Preventing Obesity to Prevent Diabetes Essay Example for Free

Preventing Obesity to Prevent Diabetes Essay Diabetes is an ailment in which the human body refuses to produce or make appropriate use of insulin. Insulin happens to be a hormone which is required to convert starches, sugar and other foods into energy for everyday life. Although the causes of diabetes remain as a mystery, many medical experts believe that genetics and poor lifestyle choices – e g. lack of exercise – that result in obesity may very well be responsible for the disease (â€Å"Diabetes†). Of course, when insulin is prevented from converting starches, sugar and other foods into energy, metaphorically speaking, it is as though a person has lost a leg or an arm, especially when the individual is just a child. At a growing stage, children’s bodies should be effectively converting foods into energy, so that they can develop into mentally and physically healthy people – the future of our world. Besides, all kinds of preventable abnormalities are equally harmful. Imagine the effect on a child’s self-esteem, not only when he or she is called ‘fat and clumsy’ by his or her slim and fit classmates, but also when he or she must undergo treatment for diabetes at the time that his or her classmates are at play. The International Obesity TaskForce reports that almost 1. 7 billion people around the world â€Å"are at a heightened risk of weight-related, non-communicable diseases such as type 2 diabetes (â€Å"Diabetes and Obesity†). Moreover, the International Diabetes Federation has predicted that by 2025, the number of people with diabetes, including children, may reach at least 333 million (â€Å"Diabetes and Obesity†)! Insulin is responsible for taking the sugar from the human blood to the human cells. If glucose starts to build up in the blood rather than going to the cells, two problems may result: (1) The cells could become energy-starved; and (2) Eventually the high blood glucose level may start to hurt the eyes, nerves, kidneys or heart (â€Å"Diabetes†). Unsurprisingly, such suffering is very difficult for a child to bear. Fortunately, however, individuals that are suffering from diabetes may seek their doctors’ advice apart from making changes in their lifestyles to prevent these problems. If the person suffering from diabetes is overweight, the doctor may recommend weight loss. Effective weight reduction plans, in addition to â€Å"increased physical activity,† may help the diabetic person to a large extent (â€Å"Diabetes and Lifestyle†). According to a report published by the World Health Organization, â€Å"more than 22 million children under five years old are obese or overweight, and more than 17 million of them are in developing countries. Each of these children is at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes†¦ (â€Å"Fight Childhood Obesity to Help Prevent Diabetes†). † Obviously, this is expert opinion on the relationship between obesity and diabetes. If a child is watching television or playing video games most of the time and becoming obese, his or her parents should be sending the child to run around with his or her friends in a park instead. Seeing that children in developing countries are also suffering from obesity, and therefore the risk of developing diabetes, it is clear that obesity may be inherited to boot. Children of poor families do not get enough to eat in any case. What is more, if and when they develop diabetes, their families cannot afford to get them treated. But, even if a child’s parents can afford to get him or her treated, medical treatment is more expensive than prevention of obesity. The California Department of Education reports that â€Å"[o]verweight children and youths are more prone to developing serious health problems now and in the future (â€Å"Final Task Force Recommendations†). After all, this is the age of McDonald’s and Burger King, which makes it even more important to prevent obesity in children as well as adults. It is easy to buy a hamburger from Wendy’s on the way back from school – both for the mom and the child. However, the cost of sickness is much higher than the convenience of a drive through fast food restaurant. Everybody wants children to flourish and help the nation and the entire world to prosper as well. Besides, all health experts are of one voice as far as the relationship between diabetes and obesity is concerned. The fact that most people diagnosed with diabetes are obese, be they adults or children – makes it necessary to check obesity. It has been timelessly stated: we are what we eat. Therefore, it is best for both children and adults to be nourished by healthy foods. Fruits and vegetables are always considered superior to fats and hamburgers. Exercise and keeping fit are always better than excess weight. Nobody has ever doubted that human beings love to eat good food. At the same time, however, it must be borne in mind that obesity may turn into a severe disorder. It may negatively affect the individual’s mental state, by lowering his or her self-esteem. What is more, a child that is fed on McDonald’s five times a week may eventually become incapable of studying in school if diabetes ends up hurting his or her eyes. Mothers too may be rendered helpless as far as housework is concerned. Undoubtedly, therefore, in the case of diabetes, it must be timelessly stated: obesity prevention is better than cure.

Childhood Obesity as a Global Epidemic

Childhood Obesity as a Global Epidemic Childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions worldwide and its prevalence is increasing e.g. In america, direct measures of body mass and height obtained through the national health and nutrition examination survey (nhanes) indicate that approximately 15% of 6 19 year olds were classified as overweight in 1999 2000. This value was up approximately 5% from 1988 to 1994 (ogden cl,p1728) All of the literature refers to similar statistics regarding childhood obesity. The list below gives some examples of the data available from the different sources. obesity has more than doubled between 1990 and 2000 in britain. one in 10 six year olds (8.5%) are obese. one in six (15%) 15 year olds is obese. if the current trends continue, one fifth of boys and one third of girls will be obese by  2020. Obesity is measured using the body mass index (bmi) for an individual. This is measured through a calculation relating height to weight and age, and there are agreed figures for obesity. 2 INTRODUCTION Obesity is measured using the body mass index (BMI), for an individual. This is measured through a calculation relating height to weight and age, and there are agreed figures for obesity. Childhood obesity is becoming a worldwide problem. All the articles that were reviewed highlight the rising levels but also look into health and school policies to tackle the problem. All the articles also support family focused approach for influencing dietary habits of the children, as well as support and involvement of the communities. Diseases which were only diagnosed in adults are now also diagnosed in the children, e.g. Heart diseases, diabetes, some cancers, hypertension and dyslipidemia. (vitale, e: 2010) Children are not fully responsible for their own health choices and rely on adults to protect and nurture them. (vitale, e : 2010). In South Africa overweight and obesity are not restricted to only one population group or socio-economic group. The South African youth risk behaviour study (www.mrc.ac.za/healthpromotion.htm) showed that overweight and obesity are very common in all age groups. 3 ARTICLES REVIEWED Vitale, E. (2010). A School Nursing approach to childhood obesity: an early chronic inflammatory disease. Immunopharmacology and Immunotoxicology, 32(1), 5-16 Berg, Frances M. (2004). Underage Overweight: Americas Childhood Obesity Crisis What Every Family Needs to Know. Preventing Chronic Disease Public Health Research, Practice, and Policy, New York:Hartherleigh Press 464 p Kristen, R. Howard. (2007). Childhood Overweight: Parental Perceptions and Readiness for Change. The Journal of School Nursing, 23(2), 73-79 Armstrong, M E G, Lambert, M I, Sharwood, K A, Lambert, E V, (2006). Obesity and overweight in South African primary school children the Health of the Nation Study. 11(2), 52-64 Steyn, N P. (2005). Managing childhood obesity: a Comprehensive Approach. CME 23(11), 540-543 Goedecke, Julia H, Jennings, Courtney L, Lambert, Estelle V. (1995-2005) Obesity in South Africa. Chronic Disease of Lifestyle 65-78 Ben-Sefer E, Ben-Natan M, Ehrenfeld M, (2009). Childhood obesity: current literature, policy and implications for practice. International Nursing Review 56, 166-173 Saunders Karen L, (2007). Preventing obesity in pre-school children: a literature review. Journal of Public Health 29(4), 368-375 Van Staveren, T and Dale, D (2004). Childhood Obesity: Problems and Solutions. JOPERD 75(7), 44-49 4 RESEARCH TITLE A good title should give insight into what (what was done), whom (it was done to) and how (it was done) Vitale, E. (2010). A School Nursing approach to childhood obesity: an early chronic inflammatory disease. Immunopharmacology and Immunotoxicology, 32(1), 5-16 What (was done) A School Nursing Approach Whom (it was done to) Children with Obesity How (it was done) As a Nursing Approach can be observation or questionnaires The titles of the articles reviewed communicate an intent and findings of the research that was done for the articles. All the articles reviewed titles were specific enough to describe the contents of the research that was done, but not so technical that only specialists will understand it. The titles also describe the subject matter of the article e.g. a school nursing approach to childhood obesity: a chronic inflammatory disease. All the above mentioned literature research titles were very concise and descriptive. The titles also prick me as reader and motivated me to read the whole article. PURPOSE To discuss the current literature in relation to childhood obesity and to provide health practitioners, especially nurses, with the fundamental knowledge that is imperative in the recognition of children who are at risk and thereby tailor appropriate interventions. KEYWORDS The following words was used as keywords throughout the articles that was reviewed: childhood obesity, obesity, overweight, nursing, nursing program, chronic disease The terms obese, overweight, and at risk for overweight have not been used consistently in the research literature regarding children and adolescents. Children and adolescents identified as overweight have a body mass index (BMI) at or above the 95th percentile of the sex-specific BMI-for-age growth charts DEFINITIONS Childhood Obesity Is defined as having a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater as the 95th percentile. BMI = weight in kilograms à · height in meters2 The BMI of an individual is correlated to the total body fat and percentage body fat. Overweight in childhood According to the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), overweight in childhood is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) at or above the 95th percentile, based on the current growth chart designated for each gender. Overweight Overweight is generally defined as an excess of body mass (in practice this is mostly body fat), whereas obesity is defined as an abnormal excess of body fat. For this reason, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) uses the terminology extreme overweight instead of obesity when estimates are based on relative weight indices (like the Body Mass Index, see below) rather than on direct measurement of body fat. Obesity Obesity is when there is too much body fat other than the fat tissue in our bodies. It is also defined as an excessively high amount of body fat or