...“Tucker” There is no recipe, instructions, or formula that makes up a great Leader. Tucker, the main character in the movie Tucker: The Man and his Dream, is a man that we can analyze the strengths and weaknesses that he demonstrated as a leader and manager of his company. This movie is a fictionalized true story about Preston Tucker, an American automobile designer and entrepreneur. Unfortunately, he was not able to compete with the Big Guys of the car industry and failed to fulfill his dream. Tucker’s vision, proactively, and motivation is what made him a great leader, manager and CEO; however his poor management decisions lead him to his downfall. Tucker was a man of vision, which is a critical characteristic to have as a leader. A vision allows for a sense of direction, and a way to focus the attention of everyone associated with the organization. The need to achieve the same vision is why individuals in an organization come together and work as hard as they can in order to succeed. Tucker had the dream to build a car with many new features like air-cooled rear engine, disk brakes, independent 4-wheel suspension, an additional center headlight that pivoted left and right for better vision when turning, a padded dash, seatbelts, and a pop-out safety windshield. He wanted to sell this revolutionary car in an industry that had three Big Guys that were afraid of what he would do to the industry. The Big Guys used many shady tactics, such as spying on Tuckers...
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...1) Three external or outside forces that I think impacted Tucker attempt to build and sell his car was, one could have been the fact that they tried to ruin his image (Tucker) his public image by saying and accusing him off things. Another could be that he couldn’t get the right steel that he needed to make his car they way he wanted to for a good price or rate, and the third could have been the delay in him getting the plant where he could start building in put him back a while and caused delays for making and releasing the car. 2) I wouldn’t say that the rivalry was big or intense but I would say it was around or it could have gotten intense if he started off right with the money to build and have a building to manufacture the car and get the steel at a good rate he could have made the car in a timely fashion I think the big three would have either tried to buy his idea or get in on it or did things to keep him from selling it and getting it out like the little things they tried but would have been on a bigger scale. 3) Yes, I think that there were a couple entry barriers. One was that the Big Three made steel expensive to were Tucker couldn’t get it at a good price, another was that the building for him to build in he couldn’t get it because off the delays from the government. 4) Yes I think that in these days that what the Big 3 did to tucker people and businesses do that today to other small businesses by hiking up prices or buying up shelf space to...
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...Pennsylvania; daughter of Whitfield and Captilda Nottage; married William Tucker a businessman in July, 1951. C. DeLores Tucker was the first female African American Secretary of State in the nation, serving the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania from 1971-1977. She was also the convening founder and chair of the National Political Congress of Black Women. Tucker was a renowned civil rights activist and politician who tirelessly served on behalf of historically oppressed minorities and women. Tucker attended Temple University and the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. She was an active participant in the Civil Rights Movement as a part of the Selma-to-Montgomery March in 1965 and as a delegate to the historic White House Conference on Civil Rights. Tucker established the Martin Luther King Jr. Association for Non-Violent Change in 1983 to develop programs and activities that amplify the teachings and principles of the late civil rights leader. In 1991, she founded the Bethune-DuBois Institute to promote the cultural and educational development of African-American youth. During this time, Dr. Tucker began a crusade against "gangsta" rap. She rallied against record companies to halt the distribution of popular music that she believed contained derogatory lyrics about women and minorities and had a negative impact on youth. She was so against rap gangsta music especially artist like Tupac Shakur and Eminem that Tucker took her campaign against sexually explicit lyrics to the streets...
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...Tucker: The Man and His Dream 1) I believe for an idea to be truly innovative, it must be driven both internally and externally. Tucker’s idea for the 1948 Tucker Sedan was fueled by both internal and external innovation. Internal innovation happens when a new feature or version is implemented to an already existing product and is driven by ones own desire. Tucker exhibited internal innovation with his car by adding his own new features like seat belts, moving lights, a back engine, disc breaks, and a futuristic design. External innovation can be defined as improving a product and being motivated by external forces. Tucker was extremely motivated to save the lives of others and improve car safety by adding seatbelts. Tucker also had a strong supporting family who encouraged him to follow his dream and succeed. The thought of creating a car that was better than one of those built by the Big 3 was also a force behind Tucker’s hunger to succeed. 2) The Tucker Sedan was comprised of many features never seen before in the car industry that stemmed from his own ideas. However, the Sedan would never have been completed if Tucker tried to do it himself, so he sought external acquisition of technology from his crew of workers. I believe Tucker Automobiles lacked in the in the product development area. The hype and craze initially created by Tucker’s first ad created an overwhelming demand for the car immediately. This pressure to get the product to market caused Tucker...
