Rating of Wooden Model Ship Kit Manufacturers

There are about 20 wooden model ship kit manufacturers throughout the world. It can be challenging to determine who's kit will suit the model ship builder the best because of all the variables involved. The idea is to match up the kit manufacturer with the needs and wants of the builder so at the end of the day, the ship model builder has an enjoyable and fulfilling experience.

Cast Your Anchor has been in the model ship supply business for 7 years and been ship modelers for over 30 years. Over this time we have formed opinions on model ship kit manufacturers either through direct experience or from listening to our customers relate their experiences. We have summarized our findings below for 10 of the ship model manufacturers.

We provide the history and background of the manufacturer, location of their factory, the North American distributorship channel, their tendency when it comes to the kit skill level requirements and of course their rating.

Rating of Wooden Model Ship Kit Manufacturers

The distributorship channel is most important when considering after sales service. Direct contact between the retailer and the manufacturer is usually best but not in all cases. The tendency for manufacturers to build kits aimed at a certain builder skill level is very important when it comes to the instructions that are provided in the kit. Entry level kit instructions generally assume that the model builder will require guidance with ship model building techniques in addition to specific instructions related to the vessel construction.

Definitions:

Rating 1 -10: 1-3 Poor, 3-7 Good, 8-10 Excellent. All categories are considered equally rated because there are alternative options the builder can exercise should there be an issue in any one of the categories.

Skill Level Tendency - Some manufacturers tend to lean towards a specific builder's skill level in their kits. Other manufacturers have a good variety of kits to suit all levels of skills. Skill Level Tendency: E - Entry Level, I - Intermediate Level, A - Ambitious Level.

Availability - Ranges from always in stock to fulfillment within a few weeks or months. Availability can be adversely affected by the distribution network of the manufacturer. If the manufacturer allows for direct buying the availability tends to be quite high.

Types of Vessels Available - The two areas looked at were era of the vessel and the vessel type. Some manufacturers have a limited range while others have offerings in almost all categories. One manufacturer has vessel types that are unique to what other manufacturers have to offer.

Historical Accuracy - The accuracy of a model ranges from barely recognizable to reasonably accurate. Detailed information of many vessels is not available which leaves for a fair bit of interpretation. When it comes to paint colours some manufacturers don't even try to recognize the true colours of the vessel.

Detailing - Some kits are highly detailed while others have minimum deck fittings. The accuracy of the detailing in terms of the era of the ship as well as the materials used at the time that the ship sailed is also considered.

Instructions - Good accurate instructions that if need be have been properly translated from the host language as well as detailed instructions on the techniques of model ship making range not just from one manufacturer to another but between the skill levels of the kits. Novice kits tend to be more explicit with regards to modeling techniques than advanced kits.

Design - This refers to part fit. Precut bulkheads and all parts that are laser cut should fit reasonably accurately without too much modification. Also there are some kits with inherent design flaws that result in misshaped lines of the vessel.

Parts and Fittings - The fittings should be accurate, to scale and made of high quality materials depending on what the parts is.

Completeness of the Kit - The builder should not have to purchase anything outside of the kit unless there is a desire to augment the fittings or parts in order to improve on the historical accuracy. There should be enough wood and rigging material so that extra material does not need to be purchased.

Price - The manufacturer should produce a range of products at different price points.

Overall Value for Money - This refers to the combination of quality, price and product that the manufacturer has assembled in order to the give the builder a positive overall experience regardless of his skill level.

After Sales Service - This refers to being able to obtain extra parts or responses to customer questions concerning the build. Manufacturer's who have set up distribution channels tend to give fairly poor after sales service.

Manufacturer's Rating

Amati: Overall Score 7.27 out of 10. Skill Level Tendency "I". Strength is availability of kits and after sales service. Weakness is instructions.

Established in Italy in 1879, Amati moved quickly from printed fretwork models to the model ship line. For over 120 years, Amati, thanks to the collaboration with designers and craftsmen, offers to the modelers the best products and the modern technology. Nowadays customers can rely on a large and varied choice of models from the most beautiful and famous America's Cup, to historical sailing ships, and world-wide known motor boats and submarines. Thanks to the high quality of items, detailed construction plans, the product's originality and the constant introduction of new designs, Amati is a world leader in the wooden ship model hobby. Retailer is serviced direct or through distributors in Canada and the US.

Artesania Latina: Overall Score 7.27 out of 10. Skill Level Tendency "I". Strength is price and overall value for money. Weakness is after sales service and parts and fittings.

Artesania Latina began its journey in 1970 in Barcelona Spain. In 1979, 80% of revenues came from outside Spain and their products were known and recognized in 40 countries on five continents. A key aspect in the evolution of the company has always been innovation. In 1994, Artesania Latina released a second family of products, basically but not exclusively for women and in 2001, they opened an office in Hong Kong focused on strategic positioning in emerging markets. In the 34 years of activity, Artesania Latina has continued to evolve in line with the needs of the market every day, year after year, with a passion for the hobby attracting thousands of friends around the world. Retailer is serviced through a distributor in the US.

