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1993 Cuisine and Culture of Mexico Research Paper

1993 Cuisine and Culture of Mexico - Research Paper Example Notwithstanding, Mexican individuals have a place with different various soci...

Tuesday, August 25, 2020

1993 Cuisine and Culture of Mexico Research Paper

1993 Cuisine and Culture of Mexico - Research Paper Example Notwithstanding, Mexican individuals have a place with different various societies and this combination of assorted variety is reflected in the rich Mexican culture and convention. The Official language of Mexico is Spanish and it is the biggest and most thickly populated Spanish talking country on the planet. There is no official religion of Mexico yet be that as it may, during the antiquated Spanish colonization, the religion of Roman Catholicism was acquainted with the Mexican individuals. In any case, an ongoing statistics uncovered that 95% of the Mexican populace is Christian out of which 89% are Roman Catholics in this way Mexico has the second biggest Catholic populace on the planet. The society workmanship customs of Mexican are amalgamations of both Spanish and native Aztec culture. The extraordinary differences in the Mexican culture are likewise because of the impact of Pre Columbian craftsmanship which is depicted in the bended, straight and three dimensional pottery cre ated in Mexico. The old Mesoamerican settlements formed the customary writing of antiquated and present day Mexico. Netzahualcoyotl was a pre-Hispanic writer and is by a wide margin the most acclaimed chronicled artist in Mexico. The start of the twentieth century is considered as the Golden Era of Mexican film. During this time numerous notable occasions were depicted as stage exhibitions especially the Mexican unrest was drastically portrayed. Advanced Mexican culture demonstrates extraordinary motivation to the Catholic Church. (Solski, 1981) Cutting edge Mexican food is a combination of unique Mayan and Aztec culture alongside the impact of Spanish culture and cooking conventions. Mexico is renowned around the globe for this one of a kind mix of Spanish and native cooking. Mexican cooking is known for its wide scope of flavors and colorful enhancements. The interesting combination of fixings and an assortment of flavors give Mexican food a one of a kind and

Saturday, August 22, 2020

The Character of the Female Gender, as Related in The Glass Menagerie Essay

The Character of the Female Gender, as Related in The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams - Essay Example The Wingfield's emergency exit assumes the imagery of one of the primary subjects of the play, escape. Amanda is a fearless however prevailing lady, caught before and her childhood as a Southern Belle. Laura is caught by her timidity, delicate affectability and handicap, her 'world' basing on her glass assortment and old records. Tom is an artist, caught by an exhausting activity in a shoe plant, and the duty of accommodating his mom and sister. Different topics investigated incorporate dream, disappointment and dissatisfaction. No one truly wins, no fantasies work out as expected. Synopsis of Marxist Analysis: Marxist communism looks for a raunchy society where everybody is equivalent, or has balance of chance. Tom Wingfield mirrors Williams' conditions, through which he turned out to be socially mindful, being encircled by poor people, the low-paid specialists, the jobless, bohemian authors, writers, craftsmen and radical activists. In Glass Menagerie, when setting Scene One for us, depicting the area, Williams shows his communist, Marxist convictions, or in any event, his compassion towards that way of thinking. He says: Note how he has let us know of the class level included, and the emotive utilization of the words 'generally subjugated' regarding the family and its day to day environments. In this regard, he is giving us his disturb that individuals ought to need to live along these lines, and buying in to the Marxist perfect. Once more, there is an association with communist qualities when he has Tom take care of his obligations to the Union of Merchant Seamen, instead of the electric bill - along these lines featuring a faith in the associations and communism, rather than free enterprise. In talking about the looming war, Williams places into the mouth of Tim Wingfield, some further sign of the conviction that individuals are not getting what they are qualified for out of life. Tom: Hollywood characters should have all the experiences for everyone in America, while everyone in America sits in an obscured room and watches them have them! Truly, until there's a war. That is when experience opens up to the masses!....Then the individuals in obscurity room come out of the dim space to have some experience themselves-.... (Williams, 1936, Scene Six, p. 282) In utilizing the word 'masses' the writer makes us review that this phrasing is habitually connected with Marxism. With respect to coming out of the dull, it is representative, not simply of Tom awakening to what he is being denied of, yet of the considerable number of individuals apparently persecuted as he may be. There is as well, a skeptical acknowledgment that in having 'experience', those equivalent masses will endure. The play uncovered, through Tom's portrayal, how that Capitalist dream has fell, it is a hallucination. Williams isn't unsympathetic, however in Tom's getaway, is revealing to us that everyone merits the chance

Monday, August 10, 2020

Somebody Else

Somebody Else And now for something completely different. Sam is allowing me (Ruth 07) to write a guest blog entry. It might not make for the best guest spot of all time, but I did lift the title of an obscure yet underrated song for the entry title. As the most Humanities-oriented student at MIT, having just wrapped up an STS UROP, now contemplating a second major of Urban Planning, having declared a HASS concentration in Economics, and continuing to tell the world that Political Science at MIT is ranked 10th in the country, its about time I was allowed to blog. Read on to learn of my harrowing adventures tutoring writing for the Media And Technology Charter High School and working in MITs Lewis Music Library. Also, juicy details on what its like living next to Sam Maurer for a summer, as told by his surrogate Mitra. First things first, Sams only letting me write this so I can talk about the MATCH school. Its one of the many Community Service jobs available to MIT students. Its probably the best paying, though. Last summer, when I hugged squirrels for Keep Covington-Newton Beautiful, I learned that Federal Work Study means the Fed forks over 75% of the students pay for community service-type jobs. This is important for some jobs. I may be the only person who enjoys paint recycling jobs (did I mention Im anosmic?). But other jobs, like the MATCH school, dont have hazardous conditions or oppressive heat. The high pay good conditions combination leads to a plesant work environment, high competition for job placement, and high retention rate among tutors between summers. The schools mission is to prepare its students, that arrive a few grades behind, for a 100% college graduation rate. So for four hours, four days a week, for five weeks, MIT, BU, and Wellesley students tutor incoming freshmen in math and English to begin catching them up. Most people do this I teach rising sophomores in writing. Let me tell you, for those that havent read The Color of Water, itll make 200 pages of Veto Bargaining a piece of cake when you take 17.20 Introduction to the American Political Process. Seriously though, its really fun to take some of your own enthusiasm for learning and force it upon younger people. It kind of reminds you why youre here at MIT in the first place. In my case, having returning MATCH students is really nice, too, because theyre already indoctrinated to the discipline and dress code, and they behave so very well. Ive got the sweetest kids, ever. And Ive been responsible for quite a few children in my day. Ok, thats the boys side of camp, but that cabin greatly resembles one I stayed in for a few summers during high school with 4H. Moving on I mentioned that MATCH has a good retention rate among tutors. Returning tutors are invited to be team leaders. The team thing is important to explain, too. The school has lots of ways to motivate its students, so they pit the tutors against each other in a Harry Potteresque competition. You earn and lose points for your team based on your tardiness, originality, enthusiasm, and general ability to suck up to the program coordinators. Speaking of sycophancy, Jon 06 is a lead tutor for the MATCH school this summer, and the second person I met at MIT. That was way back in Fall 2002, before the Admissions page told you anything useful, except how to be a hosted prefrosh. Jon and my host lived on Conner 2, and enlisted me to help with their Freshmen Dinner and Apple Bake. Those were good times. 10s that are reading this, you should seriously considering visiting MIT in the fall. Ok, moving on. After the two tutoring sessions, we have tutor meetings and discussions, and then Im off to my second job in the Lewis Music Library. This is my desk: [] People will tell you that the sweetest (cushiest) jobs at MIT are working desk in your dorm. Secondary to working for Admissions, of course. The basic idea is that youre sitting down, theres not a lot of physical labor, and a wide range of highly interesting people stop by for you to conversate with. Theres only so many desks to work, so those tend to get filled up fast. Something not many people think about though, is the libraries. MIT has tons, all with their own desks and cushiness and conversations. I chose the Music library for its awesome architecture and offbeat subject matter. Offbeat at MIT just means not science. Theres only so much engineering a person can take, but I have a high tolerance for music. I dont know as much about Maria Callas and Tchaikovsky as I should, though I did spell Tchaikovsky just now without dictionary.com. I am comfortable making recommendations in the Pop collection, and weve got 13,000 CDs, so I cant be expected to know them all, anyway. And 70-something thousand scores. And a bajillion books. And 5 iPods, but those arent ready for circulation yet. This is my favorite Opera CD. So, life with Sam. Thats actually a picture from last summer. Sam, Beckett 05, Moria 05, myself, and Morias blueberry tart 04 went to Boston Common for a picnic and A Midsummer Nights Dream. As you can see, Moria is an excellent chef. Unfortunately, shes in Michigan. But without Moria, we will carry on and see Hamlet in the Common tonight. You see folks, Sam feels a duty to you, his stalkers, to do interesting things to blog about. Thats how dedicated he is. Who knows, maybe next week hell take the wrong MBTA bus at midnight and blog about his walk home. Or choreograph a dance to Toxic. Or prepare potatoes in a way that even I will eat. Theres no telling with this kid. Thats it for me, until Admissions gives me my own blog. Until then, Miller Out.

