Minority Groups And The Minority Group Within Special...

Disproportionality refers to the overrepresentation or underrepresentation of a minority group within special education programs and services. The disproportionate representation of minority students in special education has been an ongoing and significant matter in education for decades. More and more minority children are being identified as disabled or having an intellectual disability or learning disability. However, in most cases the children are being misdiagnosed and consequently, are being discriminated and penalized in a variety of ways. Some of the leading causes of disproportionate identification are incorrect evaluations, poor assessment practices, and lack of instruction and assistance for minority students. Developing a†¦show more content†¦Thus, these students bring many emotional, physical and psychological issues into the classroom that significantly affects they way they learn, think and complete assignments and tests. So, is it the teacher and administrato r s right to poorly assess these students when these factors are not consideration? One of the leading causes of disproportionate identification in special education is the school and teachers themselves. Minority students are more likely to attend urban, inner city schools where many of the teachers are not as experienced when dealing with racially and ethnically diverse classrooms (Donovan Cross, 2002). Thus, these low-income schools are not going to offer advanced classes or top-notch special education programs or services for students. Referral processes, assessment protocols, and programs for students with special needs are likely to be more advanced in suburban schools. In addition, proper funding is always an issue in education; therefore, many schools cannot afford to hire special education teachers or teacher aides to provide additional help and assistance for minority students. Consequently, these minority students are thrown into special education classes and left on the ir own, to develop better language skills and higher academic achievement. Another factor is the question of racially biased referral and assessment practices. Questions always arise whether teachers are correctly

The Death Penalty Essay - 1740 Words

The Death Penalty The Death Penalty seems to haunt the US mindset. While more countries are dropping the procedure as cruel the US still holds on. Eighty percent of Americans are still for the Death Penalty, citing revenge as the main reason, which is why families are allowed to watch the execution . Organizations like Amnesty International condemn the US regularly, as well as most Democratic nations. What I want to address is why the dialogue is ineffective. The proponents of the Death Penalty make arguments aimed at peoples deepest emotional fears. They develop an idea of revenge within peoples minds by suggesting the death of family members and create sympathy for families victims. On the other hand groups like Amnesty†¦show more content†¦Advocates for the Death Penalty tell stories about people like William Davis and Douglas Gray, who escaped form Stringtown, OK prison on March 16. Both serving life terms for homicide, they stole a vehicle, robbed a womans house for guns and car -jacked a pick-up with two rifles. When found by the police they held an elderly couple hostage on March 24, but eventually Gray gave up, while Davis committed suicide . Proponents then draw on peoples fears by telling them that jailbreaks are frequent for murderers and that states dont report escapes nationally and categorize them differently (Murdock). The main force of this argument is not based on the fact that murderers are escaping punishment, but the cases brought up all involve civilian hostages and horrifying encounters between people and the murderers. The death penalty proponents are playing with peoples fear. They want people to see murderers escaping from jail and looking for cars, guns, and hostages. It is the fear of murderers killing even after they are sentenced to life that proponents want to latch onto. The only way to keep people safe, within this mindset, is to kill the murderer swiftly before they have a chance to escape and murder again. Prison escapes are fairly rare. In all fifty states, from 1995-1999, there were only 36 prison escapes. 33 escapes involved inmates assigned to minimum security or inmates with work-permits for outside theShow MoreRelatedThe Death Penalty Is Justified1143 Words   |  5 PagesAllison Shu 2/25/16 Period 2 Objective paper on the death penalty Capital punishment is legally authorized killing as punishment for a crime. The death penalty questions the morality of killing a person as justification for their crime. It also brings to question whether the death penalty actually serves as a deterrent for crime, and that some of the people executed are found innocent afterwards. 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Some argue that death is a necessary retribution for murderous cases - but is it effective morally? Revenge only glorifies violence, which is most definitely not the message the world strives to display. The death penalty is a negative form of punishment and insinuates a harsh reflection of society economically, politically, and socially. Read MoreEssay on Death Penalty - Herrera vs Collins1337 Words   |  6 PagesDeath Penalty - Herrera vs Collins The Supreme Court addressed the constitutionality of executing someone who claimed actual innocence in Herrera v. Collins (506 U.S. 390 (1993)). Although the Court left open the possibility that the Constitution bars the execution of someone who conclusively demonstrates that he or she is actually innocent, the Court noted that such cases would be very rare. The Court held that, in the absence of other constitutional violations, new evidence of innocence is no

