Harley Davidson Strategic Analysis Essay -- Motorcycles Harley Davidso

Harley Davidson Strategic Analysis   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  William Harley and Arthur Davidson wanted to take the work out of riding bicycles in 1901. After being joined by the Arthur brothers, Walter and William, they came up with the idea of putting a motor and a bicycle together. Many engine changes were made before the builders were satisfied. In 1903, they created the first Harley-Davidson motorcycle and produced three that year. Harley built its first building in 1907 on Juneau Avenue in Milwaukee. That same year, 150 motorcycles were produced. As they were used for recreational purposes, they were also used in military situations. They proved useful in border skirmishes and the government called for 20,000 bikes to be shipped overseas. Following the war, other companies tried to enter the market, but Harley remained the largest. The depression had an unfavorable effect on Harley as it did with most corporations, but it outlasted the crisis and celebrated its fiftieth year in 1953 as the sole survivor in the motorcy cle industry. Harley did turn public in 1965, but was bought by thirteen senior Harley-Davidson executives in 1981. It was returned to public ownership in 1986 by offering two million shares of common stock. It was approved by the New York Stock exchange in 1987 and has been there ever since. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A company with the history of Harley-Davidson has few weaknesses and threats, but a SWOT analysis can help them turn them into favorable opportunities and strengths. Strengths- Customer loyalty is probably the number one strength of Harley's business. Once a person buys a Harley, it seems as though they become trapped in the entire Harley business. Once they buy a Harley, they usually never buy another brand of motorcycle. Along with the bike comes the apparel. Once a person purchases a bike, the jacket, bandanas, etc. become a must. Opportunity- For Harley is that the economy is at a place where people will go out and purchase a motorcycle for recreational purposes. Whether the economy is good or not, is a place where they may thrive. When the economy is not doing as well, people may look at a motorcycle as a more economical way to travel so Harley can do well in both situations. Weaknesses- Large numbers of products being produced can make for many errors. When there is such a demand to produce many of one type of product, there can be many mistakes that... ...s and perhaps by reaching out to them with these types of products, they will develop future relationships with them. These performance products can be used for recreation and competition while keeping that edge that Harley has had since it began. 5.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The stock of Harley continues to rise as the idea that the Japanese is dominating the industry. Since the beginning of the year, the stock for Harley has risen almost 49%. Part of the reason is the change in their operations. For years, people would have to wait for months for a bike due to the huge demand, but foul ups have been fixed and they are now pumping out bikes like never before. This article also states how well Harley deals with its employees and their union. Most recently, they signed a seven-year contract while still having one year left on their previous contract. There are some critics though who believe that Harley is just a "balloon waiting to burst". Due to the expensive price, they believe that there is not much room to grow and that it is only a matter of time before the stock price begins to drop. -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  www.harleydavidson.com -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/nov2000/nf20001117_421.htm

How Smoking Affects Your Body

How Smoking Affects Your Body There's hardly a part of the human body that's not affected by the chemicals in the cigarettes you smoke. Let's take a tour of your body to look at how smoking affects it. Starting at the Top As a smoker, you're at risk for cancer of the mouth. Tobacco smoke can also cause gum disease, tooth decay and bad breath. The teeth become unsightly and yellow. Smokers may experience frequent headaches. And lack of oxygen and narrowed blood vessels to the brain can lead to strokes. Lungs and Bronchi Moving down to your chest, smoke passes through the bronchi, or breathing tubes. Hydrogen cyanide and other chemicals in the smoke attack the lining of the bronchi, inflaming them and causing that chronic smoker's cough. Because the bronchi are weakened, you're more likely to get bronchial infections. Mucus secretion in your lungs is impaired, also leading to chronic coughing. Smokers are 10 times as likely to get lung cancer and emphysema as nonsmokers. Smoking and the Heart The effects of smoking on your heart are devastating. Nicotine raises blood pressure and makes the blood clot more easily. Carbon monoxide robs the blood of oxygen and leads to the development of cholesterol deposits on the artery walls. All of these effects add up to an increased risk of heart attack. In addition, the poor circulation resulting from cholesterol deposits can cause strokes, loss of circulation in fingers and toes and impotence. Smoking and the Body's Organs The digestive system is also affected. The tars in smoke can trigger cancer of the esophagus and throat. Smoking causes increased stomach acid secretion, leading to heartburn and ulcers. Smokers have higher rates of deadly pancreatic cancer. Many of the carcinogens from cigarettes are excreted in the urine where their presence can cause bladder cancer, which is often fatal. High blood pressure from smoking can damage the kidneys. The Results The health effects of smoking have results we can measure. Forty percent of men who are heavy smokers will die before they reach retirement age, as compared to only 18 percent of nonsmokers. Women who smoke face an increased risk of cervical cancer, and pregnant women who smoke take a chance with the health of their unborn babies. But the good news is that when you quit smoking your body begins to repair itself. Ten years after you quit, your body has repaired most of the damage smoking caused. Those who wait until cancer or emphysema has set in aren't so lucky—these conditions are usually fatal. It's one more reason to take the big step and quit now.

Economic analysis of Germany Free Essay Example, 1750 words

In the latter part of the 1800s, this was further driven by agricultural surplus that enabled a migratory surge of the populace from rural to urban areas. By 1900s, the economic landscape has been positive. According to Marshall Dill, between 1871 and 1910, Germanys population increased tremendously, which - in itself - is an indicator of industrial growth (156). This is supported by Berghahn who explained that "the relative prosperity of the German national economy stemmed from the manner by which additional millions of people that the population explosion of the late nineteenth century had produced were overwhelmingly absorbed by the kabob market without a decline in living standards" (1). This period marked the transition of the German economy from primarily agricultural to industrial as the labor force. By 1913, the share of agriculture to the gross national product fell to less than 25 percent of the gross national product (Berghahn, 1). Interestingly, the agricultural sector h as been seen as a drag to the growth and industrialization of the German economy during these periods because it competed for the labor force and policy decisions (Lains and Pinilla, 178). We will write a custom essay sample on Economic analysis of Germany or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now The transition is recognized as a major structural change that finally made the German economy efficient and achieving a comparative advantage over other economies in Europe. Impact of War Weighed down by war reparation obligations in the aftermath of the First World War, the German economy stagnated before 1933. There was a massive unemployment rate and economic uncertainty. When the Nazi Germany took the reins of governance, the economy took off. This is because of the war that was eventually waged. First, Adolf Hitler had the power to subsidize industries that would support his war efforts. Secondly, there was negligible unemployment rate because the labor force was integrated into the army. The economic policy during this period followed the Keynesian economics that was later modified to advance the Nazi policy of discouraging trade with other countries that are not allied with Germany or, at least, excluded in the German sphere of influence (DeLong 1997). The Nazi policy also aimed to make southern Europe highly dependent on Germany and this objective dictated its aggressive expansion and economic policies that undermined the regions economic development. During the war, the economy was not prioritized and was considered second only to the German war production industry. After Nazi Germany was defeated, the country was devastated.