Saturday, May 23, 2020

Nutrition And Macronutrients Carbohydrates - 1182 Words

Nutrition and Macronutrients: Carbohydrates: Carbohydrate, in the form of glucose, is the preferred fuel for working muscles. It is particularly important during high intensity activity but whatever exercise is performed some carbohydrate will be used. Glucose is stored in the muscles and liver as a substance known as glycogen and is rapidly converted back to glucose when is it required. The capacity for glycogen storage is limited - a 70kg individual has glycogen reserves of approximately 400g. Once these stores have been used, the ability to perform exercise is reduced. In order to maximise the body s glycogen stores, athletes should habitually consume a high carbohydrate diet, contributing approximately 60% to 70% of total energy, equivalent to 6g to 10g carbohydrate/kg body weight/day. This is about 5-15% greater than the level of carbohydrate recommended for the general population. Although complex carbohydrates such as cereals, pasta and bread are generally recommended in preference to simple sugars, a diet providing 70% of energy as complex carbohydrate can be excessively bulky. Moreover, there may be situations, for example, immediately post-exercise, where foods containing complex carbohydrate are not suitable. The use of food and drink containing simple sugars e.g. jam or honey may therefore be necessary on occasion. Protein: Current guidelines suggest that, when compared with the general population, the daily protein requirements of individuals involved inShow MoreRelatedFood Intake 3 Days Essay854 Words   |  4 PagesFood Intake - 3 Days According to the World Health Organization, â€Å"Nutrition is the intake of food, considered in relation to the body’s dietary needs. Good nutrition – an adequate, well balanced diet combined with regular physical activity – is a cornerstone of good health. Poor nutrition can lead to reduced immunity, increased susceptibility to disease, impaired physical and mental development, and reduced productivity. (World Health Organization, 2012) † Nothing is more important than followingRead MoreRecording Food Intake For Three Days Essay932 Words   |  4 Pagesbody needs to obtain and maintain optimal health. The recording food intake for three days provides many areas of nutrition that I am more aware of that before; this includes protein, carbohydrate, lipid, and fiber intake needs. Meeting the nutritional needs of the human body helps to ensure a healthy lifestyle that is free of disease and illness. Intake of Protein, Carbohydrates, and Lipids The 3-days-diet from the iProfile data shows the majority of protein intake from meats, such as chickenRead MoreMacronutrients And Their Role Of Nutrition1183 Words   |  5 PagesMacronutrients and Their Role in Nutrition Life is a matter of choice, so chose to stay young and healthy, enjoy life and have a long journey ahead! Definition and overview of macronutrients Nutrition is the study of nutrients and how we process the food we intake. Nutrients fall into two main categories: macronutrients that we need in relatively large amounts; and micronutrients, which are mostly needed a small amounts. Foods and drinks has a range of substance called nutrients that we use for theRead MoreFood Intake-3 Days1088 Words   |  5 PagesFood Intake – 3 Days Edgar Burgos Cruz University of Phoenix SCI/220 Human Nutrition September 12, 2013 Prof. Pierre Edvrard Pharel Food Intake – 3 Days During this week, I Edgar Burgos had to conduct a food intake for 3 consecutive days. This paper will describe my nutritional endeavor for the past three days. I will provide different aspects of my nutritional needs and an in depth analysis on how proteins fats carbohydrates and fiber take part in my everyday diet and what are these functions. ThisRead MoreFood Intake1126 Words   |  5 Pageseggs. The foods that provided carbohydrates in my daily intake that was recorded were, bread, sprite, chicken and salad dressing. In the recorded food intake the foods that provided lipids were salad dressing, eggs, pizza, and chicken. Although these are three different groups of nutrients most of the foods listed are the same and they provide all three nutrients or at least two of them. Proteins, Carbohydrates and Lipids My average recorded protein, carbohydrate and lipid intake compared to theRead MoreThree Day Food Intake970 Words   |  4 Pagesintake of protein, carbohydrates, and lipids. Track the ranges of macronutrient intake, as well as the fiber intake range. Recorded intake of protein, carbohydrates, and lipids The foods in my recorded daily intake that provided protein were peanut butter, all the meats, protein shake, coffee, eggs, broccoli, lettuce, cheddar cheese, oatmeal, spinach, turnips, cereal, potato salad, barbecue sauce, French dressing, and pasta. The foods that provided carbohydrates were the same as theRead MorePart 11036 Words   |  5 Pagesbehaviors. Recorded Intake of Protein, Carbohydrates, and Lipids According to the spreadsheet of foods that were recorded in the three day intake I Profile, many of the foods listed provided an overlap of protein, carbohydrates and lipids. The foods recorded that provided the majority intake of protein were Eggs, Chicken, Turkey ham, Cheese, Breakfast Sausage. (University of Phoenix, 2012). Next, the foods that provided the majority of carbohydrates were: Croissant, Bagel and Pasta BroccoliRead More3 Day Food Intake1027 Words   |  5 PagesDuring my three-day food intake I learned about myself. There are many benefits of good nutrition. †Medical Online† states â€Å"besides helping you maintain a healthy weight, good nutrition is essential for the body and all its system to function optimally for a lifetime.† A healthy diet promotes good sleep, gives the body what it needs to stay healthy, and provides energy. According to â€Å"Mealtime Memo† Good nutrition means getting the calories that we need for energy and the n utrients we need for properRead MoreThe Nutritional Practices Of Students Essay1582 Words   |  7 Pagesinterested in looking at the eating habits of kinesiology students, because they are more likely to have received some formal education on nutrition practices and are also more likely to pay attention to their nutrition practices. The main idea of this paper is to look at the nutritional practices of students, particularly how often they eat and how they view macronutrients, and to ascertain whether the students believe their current nutritional practices are healthy. The significance of this is to lookRead MoreComponents Of A Balance Diet945 Words   |  4 Pages†¢ Nutrients, digestion, hydration balance diet †¢ †¢ Components of a balance diet (macronutrients and micronutrients) †¢ †¢ A macronutrient is a food, which your body needs, in large amounts. Macronutrients are fats, proteins and carbohydrates †¢ Per every gram there are: †¢ 4 calories in carbohydrates †¢ 4 calories in protein †¢ 9 calories in lipids †¢ †¢ What is nutrition? †¢ Nutrition is the intake of food considered by your body as needed. Fore example sticking to the recommended daily allowances

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

Segmented Worms and Their Species

Segmented worms (Annelida) are a group of invertebrates that includes about 12,000 species of earthworms, ragworms, and leeches. Segmented worms live in marine habitats such as the intertidal zone and near hydrothermal vents. Segmented worms also inhabit freshwater aquatic habitats as well as moist terrestrial habitats such as forest floors. Anatomy of Segmented Worms Segmented worms are bilaterally symmetrical. Their body consists of a head region, a tail region, and a middle region of numerous repeated segments. Each segment is separate from the others by a structure called septa. Each segment contains a complete set of organs. Each segment also has a pair of hooks and bristles and in marine species a pair of parapodia (appendages used for movement). The mouth is located on the first segment at the head-end of the animal and the gut runs through all segments to the end where an anus is located in the tail segment. In many species, blood circulates within blood vessels. Their body is filled with fluid that gives the animal shape through hydrostatic pressure. Most segmented worms burrow in terrestrial soils or sediments at the bottom of freshwater or marine waters. The body cavity of a segmented worm is filled with fluid inside which the gut runs the length of the animal from head to tail. The outer layer of the body consists of two layers of muscle, one layer that has fibers that run longitudinally, a second layer that has muscle fibers that run in a circular pattern. Segmented worms move by coordinating their muscles along the length of their body. The two layers of muscles (longitudinal and circular) can be contracted such that parts of the body can be alternately long and thin or short and thick. This enables the segmented worm to pass a wave of movement along its body that enables it to, for example, move through loose earth (in the case of the earthworm). They can make their head region thin so that it can be used to penetrate through new soil and build subterranean burrows and paths. Reproduction Many species of segmented worms reproduce asexually but some species reproduce sexually. Most species produce larvae that develop into small adult organisms. Diet Most segmented worms feed on decaying plant materials. An exception to this are the leeches, a group of segmented worms, are freshwater parasitic worms. Leeches have two suckers, one at the head end of the body, the other at the tail end of the body. They attach to their host to feed on blood. They produce an anticoagulant enzyme known as hirudin to prevent blood from clotting while they feed. Many leeches also ingest small invertebrate prey whole. Classification The beard worms (Pogonophora) and the spoon worms (Echiura) are considered to be close relatives of the annelids though their representation in the fossil record is rare. The segmented worms along with the beard worms and spoon worms belong to the Trochozoa. Segmented worms are classified within the following taxonomic hierarchy: Animals Invertebrates Segmented Worms Segmented worms are divided into the following taxonomic groups: Polychaetes - The polychaetes include about 12,000 species that are characterized by having multiple hairs on each segment. They have nuchal organs on their neck that function as chemosensory organs. Most polychaetes are marine animals although some species live in terrestrial or freshwater habitats.Clitellates - The clitellates include about 10,000 species that have no nuchal organs or parapodia. They are noted for their clitellum, a thick pink section of their body that produces a cocoon to store and feed fertilized eggs until they hatch. The Clitellates are further divided into the oligochaetes (which include earthworms) and the Hirudinea (the leeches).