adipose tissue in relation to lean body mass. RESEARCH PROBLEM Childhood obesity is a worldwide spread chronic disease. There are many factors contributing to this chronic disease e.g. genetics, environment,metabolism, lifestyle and behavioural components. Overweight or obesity during childhood in most of the industrialized world, a childhood obesity epidemic is evident, with the numbers rising each year. Obesity impacts many lives: male and female of all ages, races, economic background, and education status Why is obesity a chronic disease? Obesity is associated with high blood cholesterol, complications of pregnancy, menstrual irregularities, hirsutism (presence of excess body and facial hair), stress incontinence (urine leakage caused by weak pelvic-floor muscles), psychological disorders such as depression and increased surgical risk. It affects more than a quarter of the American population. Obesity may also causes other serious medical conditions e.g. cancer, heart diseases, diabetes, etc. LOGIC ARGUMENTATION Examining the work of the the above mentioned authors on the childhood obesity issue, there are a genuine challenge to achieving, legitimate, cost-efficient progress on childhood obesity. And if we are honest about why the childhood obesity problem needs to be at the top of policymakers agenda, the most compelling answer comes back to money. It is a serious medical disease that affects over a quarter of adults in the United States, and about 14% of children and adolescents. It is the second leading cause of preventable death after smoking. Berg makes a compelling and convincing argument that the dangers of childhood obesity are real by highlighting the increased risks overweight and obese American children face for obesity-related health problems such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and psychological disorders. She notes, for example, that from 1979 to 1981, the annual hospital costs related to obesity among children and adolescents were $35 million; from 1997 to 1999, these costs rose to $127 million. Evidence from the literature provides proof of Bergs claims about the reality of the dangers of childhood obesity and further supports her reasonings that American society must take responsibility to reclaim the health of generations to come. There are many arguments that obese children will be stigmatized and that this will increase bullying, as well as leading to an increased number of children suffering from eating disorders in the future. A number of people In addition, feel that parents should be able to tell that their child is overweight and that the money could be put to better use by doing something to help change the situation. Many consider obesity an individual matter. However, children cannot be accountable for their weight. The children have little knowledge about the anatomy of their bodies. Children will keep eating if they see that junk food is advertise all over and ok. There are two main arguments on this issue: 1) Child obesity is mostly caused by food advertisements, and 2) Parents are not doing their jobs. Some argue that children are growing obese, because of the exposure to food advertisements. They believe that the government should step in and regulate food advertisements on children. A child becomes obese not because he or she watches advertisements, but because they sit in front of a television all day with no exercises or any other physical activities. In addition, it is believed that the schools as well as government is obligated to fix the epidemic. The generation has a major problem that will result in statistical records of people with heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. A solution to the epidemic can be the corporation between parents, the industries, and the government. Dr. Peter Nieman, (2004) a practicing pediatrician, has identified three main causes of childhood obesity: genetics, overeating and lack of exercise. He emphasizes that it is important to understand that the causes of obesity are often a combination of these three factors. Obesity if just not the result of a single factor. As the government becomes more aware of the serious problem of childhood obesity, schools in the UK are now planning to weigh and measure all children at the ages of 4-5, when they start primary school and again at 10-11, when they are about to leave for secondary education. Van Staveren.and Dales (2004) article: Childhood Obesity: Problems and Solutions discusses the problems related to the epidemic of Childhood Obesity. There are many problems that could have led to this epidemic but in their article, they only discuss the main four problems. The Authors feel that the following are the main causes for Child Obesity: Unhealthy food in schools No policies on good dietary in schools Unhealthy food in family life and A Lack of family responsibility towards children regarding their diets. There are many arguments that obese children will be stigmatized and that this will increase bullying, as well as leading to an increased number of children suffering from eating disorders in the future. A number of people, feel that parents should be able to tell that their child is overweight and that the money could be put to better use by doing something to help change the situation. Being parents, most of the people ask what they can do to help their children keep their weight under control. Parents can set a good example by providing healthy nutritious meals and not eating junk food themselves, but it is important to allow some treats, as being over strict is likely to cause friction. If the whole family learns about healthy nutritious eating and try cooking new healthy recipes together, kids wont feel they are being singled out. It is also very essential not to focus too much on food. Although it is an important part of life and can never be avoided, it should not be made the main topic of discussion in the family. If the overweight children are constantly reminded of their weight and what overeating can do to them, they could develop an unhealthy attitude towards food. So the parents must be sure to focus on other things, certain areas of life which are not stressful and which their child enjoys as well as good activities with the children e.g. jogging all together as a family in a park. People might believe that children eat no more calories than children 20 years ago. The fact is that, the increasing obesity rates are likely due to a combination of changes in both eating and exercise habits. Although the increase in calories has been difficult to define due to imperfect assessment methods, it has become very clear that children eat much more processed starch and sugar especially in the form of soda coldrinks and other sugary drinks than in past years. Parents often need to compromise or negotiate with children in regard to their food intake, and teenagers certainly make many of their own food-purchasing decisions on the basis of, in part, advertising. Marketing food to children dramatically worsened their nutritional intake. The issue on obesity continues to grow everyday, especially in newer generations. Many are saying generation x and future generations as well are going to be the only generations that are not going to outlive their parents. Childhood Obesity is a major contribution to these assumptions, it causes diseases and many other health problems. Dr William J. McCarthy uses logical argumentation with his audience by saying many children in this generation are becoming over weight. During McCarthys interview in the video Project 1a, he tries to warn parents as well and, with the use of pathos, (Pathos is a communication technique used to represents an appeal to the audiences emotions ) by frightening parents into believing their child is at a high risk of a disease. He states, they are starting to see diseases, which were really unheard, This causes parents to worry about their children and want to reduce the risk of them obtaining a disease. After hearing these facts parents may help their children eat healthier so they are not overweight and have a less chance of obtaining a disease. CONCLUSIONS From this review, it is apparent that obesity in South Africa is a growing problem in all sectors of the community, yet a particular challenge in children and urbanised black women. To address this problem and the associated morbidities in South African communities, a multi-sectoral approach is needed. This should include changes in policy aimed at creating an environment conducive and supportive for change, such as the promotion of physical activity and dietary education in schools. In addition, The opportunity for primordial prevention of obesity, particularly in children, should be promoted. These prevention strategies should be culturally sensitive and encompass programmes to improve the Education, status and economic empowerment of women. This assignment highlights the strengths and weaknesses of the systematically reviewed literature relating to the prevention and treatment of childhood obesity. Prevention is not realy discussed in the existing literature and no specific approach to intervention can be recommended. As prevention is generally considered the most effective, economical and socially acceptable approach to addressing the obesity epidemic, the need for clear principles upon which to base prevention strategies must be considered an urgent research priority. The reviewed literature can provide an evidence-based framework for preventative interventions. It is clear that preventative programs should include strategies to address diet, physical activity and behavioural change. With the development of guidelines in school health care the authorities should have a better understanding for the optimal spending of public money for the sake of the health of the childhood With the development of a guideline on the prevention of overweight and obesity in childhood representatives of school health care in three European countries (i.e. Croatia, flanders and slovenia) can use the same methodology in order to elaborate common evidence-based recommendations for school health services in their countries. On top of these common recommendations, some specific advices were added in accordance with the organisation of health care and school health care in the respective countries. Any country that has a high rate or increasing rate of childhood obesity must acknowledge core factors that contribute to this serious health problem. Furthermore, public policy and community involvement that include all health professionals have a responsibility in the prevention of childhood obesity. This can be implemented through education, research and advocacy of all nurses involved with children and families. Guidelines on school health care aim at increasing the effectiveness, efficiency and quality of the preventive health care as it is delivered to school aged children and adolescents. They should contribute to a better health, growth and development of children, on an individual as well as on a population level. After being informed about the principals of the guidelines, parents and children should have a clearer idea about what to expect from the school health service, and become more conscious of their own and their childrens health. Any country that has a high rate or increasing rate of childhood obesity must acknowledge core evidences that contribute to this serious health problem. This can be implemented through education, research and health education by all the nurses involved with children and families. Obesity effects thousands of Americans every year. In order to maintain a healthy weight and stop the spread of this chronic disease is by exercising and eating a balanced diet. Dont become a victim of such a deadly disease!