Billings Boats: Overall Score 6.73 out of 10. Skill Level Tendency "I". Strength is availability of kits, types of vessels available and completeness of kit. Weakness is after sales service, price and instructions.

In the early 50s Ed Billing, a former RAF pilot during WWII, was working as an Architect in the town of Esbjerg in Denmark. His wife was running a Hobby shop called Vestjydsk Hobby and Mr. Billing was proudly displaying his build up model of a Danish Fishing Boat. At that time there were no actual model boat kits around, from which you could make a boat. One day a Danish magazine saw this beautiful model in the window of the Hobby Shop and were very interested in buying 50 "build ups" of this Fishing Boat for a competition the upcoming summer. Mr. Billing was very keen on the idea, but it was a huge undertaking making 50 models, so he came up with the idea to make the model as a kit, exactly the same way you would build a real ship. This was when the concept "plank-on-frame" was invented by Mr. Billing, which is now used by all model boat manufacturers around the world. Up until 1958 the kits were produced under the name "VHT" Vestjydsk Hobby Teknik, but this changed as Mr. Billings products became known outside Denmark. During the 60s, 70s and 80s the kits were improved, and gradually made easier for consumers to build. The frames were precut or die cut, and in the 60s ABS-hulls were introduced for the people that wanted to go out sail with RC. In 1989/90 the first laser cut machine was brought in, and everything became easier to produce, but also to make for the model builder. August 2008 was the 50th Anniversary of the Billing Boats brand name. Retailer is serviced through distributors in Canada and the US.

Bluejacket: Overall Score 6.73 out of 10. Skill Level Tendency "E". Strength is instructions and after sales service. Weakness is types of vessels available and detailing.

BlueJacket Shipcrafters, Inc., located in the United States, has been in continuous operation since 1905. In 1905, Horace E. Boucher, a French-born naval architect with the U.S. Navy Department and head of the Navy's model shop in Washington, founded the model company that bore his name. Boucher's models were prized by museums all over the country-more than 40 are in the Smithsonian alone. His innovative idea of mass producing cast fittings and selling kits to the general public started a new industry in the United States and helped turn what had been the art of a few craftsmen into a hobby enjoyed by thousands. The company name was changed to BlueJacket Shipcrafters after Boucher's death. Bluejacket strives to manufacture the finest and most historically accurate wooden model ships in the world. Retailer is serviced direct or through distributors in the US.

Constructo: Score 7.64 out of 10. Skill Level Tendency "I". Strength is price and overall value for money. Weakness is after sales service and design.

Founded in 1942, Constructo wooden model ships was a pioneer in its field. Constructo, a well-established Spanish toy and games manufacturer, added wooden ship kits to its line only a few short years ago. The kits are of high quality, with accurately cut laser parts. Constructo produces high quality kits for children.

Corel: Overall score 6.36 out of 10. Skill Level Tendency "A". Strength is historical accuracy, parts and fittings and completeness of kits. Weakness is instructions and after sales service.

Corel, located in Milan Italy has been making model kits for period and modern ships since 1971, and enthusiasts will know about their high quality. The company pride themselves in the manufacture of some of the highest quality model boat kits available to the modeler with the best plans in the business. Corel are also able to supply very high quality fittings and materials to model boat
builders. Retailer is serviced through a distributor in the US.

Dumas: Overall score 7.36 out of 10. Skill Level Tendency "E". Strength is types of vessels available and after sales service. Weakness is price and overall value for money.

Al Dumas started marine model boat kits in Milwaukee, WI in 1946. These kits were made of balsa wood with parts printed on the wood for modelers to cut out. About 1980, Dumas moved to its present location at 909 E 17th St. Most of the boats are not only beautiful on display, but they can also be run with electric or gas power and radio control. Dumas line of model boats is most encompassing. Dumas has an exclusive license to manufacture Chris-Craft mahogany runabouts and pleasure craft. Retailer is serviced direct or through distributors in the US.

Mamoli: Overall score 6.36 out of 10. Skill Level Tendency "A". Strength is in detailing, parts and fittings and completeness of kits. Weakness is availability, price and after sales service.

Besides its normal commercial activity, the firm has established a "Naval Modeling Department" for the production of period ship kits. The models presented, which from the structural point of view are of an extremely advanced conception, are the logical continuation of a line begun more than 20 years ago by the designer Luigi Volonté, whose long experience allowed him to personally set up and follow a production, which was regard as one of the best, both for the facility of construction and the clearness of the plans, which are full of perspective drawings and fully described in four languages. Retailer is serviced through one distributor in the US.

Mantua: Overall score 6.09 out of 10. Skill Level Tendency "A". Strength is in detailing, parts and fittings and completeness of kits. Weakness is availability, instructions, price and after sales service.

