Benihana of Tokyo

Benihana of Tokyo Brief background of the company The company was a unique steakhouse during the year 1972 that was known by many people. The chefs from Japan were employed to cook food in a room where customers could see them. There were beautiful decorations resembling those from Japan, which attracted many customers. The restaurant started business with 40 seats and later the expansion had fifteen units located all over the country with nine of them under the ownership of the company.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Benihana of Tokyo specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Benihana of Tokyo Company commenced business in the year 1935 when Aoki started a chain in Japan. The name Benihana originated from a red flower that was planted near where the restaurant was located. The Aoki family had operated restaurants for a long period but competition begun in the year 1958 when it had the idea of hibachi table that the father used to ensure succ ess of the business (Sasser 1) The problems or issues the firm encounters The problems encountered were lack of employees to work in the restaurants as well as high wages and salaries. The solution to the problem was elimination of kitchens that were not necessary and attending the customers well for them to enjoy the services and come back again. The dinning area was increased to accommodate more people while the back of the house remained at 22% of the whole space. The methods of storing food were a problem because large amount of it was wasted after going bad within a short period. There was a proposal to change the food in the menu so that the one not selling fast could be reduced such as chicken and beef. This brought solution to problem of wasting food and the cost of food was reduced depending on the selling price of meat (Sasser 2) Analysis Strategically and Operationally The company ordered materials for building from Japan where cost was affordable. The units build could r ecover the costs incurred for building within the first six months after the operations were commenced. There was fast development that led to increased revenue used to establish other units such as Marina Towers. The unit in Chicago generated a lot of money compared to other units. The cost of advertisement to reach customers and inform them about the services offered by the company was affordable. The company preferred to own units rather than franchising in the year 1970 because the economy was unstable. The end of franchising led to problems because those people who bought them did not have experience on how to operate restaurants. The investors who came from United States of America had trouble because they required staff from Japan with whom they could not relate well.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Benihana company success was at risk when the people wh o were aware of its operations wanted to begin a restaurant but failed to make profit within one year. There was difficulty in imitating the business leading to pressure from competitors who wanted to franchise. Rocky realized the space in the bar needed to be increased at Benihana east. The tables for serving customers had exhaust to remove bad smell, excess heat and steam. Enough dinners were available with chefs as well as waiters who served customers immediately they arrived. The meat was purchased in large quantity every time and the hours of operations depended on demand for the services. The location of the restaurants determined the time of opening and closing the business. Many customers during lunchtime were provided with menu to select the meal to be served (Sasser 3). Ethics and Sustainability Issues The number of people expected to use the services offered determined the site where the restaurants were located. Many people were available during lunch hour and dinner to enjoy meals of their choice. The units that offered accommodation were located in the business areas so that the customers could access them easily. There was training of staff in order to offer quality services to the customers and a course of Japanese English for six months. The managers of the restaurants trained staff so that they can meet the goals for continuous growth of the company. Advertisement was done to create awareness of the business to the customers and persuade them to utilize the services. Market research was done for the company to establish the potential customers in order to attract and retain them (Sasser 4) Action plans The plan for expansion includes five units to be opened every year such as Hotel in Canada with effective management. There is need to increase the number of staff to prevent shortage as well as training them to have experience in the duties assigned. The major cities will be considered for establishment of restaurants at an affordable cost (Sa sser 5). Conclusion The Benihana Company should expand business in the United States of America where small units with high profit margin are recommended. The existing markets need to be penetrated where there are many people so that the business can be successful. The units within the company should operate as separate entities where they account for the operations as well as profit in each unit (Sasser 6). Sasser, Earl. Benihana of Tokyo, Allston: Harvard Business School, 2004. 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Power in the Film Thirteen Days Essay Example