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...Successful project planning requires a solid method of providing project teams guidelines to answer six questions: what, how, why, when, where, and who. The purpose of this paper is to answer these questions by providing an implementation plan for Friar Tucker International (FTI) in its pursuit to develop the Galleria project using White Beach as the construction vendor. The implementation plan starts with understanding FTI’s strategy. For any project to be successful, “every project should have a clear link to the organization’s strategy” (Gray & Larson, 2006, p. 21). Once the project is aligned to the overall strategic plan, specific information, such as what action is necessary, how long should it take, and who is responsible will be addressed. As with any plan, issues of potential shortfalls, risk factors, and consequences for the plan will arise. This plan will address these issues. Once the implementation planning process is underway at FTI, a system will be in place to monitor the success or failure of the implementation process. Overall, following and understanding the implementation plan for FTI will ensure the success of the Galleria project. Friar Tucker International (FTI) is a hospitality services chain that manages 35 entertainment and cuisine establishments: ranging from restaurants, sports entertainment and hotel chains (University of Phoenix, 2009). The hospitality services chain manages over 1,200 individuals and generates revenue in excess of $300 million...
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...Preston Tucker never let obstacles get in his way. He had a dream, and was willing to put in the work to make sure that his dream got realized. Some adjectives to describe him are: anxious, optimistic, and perhaps overly ambitious. Tucker was a visionary; a man who made some changes to the automobile that have become staples in manufacturing plants today. His idea for a seatbelt as well as a directional headlight and windshield that would pop out in the event of a collision changed the way engineers think about cars. No one can dispute Tucker’s will to succeed. He was the eternal optimist who knew that he could help improve the automobile industry. However, despite Mr. Tucker’s optimistic bravado, had he played his cards better, the Tucker Sedan could have been far more successful than it was. Tucker had been around vehicles for many years, whether it be with the Tucker Aviation Corporation or his venture with Harry Miller and occasional trips to Indianapolis Motor Speedway. When he got the idea for a new type of car, he was extremely excited about it’s possibilities. He thought that he could revolutionize the way an automobile worked, and was extremely confident that he could make it happen. Tucker was a confident man. He was confident that he had a great idea and confident that he could find qualified people to help him achieve his dream. To the dismay of Abe Karatz, he stood up before the Government and blasted the “Big 3” automobile makers in Detroit. He said that they...
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...Case 2: Tucker Knox Corporation Good morning, we will give a presentation about the Tucker Knox Corporation case as described in the book of Donald Brown. We will first give a short introduction to this case, after which we will describe the problems they face and the causes for these problems. Then we will try to describe how their systems are affected. We will also present some changes and alternatives for the management team of Tucker Knox Corporation and how to apply these alternatives. Last but not least we will give a short conclusion. Introduction: Tucker Knox Corporation is a world leader in automotive breaking-systems and manufacturing, they are supplying breaking systems to car manufacturers. The organization is one of the leading automotive breaking system companies and hold the number 1 position in the market share. In this case analysis, we will tell about the problems in both the macro- and micro perspectives. Problems: A. Macro - The first macro problem we come up with is the Political turbulence within the organization. Because the company has faced many changes in top- management there is a lot of confusion and uncertainty surrounding the organization and it´s environment. - The second macro problem is about the possible Retention of the Market share in a sharply priced competitive market. This problem has turned down the profit and has a negative effect on the market image. B. Micro - The first...