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Coke Free Essays

Distribution Gaps in Direct Routes By Anuroop Uppuluri June, 2010 Distribution Gaps in Direct Routes By Anuroop Uppuluri Under the guidance of Shri Himanshu Shekhar Dr. Bikramjit Rishi Capability Developmnet ManagerProfessor HCCB IMT, Ghaziabad June, 2010 Certificate of Approval The following Summer Project Report titled â€Å"Distribution Gaps in Direct Routes† is hereby approved as a certified study in management carried out and presented in a manner satisfactory to warrant its acceptance as a prerequisite for the award of Post-Graduate Diploma in Business Management for which it has been submitted. It is understood that by this approval the undersigned do not necessarily endorse or approve any statement made, opinion expressed or conclusion drawn therein but approve the Summer Project Report only for the purpose it is submitted. We will write a custom essay sample on Coke or any similar topic only for you Order Now Summer Project Report Examination Committee for evaluation of Summer Project Report NameSignature 1. Faculty ExaminerDr. Bikramjit Rishi___________________ 2. PG Summer Project Co-coordinatorShri Himanshu Shekhar___________________ Certificate from Summer Project Guides This is to certify that Mr. Anuroop Uppuluri, a student of the Post-Graduate Diploma in Business Management, has worked under our guidance and supervision. This Summer Project Report has the requisite standard and to the best of our knowledge no part of it has been reproduced from any other summer project, monograph, report or book. Dr. Bikramjit RishiShri. Himanshu Shekhar ProfessorCapability Development Manager IMT, GhaziabadHCCBPL New Delhi DateDate Acknowledgement I would like to thank Ms. Saumya Khati (Manager-HR) for giving me an opportunity to work as a summer intern in Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Private Limited. I am grateful to Mr. Himanshu Shekhar under whose guidance I have successfully completed this project. I would like to thank Mr. Inderjeet Bindra who has been a constant source of encouragement and without whose guidance this project would not have been completed. I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to Mr. Sandeep Rawat for all the support during the course of the project work. I am extremely grateful to Dr. Bikramjit Rishi, whose guidance and valuable suggestions helped me move in the right direction through the course of my nternship. I would also like to thank all the workers in the Dilshad Garden depot and my friends who have directly or indirectly helped me complete this project. Abstract Distribution Gaps in Direct Routes For HCCB By Anuroop Uppuluri Distribution (Place) is one of the four elements of marketing mix, the other three being Product, Price and Promotion referred to as the 4Ps. The importance of a strong and reliable distribution network cannot be over emp hasized in an FMCG company. In an FMCG company like Coca-Cola where there is rapid movement of products along the distribution channels (especially in summer when the demand is at peak), a proper distribution network would mean both increased sales and customer satisfaction. Market Developers (MDs) and Area Market Controllers (AMCs) are the frontline workers who form the strong base of the distribution network in Coca-Cola Company. Any shortcoming on their part will result in loss of sales for the company and also affects the RED scores of the outlets where order does not get delivered. This research was focused on identifying the distribution gaps in direct routes and taking steps to bridge the gaps in order to make the distribution network more efficient. This study is confined to the direct routes of Dilshad Garden depot in East Delhi. The methodology includes the following steps: 1) Collecting the invoice data from invoice history report, and data regarding orders received from the delivery sheets. 2) Matching the invoice data with the delivery sheets to identify the outlets where order has not been delivered. 3) Determining the reason for non delivery from the AMC and cross checking it with the outlet when necessary. Identifying outlets with persistent problems and solving issues accordingly. The major findings are: 1. The outlet owners are very particular about the SKU that they order. Changing the SKU if the one ordered was not available led to cancellation of order some times. Such cancellation of orders affects the fill rate. Hence, if any SKU is not available, the order should just be removed instead of being changed to some other SKU. 2. Even though the AMCs are required to call the concerned people when an order gets cancelled and inform about it, they are not taking it seriously. The AMCs need to understand that this is in the best interest of every one as the problem can be cured once and for all if they take suitable action. So, this process needs to be enforced strictly. 3. It has been observed that it is very difficult to track wrong deliveries where in the products are delivered to some individual/outlet while the invoice is printed against some other outlet where delivery did not happen. This can be stopped by implementing a token system where the outlet owner acknowledges the AMC upon delivery using some token. Table of Contents Page Acknowledgement†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦v Abstract†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. vi Table of Contents†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 1 List of Figures†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 3 List of Tables†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚ ¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦4 List of Appendices†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 5 List of Abbreviations†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 6 IINTRODUCTION†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦7 1. 1 A BRIEF INTRODUCTION OF THE COCA-COLA COMPANY†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 7 1. 2 INTRODUCTION OF HCCBPL†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã ¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦7 1. 3 SWOT ANALYSIS OF HCCBPL†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 8 1. 4 PROBLEM FORMULATION†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦9 IIRESEARCH PROBLEM†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦10 2. 1 PROBLEM STATEMENT†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦10 2. 2 OBJECTIVES†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦10 2. 3 PROJECT DELIVERABLES†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦10 2. 4 CHALLENGES†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 10 IIIBACKGROUND OF THE STUDY†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦11 3. 1 RSU METHOD†¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 11 3. 2 DRAWBACKS OF RSU METHOD†¦.. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦11 3. 3 PRE-SALE METHOD.. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 11 3. 4 RIGHT EXECUTION DAILY (RED)†¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦12 3. 5 DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM IN COCA_COLA†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 12 3. 6 PROCESSES FOLLOWED†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢ € ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦14 3. 6. 1 ORDER GENERATION†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 14 3. 6. 2 ORDER INTEGRATION†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦14 3. 6. 3 INVOICE AND SETTLEMENT†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦15 IV RESEARCH DESIGN†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 16 4. 1 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 16 4. 2 DATA COLLECTION†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã ¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 16 4. 3 FINDINGS: GAPS IN DISTRIBUTION†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 16 4. 3. 1 SKU AVAILABILITY†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 16 4. 3. 2 STOCKOUT OF COCA-COLA†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 17 4. 3. 3 WRONG DELIVERY†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 18 4. 3. 4 DAMAGE TO VEHICLE†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 18 4. 3. 5 SHOP CLOSED†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚ ¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦19 4. 3. 6 BIG VEHICLE UNABLE TO REACH OUTLETS IN LANES†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 19 4. 3. AMC NEW TO THE ROUTE†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 19 4. 3. 8 FAKE ORDERS†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 20 4. 3. 9 MISCELLANEOUS REASONS†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 20 VRESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 21 VIRECOMMENDATIONS†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 24 References†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã ¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 25 Appendices†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 26 List of Figures Figure No. Description Page 1 Distribution network depicting direct and indirect routes†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 13 2 Distribution Channels depicting flow of Fulls and Empties†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 14 3 Graph depicting the variations in fill rate for direct routes†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 2 4 Graph showing the overall increasing trend in Fill rate calculated as simple average week wise†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚ ¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 22 List of Tables Table No. Description Page 1 Fill Rates in the direct routes†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 21 2 Simple Average of the fill rates of the AMCs in the given duration†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 23 List of Appendices Table No. Description Page 1Fill Rate26 List of Abbreviations HCCBPL – Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Private Limited CCI – Coca-Cola India MD – Market Developer AMC – Area Market Controller RSU – Ready Stock Unit RGB – Returnable Glass Bottle RED – Right Execution Daily PJP – Permanent Journey Plan CFA – Carry Forward Agents GOD – Glass on Deposit ROD – Return on Deposit RTM – Route to Market STL – Sales Team Lead SKU – Stock Keeping Unit Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION 1. 1 A BRIEF INTRODUCTION OF ‘THE COCA-COLA COMPANY’ The Coca-Cola Company is the world’s largest beverage company operating in more than 200 countries. It has a portfolio of more than 300 beverage products including sparkling drinks and still beverages such as waters, juices and juice drinks, teas, coffees, sports drinks and energy drinks. The Coca-Cola Company was incorporated in 1892 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Coca-Cola originated as a soda fountain beverage in 1886 selling for five cents a glass. Early growth was impressive, but it was only when a strong bottling system developed that Coca-Cola  became the world-famous brand it is today. The company’s beverages are served over 1. 