because it is one way for banking institutions to remain competitive (Delloitte 2010). In the most obvious way, the finance staff would is some of the stakeholders to gain when the banks gain. Tiwari, Buse, and Hersatt (2006) acknowledge that increased competition as a result of technological development and globalization has exposed banks to a challenging environment. Mobile banking innovation creates the allowance for the banks to retain their place by introducing the innovative services that are aimed at retaining the customers, as well as increase the revenues. However, the business is still immature, considering that only a few initiatives have succeeded in attracting a significant base of users. In other words, the service is still marred with a lot of uncertainties.  Ã‚