Malaica Hotels Decarbonising Strategy Free Solution

Question: Discuss about theMalaica Hotels Decarbonising Strategy. Answer: Introduction Energy is responsible for 60% of many organizations carbon footprint, and hotels can reduce this percentage by using low-cost but highly efficeint green energy initiatives that will produce excellent results (How to reduce energy, 2015). Hotels are taking action to keep their hotels in business and reduce the impact of their activities on the environment but they do not have enough tools to make sure their structures are constrained regarding their sustainability standards. One way in which they can strengthen the value of their brands sustainability policies is by including sustainability clauses in their operating agreements that define the measures that can be included, and their mode of regulation (Ricaurte, 2011). Energy is easy to monitor, control and reduce. Hotels can calculate their carbon footprint using the Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative (HMCI) tool (Carbon calculation, 2014). Green hotels are properties that can be sustainable environmentally, with the management bei ng willing to put measures in place that save on water, energy, and reduce waste accrued form solid matter as it saves money to protect the earth (Green Hotels Association, n.d). Malaica Hotel understands that bold steps in energy conservation have to be taken in order for the hotel to rise above its competition and stay relevant in the industry. One of its goals is to decarbonise hotel operations and use energy saving measures. It is a 4-star hotel that has many facilities and amenities, all using a lot of energy. The hotel has 100 rooms, 3 restaurants and kitchens, 1 laundry outlet that is attached to the housekeeping department, 2 swimming pools, a spa, gym and quad biking within its large parcel of land. The hotel plans to increase its room capacity by 50% either by adding a storey to existing structures, or by building on the acreage available. It plans to increase its room capacity in line with energy saving standards. As the Project Manager of the hotel, I have been tasked with reviewing its carbonizing strategy by 2020. I will explain Malaica Hotels property CO2 emissions and how we will achieve energy efficiency in pursuit of this goal. The reduction of the hotels energy costs will create significant increases in revenue because energy prices and consumption rates are high at the moment. Malaica Hotel is a large business, with a huge consumption of energy. The facilities are in different buildings, leading to a less energy efficient mode of energy conservation. If the facilities had been constructed in one building, the cost of energy would have been lower. The local energy policies have affected the price of energy and the CO2 emissions, leading to high prices and consumption. The growth in hotel occupancy and new standards of living and consumption has led to an increase in our energy consumption. More facilities and services have been added over the years, with more intensive use of appliances and operating equipment. There are over 1,000 light fixtures in the hotel and they all consume a lot of electricity. Malaica Hotel consumes a lot of energy through temperature regulation for heating, hot water and air conditioning. It can reduce this overuse by setting temperature levels that are moderate inside the properties to avoid the extremes of temperatures being either too hot or too cold. Thermostats should be installed in the rooms to regulate the heating and water temperatures. The air conditioning systems will be renovated to include thermostats that are cooled down when no guests are using the facilities. Many of the rooms in the hotel have light bulbs that are high-consumption. We will install low-consumption bulbs and energy saving mini bars and TVs. Motion sensors installed in the guest rooms will automatically turn lights on or off when a person walks into a room or leaves it, and key cards will also be used for the rooms to stop usage when rooms are vacant. Our kitchen cookers use an average of 0.45 kg CO2 per kWh, therefore energy efficient stoves should be installed. The refrige ration systems are vast in the hotel due to the many activities undertaken that create a demand for cold drinks. Their use should be minimized and energy rated in order to reduce the CO2 emissions (Gill et al., 2012). Appliances in the kitchen should be changed to the energy-efficient kind and the kitchen grease generated should be turned into bio-dynamic fuel. The laundry department generates high CO2 emissions, so towels and linens should be reused, if guests allow it, with energy efficient equipment being used to clean all laundry. In our offices, electronic appliances will be used