6 billion times every day. The company operates a  franchised  distribution system. The Coca-Cola Company manufactures the concentrates, beverage bases and syrups which are then sold to various  bottlers  throughout the world who hold an exclusive territory. The bottling partners play a critical role in the Coca-Cola system as the producers and distributors of nearly 500 beverage brands and they range from international and publicly-traded businesses to small family-owned operations, the vast majority of which are not owned or controlled by The Coca-Cola Company. The bottling partners are responsible for producing, packaging, distributing and merchandising the beverage products worldwide. Coke has relationships with three types of bottlers: independently owned bottlers where the company has no ownership interest; bottlers where the ompany has invested but has a non-controlling ownership interest; and bottlers where the company has invested and has a controlling interest. Separate contracts, or bottler’s agreements, exist between Coke and each of its bottlers regarding the manufacture and sale of Coke products. The Bottler’s Agreements authorize the bottler to prepare designated Coke trademark beverages, package the drinks i n authorized containers, and then sell the final product in an identified territory. Bottlers are obligate to purchase all of their concentrates and syrups for designated Coke trademark beverages from the company’s authorized suppliers 1. INTRODUCTION OF HCCBPL Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Private Limited  is 100% company owned Bottler in India and reports directly to The Coca-Cola Company. It has 3 business regions, north, south and central, and operates out of 22 locations across India. The business model includes manufacturing the beverage, distribution and sales, trade marketing and market execution. Coca-Cola was the leading soft drink brand in India until 1977 when it left rather than reveal its formula to the government and reduce its equity stake as required under the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA) which governed the operations of foreign companies in India. After a 16-year absence, Coca-Cola returned to India in 1993, cementing its presence with a deal with Parle that gave Coca-Cola ownership of the nation’s top soft-drink brands and bottling network. Coke’s acquisition of local popular Indian brands including Thums Up, Limca, Maaza, Citra and Gold Spot provided not only physical manufacturing, bottling, and distribution assets but also strong consumer preference. With access to 53 of Parle’s plants and a well set bottling network, an excellent base for the rapid introduction of the company’s international brands was formed. This combination of local and global brands enabled Coca-Cola to exploit the benefits of global branding and global trends in tastes while also tapping into traditional domestic markets. Leading Indian brands joined the Company’s international family of brands, including Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Sprite and Fanta. Coca-Cola operates through Company Owned Bottling Operations (COBO) or Franchise Owned Bottling Operations (FOBO) which have demarcated territories. While HCCBPL is COBO, Moon and Enrich are FOBOs in the Delhi region. HCCBPL purchases the concentrates and beverage bases from Coca-Cola India (CCI) which is also responsible for local marketing and RD apart from holding the concentrates. Every action undertaken in Coca-Cola is in some way related to ensuring â€Å"Activated Chilled Availability† of beverages to its consumers. Activation refers to the communication to end consumers regarding the availability of various SKUs of cold drinks and price communication. Chilling refers to the availability of cooler/ice box which ensures that the product is served in a chilled form. Availability refers to making sure that the brand requested by the consumer is available at the outlet. Despite registering world’s highest sales volume growth of 29 per cent in India, the per capita consumption of its beverages in India is currently at 11 servings a year (up from 7 servings a year in 2001) which is very less when compared to 600+ servings a year in Mexico. This when combined with India’s one billion plus population and an emerging middle class makes it one of the most coveted markets for soft drinks across the world. 1. SWOT ANALYSIS OF HCCBPL Strengths: * Distribution Network: With a number of efficient salesmen, over 700000 retail outlets and 8000 distributors, Coca-Cola has a reliable distribution network. * Focus on Quality: The Coca-Cola Company’s internal global quality program called The Coca-Cola Quality System (TCCQS) not only covers environment management, but also takes into consideration other business aspects such as safety and loss Prevention (SLP), product quality, packaging quality, process capability improvement and customer satisfaction. Strict compliance with TCCQS, often rated as a program equivalent to the internationally reputed ISO 14001 System, has also enabled all the company-owned bottling plants in the country to successfully get the coveted ISO 14001 Certification from Det Norske Veritas (DNV). * Strong Brands: People across the world easily recognize Coca-Cola and Sprite, Fanta, Limca, thums Up and Maaza have a strong brand image across the country. Weaknesses: Small Scale Sector Reservations: The Company’s operations are carried out on a small scale and due to Government restrictions; the Company finds it very difficult to invest in technological advancements and achieve economies of scale. Opportunities: * Low Per capita Consumption: Despite registering strong growth in India, the per capita consumption in India is very less at 11 servings per year when compared with other countries like Mexico where it is 600+ servings per year and USA where it is 400+ servings per year. Large Untapped Domestic M arket: With one billion plus population and an emerging middle class, India is one of the most attractive soft drink markets in the world. Threats: * License: Whenever the production capacity needs to be increased, the company will have to renew or update the license which is a cumbersome process. This is because the production capacity is mentioned on the license. 1. 4 PROBLEM FORMULATION Distribution (place) is one of the four elements of the marketing mix and it plays a key role in passing the product along the distribution channels. The products produced at the manufacturing plant (Dasna) reach the depots and from there they reach the end consumer either through a direct route (directly to customers) or an indirect route (passing through sub-distributors/wholesalers to customers). There is a huge demand for the soft drinks especially in summer and distribution system should be reliable to supply the soft drinks to customers as promised on a day-to-day basis. In the direct routes, MDs generate orders for various retail outlets and AMCs deliver the orders the next day. STL or Sales Executives overlook the MDs while RTM is responsible for the AMCs. There should be a strong co-ordination between these two departments if the distribution system was to be perfect as the MDs and AMCs are the frontline workers. However, not everything goes as planned and sometimes delivery does not happen to the retail outlets as promised. This is due to the presence of certain gaps in the distribution system. There is a need to identify these gaps and bridge them in order to improve the distribution system and hence the overall sales. The efficiency of the distribution is measured in terms of Fill Rate. RED scores of the outlets is directly dependent on the ‘Availability’ of products which accounts for 60 of the 100 points. So, the objective of the project includes identifying the gaps in the distribution system in direct routes by finding out the reasons for non delivery of products as per order received the previous day and tracking the performance of the AMCs in direct routes. For this specific study, only Dilshad Garden which caters to East Delhi has been taken into consideration. The direct routes serviced by Dilshad Garden depot have been studied and the performance of the AMCs has been analyzed. CHAPTER 2: RESEARCH PROBLEM 2. 1 PROBLEM STATEMENT In a company like HCCBPL where the products have a huge demand and are sold so fast that the retailer’s stocks need to be replenished on a daily basis, the distribution network assumes a huge significance. MDs, AMCs and the availability of soft drinks ordered are the three crucial aspects of the distribution system as far as direct routes are concerned and any shortcoming in any one of these leads to non delivery of products to the customers. These distribution gaps not only affect the Fill Rate but also affect the RED scores of the outlets. Hence identifying the distribution gaps and bridging these gaps is quite essential in improving the distribution network of the company. 2. 2 OBJECTIVES * To find out the reasons for non delivery of products to the outlets from the AMCs and cross check it with the outlets. * To identify the root cause of the persistent problems present in the distribution network and resolve them. * To monitor the performance of the AMCs in direct routes. 2. 3 PROJECT DELIVERABLES Root-cause analysis of the various issues identified in the distribution network. * Recommendations for bridging the distribution gaps in direct routes. * Fill Rates of the AMCs in direct routes 2. 4 CHALLENGES * The AMCs do not always cooperate when asked about the reasons for non delivery as they see it as being questioned for non performance instead of looking at it as an action necessary for resolving the issues. * Some of the phone numbers of the outlets are switched off/ wrong numbers and this limited the ability to corroborate the reasons given by AMCs. 3. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY . 1 READY STOCK UNIT (RSU) METHOD Earlier Coca Cola used to follow Ready Stock Unit (RSU) method. In this method each AMC (Salesman) carried a truck full of load to a predetermined area and went to each retail outlet and sold the load as per the requirement of the outlet and availability of different SKUs available on the vehicle. The drawback of such a method was that there was no accountability for the AMC and most of the outlets were left uncovered. In the RSU method, the salesman generated orders and delivered the products simultaneously. 3. 2 DRAWBACKS OF RSU METHOD In the RSU method the salesman had a virtual monopoly over the area that he visited. The salesman could sell all the beverages to just 3-4 outlets in the area and leave the rest of the retail outlets dry. If the relation between a retail outlet owner and the salesman soured it would mean that the retail outlet would find it very difficult to get Coke products. The retail outlet owners were mostly unaware of the schemes and discounts offered by the company. There was no obligation on the part of salesman to distribute the products fairly among all the outlets in the area. . 3 PRE-SALE METHOD Pre-Sale method was introduced to bridge the gap between the company and its customers. A pre seller generates orders in advance after activating the outlet. He also communicates the schemes and promotional offers to the outlets. Delivery vehicles are loaded as per the orders leading to high vehicle capacity utilization and very less shortage of required SKUs to the retail outlets. The outlets in an area are divided among Tell Sell and MDs such that the orders are taken from the outlets depending on the volumes sold by them. Diamond Outlets are serviced more frequently than the Gold outlets, Gold Outlets more than Silver and Bronze ones. A Permanent Journey Plan(PJP) determines which outlets will be covered by the MDs and which ones by Tell Sell and on which days. All the MDs carry an MC35 machine with them and all these MC35s are integrated to a common server where each order can be tracked along with the time at which the order has been taken. 3. 4 RIGHT EXECUTION DAILY (RED) One of the key strengths of the company is its ability to directly reach its customers regularly. The sales people are dedicated to building strong and constructive relationships with every one of the various customers, including kiosks, grocery stores, convenience stores, hotels, restaurants, cafes, and bars among others. With such a diverse customer base the sales force has to be highly specialized to understand how to best fulfill customers’ needs. In pursuit of excellence in marketplace execution, Coca-Cola has been implementing a program we call Right Execution Daily (RED). This program monitors, at the individual outlet level, how well the merchandising standards are implemented and maintained. Furthermore, it helps identify opportunities to make immediate improvements that support growth for both customers and the company. RED is just one part of the company’s efforts to enhance revenue growth opportunities by optimizing the combination of brand, package and price for each consumption occasion. A closer partnership with the customers of the company helps drive a sustainable growth of the business. One of the key strengths of Coca-Cola is its ability to achieve quality in-store execution by having over 17,000 highly trained sales representatives regularly serving approximately 1. 