The DHL Company Environments and Culture

DHL or Deutsche Post is considered to be one of the most effective and widely used mail services in the world. The environments and culture of DHL Company are the major aspects that influence business and people’s readiness to get involved in one. The fluctuating market often demands changes in the location, so that it stays successful.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The DHL Company Environments and Culture specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More DHL is an international business, and it uses competitive means to make an increase in profits and distribution of products or services. One of the strategic advances that were made is related to changing the consulting practice and connection between locations. The major focus has turned to people and interaction with the public. The express service, global forwarding and a strong supply chain are all aspects that make DHL strong. As customers will often return to the same organization if the products and services are reliable and of high quality, it was wise for business to pay special attention to how matters are conducted. The supply chain itself is determined by providing contracts and logistics among the supply routes and destinations. Also, there is a wide variety of sectors in DHL that offer diverse divisions, each specific to the conditions present. The global developments and operations have been on an increase in the past decades. The global business industry has made use of many employees from different countries. As the headquarters are located in Germany, the cultural specifics are very unique. The supply chain is functioning mostly in Europe, the United States and Canada, but also, in other countries as well. The global sector has been used to supply goods and services, which makes the company especially flexible in all aspects on the organization and supply (Savignano 11). DHL Supply Chain has three major regions where it operates. They are south and north Americas, Asia, which is comprised of Pacific, Middle East and Africa, and Europe. Since DHL operates in so many different environments, the conditions allow adjusting to the supply demand of each particular country or nation. Because the organization is involved in so many levels of society, the supply chain is a part of the solutions in providing healthcare support. This comes in extremely useful to both the company and the partnering nation because the demand is used for the betterment of social life, which as a result, brings more business to the company (Savignano 13). Automotive industry and energy matters are another division where the supply chain is particularly growing. With the increase in technology and the search for clean energy, the company is able to contribute to the research and provide a service which is much useful in the modern world. DHL Supply Chain serves customers in many different industries, which sets it out among other organizat ions.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Being a leader in logistics, it functions in over 220 countries, which leads to a significant growth in revenues and demand. Partnering with other companies is also common, which stimulates development and international cooperation. The markets that are evolving rather rapidly, such as China, India, Brazil and Mexico, have inputted extra needs on DHL. This has boosted supply demand and services allocation (â€Å"DHL†). Overall, the company is making great progress in spreading its business all over the world. A high efficiency of services and the proper organization of the supply chain create the best environment for DHL and its future plans. Works Cited DHL 2013. Web. https://www.logistics.dhl/ca-en/home/about-us/dhl-people.html Savignano, Marcelo. The Multiple Identities of an Employer: A case study on DHL. Munich, Germany: GRIN Verlag, 2010. Print. This essay on The DHL Company Environments and Culture was written and submitted by user Tamia Collins to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

How to Write a Compare and Contrast Essay

How to Write a Compare and Contrast Essay How to write a compare and contrast essay? What is a comparison essay? Get the answers in the article below. A  compare and contrast essay (also known as comparison essay) requires the author to either compare or contrast an item, a piece of art, a concept, a literary piece etc. Due to the fact that a comparison essay may require to either compare or contrast things, it can be referred to as a compare/contrast essay. Such type of writing generally requires thorough observation and analysis from the author. A compare and contrast essay  typically follows the rules of common essay writing. The form and ideas may vary, but the structure and logic will in most cases remain the same. For example, any contrast comparison essay will start with a thesis statement, expressing the main idea of the paper. All subsequent paragraphs are meant to support the thesis statement and illustrate it with facts and/or examples. For example, if this is a five paragraph comparison essay, the three paragraphs that follow will serve the purpose of supporting the thesis. The final paragraph usually summarizes the points, expressed in the preceding paragraphs and should also support the thesis statement of the comparison essay. To write a compare and contrast essay that is easy to follow, first, determine similarities or differences you are going to mention in your essay. To begin with, this can be done on a scrap paper. Determine what is more prominent the similarities or the differences? Plan to discuss the less significant first, followed by the more significant. It is much easier to discuss ONLY the similarities or ONLY the differences, but you can also do both. Before reading further the detailed plans on how to write a compare and contrast essay, check out our list of compare and contrast essay topics: Compare and Contrast Essay Topics To organize your comparison essay, choose one of the plans described below: Plan A for writing a compare and contrast essay: Use Plan A if you have many small similarities and/or differences. After your introduction, say everything you want to say about the first work or character, and then move on to the second half of the essay to say everything about the second work or character. Compare and contrast each item of the second item with the corresponding item in the first. In this format, all the comparing or contrasting goes on in the SECOND HALF of the