The Role of the Emperor in Meiji Japan Essay Thesis Example For Students

The Role of the Emperor in Meiji Japan Essay Thesis Within this historical context the Meiji leaders realized that they neededto harness the concept of the Imperial Will in order to govern effectively. During the Age of Imperialism, members of the Satsuma and Choshu, two ofthe very powerful clans in Japan, were parts of the opposition to foreignimperialism. This opposition believed that the only way that Japan couldsurvive the encroachment of the foreigners was to rally around the Emperor. The supporters of the imperial government, known as imperialists, claimedthat the Tokugawa Shogunate had lost its imperial mandate to carry out theImperial Will because it had capitulated to Western powers by allowing themto open up Japan to trade. During this time the ideas of the imperialistsgained increasing support among Japanese citizens and intellectuals whotaught at newly established schools and wrote revisionist history booksthat claimed that historically the Emperor had been the ruler of Japan. We will write a custom essay on The Role of the Emperor in Meiji Japan Thesis specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The fact that the Tokugawas policy of opening up Japan to the westernworld ran counter to beliefs of the Emperor and was unpopular with thepublic made the Tokugawa vulnerable to attack from the imperialists. Theimperialists pressed their attack both militarily and from within the Courtof Kyoto. The Japanese public and the Shoguns supporters soon felt thatthey had lost the Imperial Will. The end of the Tokugawa regime shows the power of the symbolism and mythssurrounding the imperial institution. The head of the Tokugawa clan died in1867 and was replaced by the son of a lord who was a champion of Japanesehistorical studies and who agreed with the imperialists claims aboutrestoring the Emperor.In 1867, the new shogun handed over all his powerto Emperor Komeo in Kyoto. Shortly after handing over power to EmperorKomeo, the Emperor died and was replaced by his son who became the MeijiEmperor, which officially started the Meiji period (1868-1911).TheMeiji Emperor was only 15, and so all th e power of the new restored Emperorfell not in the Emperors hands but in the hands of his close advisors. Once in control of the government, the Meiji leaders and advisors to theEmperor reversed their policy of hostility to Foreigners.The reason fordoing this was because after Emperor Komeo, who strongly opposed contactwith the west, died in 1867 the Meiji Emperors advisors were no longerbound by his Imperial Will. They realized that opposing western powers wasimpossible, and being anti-western also no longer served the purposes ofthe Meiji advisors. Originally it was a tool of the imperialist movementthat was used to show that the Shogun was not acting out the Imperial Will. Now that the Shogun and Komeo Emperor were dead there was no longer areason to take on anti-foreign policies. The choice of the imperial thrown by the imperialists as a point for Japanto rally around could not have been wiser. Although the imperialinstitution had no real power it had universal appeal to the Japanesepublic. It was both a mythic and religious idea in their minds.In thistime of chaos after coming in contact with foreigners, the imperial thrownprovided the Japanese with a belief of stability (according to Japanesemyth the imperial line is a unbroken lineage handed down since timeimmortal), and the natural superiority of Japanese culture.The symbolismof the Emperor helped ensure the success of the Meiji leaders, because itundercut the legitimacy of the Shogunates rule, and it strengthened theMeiji rulers who claimed to act for the Emperor. What is a great paradox about the imperialists claims to restore thepower of the Emperor is that the Meiji rulers only restored the Em peror topower symbolically, because he was both too young and his advisors toopower hungry. By 1869, relationship between the Emperor and his Meijibureaucracy were very similar to the Emperor and the Tokugawa Shogun beforethe restoration. Both the Meiji Bureaucrats and the Shogun ruled under theauthority of the Emperor but did not let the Emperor make any decisions. In other words, the Meiji Emperor reigned but did not rule. This wasuseful for the new Meiji bureaucrats, because it kept the Emperor a mythicand powerful symbol. The teachings and symbols of Confucian beliefs and the ImperialInstitution were already deeply carved into the minds of the Japanese, butthe new Meiji rulers, through both an education system and the structure ofthe Japanese government, were able to effectively inculcate thesetraditions into a new generation of Japanese. Japan, as a nation close toChina, was greatly influenced by the teachings of Confucius, the greatestteacher in China.Japanese people believe in integrity, uprightness,respect for superiors, filial loyalty, and they also believe that avirtuous man must have culture and manners, which is being humble andbenevolent.These exactly resemble the teachings of Confucianism to actas an individual. The education system the Meiji rulers foundedtransformed itself into a system that indoctrinated students in the ideasof Confucianism