5 million outlets. This direct interaction with customers gives the company a competitive advantage in activating points of purchase and creating value for both customers and its own business. Working together with customers as one team translates into higher customer satisfaction and measurably improved performance. An analysis of the results helped identify key factors that affect shopping references and habits. Focusing on these factors, a set of solutions have been crafted such as repositioning the products on display or re-modeling the entire store, which resulted in better business and increased sales for the customers participating in the program. RED survey has been started in 2007. It adds value to customers and consumers through â€Å"Excellence in Execution† at the point of sale. For conducting RED survey, HCCBPL has hired ACNielsen Company, one of the best market research firms in the world. In the first week of every month, a monthly report on RED scores is sent to HCCBPL by ACNielsen. RED score is calculated for a total of 100 points out of which 60 points are for Availability, 25 for Cooling and 15 for Activation. 3. 5 DISTRIBUTION IN COCA-COLA The manufacturing of all the beverages catering to Delhi takes place in the Dasna manufacturing plant located in Ghaziabad, near Delhi. Dasna plant is completely owned by Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Private Limited. The beverages are then brought to the depots which are operated by Carry ; Forward Agents (CFA). There are three depots currently operating in Delhi located at Dilshad Garden (referred to as DG), Lawrence Road (referred to as LR) and Okhla. From the depot, the beverages reach the customers either through a direct route or an indirect route. If the trucks carry the beverages directly to the retail outlets as per the order given by these outlets the day before, it is referred to as Direct Route. If the beverages reach the retail outlets through a sub distributor or a wholesaler then it is referred to as an Indirect Route. A wholesaler operates from a single shop and has low margin and a high turnover. The wholesaler is not confined by a fixed territory. In contrast, distributor and sub distributor have defined territories. A distributor generally makes a huge investment and is committed to Coca-Cola where as a sub-distributor makes lesser investment and is not committed to Coca-Cola. He seeks out opportunities from other companies as well. Figure1: Distribution Network depicting direct and indirect routes Figure 2: Distribution Channels depicting flow of ‘Full’s and Empties 3. 6 PROCESSES FOLLOWED 3. 6. 1 ORDER GENERATION Every day each MD gets an SMS in the morning which mentions which all SKUs and in what quantities are not available in the depot. So, ideally, the MD is not supposed to take orders for those SKUs. Each MD visits the outlets one by one as per the PJP and punches the order given by retail outlets into the MC35 machine that he carries with him. All the MC35s are integrated to a central server and each order can be traced from the system. The MD also explains the various discount schemes provided by Coca-Cola for the direct route retail outlets and is responsible for activation of the outlets. The MD is responsible for registering new outlets, taking down complaints regarding fridge disorders, filling the RED tracker sheet and arranging the drinks in the visi-cooler as per the predefined arrangement. . 6. 2 ORDER INTEGRATION Every night the dump of all the orders is taken ColaNet which includes orders of MDs and orders taken through Tell Sell. This has details of Outlet DD Code, Outlet name, Outlet address, Order Code, Item Code, Quantity in cases and each, market area code, route id and sequence number among others. Using RoadNet these orders are separated according to the Route Ids and an AMC is assigned for each Route. RoadNet makes use of the information about vehicle capacities, sequence numbers and market area codes while allocating outlets to different routes. 3. 6. INVOICE AND SETTLEMENT When AMC comes for route ride next morning, his handle is loaded with the route details which will load details of outlets and orders into the handle. When the AMC delivers the drinks to any outlet, he prints an invoice and gives it to the outlet while retaining a copy of it with him. The AMC can only print invoices against the names of outlets in his particular route which are loaded in the handle and not against any other outlet. When a vehicle goes out of the depot in the morning with the load, a load sheet is printed against the AMC who is responsible for the vehicle. The load sheet includes the list of SKUs and quantities loaded into the vehicle. When the vehicle returns in the evening, a stock sheet is printed which includes a list of all the drinks (SKUs and quantities) left on the vehicle when it is checked in. Also the number of empty RGBs is matched with the number of ‘Full’ RGBs that were loaded on the vehicle in the morning. Each AMC is allowed to report a breakage of 2 Empties and 2 ‘Full’s every day. Finally, the account of each AMC is settled taking all these into account. Glass on Deposit (GOD): Lets say an AMC delivered 1 crate (24 bottles) of 300ml Coca-Cola to an outlet named Sai Agency. Sai Agency only had 19 Empty bottles (also referred to as ‘Empties’) and agreed to pay for the rest of the bottles in cash. Then the AMC prints a GOD bill for 5 bottles (5*5=25Rs) and collects the amount from Sai Agency. If the number of empty bottles fall short when the vehicle checks in, the AMC will have to pay for these missing bottles from his own pocket. Return on Deposit (ROD): The next day if Sai Agency returned the 5 empty bottles, then that will reflect on ROD bill printed for those 5 bottles and Sai Agency gets back its 25Rs. 4. RESEARCH DESIGN 4. 1 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY The delivery list for each route gives the list of outlets that should be covered on that day for delivery. Whenever delivery happens in an outlet an invoice is printed against that outlet for the list of items delivered and it includes the discount provided. 1) The first step is to identify which all outlets have not been covered for delivery by the AMC on that day. 2) A list of outlets against which invoices were printed when matched against the list of outlets in the delivery list for that route gives us the outlets where delivery has not happened on any given day. ) Establish the reason for non delivery in a particular outlet by calling the concerned AMCs and by cross checking with the outlets if necessary. 4) Check if it is a one off incident or a repeat occurrence and take action accordingly. 5) Call random outlets and check that the delivery happened to the correct outlet and that it was not a wrong delivery. 6) The performance of AMCs is measured by calculating ‘Fill Ra te’ for the corresponding routes. 7) The ‘Fill Rate’ for all the direct routes combined is calculated to estimate the performance for that day in direct routes. A macro has been written to calculate AMC route wise fill rates saving time and effort. 4. 2 DATA COLLECTION The invoice history report gives the details as well as the summary of the invoices printed the previous day. The dump taken from ColaNet gives the details of the orders taken for the day both by the MDs and through Tell-Sell. Route Wise delivery sheet with details of orders, outlet wise can also be obtained through ColaNet. 4. 3 FINDINGS:GAPS IN DISTRIBUTION 4. 3. 1 SKU availability: Every morning the Market Developer (MD) gets an SMS stating which SKUs are not available in the depot so that the orders for those SKUs are not taken. However, sometimes it so happens that the SKUs that were expected to arrive on a day had not arrived but there are orders taken for that SKU by the MDs. When the orders are integrated in the night, these orders for the unavailable SKUs are changed into some other SKU that is available. When the AMC goes to the outlet the next day, chances are that the outlet owner declines the delivery as it was not exactly what he ordered the previous day. Several orders get cancelled because of the same reason and the AMC brings back all this leftover beverages as there are no takers and this affects his ‘Fill Rate’. Root Cause: Although the MDs get an SMS stating the availability of SKUs, it might not always be accurate. Sometimes the SMS might come a bit too late in the day informing that there has been stock out in some SKU. It could also be sheer negligence on the part of MD while taking the order. The logic behind changing these orders for unavailable SKUs into some others those are available at the time of integration is that the outlet owners might just take any other SKU that is available given the high demand for cold drinks in general in summer. The outlet owners are expected to take any other SKU instead of getting nothing despite giving an order. However, what actually happened in the market was quite the contrary. The outlet owners are very particular about the SKUs of cold drinks that they want and are not ready to budge. As a result most of the orders where there had been a change of order got cancelled and were brought back to the depot by the AMCs. This had a very big impact on the ‘Fill Rates’ in the direct routes. Recommendation: When this issue had been brought to the notice of the depot manager, he had realized that this was indeed a major problem resulting in the cancellation of most of the orders and hence stopped changing the orders taken. So, if the orders requested for some SKU which was not available, it is just removed from the order instead of being changed to some other SKU. The implementation of this resulted in lesser cancellation of orders due to SKU availability problems and in better Fill Rates. 4. 3. 2 Stock out of Coca-Cola The company offers several discount schemes in the direct routes and these schemes keep changing frequently. Generally, on every 1 crate of 300ml beverages of any SKU, two bottles are offered as free. By default, Coca-Cola bottles are offered as free for any SKU. This turns out to be a problem when there is a stock out of Coke bottles in the depot. When the AMC goes out for delivery and his handle is showing the scheme as giving out 2 free Coke bottles for 1 crate of Limca (300 ml), while actually Coke bottles are not available in the depot/on the vehicle, he cannot print the bill for that and hence the order gets cancelled. Root Cause: It is learned that the person integrating the orders in the night is informed to make Coke as the default SKU for the free bottles of any other SKU. However, the frequently changing schemes and the changing stock availability in the depot mean that the person integrating the orders is not well equipped with necessary information regarding stock outs which gives rise to the problem. Recommendation: A suggestion has been made to the depot manager to make a file containing details of stock availability and the details of schemes and share it in the common folder. The person who integrates the data needs to first check out this file to get a clear idea of the schemes and the availability of SKUs before proceeding to prepare the delivery lists. This way, if Coke were to be out of stock in the depot, say Limca or Thums Up whichever SKU is available could be given as free thereby eliminating the scheme problem. 4. 3. 