Michael Dell and the PC Market He Created Essay Example

Michael Dell and the PC Market He Created Paper Michael S. Dell founded Dell Computer Corporation in1984. Michael Dell started the company with a thousand dollars and a vision. Today Dell Computer Corporation is one of the main manufactures of computers and computer related services in the world. In 17 years, the companys sales have grown from $6 million to $31.8 billion for the past four quarters.1 Dell Corporation employs approximately 34,400 people globally, and has operations worldwide. Within the short duration of the company, Dell Computer Corporation has created strategic competitive advantages over its competitors in the PC market. Dell has also created respect from other industry leaders. By reviewing the history of Dell, the inventory systems it uses, the importance of its brand recognition, and Dells SWOT, it is clear that Dell has a competitive advantage and that the company has great growth potential. History of Dell Computer Corporation In 1983, when Michael Dell was eighteen years old he was faced with a question. Why does IBM sell its computers for $3000 a piece and the parts that make up the computer cost only $600? This fact help set in motion Michael Dells ambition to build customized made PCs for lower price. Michael Dell began building and selling computers from his dorm room. In the following year Michael Dell started Dell Computer Corporation. Despite objections from his parents, Dell quit collage that May. His parents probably never thought that this decision would create a billion dollar company and make Michael Dell one the most respected CEOs of the Internet Age. We will write a custom essay sample on Michael Dell and the PC Market He Created specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Michael Dell and the PC Market He Created specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Michael Dell and the PC Market He Created specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Dell Computer Corporation became the first company to sell custom made computers. By 1988 Dell Computer Corporation went public, raising $30 Million in its initial public offering. For a brief period of time Dell Computer Corporation sold computers in consumer retail stores, such as Best Buy. Then, as quickly as Dell entered this market, Dell exited this segment to begin selling computers directly to consumers. By 1992 Dell increased its sales by 127% to $2 billion. See Exhibit 1 for financial graphs on net income, net revenue, and diluted earning per share for the past five years (2000-1996). By 1994 Dell had operations in the United Kingdom, Asia-Pacific region, and in Japan. In 1996, Dell introduced its PowerEdge server line. Dell began selling servers to enter a new and rapidly growing market. Within the first 2 years of its release, the PowerEdge server line, become the third largest server line in the world. By 1998, Dell expanded operations into the China market. Within the pa st seventeen years, Michael Dell has developed a small business idea that was envisioned and started in his dorm room to a global, billion dollar corporation. Just in Time Supply Chain Management The proper use of a supply chain can become a cost saving tool for a company. During the recent downturn of the economy, many companies are looking for cost saving solutions within their business. Dell is an excellent example of a company that has worked to continually improve their supply chain management to reduce the costs of their products. Dell deployed a new supply chain system that works in real time. By using software from both Microsoft and i2 Technology, Dell has developed a supply chain that is practical, cost effective, and has room for growth. Implementation of i2 supply chain software has allowed Dell to connect to its suppliers in real time via the web, and has allowed them to pulled materials to Dells manufacturing plants. The i2 supply chain software was deployed with the consideration of two steps of the supply chain process. The two steps are, planning and execution. Planning involves gathering the needed materials from the suppliers hubs near the appropriate Dell factories. Execution requires Dell to have the right materials on hand at the appropriate factory to build the customers order. By using these two steps, Dell deployed the software to create a more efficient supply chain. The planning process involves having suppliers connected to Dells supply chain via valuechain.dell.com. Valuechain.dell.com is a secure extranet that acts as a portal for Dells suppliers. The site offers suppliers a customized view of their materials at Dell, including reports on material quality, performance management scorecards, negotiated and forecasting cost reports, engineering change orders, supply/demand forecasting tools and views of material demand.2 By connecting the suppliers within there extranet, Dell has created a more efficient communication tool between the suppliers and Dell. Suppliers are allowed to view these reports to find out if any materials are needed, and Dell can send reports to the suppliers if they need materials. This gives both Dell and their suppliers freedom to order or deliver products without dealing with sales personnel. This saves everyone time and money. Thus, Dell has begun pulling its inventory, instead of having the suppliers push the inventor y. This has