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...Week 3 Frriar Tucker International More to come Leading company staff in thinking bigger, operating in direct relationship to customers and stockholders’ needs, while staying flexible and adaptable to economic and market shifts ( Gaddy, p.171)” are all examples of priorities faced by companies that want to be competitive . Friar Tucker International (FTI) is a hospitality service chain that has annual revenues in excess of $300 million and employs 1,200 people. The company currently manages 35 entertainment and cuisine establishments .FTI is seeking to expand operations through diversifying its portfolio, while maintaining the company’s strategic objectives (Apollo, 2008). This paper will discuss the issues and opportunities in relationship to the existing projects. Situation Analysis Project selection, funding, resource allocation and prioritization are important issues which must be addressed, while maintaining focus on the company’s strategic objectives. FTI has been accepting investment projects on a seemingly random nature (Apollo, 2008). CEO, Ricardo Bellini has established a Project Selection Committee (PSC) to identify the types of projects for consideration. However, the PSC has not demonstrated the necessary skills in development and implementation of program management. Each of the PSC’s have his or her pet projects that they support, yet they all want to please the CEO and have chosen to follow his lead on the latest project, the Galleria. The PSC does not...
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...TUCKER KNOX CORPORATION 1. PROBLEMS A. MACRO: Ed Leonard sits behind his desk at Tucker Knox Corporation (TKC) remembering the progress he has made over the last four years. They have been complicated and full of many changes. He joined TKC to help the company develop a new Automation Design Department. In the first two years, he designed, developed and helped to create the department and make sure the new products were competitive and profitable. This last year has been filled with turmoil due to changes in top management. Ed was reassigned to the company�s largest manufacturing facility to set up a maintenance department. Ed was told that after successfully completing the assignment he would be able to return to his department. Six months after being given the assignment, Ed was brought back to the corporate facility only to be given six weeks to find another position within the company or be laid off. Even though Ed had been pursuing his personal goals with TKC he felt that a phone call message from another company was the moment he had been waiting for. This is an opportunity to move away from TKC. He wondered where did it all go wrong. B. MICRO: Howard Watson worked closely with Larry, the president, in developing the Automation Engineering Department. He was an aggressive manager with a positive attitude. Just as Howard was expecting to be promoted to Senior Vice President, trouble arose in the Ireland plant. Since he possessed the most in-depth knowledge...
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...Friar Tucker International (FTI) is a hospitality service chain whose vision is” to be among the top 10 hospitality service providers in the family entertainment business, based on their superior service levels and innovative monitoring” (University of Phoenix, 2011, para. 2 ). FTI’s mission is “to attract more visitors and customers through food and entertainment facilities, and ensure a great family experience” (University of Phoenix, 2011, para. 2 ). Over the next three business years, FTI’s key focus areas are to establish their presence in the entertainment hospitality segment, consolidate their presence in the cuisine business by expanding into specialty cuisine establishments, and expand into the corporate entertainment segment (University of Phoenix, 2011). FTI is making significant progress toward meeting the organizations goals as the company manages 35 entertainment and cuisine establishments, employs 1,200 individuals and generates revenue of more than $300 million (University of Phoenix, 2011). Under the astute leadership of CEO Richard Bellini, FTI has entered agreements which several hotel chains will be managing the company’s establishments and executing diverse projects that fell in the realm of FTI’s core business. FTI was convinced by it clients to accept some projects for which they would do subcontract work; however, these projects did not directly align with the company’s strategic objectives. Ricardo intends to change the random nature of how projects...
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...“Electrical Engineer” My field of study is Electrical Engineer. New technology in my field: The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century with the commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical power supply. Definition of electrical engineering. : A branch of engineering that deals with the practical application of electricity especially as related to communications, the distribution of power, and the design and operation of machinery and equipment. Early experiments with electricity included primitive batteries and static charges. However, the actual design, construction and manufacturing of useful devices and systems began with the implementation of Michael Faraday's Law of Induction, which essentially states that the voltage in a circuit is proportional to the rate of change in the magnetic field through the circuit. This law applies to the basic principles of the electric generator, the electric motor and the transformer. The advent of the modern age is marked by the introduction of electricity to homes, businesses and industry, all of which were made possible by electrical engineers. Some of the most prominent pioneers in electrical engineering include Thomas Edison (electric light bulb), George Westinghouse (alternating current), Nikola Tesla (induction motor), Guglielmo Marconi (radio) and Philo T. Farnsworth (television). These innovators turned ideas and concepts about electricity into practical devices and systems...