Mantua Model, located in the ancient town Mantova, Italy, has built its reputation on the ultimate in large, elaborately detailed ship model kits. Mantua Model Group (includes Sergal and Panart) have been producing period model boat kits since after the war and were the first company to innovate and use the cutting ability of laser beams to produce very accurate and high quality products. Designed for the experienced modeler, most use a combination of photo-etched brass and cast or machined bronze fittings. Several feature solid bronze ornamentation cast one piece at a time by the lost wax method. Retailer is serviced through one distributor in the US.

Midwest Models: Overall score 7.36 out of 10. Skill Level Tendency "E". Strength is instructions, completeness of kits and after sales service. Weakness is price, types of vessels available and detailing.

In 1952, friends combined their passions for model airplanes to develop a thriving business dedicated to providing high quality products to enthusiasts around the world. More than 50 years later, Midwest's product line and distribution have grown and changed, but its passion for quality has remained steadfast. Today, Midwest Products is a leading supplier worldwide of quality raw materials, accessories and kits to distributors and retailers. People use our products for leisure, educational and professional pursuits, from model airplanes and boats to architectural and educational projects. Retailer is serviced direct or through distributors in Canada and the US.

Model Shipways: Overall score 7.36 out of 10. Skill Level Tendency "I". Strength is instructions and after sales service. Weakness is historical accuracy and price.
Model Shipways (A Division of Model Expo), in continuous operation since 1946, is the oldest ship model factory in America. As a leading manufacturer and provider of historically accurate and authentic model kits and precision tools, Model Expo serves more than 40,000 customers and hobby stores throughout the world. Model Expo was founded in 1976 and partners with over 40 companies worldwide to include Italy, Spain, Europe, and China. Retailer is serviced through a distributors in the US.

Occre: Overall score 5.64 out of 10. Skill Level Tendency "A". Strength is historical accuracy and completeness of kit. Weakness is availability of kits, instructions and after sales service.

Above all else, OcCre (Ocio Creativo) is a brand whose potential for development is based on its highly integrated team of people, capable of creating products of excellent design and creativity. OcCre is a fairly new company with a manufacturing facility in Spain. Retailer is serviced through a distributor in the US.

Cast Your Anchor continually looks for the best fit between the ship model builder and the ship model kit manufacturer. Should you wish to comment on this article or would like more information, please contact Cast Your Anchor at castyouranchor@bellnet.ca.

Rating of Wooden Model Ship Kit Manufacturers
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Find Sample Nursing Care Plans

Medical professional often like to use sample nursing care plans. These sample plans can save time as the nurse or other professional can adapt an already constructed care plan to their patient. Rather than having to start from scratch, the basics of the plan are already in place allowing the nurse to move on quickly to other matters.

A care plan is a document that details a patient's medical assessment and plan for care. This vitally important document allows all members of the medical team to know what course of action will be taken. This also helps prevent important care aspects from being neglected.

Given the amount of professionals who are often involved in a patient's care, the care plan lets everyone stay up to date on the patient's health and treatment. In many hospitals and other health care facilities, staff members have many duties and a number of patients. The care plan lets everyone stay on track with each patient.

Find Sample Nursing Care Plans

Although care plans are sometimes referred to as nursing care plans, nurses are not the only professionals who use care plans. Rather, all medical professionals involved in a patient's care are involved in the creation and updating of a particular plan. This includes not only nurses but doctors, therapists, and others.

The first step for a care plan is generally the assessment of the patient. Different settings will have different protocols in doing assessments. Once this is done, a problem list is created, listing diagnoses and other problems that the patient may face.

For individuals seeking a sample nursing care plan, books and websites focused on care plans often include a sample plan that you can customize for your purposes. Some websites allow you to input data and a plan is created for you. Others have samples for a number of different diagnoses and medical issues, allowing the plan to be customized by the problem that the patient is suffering from.

When you are looking for a sample nursing care plan, examine the different samples for one that includes the categories of information that you'd like to include in your care plans. You may want to check out several in order to see which ones would work best. Once you've selected one you like, use it a few times before a full implementation to make sure that it will fit your needs in different real life situations.

Sample nursing care plans can be a valuable tool to help you save time and better help the patient. A clear care plan will let everyone on the medical care team know what is going on in a clear and concise way.

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Social Work Theory and Practice - Making the Links

Our experience is that many students on the social work degree can be intimidated by the word 'theory'. This immediately inhibits effective learning about theory. Theory in social work is about how we relate to others and how we make sure that we are providing effective services. It is important that theory is not seen as the preserve of academics or senior social workers. Through understanding and applying theory to social work practice our work with service users can become far more effective and person centred.

Lots of people think that theory is something purely academic, with no link to "real life". Many social work students cover theory at university, but begin their practice learning experience intimidated by the idea of how to apply theory to their practice and especially concerned about how to demonstrate the links they have made in their assignments and reflective accounts..

Practice learning is about relating the ideas learned in University to the practice setting. However, in order to link theoretical knowledge to practice, students need a firm grasp of the fact that theory is something everybody uses every day in social work and that theory has a clear link to common sense/what works/real life or whatever the phrase of choice is. Without this, theory can become something which seems abstract and this develops the idea that theory is something you learn at University and then forget when you enter the "real world" of work.

