Free Essay

Polar

In: Business and Management

Submitted By snehakundlani
Words 1159
Pages 5
oid corp

■ Polaroid Corporation

Companies venturing into nonindustrialized nations often face a natural contradiction between their own goals and those of the host country. The foreign company wants an adequate return on investment and to create returns for the shareholder. The host country usually wants long-term capital investments that bring in foreign technology, create jobs based on significant value-added production and exports, and train management and workers. Polaroid's fundamental strategy in China is the same as it has been for the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, and India: to tie the company's goals into the needs of these countries. Polaroid has reconciled the natural differences by focusing on points of mutual advantage, namely manufacturing for export, provided there is a demand for export goods. Like other firms, Polaroid has developed its commitment to China in stages as benchmark goals were met. It began by selling, moved to subcontracting component assembly, and when comfortable with its partner, started discussions on a joint venture.

This case study focuses on the evolution of the venture and describes an important component of dealing with the domestic market-sales and marketing. This description originally appeared in Business China (July 29 and August 12, 199 1) and is adapted here with permission of the publisher, Business International Asia/Pacific Ltd.

Polaroid has been selling directly into the China market since the early 1980s, primarily via its Hong Kong regional office marketing, subsidiary. By the mid- 1980s, Polaroid was ready to explore the next steps, and talks with the central government led Polaroid to initiative discussion with the Shanghai Motion Picture Industry Corporation (SMPIC). Polaroid eventually set up a subcontracting arrangement with the Chinese enterprise. In return for Polaroid's upgrading one of SMPIC's factories, Shanghai 20anfeng, the Chinese would assemble printed circuit boards for use in Polaroid's Supercolor 635CL instant cameras. To bring Xianfeng up to speed, Polaroid provided capital equipment, trained the work force, and upgraded the factory' As a result, the Chinese have been supplying printed circuit boards to Polaroid manufacturing plants around the world since 1989. Polaroid in the meantime had a chance to evaluate operating conditions in China, cement ties with its partner, build up the Chinese side's production skills, assess the feasibility of a larger commitment, and set the basis for a solution to the foreign exchange problem. In mid- 1990, Polaroid took the equity plunge, signing an agreement to set up Polaroid of Shanghai with SMPIC. The Xianfeng factory has since become part of this larger operation. In addition to the assembly of printed circuit boards, the joint venture will assemble instant cameras. package film and gradually assume marketing responsibility for the entire Polaroid product line in China. So far, the camera maker, which holds 73% of the joint venture's equity, has invested close to $2 million in the project. The transition from subcontracting and assembly to a full-fledged joint venture manufacturing operation has gone practically without a hitch. Polaroid attributes this to the evolutionary nature of its relationship with SMPIC and Xianfeng. All the camera maker had to do to get the joint venture up and running was add some new assembly equipment, introduce a detailed program for camera manufacture, and assign two expatriates to manage the project on the ground. Polaroid has also intensified training. At first the venture assembled cameras from kits for local consumption. In 1992, It began moving toward full vertical integration of the assembly operation. Polaroid wants to source a substantial portion of its inputs locally within three years. For the moment, sales of china-made printed circuit board generate enough foreign exchange to meet the joint venture’s needs. As the venture grows, that need will become greater, and Polaroid plans to meet it by introducing another component for local manufacture at the joint venture. Management programs have not been severs. To help keep the 180-person work force productive, Polaroid has instituted amenities such as transportation between home and factory, new windows and lighting in the factory, and washing machines, dryers, irons, and ironing boards for personal use.

