Thursday, October 31, 2019

MGT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 8

MGT - Essay Example factors are comprised of enhanced commitment, enhanced cooperation, justified behavior, improved decision-making, enhanced control, improved communications and shared perceptions. The original source of the culture reflects the vision of the founders. When the culture is in practice certain organizational practices help maintaining it. Organizations help employees adapt to the culture through socialization that helps employees understand the culture and become enthusiastic and knowledgeable with customers. Employees learn culture in a number of ways in which the most common ways are through stories, rituals, material symbols and language. Organizational stories contain narrative of significant events or people which serves as genuine examples of learning, thus stories provide clear picture of the organization`s goal. Rituals on the other hand are repetitive sequences of activities that express and reinforce the important values and goals of an organization. Moreover, symbols help in demonstrating an organization`s personality by determining how an employee shall dress, speak and behave in an organization. In order for the culture to be strong it is very important that values and ideologies shall be held important and embraced throughout the organization thus the organization shall ensure that its features shall not in any way contradict the employee’s own culture. Therefore it is necessary to take into account the emerging themes and the responses to those by both employees as well as customers. After many conflicts, managers today, agree that the excellence of a firm depends on efficiency from all factors including customers, employees, autonomy and entrepreneurship. And the excellence can result only from the blend of these factors. However, certain leaders apply dysfunctional management practices such as attention seeking, unrealistic thing and suspecting not only others but self as well such that it results in the lack of delegation of responsibilities

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Banking Industry in Recession Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Banking Industry in Recession - Coursework Example Since that time, concerned officials have been attempting to come up with solutions to the difficulties that the banking industry as well as the global financial system is facing. The banking industry has also been going through a process of reformation lasting over two decades. Market liberalisation, as well as the induction of latest information technologies led to a strong trade growth resulting in several mergers and acquisitions in addition to off shoring potential. Seeing the trends of previous years, reformation in financial institutions is persistent. Reducing the consequences of this recession has been easier for nations and workplaces with well-built channel of communication (Downey, p. 94, 2011). The recession started several mutual projects of social associates. During the year 2009, 93 percent of the companies within the banking industry initiated joint bargaining against an average of 84 percent within other industries. Another consideration within the banking industry is that a works council covers 97 percent of companies that have more than 50 workers. Markets will have to go through a period of reformation to consider the facts of the impact of recession. Bank liquidity is currently known as being a lot more significant within the banking concept than in the previous years, when banks gave unsatisfactory attention to the need to expand financing sources. Market participants should become responsive to the changing wave within the banking industry as well as adjust their policy and approach consequently. A need for stronger guideline is predictable as an increase in guideline is the rational outcome of a recession. Now, there is only the aim to inflict more guidelines on the banking industry although its precise form is not as confirmed yet. The most competent approach would be for the United States as well as for the European Union to synchronize their course of action; or else, â€Å"banks will concentrate operations in the jurisdiction with the least restrictive regime† (McLean, p. 36, 2010). In the initial instance, the market requires to stay away from the development of another ‘Shadow Banking system’. Moving ahead, one can look ahead to that any organization that takes influential positions within financial instruments will be positioned under the control of the state supervisory body. Any business or legal entity that operates like a bank or operates like a channel for a bank will be put through the regulatory system. Barclays resisted the financial recession by declaring solid returns; regardless of the banking industry recession, Barclays made pre-tax returns of ? 1.6 billion during the last quarter in the year 2009. This takes its earnings of the same year to ? 4,646 - 18 percent less than a year ago - because of ? 5.9 billion of bad debts (McLean, p. 36, 2010). However, while Barclay's United Kingdom retail section witnessed returns tumble, its investment as well as commercial banking divisi on goes on to do well. Moreover, with the profits from the sale of its International Shareholders division still to come, Britain's second largest bank seems to heading in the right direction for a record-breaking year.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Improve Customer Service In Hospitality Industry Tourism Essay