Social Work Theory and Practice - Making the Links

The Requirements for Social Work Training state that all social work programmes must:

"Ensure that the teaching of theoretical knowledge, skills and values is based on their application to practice." (Department of Health 2002)

Whilst the basic aspects of social work theory will be taught in the University setting, practice learning is about you transferring your knowledge and applying theory to your practice, and you will need to demonstrate that you can make the links in your written work.

What is theory?

It is our view that social workers in the field and social work students on placement are applying theory every day. However, they may not realise it, and they may not be able to describe the theory or name it.

Theories in social work are nothing more than an attempt to explain situations and social relationships. Theories have been developed since it became clear that there were similar patterns or repeating cycles of behaviour both in an individual's life and in the lives of lots of different people. Since theories have been expressed by academics and social scientists, they often use an academic language. Don't let that put you off. Theories are life dressed up! Many theories actually have a very straightforward, accessible message even if you sometimes have to look beyond the jargon.

There has been some debate about what actually constitutes a theory. Generally, a theory helps to explain a situation and perhaps how it came about. In science, a theory is seen as helping to:

** describe (eg: what is happening?)
** explain (eg: why is it happening?)
** predict (eg: what is likely to happen next?)

Sometimes theories are also seen as helping to control a situation and bring about changes.

Social Work Theory and Practice Learning

In supervision discussion, placement assignments, portfolios etc you need to be able to describe the situation you are working with, explain why you think this came about, what you can do to bring about change etc. In doing so, you will be drawing upon some form of theory. You may, however, not always be aware of this.

Whenever you are considering theory, we would urge you to:

1. Recognise that no single theory can explain everything: When a person engages in an action (or inaction) the reason for their behaviour can be rooted in a range of causes or motives.

2. Related to the first point, recognise that some theoretical approaches just don't work with some people. Applying Brief Solution Focused Therapy can be really effective with some people. For other people, it leaves them cold.

3. Take a critical approach to theory. If it doesn't "work", why not? Can you adapt aspects such that it is helpful?

4. Always apply the value base to theory - much of the theory used in social care practice and social work is drawn from outside of the profession. Theory may have its roots in education, psychology or management. As such, it may not incorporate social work values and you should take responsibility for applying these

5. And finally, never be intimidated by theory. You use it every day.

Why do we need to apply social work theory to practice?

Whilst individual social work theories have different purposes, using all kinds of theory in our work offers us, as social workers, some important things.

** Theories can help us to make sense of a situation. Using theory, we can generate ideas about what is going on, why things are as they are etc. For example the information obtained as part of an assessment can seem like a jumble of information - applying theory can help "make sense" of the information.

** Using theory can help to justify actions and explain practice to service users, carers and society in general. The aim is that this will lead to social work becoming more widely accountable and ultimately more respected.

** In work with individuals, making use of the theories which may relate to their specific situation will give us more direction in our work with them.

** Using theory can give an explanation about why an action resulted in a particular consequence. This can help us review and possibly change our practice in an attempt to make the consequences more effective.

It is clear then, that theory is important in practice - both for work with service users and for social work to be more valued in society.

Social Work Theory and Practice - Making the Links
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For the ideal reference guide that addresses students' anxieties about social work theory and how theory relates to their practice learning experiences, see Social Work Theory and Practice from http://www.KirwinMaclean.com

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Innovation: Thinking Outside The Box

When innovators talk about thinking outside the box, they mean coming up with creative ways to solve problems - new ways to look at things. How do they do it? How can you do it too? We first have to ask what the "box" is. Then we can look at how to get outside of it.

The "box" is the normal way of doing things and looking at things. It is the assumptions that almost everyone involved is making. The best way to start thinking out of the box then, is to identify and challenge all the assumptions that make up thinking inside the box.

One of the major liquor brands was faltering years ago, and they couldn't seem to boost their sales. Promotions, lowering the price, getting better shelf placement - these were the "in the box" solutions. Then someone challenged the assumptions, by asking "What if we stopped the promotions and just raised the price?"

Innovation: Thinking Outside The Box

The price was raised as an experiment, and sales soon doubled. As it turns out, some types of liquor are bought quite often as gifts. Buyers don't want to buy the most expensive one, but they also don't want to seem cheap, so they won't buy products that don't cost enough. Now imagine what happens to your profit margins when you raise the price and double the sales. That's the power of thinking outside of the box.

Ways To Get Outside The Box

Challenging assumptions is a powerful creative problem solving technique. The difficult part is to identify the assumptions. If you are designing a new motorcycle, write down assumptions like "speed matters," "it has to run on gas" and "it needs two wheels," not because you expect to prove these wrong, but because challenging these can lead to creative possibilities. Maybe the time has come for an electric three-wheeled motorcycle.

Another way to get to creative solutions is to "assume the absurd." This is either fun or annoying, depending on how open-minded you can be. All you do is start making absurd assumptions, then finding ways to make sense of them. The easiest way to do it is by asking "what if."