minimally and computers will be switched of when not in use. Renewable energy technology produces energy received from nature like the sun and wind, resulting in less dependence on fossil fuels (Yalcintas Kaya, 2009). Solar panels will be installed in all of Malaica Hotels facilities, especially for water heating, in order to reduce on electricity consumption. The panels will be used continuously and exclusively during the warm seasons of the year. The hotel staff should be trained on energy saving measures, and guests awareness on the same issue is to be raised. Huge savings can be realized by asking guests who are staying for more than one night to reuse their towels and bedding. This will save energy for the hotel, water and staff time. However, the program of reuse, if it is to be successful, must be followed through. The hotel is paying almost 40% of the energy bill towards reheating water. Its steam and hot water needs are huge, and the laundry system should provide an opportunity to reduce energy costs. Washing machines should be loaded to the nominal capacity. In the plans to build 50 more guest rooms, Malaica Hotel will use green energy. The new rooms will adopt new cost saving methods of heating and lighting. The building design technique used will maximize on the available sunlight and incorporate natural ventilation to reduce on the energy use. The building will have lots of shade for the periods when the temperature is too high. All of the above are goals that Malaica Hotel plans to implement by 2020, to help in the reduction of our carbon footprint, save energy and make more profits due to a reduction in expenditures (Schmidt, Schneider Hoffmann, 2012). Waste is a useful resource that can be used to reduce energy requirements. Malaica Hotel can use it to generate energy, thereby reducing its carbon emissions. Composting of waste would also reduce the hotels carbon emissions to a huge percentage. Bottled water, which is preferred by all of our guests, takes up a lot of energy in its processing and transportation. The bottles used for the water are mostly non-degradable, leading to a destruction of the environment. Therefore, Malaica Hotel should have two options. One is to ask the clients to use our tap water which is very clean and safe for consumption. The other would be for the hotel to bottle its own water with recycled bottles, in order to reduce the environmental impact. Malaica Hotel will engage in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), in order to adopt sustainable measures that will contribute to sustainable economic development. CSRs are defined as the basic principles by which a hotel can practice sustainability (Bohdanowicz Hawkins, 2011). The initiatives instituted voluntarily by Malaica Hotel will help the hotel to practice responsible business practices and improve on service performance by the use of standardized responsible business policies. The measures used will also increase the efficiency of the services offered in all the facilities. The hotel clients will also have a better experience, if they cooperate, towards lessening the carbon footprint of the hotel as they enjoy the services provided. The dependence by many organizations on fossil fuels needs to be reduced; therefore an alternative energy supply is critical in shifting the energy supply to more sustainable options. Energy-efficient and renewable energy technologies should be used to reduce the carbon footprints of hotels (Cabrini, 2009). There are some experts who have accused hotels of green washing (Abraham, 2009). There has been a rise in the number of hotels that are using green energy but some of them are accused of using it only as a marketing ploy to attract customers without providing the actual green measurements. Yet, there are hotels that actually implement the green measures to reduce costs and for their social responsibility (Abraham, 2009). Energy conservation saves costs, and studies indicate that 20% energy savings can be instituted by adding energy conservation and energy-efficiency measures in hotels (Bohdanowisz Hawkins, 2011; Kok, McGraw, Quigley, 2011; Simpson et al., 2008). There has been an existing gap between the motivations for companies to adopt sustainable energy measures, and the actual use of these measures. These motivations have been studied with perspectives on what prevents hotel managers from adopting sustainable measures (Graci, 2008). Some managers avoid implementing the measures because they see them as being an unnecessary expenditure, while others see the measures as being too expensive to implement. Many prioritize cost-effective measures with the aim of bringing recognition to their efforts at work. They invest in sustainable practices that will be visibly seen and appreciated by their guests as they facilitate marketing of their green efforts. References Abraham, P. (2009). Green hotels: A fad, ploy or fact of life? International Journal of Hospitality Management, 28(1), 1. doi:10.1016/j.ijhm.2008.09.001 Bohdanowicz, P., Hawkins, R. (2011). Responsible Hospitality: Theory and practice by Rebecca Hawkins, Paulina Bohdanowicz (Paperback, 2011). Goodfellow Publishers Limited. Retrieved from https://www.ebay.co.uk/ctg/Responsible-Hospitality-Theory-and-PracticeRebecca-Hawkins-Paulina-Bohdanowicz-Paperback-2011-/97625301 