Improve Customer Service In Hospitality Industry Tourism Essay The main purpose of this report is to research the problems in customer service of hotel and promote substantive recommendations to solve the problems. The report comprises the special definition of service, analyses of problems and methods of solving the problems. In order to improve those weaknesses of customer service, this report also identifies some detailed strategies. 2.0 Introduction Along with rapid economic development, competition in hospitality industry is becoming more intense, and the customer service is becoming an important means of improving efficiency, building brand and expanding sales. The level of customer service will largely determine the outcome of competition. Guests check a hotel, buying not only the facilities, and guests have a dinner at the hotel, purchase is not limited to meals, more importantly, they want to receive high-quality and thoughtful service. Therefore, the hotels mission is to provide quality services for guests and to meet the needs of guests. It is common pursue of hotel manager that how to improve customer service quality and make the hotel in a dominant position in the fierce market. 3.0 Customer service definition Services can be defined as the sum of behavior effectiveness that hotel staff devoted their emotions to form with the basis of certain equipment and facilities and with the target of customers needs (Gavin B. and Gillian M., 2002). We can build a figure to explain the word service. Figure 1 As the figure 1 said that customer service contain eight means: smile, excellence, ready, viewing, inviting, creating, eye and giving (Joost P. M. Wouters, 2004). In fact, these are some of the dictionary explanation about service. It enables services definition more specific, more operational. It is a circle surrounding the center of hotel, and this circle form the definition of service. 4.0 Improving service quality is the survival basis for hotel Modern customer needs are diversified and personalized, and their requirements are also getting higher and higher. It requires the hotel starting from the customer needs and continuously improves service quality (Omar M. and Simon J. 2006). Fundamentally speaking, quality of service is the basis for survival and development of hotel. Competition among hotels, in essence, is the service quality competition. The reasons are as below: 1. Customers are sensitive to quality of service; 2. Customer satisfaction are positively related to service quality. 5.0 Customer service qualitys problems analysis 5.1 Level of service quality is low Many hotel staff lack of initiative. Smile service can not be carried out and lack of basic manners etiquette (Allan Yen-Lun Su, 2004), and the staff can not operate advanced equipments. Although the situation has been improved in recent years, it still does not meet customer satisfaction very well. 5.2 Lack of inter-departmental services co-ordination Hotel customer service products have the property of integrating and which is provided by different departments and staff. Hotel service quality is good or bad that depends on the degree of cooperation and coordination between different departments and staff. Many managers are more concerned with the performance of their departments, rather than the co-operation with other departments, the corresponding barrier will eventually rush the guests to turn to rival. 5.3 Service Quality Management is inefficient Hotel service quality products are not only the physical products, but also the intangible service. Intangible services principal is human-that is hotel staff  ¼Ã‹â€ Marianna Sigala, 2005). Regulating and controlling the conduct of staff is the fundamental way to improve the quality of services. 6.0 The implement measures to improve the quality of hotel customer service 6.1 Build support system of customer service level of hospitality industry Figure 2 (FL=foreign language skill OM=operation manage skill IK=information knowledge EK=etiquette knowledge) From the survey results, it is a must that strengthen the operation manage skill of high-star hotel staff, foreign language communication skills, as well as the growing populary information systems management knowledge and so on. Hotel should build the certification system of hotel industry staff training that implement a voluntary system of taking examination to post. Through scientific training, help new employees master certain amount of hotel industry business knowledge. 6.2 Hotel managers should strengthen awareness service quality The quality of customer service the centeral work in hotel daily management, thus all staff should have a sense of quality and managers must establish the concept of service quality. Only managers taken root deeply in the concept of customer service quality can he regard quality as the lifeblood of enterprises, and make staff recognize the importance of customer service quality (Ling-Feng Hsieh and Li-Hung Lin, 2008). 6.3 Establish perfact service quality management system Establish the organization of customer service quality management. Hotel should set up specialized organization of customer service quality management as ensuranment of service quality system. Specifically, it is that establish comprehensive, scientific and rational, and controlled service control system, and bring the hotel quality activities into a unified quality management system through a certain rules, methods and procedures. Make out quality standards and quality objectives. Hotel should make specific standards to daily management of each service item and service sectors, and make work norms and procedures to make employee have the rule to comply with. Hotel can accurately record service process of different positions and sectors, and then analysis carefully, further improve service according to quality manage requirement, finally rationalize it, and defined it with the form of text and graphics and then form a service program. 6.4 Implementing a system of first-staff being in charge As far as customers concerned, they visit hotel and spend money just for buying service, and they do not have interest in understand that with which thing they can turn to which person for help. They have the right to believe that any employee represents hotels and should solve problem for them. So this system means, any hotel staff working in the post, who is the first to be consulted by customers, will be the main person in charge of solving problems and request of guests (C. F. Cheung and W. B. Lee, 2003). 7.0 Conclusion In conclusion, many hotels need to improve customer service level. Therefore, control and review is required when implementing administration and marketing activities. The hotel has to establish business goals for controlling and reviewing.