become a cost saving tool for Dell, and Dell has pasted these cost savings to the customer. Dell has required that its suppliers have materials within close range of its manufacturing plants. This allows for the reordering of parts within a two-hour window. With the new system, a computer is usually loaded onto a truck within 15 hours after the order has been taken. In order for components to be used in Dell computers, suppliers must agree to use the value.dell.com portal, and have supplies within a close proximity of their plants. This is a very fast and convenient process for Dell, allowing the consumer to receive their custom made computer within a very short amount of time. By using features such as Factory Planner, Rhythm Collaboration Planner, i2 Trade Matrix Supply Chain Planner, and i2 TradeMatrix Buy Solution, Dell can use the value.dell.com portal in a more successful manner. Factory Planner prioritizes the reordering of supplies based on the availability of the supplier. Rhythm Collaboration Planner generates reports every two hours. These reports represent the customers orders that have taken place within the two-hour window. Within the system Dell can tell the supplier the amount of a particular part that is needed and to which delivery area of the factory they need to be delivered. I2 Trade Matrix Supply Chain Planner and i2 TradeMatrix Buy Solution work together as a communication tool to the suppliers. They update the material requirements to suppliers. By having these additional features work with the value.dell.com portal, Dell can reach operational effectiveness within the supply chain. By improving the inventory system at Dell, there has been a snowball effect thought the whole supply chain. According to Mike MacKenty, a supply-chain chief at Nypro, a laptop component manufacture, Once a few remaining wrinkles have been ironed out, Nypro should be able to cut the inventory it keeps on hand for Dell by 70% from two weeks worth to three days.3 The use of the value.dell.com has benefited the suppliers as well as dell, and an additional cost savings is seen at the supplier end. In theory, if the suppliers to Dell can lower prices, then this price savings can be past on down to the consumers. Dell is also using Microsoft Systems Management Server 2.0 for the majority of the internal management of its IT infrastructure, as well as for its hardware and software inventory. Dells reputation across industries and among consumers is due not only to the products that ship from its warehouses, but also to the internal controls and processes that keep the company running smoothly.4 The use of this software has created cost savings within the company. For example, this software allows help desk employees to remotely install and management computer systems. This is more efficient for the help desk and is a time saving tool. This translates into a cost saving tool by having less people doing the same job as before. In the development of the supply chain, Dell has formed several partnerships with its suppliers. By reducing the inventory costs for the supplier Dell has established relationships that reputations are not able to. These partnerships have also created loyalty and trust. The supply chain could not be as successful as currently is today with out these partnerships. Supply chain management is an affective management skill for reducing costs. Technology can aid in the process. Technology can give a company a competitive advantage. The competitive advantage that is created is only temporary. However, if the company that is using the technology deploys it in manner that is more efficient and effective then the competitors, then a competitive advantage is likely to last longer. According to Eric Michlowitz, Dells director of supply chain e-business solutions, Our supply chain process was very well-executed, but we had an opportunity to increase our efficiency, make the process paperless and provide a single system of record that we and our suppliers could share.5 Anyone with a credit card can purchase a piece of software, but not everyone can install and use that software to its greatest potential. Brand Recognition When asking Joe Blow what type of computer he has, the answer will not be, I have a 1.5 Ghz Athlon processor, with a 20 GB hard drive, with a 3COM 5980B network card and it also has 256 mgs of RAM in a mini tower. The answer to the question will be a computer brand name. For example, I have a Dell. The significance of a brand name is highly important within the technology industry. Many experts look ahead to the next millennium and predict that brands will become even more important to businesses, especially as more of the economy moves to the Internet.6 Dells strives to have a strong, positive brand name which represents a dependable, customer oriented, and innovative company image. When Michael Dell first started selling computers, he realized that customers were looking for more in a computer company then just a company that manufactures computers. Customers wanted support for their computers. One of the reasons Dell began selling directly to the customer is that he wanted to develop a relationship with them. Dell has continually evolved the way that the company provides support to their customers, with each new opportunity the company has taken. For example, customers were reluctant to purchase new servers from Dell