Cabrini, L. (2009). From Davos to Copenhagen and beyond: Advancing tourisms response to climate change. Presented at the UN Copenhagen Climate Change Conference, Madrid, Spain: UNWTO Carbon calculation tool. (2014). Green Key. Retrieved from https://www.greenkey.global/online-hcmi/. Conrady, R., Buck, M., Viehl, P., Tittel, K. (2011).Trends and issues in global tourism 2011. Heidelberg: Springer Graci, S. (2008). Environmental commitment in the tourism accommodation industry in Sanya, China. Univesity of Waterloo, Waterloo. Retrieved from https://uwspace.uwaterloo.ca/handle/10012/6/simple-search?query=sonya+graci Gill, S, Chatha, G, Tsolakis, A, Golunski, S, York, A 2012, 'Assessing the effects of partially decarbonising a diesel engine by co-fuelling with dissociated ammonia',International Journal Of Hydrogen Energy, 37, 7, pp. 6074-6083, British Library Document Supply Centre Inside Serials Conference Proceedings, EBSCOhost, viewed 10 October 2016. Kok, N., McGraw, M., Quigley, J. M. (2011). The diffusion of energy efficiency in building. American Economic Review, 101(3), 7782. doi:10.1257/aer.101.3.77 Koh, S, Genovese, A, Acquaye, A, Barratt, P, Rana, N 2013, 'Decarbonising product supply chains : design and development of an integrated evidence-based decision support system ; the supply chain environment analysis tool [SCEnAT]',International Journal Of Production Research : American Institute Of Industrial Engineers ; Society Of Manufacturing Engineers, 51, 7, pp. 2092-2109, ECONIS, EBSCOhost, viewed 10 October 2016. Ricaurte, E. (2011). Developing a sustainability measurement framework for hotels: Toward an industry-wide reporting structure. Cornell Hospitality Report. Simpson, M., Gossling, S., Scott, D., Hall, M., Gladin, E. (2008). Climate change adaptation and mitigation in the tourism sector. In the International Seminar on Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation in the Tourism Sector: Frameworks, Tools and Practices. Paris, France: UNEP, University of Oxford, UNWTO, WMO. Schmidt, T, Schneider, M, Hoffmann, V 2012, 'Decarbonising the power sector via technological change differing contributions from heterogeneous firms',Energy Policy, AGRIS, EBSCOhost, viewed 10 October 2016. Yalcintas, M., Kaya, A. (2009). Conservation vs. renewable energy: Cases studies from Hawaii. Energy Policy, 37(8), 32683273.

Harley Davidson International Management Essay Example For Students

Harley Davidson International Management Essay I.Summary of the case study Harley-Davidson rockers idolSo, this case study is about Harley-Davidson, a brand of motorcycles and more precisely about its development since his foundation in 1903 by 21-year-old William S. Harley and 20-year-old Arthur Davidson. So, in 2003, it was the celebration of the 100th birthday of the Harley-Davidson. And, in order to commemorate it, fans of this famous brand rode until Milwaukee to see the parade of 10 000 Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Through this celebration, we can see how recognized this brand is for the owners, or should I say fans. Indeed, this case also shows how the strategy and the marketing of Harley-Davidson are good; because Harley has fans and they will do all they can for their bikes and their brand. For its 100th year, Harley Planned for selling 290 000 bikes. And in 2002, the firm reported a gross profit of US$ 1.4 billion on US$ 4 billion sales. But, its history has never been so easy. Indeed, after 50 years of growth destroying the local competition in the US, Harley has known almost 20 years of hard competition in his market, and especially with Honda. And seeing a deterioration of its market share (only 30%), Harley has decided to abandon overseas markets. 1969 saw Harley-Davidson merge with the American Machine and Foundry Company (AMF). The merger would last until 1981, when 13 senior executives from Harley Davidson buy back the company. After the buyout is made official, the phrase The Eagle Soars Alone becomes a rallying cry. So, this merger has ensured Harley-Davidson to continue its development and its improvement, and succeeded its come back in the first line. This new team achieved this thanks to a good marketing strategy, in other words creating customer value. This new strategy has ensured to create the feeling for the owners to belong to a family, such as the Harley Owners Group. One of the key issue of the new strategy is thus to accord importance to fidelity. The most interesting point of this case is that Harley has different marketing strategy according to countries. Indeed, in some markets (US, Australia, Japan, Spain, Denmark) Harley-Davidson tries to attract new customers using advertisements, but in other markets such as the Europe, the strategy is more the usage of the promotion in specialized magazines. Another interesting point is that the Harleys market shares in Europe in very low although the Europe market represents 35% of the worldwide large motorcycle market. This case study shows too that Harleys customers are not the metal bikers customers who used to be in the past. Indeed, Harley-Davidson attracts now more profession such as lawyers or doctors about 45 years with a medium income level. And, according to customers, buying a Harley-Davidson, it is like a dream and the possibility to be a part of the myth. The