piece. The exception to this is your main (thesis) statement, which you may want to put in the beginning. Plan B for writing a compare and contrast essay: Use Plan B if you have only a few, larger similarities or differences. After your introduction, discuss one similarity or difference in BOTH works or characters, and then move on to the next paragraph to describe the second similarity or difference in both, then the third, and so forth, until youre done. If you are doing both similarities and differences, juggle them on scrap paper so that in each part you put the less important first (X and Y are both alike in their social positions . . .), followed by the more important (but X is much more aware of the dangers of his position than is Y). In this format, the comparing or contrasting goes on in EACH of the middle parts. These recommendations apply to the general flow of the compare and contrast essay and may vary depending on how the task is set. Experience shows that coping with such assignment may conceal dozens of other nuances, which often may pass unattended unless a professional writer is working on it. In case you have a compare and contrast essay to work on, our writers can assist you with this assignment and deliver it to your satisfaction. We guarantee that all our papers will be delivered on time and will be free of plagiarism. To order, please visit our order page or contact our live support via chat, email or phone. is the service you can trust! How to Write a Compare and Contrast Essay How to Write a Compare and Contrast Essay We compare and contrast things all the time. Do we want this camera or that one? Should we get a dog or a cat (or maybe both)? Do we want to major in English or Biochemistry? Do we want pizza or tacos for dinner? You get the idea.When your teacher assigns you a compare and contrast essay, essentially what he or she wants you to learn is how to be presented with two different ideas, to evaluate them, and to determine what they have in common, what they dont have in common, and how the ideas work together (or dont). Being able to compare two different ideas and to evaluate them in a research-based way will serve you well in the future because we tend to compare stuff a lot in everyday life.Although the style and structure of a compare and contrast essay is a bit different from your standard research paper or argumentative essay, it still uses the same concepts for a common goal: to organize your thoughts and research onto the page in a way that the reader will understand and, hopefully , to provide some new insight.The structure of the paper will be somewhat the same as a typical essay. For example, you will still need to have a thesis statement, but your body paragraphs will be just a little different from, say, an expository essay. Because youre looking at two different subjects and how they are different (or similar), you will need to use an organizational structure to effectively compare and contrast. There are two ways to do this: You can use either the block method (which means that you are writing subject by subject in the paragraphs) or the point by point method (which means that the paragraphs will be organized around different points youre trying to make about the two different subjects).Last, you will still need a conclusion. The conclusion will still be a summary of your main subjects, but the conclusion will be an evaluation of what we learned by examining these two different subjects. Which is better? Which is worse? Why did we even compare these two things?Now that we know what components are in a compare and contrast essay, lets see how this might work in both the block method and the point by point method by looking at some sample outlines.The block methodIn a compare and contrast essay, the block method is one where you discuss everything about one topic at a time. This method might be preferable if you have a really in-depth discussion of a subject and you think it might be too confusing for the reader to keep going back and forth between the two subjects.For example, lets say that you are writing a paper on the differences between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Heres what that might look like using the block method.IntroductionA brief introduction to the topic When you are thinking about making a trip to California, you may be torn between visiting Los Angeles or San Francisco. They may both be large cities in California, but they couldnt have more different vibes or different types of activities to do while youre visitin g.Your thesis statement While Los Angeles certainly has a lot to offer, San Francisco has an old-world charm that cant be replicated and should be the choice of travelers considering a visit to the Golden State.Body paragraphsTopic sentence about Subject A From picture-perfect scenery like the Golden Gate Bridge to historic districts like Haight Ashbury to fun activities like the California Academy of Sciences, its unlikely that youll ever have a dull moment in San Francisco.Claim 1 about Subject A Here we would say something about how beautiful San Francisco is and how there are several opportunities for outdoor activities, and then mention how nothing can really top seeing the Golden Gate Bridge in person.Claim 2 about Subject A On this claim, we would probably write in-depth about the history of San Francisco and how districts like Haight Ashbury have a true significance in not just California, but the whole country.Claim 3 about Subject A On this final claim for Subject A, we wo uld write about how fun San Francisco is. We would mention the California Academy of Sciences and how its basically several museums rolled into one. We would also probably mention Musà ©e Mà ©canique, which is located right in the heart of Fishermans Wharf and is filled with early 20th century coin-operated games. At the end of claim 3, we would also want to have a transition sentence so that it doesnt look awkward when we immediately start talking about Los Angeles in the Subject B paragraph(s).Topic sentence about Subject B Los Angeles has plenty to do in entertainment and has many wonderful restaurants, but it just doesnt have the same charm as San Francisco and it is much more difficult to get around.Claim 1 about Subject B On this first claim about Subject B, we would probably list all of the merits of visiting Los Angeles. We would mention all of the theme parks like Universal Studios, Disneyland, and the Santa Monica Pier. We would mention how Los Angeles is typically warm