because they felt the service they needed would be meet better by IBM. So, Dell partner with Avanade Inc. to help provide support for servers running Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter operating systems in all of their markets around the world. This agreement will add to the support Dell already has, to help create a more dependable customers service to its consumers. Dells constant improvement on customer support has helped create their positive b rand name and company image. Dell has always tried to be an innovator in the PC market. Dell was one of the first companies to reach dot.com stardom. CEOs from Ford Motor Co., Eastman Chemical, and Ernie Deavenport have asked Michael Dell for council to improve their business on the Internet and to find out how Dell Computer Corporation managed to reach its stardom. Consumers and industry analysis saw this young company and young CEO making headways in the global market. As of June of 2000, Dell completed 90% of its purchases entirely online.7 Many companies would like to have the majority of its business done online. When purchases are done online, a company does not have to pay for the sales personal, or the normal labor that is involved in regular brick and mortar companies. Thus, Dell is able to offer a lower price to its customers. Being the first mover to sell PCs directly on the Internet benefited dell greatly. By being a first mover to sell PC over the Internet, Dell set the standards for this process. Another way that Dell has created a positive brand name is that Dell uses only Dell computers and parts in there company. Not even Microsoft can claim that they use only their products. For example, Microsoft has AS/400s running OS operating systems within their company. By using only products that they produce, Dell can truly say their products can be used for any aspect of a global company. SWOT of Dell The SWOT analysis reveals that Dell has several strong core competencies and strong leadership within the company. Dells supply chain management is one of the main strengths the company has. Many companies have tried to imamate Dells just-in-time supply chain, but the have not developed the success that Dell has. Dell has the benefit on having close ties with its suppliers, and the supplier compliance in the supply chain process. Michael Dell is a strength to the company. His enthusiasm and vision have guided Dell to becoming one of the main computer manufactures in the world. As mentioned above, Dells brand recognition has benefited the company greatly. Dells use of the opportunities that the market opens is also a strength. Michael Dell was the first person to realize and act on the customized built, direct marketing of computers in the 1980s. He and the company have continued to tap into technology markets and found ways to lower costs to this day. These are the main strengths tha t Dell has. Along with strengths, Dell does have a few weaknesses. Dell does not currently have the consulting or product line of IBM. Dell still has not developed a server that can match the AS/400. Furthermore, IBM began its consulting business several years ago, and is one of the first movers in this area. Also, direct selling is not the preferred approach to selling PCs in Europe. Europe has a very large market, and Dell needs to be able to sell to the customers in a manner that they approve of. These are Dells main weaknesses. Dells opportunities are as far reaching as a six year olds imagination. Dell has the opportunity to take part in the wireless technology, especially within the United States. Dell can find new way to sell their products in developing areas around the world. There are many innovations that are possible in this arena. Dell needs to be opened minded and take part in the next revolution within the tech world. Dell does have one serious threat. In order for Dell to stay competitive in the corporate world, they need to develop consulting services that IBM offers. Michael Dell has always considered IBM his main competitor. In 1983 Michael Dell declared he ultimately wanted to beat IBM.8 In order to beat IBM, Dell needs to work on its consulting and services to corporations and large buyers. There is also the possible that a new person, like Michael Dell will have a revolutionary idea and change the whole industry once again. It has happened before. Conclusion Dell is a revolutionary company. Michael Dell had a dream and he helped create a successful, global, billion dollar company in a very short amount of time from that dream. The direct selling approach was considered at one time as a niche market. Now Dell is one of the main computer companies in the world, selling custom made computers all over the world. Its not just that Dell is reshaping its industry by selling made-to-order computers directly to customers, thus bypassing the middleman and their markups. Its that Dell is leading this revolution with a run of execution and innovation that no competitor has matched.9 Along with building a global company, Dell has also created a brand image that is irreplaceable. Dell has the respect of corporate America as well as the world. Not just for its products and services, but for it business model, as well. Dell has a competitive advantage with its just-in-time supply chain, and its brand name. The company has several strengths and opportunities for the road ahead.