3 Wrong Delivery Every morning before the AMC leaves the depot his handle is loaded for the particular route in which he goes. So AMC can only print invoices only against the names of the outlets appearing in the delivery list of his route and cannot print invoices against any other outlets. Sometimes it so happens that the AMC actually gives away some of the crates of drinks to some individual/outlet which is not in the delivery list and prints the invoice against one of the outlets in the delivery list even though he did not actually deliver the order of that outlet. This does not have any effect on the Fill Rate of the AMC as such but it affects the RED scores of those outlets where delivery did not happen as 60 points out of the total of 100 re for availability. Recommendation: In order to prevent the wrong deliveries, some kind of acknowledgement is needed from the outlet owners which indicate that the AMC has actually visited the outlet and not faked an invoice. It is not feasible to set aside one person just to call all the outlets and cross check the invoices at the end of each day in all the routes. It was suggested that the AMCs get the carbon copy of the invoices (that are brought back along with them) signed by the owners of the outlet. But, it was told that the outlet owners have a widespread perception that when they sign on the invoices, it would mean that they are taking the delivery on credit and hence that suggestion could not be implemented. Then it was suggested that the AMCs get the carbon copies of invoices stamped by the outlets to prevent fake invoices. However, even that suggestion could not be implemented as stamping the carbon copy of invoice is done only by the incentive parties and not by other outlets. As preventing wrong delivery is one crucial step in improving RED scores, another suggestion is to implement some kind of token system. When the MD visits each outlet for taking the orders, he can give a token which is collected by the AMCs the next day upon delivery to the outlets. This would also prevent wrong deliveries and fake invoices. 4. 3. 4 Damage to the vehicle There have been instances when the vehicle was damaged mid way through the route or sometimes just as it moved out of the Dilshad Garden depot. There has also been an instance when the vehicle met with an accident and the AMC had to sit in police station for the rest of the day. In such situations, the rest of the outlets in the route do not receive any delivery which drastically affects both the Fill Rates of the AMCs and the RED scores due to non availability of drinks. Recommendation: A back-up vehicle needs to be maintained in the depot which can cover for the damaged vehicle when need arises. If the costs do not allow a spare vehicle to be maintained in the depot, at least a mechanic should be dispatched immediately to the location to rectify the damage as quickly as possible. 4. 3. 5 Shop Closed One most common reason given by the AMCs when delivery does not happen in some outlets is that the shop is closed. Upon cross checking with the outlet it is found that the shop was indeed closed. There are some specific areas where shops are usually closed on a particular day in the week. For example, in ‘Murga Mandi’ area, most of the outlets remain closed on Tuesdays. Also most of the Dairies (like MAL Dairy in Madhu Nagar) remain closed through the afternoon and so any order for these dairies need to be delivered in the morning itself. Recommendation: If it is known that the outlet remains closed on a particular day, then the MD should be asked not to take the order for that outlet on the day before. For example, MD visiting ‘Murga Mandi’ area should be given his weekly off on Monday so that no orders will be due for delivery on Tuesday in the area when the outlets remain closed. Also when it comes to dairies, if it is feasible for the AMC to deliver the order of the dairy before afternoon without having to make a detour from his normal route, then it should be done so. If that were not feasible then the MD should be asked to stop taking orders from that particular dairy and it should be removed from the MDs PJP. Taking the order and not delivering it leads to both customer dissatisfaction and affects Fill Rate of the AMC as well. 4. 3. 6 Big Vehicle unable to reach outlets in small lanes There have been several instances of AMC complaining that the outlet could not be reached on the big vehicle as it is located in some small lane. There have been a few instances where the outlet belonged to some sub-distributors area and the MD still took the order. In one particular area (Krishna Nagar) there are several outlets on either side of the road where the vehicle could not be stopped for delivery and hence these outlets are supposedly being moved out of the direct route. Recommendation: MD should be asked not to take orders from outlets belonging to some sub-distributor just to increase the number of orders taken. Trolleys need to be provided for the AMCs where the outlets are inaccessible. 4. 3. 7 AMC new to the route Most of the AMCs are experienced and have been going in the same routes for quite some time now and are well aware of all the outlets featuring on the delivery list. However, there have been instances where an AMC is new to a particular direct route and is not well aware of the location of the outlets. The AMC could be a one off replacement for the AMC regularly going in that area or he could be new to direct routes. In such cases, it has been observed that the AMCs do not take pains of calling the MDs for finding out the location of the outlets which they could not find. They just return all the orders for the outlets they do not find. Thus when a new AMC goes in a direct route an abysmal drop in the Fill Rate for that route has been observed. Narender Sharma is a case in point for the Dilshad Garden depot. Recommendation: The AMCs should be made to call the MDs in case they are not able to find the location of any outlet. The AMCs should have the numbers of the MDs of that particular routes and it should be made clear that not being able to locate any outlet is not a good enough reason to not deliver the order for that outlet. 4. 3. 8 Fake orders Most of the times the outlet owners just reject the delivery saying that they haven’t given any order in the first place the previous day or that they have ordered for a different SKU than what appears in the delivery list. When the outlet owner says that he has not given any order the previous day it could mean one of the two things. First, the outlet owner is lying as he does not want to take the delivery due to some other reason like not having enough money or already having enough stock in his cooler. Second, the MD has punched in a fake order. A fake order means that the MD has not visited the outlet the previous day but has punched in some random order under the outlet just to meet his target for the day in terms of the number of crates. When an order gets cancelled due to any of these reasons, it is the responsibility of AMC to confront the MDs for taking fake orders and inform the STL concerned that the MD has taken a fake order. If this communication does not happen, then there is no other way for STLs to come to know of fake orders being taken by MDs. Recommendation: It is already suggested that the AMCs call MD/STL without fail when the outlet rejects the delivery. However, this has not been enforced properly and the AMCs are not following these instructions despite repeatedly asking them to do so. The AMCs should be strictly warned to comply with the procedure so that fake orders can be minimized and Fill Rate can be improved. 4. 3. 9 Miscellaneous reasons Upon close observation, some outlets have been identified where there have been persistent issues for quite a while and delivery in these outlets did not happen for months together. Some of the issues include problem with scheme, replacement and incentive party. For example, for the outlet named Shaheen Pan located in Mayur Vihar Phase1, there has been a problem with the discount scheme right from the beginning. Still, orders are taken for that outlet every other day even though delivery does not happen. This affects the fill rate of the AMC going in that route. Recommendation: These kinds of outlets need to be singled out and issues resolved one by one. The responsibility to identify the problems should rest with the AMC because he is the one who gets to know of the problem. Instead of just ignoring it, the AMC should be asked to report such issues to the STLs concerned so that the problem can be resolved once and for all. CHAPTER 5: RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS The following table gives the Fill Rates in the direct routes in Dilshad Garden depot for the given dates. Date| Direct Route Fill Rate| 4/29/2010| 65. 38208| 4/30/2010| 76. 58787| 5/1/2010| 78. 9128| 5/3/2010| 71. 20842| 5/4/2010| 71. 97019| 5/5/2010| 72. 72874| 5/6/2010| 75. 89733| 5/7/2010| 70. 40817| 5/9/2010| 75. 67431| 5/10/2010| 78. 7004| 5/11/2010| 72. 59727| 5/12/2010| 74. 52693| 5/13/2010| 68. 4801| 5/14/2010| 74. 24813| 5/15/2010| 80. 77308| 5/16/2010| 81. 0852| 5/17/2010| 74. 33275| 5/18/2010| 80. 26975| 5/19/2010| 82. 7375| 5/20/2010| 80. 17823| /21/2010| 75. 66602| 5/23/2010| 81. 29576| 5/24/2010| 80. 03314| Figure 3: Graph depicting the variations in fill rate for direct routes It can be observed that the fill rate for the direct routes has increased from mid 70s to 80s with one-off variations. A simple average of the fill rates for the four weeks shows a general increasing trend. Figure 4: Graph showing the overall increasing trend in Fill rate calculated as simple av erage week wise The simple average is calculated by taking an average of the fill rates of direct routes for each week’s data. This shows a general increasing trend with the average fill rate increasing from around 72% in the first week of May to around 80% by the end of third week. A simple average of the fill rates of the AMCs within this duration is as follows AMC Name| Fill Rate*| Kalyan Singh| 88. 37654| Ashok Sharma| 87. 76629| DK Sharma| 85. 03183| Uday Singh| 84. 6047| Sajan padiyar| 82. 70731| Rakesh Kumar| 77. 69646| AK Shukla| 77. 00473| CP Shukla| 75. 74619| Suraj Sawaria| 74. 75485| Laxman Singh| 71. 65821| Kapil malhotra| 69. 60537| Rajesh Tiwari| 66. 83779| Narender Sharma| 61. 06509| This indicates that Kalyan Singh has been performing most consistently from among the AMCs going in the direct routes. It has been observed when on a route ride with Kalyan Singh that he maintains a very good relationship both with the outlet owners in the area and with the MD responsible for the area. Narender Sharma has more often been a replacement for some other AMC and not regular for the direct route which shows in his Fill Rate. CHAPTER 6: RECOMMENDATIONS 1) If the orders request for some SKU which is not available, it should be just removed from the order instead of being changed to some other SKU. ) If Coke is out of stock in any of the quantities, the discount scheme should be suitably modified so that a problem does not arise while printing invoice with the handle at the time of delivery by AMC. 3) IN order to prevent wrong delivery, some kind of token system where the outlet owner acknowledges receipt of products from the AMC needs to be implemented. 4) In order to prevent complete loss of sales in a route due to vehicle damage, a backup vehicle should to be maintained at the depot. ) If it is known that some outlets are closed on particular days of the week, MDs should be asked not to take orders for those outlets the day before. 6) Trolleys need to be supplied to AMCs in order to reach certain outlets which are located in small lanes where the vehicle cannot reach the outlet. 7) The process of calling MDs/STLs when order gets cancelled due to rejection from outlets should be enforced strictly. REFERENCES http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/The_Coca-Cola_Company http://www. thecoca-colacompany. om/ourcompany/the_cocacola_system. html http://www. coca-colaindia. com/aboutus/aboutus_ccindia. aspx APPENDIX 1 Fill Rate: Fill Rate is a measure of the amount of order delivered versus the amount of order initially received for a given day. Calculation: Number of crates of order delivered / Number or crates of order received Example: The total order received in a route for a given day is 100 crates. However, only 80 crates of beverages have been delivered in that route on that day. Then the fill rate for that route is given as 80/100 or 80%. How to cite Coke, Papers