and sunny, which makes it fun to go to the beach there during the summers. We would also mention Los Angeles fabulous restaurants in Koreatown and in Venice Beach.Claim 2 about Subject B On this second claim about Subject B, we would talk about how many visitors want to visit Hollywood when theyre in Los Angeles, but often they dont realize how difficult it is to park there and how its grittier than what you would expect.Claim 3 about Subject B On this last claim about Subject B, we would discuss just how difficult it is to get around Los Angeles. Though public transportation is available, it still has a long way to go and its almost a necessity to rent a car when youre in town. Plus, the traffic can get pretty bad on the 405. At the end of claim 3, we would want to put a transition sentence so that we can get into the comparison paragraph without its sounding too weird.Topic sentence that connects Subject A and Subject B Although clearly both San Francisco and Los Angeles have thei r merits for visiting, if you have to make a choice the answer is clearly San Francisco.What is similar between these two subjects? Here we would probably write something about how both cities are institutions in the state of California and that youll likely have a good time in both places.What is dissimilar? On this point, we would probably write about how Northern California and Southern California have two completely different vibes and that, ultimately, San Francisco has more cultural, historical, and fun things to do than Los Angeles does.ConclusionWhat conclusions can we draw from comparing these two subjects? Here we would say something about why its important to make sure you carefully consider where you want to go on vacation, and make sure its the right place for you because you want to guarantee a fun time if youll be paying money to visit somewhere. Clearly San Francisco would be the better end of the deal because we would have so much fun stuff to do without all the str ess of driving everywhere. We would have more time to explore the city.Any further research required or suggested for the future? Here we might say something about how you should always compare places when you are thinking about going on vacation.Is there a third thing that we should be comparing these two subjects to? We could briefly mention how there are a lot of other fun cities to go to in California like San Diego, Santa Barbara, Monterey, etc.The point by point methodThe point by point method of writing a compare and contrast essay is a way to discuss the contrasting differences between your two points throughout your paper. This keeps the comparison fresh in the readers mind, which might be preferable with some subjects over others.Lets see what that might look like using our San Francisco vs. Los Angeles topic.IntroductionA brief introduction to the topic (This would be similar to the block method.) When you are thinking about making a trip to California, you may be torn be tween visiting Los Angeles or San Francisco. They may both be large cities in California, but they couldnt have more different vibes or different types of activities to do while youre visiting.Your thesis statement (This also would be similar to the block method.) While Los Angeles certainly has a lot to offer, San Francisco has an old-world charm that cant be replicated, and it should be the choice of travelers who are considering a visit to the Golden State.Body paragraphsFirst Difference between Subject A and Subject B When thinking about taking a vacation to California, its important to think about what kind of transportation youll need.Detail 1 Here we would say something about how San Francisco has much more public transportation than Los Angeles does.Detail 2 Here we would mention how bad the traffic is in Los Angeles and how you can avoid that in San Francisco because of more walkability there.Second Difference between Subject A and Subject B San Francisco generally has more charm than Los Angeles.Detail 1 Here we would write in-depth about the history of San Francisco and how districts like Haight Ashbury have a true significance in not just California, but the whole country.Detail 2 Here we would talk about how many tourists want to visit Hollywood when theyre in Los Angeles, but often they dont realize how difficult it is to park there and how its grittier than what you would expect.Third Difference between Subject A and Subject B There are more fun things to do within a smaller area in San Francisco.Detail 1 We would write about how many fun things there are to do in San Francisco. We would mention the California Academy of Sciences and how its basically several museums rolled into one. We would also probably mention Musà ©e Mà ©canique, which is located right in the heart of Fishermans Wharf and is filled with early 20th century coin-operated games.Detail 2 Here we would list all the fun things to do in Los Angeles like Venice Beach, Universal S tudios, and Santa Monica Pier, but talk about how spread out all that is.Conclusion (This would essentially be the same as the block method.)What conclusions can we draw from comparing these two subjects? Here we would say something about why its important to make sure you carefully consider where you want to go on vacation, and make sure its the right place for you because you want to guarantee a fun time if youll be paying money to visit somewhere. Clearly San Francisco would be the better end of the deal because we would get so much fun stuff to do without all the stress of driving everywhere. We would get more time to explore the city.Any further research required or suggested for the future? Here we might say something about how you should always compare places when you are thinking about going on vacation.Is there a third thing that we should be comparing these two subjects to? We could briefly mention how there are a lot of other fun cities to go to in California such as San Diego, Santa Barbara, Monterey, etc.Still have questions?If youre still confused about how you would write a compare and contrast essay, be sure to speak with your teacher for additional instructions and advice. Have you written a compare and contrast essay and are unsure if youre following instructions or if its grammatically correct? Its always important to have someone look over your paper like a parent, tutor, or friend, or to seek out the assistance of a professional editor. Having someone look over your paper will ensure that everything makes sense and can help you with revisions.