Friday, October 25, 2019

The Works of John Grisham Essay -- essays research papers

John Grisham was born in Jonesboro, Arkansas on February 8, 1955. His parents were a construction worker and a homemaker. As a child, John Grisham dreamed of one day becoming a professional baseball player. In 1967, his family moved to the town of Southaven, Mississippi. Ten years later he received an undergraduate degree in accounting from Mississippi State University. In 1981, he received a law degree from Ole Miss. That same year, he married Renee Jones. He also started a law practice in Southaven, where he practiced both criminal and civil law. Two years later, Grisham was elected to the Mississippi House of Representatives where he served until 1990. During his seven year span, he one day overheard the testimony of a 12 year old rape victim and was inspired to start a novel exploring what would have happened if the father had murdered his daughter's rapists. Grisham spent five years of getting up a 5 a.m. to finish this novel, entitled A Time to Kill. Initially, the story w as rejected by many publishers, but was bought by Wynwood Press and given a modest printing in 1988. Before A Time to Kill was published, Grisham had already begun work on The Firm, which was bought by Paramount Pictures for $600,000. The Firm spent 47 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and was the best-selling novel of 1991. Grisham has continued to write one novel per year since A Time to Kill. Grisham now resides in Oxford, Mississippi and Charlottesville, Virginia. John Grisham writes a very distinctive style of mystery. Grisham started out as a lawyer, so he generally writes mysteries that pertain very much to law and government. This type of mystery is commonly known as the legal thriller. He gives you just enough information to keep you guessing, but not enough to give away the ending. Although, Grisham has written one novel that has absolutely nothing to do with law, lawyers, or courtrooms. To date, John Grisham has written twelve novels. They are A Time to Kill, The Firm, The Pelican Brief, The Client, The Chamber, The Rainmaker, The Runaway Jury, The Partner, The Street Lawyer, The Testament, The Brethren, and A Painted House. There have also been several media adaptations to Grisham's novels. They include: - The Firm. Dir. Sydney Pollack. Paramount Pictures, 1993. Based... ... September 1952. The Cardinals were five games behind the Dodgers with two weeks to go, and the season looked hopeless. The cotton, however, was waist- high to my father, almost over my head, and he and my grandfather could be heard before supper whispering words that were seldom heard. It could be a "good crop." Thus begins a story inspired by life in rural Arkansas. The narrator is a farm boy named Luke Chandler, age seven, who lives in the cotton fields with his parents and grandparents in a little house that's never been painted. The Chandlers farm eighty acres that they rent, not own, and when the cotton is ready they hire a truckload of Mexicans and a family from the Ozarks to help harvest it. For six weeks they pick cotton, battling the heat, the rain, the fatigue, and, sometimes, each other. As the weeks pass Luke sees and hears things no seven-year-old could possibly be prepared for, and finds himself keeping secrets that not only threaten the crop but will cha nge the lives of the Chandlers forever. A Painted House is a moving story of one boy's journey from innocence to experience. - Oxford, Mississippi: The Oxford American (2000) - New York: Doubleday, 2001 The Works of John Grisham Essay -- essays research papers John Grisham was born in Jonesboro, Arkansas on February 8, 1955. His parents were a construction worker and a homemaker. As a child, John Grisham dreamed of one day becoming a professional baseball player. In 1967, his family moved to the town of Southaven, Mississippi. Ten years later he received an undergraduate degree in accounting from Mississippi State University. In 1981, he received a law degree from Ole Miss. That same year, he married Renee Jones. He also started a law practice in Southaven, where he practiced both criminal and civil law. Two years later, Grisham was elected to the Mississippi House of Representatives where he served until 1990. During his seven year span, he one day overheard the testimony of a 12 year old rape victim and was inspired to start a novel exploring what would have happened if the father had murdered his daughter's rapists. Grisham spent five years of getting up a 5 a.m. to finish this novel, entitled A Time to Kill. Initially, the story w as rejected by many publishers, but was bought by Wynwood Press and given a modest printing in 1988. Before A Time to Kill was published, Grisham had already begun work on The Firm, which was bought by Paramount Pictures for $600,000. The Firm spent 47 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and was the best-selling novel of 1991. Grisham has continued to write one novel per year since A Time to Kill. Grisham now resides in Oxford, Mississippi and Charlottesville, Virginia. John Grisham writes a very distinctive style of mystery. Grisham started out as a lawyer, so he generally writes mysteries that pertain very much to law and government. This type of mystery is commonly known as the legal thriller. He gives you just enough information to keep you guessing, but not enough to give away the ending. Although, Grisham has written one novel that has absolutely nothing to do with law, lawyers, or courtrooms. To date, John Grisham has written twelve novels. They are A Time to Kill, The Firm, The Pelican Brief, The Client, The Chamber, The Rainmaker, The Runaway Jury, The Partner, The Street Lawyer, The Testament, The Brethren, and A Painted House. There have also been several media adaptations to Grisham's novels. They include: - The Firm. Dir. Sydney Pollack. Paramount Pictures, 1993. Based... ... September 1952. The Cardinals were five games behind the Dodgers with two weeks to go, and the season looked hopeless. The cotton, however, was waist- high to my father, almost over my head, and he and my grandfather could be heard before supper whispering words that were seldom heard. It could be a "good crop." Thus begins a story inspired by life in rural Arkansas. The narrator is a farm boy named Luke Chandler, age seven, who lives in the cotton fields with his parents and grandparents in a little house that's never been painted. The Chandlers farm eighty acres that they rent, not own, and when the cotton is ready they hire a truckload of Mexicans and a family from the Ozarks to help harvest it. For six weeks they pick cotton, battling the heat, the rain, the fatigue, and, sometimes, each other. As the weeks pass Luke sees and hears things no seven-year-old could possibly be prepared for, and finds himself keeping secrets that not only threaten the crop but will cha nge the lives of the Chandlers forever. A Painted House is a moving story of one boy's journey from innocence to experience. - Oxford, Mississippi: The Oxford American (2000) - New York: Doubleday, 2001