Saturday, May 2, 2020

Bermuda Triangle Essay Example For Students

Bermuda Triangle Essay BERMUDA : THE SATAN’S RINGIntroduction:A legendary triangle of Ocean lies between 3 countries upon the Atlanticocean. The Cities are Bermuda, Puerto Rico and Fort Lauderdale. Ships, people and aeroplanes have been reported mysteriously disappearing off the face of the earth whilst travelling inside this triangle. It soon acquired the name Devils Triangle owing to peoples superstitions that the devil was at play on this stretch of ocean and gobbling up weary and lost travellers with great delight, but what actually was at play inside this triangle of rough water, is it really the devil?, or perhaps aliens are using this spot as their home base on earth. Maybe it really does contain a mystical vortex that sucks people down into a third dimension. The myth of the mysterious triangle was first begun in an Associated Press dispatch Reporter E.V. W. Jones wrote of mysterious disappearances of ships and planes between the Florida coast and Bermuda. Two years after this article appear ed Fate magazine ran an article by George X. Sand about a series of strange marine disappearances, each leaving no trace whatever, that have taken place in the past few years in a watery triangle bounded roughly by Florida, Bermuda and Puerto Rico. It was not long before ideas and suggestions started forming about this piece of ocean. M.K. Jessup wrote about the disappearances and gave ideas about alien intelligences being behind them in the book The Case for the UFO. The view was also echoed by Donald E. Kyhoe who is noted for his The Flying Saucer Conspiracy of 1955. Frank Edwards (Stranger Than Science) agreed with the theory of aliens having a local hangout in the triangle as well. Finally a man by the name of Vincent H. Gaddis came up with the phrase BermudaTriangle. Throughout the years it has featured in many many articles, books, television series and movies and always portrayed as a very real and mysterious thing, but anyone out there with any sense surely will ask themselves how in this day and age could boats, planes and other travellers just go mysteriously missing in a certain piece of water? Geography:The area of the Atlantic Ocean popularly referred to as the Bermuda Triangle is a complete enigma and has proven t o be so for much of recorded history. Many seemingly inexplicable occurrences and disappearances have taken place in this particular area. No rational explanation that will satisfy the materialistic parameters of the typical scientist has been offered that would account for all the mysterious happenings that have taken place in the Bermuda Triangle during the course of many thousands of years. Where is the Bermuda Triangle? The Bermuda Triangle lies vaguely east of Florida. Bermuda, Puerto Rico, and Miami are said to be the points of this legendary triangle. However, the U.S. government denies the existence of these borders. Many phenomena enthusiasts claim that the triangle is not truly a triangle but a general area of water found east and southeast of North America. In any event, the geography of the area is awe-inspiring and deeply misunderstood. The humid subtropical climate of the region brings with it heavy rainfall and high temperatures. An annual rainfall in excess of 60 inc hes (152 cm) can be expected. Though much this rainfall is mostly spread evenly through the year, hurricanes and harsh thunderstorms occasionally drop 10 inches of rain within hours. This area is well known by geographers for the sudden nature of its storms. There have been many reports of complete whiteouts being formed in seconds. Waterspouts and extremely strong winds are dangerous elements that often accompany these storms. The topography of the ocean floor bottom is surprising to many that sail the area. It is commonly believed that this whole area is very shallow. This is true near to the Florida coastline, but as the North Atlantic Continental Shelf breaks off only miles away, depths quickly reach as low as 12,000 feet. About 100 miles north of Puerto Rico is the deepest part of the Atlantic, the Puerto Rico Trench, estimated at 30,000 feet deep! The Florida Straits within this area are approximately 5000 feet deep. While people snorkel in the water only a few hundred feet de ep near the coasts of the islands and Florida and ships can be seen sunk in the clear blue waters, this area is incredibly deceptive. To this day, the ocean floor of this area has not been systematically mapped out. It is known that the ocean floor is littered with caves and varies greatly in depth. Phenomena noted in the area of the Bermuda Triangle: ? Glowing white water scanned from satellites ? A glowing green fogIncidents:The first legends of the Bermuda Triangle begin already with Cristopher Columbus. As a captain, he was greatly respected, and his brave sailing efforts helped revolutionize the world. Much of the information we have about Columbus is picked up directly from his journal, so we are able to trace his footsteps to the New World. His first problem occurred as he ran into the Sargasso Sea. The crew was greatly disappointed when seaweed and land birds were sighted, but after a few days no land was to be seen. Soon after, Columbus reported his compass acting strangely . He did not report this to his crew due to their deep superstitions. Days later, Columbus saw a large meteor fall from the sky. He described it as a large ball of light fallen from the sky. It is unsure whether he mentions this occurrences in awe, because of its great size, or in fright. Later in their trip, Columbus and a few crew members sighted a few dancing lights on the horizon. They wandered about in the Caribbean for over a week yet before sighting land. Since Columbus, as many as 100 ships and planes have been reported missing, taking over 1000 lives. A select few of them are reported here. The disappearance of the 504-foot T-2 tanker Marine Sulphur Queen near the Florida Keys in February 1963 is one of the most famous mysteries of the Bermuda Triangle. It was only a year after her disappearance in 1964 that Vincent Gaddis coined the term Bermuda Triangle. As the largest ship to vanish in recent times (pre-1964), she became a central figure in the soon to be popular Bermuda Triangle. MSQ plied her trade of sulphur for 2 years without incident. In January 1963 her biennial check was required. Two weeks before her final voyage, she was recertified. This inspection had entailed her general alarm system, steering gear, engine telegraph, fire hose, navigation lights, portable fire extinguishers, life preservers, all machinery, all accessible spaces, and the boilers. All were passed. Eleven new life rings were added and life boats were all repaired. Moreover, the FCC now inspected and certified in good working order her radios, including those in her lifeboats. Even more, the Bureau of Shipping now made its annual inspection of the hull, machinery, the boilers again, and certified all in good condition. The disappearance of the MSQ is just another example of a ship fully inspected and certified, sailing out and then vanishing for no reason. On February 7 the Coast Guard was informed MSQ did not arrive. A hot line message was sent to try and raise the ship. When this failed a vast search entailing 348,400 square miles and 499.6 man hours failed to find a clue. By an anticlimactic coincidence, on February 20, a Navy Torpedo Retriever sighted something in the water during routine exercises. It was only 12 miles southwest of Key West. It was a fog horn. Close by a life preserver was found, then a sign board and life ring reading Marine Sulphur Queen. The search was reactivated, but no real clue could ever be found, only a few more pieces of debris were picked up, all grouped in the same area. There are many mysteries surrounding the loss of MSQ, but none so perplexing as her debris. Another one of the most famous stories to ever surround the Bermuda Triangle is the mysterious disappearance of the Naval Air Flight 19. On December 5th, 1945, five Avenger torpedo bombers left the Naval Air Station at Fort Lauderdale. They never returned home. The Avenger bombers contained 14 men, 13 of those were trainees in the last stages of their training. The five pilots had been recently transferred from the Miami Naval Air Station. They had no knowledge of flying over the Bahamas which was the direction Flight 19 was headed in. At one point the ComGulf Sea Frontier Evaluation Center thought it had pinpointed the flights approximate position; east of New Smyrna Beach, Florida, and far to the north of the Bahamas.The first rescue craft was sent out was a Dumbo flying boat and it soon lost contact with the shore, leading all to believe that they had also lost the Dumbo. The problem turned out to be and iced over antenna. Within the hour more aircraft joined in the search. The weather was overcast and the seas were reported as rough and turbulent. A crew of a nearby ship reported of seeing an enormous sheet of fir e caused by the explosion of an aeroplane. The ship reported of passing through a large pool of oil soon after and not finding any survivors or bodies of the crashed aircraft. They did not try to retrieve any debris from the ocean as weather conditions were at this point deteriorating rapidly making it impossible for any kind of retrieval. No trace of the Mariner or Avengers have ever been found. Heroism And Myths EssayScience