The Marketing Side Polaroid sees sales opportunities for its instant-imaging products in china in the medical, business, and consumer sectors, and is targeting all of them. In particular, Polaroid is targeting street photographers ad well as entrepreneurs or other intermediaries who sell finished photos for passports and visas, drivers’ licenses, and ID cards, and to commemorate important events. Polaroid has put on seminars for the photo studio market, showing the camera’s ability to generate more business and plans to use all these outlets to spearhead efforts directed at tapping the consumer market. Developing consumer awareness of Polaroid began several years ago when the company advertised on Chinese television in campaign designed to broaden public knowledge of the advantages of instant cameras and photography. The company rates this and other promotional efforts as “fairly effective.” Promotional efforts are now centered around the joint venture’s ability to deliver products directly to the customer (important because the JV obviates the need for an import license, something many Chinese retailers find hard to acquire). The program includes direct mail, seminars, and trade shows. Print advertisements, signs, poster boards, product literature, and point-of-sale displays will supplement the effort. Marketing to the medical and scientific communitites in concentrated on direct mail, seminars, and trade shows. Polaroid follows up any leads that come out of these events, often visiting hospitals to demonstrate the special features and advantages of instant-imaging products. The company became one of the sponsors of the Asian Games held in September 1990, which enhanced its visibility in the consumer market. Among other things, Polaroid provided security badges for the athletes and their families, and set up kiosks around the area for local street photographers to display and store their wares. The next step is the consumer market, and Polaroid is rethinking its TV advertising tactics to target specific cities and markets. While sales to private customers are still rare (the local currency cost of the camera is equivalent to about $100), the company is planting the seeds for the consumer market of the future.

Hong Kong Support
Polaroid’s regional office in Hong Kong will continue to handle sales of locally produced and imported cameras until the JV is read to shoulder responsibility for all P.R.C. marketing activities. The Hong Kong office will also supervise the venture’s marketing program and train Chinese customers (like hospital attendants and doctors) to use Polaroid products effectively. Roughly seven members of the regional sales group in Hong Kong devote their time solely to supporting the company’s china business and the joint venture. This includes training of the JV’s sales force as they accompany Hong Kong staff on sales calls and other promotional activities. Polaroid is now refining its distribution system and expanding its service centers to support sales in other regions of the country. The company hopes to establish a network of regional sales offices.

Similar Documents

Free Essay

Polar Bear

...SPECIES- Ursus Maritimus, Polar Bear, lord of the Arctic. Lives in an area of five million square miles of snow and ice. From Siberia to Alaska and across Canada, Greenland and the Islands north of Norway, he is the master of all living things except man. It lives in the brutal cold, ice, and snow. The temperature can plunge down frequently to -40 degrees and sometimes even lower but that does not bother the polar bear because of its color-less skin and layer of insulation fat. Its range extending around the northern polar region. Necessities of Life-The polar bear eats mostly seals which he has to hunt. His trick is to wait by a breathing in the ice and when a seal comes up by that breathing hole, he grabs it so fast it knocks it unconscious and then he eats it. Other pray is a walrus calf or a musk ox stuck in snow, birds, eggs, fish, and dead whales. And sometimes in the summer it eats berries and grass. The polar bear has no water to drink so it only eats the skin and blubber, avoiding the meat. So by eating the blubber and leaving the meat the male bear is helping keep his body in balance with the surrounding environment. The bear would usually stay in a den or bury it self in the snow to avoid the suns ultra violent rays. Usually the pregnant female polar bear stays in the den.Food Chain-The polar bear finds its way on the top of its food chain. No predator on earth approaches the bear in size. The polar bear towers over everything else in his food chain. The...

Words: 570 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Polar Bears

...The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is a carnivorous bear whose native range lies largely within the Arctic Circle, encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is a large bear, approximately the same size as the omnivorous Kodiak bear (Ursus arctos middendorffi).[3] A boar (adult male) weighs around 350–700 kg (770–1,540 lb),[4] while a sow (adult female) is about half that size. Although it is the sister species of the brown bear,[5] it has evolved to occupy a narrower ecological niche, with many body characteristics adapted for cold temperatures, for moving across snow, ice, and open water, and for hunting the seals which make up most of its diet.[6] Although most polar bears are born on land, they spend most of their time at sea. Their scientific name means "maritime bear", and derives from this fact. Polar bears hunt their preferred food of seals from the edge of sea ice, often living off fat reserves when no sea ice is present. The polar bear is classified as a vulnerable species, with eight of the nineteen polar bear subpopulations in decline.[7] For decades, large scale hunting raised international concern for the future of the species but populations rebounded after controls and quotas began to take effect.[citation needed] For thousands of years, the polar bear has been a key figure in the material, spiritual, and cultural life of Arctic indigenous peoples, and polar bears remain important in their...

