Evaluating how Cisco Wal

Intense global competition has heightened the need for companies to undertake mergers and acquisitions (MA) as a primary means of enhancing their competitive advantage. Horizontal MA’s, often done between direct competitors operating in the same industry, have become progressively popular in business practice.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Evaluating how Cisco Wal-Mart have used Acquisitions to Enhance Market Position Competitive Advantage specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, there exists compelling evidence that most MA activities are largely unsuccessful, with industry analysts putting the estimated failure rates at between 60 and 80% (Homburg Bucerius, 2005). This realization does not imply that MA’s have not worked for some organizations; to the contrary, well planned and executed MA have been able to record significant success in a number of areas perceived to be of critical importanc e to the optimal functioning of business activities. It is the purpose of this paper to explain how Cisco and Wal-Mart propensity for acquisitions have inarguably enabled the companies to remain competitive and achieve their business objectives in the face of enhanced global competition and an ever changing business environment. Cisco, more than any other firm operating in the high-technology industry, has managed to build a leading market position through acquisition (Mayer Kenny, 2004). The company has not only been involved in many more acquisitions than its main competitors such as Nortel, Ericsson, Juniper Networks and Alcatel Lucent, but it has recorded fewer failures. Indeed, while Cisco’s star continues to shine, some of the mentioned competitors are on the blink of bankruptcy despite the fact that they were also involved in aggressive acquisition. According to Mayer Kenny (2004), acquisition price alone cannot in any way be used to explain Cisco’s success st ory since other competitors paid comparable prices to effects their own acquisitions. Cisco has received praise from many quarters for effectively using acquisitions as a fundamental constituent in its overall competitive strategy. By 2001, the company had effectively acquired 71 enterprises for over $34.5 billion, and successfully leveraged these acquisitions to beat competition and become a market leader.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Mayer Kenny (2004) posits that â€Å"†¦without these acquisitions, [Cisco] could not have maintained a compounded annual growth in revenues and profits of over 30 per cent from 1987 through 2000, and likely would have been out-flanked by startups† (p. 300). As such, it can be argued that the acquisitions have assisted Cisco to expand its resource base by enabling it to enter multiple markets with relative ease. Second, Ciscoâ⠂¬â„¢s acquisitions have enabled the company to transfer and acquire critical knowledge across geographical locations for enhanced global marketing opportunities. Knowledge acquisition and innovation is critical in the technology industry, and Cisco has effectively used the window of acquisitions to leverage the two, thus enhancing its competitive capabilities (Mayer Kenny, 2004). Third, by acquiring small high-technology startups, Cisco has effectively used their personnel’s intellectual property and product familiarity to further enhance the company’s dominance in the market (Mayer Kenny, 2004). The company believes in retaining critical staff of the acquired firms so as to make use of their knowledge and product familiarity to conquer the market. Forth, Cisco has used acquisitions to expand into new technology areas that promise more growth for the company (Mayer Kenny, 2004). This factor is demonstrated by the way Cisco acquired smaller companies involved in mak ing switches that were less costly and more efficient than the original routers. Through the company’s expansive support network and good public image, Cisco has been able to net more customers for the switches, thus increasing its resource strengths as well as its competitive capabilities. More importantly, Cisco, through