Thursday, October 24, 2019

How does Malvolio connect to disguise and deceit in Act 2 Scene 5?

In Act II Scene VI, we are exposed to seeing Malvolio in a different light. Firstly, we see he deceives himself, ultimately playing the role of the person he thinks he is capable of becoming. Then we see that Maria and her cohort are deceiving Malvolio, by playing a prank on him just so they can make a fool out of him for always being so bitter and serious; and lastly we see how they encourage this foolish act and what consequences it brings. To begin with, we can identify that the name ‘Malvolio’ consists of two elements â€Å"Mal† and â€Å"Volio† which are Italian words, with the meaning â€Å"ill will† suggesting his disregard of others’ pleasures. I believe that Shakespeare particularly gave this character this name, as it allows us to have a greater insight of the kind of character Malvolio is from the beginning of the play. At the beginning of Act II Scene VI we are see an intimate conversation between Sir Toby and Fabian, coming together to watch Malvolio and Maria’s prank. Sir Toby asks â€Å"Wouldst thou not be glad to have the niggardly, rascally sheep-bitter come by some notable shame? Essentially pointing out that they are pulling a prank on Malvolio and asking him if he is glad he is going to see this ‘rascal dog’ humiliated. From the very start we see a connection between deception and Malvolio, and how Sir Toby and Fabian are associated with the scheming prank as well. We also see more of Malvolio’s bitterness mentioned when Fabian tells Sir Toby, â€Å"I would exult man. You know he brought me out o’favour with my lady about a bear-baiting here†, suggesting that he is very excited as Malvolio also told the lady of the house that he was arranging a bear-baiting once. This conversation suggests that the two other servers of the house are fed up with Malvolio’s attitude and plan to punish him in a way that will completely embarrass him. Malvolio’s attitude is fundamentally the only reason why he is connected to disguise and deception. Also, his self-loving personality convinces him he is capable of rising higher in the society, which is what leads to him playing the role of Olivia’s husband. Then later we see that his bitterness leads him into a humiliating prank pulled by Maria and the other workers of the house. As Maria enters the scene, we discover that she’s been scheming this prank and encourages the others to go watch, as she is fully confident it will work. She informs Sir Toby and Fabian to go hide behind the box tree and, â€Å"Observe him, for the love of mockery for I know this letter will make a contemplative idiot of him.† This emphasizes how Malvolio is the central character in this scene being deceived by all the other characters. Maria also refers to Malvolio as ‘trout’ on its way to gobble up bait, â€Å"†¦ For here comes the trout that must be caught with tickling†. This animalistic language creates a distinctive image of Malvolio. It could suggest that the bait is Olivia, and that Malvolio is so easily directed when lead by Olivia. It could also suggest that ‘tickling’ so easily catches Malvolio into complete humiliation. Act II Scene VI provides a greater in-sight on how ‘self-loving’ Malvolio really is. In the beginning of this scene we see that Malvolio is playing a role in the same way Olivia and Orsino were earlier in the play. Therefore we can see that not only is Malvolio being deceived by others, but is also deceiving himself. Malvolio instantly exposes us to this role, saying â€Å"Maria once told me she did affect me, and I have heard herself come thus near, that should she fancy it should be one of my complexion†. This portrays Malvolio’s outspoken confidence, as he is convinced Maria would like a man like himself, although we are aware that Malvolio’s fantasy is a pose without possibility. Sir Toby who is listening over Malvolio’s conversation calling him an â€Å"overweening rogue† quickly supports this. Malvolio then shifts to the possibility of being ‘Count Malvolio’ for which Sir Toby and Fabian believe is an unrealistic desire for a servant so bitter and low in the