and reverence for the Emperor.After the death of Okubo,a very important figure in Meiji government, in 1878, Ito, Okuma, andIwakura emerged as the three most powerful figures among the youngbureaucrats that were running the government in the name of the MeijiEmperor. Iwakura, one of the only figures in the ancient nobility to gainprominence among the Meiji oligarchy allied with Ito who feared thatOkumas progressive ideas would destroy Japans culture. Iwakuras thoughtwas able to manipulate the young Emperor to grow concerned about the needto strengthen traditional morals. Thus in 1882, the Emperor issued theYogaku Koyo, the forerunner of the Imperial Rescript on Education.Thisdocument put the emphasis of the Japanese education system on a moraleducation from 1882 onward. Previous to 1880 the Japanese education system was modeled on that of theFrench education system.After 1880 the Japanese briefly modeled theireducation system on the American system.However, starting wit h theYogaku Koyo in 1882 and ending with the 1885 reorganization of thedepartment of Education along Prussian lines, the American model wasabolished.The new education minister Mori Arinori, after returning fromEurope in 1885 with Ito, was convinced that the Japanese education systemhad to have a spiritual foundation to it.In Prussia, Arinori saw thatfoundation to be Christianity, and he decreed that in Japan the Educationsystem was to be based on reverence for the Imperial Institution. Apicture of the Emperor was placed in every classroom, children read aboutthe myths surrounding the Emperor in school, and they learned that theEmperor was the head of the giant family of Japan.By the time theImperial Rescript on Education was decreed by the Emperor in 1889 theJapanese education system had already begun to transform itself into asystem that taught what to think instead of how to think. The ImperialRescript on Education in 1889 was according to Japanese scholars such asHugh Borton, the nerve axis of the new order.Burton believes that theImperial Rescript on Education signaled the rise of nationalistic elementsin Japan. The Imperial Rescript on Education was the culmination of thiswhole movement to the right. The Rescript emphasized aspects fromConfucianism, especially loyalty and filial piety or respect for theconstitution and readiness to serve the government. It also exalted theEmperor as the coeval between heaven and earth. The Constitution of 1889, like the changes in the education system, helpedstrengthen reverence for the Imperial Institution. The 1889 Constitutionwas really the second document of its kind passed in Japan, the first beingthe Imperial Oath of 1868 in which the Emperor laid out the structure andwho was to head the new Meiji government.This Imperial Oath was referredto as a constitution at the time but it only vaguely laid out the structureof government. The constitution promulgated by the Emperor in 1889 didmuch more than lay out the structur e of Japanese government. It alsoaffirmed that the Emperor was the supreme sovereign over Japan.Thesigning ceremony itself was an auspicious event on the way to it. MoriArinori, one of the moderate leaders of the Meiji government, was attackedand killed by a crazed rightist. The ceremony itself evoked both the pastand present and was symbolic of the Meiji governments shift toward theright and the governments use of the Emperor as supreme ruler. EmperorMeiji signed the constitution, which affirmed the sanctity of the Emperorstitle (Tenno Taiken), and his right to make or abrogate any law.Theconstitution also set up a bicameral legislature.The constitutioncodified the power of the Emperor and helped the Meiji rulers justify theirrule, because they could point to the constitution and say that they werecarrying out the will of the Emperor. Even after the Constitution of 1889,the Meiji Emperor enjoyed little real power. The Meiji Emperor did noteven come to cabinet meetings because his a dvisors told him if the cabinetmade a decision that was different then the one he wanted, then that wouldcreate dissension and would destroy the idea of the Imperial Institution. .ue92079e70e30d33cdc607cd69d5caf2b , .ue92079e70e30d33cdc607cd69d5caf2b .postImageUrl , .ue92079e70e30d33cdc607cd69d5caf2b .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ue92079e70e30d33cdc607cd69d5caf2b , .ue92079e70e30d33cdc607cd69d5caf2b:hover , .ue92079e70e30d33cdc607cd69d5caf2b:visited , .ue92079e70e30d33cdc607cd69d5caf2b:active { border:0!important; } .ue92079e70e30d33cdc607cd69d5caf2b .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ue92079e70e30d33cdc607cd69d5caf2b { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ue92079e70e30d33cdc607cd69d5caf2b:active , .ue92079e70e30d33cdc607cd69d5caf2b:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ue92079e70e30d33cdc607cd69d5caf2b .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ue92079e70e30d33cdc607cd69d5caf2b .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ue92079e70e30d33cdc607cd69d5caf2b .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ue92079e70e30d33cdc607cd69d5caf2b .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ue92079e70e30d33cdc607cd69d5caf2b:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ue92079e70e30d33cdc607cd69d5caf2b .