Harley Davidson Analysis

Harley Davidson Analysis Abstract The aim of this paper is to discuss the critical evaluation of the transformation process undertaken by Harley Davidson and analyse the contribution that the transformation made to the success or failure of the Harley Davidson. This paper also highlighted the competitive analysis of the US motorcycle industry and analsye the strategies that helps the Harley Davidson to get the sustainable competitive advantage from their 2nd most powerful competitor Suzuki. All the related strategies are described in Appendix due to word limitation. This paper also focuses on the further strategies such as EPR system, porter generic strategies etc. by which Harley Davidson would get competitive advantages before 2004. As a manager, author would also recommend differently and how they could use those strategies before 2004 to get the sustainable competitive advantages and also the successful implementation of transformation process. Aims This study involves a general evaluation of Harley Davidson to assess its transformation process. The study also attempts to assess the impact of the change on their performance. More specifically, the study aims at: Identifying Harleys transformation process Justifying the transformation process To conduct a brief literature on change management relating with Harleys case Analyse the Harleys competitive advantage from their competitor To recommend differently as a manager regarding different strategies to get the sustainable competitive advantage Methodology The report has used various books, e-journals and websites. Assumption It is assumed that information collected for the purpose of the report is correct and relevant. 1. Company Overview Harley Davidson began in Milwaukee in 1903 when two partners, Bill Harley and Arthur Walter Davidson, developed a one cylinder motorcycle. Harley Davidson grew quickly. By 1912 Harley Davidson was exporting their motorcycles overseas. During WW1, over 20,000 Harley-Davidson motorcycles were used. By the end of the war there were over 2000 dealerships worldwide. After WW1, the demand for motorcycles in Europe grew rapidly. Harley Davidson became a leader in innovative engineering during the 1920s. However, during WW2 Harley Davidson prospered with sales of motorcycles to the military. They earned the coveted Army-Navy award for excellence in wartime production. After WW2, Harley Davidson transformed from producing military to recreational motorcycles. By 1953, Harley Davidson was the last remaining motorcycle manufacturer in the United States. By 1960 Harley Davidson had begun a gradual decline. Harley Davidson merged with the American Machine and Foundry Company (AMF). This merger briefly raised sales. By the mid 1970s, a declining market, a sluggish economy and increasingly fierce competition from Asian manufacturers was once again taking its toll on Harley Davidson. This culminated in a 1981 management buyout saving Harley Davidson from bankruptcy. After the 1981 management buyout, Harley Davidson had to re-organize. Faced with a terrible reputation for quality and rising costs, Harley Davidson focused on marketing. It wanted to differentiate itself from its competitors by building upon its heritage and its unique American styling. These improvements turned Harley Davidson into a remarkable success story. Between 1999 and 2004 revenues grew on average 14% yearly while profits grew 23% on average yearly. Harley Davidson is now the largest American motorcycle manufacturer. They design manufacturer and sell heavyweight touring, custom and performance motorcycles. Currently the company has over 28 models of touring and custom Harley motorcycles distributed through a network of more than 1300 dealerships worldwide. They also sell motorcycle parts, accessories, clothing and collectibles. The company also makes motorcycles under the Buell nameplate. (Source: Harley-Davidson, 2009) 2. Change Management Change is constant. Change in organisations is said to often be made in three areas: 1) structure, i.e. new services or programs; 2) technology, i.e. alteration in equipment and/or automation; and 3) people, i.e. selection, hiring, training, relationships, and attitudes. Change management is a strategy designed to transition from the status quo to some new ideal way of doing business. Change management has been defined as ‘the process of continually renewing an organizations direction, structure, and capabilities to serve the ever-changing needs of external and internal customers (Moran and Brightman, 2001, pg. 111). According to Burnes (2004) change is an ever-present feature of organizational life, both at an operational and strategic level. Therefore, there should be no doubt regarding the importance to any organisation of its ability to identify where it needs to be in the future, and how to manage the changes required getting there. Consequently, organisational change cann ot be separated from organisational strategy, or vice versa (Burnes, 2004; Rieley and Clarkson, 2001). Due to the importance of organisational change, its management is becoming a highly required managerial skill (Senior, 2002). 3. Change Management Process Organisational change can be described as the process of moving away from a current condition to realize some future state. Change management involves managing the process of achieving this future state. According to Nickols, (2004), change can be viewed from two vantage points, that of the people making the changes and that of the people experiencing the changes. In the top-down process, or strategic viewpoint associated with management, the focus is on technical issues such as the investment required, the processes for implementing the change, how soon the change can be realised, and the outcome. In the process of bottom-up viewpoint of the employee, the focus is on what the change means to the individual, how they can cope with the change, and also how management can assist them through the transition. In this context, effective change management should be able to help individuals evolve from negative feelings such as fear and anxiety towards positive feelings about the changes be ing made. Effective change management deals with diagnosing problems and determining an alternative that involves changing the organisational structure or processes. It also identifies and deals with the individual responses to change that can hinder the success of the project. To understand change management better, we need to understand the various models and strategies that managers may follow. Some of the models include the Leadership model, Improvisational Model, Theory E versus Theory O, and the ADKAR model (Please Refer Appendix A1) 4. Harley Davidson Transformation Process The Harley Davidson transformation began with a company that was suffering. In the 10 years to 1983, Harleys market share of the 850 CC plus motorcycle category had dropped from 80% to 23%. The company was hemorrhaging cash and profits. Staffs were demoralised. The culture and environment was toxic. According to Jenkinson Sain, (2009), the Transformation process of the Harley Davidson was divided into two phases: First Phase: The first phase of the transformation involved rationalisation and tough command and control management. This was First phase of change management process. It was not enough however to create success for this positivity and commitment of Harley Davidson. For this reason Harley Davidson decided to go second phase of the change process (Jenkinson Sain, 2009). Second Phase: The second phase of the management was core-integrated marketing of Harley Davidson. Harley Davidson had to move out of financial regulation and power governance into shared marketing commitment towards vision and value based on a collective appreciation of the Harley identity (Jenkinson Sain, 2009). Harleys problems began it was the company was sub optimized internally, with many hostile management/union relationships, and failed to match the market in customer value. The Japanese did not create the problem: they exposed the problem. Many companies share this problem. They may have succeeded in avoiding the extreme problems that Harley had, often by effective first phase management. The challenge of is to move into second phase. Second phases Integrated Marketing depends first on uniting everyone around a collective vision of value that connects to the identity and purpose of the organisation/brand. This depends on a profound and shared understanding of customers and an organisation that can deliver value seamlessly throughout all customer experiences across the relationship. This also means connecting and matching spiritual with practical qualities: vision, purpose, values with information, processes, and systems (Henshaw Kerr, 2001). 5. Implementation of Transformation process There are a number of factors that affect the strategies used for change management (Please refer Appendix B1), and ultimately whether the change is effective. One set of factors is how resistant people are to change. People may resist change because they are unsure of how it affects them, misunderstand the changes, have a different assessment of the current and future environment, or simply have a low tolerance for change. A second factor is the urgency of the change. How important is it, and how critical it is to the business needs of the organization? This also affects the time frame under which the changes need to be implemented. A third factor is how ready is the organisation for the change? Does it have the skills and knowledge needed to implement the change? Finally, management will have preferred strategies for managing the change. This might be based on research and studies they have made, or from past experiences (Kotter, 1996). If we look at the various models (Please refer Appendix A1) for change, it is apparent that there are certain situations where a particular model will not be as effective. For example, I would not expect the improvisational model to work well in a rigid, autocratic environment. This model would work best in an informal, cooperative environment where the workers are encouraged to take risks and display initiative, and everyone is open to new ideas (Orlikowski and Hofman, 1997). The Theory E and Theory O models represent opposite ends of the spectrum. Theory E is more appropriate when the focus is on the short term, and the goal is to maximize the return on investment. The Theory O is more appropriate when the emphasis is on the long-term survival of the company (Beer and Nohria, 2001). The leadership and ADKAR models are both effective in situations where the change is a programmed change, and management needs to secure the buy-in and support of the employees. Both of these models emp hasize the leadership aspect of change management, and deal with the behavior of individuals in response to change. 6. Transformation Model for Harley Davidson Integrated Marketing amounts to a widening of the responsibility, potential and vision for many marketers and therefore for marketing. Rich Teerlink, CEO of Harley-Davidson, describes a leadership journey by which just such a transformation took place. Under his leadership, Harley-Davidson changed from a somewhat toxic, hierarchical, command and control organisation to something new and nimble that is the present-day foundation for its ongoing success as an Integrated Marketing leader. Initially that change did require command and control to get out of the solvency crisis. However, the sustained success that Harley Davidson has, its came from a different kind of change. Involvement, empowerment and alignment were the secret of success of Harley Davidson. The result is something called the Business Process, an extensive and ongoing programme of Harley Davidson that involved and involves everyone in the Harley Davidson from top to bottom in establishing shared values and vision, shared mission and operating philosophies, and agreed objectives and strategies (Jenkinson Sain, 2009). According to Teerlink (cited in Jenkinson Sain, 2009) and his partner in the process, consultant Lee Ozley, â€Å"Instead of demanding compliance, managers have to earn, and call upon, commitment†. The extensive change process, over several years, that led to this, known as the Joint Vision Process, also led to a radical new organisation. Instead of the conventional hierarchical structure, Harley-Davidson developed what they call a circle organisation of three overlapping elements concerned with creating demand, producing products and providing support. A leadership and strategy council at the centre has members nominated from these circles. Harley-Davidson Circle organisation Jeff Bleustein, former president of parts and accessories, describes the uniqueness of the circle organization, According to Bleustein, there are a lot of companies with self-managing work teams on the factory floor. In fact, thats where a lot of innovation comes in some companies as far away from the executive offices. He took this concept of self-managing groups and made it work at the executive level of Harley Davidson. The solution to Integrated Marketing is not to blindly copy the