Tesla Case free essay sample

Sociocultural factors:  · The trend today between people and in the U. S. environment is buying such types of cars. Technology factors:  · Technology is highly used and thus ready to assist in the availability of these cars. Ecological factors:  · The cars that are produced by tesla are environmentally friendly. Legal factors:  · The regulations in the U. S. help the growth of such a business. 2. For the Tesla Company, in order to analyze the industry’s environment, one has to cover each aspect of the Porter’s 5 forces. First force is the competitive rivalry which is considered very high in this industry. All companies are searching for the new market in the car industry which is the electric line. The industry is limited to specific players which make it saturated as every player has huge resources, reputation, image†¦ Thus it is an oligopoly as there are 3 big US companies, along with the German, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese car companies. We will write a custom essay sample on Tesla Case or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Second force is the threat from new entrants which is low. The barriers to entry are high due to the high capital requirement to manufacturing cars. Also such an industry need brand equity and image along with needing a wide distribution channel. Also one needs the technological know-how which is gained through time and investing highly in human capital. Nevertheless it is highly difficult to exit such an industry after investing in it. Third force is the bargaining power of suppliers which is considerably moderate. Tesla is an important company for some of the suppliers as it is considered a significant customer to them and they have a long term contracts to defend itself so there bargaining power is low. But at the same time for other suppliers, Tesla has specific needs and not everyone can supply them so their bargaining power is high. Thus as a whole it is moderate. Forth aspect is the bargaining power of buyers which is also moderate. In this industry there are two types of buyers dealers and individuals. Dealers have long term contracts with the company and they usually order in large quantities which make their bargaining power high. However for the individuals their bargaining power is low as their order is minimal. Thus as a whole it is moderate. Finally the fifth factor is threat of substitutes which is also moderate. It depends on the market if it is used to using other ways of transportation like walking or public transportation. But for using normal fuel cars there is a strong infrastructure which isn’t present yet for electric cars making it easier to substitute to fuel cars. However the market is searching for fuel efficient cars or other kinds of energy cars especially with the increase in fuel prices causing higher demand to electric cars. Thus as a conclusion as Tesla can’t lower the cost of production so can’t lower the prices making them unable to compete on prices, Tesla should differentiate themselves in terms of quality and design to target higher end customers. 3. Using VRIO analysis: Valuable: Tesla motors is an American company that designs and sells electric based cars. In December 2006, Tesla motors was announced as the best invention of the year in the transportation category, however, the electric car technology is still not proven and it lacks high-performance batteries as well as some major safety issues then after some challenges the company has faced, it has improved electric power-train performance and lowered the production cost in 2009. Rarity: Tesla Motors is known to have a differentiated product over other firms in the sense that it sells electric based cars. It is the only successfully running electric sports cars in the U. S. At the beginning sales were not enough to sustain the business but tesla motors proved it self after introducing the new model, Tesla Roadster 2. There is only few car manufacturing companies trying to enter this industry which makes Tesla Motors have a competitive advantage. Imitability: This new invention needs a huge amount of capital to invest in. Tesla motors took a huge risk by investing in a new and differentiated product because this business might fail at one point or another. Organization: Tesla motors has got very good resources and technology however, it was bleeding money. As well as it lacks the good culture and trustworthiness of an organization for example when Martin Eberhard, one of the founders of Tesla Motors had led the investors to believe that the cost of the roadster was $65,000 whereas it turned out to be $92,000 sticker price. Through VRIO analysis, Tesla Motors is found to be a valuable and rare company. Of course it is very hard to imitate considering the amount of capital that should be invested, as well as the huge risks taken. However, we found out that Tesla motors has few emerging competitors into this industry. We can conclude that if Tesla Motors puts extra efforts onto making its organization a better one and invest its time researching in order to overtake other car manufacturers whom are trying to invest in this new technology, then Tesla can maintain its current competitive advantage in the long run.