What if a carpet cleaning business was better off with half as many customers? It seems absurd, but work with it. Hmm...less stressful, perhaps. More profitable if each customer was worth three times as much. Is that possible? Commercial jobs that involve large easy-to-clean spaces (theaters, offices, convention halls) make more money in a day than houses, with fewer headaches. Focusing on getting those accounts could be the most profitable way to go - not so absurd.

Another way to more innovative ideas is to literally do your thinking out of the box. Get out of the house or the office. Look around at how others are doing things. On busses in Ecuador, salesmen put a product into everyones hands and let them hold it while they do a sales pitch. Then you have to give back "your" product or pay for it. It is very effective. How could you use the principle in your business?

Innovation: Thinking Outside The Box
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Steve Gillman has been studying brainpower and related topics for years. For more creative problem solving techniques, and to subscribe to the Brain Power Newsletter, visit: http://www.IncreaseBrainPower.com

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Business Innovation - Effective Team Structures

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.

There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be defined as consisting of a number of ideas, a number of diverse ideas and a number of novel ideas.

There are distinct processes that enhance problem identification and idea generation and, similarly, distinct processes that enhance idea selection, development and commercialisation. Whilst there is no sure fire route to commercial success, these processes improve the probability that good ideas will be generated and selected and that investment in developing and commercialising those ideas will not be wasted.

Business Innovation - Effective Team Structures

Effective Team Structures

The fact that the sum of ideas produced by individuals working alone is greater than the number of ideas produced by those individuals working in a group, is an indicator that team and groups structures are important considerations:

a) Large teams benefit from intellectual cross-pollination, but factors such as groupthink, core and peripheral information channels, status interactions, social loafing and individual shut downs reduce overall performance.

b) Pairs reduce intellectual cross pollination but some of the above inhibitors are also reduced. However, pairs are very successful - many comedy partnerships and creative teams in advertising working pairs.

c) Individuals are prone to path dependency, parochialism and competency traps. But many well known creations have been developed by individuals alone.

So what is the most effective team structure?

These and other topics are covered in depth in the MBA dissertation on Managing Creativity & Innovation, which can be purchased (along with a Creativity and Innovation DIY Audit, Good Idea Generator Software and Power Point Presentation) from http://www.managing-creativity.com/

You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site.

Kal Bishop, MBA

**********************************

You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made and the author's name and site URL are retained.

Business Innovation - Effective Team Structures
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Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London, UK. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached on http://www.managing-creativity.com/

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The History of Skittles Candy - A Sweet Testament to Marketing Innovation

The History of Skittles Candy has come a long way since the 'Skittles Original' packages made their way to American shores. It has been about 30 years and the makers of the colorful candy brand continue to be innovative in their efforts to capture more sugar candy market share. Following the history of Skittles Candy sweets, their product development and their marketing reveal the marks of a great brand. And being ahead of the trend curve has been a policy with Mars Snackfood US brands, which is why they currently have two of the top five sugar brands.

The first campaign that led the Skittles Original brand invasion came under the theme 'Taste the Rainbow. Any one who has followed the History of Skittles Candy can tell you it was hugely successful. Who could ever doubt the authenticity or dare I say divinity of sweets whose colors perfectly match the magnificent aura of the rainbow.

Through out the history of Skittles sweets, staying on top is no doubt the intent of the company in keeping lock step with theme of 'taste the rainbow for almost 10-years. So, "why fix it if it's not broke?" Well, the sugary sands of public tastes shift over time. Teenagers that were polled thought that the earlier ads were too boring. So the producers experimented with other bylines that further engaged their largest consumer, the youth of America. The ad, 'Believe the Rainbow,' was thus born. The ever popular Skittles flavors, Tropical Skittles and Wild Berry Skittles, were released during this time around 1989 closely followed by Sour Skittles in 2000.

The History of Skittles Candy - A Sweet Testament to Marketing Innovation

The pollsters also discovered that school age children were not only interested in Skittles Flavors for the fruit taste. They also liked them for the purpose of throwing them at friends, bouncing them as well or just plain making noise with them. The history of Skittles Candy further developed with this revelation and led to the hatching yet another campaign. This time it was 'Experience the Rainbow'

Being relevant to their fans is a mission with Mars, so in March 2009 the Company decided to jump on the social media band wagon and launched a new look to its internet presence - a web portal. From the Original Fruit Skittles and Tropical Skittles to the wildly popular Chocolate Skittles and Crazy Cores the sweets' creators continue to experiment and innovate with varied flavors to their products. After all when it comes to taste - 'the customer is always right'.

Other Skittles flavors and product innovations followed including Smoothie Mix, Ice Cream, Carnival, Double Sour, Mint and Extreme Fruit Gum-Skittles Gum. The most recent additions to the family are the Chocolate Skittles (Mix) and Skittles Crazy Cores.