Power in the Film Thirteen Days Essay Example Power in the Film Thirteen Days Paper Power in the Film Thirteen Days Paper Essay Topic: Thirteen Reasons Why Amanda Nasca November 20th 2011 Power â€Å"Thirteen Days† Legitimate power  stems from the belief that a person has the right to influence others by virtue of holding a position of authority, such as the authority of a manager over a subordinate or of a teacher over a student (ENotes. com). In some respects, everyone has power- the power to either push forward or hinder the goals of the organization by making decisions, delegating decisions, delaying decisions, rejecting decisions, or supporting decisions. However, the effective use of power does not mean control. Power can be detrimental to the goals of the organization if held by those who use it to enhance their own positions and thereby prevent the advancement of the goals of the organization. In the film â€Å"Thirteen Days† the aspect of power is displayed from the president of the United States, John F Kennedy. The president is considered by many people to be the most powerful man in the world. I disagree with that statement, and here’s why. While technically the president of the US has almost absolute power because according to the Constitution he is the commander and chief of the armed forces, therefore, the president can make a decision on his own without getting approval of anyone in the United States. This is an example of the president’s formal power because the constitution, which is the overriding law of the land, states that he is commander and chief of the armed forces, While the president has formal power it is not unlimited power. The Cuban Missile Crisis is what the film is centered around, and during this crisis the president could have done what he wanted to do and be legally correct without the consent or approval of congress. Without needing the consent of any political party, he could have decided to do a first strike against the Soviet Union, but he did not make that choice. While his power seems to be absolute, in reality he does need a certain amount of consensus and approval before he can act. For example, in the in the film he needed to listen to the opinion of his advisors, the secretary of state, secretary of defense, the joint chiefs of staff, and our allies around the world, before making any final decisions. He could come up with a plan of action, but then he needed these groups to agree on what they want to do. Though his power seems absolute, no man is an island. In further support of my opinion that the president power is not absolute we need to look at the personality of JFK. He did not just look at a situation and make a decision on his own, he sought out the options of others. Some of the reasons for this can well be because of President Kennedys age, he was younger and less experiences than his secretary of state, secretary of defense, and joint chiefs of staff. To JFK’s credit he realized that the greatness of a leader comes from the greatness of the people that he surrounds himself with; a great leader depends on great advisors. The role of his advisors is to provide him with accurate information to help him make the final decision. Despite his absolute power, to some degree, he is also dependent on the information his advisors provide him in order to make a decision. Throughout the film there were numerous times when the President and all of his advisors were sitting in a room together debating what the next best course of action is. President Kennedy did not make the decision himself, he seemed to just step aside frequently and allow his advisors to come to a conclusion that himself and everyone else could agree on. The knowledge that the joint chiefs of staff had concerning the power of the American military and the effectiveness of the Soviet military gave them power because their input was crucial to President Kennedy’s decision making. In a sense JFK was dependent on the knowledge of the military strategy that the joint chief of staff possessed. While the president had the formal power, he had to depend on the information provided to him by the joint chiefs, who had less formal power than he had. (Chou) In conclusion, what the Cuban Missile Crisis demonstrated is that while the president had the formal power his advisors showed the level of power and influence they possessed in their role with their president. They didn’t have formal power or legal power, but their power comes from their knowledge and their experience in their position, this power would be called personal power. The president’s advisor’s knowledge created a sphere of influence for the president, this knowledge can be known as informal power. Their opinions carry weight and importance, but yet they have no formal authority. The president who had all the formal power needed to rely on those with informal power to guide his decisions. Sources: Management: Authority and Responsibility ENotes. com.   ENotes Literature Study Guides, Lesson Plans, and More. Web. 20 Nov. 2011. enotes. com/management-authority-responsibility-reference/management-authority-responsibility. Thirteen Days. Dir. Roger Donaldson. New Line Cinema Presents, 2000. Chou, Andy. Power and Politics. Lecture/Slides.

Economics and Management of Competitive Strategy Assignment

Economics and Management of Competitive Strategy - Assignment Example Likewise, in terms of the cost per movie of the movie studios who are the movie rental supplies, the total cost is the cost of producing the movie. However, to determine the supplier value, it is equal to â€Å"the difference between the payment the firm makes to the supplier and the supplier’s cost† (Spulber, 2009, p. 206). Their cost could be estimated by determining the cost of using their assets; or by calculating their operating profit. Likewise, the costs per movie of the movie rental chain are, therefore, the total costs or expenses that the movie rental chain is willing to pay to deliver the total value to the consumers. Thus, the value created per movie of the movie rental chain is the â€Å"total value created a net of customer value and supplier value† (Spulber, 2009, p. 210). (ii) The retail price per movie is the price paid by the customer per unit of renting a movie; while the wholesale price is the price in volume, of say, renting movies in batches of 10 or more. The factors that affect retail and wholesale prices include transaction cost per unit, direct labor, and overhead costs. Consumers’ surplus is determined by the net benefits from purchasing the goods; while producers’ surplus, also known as operating profit is the supplier value, defined as â€Å"the difference between the payment the firm makes to the supplier and the supplier’s cost† (Spulber, 2009, p. 206). ... lowering supplier cost; (2) providing greater benefits to customers by improving products and services; and (3) developing innovative transactions that offer new value to the market† (Spulber, 2009, p. 210). Likewise, the movie rental chain can increase the value that it captures either through the increase of prices to customers; reducing payments to suppliers, or making more effective use of its assets. (iv) In a rent or sale of DVDs alternative, the movie rental chain should take into consideration the following factors: (1) the costs of paying suppliers (supplier value) for the DVDs to be sold or rented out; (2) direct costs (labor and overhead); and (3) the perceived customer value from either renting or buying DVDs.  Ã‚