Using The NJHS Character Essay Sample

Using The NJHS Character Essay SampleAn NJHS character essay sample will provide students with the tools they need to create a coherent story that they can explore with the help of their classmates and faculty. Characters and plot lines are what draw students in, making it crucial for students to be familiar with how to structure a dialogue. Preparing a standard class assignment that involves a lot of writing and asking questions during discussions will help the students discover how to further develop characters.A NJHS character essay sample should serve as a guideline for students. It should provide an opportunity for students to enhance their writing skills while improving their comprehension of the author's personal life and academic experiences. A NJHS student who has high self-esteem can use this tool to help him or her develop his or her own persona. A NJHS student who wants to be part of a team will use this as a springboard for developing friendships, as well as being able t o learn about teamwork development in general.A NJHS student can also find support from his or her classmates by writing a personal account of his or her past. If the students are too shy to share their stories with others, sharing them with other NJHS students will be a huge help. The character essay sample will provide a perfect opportunity for students to create an identity for themselves by sharing their own experiences with each other. The character essay sample will serve as a way for students to communicate the importance of interpersonal communication and will allow NJHS students to work on emotional coping skills that will be useful in all aspects of their lives.Learning how to write a dialogue for a NJHS curriculum is very important as a student at an educational institution. When students can understand what they are learning, they can more easily remember what they have learned. It is also important to be able to develop written communication skills that will be useful t hroughout their college education.Understanding how to communicate with others is an essential skill that is learned in any learning environment. It is especially important for NJHS students who want to make the most of their academic opportunity and in order to help NJHS students learn to think about and communicate in different ways. Every student at an educational institution is given a set of skills and talents, but no one has the same skills or talents as another person.Each individual experience taught in an educational institution is a unique experience that helps students appreciate and to understand the many lessons that are taught. By allowing students to speak about their personal experiences with others, it will help them recognize the importance of listening and taking notes during class discussions. Reading essays that require them to read, write, speak, or listen will help NJHS students discover how to build relationships with others.Creating the character essay sampl e will provide NJHS students with the resources they need to reach out to their classmates and faculty. The NJHS student who is interested in speaking to students about his or her personal life and academic experiences will be able to do so with a NJHS character essay sample. This NJHS student will be able to use the sample as a way to develop a personal identity that will make him or her feel confident and comfortable while participating in NJHS discussions.All students at an NJHS educational institution can use the character essay sample as a way to increase their writing and reading skills. It will also serve as a way for NJHS students to improve their interpersonal communication skills. The character essay sample will allow NJHS students to take the necessary steps to improve their academic and personal lives.

Simone dE Beauvoir essays

Simone dE Beauvoir essays Reader Response: Simone De Beauvoir Women: Myth and Reality The essay Woman: Myth and Reality, written by Simone De Beauvoir, in my understanding, provides an excuse as to why men believe women are not equal to them. The concept of the Eternal Feminine myth has no basis or concrete grounds for existence. Women are said to be mysterious because they are not like man. Is this because we do not look like men? If so, then the reasoning would be considered ridiculous. I believe the anatomical structures of a woman and man hold no relevance as to why women were and still are treated as the subordinate sex. However, women too have helped the myth of the Eternal Feminine grow. In her essay Simone De Beauvoir mentions how women are seen as the Other human sex. In connection to that she also writes about the story of the master and the slave. The story is significant because it points out how both the slave and woman are called the Other, leaving man with the title master. The irony of the story is how man is the master, who rules over woman, who in turn has been lowered to the level of the slave. The sad thing is that women over the years have played into the myth of women and the Other. We, in essence, have dug our own hole and are now trying effortlessly to climb out and take our place as an equal being to man. In my own personal view, women are not entirely sure of what they want. Women have strived to prove they can live in a mans world but have held back because they are afraid of losing their femininity. This makes the myth only stronger. As Jacobus says, Women who accept the myth will manipulate men for their own purposes by trading on that myth, but in the process they will lose their individual nature (pp. 818). Accepting the Eternal Feminine myth will only cause women to lose themsel ...