Words: 251 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Polar Bear Physiology

...physiology to live in certain conditions. One of those animals is the polar bear who lives in the extreme cold temperatures of the Arctic. In figure F-1, shown are several features which helps the Polar bear adapt to environment minus a few which will be noted later. These amazing powerful creatures are one of the few mammals which have adapted to its marine environment. As seen in figure F-1, the polar bear has large feet. “To help protect their feet, there are pads on the bottom of them. They are designed to give them plenty of traction for walking on the slippery ice” (2011). The ground in the arctic is permanently frozen. In order for the polar bear to be able to walk on the ground and keep warm, they have these large padded feet to assist them in their living environment. These padded feet are also equipped with large claws which are used in hunting their prey. The polar bear's Latin name, ursus maritimus, means “sea bear” (2011). This animal is one of the few mammals which depends on it s marine environment for survival. As shown above in Figure F-1, the polar bear has short legs and large feet to allow them to propel through the water quickly. Because of these physiological features, the polar bear is able to catch its prey quickly and efficiently. Another interesting feature of the polar bear is its skin and fur. The above figure does not display this as one of the important features of the polar bear. “Its distinctive white coat acts as camouflage in the snow...

Words: 817 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Coke's Polar Bears

...Coke’s Polar Bears Coca Cola’s polar bear has been around for quite a long time, being introduced in a paper ad in France, 1922. The polar bear is a well-known symbol for Coke even though they portray the animal much different than it lives in the wild. It’s a symbol because an animated polar bear wouldn’t mean much to someone outside of our culture, but Coke has ingrained in our culture that it aligns with them. We created our infographic to display the benefits that both Coca Cola and the polar bears receive. Coke has done some great things for the polar bears but much more can be done. The polar bears have receive almost $2 million in support from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). There has been a substantial reduction in deaths of polar bears from trying to uphold a section in the high Artic that the ice will last the longest. Certain surrounding tribes have also slowed down or even completely stopped killing polar bears. Coke has also alerted the public and since they are becoming aware they want to help. I added the picture of the three cubs laying on top of their mother to allude that the polar bears are happy and in stable conditions. Coke has garnered much public appeal since starting the campaign. They teamed up with WWF in 2011 and since then they have accomplished in reducing carbon emissions by 8.5%. The benefits they receive are substantial. The more people they bring onto the product, in turn their profits will increase profoundly. Even though coke has provided...

Words: 461 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

The Tragedy of Polar Bears

...The Tragedy of Polar Bears Polar bears in the Arctic are tremendously affected by pollution now. As global warming progresses, wind and water currents carry  pollutants, most of which come from industrial sources in different parts of the world,  and cause them to travel to the Arctic because of the ‘conveyor belt’ nature of the atmosphere and ocean (Yarim 2013). These chemicals accumulate in the fat of many animals, mainly through the food chain, which are then eaten by top predators such as polar bears. Thus, polar bears inevitably have severe health problems and risk death. When consumed at high levels, the pollutants can have a dramatic and potentially fatal impact, which affects the polar bear population in the Arctic severely. The most prevalent chemicals found in the Arctic are “Persistent Organic pollutants (POPs)”, such as the pesticide DDT, the industrial chemical polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which can biomagnify up the food chain. Other pollutants may include acid rain, heavy metals and radioactive isotopes (Yarim 2013). According to studies, bears with high levels of some POPs have low levels of vitamin A, thyroid hormones, and some antibodies (WWF Global 2009). The pollutants load of polar bears in the Arctic are negatively affecting the immune system, hormone regulation, growth patterns, reproduction, and survival rates of polar bears. The studies have suggested that the immune system is weaker in some polar bears with higher levels of PCBs. A weakened...

Words: 587 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Evolutionary Adaptation Of Polar Bears

...Polar Bears, the largest members of the Ursidae family, are bears that have transparent fur, which keeps them warm in icy and cold environments. They have large bodies, where male polar bears can weigh anywhere from 700 to 1,000 pounds, and female polar bears weighing anywhere from 300 to 700 pounds. While standing upright, they typically measure around 10 feet tall. Lengthwise, they measure around 7 to 8 feet long. The average lifespan of most polar bears ranges from 20 to 25 years. While they do appear as harmless majestic creatures, they are actually some of the most vicious hunters and carnivores out there. Furthermore, Polar bears have strong large legs with some webbing on their feet, making it easier to walk on ice as well as swim. Their...