society, responding within themselves â€Å"Ah, rogue†. Although, Malvolio speaks of his strong belief in the possibility, referring to ‘Lady Strachy’ who married her wardrobe manager. This idea of Malvolio deceiving himself acts as entertainment for Sir Toby and Fabian who are simultaneously deceiving Malvolio. Both Sir Toby and Fabian show their great satisfaction saying â€Å"O, peace! Now he’s deeply in. Look how imagination blows him† which once again reinforces how unrealistic Malvolio is and how he is playing a role. Shakespeare shows that while Malvolio continues to imagine a marriage with Olivia, Sir Toby and Fabian continuously interrupt this image with their opposing comments such as â€Å"Fire and brimstone† and â€Å"O, peace, peace!† implying that they aren’t taking this seriously because Malvolio is on his high horse. Furthermore, we see that Malvolio is also deceived by the ‘letter’ that is supposedly written by Olivia, however is a prank planned by Maria. The clash between Malvolio and the remaining characters is the central motivation for the prank. From the previous scene, we see that Malvolio breaks up their party, although it does not seem to be Malvolio’s fault considering they were being rather disrespectful. This is what provokes Maria and her cohort into scheming revenge against Malvolio. As Twelfth night is a play that celebrates chaos, Malvolio doesn’t reflect this idea but presents himself as the puritanical, self-loving, pleasure-hating character which strongly contrasts against the alcohol-loving, pleasure-loving characters of Maria and her cohort. Following this role of being Olivia’s husband, Malvolio finds the letter written by Maria, which matches exactly what he’s been doing. Personally I believe the irony of finding the letter after being lost in the illusion of being Count Malvolio is what makes Malvolio believe the letter is for him. This is the last aspect of deception that connects to Malvolio in Act II Scene VI. While Malvolio is sure that â€Å"This is my lady’s hand† mentioning â€Å"†¦these be her very c’s, her u’s and her t’s,..† Sir Andrew mocks Malvolio for what he is actually saying, almost in disbelief that he can be so easily deceived. He somehow finds a link between â€Å"M.O.A.I†¦.† by saying that â€Å"M† is for Malvolio, concluding that the letter was meant for him. However as Malvolio reads on we see the letter is handing him exactly what he was imagining before, as Malvolio believes its from Olivia saying, â€Å"By my birt h I rank above you, but don’t be afraid of my greatness. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them† which again encourages Malvolio into believing the possibility of being Count Malvolio. The letter specifically asks Malvolio to do everything he wouldn’t usually do, therefore it can be viewed as a disguise. Malvolio therefore disguises himself under the ‘desired’ appearance and personality Olivia tells him of in the letter, which easily convinces Malvolio that this will lead him to his desires. Focusing specifically on the letter, it tells Malvolio to be rude, to talk about politics and act free and independent, to also wear yellow stockings and crisscrossing laces up his legs, and to remember that a happy life is waiting for him, and if he doesn’t want it he should act like his old bitter self. Although this letter is deceiving Malvolio, its also Malvolio’s connection to disguise, as he begins to follow what the letter orders to please Olivia and because this isn’t the norm for Malvolio it can be interpreted as a form of disguise. Maria’s prank works because it plays off of Malvolio’s weaknesses, which is his self regard, his wish for a higher social rank and his delusions that Olivia might actually feel something for him. All of this is meant to teach Malvolio a lesson, and perhaps punish him for his bitterness and self-pride. It should outline his foolishness for even falling into the prank and potentially highlight to Malvolio some of his faults. Disguise and deception are closely linked in this scene, as one follows the other.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Cooper Industries Corporate Strategy Essay