Reflection on Major Paper #1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Reflection on Major Paper #1 - Essay Example I was also able to develop a thesis statement on the first paragraph. The thesis statement was on analysis of the factors that influence oral participation in a foreign language class and its relations with English language development. Additionally, i was able to come up with a topic sentence in each paragraph. This helped in giving direction the rest part of the paragraph would take. Further, the topic sentence at the beginning of the paragraph helped in ensuring that the rest of the paragraph covered the same issue. Hence, there was no mixing of ideas in one paragraph. The other easy part was in coming up with a conclusion. The conclusion helped me demonstrate ability to analyse the issue. As a result, i was able to bring all the issues discussed in the body together. However, the most challenging thing was in finding sources. I had no idea of where to get the correct information that was credible on the topic. I had to roam from one search engine to another. This made it difficult to collect and analyse information that was credible. In conclusion, this first writing exposed me to many things. I believe it laid the foundation for me conducting more research on several issues. Moreover, I believe I will be able to work on few challenges such as searching for information and some punctuation errors that emerged in this

Ethics in Medicine Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Ethics in Medicine - Research Paper Example Subsequently, an analysis of womens rights to their bodies is outlined in this paper. This will be achieved in this paper through the identification of a point of argument relative to womens rights to their bodies, an elucidation of the logical strengths and weaknesses of the issue as well as how it is approached, and also through a determination on whether the issue attempts to overreach into personal liberty. Krieger postulates the fact that the history of womens fight for the right to their bodies runs back to the 1970s. This began when women established movements geared towards the protection of their rights to "access safe, legal abortion and contraception in North America and Europe and soon afterwards Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia, and Africa" (p. 726). During this period, women fought for their right to make their own decisions in regard to what point at their lives to have children, as well as the method or technique to be used when giving birth not considering their ethnic background, age, abilities, and also their social and economic status. Womens rights to their bodies became an issue when countries all over the world started creating and implementing plans of action aimed towards denying women their rights. For instance, this became an issue in India when the government enforced rules that required women to undergo sterilization and also insert hormonal implants in their bodies. Similarly, womens rights to their bodies became an issue in the Philippines and South American countries as a result of imposed strategies supported by the religious organizations disallowing or making illegal birth control methods and termination of pregnancies. In some African countries such as Egypt and Nigeria, womens rights to their bodies became an issue based on the governments disregard to dangerous and harmful cultural practices such as female circumcision (Krieger

Strategic management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Strategic management - Essay Example A major makeover happened for the company in 1990 when it joined hands with BMW of Germany for manufacturing of aero engines. â€Å"Today it is the world's second largest civil aero engine company, the world's second largest defence aero engine company, a global leader in marine propulsion and a leading supplier of energy solutions. All of these businesses have gas turbine technology at their heart.† (Rolls Royce, 2011) Aero engine manufacturing is one of the largest engineering industrial sectors in the world. Some of the leading aero engine manufacturers in the world are Rolls-Royce Engines, BMW, Bristol Engine Company, CFM International, Pratt & Whitney, Daimler Benz, GE Aviation, Hispano-Suiza, Napier and Son, Volvo Aero, etc. Among these, Rolls Royce is one of the leading market players. Rolls-Royce Engines holds nearly one third of the business aircraft engine market. Some of the main customers of Rolls-Royce include Airbus, Bombardier, Embraer and Raytheon. Quality, Rel iability and Tradition has been the main driving force behind the success of Rolls Royce Aero Engines. The key success factors of aero engine manufacturing industry