Words: 823 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Polar Bears Effect On The Environment

...Imagine you are a polar bear, and you want to get to shore, but you can't because it's too long of a swim, because the ice caps at the shore have melted and the ice caps you are on our floating further and further away because​s of greenhouse gas effects on the environment. Therefore you can't get home, you can't get food, and you can't survive. The polar bear was added to the endangered animal list in 2008 because of multiple causes, most are from impacts caused by greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases in Alaska and Northern Canada have three major Impacts on polar bears and their ecosystem: Greenhouse gases cause pollution in the ecosystem. They cause climate change in the ecosystem, melting the ice caps the polar bears live on, and lastly the greenhouse gases cause shorter hunting seasons, less food for the polar bears, and bad body conditions for polar bears, causing the polar bear population to go down....

Words: 777 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Polar Bear Research Paper

...The Survival And Cubbing of Polar Bears The survival and cubbing of Polar bears is rapidly getting affected due to climate change and Global Warming, as says the Wildlife technical report(Michelle Allsopp, 2012). The healthy breeding of Polar bears relies greatly on the Arctic’s ice covered waters and cultivate Arctic Wildlife, as well. Polar bears are the most precious habitats of Arctic wildlife, Not only because they are limited in numbers but also on the grounds that the specie have now endangered for conservation. According to authentic information(Michelle Allsopp, 2012), a female Polar bears can only give birth to 1 to 3 cubs with in life time. Also, the mortality rate of infant cubs exceed from 70 %. Hence, there are less chances that the individuals of the Polar bears can be replaced by new generations. Furthermore, the other factors of climate change and global warming have intensified the threat to the species conservation due to climate changes in Arctic Wildlife. The projected claim can be justified with supporting observations presented below for reference. * Comprised survival rates of sub adult due to poor nutritions resulted from the sea ice breakup. * Inefficient reproduction cycle due to early spring ice breakup. * Deprived access to prey for sufficient...

Words: 640 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Research Paper On Polar Bears

...Polar Bears: WWF Polar bears are classified as marine animals because they spend most of their life on the ice from the Arctic Ocean. Their bodies are structured with layers of fat along with water resistant fur to stay warm in such cold, wet conditions. They spend about 50% of their time hunting for seals, which most of their diet consists of. Recently, the polar bear population has significantly declined due to climate change. Because of oil spills, the warming of the atmosphere and illegal hunting of the species, polar bears are now listed as an endangered species. The Worldwide Wildlife Fund is making efforts to increase polar bear population by decreasing human pollution, preventing conflict between humans and polar bears, and...

Words: 627 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Research Paper On Polar Bears

...Polar bears are known for their vibrant white coat of fur. They have adapted this beneficial trait to help them survive and it provides the polar bear with fitness in its environments.this trait makes the polar bear white and makes them blend in with those icy surroundings. The hairs on a polar bear aren't actually white but appear white and thats what helps them blend in here's how the fur looks white,the polar bears long outer hairs that protect their undercoat are transparent and the thinner hairs are colorless as well. This makes it appear white because of the air spaces.when it reflects the colors and the light it appears white on the polar bear. The trait helps the polar bear stay safe from predators, and makes it so they can sneak up...

Words: 306 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Research Paper On Polar Bears

...Polar Bears I did my favorite organism on Polar Bears. I chose this animal because it is very interesting on how they live and how they survive. The temperatures in the Arctic tundra vary from 50 degrees fahrenheit to -37 degrees fahrenheit. The diet of a Polar bear is a variety of different organism that live in the arctic tundra. But one thing the Polar bear likes the most is seals and bearded seals. I think that they eat this as their main source of food because they spend a lot of time in the water and the Polar bear is considered a marine animal. They are also known to eat walrus,beluga, and whale. I find it very interesting that they eat a whale considering how big whales can be. But when they cannot find any of the organism to eat they will go and eat some of the very few species of plants that grow in the arctic Tundra. The population of a polar bear is around 20,000-25,000 polar bears in the world. But one issue that is affecting the population is global warming and that is making the ice break up and warming the ocean and if there is no ice that means that there is no Polar bear....