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ue92079e70e30d33cdc607cd69d5caf2b .ue92079e70e30d33cdc607cd69d5caf2b-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ue92079e70e30d33cdc607cd69d5caf2b:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Luba Art And Possible Meanings EssayTherefore, even after the Meiji Constitution, the Emperor was stillpredominantly a symbol.The Constitution ingrained in Japanese societythe idea that the government was being run by higher forces that knewbetter than the Japanese people did. It also broadened the base of supportof the Meiji Rulers who now had a document to prove they were acting onImperial Will and their decisions were imperial decisions instead of thoseof normal mortals. The symbolism of the Emperor and use of Confucianism allowed the Meijirulers to achieve their goals. One of their goals was the abolishment ofthe system of feudalism (taxes paid by peasants to landowner s) and returnof all land to the Emperor. At first the new Meiji Rulers alliedthemselves with the Daimyo clans, which are the strongest samurais justbelow the shogun and own a great deal of lands, in opposition to theTokugawa Shogun. However, once the Meiji leaders had gained control, theysaw that they would need to abolish the feudal system and concentrate powerin the hands of a central government. The Meiji rulers achieved theirgoals by having the Choshu, Satsuma, Tosa, and Hizen clans give up theirlands, granting the Daimyos large pensions if they gave up their clans, andby having the Emperor issue two decrees in July 1869, and August 1871. The role and symbolism of the Emperor, although not the sole factor ininfluencing the Daimyo to give up their land, was vital. The Meiji rulerssaid that not turning in the fiefs to the Emperor would be disloyal andpointed to the historical records, which Meiji scholars claimed, showedthat historically all land were the property of the Emperor.They showedthis by claiming that the Shogun would switch the rulers of lands and thisproved that the Daimyos did not control the title to their land but merelyheld it for the Emperor. Imperial decrees and slogans of loyalty to theEmperor also accompanied the abolishment of the Samurai system.In theabolishment of both these feudal systems, the symbolism of the Emperor, asboth the director of the initiative and recipient of the authorityafterwards, played a vital role in ensuring there success. The abolishment of feudalism and the samurai class were essential for thestability and industrialization of Japan.Without the concentration ofland and powe r in the hands of the Meiji rulers and the Emperor, the Meijirulers feared they would receive opposition from powerful Daimyos and nevergain control and authority over all of Japan. Historical examples bear outthe fears of the Meiji rulers. In 1467, the Ashikaga Shogun failed tocontrol many of the lands. As a result, a civil war raged in Japan.Thecentralization of power allowed the Meiji government to have taxingauthority over all of Japan and pursue national projects.The unity ofJapan also allowed the Meiji rulers to focus on national and not localissues. The use of Confucianism and the Emperor also brought a degree of stabilityto Japan during the tumultuous Meiji years. The Emperors mere presence ona train or in western clothes was enough to convince the public of thesafety or goodness of the Meiji rulers industrial policy. In one famousinstance, the Japanese Emperor appeared in a train car. Since then, trainbecame a common transportation in Japan. The behavior of the Imperialfami ly was also critical to adoption of western cultural practices. Before1873, most Japanese women of a high social position would shave theireyebrows and blacken their teeth to appear beautiful. However, on March3rd, 1873, the Empress appeared in public wearing her own eyebrows and withunblackened teeth. From that day on, most women in Tokyo and around Japanstopped shaving their eyebrows and blackening their teeth.The Imperialinstitution provided both a key tool to change Japanese culture andfeelings about industrialization while providing stability to Japan, whichwas critical to allowing industrialists to invest in factories and increaseexports and production. The symbols and the traditions the Meiji leaders inculcated Japanesesociety with helped the Meiji government maintain stability and pursue itseconomic policies but it also had severe limitations that limited therevolutionary scope of the Japanese government and helped bring about thedownfall of the Meiji era. The use of Confuci anism and the Emperor tobolster the Imperial restoration laid the foundation for a paradox of stateaffairs. The system that sought to strengthen Japan through the use ofmodern technology and modern organization methods was using traditionalvalues to further its goals.This caused some to turn toward the west forthe enlightenment the Meiji era promised. As a result, Okuma waseventually forced out of the increasing nationalist Genro, advisors of theEmperor.For others it led them to severe nationalism rejecting all thatwas western. This was such the case of Saigo who believed till his deathon his own sword that the Meiji leaders were