Case Study: Turbulent History of Chrysler Corporation

In 1920, the president of Buick and Vice President of General Motors (GM) resigned his positions in the GM Corporation following political differences with founder and then-president of General Motors William Durant. This former automotive Vice President was promptly approached by a group of investors to focus his business acumen in the fledgling automotive industry on a small, financially troubled New York company called Maxwell Motor Corporation. The one-time automotive vice president was installed as president of Maxwell Motor Company. The man’s name was Walter Percy Chrysler. In short order, Walter Chrysler brought the Maxwell Motor Corporation out of bankruptcy. The financial improvement was due in large part to Mr. Chrysler introducing a new Maxwell model- the Chrysler Six. This car was very well received by the automobile buying public and went on to sell 32,000 units in its first year, generating a profit of over $4 million for the Continue reading

Orthodox and Radical Critique of Performance Appraisal Process

Every organization has some goals and to achieve those goals organization hire people who can perform as per their standards to enable the organisation achieve its mission and vision. So performance is the key to achieve organisational goals. But to keep records and to analyse the performance, organisation needs to follow a specific processes which is known as “Performance Appraisal”. The important aspect for an organisation is not just to recruit good employees but also to retain them. Good working environment, promotions, career growth, rewards and recognition in return of their good performance will automatically retain the employees with the organisation. It is essential for an organisation to undertake different activities so that their employees feel motivated and give their best to the organisation. To increase employees morale and performance resulting in better productivity, organisations should undertake performance appraisal system. Performance management is one, which links organisations, individual and departmental Continue reading

Organization of Mutual Fund

Mutual fund is a trust that pools the savings of a number of investors who share a common financial goal. This pool of money is invested in accordance with a stated objective. The joint ownership of the fund is thus “Mutual”, i.e. the fund belongs to all investors. The money thus collected is then invested in capital market instruments such as shares, debentures and other securities. The income earned through these investments and the capital appreciations realized are shared by its unit holders in proportion the number of units owned by them. Thus a Mutual Fund is the most suitable investment for the common man as it offers an opportunity to invest in a diversified, professionally managed basket of securities at a relatively low cost. A Mutual Fund is an investment tool that allows small investors access to a well-diversified portfolio of equities, bonds and other securities. Each shareholder participates Continue reading

Case Study: The Rise and Fall of Nintendo Wii

Nintendo was founded in Kyoto, Japan, in 1889 under the name of Nintendo Koppai by  Fusajiro Yamauchi. They made decks of playing cards, known as Hanafuda,  in Japan. The cards were made by hand originally and became very popular. As demand soared,  Yamauchi hired assistants to mass-produce his cards and he opened up a second shop in Osaka.  Nintendo took off as one of the largest card makers in the world and maintained that status until the 1950’s.  In 1963, Nintendo Playing Card Co. became, simply, Nintendo Co. Hiroshi Yamauchi,  unimpressed with the limitations of the playing card industry, began to seek out other ventures.  Their line of Disney themed cards had given the company a large cash injection, and risks could  be taken. In the short period between 1963 and 1968, Nintendo opened and shut down  unsuccessful ventures ranging from love hotels to taxi services to a TV network. Continue reading

Case Study: Toyota Prius Marketing Strategies

Toyota manufactures cars, which has a wide coverage from economic minibus to luxurious cars, SUV. The brand on sell includes Crown, Reiz, Vios, Corolla, Coaster and Prius. And Prius is the brand or car that Toyota has made a significant success in American market. It is a hybrid vehicle. What are the characteristics of it? Hybrid vehicles have both a gas engine and an electric motor. When starting up or at very low speeds (under 15 mph), the auto runs on the electric motor. At roughly 15 mph, the gas engine kicks in. this means that the auto gets power from only the battery at low speeds, and from both the gas engine and electric motor during heavy acceleration. When starting up and operating at low speed speeds, the auto does not make noise, which seems eerie to some drivers and to pedestrians who don’t hear it coming! Toyota Prius Continue reading

Credit Card Industry in India

The credit card industry in India has registered an encouraging growth in recent times, but the usage pattern of credit cards remains a point of concern, those in the industry say. Seven years back, India had a base of around five lakh credit cards. There has been a seven-fold increase, with the number of cardholders touching over 38 lakh. These figures point towards the fact that the credit card industry in India is growing at a brisk annual rate of 30 per cent and is expected to grow at a similar rate in the coming years. This fortifies the view that conservative purchasing ideas are giving way to the big in-thing. But it is the usability that raises doubts. According to a survey by the Credit Card & Management Consultancy (CCMC), 71 per cent of first time credit card applicants in the country have expressed the need for advice on Continue reading