dream is about to escape the bored life riding a Harley-Davidson which is relaxing. But, the brand stretching strategy of Harley-Davidson didnt have the expected effects. Indeed, products such as wine and cosmetics (with a partnership with LOreal) have not a high volume of sales. However, products such as leisurewear and fashion ranges feel better. So, the main issue of this case study is to know why Harley-Davidson has chosen different strategies according to markets, understand the idea of the brand stretching strategy of Harley-Davidson, and also to give some recommendations and ideas for the marketing strategy of Harley-Davidson. II.Strategy of Harley-Davidson1.Marketing environmental analysisFirst of all, Harley-Davidson has realized since the 80s an impressive marketing strategy giving to Harley-Davidson a brand name more than ever recognized, even compared to its first 50 years. Indeed, the strategy was not to focus on reducing the costs, or on the distribution improvement, but the main element was to create customer value. In other words, H-Ds will was to give more credibility, trust, safety, desire, quality of product and service, and thus fidelity to its brand. And in order to reach that goal, H-D centralized its marketing on these topics, creating for example a Harley Owners Group who rallies more than 900 000 members worldwide (www.harley-davidson.com). The main interest of this group is to ensure members to know each other, and become a second family who share the same interests, wills, and thoughts. And this strategy ensures Harley-Davidson to maintain a strong relationship with its customers, and thus a strong brand name all over the world. According to customers, the owners of H-D say that this brand understand them and their needs, and also that they are always there if a problem appears. These remarks can be linked with Harley-Davidsons values. Indeed, according to H-D Our values are the heart of how we run our business. They guide our actions and serve as the framework for the decisions and contributions our employees make at every level of the Company.(www.harleydavidson.com); these values are:Be FairTell the TruthKeep Your Promis esRespect the IndividualEncourage Intellectual CuriosityWe can also link this strategy with the mission statement of Harley-Davidson: We fulfill dreams through the experience of motorcycling by providing to motorcyclists and to the general public an expanding line of motorcycles and branded products and services in selected market segmentsHarley Davidson Inc. So, through these first elements of explanation of Harleys success, we can clearly see what Harley-Davidsons strategic objectives are. Indeed, in order to be successful, organizations must determine clear financial and strategic objectives. Thompson-Strickland, in his book (Strategic Management, eleventh edition), outlined a number of strategic performance objectives and Harley-Davidson applied some of these. Harley-Davidson focused on gaining a greater market share, achieving higher product quality than rivals, maintaining a stronger reputation and a better branding strategy than its competitors, increasing levels of customer satisfaction and finally attaining stronger customer loyalty. Thanks to the establishment of the strategic objectives of the company, managers can decide what the main goal of the company is, and therefore decide on the companys strategic intent. When Yamaha challenged Honda in the Japanese market, Honda responded with Yamaha wo tsubusu (We will crush, squash, slaughter Yamaha). Strategic intent gives direction to the company and a commitment to winning. The strategic intent of Harley is based on creating a culture both within and outside the organization. Thanks to this culture a strong bondage is created between the company and its customers. The product takes second place while the emotions associated with the brand becomes the most important value. This separates them from their competitors, as this culture is difficult to recreate. Their approach allowed them to lead the way in the U.S. and Asian marketsAccording to Jeffrey L. Bleustein, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Harley Davidson, We have the very important job of providing our customers with more than just motorcycleswe provide a complete motorcycle experience through our products, unique services and memorable events. And we are constantly making that experience better by building relationships with the people who ride our motorcycles (code of conduct). Their business philosophy is built on bringing people together and creating communities. In the 60s and 70s Harleys strategic intent was based on going shoulder-to-shoulder against the predominantly Japanese companies. Harley could not compete on the price level, and the Japanese products were of superior quality, Harley decided to compete in other areas. Their new strategy was to connect with people on an emotional level. They are not selling a product but a way of life, a way of thinking. Harley changed its strategy from selling products to selling community. If theres one secret to our enduring brand and the passion it ignites in our riders, its that we deliver these experiences, rather than merely a collection of products and services, explains a manager from the company. The example of the Saturn shows how