Words: 695 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Pros And Cons Of Frosty The Polar Bear

...Hi! I am Frosty the polar bear, and I really need your help! You see, I have a big problem. The problem is that I am running out of space to live! The reason why is that you peskey humans are using up all of my water! If I don't have any water, that means that there is no water to freese into the ice that makes up my home. If I do not have room to live, that deffinitely means I don't have any room to hunt. If I do not have any place that I can hunt from, I can not get any food for my self, And do not forget, I allso have my cubs to feed as well. If my cubs do not get fed, they will most likley die. If my cubs die its only logical to belive that other cubs would die also.If all the cubs die, then my entire species would die as well. You do not...

Words: 280 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

A Rhetorical Analysis From The Perspective Of A Polar Bear

...environmental article told from the perspective of a polar bear. Aimed towards a specific audience, this passage is intended for an ignorant population of people who are hurting the environment. Attempting to provoke guilt by giving the perspective of a polar bear on becoming extinct, so that the readers will be inspired to change their ways that have injured the global ecosystem is the purpose of the article. The overall tone of the passage is sympathetic, depressing, judgmental, angry, and upset. To begin, the writer integrates multiple anaphora and repetition to help enhance the article and to help enforce her ideas and to emphasize these beliefs. In the last paragraph, the polar bear repeats “you” multiple times. The employment of anaphora puts the blame of the polar bears dying, and the importance of saving the environment, on the reader. By doing this, the author relates back to her purpose of arousing a sensation of shame. As for repetition, throughout the passage, the author employs a particular expression...

Words: 428 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Cause and Effect of Global Warming on the Polar Bear

...The Cause and Effects of Global Warming on the Polar Bear Most experts agree that global warming does exist and it is having a devastating effect on the Earth’s climate. A major concern of global warming is the melting of the polar ice caps. Research suggests that global warming is going to greatly impact the survival of the polar bear. In southern portions of their range, like Hudson Bay, Canada, there is no sea ice during the summer, and the polar bears must live on land until the Bay freezes in the fall, when they can once again hunt on the ice. While they are on land during the summer, the polar bears eat very little or sometimes nothing. In just 20 years the ice-free period in Hudson Bay has increased by an average of 20 days, thus cutting the polar bears' seal hunting season by nearly three weeks. Because the ice is freezing later in the fall, and melting earlier in the spring the bears have a much shorter timeframe in which to hunt during the critical season when seal pups are born. As a result, average bear weight has dropped by 15 percent, causing reproduction rates to decline. The Hudson Bay population is down more than 20 percent. Despite the fact that polar bears are good swimmers there has been an alarming increase of polar bears drowning. Although they are well adapted to water, and can swim hundreds of miles to reach solid land, the distance to reach that land is increasing dramatically as the Arctic ice disappears. It is believed that fewer and smaller ice floes...

Words: 1092 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Polar Sports

...9-913-513 AUGUST 20, 2012 W. CARL KESTER WEI WANG Polar Sports, Inc. In early January 2012, Richard Weir, president of Polar Sports, Inc., sat down with Thomas Johnson, vice president of operations, to discuss Johnson’s proposal that Polar institute level monthly production for 2012. Since joining the company less than a year earlier, Johnson had become concerned about the many problems arising from its highly seasonal production scheduling, which reflected the seasonality of sales of skiwear and accessories. Weir understood the cost savings and improved production efficiency that could result from level production, but he was uncertain what the impact on other aspects of the business would be. Polar Sports, a fashion skiwear manufacturer based in Littleton, Colorado, carried production lines in high-quality ski jackets, snow pants, sweaters, thermal soft shells and underwear, and accessories such as gloves, mitts, socks, and knit caps. The company produced most of these products in a wide range of styles, sizes, and colors. Polar had a unique design of skiwear that employed special synthetic materials for better insulation and durability. The design and color of products changed annually. Dollar sales of a given product line could vary as much as 30% to 40% from year to year. The ski apparel design and manufacturing business was highly competitive. The industry comprised a few large players and a number of smaller firms. Besides several major competitors...

Words: 3361 - Pages: 14