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...Tucker: The Man and His Dream Introduction Tucker: The Man and His Dream is about a dynamic and enthusiast engineer and showman named Preston Tucker who has been interested in the production of cars since a young boy. Preston has made his stake by designing and building armored military vehicles during world war two. It is only after the war that he envisions the car of the future, the Tucker Torpedo. Building the Torpedo in 1948 with his brand new factory, Preston Tucker faced many overwhelming challenges with production of his dream. We discuss in this report the many economic challenges and decisions Preston Tucker needs to make his dream happen. These events in sequences throughout the movie allow us to examine economic concepts that we can relate to microeconomics. Oligopoly Preston Tucker in the 1940’s who is an entrepreneur and proven engineer comes up with the design of a new car that will change the future of automobiles. Before the Torpedo can be produced, Preston Tucker needs to get money to open a factory and start the making of this brand new car. Once he has the Tucker factory running he must make up the first Tucker Torpedo to showcase for everyone to see. In Detroit at the time there was three major car producers who ran the automobile industry. These three companies were not too thrilled to hear about the Tucker Torpedo being developed as the future of automobiles with more safety to offer than their automobiles. The three companies did not want to...
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...novel starts with Tucker, the protagonist, doing what a normal 13 year old would do, fool around. He constructed a teeter board out of a 2x4 and a cinder block. He tossed a firetruck and his dad’s hand carved wooden troll onto the platform. He jumped and sent the truck and troll flying onto the roof. In that catastrophe one of the shingles on his roof was damaged. The next day Tucker went out with his friends while his dad worked on the roof. As tucker was walking home his dad stumbled and fell into a glistening disc above his roof. An hour later he came back home wearing plastic blue boots and a strange girl who had yellow hair and a kitten. That perplexed Tucker. Everything in Tucker’s life went downhill from there. His parents ran one...
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...Cynthia Tucker is an acclaimed writer and experienced journalist whose life and professional experiences influence her style and political views heavily. Cynthia was born on the 13th of March, in 1955, in Monroeville, Alabama. Her parents are Mary Louise Marshall Tucker and John Tucker. Being born during the American Civil Rights Movement, Tucker did not attend an integrated school until she was 16 years old. She then attended Auburn University, still in Alabama, where she double-majored in English as well as journalism and wrote for the student newspaper. After graduating in 1976, she was hired for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution as a reporter. In 1980, she left the AJC for a job at The Philadelphia Inquirer, where she became determined that she wanted to be a foreign correspondent in Africa....
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...Fortune, the saying goes, favors the bold. Were that truly the case, the Tucker Model 48 would have been an uncontested success for Tucker Corporation and Preston Thomas Tucker, the visionary jack-of-all-trades inventor behind its creation. Instead, just as production of one of the 20th century’s most innovative automobiles was about to start, the government (as some believe, pressured by Detroit’s Big Three automakers) stepped in and effectively shut Tucker down. Preston Tucker was not an automotive engineer by trade, though few would argue that he possessed the ability to comprehend and advise on technical matters. With a background that included everything from automotive sales through race car and even armored car design (with partner Harry Miller), it was almost inevitable that Tucker would someday turn his attention towards constructing a production automobile that carried his own name. As originally envisioned by Tucker, the Tucker Model 48 (named for its debut year of 1948) featured some truly groundbreaking designs. Alex Tremulis George Lawson penned the streamlined coupe bodywork, featuring the driver in a central position instead of offset to the left (a design that would much later be embraced by McLaren on its F1 supercar). Located in the rear of the car, the proposed 589-cu.in. aluminum flat-six engine was so under-stressed that an overhaul would not be required for the first 180,000 miles. Tucker’s original design lacked a conventional transmission, too, and in...
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