successful such as strategy is. The Saturn is a practical, unsexy, utilitarian car, priced for people who do not find joy in haggling on price. But like Harley Davidson, there is a sense of community among owners. People come into the dealership on Saturday morning; they have free car washes, coffee and donuts. They talk to each other and have one thing in common which is their car. This strategy to bring people together builds a sense of unity with the organization and creates strong brand loyalty. And the fact that H-D has developed a Brand stretching strategy can also be an element of Harleys success in developing relationships with customers. Indeed, owners can buy other Harleys products than bikes; it means that they can be more than a biker, they can join Harleys group buying leather accessories or clothes, and even cosmetics. So, the marketing strategy of Harley-Davidson is successful, especially in the US, because US people have more that kind of mind. Indeed, Harleys spirit is a distinct family, a second way of living. And, this is the most important because corporate personality has a big impact on business success (Book of International Business, Stuart Wall Bronwen Rees, 2004, Prentice Hall). And now, the main issue for Harley-Davidson is to find the way for improving its sales in Europe and in Asia. 2.International StrategySince the end of the 80s, Harley-Davidsons strategy has been changed, trying to break into the European market. So, in 5 years the production has doubled (tripled in 8 years). Indeed, according to Jean-Luc MARS, CEO of Harley-Davidson France (www.moto-station.com), the actual growth is the result of all the work done during the last 15 years. According to him, Harley has worked a lot since the end of the 80s (without talking about the H.O.G or other events) on the local market penetration (commercial, network, image/marketing), but also on the improvement of the manufacturing production quality. III.Strategic PlanningIn order to know what are the issues Harley-Davidson has to focus on for its international development strategy, it is important to have more acknowledge about the market, and also about itself. Indeed, strategic decisions can be made only if we have all the information needed about itself (competencies, financial health), and its market (competit ors, forecasts). And, the best way to reach this goal is to do an external and internal Analysis. So, this is all about strategic planning which aims are to define firms missions and objectives, but also to find growth opportunities and what could be a threat in the future. And, according to Kenneth Andrews of the Harvard Business School, corporate strategy is the pattern of decisions in a company that determines and reveals its objectives, purposes, or goals, produces the principal policies and plans for achieving those goals, and defines the range of business the company is to pursue (Book of International Business). 1.External analysisa.P.E.S.T AnalysisThis analysis means that external factors operates on firms and can be an element to take in account to implement the strategy. Indeed, these factors are Political, Economic, Social, and Technological. PoliticalLaws exist in each marketplace, governing levels of pollution, plant emissions and the working environment. The Harley Company needs to be made well aware in advance of safety environmental standards in order to fully comply, therefore avoiding bad publicity and possible financial and legal repercussions. According to Harleys Code of Conduct, one of the environment responsibilities is Preserving the planet and Consider the environmental impact of business decisions before proceedings. There is an act in France, for example, governing motor noise emissions, and this is naturally quite relevant to Harley as its owners take pride in the engines loud noise. Following the tragic events of September 11th 2001, Americans are said to have become more patriotic which will no doubt have led to them taking increased pride in all things American. Harley is seen by many as one of the greatest U.S. symbols and will have achieved an evermore endearing place in the hearts of Americans. Virtual Reality1 EssayAnother weakness of Harley-Davidson is the narrowness of the product line. Some stock market analysts have predicted that Harley-Davidson is a disaster waiting to happen because the company is a one product company. Competitor brands have more than one product line and in the long run will be able to invest more trying to eat away the market share of Harley-Davidson. IV.Strategy to implement1.Strategic issuesAccording to me, and according to the strategic planning, there are four strategic issues that Harley-Davidson has to face with. The most important is the European market where H-D has to increase its sales, then, linked with the first issue, there is a fierce competition with the Japanese firms such as Honda and Yamaha. The other issues are the women market and the accessories which are in decline. So, as we know, Harley-Davidson is not very famous in Europe where Harleys market share of 650 cc plus motorcycle is less than 7% (6.6%), while in North America Harley-Davidson has a huge market share (46.4%), 21.3% for the Asian market. The main industry competitors are Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha, Kawasaki