Supply Chain Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

Supply Chain Management - Essay Example Retail supply chains in the fashion industry are networks distributions options which performers the roles of procurement of, conversion of the materials into intermediary and finished goods, and the distributing of these end products to customers. Supply chains exist in both service and manufacturing organizations, although the complexity of the chain may vary greatly from industry to industry and firm to firm. (Rhys, 2005) Codes of conduct of an organization or a company, define the ethical standards that are developed by the Organization or Company. Therefore, the two go together. There has to be a document that describes the responsibilities of the company towards the people that it regularly gets in contact with. For accompany to ensure that the codes of conduct are complied with its employees, it sets up programs to ensure that the employees are made aware of the existing codes of conduct put in place by the company. This is also to carry out audit compliance. It is the process of measuring, evaluating, reporting, and adapting a company's social impact and ethical behaviour in light o fits values and expectations of the people it gets in contact with. This is often difficult for most companies to undertake alone. Therefore a more practical approach is them using existing certifications like ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. The latter is concerned with safety issues while the former dictates the aspects inv olving the environment. The two issues are the ones that are responsible for continued innovation. There are other certifications which protect Companies from various problems in their day to day operations. Example, there is one that protects suppliers from customers' unethical behaviors. Labour conditions are also set by some of the certifications. In general, the is-certifications and codes of conduct improve on the accountability of a company to its stakeholders and employees. (Sternberg, et al.2000). This paper will try and examine the ethical social responsibility and environmental considerations of a fashion company operating in the UK. The Gap In the last ten years or so, The Gap Company has underwent a course of vibrant growth through its diverse trademarks (Gap, Gap Kids, Banana Republic, Baby Gap Store, Gap Shoe Stores,) which the company markets and have a direct control all through the world. Following this success, Gap Company since 1999, became the second largest apparel retailer stores. The company, which usually subcontracts every one of its production, has since formulated a code of conduct that creates company selection criterion and the particular ways of submission. The company in emphasizing the way it values it code of conduct has undertaken services of an external monitoring company to monitor how its ethical code of conducts is followed. (Gap, 2008) Ethics Companies view The ethical standing of products is has of late become a main concern of many consumers. Presently the fashion industry is undertaking ethical fashion as championed by fashion designer Hamnett Katherine, at the present moment GAP as a company view with a lot of seriousness and it has undertaken strategies to ensure that

What important contribution or contributions did this scholar make to Essay

What important contribution or contributions did this scholar make to the field of biblical studies - Essay Example The articles interconnect with apocryphal books, ancient and modern interpreters work, medieval work that laid the foundation for modern day ideologies, methods as well as movements that are key for biblical studies. The writer has minimized alteration of the original information as much as possible to maintain the authenticity of t6hje information in the bible. However, there has been addition of information to small extent which go beyond minor corrections. In this context, it has been observed that the book of Esther has additional text that comprises about nine sentences. These have formed the basis for the recent studies carried out on the book of Esther. Furthermore, the Song of Songs for instance, has thirty additional items to the bibliography causing some minor differences in the upcoming books and present day interpretations. Therefore the writer has laid a good foundation to modern day biblical studies and interpretations. it has been noted that the Deutronomical books in the old Testament has additional fascinating topics that focus on individual interpreters, modern approaches as well as theological topics that give immense inspiration. This has been based on the articles written or excerpted from the Dictionary of interpretations by John H. Hayes. Most biblical interpreters and writers emphasize and give particular attention to information obtained in the last two centuries. This marks a unifying factor towards the greatest interpreters. However, some interpreters subdivide their research and work to the different categories, namely: Early interpretation, which addresses the ancient Biblical information and how they formed basis for subsequent work. The second category is the early middle age. This follows the early middle age and borrows heavily from the earlier version. Thirdly, there is the twelfth century interpretation which laid the foundation for the other interpretations. Others are The scholastic period, the early modern period and

Politics and Education Essay Example for Free