are very critical. ... Research and Development is the next success factor. R&D is the factor that drives every other success factors. Better technology is developed only through innovation. Technological innovation is possible only through better investment of time and resources into R & D. Innovative product offerings are the next success factor of the industry. Merely supplying engines is not the game plan currently. Some of the innovative plans of the industry are Corporate Care, power-by-the-hour, pay-as-you-fly program, etc. (George, 2011) Similarly, better after sales service and customer relationship management are another key success factors. The aviation industry segment can be classified mainly into two categories that are wide body engine market and narrow body engine market. As of now Rolls-Royce has considerable market share in the wide body engine market with the second position in the segment. But Rolls-Royce still needs to develop its presence in the narrow body market. Currently, Rolls-Ro yce participates in the narrow body segment in a joint venture with Pratt & Whitney and others. â€Å"Rolls-Royce is well positioned in the wide body market, but about to lose 25% of the narrow body market in which it has a 40% joint venture share by 2015.† (GLG Expert Contributor, 2010) Analysis of External Factors Like any other industry, external factors have great influence on the prospects of aero engine manufacturing industry. Some of the key external factors influencing the aero engine manufacturing industry are as follows. 1. Raw material cost 2. Competition 3. Bargaining power of customers 4. Environmental impact 5. Regulatory Pressures 6. Currency risk 7. Other external events Raw material

Transcendentalism and Transcendental Meditation :: essays research papers fc

Transcendentalism and Transcendental Meditation   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The Transcendentalist adopts the whole connection of spiritual doctrine. He believes in miracle, in the perpetual openness of the human mind to new influx of light and power; he believes in inspiration, and in ecstasy.†(Emerson 196). These two lines written by Ralph Waldo Emerson exemplify the whole movement of transcendentalist writers and what they believed in. Though to the writers, transcendentalism was a fight for a belief, unknown to them they could have been fighting for the betterment of human health. The transcendentalist writings of Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson have directly affected the health of modern society through the idea of transcendental meditation. Through modern science, scientists have linked increases in health among individuals through the use of transcendental meditation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The term transcendental came from the German Romantic philosopher Immanuel Kant. The term refers to the idea that matters of ultimate reality, God, the cosmos, the self transcend, or go beyond, human experience.†(www.geocities.com). Transcendental later developed into Transcendentalism, which is The transcending, or going beyond, empiricism, and ascertaining the fundamental principles of human knowledge. Kant (1724-1804) was born and educated in East Prussia. He founded critical philosophy and Transcendental Logic. â€Å"Kant made significant revisions to just about every branch of philosophy.† (www.philosophy.ucdavis.edu). In the Critique of Pure Reason (1781) Kant showed the great problems of metaphysics: the existence of God, freedom, and immortality and how they are insoluble by scientific thought. Kant’s writings had a major influence on Emerson and Thoreau during the time of Transcendentalism and â€Å"still have an influence on modern philosophy to the present day.† (www.ilt.columbia.edu).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Emerson gives notice to Immanuel Kant in his lecture The Transcendentalist by stating â€Å"It is well known to most of my audience, that the Idealism of the present day acquired the name of Transcendental, from the use of that term by Immanuel Kant, of Konigs berg.† (Emerson 199). Most transcendentalist were idealist that believed in the perfectibility of man, and they were often engaged in projects intended to make this ideal a reality. On of which was a self-governing, experimental community that met in Emerson’s house. This community mainly believed in a monistic universe, or one in which God is immanent in nature, which means that God is permanently and directly present in all things. One of the members of the community and a close friend of Emerson was Henry Thoreau.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On July 12, 1817 in Concord, Massachusetts, Henry David Thoreau was born.