Harley- Davidson solution. Jeff Bleustein also give some criticism against the integrated marketing approach. He predicted that integrated marketing approach would not work, because Harley Davidson grew organically out of the process. However he has observed some other radical structures both within the marketing department of the large organisation. He was certain that to achieve best practice in Integrated Marketing there is a need for the organisation structure to grow out of and reflect the organis ing idea of value and purpose that animates the brand organisation, rather than be driven by traditional considerations of power and status (Jenkinson Sain, 2009). Ron Hutchinson, currently vice president for parts, accessories and customer service, gives a perspective on this change and its effect that relates to Integrated Marketing. He verified that this was a vision of the way people needed to be engaged in an organization, and developed a structure the Business Process of Harley Davidson that allows for theoretical alignment of an individuals job with the long-term direction of the company. Hutchinson aware of that no other organisation has built a whole process and structure around that. In the final analysis, he would say the customer service department, where a customer spent eight hours a day taking phone calls from unhappy campers, is a true test of whether the Business Process works or not. He was convinced that Harley Davidson wouldnt have the reputation that they have today in the marketplace if they didnt have front-line people excited by charismatic, visionary leadership, who can see exactly how their little piece of the organiza tion fits into the long-term strategy and direction of the company (Teerlink Ozley, 2000). According to Teerlink, to complement the organizational changes, new rewards and incentive systems were introduced. They are changing their pay system to pay for performance. They needed their people to understand empowerment. An employee must make the decision that he or she wants more training no one will tap an employee on the shoulder but once an employee are there, they will help an employee. The executive committee was the first group to go through the [Leadership] institute. They didnt want anyone to get the attitude that the executive committee doesnt have anything to learn (Nolan Kotha, 2007). Line workers were exposed to the interrelation among products, sales, and profitability. Harley Davidson also prepared nontechnical explanations of how cash flows and flexible production affected financial success. Harley made substantial changes in worker job descriptions, responsibilities, and production processes to increase job enrichment and worker empowerment. In 1993 Harley-Davidson acquired a minority interest in the Buell Motorcycle Company, a manufacturer of performance motorcycles. Through this investment Harley hoped to enter select niches within the â€Å"performance† motorcycle market, which several top executives thought would return Harley to its heritage of product innovation and development through lessons from the racetrack (Teerlink Ozley, 2000). 7. Successful Transformation process in Harley Davidson Due to successful transformation process of Harley Davidson (H-D), impressive integrated marketing strategy gave Harley Davidson a brand name that more recognized than any other company. Indeed, the strategy was not to focus on reducing the costs, or on the distribution improvement, but the main element was to create customer value. In other words, H-Ds was to give more credibility, trust, safety, desires, quality of product and service, and thus fidelity to its brand. In order to reach that goal, H-D centralised its marketing on these topics, for example creating a Harley Owners Group who rallies more than 900,000 members worldwide (Harley-Davidson, 2009). The main interest of this group is to ensure members to know each other, and become a second family who share the same interests, wills, and thoughts. This integrated marketing strategy also ensures H-D to maintain a strong relationship with its customers, and thus a strong brand name all over the world. According to customers, th e owners of H-D say that this brand understands customers needs, and also that they are always for their customer if a problem appears. These remarks can be linked with H-Ds values. According to H-D â€Å"Our values are the heart of how we run our business. They guide our actions and serve as the framework for the decisions and contributions our employees make at every level of the Company.† These values are: Be Fair, Tell the Truth, Keep Your Promises, Respect the Individual, and Encourage Intellectual Curiosity (Harley-Davidson, 2009). This integrated marketing approach can also be linked with the mission statement of H-D: â€Å"We fulfill dreams through the experience of motorcycling by providing to motorcyclists and to the general public an expanding line of motorcycles and branded products and services in selected market segments (Harley-Davidson, 2009).† In order to be successful, organizations must determine clear financial and strategic objectives (Hitt et.al, 2005). Harley Davidson gained a greater market share, achieved higher product quality than rivals, maintained a stronger reputation and a better branding strategy than its competitors, increased levels of customer satisfaction and finally attained stronger customer loyalty due to successful transformation process. In the 60s and 70s Harleys strategic intent was based on â€Å"going shoulder-to-shoulder against the predominantly Japanese companies† (Harley-Davidson, 2009). Harley could not compete on the price level, and the Japanese products were of superior quality, Harley decided to compete in other areas. Their new strategy was to connect with people on an emotional level. They are not selling a product but a way of life, a way of thinking. Due to successful transformation process of Harley Davidson changed its strategy from selling products to selling community (Teerlink Ozley, 2000). And the fact that H-D has developed a Brand stretching strategy, which was an element of Harleys success in developing relationships with customers. Indeed, owners can buy other Harleys products than bikes; it means that they can be more than a biker, they can join Harleys group buying leather accessories or clothes, and even cosmetics. 8. Competitor Analysis/Strategic Issues There are four strategic issues that H-D has to face with. The most important is the European market where H-D has to increase its sales, then, linked with the first issue, there is a fierce competition with the Japanese firms such as Honda and Yamaha. The other issues are the womens market and the accessories, which are in decline. Harley-Davidson is not very famous in Europe where Harleys market share of 650 cc plus motorcycle is less than 7% (6.6%), while in North America Harley-Davidson has a huge market share (46.4%), 21.3% for the Asian market. The main industry competitors are Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha, Kawasaki and BMW. Harley-Davidson is the market leader in the U.S. market with 46.4% market share (Teerlink Ozley, 2000). Their domestic position is quite secure however the rival companies are all aiming to increase their impact on the North American market. Rival manufacturers such as Kawasaki or BMW have all made a serious attempt to establish them at the heart of Harleys market. The Japanese bikes were often considered to be ‘sissy cycles by Harley lovers (Mitchell, 2001). This image is slowly changing and the Japanese companies are trying to ‘out Harley the Harley models. Yamaha motor USA is starting to improve its position in its various markets. The U.S. sales have increased for 47% since 1998. Harley Davidson had a tough time in creating an image for themselves particularly in the cruiser markets. Harley continues to dominate the U.S market and is also the leader in the Asian/Pacific markets with 21.3% market share (Henshaw Kerr, 2001). Yamaha is also trying to outperform Harley and is improving its mass customization skills. The Yamaha website offers a section that allows customers to design their own bike and choose the look and functionality they desire. The interface ensures customers to choose from 75 Yamaha accessory items and makes it easy for the customer to purchase the bike online. The Yamaha V Max model, the Drag Star, and the Road Star models attract customers with their slick design and technological tweaks (Yamaha, 2009). The Yamaha sports models are also very successful and the company is still maintaining a strong position in world markets. European rivals are also trying to make an impact on this lucrative market. Italys Moto Guzzi recently introduced the V11 EV custom cruiser. BMW introduced 3 models of its R1200C cruiser and thanks to clever advertising is beginning to improve its position in the U.S. and Asian markets (BMW Annual report, 2004). 9. Harley Davidsons Strategic Implementation While Harley was booming in U.S market during the late 1950s, then the market attracted Japanese motorcycles manufacturers, beginning with Honda. Other Japanese firms, Suzuki, Yamaha and Kawasaki also followed Honda. Behind Honda, Suzuki was the main competitor for Harley Davidson and while Suzuki marketed smaller, quieter and more fuel-efficient motorcycles that required little or no maintenance and were easier to handle compare to Harleys bikes. In order to get sustainable competitive advantages, Harley Davidson implemented different types of strategies that helped them become one of the most dominant motorcycle producers in the world as well as differentiate them from their one of the most powerful competitor Suzuki. As stated earlier, strategic issues that H-D has faced is increased segmentation in the motorcycle industry causing them to shift focuses in their strategy. With the purchase of Buell Motorcycle Co. they have been successfully able to increase their market segmentation by offering high quality bikes at competitive price. This allowed H-D to have the opportunity to move from a differentiation strategy to a cost/differentiation strategy (Henshaw Kerr, 2001). Harley Davidsons use of the Cost/Differentiation as a Business Level Strategy has proven highly successful since they have been in business. They have always tried to differentiate themselves from everyone else in the motorcycle industry, by producing a brand image that many competitors have failed to recreate. Harley Davidson has two different companies built into one. The first of the two companies produces motorcycles at competitive prices against their competitors. Harley Davidson demands high standards of quality and efficiency and demand lower costs, which will add to a higher quality less expensive motorcycle. Harley Davidson has done extensive research to find out information about their average customer. Harley Davidson concluded that the average motorcycle consumer is a married, college educated, 38 year-old male earning $44,250 a year and his average income is increasing. Research also shows that females represent 10% of the new purchasers (Henshaw Kerr, 2001). The second company that Harley Davidson implemented is the Costume Vehicle Operations or CVO. This company specializes and customizes the motorcycles to suit the individual owner. Harley Davidson also offers genuine parts and accessories so Harley owners can customize their own motorcycles. The CVO tries to use the differentiation strategy to beat out its competitors. The customisation of a motorcycle can prove to be very expensive and time consuming, but Harley Davidson knows that what good is a bike if you cannot show people who you really are. The customers are willing to wait an average of 1 year after placing their order to receive their customized motorcycle. Every other motorcycle manufacturer is trying to imitate Harley and their products. Harley has the top of the industry manufacturing process with large state of the art factories, and distribution, with many small and personalized, to market dealers, who sell their products (Harley-Davidson, 2009) Harley Davidsons Corporate Level Strategy tends to favour the Related Diversification Strategy. Their two primary businesses are related to each other in some manner or another. The two divisions, CVO and the Competitive Price Division, are related by using the same suppliers. Although the two divisions serve two totally different responsibilities to the consumers, they are truly related in their strengths to differentiate themselves from all the other competition. Harley Davidson does not do much promotion at the corporate level. Primarily, the local dealers do their promotion (Mitchell, 2001). Harley Davidson Motor Co. of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin has become known for translating process innovation into business revival. A significant contributor to this growth is a new-product cost management strategy, based on design for manufacturability. The company recognized that while 70% of their product cost was determined at the design function, the cost strategy went far beyond the function of product development. Their strategy was two fold, with the first linking cost management to corporate objectives, and the second validates and measures progress towards cost targets. Cross-functional integration was paramount in implementing this strategy. Cost analysts work with development team members, while design engineers worked closely with manufacturing personnel to understand cost constraints in conjunction with an understanding of how things would be made. This strategy has helped Harley-Davidson capture nearly 50% of the U.S. market for motorcycles, while achieving double-digit reven ue growth (Teerlink Ozley, 2000). 