and BMW. Harley-Davidson is the market leader in the U.S. market with 46.4% market share. Their domestic position is quite secure however the rival companies are all aiming to increase their impact on the North American market. Honda remains the main competitor with a 20.2% market share in North America. Even though they trail behind Harley in the high profit market for heavy bikes, Honda sells more bikes worldwide than Harley-Davidson. Honda provides a wider selection of products ranging from super sport bikes, cruisers, scooters and motor cross bikes. The popularity of cruiser bikes is increasing and last year the registrations for heavy weight motorcycles rose by 22%, but Harleys share fell from 50.2% in 1997 to 46.4% in 2002. This means that companies like Honda are quite successful in taking customers away from Harley. Rival manufacturers such as Kawasaki or BMW have all made a serious attempt to establish them at the heart of Harleys market. The Japanese bikes were often considered to be sissy cycles by Harley lovers. This image is slowly changing and the Japanese companies are trying to out Harley the Harley models. Yamaha motor USA is starting to improve its position in its various markets. The U.S. sales have increased for 47% since 1998. Despite these successes, companies have had a tough time in creating an image for themselves particularly in the cruiser markets. Harley continues to dominate the U.S, market and is also the leader in the Asian/Pacific markets with 21.3% market share. So, compared with Honda, its main competitor, H-D is better in North America and in Asia-Pacific, but certainly not in Europe. What is very interesting, it is the fact that the Asian market is more or less equitably shared. In other words, there is not too much gap between all the competitors, especially between Harley-Davidson and Honda (21.3% against 19.1%). But, this is totally different in Europe for Harley-Davidson who has only 6.6% of market share. So, to my mind, this market is the most promising. Thats why Harley-Davidson has to focus especially its marketing in the European market in order to win market shares, and reduce the gap between its competitors. Moreover, Harley net revenue in Europe is the second behind the U.S. With only 6.6% of market share the European market is already the second net revenue. So, if Harley succeeds in increasing its market share in Europe, its net revenue could be in high growth. Then, in order to fully understand its market, and in order to compete in a more serious way its competitors, Harley-Davidson must identify the distinct segments that their competitors focus on and what distinctive product service benefits they offer. Hondas activities are forcing Harley-Davidson into a niche market. The company is known for its flexibility and is progressively introducing bigger and better bikes. The Japanese manufacturer is starting to increase its competitive pressure by applying some of the strategies implemented by Harley. Honda is beginning to improve its relations with its customers and is also trying to build a sense of community among its customers. The Honda Rider Club of America is Hondas attempt to achieve the same sense of belonging Harley bikers have with their beloved brand. The club allows customers to gain 24-hour emergency roadside services. The club also organizes a number of events and rallies for the Honda fans. Honda is also trying to create the next generation of loyal Honda bikers. Honda organizes a number of Motor-Cross Camps for young riders. Some of the main activities include riding courses races and riding trips and family activities, the main way to gain the loyalty of young bikers wh o will hopefully stay loyal to the brand, as they get older. These community-building strategies are proving to be extremely beneficial for the Japanese firm. The Honda new models such as the Shadow 750, the VTX 1300S are Hondas attempts to steal some of Harleys market share by recreating the Harley feel. Superior technology is the main strategy to achieve this goal. Yamaha is also trying to outperform Harley and is improving its mass customization skills. The Yamaha website offers a section that allows customers to design their own bike and choose the look and functionality they desire. The interface ensures customers to choose from 75 Yamaha accessory items and makes it easy for the customer to purchase the bike online. The Yamaha V Max model, the Drag Star, and the Road Star models attract customers with their slick design and technological tweaks. The Yamaha sports models are also very successful and the company is still maintaining a strong position in world markets. European rivals are also trying to make an impact on this lucrative market. Italys Moto Guzzi recently introduced the V11 EV custom cruiser. BMW introduced 3 models of its R1200C cruiser and thanks to clever advertising is beginning to improve its position in the U.S. and Asian markets. According to the website www.moto-station.com, only 12% of the Harleys customers are females. But female bikers are more and more interested by bikes. And Yamaha and Kawasaki are trying to take advantage of this growing interest of female bikers and many of their ads feature women on motorcycles. Harley has already understood this new opportunity. Indeed, Harley has made an