Q1. What is Cooper’s corporate strategy Cooper Industries’ main corporate strategy is broad diversification through M&A. Cooper Industries acquired firms in order to lessen its dependence on cyclical natural gas industry and to exhibit stable earnings. Cooper Industries acquired firms that had stable earning, a broad customer base and proven manufacturing operations using well-known technologies. Cooper Industries had a good corporate level strategy of diversification. Copper Industries acquired both related and non-related businesses. As a result, Cooper Industries could exhibit stable earnings. Reasons for Cooper’s diversification Threats of its original industry : Low growth level Unstable market(cyclic) Technology Issues Expensive labor and high costs. Cooper’s strengths : Skilled labor and high technology that could be used in other businesses Financially abundant. In order to refrain from possible threats and maximize its strengths, Cooper chose to diversify its business both in size and scope. By diversification, Cooper could achieve: Update of processes and equipment Retain of Brand power Retain of skilled labor and consolidated plants Retain of cheap labor and capital(by moving to Southern area) Overall, Cooper’s corporate level strategy can be regarded as good because it adds value in various ways. Cooper could gain market power and economies of scope by related diversification By related diversification and vertical integration, Cooper could reduce costs of primary goods and support  activities below competitive level. Cooper could also develop and exploit economies of scope by: Combining duplicate product lines to one division. Rationalizing manufacturing facilities to close underutilized plants. Consolidating sales and marketing programs to help develop a unified market identity. Combining sales members from other companies to promote efficiency. Q2. How does it create value? Cooper also created value by: Acquiring firms that exhibit stable earnings and counter-cyclical to those Cooper Industries had. (e.g. Invested in the electrical business in late 70’s) Acquiring firms with high quality products and firms that were market leaders. Focusing on products that served basic needs and were manufactured by proven technologies so that Cooper gained consistent earnings from stable markets with predictable growth. Transferring proven practices around the company rather than using outside consultants. Experience and judgment of senior management staffs. Cooper Industries’ key resources Structural behaviors Experienced management executives. â€Å"Cash flow is king† thinking – enforcing attention to working capital. Bottom-up strategic plans Centralized activities among divisions. Skilled labor and capital Cooper had skilled labor and capital with low costs. Acquisition-related aspects Cooper had strict guidelines for acquiring firms Cooper conducted systematic supervision over acquired firms. Cooper’s structure Chief Executive Officer Cizik, three Senior Vice Presidents who manage Administration, Finance and Manufacturing services, and three Executive Vice Presidents who manage each division : Electrical & Electronic, Commercial & Industrial and Compression & Drilling. Central control over corporate policy but delegated day-to-day operating decisions to each operating unit. Senior management is composed of former operators so that it knew what were good decisions to make. Cooper maintained a strong union-avoidance policy. Cooper’s incentives Executives were paid salaries based on the Hay system. Their bonuses were 20~40% of base salaries. Division managers had a bonus determined by Corporate Administration and EVP’s discretion. Key managers were granted stock options. When Cooper acquired a firm, administration adjusted pay scales to the same as other Cooper divisions. Cooper also adopted its standard benefits for medical insurance and pensions for new acquisitions. Cooper’s evaluation Evaluation was based on Management Development & Planning(MD&P) MD&P evaluated organizational effectiveness and individual strengths and weaknesses by focusing on the performance of key managers. Employees were reviewed by their supervisors. Each EVP conducted annual reviews of all managers in the division. MD&P uncovered existing or potential management gaps and identified people worthy of promotion. It also distinguished candidates for interdivisional transfers, which is a key resource for Cooper Industry. Q3. Should Cooper acquire Champion Spark Plugs? Why or Why not? Cooper should acquire Champion Spark Plugs Champion was doing automotive industry, which was profitable business and related to Cooper’s businesses. Champion had a strategic fit with Cooper’s long term plans such as diversification. Champion Spark Plugs fits well with Cooper’s acquisition guidelines for Diversification. Stable earnings and earning patterns that are countercyclical to those Cooper had.(Slight decrease in sales, however, occurred annually) Although Champion suffered from declines in sales, Champion was recognized worldwide and was a market  leader in the spark plug market. Champion had an internationally recognized brand name. Overall, Champion was suffering from declining demands in spark plug market at the time of the takeover battle. Champion was trying to penetrate the automotive tool business in spite of its poor technology level. So, in order for both Champion and Cooper to make more profits, Cooper should acquire Champion. Champion and Cooper can both satisfy each other’s needs. While Champion can use Cooper’s experience and skilled labor to penetrate the automotive tool business, Cooper can use Champion’s world-widely recognized brand name to explore overseas markets.