10. Recommendations As a manager author will identify the key areas of further strategic implementation by which Harley Davidson will get sustainable competitive advantage in their industry. Author identifies that Harley Davidson still not using the EPR system. Harley Davidson can use the ERP system to enhance the integrated marketing approach. Usually ERP systems will have many components including hardware and software, in order to achieve integration, most ERP systems use a unified database to store data for various functions found throughout the organisation. The term ERP originally referred to how a large organization planned to use organizational wide resources. In the past, ERP systems were used in larger more industrial types of companies. However, the use of ERP has changed and is extremely comprehensive, today the term can refer to any type of company, no matter what industry it falls in. In fact, ERP systems are used in almost any type of organization large or small. In order for a software system to be considered ERP, it must provide an organization with functionality for two or more systems. While some ERP packages exist that only cover two functions for an organization Payroll Accounting, most ERP systems cover several functions. Todays ERP systems can cover a wide range of functions and integrate them into one unified database. For instance, functions such as human resources, supply chain management, customer relations management, financials, manufacturing functions and warehouse management functions were all once stand alone software applications, usually housed with their own database and network, today, they can all fit under one umbrella the ERP system (Tech-faq, 2009). In retrospect, author would have recommended that Harley do a few things differently. First, they could have researched the literature on what types of problems mechanistic manufacturing organizations face when they try to implement an ERP system in a highly inflexible environment. There was enough research and case analysis available to do this. While they were clearly aware of potential change resistance and the need to get all stakeholders involved, the amount of time their search and selection process required was ridiculous in todays business environment. Author speculate that the sheer demand and high prices of their product allowed them to wallow in their inefficiencies a few more years before they had to bite the bullet (Hirschboeck et.al, 2004). Second, obtaining the advice of experienced software and supply chain consultants earlier in the process probably could have saved some time and created a defined focus. Often, managers use the discipline and recommendations of consultants to reinforce the need for organizational change. With the purchasing process out of control, they could have brought in some purchasing expertise to clean up some of the mess before selecting a software system to help organize the process. According to the website, only 10% of the Harleys customers are females. But female bikers are more and more interested by bikes (www.moto-station.com). Yamaha and Kawasaki are trying to take advantage of this growing interest of female bikers and many of their ads feature women on motorcycles. Harley Davidson can take this new opportunity to get sustainable competitive advantage in their industry. Another key issue for the future is the problem of the accessories. Indeed, those products such as perfumes or cosmetics are decreasing a lot. So, Harley-Davidson should take a decision about this unsuccessful strategy of brand stretching. But, this strategy has a lot of success regards to the leatherwear and fashion area. Harley-Davidson should continue to improve this brand stretching and not leave the market of cosmetics and perfumes. Harley was successful in transforming its scattered purchasing functions into a supplier relationship management program. The supplier portal now serves 300 of its 695 suppliers. In 2004, the company was extending portal access to its accessories and merchandise suppliers. This year, Harley will have about 300 IT employees (Hirschboeck et.al, 2004). The department should manage by experienced leaders who specializing in a particular area of expertise supporting a key company function. Record earnings for the first quarter of 2004 were gained from a 13% increase in sales, the largest in its history ((Nolan Kotha, 2007)). Analysts are crediting its profit growth and margin control to improvement in its supply chain efficiencies. Harley holds a 46% market share in heavyweight motorcycles in the US. The company sponsors a club for its customers, known as the Harley Owners Group (HOG) that allows the company to do direct market research and solicit ideas for product development and testing from 600,000 members. In 2002, the company produced 28 models Harley Davidson Analysis Harley Davidson Analysis Abstract The aim of this paper is to discuss the critical evaluation of the transformation process undertaken by Harley Davidson and analyse the contribution that the transformation made to the success or failure of the Harley Davidson. This paper also highlighted the competitive analysis of the US motorcycle industry and analsye the strategies that helps the Harley Davidson to get the sustainable competitive advantage from their 2nd most powerful competitor Suzuki. All the related strategies are described in Appendix due to word limitation. This paper also focuses on the further strategies such as EPR system, porter generic strategies etc. by which Harley Davidson would get competitive advantages before 2004. As a manager, author would also recommend differently and how they could use those strategies before 2004 to get the sustainable competitive advantages and also the successful implementation of transformation process. Aims This study involves a general evaluation of Harley Davidson to assess its transformation process. The study also attempts to assess the impact of the change on their performance. More specifically, the study aims at: Identifying Harleys transformation process Justifying the transformation process To conduct a brief literature on change management relating with Harleys case Analyse the Harleys competitive advantage from their competitor To recommend differently as a manager regarding different strategies to get the sustainable competitive advantage Methodology The report has used various books, e-journals and websites. Assumption It is assumed that information collected for the purpose of the report is correct and relevant. 1. Company Overview Harley Davidson began in Milwaukee in 1903 when two partners, Bill Harley and Arthur Walter Davidson, developed a one cylinder motorcycle. Harley Davidson grew quickly. By 1912 Harley Davidson was exporting their motorcycles overseas. During WW1, over 20,000 Harley-Davidson motorcycles were used. By the end of the war there were over 2000 dealerships worldwide. After WW1, the demand for motorcycles in Europe grew rapidly. Harley Davidson became a leader in innovative engineering during the 1920s. However, during WW2 Harley Davidson prospered with sales of motorcycles to the military. They earned the coveted Army-Navy award for excellence in wartime production. After WW2, Harley Davidson transformed from producing military to recreational motorcycles. By 1953, Harley Davidson was the last remaining motorcycle manufacturer in the United States. By 1960 Harley Davidson had begun a gradual decline. Harley Davidson merged with the American Machine and Foundry Company (AMF). This merger briefly raised sales. By the mid 1970s, a declining market, a sluggish economy and increasingly fierce competition from Asian manufacturers was once again taking its toll on Harley Davidson. This culminated in a 1981 management buyout saving Harley Davidson from bankruptcy. After the 1981 management buyout, Harley Davidson had to re-organize. Faced with a terrible reputation for quality and rising costs, Harley Davidson focused on marketing. It wanted to differentiate itself from its competitors by building upon its heritage and its unique American styling. These improvements turned Harley Davidson into a remarkable success story. Between 1999 and 2004 revenues grew on average 14% yearly while profits grew 23% on average yearly. Harley Davidson is now the largest American motorcycle manufacturer. They design manufacturer and sell heavyweight touring, custom and performance motorcycles. Currently the company has over 28 models of touring and custom Harley motorcycles distributed through a network of more than 1300 dealerships worldwide. They also sell motorcycle parts, accessories, clothing and collectibles. The company also makes motorcycles under the Buell nameplate. (Source: Harley-Davidson, 2009) 2. Change Management Change is constant. Change in organisations is said to often be made in three areas: 1) structure, i.e. new services or programs; 2) technology, i.e. alteration in equipment and/or automation; and 3) people, i.e. selection, hiring, training, relationships, and attitudes. Change management is a strategy designed to transition from the status quo to some new ideal way of doing business. Change management has been defined as ‘the process of continually renewing an organizations direction, structure, and capabilities to serve the ever-changing needs of external and internal customers (Moran and Brightman, 2001, pg. 111). According to Burnes (2004) change is an ever-present feature of organizational life, both at an operational and strategic level. Therefore, there should be no doubt regarding the importance to any organisation of its ability to identify where it needs to be in the future, and how to manage the changes required getting there. Consequently, organisational change cann ot be separated from organisational strategy, or vice versa (Burnes, 2004; Rieley and Clarkson, 2001). Due to the importance of organisational change, its management is becoming a highly required managerial skill (Senior, 2002). 3. Change Management Process Organisational change can be described as the process of moving away from a current condition to realize some future state. Change management involves managing the process of achieving this future state. According to Nickols, (2004), change can be viewed from two vantage points, that of the people making the changes and that of the people experiencing the changes. In the top-down process, or strategic viewpoint associated with management, the focus is on technical issues such as the investment required, the processes for implementing the change, how soon the change can be realised, and the outcome. In the process of bottom-up viewpoint of the employee, the focus is on what the change means to the individual, how they can cope with the change, and also how management can assist them through the transition. In this context, effective change management should be able to help individuals evolve from negative feelings such as fear and anxiety towards positive feelings about the changes be ing made. Effective change management deals with diagnosing problems and determining an alternative that involves changing the organisational structure or processes. It also identifies and deals with the individual responses to change that can hinder the success of the project. To understand change management better, we need to understand the various models and strategies that managers may follow. Some of the models include the Leadership model, Improvisational Model, Theory E versus Theory O, and the ADKAR model (Please Refer Appendix A1) 4. Harley Davidson Transformation Process The Harley Davidson transformation began with a company that was suffering. In the 10 years to 1983, Harleys market share of the 850 CC plus motorcycle category had dropped from 80% to 23%. The company was hemorrhaging cash and profits. Staffs were demoralised. The culture and environment was toxic. According to Jenkinson Sain, (2009), the Transformation process of the Harley Davidson was divided into two phases: First Phase: The first phase of the transformation involved rationalisation and tough command and control management. This was First phase of change management process. It was not enough however to create success for this positivity and commitment of Harley Davidson. For this reason Harley Davidson decided to go second phase of the change process (Jenkinson Sain, 2009). Second Phase: The second phase of the management was core-integrated marketing of Harley Davidson. Harley Davidson had to move out of financial regulation and power governance into shared marketing commitment towards vision and value based on a collective appreciation of the Harley identity (Jenkinson Sain, 2009). Harleys problems began it was the company was sub optimized internally, with many hostile management/union relationships, and failed to match the market in customer value. The Japanese did not create the problem: they exposed the problem. Many companies share this problem. They may have succeeded in avoiding the extreme problems that Harley had, often by effective first phase management. The challenge of is to move into second phase. Second phases Integrated Marketing depends first on uniting everyone around a collective vision of value that connects to the identity and purpose of the organisation/brand. This depends on a profound and shared understanding of customers and an organisation that can deliver value seamlessly throughout all customer experiences across the relationship. This also means connecting and matching spiritual with practical qualities: vision, purpose, values with information, processes, and systems (Henshaw Kerr, 2001). 