engaging in acquisitions, has been able to project a wide variety of products in existing and emerging markets to be ahead of its competitors. This enhances its market share. Wal-Mart, on the other hand, has been involved in acquisitions in countries such as Canada, Chile, U.K., Germany, China, and Brazil. Although some of its acquisitions have been faced with difficulties in integration, the world’s biggest retailer still views acquisitions as a viable option to enhance positive synergistic effects arising from the efficient integration of its productive capacities as well as distribution networks (Serpkenci Tigert, 2006). Intensely engaged in the retail sector, Wal-Mart management takes cognizance of the fact that their ability to reach more customers across geographical locations is not only a resource strength in terms of generating more revenues for the supermarket chain, but also a competitive strategy aimed at endearing its products and services to a wider market segment. As such, it can be argued that Wal-Mart has used acquisitions to enter new markets.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Evaluating how Cisco Wal-Mart have used Acquisitions to Enhance Market Position Competitive Advantage specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Being in the retail business has obliged Wal-Mart to realize that brands are critical assets that can enhance the company’s capacity to maintain its competitive advantage. Indeed, some of the acquisitions made by the company have been informed by the need to acquire a certain brand that is deemed to open up more marketing oppo rtunities for the supermarket chain own brands as well as the brands of the acquired supermarkets. Such acquisitions support Wal-Mart strategy of intensifying the breath of its portfolio across product and price segments to achieve optimal growth (Fernie et al., 2006). Bahidir et al (2009) argues that brands are important in the value chain of companies as they â€Å"posses a different potential for generating future cash flows as a result of differences in brand-specific factors, such as price or revenue premiums† (p. 49). Lastly, through acquiring a stake in active retail supermarkets such as Asda of the UK, Wal-Mart have not only been able to achieve economies of scale and coalescing complimentary resources, but the supermarket giant have been able to eliminate inefficiencies in logistics and distribution, and has also gained considerable market power by purchasing key competitors in the retail industry (Fernie at al., 2006). These coupled with the ability to penetrate new geographic locations through acquisitions have inarguably enabled Wal-Mart to stay ahead of competition. Reference List Bahidir, S.C., Bharodwaj, S.G., Srivastava, R.K. (2008). Financial value of brands in mergers and acquisitions: Is value in the eyes of the beholder? Journal of Marketing, 72(6), 49-64. Retrieved form Business Source Premier Database Fernie, J., Harn, B., Gehard, U., Pioch, E., Arnold, S.J. (2006). The impact of Wal-Mart’s entry into the German and UK grocery markets. Agribusiness, 22(2), 247-266. Retrieved from Business Source Premier Database Homburg, C., Bucerius, M. (2005). A marketing perspective on mergers and acquisitions: How marketing integration affects post merger performance. Journal of Marketing, 69(2), 95-113. Retrieved from Business Source Premier DatabaseAdvertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Mayer, D., Kenny, M. (2004). Economic action does not take place in a vacuum: Understanding Cisco’s acquisition and development strategy. Industry Innovation, 11(4), 299-325. Retrieved from Business Source Premier Database Serpkenci, R.R., Tigert, D.J. (2006). Wal-Mart’s new normal is here: Is everyone ready to accept the future. Internal Journal of Retail Distribution Management, 34(1), 85-100. Retrieved from Business Source Premier Database This essay on Evaluating how Cisco Wal-Mart have used Acquisitions to Enhance Market Position Competitive Advantage was written and submitted by user MollyVonRichtofen to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