advertising showing a woman on a Harley-Davidson. Here is the main topic of the publicity: A man is admiring a Harley-Davidson motorcycle thats parked on the street. An attractive woman passes by and says nice Harley, which is all the guy needs to start flirting, boasting that he likes to live on the edge, etc. Unfortunately for him, the real Harley owner chooses that moment to arrive and climbs aboard her bike. His reaction is to try to convince the object of his affection that the bike is being stolen right in front of them in broad daylight. And, another key issue for the future is the problem of the accessories. Indeed, those products such as perfumes or cosmetics are decreasing a lot. So, Harley-Davidson should take a decision about this unsuccessful strategy of brand stretching. But, this strategy has a lot of success regards to the leatherwear and fashion area. According to me, Harley-Davidson should continue to improve this brand stretching and not leave the market of cosmetics and perfumes. Indeed, this is this strategy that has ensured the customers to be able to belong to a second family, and has allowed to Harley this reputation to be closer to the customer. If you remove the cosmetics and perfumes, some fans could lose something and could change their mind about Harley-Davidson. Indeed, the History of H-D is all about fans. Furthermore, the female market is growing a lot, and is for sure the best way for Harley to regain some market share in this brand stretching. 2.RecommendationsFirst of all, Harley-Davidson should find a new approach to its European marketing campaign in order to conquer European markets. Indeed, in Europe, Harley-Davidson is not yet a culture as it is in the United States. Maybe, the design of the bikes, or the size, are not adapted to the European market where roads are not as big as in the U.S., and where the circulation in big cities does not allow to ride a big cruiser bike, and for sure does not ensure pleasure in riding such a bike with a lot of cars all around. But, it is maybe the same in the U.S. cities but there are much more possibilities to enjoy riding a Harley thanks to big and large roads such as the famous road Route 66. And, in order to face with this problem, Harley has developed a new bike particularly adapted to the European market (www.moto-station.com), presented the last 24th of January. But, this is not the main problem. Indeed, Harley has to face with a lack of this culture, group, family, and pleasure, which are present in the U.S. So, in order to give these sensations in Europe, and establish a stronger image, Harley should realize an advertising campaign putting forward those elements of recognition of the Harley Group. Here are some ideas about what could be the advertising campaign: A bike is going very fast, not a Harley-Davidson. Another bike, a Harley-Davidson, is not going fast with the new Harley. The man on the first bike makes fun of the second bike and passes it. But, they meet each other on a red light. The scenario continues in this way and each time they meet each other on a red light, more Harley-Davidsons bikes are present. Its like they know each other, shaking hands and talking So, the message of this ad will be the pleasure to ride with a Harley, without stress and relaxed. So, at the end, the message could be Ride without stress, let yourself be guided by your instinct. And above it we could see the slogan The Eagle Soars Alone. Other promotions could be present in specialized magazines. Indeed, this strategy could ensure Harley-Davidson to touch more people in the target. This idea could be present in different kind of magazines in order to touch specified targets. So, magazines for women can be used in order to contact the female market, non-bikes magazines in order to touch non-bikers, and bikes-magazines in order to keep the brand name and the recognition of the owners. Then, to my mind, another problem of Harley-Davidsons strategy is the fact that H-D is only present in one segment, the cruisers. Indeed, its competitors such as Honda or Yamaha are presents in all segments (sport, cross-country, cruiser, ). According to me, this is the reason why the median age of Harley riders is growing up. So, Harley-Davidson should try to go to other segments, in order to diversify its customers. Harley has well understood this promising gap in the market, buying back the firm Buell, famous for sport bikes. And, according to Jean-Luc Mars, CEO of Harley-Davidson France, Buell ensures to conceive radical bikes without endanger the foundations of Harleys brand. Buell also ensures to develop internally Harley-Davidson France and its network, our entire acknowledge of the bikes market, and to innovate on original marketing techniques. But, this is the first step in this promising segment, where young people are for sure the more present. Honda and Yamaha, for instance, are very well recognized in this market. And, according to me, the reason is the fact that they are present in grand prix doing races and winning championships, and thus becoming famous all over the world. Indeed, races can prove the quality, the competitiveness, and the reliability of a brand. It is not a hazard that Honda won from 1994 to 2003 the 9 championships in the biggest and the hardest class, 16 championships won in total.