5. Implementation of Transformation process There are a number of factors that affect the strategies used for change management (Please refer Appendix B1), and ultimately whether the change is effective. One set of factors is how resistant people are to change. People may resist change because they are unsure of how it affects them, misunderstand the changes, have a different assessment of the current and future environment, or simply have a low tolerance for change. A second factor is the urgency of the change. How important is it, and how critical it is to the business needs of the organization? This also affects the time frame under which the changes need to be implemented. A third factor is how ready is the organisation for the change? Does it have the skills and knowledge needed to implement the change? Finally, management will have preferred strategies for managing the change. This might be based on research and studies they have made, or from past experiences (Kotter, 1996). If we look at the various models (Please refer Appendix A1) for change, it is apparent that there are certain situations where a particular model will not be as effective. For example, I would not expect the improvisational model to work well in a rigid, autocratic environment. This model would work best in an informal, cooperative environment where the workers are encouraged to take risks and display initiative, and everyone is open to new ideas (Orlikowski and Hofman, 1997). The Theory E and Theory O models represent opposite ends of the spectrum. Theory E is more appropriate when the focus is on the short term, and the goal is to maximize the return on investment. The Theory O is more appropriate when the emphasis is on the long-term survival of the company (Beer and Nohria, 2001). The leadership and ADKAR models are both effective in situations where the change is a programmed change, and management needs to secure the buy-in and support of the employees. Both of these models emp hasize the leadership aspect of change management, and deal with the behavior of individuals in response to change. 6. Transformation Model for Harley Davidson Integrated Marketing amounts to a widening of the responsibility, potential and vision for many marketers and therefore for marketing. Rich Teerlink, CEO of Harley-Davidson, describes a leadership journey by which just such a transformation took place. Under his leadership, Harley-Davidson changed from a somewhat toxic, hierarchical, command and control organisation to something new and nimble that is the present-day foundation for its ongoing success as an Integrated Marketing leader. Initially that change did require command and control to get out of the solvency crisis. However, the sustained success that Harley Davidson has, its came from a different kind of change. Involvement, empowerment and alignment were the secret of success of Harley Davidson. The result is something called the Business Process, an extensive and ongoing programme of Harley Davidson that involved and involves everyone in the Harley Davidson from top to bottom in establishing shared values and vision, shared mission and operating philosophies, and agreed objectives and strategies (Jenkinson Sain, 2009). According to Teerlink (cited in Jenkinson Sain, 2009) and his partner in the process, consultant Lee Ozley, â€Å"Instead of demanding compliance, managers have to earn, and call upon, commitment†. The extensive change process, over several years, that led to this, known as the Joint Vision Process, also led to a radical new organisation. Instead of the conventional hierarchical structure, Harley-Davidson developed what they call a circle organisation of three overlapping elements concerned with creating demand, producing products and providing support. A leadership and strategy council at the centre has members nominated from these circles. Harley-Davidson Circle organisation Jeff Bleustein, former president of parts and accessories, describes the uniqueness of the circle organization, According to Bleustein, there are a lot of companies with self-managing work teams on the factory floor. In fact, thats where a lot of innovation comes in some companies as far away from the executive offices. He took this concept of self-managing groups and made it work at the executive level of Harley Davidson. The solution to Integrated Marketing is not to blindly copy the Harley- Davidson solution. Jeff Bleustein also give some criticism against the integrated marketing approach. He predicted that integrated marketing approach would not work, because Harley Davidson grew organically out of the process. However he has observed some other radical structures both within the marketing department of the large organisation. He was certain that to achieve best practice in Integrated Marketing there is a need for the organisation structure to grow out of and reflect the organis ing idea of value and purpose that animates the brand organisation, rather than be driven by traditional considerations of power and status (Jenkinson Sain, 2009). Ron Hutchinson, currently vice president for parts, accessories and customer service, gives a perspective on this change and its effect that relates to Integrated Marketing. He verified that this was a vision of the way people needed to be engaged in an organization, and developed a structure the Business Process of Harley Davidson that allows for theoretical alignment of an individuals job with the long-term direction of the company. Hutchinson aware of that no other organisation has built a whole process and structure around that. In the final analysis, he would say the customer service department, where a customer spent eight hours a day taking phone calls from unhappy campers, is a true test of whether the Business Process works or not. He was convinced that Harley Davidson wouldnt have the reputation that they have today in the marketplace if they didnt have front-line people excited by charismatic, visionary leadership, who can see exactly how their little piece of the organiza tion fits into the long-term strategy and direction of the company (Teerlink Ozley, 2000). According to Teerlink, to complement the organizational changes, new rewards and incentive systems were introduced. They are changing their pay system to pay for performance. They needed their people to understand empowerment. An employee must make the decision that he or she wants more training no one will tap an employee on the shoulder but once an employee are there, they will help an employee. The executive committee was the first group to go through the [Leadership] institute. They didnt want anyone to get the attitude that the executive committee doesnt have anything to learn (Nolan Kotha, 2007). Line workers were exposed to the interrelation among products, sales, and profitability. Harley Davidson also prepared nontechnical explanations of how cash flows and flexible production affected financial success. Harley made substantial changes in worker job descriptions, responsibilities, and production processes to increase job enrichment and worker empowerment. In 1993 Harley-Davidson acquired a minority interest in the Buell Motorcycle Company, a manufacturer of performance motorcycles. Through this investment Harley hoped to enter select niches within the â€Å"performance† motorcycle market, which several top executives thought would return Harley to its heritage of product innovation and development through lessons from the racetrack (Teerlink Ozley, 2000). 7. Successful Transformation process in Harley Davidson Due to successful transformation process of Harley Davidson (H-D), impressive integrated marketing strategy gave Harley Davidson a brand name that more recognized than any other company. Indeed, the strategy was not to focus on reducing the costs, or on the distribution improvement, but the main element was to create customer value. In other words, H-Ds was to give more credibility, trust, safety, desires, quality of product and service, and thus fidelity to its brand. In order to reach that goal, H-D centralised its marketing on these topics, for example creating a Harley Owners Group who rallies more than 900,000 members worldwide (Harley-Davidson, 2009). The main interest of this group is to ensure members to know each other, and become a second family who share the same interests, wills, and thoughts. This integrated marketing strategy also ensures H-D to maintain a strong relationship with its customers, and thus a strong brand name all over the world. According to customers, th e owners of H-D say that this brand understands customers needs, and also that they are always for their customer if a problem appears. These remarks can be linked with H-Ds values. According to H-D â€Å"Our values are the heart of how we run our business. They guide our actions and serve as the framework for the decisions and contributions our employees make at every level of the Company.† These values are: Be Fair, Tell the Truth, Keep Your Promises, Respect the Individual, and Encourage Intellectual Curiosity (Harley-Davidson, 2009). This integrated marketing approach can also be linked with the mission statement of H-D: â€Å"We fulfill dreams through the experience of motorcycling by providing to motorcyclists and to the general public an expanding line of motorcycles and branded products and services in selected market segments (Harley-Davidson, 2009).† In order to be successful, organizations must determine clear financial and strategic objectives (Hitt et.al, 2005). Harley Davidson gained a greater market share, achieved higher product quality than rivals, maintained a stronger reputation and a better branding strategy than its competitors, increased levels of customer satisfaction and finally attained stronger customer loyalty due to successful transformation process. In the 60s and 70s Harleys strategic intent was based on â€Å"going shoulder-to-shoulder against the predominantly Japanese companies† (Harley-Davidson, 2009). Harley could not compete on the price level, and the Japanese products were of superior quality, Harley decided to compete in other areas. Their new strategy was to connect with people on an emotional level. They are not selling a product but a way of life, a way of thinking. Due to successful transformation process of Harley Davidson changed its strategy from selling products to selling community (Teerlink Ozley, 2000). And the fact that H-D has developed a Brand stretching strategy, which was an element of Harleys success in developing relationships with customers. Indeed, owners can buy other Harleys products than bikes; it means that they can be more than a biker, they can join Harleys group buying leather accessories or clothes, and even cosmetics. 8. Competitor Analysis/Strategic Issues There are four strategic issues that H-D has to face with. The most important is the European market where H-D has to increase its sales, then, linked with the first issue, there is a fierce competition with the Japanese firms such as Honda and Yamaha. The other issues are the womens market and the accessories, which are in decline. Harley-Davidson is not very famous in Europe where Harleys market share of 650 cc plus motorcycle is less than 7% (6.6%), while in North America Harley-Davidson has a huge market share (46.4%), 21.3% for the Asian market. The main industry competitors are Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha, Kawasaki and BMW. Harley-Davidson is the market leader in the U.S. market with 46.4% market share (Teerlink Ozley, 2000). Their domestic position is quite secure however the rival companies are all aiming to increase their impact on the North American market. Rival manufacturers such as Kawasaki or BMW have all made a serious attempt to establish them at the heart of Harleys market. The Japanese bikes were often considered to be ‘sissy cycles by Harley lovers (Mitchell, 2001). This image is slowly changing and the Japanese companies are trying to ‘out Harley the Harley models. Yamaha motor USA is starting to improve its position in its various markets. The U.S. sales have increased for 47% since 1998. Harley Davidson had a tough time in creating an image for themselves particularly in the cruiser markets. Harley continues to dominate the U.S market and is also the leader in the Asian/Pacific markets with 21.3% market share (Henshaw Kerr, 2001). Yamaha is also trying to outperform Harley and is improving its mass customization skills. The Yamaha website offers a section that allows customers to design their own bike and choose the look and functionality they desire. The interface ensures customers to choose from 75 Yamaha accessory items and makes it easy for the customer to purchase the bike online. The Yamaha V Max model, the Drag Star, and the Road Star models attract customers with their slick design and technological tweaks (Yamaha, 2009). The Yamaha sports models are also very successful and the company is still maintaining a strong position in world markets. European rivals are also trying to make an impact on this lucrative market. Italys Moto Guzzi recently introduced the V11 EV custom cruiser. BMW introduced 3 models of its R1200C cruiser and thanks to clever advertising is beginning to improve its position in the U.S. and Asian markets (BMW Annual report, 2004). 