10 Job Resources for Students You Shouldnt Miss

10 Job Resources for Students You Shouldnt Miss Looking for work as a college student can feel like a job in and of itself. Luckily, there are a number of new resources you can use to track down the job you need to get through school or even the job that can serve as a springboard for your career. Here well take a closer look at the ten best resources for job hunting while youre still in school or as you make the transition from student to full time employee. CollegeRecruiter The College Recruiter website offers more than just a place to check out new jobs in emerging career fields. They also offer help with continuing education credits and ways for employers to find recent graduates who can breathe new life into a field or simply bring a fresh perspective to a company. If youre still not sure your major will be your lifes work, College Recruiter can help with career aptitude tests and details on the best places to work. Once you find the job you want, College Recruiter helps with building your resume and tips for those more difficult interview questions as well. College Magazine – Find an Internship Internships have come under some heavy fire and criticism lately but the fact remains – if you want to get your foot in the door, an internship is your best bet. This is especially true for markets that are especially competitive, including the creative arts and multimedia focused careers. College Magazines resource offers up a streaming view of internships with clients like O Magazine, Martha Stewart Living, Reboot and the CIA. Campus Riot The team at Surviving College knows that making it through your university years is more than just being able to get good grades and (hopefully) land your dream job. Surviving College offers help and advice on everything from whether or not store loyalty cards are worth the trouble for students to tips on the best ways to find and connect with ideal companies and internships to how to start a small business before youve even graduated. Career Thoughts Career Thoughts caters to both students and those already in the working world. Their approach is simple – if youre not in a job you love, youre not in the right job. Their helpful advice centers mostly around resume building and interview skills. They also offer advice on the best ways to search for companies that are hiring or on how to spot opportunities even the company itself hasnt considered. Finding a need and proposing a solution can help you stand out from other candidates and could even allow you to create your own position within a company. Job Stock Jon Stock is the go to place for freelancers of nearly every variety. Their feed of avaialble freelance positions is regularly updated and features a wide variety of available freelance projects in areas like programming, database management, content writing, blogging, graphic design and data entry. Unlike many other freelance job websites, you can search by company rating, rate of pay and location. Intern Queen If youve never seriously considered an internship or dont know if its the right thing for you, Intern Queen can help you make some sense of it all. The Intern Queen offers more than just an updated listing of some of the most interesting internships around – she also offers real world advice on how to find, land and survive your first internship without losing your mind. Her friendly, easy to follow and easy to relate to blog can help new interns adjust to the rigors of an all work, no pay lifestyle while offering keen insights that even seasoned interns will appreciate. Career Shifters Much like your major, your chosen career field can change as you grow and develop your own set of priorities, passions and talents. Career Shifters knows that the path to complete job satisfaction isnt always straightforward and they offer help on finding a different job, a new career or a whole new path from education to the ultimate dream job. They offer advice from people who have switched gears at various points in their life and offer helpful tips, job leads and food for thought. Lindsey Pollak Lindsey Pollak is the author of Getting from College to Career: Your Essential Guide to Succeeding in the Real World and is also a LinkedIn Ambassador and keynote speaker. Basically, she knows a thing or three about using your college years as a stepping stone to your dream job. Her blog – and the entire website – can help students, recent graduates and young professionals find the resources, tips and tricks they need to succeed. Resume Companion Resumes have changed over the past few years. There was a time when simply spelling out your achievements and highlighting your education was enough to put yourself at the head of the pack but these days youll need to go that extra mile to get noticed. While there are plenty of websites, self-help books and blogs with tips on creating an eye-catching resume, Resume Companion offers a sense of humor alongside new and creative ways to stand out from the pack. With resumes for iconic characters like Batman to tongue in cheek satire, their website provides the ideal place to blow off some steam and get a few new ideas for your resume. CareerCast In terms of a one-stop job website, CareerCast offers a wealth of information, leads and help with landing a full time career, part time job or freelance work. So how do they stand out from the sea of job websites? They offer specific searches for niche fields, including Construction Disability Diversity Energy Green HealthCare Nursing Trucking Veteran With a combination of old school advice, an easily searchable database of jobs and help in targeting specific and niche industries, CareerCast stands out from the rest and will help you to do the same.

Are hybrid cars better for the environment Essay

Are hybrid cars better for the environment - Essay Example Hybrids are gasoline efficient of all cars as they normally get 48 to 60 mpg (claimed). This is about 20% to 35% more beneficial than a fuel efficient gasoline provided fomites - like the Honda Civic which gets 36 mpg. This result in less pollutant discharged into the atmosphere (Philip Dunn, 2006). The second mode of hybrid cars is better to the environment because they help in reducing the levels of noise pollution. Hybrid car engines keep on blending the essential quantity of horsepower without any unnecessary roaring. When the hybrid cars are switched to the electric power mode they operate silently. This ultimately reduces noise pollution (Parashar Joshi, 2009). When everyone switches to hybrid cars it benefits the environment from reducing Global warming which is today's most crucial environmental issues. Lessening of smoke emission and chemical discharges on a large scale basis will help tackle the problems of global warming (Parashar Joshi, 2009). Actually, when the conventional cars ply on the roads the pollutants discharged by them will lead to respiratory ailments like lung cancer. But when hybrid cars are used the pollutants discharged are lesser and so our health is also protected (Lopez, 2008). In the most wide-ranging plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) research to date, which was brought out in 2007 by Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and the non-profit Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), results forecast that all greenhouse gases will be decreased as PHEVs start to perforate the car market.