Latin American City Structure Model

Latin American City Structure Model In 1980, geographers Ernest Griffin and Larry Ford developed a generalized model to describe the structure of cities in Latin America after concluding that the organization of many cities in that region grew following certain patterns. Their general model (diagrammed here) claims that Latin American cities are built up around a core central business district (CBD). Out of that district comes a commercial spine that is surrounded by elite housing. These areas are then surrounded by three concentric zones of housing that decrease in quality as one moves away from the CBD. Background and Development of Latin American City Structure As many Latin American Cities began to grow and develop during colonial times, their organization was mandated by a set of laws called the Laws of the Indies. These were a set of laws issued by Spain to regulate the social, political, and economic structure of its colonies outside of Europe. These laws mandated everything from treatment of the Indians to the width of the streets. In terms of city structure, the Laws of the Indies required that colonial cities have a grid pattern built around a central plaza. Blocks near the plaza were for residential development for the citys elite. The streets and development farther from the central plaza were then developed for those with less social and economic status. As these cities later began to grow and the Laws of the Indies no longer applied, this grid pattern worked only in areas with slow development and minimal industrialization. In faster growing cities this central area became built up as a central business district (CBD). These areas were the economic and administrative cores of the cities but they did not expand much prior to the 1930s. In the mid- to late 20th century the CBD began to further expand and the organization of the colonial cities of Latin America was mostly demolished and the stable central plaza became the node for the evolution of an Anglo-American styled CBD. As the cities continued to grow, various industrial activities built up around the CBD because of a lack of infrastructure father away. This resulted in a mix of business, industry, and homes for the wealthy near the CBD. Around this same time, Latin American cities also experienced in-migration from the countryside and high birth rates as the poor tried to move closer to cities for work. This resulted in the development of squatter settlements on the edge of many cities. Because these were are on the periphery of the cities they were also the least developed. Over time, however, these neighborhoods became more stable and gradually obtained more infrastructure. Model of Latin American City Structure In looking at these developmental patterns of Latin American cities, Griffin and Ford developed a model to describe their structure that can be applied to almost all major cities in Latin America. This model shows that most cities have a central business district, one dominant elite residential sector, and a commercial spine. These areas are then surrounded by a series of concentric zones that decrease in residential quality farther from the CBD. Central Business District The center of all Latin American cities is the central business district. These areas are home to the best employment opportunities and they are the commercial and entertainment hubs for the city. They are also very well developed in terms of infrastructure and most have many modes of public transportation so that people can easily get into and out of them. Spine and Elite Residential Sector After the CBD the next most dominant part of Latin American cities is the commercial spine that is surrounded by residential developments for the most elite and wealthy people in the city. The spine itself is considered an extension of the CBD and it is home to many commercial and industrial applications. The elite residential sector is where nearly all of the citys professionally built houses are and the upper class and upper middle class live in these regions. In many cases, these areas also have large tree-lined boulevards, golf courses, museums, restaurants, parks, theaters, and zoos. Land use planning and zoning are also very strict in these areas. Zone of Maturity The zone of maturity is located around the CBD and is considered an inner city location. These areas have better-constructed homes and in many cities, these areas have middle-income residents who filtered in after the upper class residents moved out of the inner city and into the elite residential sector. These areas have a fully developed infrastructure. Zone of in Situ Accretion The zone of in situ accretion is a transitional area for Latin American cities that is between the zone of maturity and the zone of peripheral squatter settlements. The homes are of modest qualities that vary widely in size, type, and quality of materials. These areas look like they are in a constant state of on-going construction and homes are unfinished. Infrastructure such as roads and electricity is only completed in some areas. Zone of Peripheral Squatter Settlements The zone of peripheral squatter settlements is located on the edge of Latin American cities and it is where the poorest people in the cities live. These areas have virtually no infrastructure and many homes are built by their residents using whatever materials they can find. Older peripheral squatter settlements are better developed as residents often continually work to improve the areas, while newer settlements are just starting. Age Differences in Latin American City Structure Like the age differences present in the zone of peripheral squatter settlements age differences are important in the overall structure of Latin American cities as well. In older cities with slow population growth, the zone of maturity is often larger and the cities appear more organized than younger cities with very fast population growth. As a result, the size of each zone is a function of the age of the city and of the rate of population growth in relation to the economic capacity of the city to absorb effectively additional residents and to extend public services. Revised Model of Latin American City Structure In 1996 Larry Ford presented a revised model of Latin American city structure after further development in the cities made them more complicated than the 1980 general model showed. His revised model (diagrammed here) incorporated six changes to the original zones. The changes are as follows: 1) The new central city should be divided into a CBD and a Market. This change shows that many cities now have offices, hotels, and retail structures in their downtowns as well as their original CBDs. 2) The spine and elite residential sector now have a mall or edge city at the end to provide goods and services to those in the elite residential sector. 3) Many Latin American cities now have separate industrial sectors and industrial parks that are outside of the CBD. 4) Malls, edge cities, and industrial parks are connected in many Latin American cities by a periferico or ring highway so that residents and workers can travel between them easier. 5) Many Latin American cities now have middle class housing tracts that are located close to the elite housing sector and the periferico. 6) Some Latin American cities are also undergoing gentrification to protect historical landscapes. These areas are often located in the zone of maturity near the CBD and the elite sector. This revised model of Latin American city structure still takes into account the original model but it allows for new the development and changes that constantly occur in the rapidly growing Latin American region. Resources and Further Reading Ford, Larry R. A New and Improved Model of Latin American City Structure. Geographical Review, vol. 86, no.3, 1996.Griffin, Ernest and Ford, Larry. A Model of Latin American City Structure. Geographical Review, vol. 70, no. 4, 1980.

Genetic Modification a Hybrid DNA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Genetic Modification a Hybrid DNA - Essay Example In case of genetic modification, a hybrid DNA is produced by combining DNA from different organisms. These organisms could be far apart in nature – like producing an organism by combining DNA of dog and cat. In case of non-genetically modified organism natural crossing is done between two different breeds of the same species to produce the combination of the better of the two. This is rather a natural evolutionary process, while the genetic engineering is a completely artificial synthesis of DNA in a test tube. 2. This is possible but this will require the techniques of genetic engineering. To differentiate critically, one requires identifying genes of both the plants. In case of genetically modified plants there will be genes of genes of some other type of plants, while in case of plants modified by molecular genetics, all the genes will be from the same plant. 3. Some relevant examples are - food poisoning, dysentery, nausea or vomiting, obesity, lack of micronutrients, excessive intake of different constituents like iron, allergy, retarded growth etc. All of this can be caused by genetically modified food. But, here I must add a word of caution, all of these can be caused by conventional food as well. The problem is not with the conventional or genetically modified food but is with unsafe food. The only thing that goes in favor of conventional food here is that these are tested and tried since time immemorable, while genetically modified foods are recent phenomena and therefore, some lack of trust is but natural. 4. To answer this we need to go to the basics. For any organism its characteristic is coded in its DNA – be its nutritional composition, shelf life, yield, disease resistance. In case the DNA is suitably modified, these characteristics can be modified. For example, extract a gene resp, possibly for higher yield from a plant and put this into a low yield crop.