9. Harley Davidsons Strategic Implementation While Harley was booming in U.S market during the late 1950s, then the market attracted Japanese motorcycles manufacturers, beginning with Honda. Other Japanese firms, Suzuki, Yamaha and Kawasaki also followed Honda. Behind Honda, Suzuki was the main competitor for Harley Davidson and while Suzuki marketed smaller, quieter and more fuel-efficient motorcycles that required little or no maintenance and were easier to handle compare to Harleys bikes. In order to get sustainable competitive advantages, Harley Davidson implemented different types of strategies that helped them become one of the most dominant motorcycle producers in the world as well as differentiate them from their one of the most powerful competitor Suzuki. As stated earlier, strategic issues that H-D has faced is increased segmentation in the motorcycle industry causing them to shift focuses in their strategy. With the purchase of Buell Motorcycle Co. they have been successfully able to increase their market segmentation by offering high quality bikes at competitive price. This allowed H-D to have the opportunity to move from a differentiation strategy to a cost/differentiation strategy (Henshaw Kerr, 2001). Harley Davidsons use of the Cost/Differentiation as a Business Level Strategy has proven highly successful since they have been in business. They have always tried to differentiate themselves from everyone else in the motorcycle industry, by producing a brand image that many competitors have failed to recreate. Harley Davidson has two different companies built into one. The first of the two companies produces motorcycles at competitive prices against their competitors. Harley Davidson demands high standards of quality and efficiency and demand lower costs, which will add to a higher quality less expensive motorcycle. Harley Davidson has done extensive research to find out information about their average customer. Harley Davidson concluded that the average motorcycle consumer is a married, college educated, 38 year-old male earning $44,250 a year and his average income is increasing. Research also shows that females represent 10% of the new purchasers (Henshaw Kerr, 2001). The second company that Harley Davidson implemented is the Costume Vehicle Operations or CVO. This company specializes and customizes the motorcycles to suit the individual owner. Harley Davidson also offers genuine parts and accessories so Harley owners can customize their own motorcycles. The CVO tries to use the differentiation strategy to beat out its competitors. The customisation of a motorcycle can prove to be very expensive and time consuming, but Harley Davidson knows that what good is a bike if you cannot show people who you really are. The customers are willing to wait an average of 1 year after placing their order to receive their customized motorcycle. Every other motorcycle manufacturer is trying to imitate Harley and their products. Harley has the top of the industry manufacturing process with large state of the art factories, and distribution, with many small and personalized, to market dealers, who sell their products (Harley-Davidson, 2009) Harley Davidsons Corporate Level Strategy tends to favour the Related Diversification Strategy. Their two primary businesses are related to each other in some manner or another. The two divisions, CVO and the Competitive Price Division, are related by using the same suppliers. Although the two divisions serve two totally different responsibilities to the consumers, they are truly related in their strengths to differentiate themselves from all the other competition. Harley Davidson does not do much promotion at the corporate level. Primarily, the local dealers do their promotion (Mitchell, 2001). Harley Davidson Motor Co. of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin has become known for translating process innovation into business revival. A significant contributor to this growth is a new-product cost management strategy, based on design for manufacturability. The company recognized that while 70% of their product cost was determined at the design function, the cost strategy went far beyond the function of product development. Their strategy was two fold, with the first linking cost management to corporate objectives, and the second validates and measures progress towards cost targets. Cross-functional integration was paramount in implementing this strategy. Cost analysts work with development team members, while design engineers worked closely with manufacturing personnel to understand cost constraints in conjunction with an understanding of how things would be made. This strategy has helped Harley-Davidson capture nearly 50% of the U.S. market for motorcycles, while achieving double-digit reven ue growth (Teerlink Ozley, 2000). 10. Recommendations As a manager author will identify the key areas of further strategic implementation by which Harley Davidson will get sustainable competitive advantage in their industry. Author identifies that Harley Davidson still not using the EPR system. Harley Davidson can use the ERP system to enhance the integrated marketing approach. Usually ERP systems will have many components including hardware and software, in order to achieve integration, most ERP systems use a unified database to store data for various functions found throughout the organisation. The term ERP originally referred to how a large organization planned to use organizational wide resources. In the past, ERP systems were used in larger more industrial types of companies. However, the use of ERP has changed and is extremely comprehensive, today the term can refer to any type of company, no matter what industry it falls in. In fact, ERP systems are used in almost any type of organization large or small. In order for a software system to be considered ERP, it must provide an organization with functionality for two or more systems. While some ERP packages exist that only cover two functions for an organization Payroll Accounting, most ERP systems cover several functions. Todays ERP systems can cover a wide range of functions and integrate them into one unified database. For instance, functions such as human resources, supply chain management, customer relations management, financials, manufacturing functions and warehouse management functions were all once stand alone software applications, usually housed with their own database and network, today, they can all fit under one umbrella the ERP system (Tech-faq, 2009). In retrospect, author would have recommended that Harley do a few things differently. First, they could have researched the literature on what types of problems mechanistic manufacturing organizations face when they try to implement an ERP system in a highly inflexible environment. There was enough research and case analysis available to do this. While they were clearly aware of potential change resistance and the need to get all stakeholders involved, the amount of time their search and selection process required was ridiculous in todays business environment. Author speculate that the sheer demand and high prices of their product allowed them to wallow in their inefficiencies a few more years before they had to bite the bullet (Hirschboeck et.al, 2004). Second, obtaining the advice of experienced software and supply chain consultants earlier in the process probably could have saved some time and created a defined focus. Often, managers use the discipline and recommendations of consultants to reinforce the need for organizational change. With the purchasing process out of control, they could have brought in some purchasing expertise to clean up some of the mess before selecting a software system to help organize the process. According to the website, only 10% of the Harleys customers are females. But female bikers are more and more interested by bikes (www.moto-station.com). Yamaha and Kawasaki are trying to take advantage of this growing interest of female bikers and many of their ads feature women on motorcycles. Harley Davidson can take this new opportunity to get sustainable competitive advantage in their industry. Another key issue for the future is the problem of the accessories. Indeed, those products such as perfumes or cosmetics are decreasing a lot. So, Harley-Davidson should take a decision about this unsuccessful strategy of brand stretching. But, this strategy has a lot of success regards to the leatherwear and fashion area. Harley-Davidson should continue to improve this brand stretching and not leave the market of cosmetics and perfumes. Harley was successful in transforming its scattered purchasing functions into a supplier relationship management program. The supplier portal now serves 300 of its 695 suppliers. In 2004, the company was extending portal access to its accessories and merchandise suppliers. This year, Harley will have about 300 IT employees (Hirschboeck et.al, 2004). The department should manage by experienced leaders who specializing in a particular area of expertise supporting a key company function. Record earnings for the first quarter of 2004 were gained from a 13% increase in sales, the largest in its history ((Nolan Kotha, 2007)). Analysts are crediting its profit growth and margin control to improvement in its supply chain efficiencies. Harley holds a 46% market share in heavyweight motorcycles in the US. The company sponsors a club for its customers, known as the Harley Owners Group (HOG) that allows the company to do direct market research and solicit ideas for product development and testing from 600,000 members. In 2002, the company produced 28 models

The Handmaid’s Tale :: Margaret Atwood The Handmaid’s Tale Essays

The Handmaid’s Tale The Handmaid’s Tale and Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? draw on different narrative techniques to establish our relationship to their protagonists. Margaret Atwood allows the reader to share the thoughts of the main character, while Philip K. Dick makes the reader explore the mysteries behind the story. Atwood’s style works because she can directly show her readers what she wants. Dick’s opposing style works for him because he can present paradoxes and mysteries and let the reader form the conclusion. Both of these styles are skillfully utilized to create complex stories without losing the reader along the way. Both of these works establish relationships between the reader and the protagonist. In Atwood’s, the reader feels empathy and sympathy for the main character, Offred. Dick’s story is less clear-cut. While the initial reaction is usually empathy and sympathy for the human Deckard, further study often leads to the controversy that Deckard may truly be an android. The goals of the authors differ greatly, and so do their narration styles. But they are both effective in getting across the author’s intentions. Atwood needs to make the reader relate to the main character, to get inside the thoughts and feelings. So she uses certain style, for instance, to make the reader relate more to the character, she would have phrased that sentence: I need to make you relate to Offred, to get inside her head, and understand her thoughts and feelings. This sort of personal narrative of the thought process is the style of The Handmaid’s Tale. You learn Offred’s motivations and they are so perfectly articulated that you begin to yearn for the same things she does, and to despise the same things she does. This kind of personal relationship is necessary for the setting of the story. The best way to explain this future society and it’s rules and to make the reader truly have an emotional response to it, is to put the reader right into that society and let them feel what it’s like. This is the way Atwood gets across her feelings about the future world that Offred lives in. She forms a close relationship with the reader and the character, and then shows the reader Offred’s feelings about different aspects of the world. This is not to say that everyone reading the book will get the exact same thing from it.