Politics and Education Essay Education can develop the personality of a person not physically but mentally as well. An educated person can look at a certain issue from various perspectives. A politician has to control over a large community therefore, he needs some extra ordinary skills and the first thing which can make him distinguished, is his qualification. Education can increase his communication and speaking skills. A politician is a social member and his interactions with people are frequent, therefore, he needs maturity and sensibility in his talk and behavior. This is certainly possible with proper education. A politician is the representative of a nation and he should be the perfect person by all means and education plays an important role in making anyone perfect to a great extent. But then, I dont necessarily think that they need to have degrees in a particular field but broader understanding would certainly help. They must have minimum qualification†¦they need to be knowledgeable and must understand the laws. Politicians like Abraham Lincoln set an example of people who had no real formal education and look at the jobs they did and the leadership they offered†¦It is true that there have been great leaders who were uneducated, Kamaraj in India, for example. But, such gems are a rarity. In life, compromises must be made. Until an intelligent and foolproof plan exists for electing such gems from the public, we must resort to what is best for the common man. An educated person is more likely to do a good job as a politician than an illiterate person. Education is a process that makes people more humane and teaches them a lot about the country, how to express themselves through effective communication and so on I think the only key thing they need to be educated in is the Constitution and process of government. A lot of the early leaders of the country were not well educated even for the time. Some foundation of knowledge is beneficial and they definitely need to be able to reason and learn. They need leadership quality, power in speech, integrity, sincerity, honesty and purity in whatever actions they take for development of country.

I Never Promised You a Rose Garden by Joanne Greenberg Essay examples -

"I Never Promised You a Rose Garden" by Joanne Greenberg Schizophrenia has long been a devastating mental illness and only recently have we begun to see an improvement in our capabilities to treat this disorder. The development of neuroleptics such as, Haldol, Risperidal, and Zyprexa have given psychiatrists, psychologists and their patients great hope in the battle against this mental disease. However, during the 1960s, drugs were not available and psychologists relied upon psychotherapy in order to treat patients. I Never Promised You a Rose Garden, is a description of a sixteen-year-old girl's battle with schizophrenia, in the 1960s. Deborah Blau’s illness spanned three years, in which she spent her life in a mental institution. The book itself is a semi-autobiographical account of Joanne Greenberg’s experiences in a mental hospital during her own bout with schizophrenia. She presents her experiences by relating them to Deborah. The novel was written to help fight the stigmatisms and prejudices held against mental illness. In the late 1960s, reactions to mental illness generally fell between two polarized attitudes. One, popular with the counterculture generation, romanticized mental illness as an altered state of consciousness that was rich in artistic, creative inspiration. The protagonist of this myth was the tortured artist who poured out his or her soul in writing or art between periods of mental breakdown; Sylvia Plath, Vincent Van Gogh, and Virginia Woolf are only a few such individuals whose artistry is practically inseparable from the idealized myths of their mental instability. Often their periods of mental breakdown were a source of inspiration, but before one romanticizes their mental illnesses, it necessary to remember that all three committed suicide. On the other end of the spectrum, mental illness was stigmatized as a weakness or fatal flaw on the part of the sufferer. Even today, many uninformed people regard mental illness as a stigmatized condition, shrouded in shameful secrecy and negative stereotypes, to be described with frightening or belittling euphemisms. In the late 1960s, when Greenberg's novel was published, mental illness was even more misunderstood and feared. The reading public had absorbed centuries of inaccurate information about mental illness, all based on prejudice, ignorance, and fear. Because of he... ... is sufficient to treat schizophrenia. Still, these new findings certainly do not invalidate the importance of empathy and understanding in the treatment of schizophrenia. Greenberg's desire to garner sympathy, respect, and understanding for sufferers of mental illness is still a valid concern, and her novel remains valuable as a sympathetic portrayal of mental illness. Although this novel uses outdated treatment methods, it does succeed in allowing the reader to see into the mind of a mentally ill person. Greenberg portrays the problem of mental illness from different perspectives. She details Jacob and Esther Blau's struggle with self-doubt, blame, and the stigma of their daughter's sickness. The novel also portrays the difficult, stressful work required of the medical professionals and the staff who work with mentally ill patients. However, most importantly, Greenberg portrays the experience of mental illness from the patient's point of view. Struggling with mental illness is not glamorous or easy. The road to recovery is lined with setbacks, doubt, and fear. It takes a great deal of courage and perseverance on Deborah's part to face her illness and fight it through treatment.