The history of Skittles Candy is colorful indeed. A story that is rarely told has it that, the the first man to ever see a rainbow was actually popping sugary round tarts into his mouth as he watched the sun set off the stern of his ark-like ship. Whether that is fact or urban legend let's leave it to our imagination. As for the delightful fruit flavors of Skittle Candy you only have to buy a box and taste to see whether their story is real.

The History of Skittles Candy - A Sweet Testament to Marketing Innovation
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Ford Motor Company - Case Study

Background (General Facts)

Ford Motors is one of three leading automotive manufacturing companies in the United States. Based in Michigan in 1903 by Henry ford and grew to reach revenue of 0 billion and more than 370,000 employees by 1996 [1]. In the 1970's, the automobile market for the major auto makers - General Motors (GM), Ford, and Chrysler- was crunched by competition from foreign manufactures such as Toyota and Honda. In 1999, Ford acquired the Swedish Volvo model in an attempt to compete in the foreign market and expand to other regions. Furthermore, Ford launched a full organization re-engineering business process plan called "Ford 2000" aiming at reestablishing the company's infrastructure. The process meant reduction in their Vehicle Centers (VCs) to only five covering the operations that spanned 200 countries. It also meant cutting redundancies and requiring Information Technology (IT) to be the driving force and the link between Ford centers worldwide.

In building Ford's IT infrastructure, the company focused on implementing a setup that supported the TCP/IP communication protocol based on the U.S. department of Defense requirements. At those days, Ford internal network was meant to serve files transfer unlike most companies that used the network mainly for email communications. Throughout the 1990's, Ford developed a cost effective Global Enterprise Network Integration (GENI) process to link all its locations compromising on the type of the connection and the cabling in favor of full coverage. During the same time, Ford started building its Web Farm, which was basically a set of hardware and software managed by a team for building Ford's public website. The work started by publishing documents for technical references and moved to more advanced images from a live auto show. As a result, the website received 1 million visits a day in less than 2 years after its official launch. Throughout the end of the 90's, Ford established its web services by increasing the amount of information published, building more intelligent and standard web application in 12 weeks period, purchasing more Netscape browsers for setup on its users' machines, and creating a B2B server to allow the suppliers secured access to Ford's Intranet.

Ford Motor Company - Case Study

In the path towards service cost reduction and bringing more business through the web, Ford worked closely with its competitors in the U.S. market GM and Chrysler to establish what came to be known as "Automotive Network Exchange" (ANX) certificate. The protocols aimed at providing a unified communications standard through the Internet to enable suppliers to provide common technology for all manufacturers. Moreover, Ford focused on making information on its web site more accessible and useful by deploying a team to manage the process of adding and updating information based on an analysis of how humans deal with information. One final aspect of Fords endeavor was to try to build a model through its infrastructure that benefited from the model implemented by Dell computers to improve their supply chain and delivery process. The direct model would not work well for automotives as it would with computers, as a result Ford worked on its retailing network remodeling and identifying what would eventually give it the extra edge in delivery time.

Enterprise Architecture Issues

Ford's regional expansion to address the competition for market shares demanded cost management for the infrastructure upgrades IT infrastructure places limitations on the type of application development based on the platforms Easy access to information and prompt delivery of vital data to key individuals requires proper knowledge managementOrganizations reengineering and process remodeling is necessary when adapting new technologies to maintain the cost and increase efficiency Supply chain errors and delays can severely affect the progress of the business and the market value of the corporation
Analysis

Infrastructure Upgrade

Since the inception of the Internet in the 1960's, much effort has been made in standardizing how computers connect to it. In 1982, the International Organization for Standards (ISO) realized that during that period many ad hoc networking systems were already using the TCP/IP protocol for communications and thus adapted it as a standard in its model for the Internet network [2]. The main driver for IP convergence, at that period, was the growth in data traffic through wide area networks (WANs) established by local companies. Furthermore, in 1991, the Internet was open for commercial use, and that demanded a reduction in the total cost of operating the network to cope with 1 million Internet hosts that materialized in only 1-year time. Telecommunications companies like AT&T understood the potential and worked on standardizing the network offering voice services over IP networks that managed the separation between voice and data transmission [3].

At the same time, Ford had launched its plan to update its infrastructure, and seized the opportunity brought by the global movement of integrating the voice, fax transmission network with data transmission and expanded its WAN to include its offices in Europe and elsewhere. The financial benefits also came from the fact that Ford adapted the TCP/IP protocol from the beginning and made sure that all its technical infrastructure upgrades adhere to the standards. This made the transition of its system to the Internet as cost effective as it could be.

Web Technologies

Intranets employ the hypertext and multimedia technology used on the Internet. Prior to 1989, when Tim burners-Lee invented the Web [4], most applications used standard development languages such as C and C++ to create desktop applications that were proprietary and dependent on the platform. For example, applications running on a command-based operating system such as UNIX would not run under Windows, and those working for PCs might not work on Apple computers and vice versa [5]. The invention of HTML (Hyper-Text Markup Language) introduced a new model for applications that conform to the standards provided by a single program, the "Web Browser". Unlike standard applications, the browser brought a unified interface that had a very fast learning curve. Users seem to require no additional training to work with web browsers. Furthermore, system administrators did not have to spend time installing upgrades on users' machines, since the Intranet client/server architecture facilitated all the updates through the connection with the web server [6].