1980-1990 Essay -- Essays Papers

1980-1990 The United States had many significant events occur during this 1980’s. In 1980, Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter ran against one another for President. A few months later, Reagan won 43 to 35 million votes over Carter (Bondi 464). This began the "Reagan restoration" period, which was supposed to help get Americans to cut down on abortion, violence and racism (Bondi XI). One year later in 1981 President Reagan was shot in the chest in an "attempted assassination" (Bondi 673). In 1986, the Challenger Shuttle exploded seventy-three seconds after it took off, killing all of the astronauts on board. This explosion delayed the next trip to outer space until the "Discovery Orbit" in 1988 (Bondi 718,736). Finally, in 1988 George Bush and Dan Quale ran against each other for President resulting in a 47 to 40 Bush victory (Bondi 736) Furthermore, throughout the 1980’s, there were several world events that made a mark in history. On July 29, 1981, Prince Charles and Princess Diana were married in Great Britain on a warm summer day in front of millions of viewers around the world. This glorious day was "formally declared a holiday throughout Great Britain (Burrows 432). Also, during this time period women were demanding to have a larger and more respected role in society. On June 9, 1983, Margaret Thatcher, Prime Minister of Britain, was reelected to an even higher position in the House of Commons. She was granted this position mainly due to her outstanding leadership skills during the Falklands War of 1982 (Burrows 443). Lastly, on November 9, 1989, the Berlin Wall was torn apart by those who wanted to integrate "the two Germanies." This allowed the Germans to finally be able to travel "through Hungary and into Australia (Burr... ... in the 1980’s. The University joined the Midwest Collegiate Conference in 1988-89 in hopes to gain a bid to the NCAA games. In 1989, Flyers’ head basketball coach for more than two decades, Don Donoher, was fired from his position. Soon after that, on April 19,1989, the University hired the highly respected, Jim O’Brian (Schweikart). Cathy Song was an amazing poet of the 1980’s. She often uses her own life experiences in her writing. One of her best works was "Picture Bride." This poem is about a twenty-three year old Korean woman who chose to leave home on her own and move to a foreign country with nothing but a picture of the man she has longed to be with. This poem coincides with the 1980’s era due to the fact that it exemplifies how the women of this decade are starting to become very independent and are willing to try and experience new things for themselves.

Philosophy of Teaching Paper Essay

My philosophy of education encompasses three attributes that play a significant role in becoming an effective educator. The three qualities are as follows: creating an environment that is conducive to different types of learners, maintaining a respectful yet fun classroom setting, and using visual and creative teaching methods to sustain the hunger for knowledge in your classroom setting. An educator will remain successful if they possess these qualities in addition to enthusiasm and patience. It is the sole duty of the teacher to assess the different learning styles early and develop a plan of action. An effective educator should have the ability to foster the students’ confidence levels and monitor the teaching strategies that are unsuccessful. I find that relating math problems to real-life situations enables the students to grasp the material in a unique way. Other ways to address a class with different learning styles is to allow peer tutoring and demonstrate cooperative learning. Cooperative learning allows the students to learn the material as a group. This method is extremely useful because it stimulates discussion and creates an environment where mistakes and triumphs are shared. Peer tutoring is effective because it allows certain students to receive help in a smaller setting. This approach is preferred by most students because it allows them to work with another classmate on an individual basis. It is of equal importance that educators create an environment that is fun, yet respectable. Teachers should demonstrate a strict classroom management approach in the beginning and gradually encourage more smiles and laughter. This deviation from the norm reminds the students and teacher that a classroom can become a comfortable environment. However, this method can be altered at the teacher’s discretion. A relaxed classroom atmosphere gives the teacher an approachable disposition. With new-age technology on the rise, all educators must keep up with the times. Students are not responding well to teachers who remain stationary while facilitating a lesson. Educators are competing with cellular phones, IPods, MP3 players, and other technical devices. As a result, many instructors are changing their styles in order to appeal to the masses. This entails incorporating visual aids and creative presentations in the curriculum. The new advancements in technology allow the students to enjoy themselves and learn simultaneously. My philosophy of education also builds upon the theories of essentialism and progressivism. I am an advocate of essentialism because I believe that students should be taught based on a core curriculum that places emphasis on a core subject area. Students tend to gravitate towards structure and educators see better results. Additionally, students gain access to a plethora of knowledge when a core knowledge curriculum is introduced. For example, students should not be held accountable for mastery of basic mathematics skills. Students should also be taught about different mathematicians and the various theories that are associated with them. The core knowledge curriculum allows educators to push the envelope and encourage students to â€Å"think outside of the box†. Essentialism prohibits remediation and promotes the application of critical thinking skills. In defense of differentiated learning, I do applaud the progressivism theory. It is imperative that educators embrace the fact that the students learn differently. Hence, Dewey’s approach that states that education should be child-centered as opposed to subject-centered. Educators should be trained to practice the ability grouping strategy and create lesson plans that cater to all learning styles. We, as educators, should focus on the role as the facilitator in the classroom and encourage students to work independently while using us as a resource. All of the attributes listed above are a reflection of a new day and age. Classrooms with students learning at the same pace are long gone. The days are behind us when teachers were able to instruct from a podium for an entire period. We are in an era that proves that teaching directly from a textbook is not the best method. In conclusion, educators are accountable for ensuring that the students remain hungry by satisfying all of their educational needs.

Free Will in Christianity Essay

Christianity is derived from a mixture of elements of Roman religious myths, Pagan myths and god-men stories, sun worship and Gnosticism. Christianity has no room for free will, but for psychological or other reasons, many Christians have believed in genuine individual free will. Everyone is regarded as having a free choice as to in what measure he or she will follow his or her conscience or arrogance, these two having been appointed for each individual. The more one follows one’s conscience, the more it brings one good results, and the more one follows one’s arrogance, the more it brings one bad results. In Christianity God is described as not only omniscient but also omnipotent which implies that not only has God always known what choices individuals will make tomorrow, but has actually determined those choices. That is, they believe, by virtue of his foreknowledge, he knows what will influence individual choices, and by virtue of his omnipotence, he controls those factors. God still gives individuals the power to ultimately choose or reject everything, regardless of any internal or external conditions relating to the choice. For example, when Jesus was nailed on the cross, the two criminals, one on each side, were about to die. Only one asked Jesus for forgiveness while the other, even at the end of his life with nothing else to lose, mocked Jesus. This was a free and personal choice between everlasting death and everlasting life. Since God is omniscient, God has foreknowledge, meaning he knows what everyone will do in the future and what any individual would do in any given situation. This foreknowledge enables God to have a plan for everyone’s life. For instance, if God wants a particular action to occur, he knows who would choose to do that action, and under what circumstances they would choose it; thus he is able to plan for it to happen. However, God’s knowing what choices we will make is simply knowledge it does not remove our free will, for we are still the ones making the choices. The Bible also says and teaches that there is no free will and that God’s plan overrides our free will, those that do good do the specific good that God predestined them to do, and Satan rules all others because God sends â€Å"powerful delusions† to them. As quoted in Ephesians 1:4-6 â€Å"Praise be to [God], who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. † Catholic Christianity’s emphasis on free will and grace is often contrasted with predestination in reformed protestant Christianity, especially after the Counter-Reformation. However, in understanding differing conceptions of free will it is just as important to understand the differing conceptions of the nature of God, focusing on the idea that God can be all-powerful and all knowing even while people continue to exercise free will, because God does not exist in time. It is further understood that in order for Man to have true free choice, he must not only have inner free will, but also an environment in which a choice between obedience and disobedience exists. God thus created the world such that both good and evil can operate freely. Comprehensively the Christian Bible denies free will and any element of choice in what good works we do. God has picked who will do what good deeds, and God punishes and rewards people on account of what God has chosen, in accordance with God’s plan and purpose. According to The Bible, God definitely does not like being quizzed on this matter of Free will; Paul is honest about God’s lack of justice. Paul states multiple times, in accordance with the rest of the scripture we see on this page, that free will and personal choices are not the important factor in salvation: Paul then goes further in Romans 9 and admits that God is arbitrary, and it’s simply tough that people were created for ‘common use’ as slaves of Satan, and that only some are created for ‘noble purposes’. Reference: Roberts, Jenny, 1997. â€Å"Bible Facts†. Grange Books, London.