Japan Net Bank Case Analysis Essay

The banking market, especially Internet-only bank sector, in Japan was going through a period of rapid growth after the Japanese government initiated the famous â€Å"Big Bang† deregulation of the financial market. JNB, which began operation in October 2000, aimed at winning one million accounts and one trillion yen deposits and becoming profitable by the financial year 2002. However, in order to achieve that long-term success, it needed to resolved a number of issues and strengthen its competitive position in face of stiff competition from brick-and-mortar banks and new Internet-only banks. Therefore, this report focuses on the following three issues: †¢ An assessment of the present situation in Japan   regarding the Internet-only model of retail banking, †¢ An analysis of JNB’s competitive advantages, †¢ Recommendations of what alliance strategies to develop to overcome competition from traditional and other online banks. The data in this report was collected by assessing the information of the case â€Å"Japan Net Bank: Japan’ First Internet-only Bank† by Vincent Mark and Pauline Ng under the supervision of Dr. AH F. Farhoomand and surveying relevant materials from the Internet. I have divided my report into three main sections. Firstly, we would assess the potential for Internet-only model of retail banking in Japan. Secondly, we present and analyze JNB’s competitive advantages meticulously in this particular Japanese market. Finally, we would suggest some viable propositions of what alliance strategies that JNB should develop to surpass and obtain the market leader. Internet banking in Japan. 4 Conservative consumer banking behavior 5 Low level of credit card usage Japan did not use credit cards a great deal. By 2001, credit card purchases accounted for just eight per cent of consumer spending in Japan, compared with 14 percent in Europe and 21 percent in the US (The Economist, 2001). Borrowing was considered shameful in a culture much bound by traditional concept, so paying by credit card in public could be an embarrassment. In many cases, credit card users could only repay in one-go or in fixed installments. Therefore, such the culture preferred repaying card debt s in one-go quickly if they could afford it. Card companies’ lack of good marketing accentuated the problem: although there were schemes involving credit cards points, customers could only use their points to redeem low-quality gifts. In contrast, the consumer loan market in Japan was doing much better since it was worth 7 trillion yen by early 2001, double the market size of credit card. 6 The availability of ATMs for cash withdrawals Japanese consumers generally preferred to pay by cash or money transfers. A survey conducted in summer 2000 asked respondents which Internet bank they would deposit their money in. The 3,825 respondents were mostly in their 20s and 30s. Figure 1 illustrates the results: the attractiveness of the online banks in Japan in 2000. [pic] The pie chart illustrates that the success of a Japanese bank relied heavily on its ATM services. Determinant included whether the ATMs were conveniently located, whether they charged a small or no handling fee, whether they were open for long hours, etc. That leads to the wide distributions of ATMs services in Japan. We could recognize that the brand equity also played an important role to attract the customers. 7 Internet usage in Japan On-line banking with limited services-as an extension of traditional banking-was already available in Japan in 1997 with Sumitomo Bank. The total number of Internet accounts at major commercial banks reached 1. 4 million at that time. According to a Nielsen/NetRatings report, the Internet population in Japan was some 38 million in January 2001, and 41% of them were active users. However, a study by Yankee Group in early 2001 found out that some 20% of all Japanese households had a fixed line Internet connection at the end of 2000, less than the 50% Internet penetration in the US. Low penetration of fixed line Internet connections had driven a lot of people to use i-mode, which could cost only about several hundred yens a month. I-mode was a cellular Internet service offered by NTT DoCoMo, allowing emails and other Internet functions to be carried out via handsets. It had more than 22 million subscribers by April 2001. In fact, i-mode becomes so popular that Miyai, director of JNB, once said â€Å"Internet banking is really â€Å"cellular banking† in Japan†. 8 The competitive situation Competition from traditional banks JNB nevertheless had to face stiff competition with well-known bricks-and-mortar banks in a crowed banking market even though it was considered as the Japan’s first Internet bank without physical branches. Banking habits and conservative consumer culture in Japan facilitate traditional banks to gain competitive advantage in the market. Furthermore, traditional banks were making their services more convenient by installing m ore and more ATMs and providing a variety of value-added financial services. The most primary factors which make JNB’s competitors pay attention to JNB seemed to be lower overheads, competitive rates, lower fees and strong alliance backing. 