Since Ford established its Intranet, it was aiming at building web applications through the initial analysis of "Mosaic", the early form of web browsers. The technical department at Ford used web languages to create the first web site in 1995. In 1996, the team started building applications making use of the unified "Netscape" browser that was deployed on all machines at the company, and working on a standard template to cut on the development life cycle. There was a substantial cut in training cost due to the user-friendly interface of web applications. Furthermore, the speed of development made vital applications available to different individuals across the company. For example, the B2B site allowed suppliers remote and secured access to various sections of Ford's Intranet. In addition, the development team created an application as a virtual teardown on Ford's website where Ford's engineers could examine parts of competitors' cars and evaluate any new technologies. The alternative would have been an actual trip to a physical location where Ford tears down cars to examine the parts.

Knowledge Management

While there are many definitions for knowledge, each company might adapt its own based on how it analysis data and information to acquire knowledge. The University of Kentucky, for example, defines knowledge as "a vital organization resource. It is the raw material, work-in process, and finished good of decision-making. Distinct types of knowledge used by decision makers include information, procedures, and heuristics, among others... " [7].

Organizations go through different activities to manage the amount of information they collect to form the knowledge base of the company. Activities include creating databases of best practices and market intelligence analysis, gathering filtering and classifying data, incorporating knowledge into business applications used by employees, and developing focal points for facilitating knowledge flow and building skills [8].

Ford was excited about the traffic it was receiving on the Web site and everyone was publishing all the material they have on desk on the Intranet. Nevertheless, there was a growing concern about the usability and usefulness of the material people were adding. As a result, Ford created a "Knowledge Domain Team" to build complete information in nine areas that were identified as vital to the business. The process Ford took was based on surveys and specialists input in how people perceive information, and what is considered vital and what is distracting in the structure of Ford's website. The aim behind the initiative was to reduce the time individuals spent in searching for information through proper indexing of the website content, and making sure that what was important could be accessed in due time, and what is trivial did not overwhelm the researcher with thousands of results.

Business Re-engineering

In the area of organization's re-engineering process innovation is the set of activities that achieve substantial business improvements. Companies seeking to benefit from process innovation go through the regime of identifying the processes, the factors for change, developing the vision, understanding the current process, and building a prototype for the new organization. History shows that organizations who define their processes properly will not have problems managing the issues and developing the change factors [9]. When introducing technology, business redesign is necessary. The industrial fields have been using Information Technology to remodel processes, control production, and manage material for generations. However, it is only recently that companies recognized that the fusion of IT and business would go beyond automation to fundamentally reshaping how business processes are undertaken [10].

When foreign companies were allowed to compete in the U.S. market, Ford understood that to succeed in business in a competitive arena it needed to implement strategies that competitors find difficult to imitate [11]. As a result, Ford bought Sweden Volvo to enter the European market, and partially owned Mazda to have a competitive edge with Japanese cars1 [12]. To achieve that it re-engineered its production development activities and global corporate organization and processes for dramatic cost reduction. Furthermore, it understood that expansion requires collaboration and alignment, and thus planned to establish the IT infrastructure through a WAN that connected all the offices. In the process of innovation and re-engineering, Ford has set policies to manage the cost of establishing the network, built models for continuous implementation, and organized global meetings to align all parties with the process. Adding to that, when it came to managing the website, Ford facilitated an awareness campaign for all the branches to understand that Ford is using the web to collaborate and research and adapting information technology as a way to maximize its business value. The goal for Ford was to maintain its leadership in the market and to do that in the most efficient and cost effective method that is there.

Supply chain management

Supply chain management (SCM) is about coordinating between suppliers, manufactures, distributors, retailers, and customers [13]. The basic idea that SCM applications revolve around is providing information to all those who are involved in making decisions about the product or goods to manage delivery from the supplier to the consumer [14]. Studies show that reducing errors in supply chain distribution, increases revenue, enhances productivity, and reduces the order-to-fulfillment period [15].

Ford often compared its supply chain process to that of Dell's, in an attempt to close the gaps in its own process and reach the level of success Dell has reached. The difference in the distribution model between Dell and Ford lies in the middle link of using retail shops. Since Ford cannot skip retail as a focal distribution point, it worked on establishing a network of retail shops that it owned. Ford made sure shops are not affecting each other in terms of sales, and gave them all a standard look and feel to establish itself in the consumer's market as a prestigious cars sales retail company. Furthermore, extensive re-engineering initiatives were undertaken to enhance Ford external network by eliminating the correlation with smaller suppliers. In that way, Ford made sure that key suppliers have access to forecasting data from customers' purchasing trends and production information to enable a faster order-to-delivery cycle. Ford vision was to create a model that allowed flexibility, predicable processes and delivered the product at the right time to the right consumer.