Monday, March 23, 2020

Blackberry Right Strategy Essay Example

Blackberry Right Strategy Essay The implementation of correct strategy in an organization is of vital importance. The reason for this is that strategy helps an organization to reach goals and it helps an organization to prosper. The correct Strategy and implementation also helps an organization to have a competitive advantage over its rivals. An organization with a competitive advantage can dictate terms to its rivals and can buy of niche markets supplying similar products. The aim of this assignment is to form an analysis of the strategic positioning of blackberry’s firm. This assignment will compare blackberry to its arch rivals and will review if blackberry’s performance is better than its rivals or not. We will also explain the reason behind the rebranding phase from the change of Research in motion to Blackberry. We will assess if we agree with the current strategies or not, and give a reason to why we think so. RESEARCH IN MOTION REBRANDS ITSELF AS BLACKBERRY CEO Thorsten Heins announced that his company will no longer be known as Research in Motion at a Blackberry event. He stated that it will be rebranded as â€Å"BLACKBERRY†. We have reinvented the company, and we want to represent this in our brand, Heins said. One brand. One promise. Our customers use a BlackBerry, our employees work for BlackBerry, and our shareholders are owners of BlackBerry. (Website 1). We will write a custom essay sample on Blackberry Right Strategy specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Blackberry Right Strategy specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Blackberry Right Strategy specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Blackberry is also changing its stock symbols to reflect the change. It will be listed as BBRY in NASDAQ and BB in TSX. * It’s out with the old and in with the new as RIM rebrands itself with a new name, a new operating system and a new phone. It’s a bold step for a company that made several missteps after ruling the smartphone segment and believes it must start over from scratch with new products and a new brand. By changing its name and launching an excellent operating system that runs on impressive phones, BlackBerry is doing more than writing a new chapter. It’s starting a new book. The importance of this cannot be overstated as the company that once defined the smartphone segment struggles to remain relevant in the era of Google and Apple. Even though Blackberry is turning this new leaf through Rebranding they must not forget that whilst they were regrouping their competitors were constantly improving. Samsung and Apple in particular have become so dominant in the mobile industry. They managed to get into the cell phone industry through their Brand names Samsung and Apple which are world renown and very reliable products. Once in they took the world by storm by releasing A grade products in the Smartphone industry and have just made their Brands stronger. Blackberry needs to recognize their presence and start becoming much more innovative than they have been in the past. They need to ensure that they build a strong brand to compete and become better than the likes of Samsung and Apple. STRATEGIC POSITIONING OF BLACKBERRY Strategic positioning is the overall intended objectives and approach to a situation. Most business managers will carefully develop a well thought out strategic position and take considerable steps to communicate it to staff clearly so that all parts of the business can be operating towards the firms stated goals. Blackberry has to realise that they are competing in a high velocity market which is turbulent. What this means is that the technology is improving at such a rapid pace that they have to keep up to the pace otherwise they will fall back in the race to supremacy in the phenomenon of Smartphones. Short product life cycle poses a huge threat to Blackberry therefor in order to eliminate this demon they need to ensure that they constantly invest aggressively in Ramp;D to stay on the leading of technological know how (Corporate Strategy Notes, Tailoring Strategy to Fit Specific Industry and Company Situations, Page 4 of 8). At Present Blackberry is not doing so therefore their strategic position is unstable and they face the problem of falling behind their current rivals and new rivals. A case in point is Blackberry. Not so long ago, it was arguably the standard corporate accessory. If you were working for a blue chip multinational, chances are that a Blackberry phone was your standard issue kit. Now it’s very different. Apple’s iPhone has successfully made the transition from niche to mainstream use, while Samsung and other android mobile providers have developed feature-rich devices for non-Apple users. Blackberry got squeezed from both sides, and is now struggling to define its relevance. It recently launched its new product, the Z10, which at first glance could be mistaken for the iPhone. While it’s not easy for a brand to create a strong and differentiated competitive position in a crowded marketplace, that’s a more sustainable strategic alternative than either a) copying your competition or b) ignoring your competition in the hope that it will go away. As competitive positioning strategies go, this â€Å"head in the sand† approach is not only wishful thinking, but does nothing to build a brand’s credibility. Effective competitive positioning demands that you understand not only the real benefits your product offers to your customer base, but that you also understand and can articulate how those measure up against your competitors. Pretending they don’t exist gets you nowhere. The strategy chosen by Blackberry is dependent on situational factors and the direction the organizations owners wish to take. At present the situational factors include the threat and competition posed by Apple and Samsung in particular as they are emerging and improving day by day therefore Blackberry has to have the right strategy in order to keep up with them. Blackberry’s strategic position in the market is unstable at present because of the several external and internal forces being presented. The reason that we say it is unstable is because internally Blackberry is carrying out their strategies efficiently. That doesn’t mean that they are in a good place, because you can have Great Strategies, but they could be implemented poorly and in this case you can have mediocre strategies which are being implemented brilliantly. The efficient implementation masks that the strategy is mediocre but as we see in the performance of the product on a financial and technological level it does not live up to the standards in the competing smartphone industry. Therefore this is our core reason for saying that Blackberry’s strategic position is unstable. IF they don’t change their strategic position from being unstable to stable it may cause them to falter in years to come. If Blackberry releases a new line of Smartphones and they are a flop in the industry they will go from bad to worse and the consequence of that will result in the company losing lots of profit. If they do decide to formulate new strategies and implement them with efficiency it will result in them being able to compete in the market more fiercely and they would become much more financially and technologically stable. Whilst it is very easy of the tongue to say we are just going to adopt new strategies and succeed, we need to ensure we carry out Research and Development actions to ensure we obtain vital information to devise a plan of how we are going to go forward. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT Research and Development departments are common in many larger companies, especially those working with newer products or technologies subject to important shifts. While research and development work can be instrumental in creating new products or adding features to old products, the work that the department does is more complex than simple innovation. Ramp;D is connected to marketing, cost management and other parts of business strategy. (Website 2) Blackberry has made a valiant effort with their Ramp;D department however it isn’t fully up to the standards of their competitors in the ndustry. This doesn’t mean that they are bad, their competitors are just on another level at present. More efficient Research and Development will ensure they get on par or even surpass the performance of their competitors. Blackberry has been good in the development phase as they have had their set norms being the Curve, Bold and Torch which they have developed and upgraded really well ov er the years. The curve has had the 8900 which was primarily 2G, however through development they now offer the 9380 which has a 2G-3G option and that is just focusing on one aspect. Others may include a slimmer phone, more user friendly buttons, variety of different colour options etc. This shows us that the Smartphone is constantly improving however it isn’t going that extra mile to ensure that they get a larger market share. A possible reason for this is that Blackberry is content with their profit as it stands and they do not want to risk investment being lost if they have a new proposition being a flop. The consequences of Risks are Rewards or Punishment and there is a very fine line between them. Blackberry has come out their shell in recent months with their release of the Q10 and Z10 Smartphones however it hasn’t really lifted off the ground very well. Sales are low and there consumers prefer the Apple iPhone or the Samsung S3 because they feel it is much easier to use and it has more to offer. The new release looks somewhat identical to the iPhone, some begin to think that Blackberry has adopted the strategy of copying the competition thinking that it may benefit them however the technology also has to match that of the iPhone, and so far it isn’t living up to those standards. Therefore Blackberry needs to go back to the drawing board and carry out thorough Research and Development programmes on how they really want to move forward because the Q10 and Z10 is more of a flop then a success as it stands. Even though the overall outlook on the new release is good, it still falls short of the standards of its competitors. Blackberry needs to find that cutting edge and decisive new form of technology that will allow them to compete up there with the likes of Samsung and Apple or even better them. For now they are just playing second fiddle and trying to catch up to the rapid pace that their competitors are moving at. The External Environment PORTER Porter’s 5 force analysis plays a vital role in how Blackberry goes about working around competition, and how they isolate competitive advantage or disadvantage of the company. It will also enable Blackberry to strategize accordingly to ensure they are up to standards in the market. 1. Competitive pressures associated with the market maneuvering and jockeying for buyer patronage that goes on among rival sellers in the industry†. The 1st Force enables for Blackberry to distinguish their Rival sellers in the industry and be able to release new cutting edge technology that is better than theirs in order for them to keep up to speed and stay ahead of the competition. 2. â€Å"Competitive pressures associated with the threat of new entrants into the market†. This Force enables Blackberry to realise that there is alwa ys the threat of new entrants in the market. To eliminate this pressure Blackberry always needs to have the latest technology to ensure that if new entrants emerge in the market with good technology they can compete with them or eliminate them instead of losing market share. 3. â€Å"Competitive pressures coming from the attempts of companies in other industries to win buyers over to their own substitute products†. The 3rd Force shows Blackberry that companies like Samsung and Apple who are generally associated with Tv’s and Ipod’s respectively in a totally different industry can come into the market with substitute products and compete with them. At present Samsung and Apple have first class products with the best technology and Blackberry is falling back very fast. This is a major area of concern and is an area where Blackberry needs to catch up with very fast or it will result in them soon being a midget in the market. 4. â€Å"Competitive pressures stemming from buyer bargaining power and seller-buyer collaboration†. From the 4th force Blackberry realise that it must have a good customer relationship in order for them to gain a bigger market share. Blackberry must allow the buyer some bargaining power otherwise the buyer will feel hard done by and may seek elsewhere. There must be a good level of collaboration between buyer and supplier that will ensure that Blackberry moves forward smoothly in the market. 5. â€Å"Competitive pressure stemming from supplier bargaining power and supplier-seller collaboration†. The 5th force shows Blackberry that they must have a good relationship with their suppliers in order to obtain their materials at good low prices. If the collaboration is good the result would be low production cost and higher profits. (Corporate Strategy Notes, Analysing the External Environment, Page 2 0f 6) GENERAL INDIRECT ENVIRONMENT (PESTEL) There are some factors that Blackberry has no control of in the external environment and they have to work around these problems. On the Political Sphere they are affected by the taxation policy which may ultimately affect their returns therefore they need to ensure that their profits are good and their tax is up to date which will enable them to be in the safe zone with the tax man. They have to also come to terms with the foreign tax regulations. The Economic sector is probably one of the most delicate. Changes in the economic sector have to be acted upon stealthily because it can affect the Blackberry in a big way. Inflation poses a big threat because with inflation comes higher cost for everything. Interest rates also play a major role. Social influence is a sector which Blackberry thrives on. The social sector includes lifestyle changes, levels of education, social mobility etc. The aim of Blackberry is to attract the masses with their product which will enable them to become more connected socially. Their Blackberry Messenger service does wonders in regard to this because it allows people to network at a high pace. The technological environment poses one of the biggest threats to Blackberry. As technology is rapidly improving it will be up to Blackberry to keep up with the pace, if not then they will lag behind and may suffer losses. They have no control over how fast technology improves therefore they will have to be on the ball. The Environmental sector includes waste disposal and energy consumption in connection with Blackberry. Blackberry needs to find the most efficient and green methods in manufacturing their product in order for them to save money and be safe in regard to the protection laws. Blackberry has to ensure at all times that they do not violate any labour laws and Employment laws. They must also make sure that they are keeping up to scratch with the Health and Safety Standards to ensure they don’t obtain any fines that would cause them loss of profit. (Strategic and Operations Management, Module 5, External Environment Assessment, General Indirect Environment, Page 23) SWOT ANALYSIS The purpose of the Swot analysis for Blackberry is to clearly identify their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. It is important for Blackberry to know where they stand and where they need to improve. Blackberry has various strengths in the industry. Their social networks are among the best out there and this is probably the only reason that Blackberry is surviving in the market. They need to continue using this as their major advantage over their rivals. At present Blackberry has a large consumer base because of its social network BBM, it enables people to network socially and for business. Blackberry need to continue enhancing the technology in this sphere to ensure they keep the market interested with the product. Another Strength of Blackberry is that they offer you a variety of phones to choose from, it isn’t as limited as to the likes of Samsung and Apple. This offers the customer a choice as to what they prefer, many may not like a specific design so they opt for something else and Blackberry has many choices to offer therefore this is a major strength for them. Blackberry has many weaknesses which they need to rectify in order to keep up to the likes of Samsung and Apple in the industry. Blackberry does not advertise as much as Samsung and Apple, this means that their rivals are getting much more exposure than them. They need to rectify this matter otherwise they will quickly lose market share and consumer base. They need to advertise on platforms like television, radio and billboards in busy areas in order to make customers aware of their product. Blackberry has a lot of software problems which need to be rectified. They don’t have many features as to the likes of Samsung and Apple, this means that they begin to lag behind the likes of their competitors. Therefore Blackberry needs to carry out Ramp;D programmes in order for them to come up to standards. There will always be opportunities for Blackberry in the market and they need to pounce on them in order to move forward consistently. Blackberry Applications are constantly improving and this forms a major opportunity for them as customers like good applications and with the improvement they can lure more customers in. Blackberry Pricing is becoming more and more affordable for the average man and this is a good opportunity for Blackberry to cut profits and lower prices in order to get a large customer. Threats are the major concern of Blackberry because this is what dictates how they perform in the market based on the performance of their competitors. The major threat comes from the likes of Samsung and Apple because of their ability to be innovative to the extremes and release cutting edge technology on a regular basis. This will cause Blackberry to seriously lag behind therefore it poses a major threat. RECCOMENDATIONS We recommend that Blackberry develops new strategies in order to compete strongly in the market again because as it stands with their current strategies they are fairly unstable and in huge trouble if they mess up the slightest bit. Blackberry needs to do more advertising compared to Samsung and Apple to ensure that they are able to compete in the industry strongly. They need to implement long term corporate strategies in order to better their strategic positions. They need to have excellent strategies and implement them accordingly in order to become a better company. Blackberry needs to do more market research on the external environment. As we know the external environment is uncontrollable however Blackberry must develop back up plans that will enable them to adapt to change accordingly in the external environment. They need to research and monitor the progress of their competitors in order to keep up to par or keep ahead of them in the technology sphere in order to claim a larger consumer base. Blackberry needs to carry out more thorough Ramp;D programmes in order for them to develop new cutting edge technology which they can offer to their consumers, they further need to incorporate many more features in the phone which will make consumers much more interested in the product. The prime reason that we do not agree with the current strategies of Blackberry is because with their current strategies their strategic position is very weak. In order to change this Blackberry needs to adopt all of the above in order to come up to scratch with their rivals. CONCLUSION We have come to a collective agreement that Blackberry is still a major force in the smartphone industry however they are beginning to fade because of the competition in the industry. Blackberry lacks a good decisive strategy in order to compete on the levels of Samsung and Blackberry. Their technology is good but it’s not the best. They are not able to keep up to the speed that technology is improving and this is causing them to fall behind very fast. More thorough Ramp;D programmes and better strategies will enable them to fight their way back into the market and will give them the opportunity to get on par with their competitors and even surpass them. If they decide to keep their current strategies they will face the consequence of losing their large consumer base which they have achieved with great difficulty. They will lose a massive market share to the likes of their rivals and new entrants into the smartphone industry. Their stock shares have dropped drastically over the last few months because their sales have dropped substantially and the release of their new phone Z10 has not lived up to their expectations. Therefore this will result in them further falling behind in the industry. Now it is up to their corporates to formulate and devise new strategies and implement them with efficiency in order to move forward.