10 Competition from domestic Internet banks Sony Bank JNB also had to compete with new entrants that provided similar services, One of those competitors was Sony Bank, an Internet-only bank with 37. 5 billion capital investment expected to start operation in mid-June 2001. Sony Bank’s strategy was similar to that of JNB in terms of higher interest rates, lower fees, a small workforce and no physical branches. In particular, the new bank’s management stressed customized, one-to-one services. Sony bank took advantage of its strategic stakeholders to deliver high-quality services to consumer. For example, customers of Sony Banks could use SMBC’s ATMs at â€Å"am/pm† convenience store chain as contact point, or J. P. Morgan Chase, one of its important stakeholders, would provide personal financial advice through the Web or Sony Bank obviously benefited from the Sony Empire by utilizing Sony Bank’s settlement service to purchase Sony products online. IY Bank Another Internet-only bank to enter the fray was IY bank, whose â€Å"internet† was predominantly a sprawling ATM network although Internet-based transactions would also be possible. It was expected to install round-the-clock ATMs in 3659s Ito-Yokado supermarkets and Seven-Eleven convenient stores within two years of operation. It had already joined up with a combined network of nine city banks, including one of the Japan’s largest commercial banks Sanwa, and charged commission whenever a customer of another bank in the network withdrew money from an IY Bank ATM. IY Bank intended to be settlement-focused and would develop loan and card business and Internet-based services later. IY Bank planned to install 24-hour ATMs at 3650 stores under the group by spring 2002 and at 7150 stores within five years of operation. Its target seemed to be practical since it could take advantage of the Ito-Yokado group’s existing customer base, which is 10 million customers per day, and its low-cost operation. 1 Competition from international Internet banks Another Internet-only bank, called eBank, was expected to start operation in June 2001. It would specialize in the settlement of payments for small-value online purchases worth up to 100,000 yens and would charge a lower commission than ordinary bank. eBANK was operate by Japan Electronics Settlement Planning Inc and invested by Japan Telecom, Yamato Transport and Ericsson Holding International. Its capital was about US$37 million. Japan Net Bank’s competitive advantages JBN, one of the core Internet businesses of parent company SMBC, aimed to build up its independent, own brand name and aspired to become the de facto standard of the Japanese-style â€Å"Internet Specialized Bank† for 21st Century’s Internet community. Therefore, the bank adopted the customer-centric principle seriously in order to survive and develop. JNB differentiated its financial products and services from those of its competitors by its distinguished characteristics: 3 24/7 availability JNB customers enjoyed seamless financial functions and 24/7 accessibility to their accounts through the Internet. They could carry out transactions or check their accounts through multiple access channels, including physical channels (ATMs or the Head Office) and mobile internet service (i-mode). The interfaces were designed to be very user-friendly. Moreover, JNB began to diversify into services other than basic bank transactions such as ordinary and term deposits. For example, it allowed on-line payment for bills and services of Tokyo Electric Power, Nomura Securities and Nifty Corp. ’s on-line shopping mall. 4 Competitive interest rate JNB offered attractive interest rates and fees compared with conventional Japanese banks [see Exhibit 3]. Its deposit interest rates were more than twice that of the average rates offered by major Japanese banks, and its charges for fund transfer were less than half those of conventional banks. Customized services Every customer had his/her own specific information page on the Web. Customers would receive e-mail notifications of transaction details such as receipt of fund transfers, expiration of term deposits, errors in automatic account debits, etc. 6 Confidentiality of usage The confidentiality of JNB customers’ private information was strictly secured; private information could not be used without customers’ agreement. Information transferred through the network was encrypted by 128-bit SSL (Secure Sockets Layer). The database and servers storing JNB customers’ information were protected by a firewall and an access-surveillance system. All Internet banking transactions could not be processed without a password. Moreover, the last login date and time was always indicated at every login to a JNB account, so customers would know whether their accounts had been accessed illegally. 