Conclusions

Ford is an example of how traditional organizations can mature to adapt what is current and maximizes the business value. The process that Ford went through necessitated the continuous support from management. In addition, it depended on alignment between those involved as a key for success. The correlation was not restricted to internal staff; it extended to cover competitors to reach mutual benefits, to work with suppliers to maintain similar grounds and adequate infrastructure, and to create training programs to educate all on the vision and organization's objectives.

Ford technical progress came at a time where the Internet was yet to reach its full potential. The introduction of Fiber-optic cables in the late 90's and the substantial increase in bandwidth would have helped Ford and cut on the cost in endured connecting its own offices. Furthermore, the ISP services that provided hosting servers were limited to only few players, which explained why Ford preferred to manage its own web server and maintain the overhead of the 24 hours uptime and backup.

From this case study, I understood the level of commitment large firms have to maintaining their position in the market. These companies know the revolving nature of business in the sense of how easy it is to fall back if they did not keep up with the change. The Ford process also shows the need for quick and resourceful thinking when faced with situations that might seem to be unfavorable. The way Ford ventured into the foreign market by acquiring local manufacturers was a strategic decision that did not only enabled Ford to merge with different technologies, but it also saved it the additional cost of establishing production centers in Japan and Europe.

Recommendations

Maintaining leadership in the market requires innovative organizations willing to reengineer to succeed. IT fusion with the business means restructuring and remodeling to understand the role IT would play to meet the business objectives Planning and modeling is vital when coordinating work with large teams. Constructing websites is not about content; it is about understanding what adds value and how humans interact with information. Knowledge management is a plan that companies need to develop as part of their initial business process modeling It is not wrong for large firms to try to adapt to successful processes implemented by other firms.
References

Robert D. Austin and Mark Cotteleer,"Ford Motor Co.: Maximizing the Business Value of Web Technologies." Harvard Business Publishing. July 10, 1997. harvardbusinessonline.hbsp.harvard.edu/b02/en/common/item_detail.jhtml;jsessionid=WDARNHINBSYKSAKRGWCB5VQBKE0YOISW?id=198006 (accessed July 30, 2008). Computer History Museum, Internet History 80's. 2006. computerhistory.org/internet_history/internet_history_80s.shtml (accessed July 30, 2008). Darren Wilksch and Peter Shoubridge, "IP Convergence in Global Telecommunications." Defense Science & Technology Organization. March 2001. http://www.dsto.defence.gov.au/publications/2400/DSTO-TR-1046.pdf (accessed July 30, 2008). Computer History Museum, Internet History 80's. H. Joseph Wen, "From client/server to intranet." Information Management & Computer Security (MCB UP Ltd) 6, no. 1 (1998): 15-20. R. Boutaba, K. El Guemioui, and P. Dini, "An outlook on intranet management." Communications Magazine (IEEE), October 1997: 92-99. Joseph M. Firestone, Enterprise Information Portals and Knowledge Management (OXFORD: Butterworth-Heinemann, 2002), 169. David J. Skyrme, "Knowledge management solutions - the IT contribution." ACM SIGGROUP Bulletin (ACM) 19, no. 1 (April 1998): 34 - 39, 34. Thomas H. Davenport, Process Innovation: Reengineering Work Through Information Technology (Watertown,MA: Harvard Business Press, 1993), 28. Thomas H. Davenport "The New Industrial Engineering: Information Technology and Business Process Redesign." Sloan Management Review 31, no. 4 (Summer 1990): 11-28, 12 Gary M. Erickson, Robert Jacobson, and Johny K. Johansson, "Competition for market share in the presence of strategic invisible assets: The US automobile market, 1971-1981." International Journal of Research in Marketing (Elsevier Science) 9, no. 1 (March 1992): 23-37, 23. Austin and Cotteleer, "Ford Motor " , 2. Henk A. Akkermans, et al. "The impact of ERP on supply chain management: Exploratory findings from a European Delphi study." European Journal of Operational Research 146 (2003): 284-301, 286 Thomas H. Davenport and Jeffrey D. Brooks, "Enterprise systems and the supply chain." Journal of Enterprise Information Management 17, no. 1 (2004): 8-19, 9. Kevin B. Hendricks, Vinod R. Singhal, and Jeff K. Stratman. "The impact of enterprise systems on corporate performance:A study of ERP, SCM, and CRM system implementations." Journal of Operations Management 25, no. 1 (January 2007): 65-82.

Ford Motor Company - Case Study
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Sally Ahmed is a webmaster , web technology analyst, and a developer for more than 7 years. Earned the Certified Web Professionals title from the International Webmaster Association in 2001. Worked as a technical Internet instructor at New Horizons computer learning center. Worked in several companies where she developed and planned over 20 websites . Holds a Masters degree in web technologies from the University College of Denver, CO. Currently working as a web technology consultant and an E-commerce manager for several local companies.

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