7 Flexible organization and IT system JNB maintained a flexible, flat, and team-like structure which had a very low cost base. Its management style was different from the top-down approach of traditional Japanese corporations. Its structure allowed for the contingency between different departments in the organization to coordinate and solve problems. JNB also adopted a flexible, open information technology system which is divided systematically and functionally. The building of JNB’s IT application was quite innovative since it is mostly outsourced under the supervision of IT Department staff. Strategic alliances to develop In the face of fierce competition, JNB had the advantage of strong, broad, strategically important and multi-industry alliances. An appropriate strategic alliance would increase its revenues and market share. The advantages of strategic alliance include: †¢ Allowing each partner to concentrate on activities that best match their capabilities. †¢ Learning from partners and developing competences that may be more widely exploited elsewhere †¢ Adequacy a suitability of the resources and competencies of an organization for it to survive. 9 Shareholder alliance JNB has been forming alliances and partnerships with many blue-chip corporations possessing huge customer bases. Since JNB could acquire customers through its shareholder alliances, it had relatively low reliance on mass-media marketing and therefore had low marketing budget. In next five years, it should continue diversifying its alliances from different sectors of economy to broaden its business and utilize its alliance’s customer base. For instance, JNB might negotiate with ORIX Corporation RIX, one of the Japan’s largest leasing and diversified financial services conglomerate, to obtain equity strategic alliance. This alliance will enable the company to capture a larger share of the Japanese consumer finance market, and make consumer finance operations more efficient and responsive to the financing needs of creditworthy consumers. 10 Global strategic alliances SMBC, as a major stakeholder of JNB, signed a memorandum of mutual understanding (MOMU) on a strategic partnership with The Bank of East Asia (BEA) to co-develop their business potentials in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan and other countries. In China, SMBC established a wholly owned subsidiary, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (China) Limited, in April 2009. SMBC has formed alliances with Kookmin Bank in Korea, First Commercial Bank in Taiwan, The Bank of East Asia in Hong Kong, PT Bank Central Asia Tbk (BCA) in Indonesia and other Asian banks. With Barclays, a major British financial institution, the company is exploring venues of cooperation in wealth management, operations in South Africa and other business fields. JNB should take of advantage of this opportunity to establish its relationship with these foreign banks to market and expand its business to international. These strategic alliances would enable the company to expand its market hare and generate incremental revenues. 11 Non-shareholding alliances Ageing population in Japan likely to increase demand for insurance and pension products The Japanese population is ageing fast. The 65 and over age group as a percentage of total population is expected to increase from an estimated 21% in 2005 to 35. 7% in 2050. Moreover pension assets under management in the Asia Pacific region ar e expected to grow from current E1, 100 billion to E2, 900 billion in 2015. Ageing population in Japan would boost demand for the pension products of the company. The bank should cooperate and offer pension plans services, through Japan Pension Navigator Company to gain a certain advantage. Discerning that changing demographic profile of Japan profoundly therefore would increase demand for JNB’s business. Conclusion Japan Net Bank (JNB), Japan’s first Internet bank without physical branches, began operation in October 2000. It attracted mainly young customers looking for convenient, round-the-clock bank services with much more competitive interest rates and transaction charges than traditional Japanese banks. Its access channels included the mobile Internet service i-mode and fixed-line Internet. JNB relied on flexible, open computer systems and a young workforce of only 100 people to minimize operational costs. Its stakeholders, including parent company Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) and NTT DoCoMo (provider of i-mode), were all large companies from different industry sectors. This stakeholder base gave JNB market exposure and access to their established customer bases. By April 2001 JNB had 130,000 customers. It aimed at winning one million accounts and ? 1 trillion deposits and becoming profitable by the financial year 2002. But it needed to resolve a number of issues before it were able to achieve long-term success in the face of strong competition from bricks-and-mortar banks and new Internet-only banks. One of crucial issues was about how to meet with wide fluctuations in usage without over-investing; the other was alliance management, how to co-operate with alliance partners to achieve competitive advantage.