hypocritical and wereviolating the Imperial Will by negotiating and trading with the west.TheMeiji government used the same symbols and traditions that the Tokugawaused, and, like the Tokugawa, gave the Emperor no decision-making power. .u8983313edab032d964bf7ce06988e6b5 , .u8983313edab032d964bf7ce06988e6b5 .postImageUrl , .u8983313edab032d964bf7ce06988e6b5 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u8983313edab032d964bf7ce06988e6b5 , .u8983313edab032d964bf7ce06988e6b5:hover , .u8983313edab032d964bf7ce06988e6b5:visited , .u8983313edab032d964bf7ce06988e6b5:active { border:0!important; } .u8983313edab032d964bf7ce06988e6b5 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u8983313edab032d964bf7ce06988e6b5 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u8983313edab032d964bf7ce06988e6b5:active , .u8983313edab032d964bf7ce06988e6b5:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u8983313edab032d964bf7ce06988e6b5 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u8983313edab032d964bf7ce06988e6b5 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u8983313edab032d964bf7ce06988e6b5 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u8983313edab032d964bf7ce06988e6b5 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u8983313edab032d964bf7ce06988e6b5:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u8983313edab032d964bf7ce06988e6b5 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u8983313edab032d964bf7ce06988e6b5 .u8983313edab032d964bf7ce06988e6b5-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u8983313edab032d964bf7ce06988e6b5:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Atomic Bomb EssayThe Meiji Emperor, although having supreme power as accorded in theconstitution, never actually made decisions but was instead a pawn of theMeiji Genro who claimed to carry out his Imperial Will. Like theShogunate, the idea that Meiji governments claim to rule for the Emperorwas full with problems. The Imperial Will was a fluid idea that could beadopted by different parties under changing circumstances. Just like theMeiji rulers were able to topple the Shogun by claiming successfully thatthey were the true administrators of the Imperial Will, the militaristelements in the 1930s were able to topple the democratic elements of Japanpartially by claiming t he mantle of ruling for the Emperor.From thisperspective, the Meiji ruling class, built up of the Imperial Myth, was afatal flaw in the government. The constitution, which says in article I,The Empire of Japan shall be governed over by a line of Emperors unbrokenfor ages eternal gave to whoever was acting on the Imperial Will absoluteright to govern. The symbols of the Emperor and the tradition of Confucianism did notdisappear with the end of the Meiji era or World War II. Nowadays, theidea of filial piety is still strong, and multiple generations of a familystill usually live together even in cramped Japanese housing. The religionof Shinto, traditional Japanese animism or nature worship, that the Meijileaders rejuvenated during their rule in order to help foster the imperialcult is still thriving as the thousands of Tori gates and Shrines aroundJapan attest.But the most striking symbol to survive is that of theEmperor, stripped after World War II of all power, is still revered. During the illness of Emperor Showa in 1989, every national newspaper andtelevision show was full of reports related to the Emperors health. During the six months that the Showa Emperor was sick, all parades andpublic events were canceled in respect for the Emperor. Outside the gatesof the Imperial palace in Tokyo long tables were set up where people linedup to sign cards to wish the Emperor a speedy recovery. The news mediaeven kept the type of illness the Emperor had a secret in deference to theEmperor. At his death after months of illness, it was as if the ImperialCult of the Meiji era had returned. Everything in Japan closed down,private television stations went as far as to not air any commercials onthe day of his death, and now almost six years after his death more thanfour hundred and fifty thousand people travel annually to the isolatedgrave site of Emperor Showa. The traditions and symbolism of Confucianism and the Emperor were criticalto the Meiji rulers gaining control of power and goals ofindustrialization. The rulers implanted the Japanese public with thesetraditional values through an education system that s tressed morallearning, and through a constitution that established the law of Japan tobe that of the Imperial Will. The values of Confucianism and symbol of theEmperor allowed the Meiji government to peacefully gain control of Japan byappealing to history and the restoration of the Emperor. However, theMeiji rulers never restored the Emperor to a position of real politicalpower. Instead, he was used as a tool by the government to achieve theirmodernization plans in Japan, such as the abolishment of feudalism, the endof the samurai class, the propagation of new cultural practices, and pubicacceptance of the Meiji governments industrialization policies. Thesymbols and traditions of Japans past are an enduring legacy that havemanifested themselves in the Meiji Restoration and today in Japanscontinued reverence for the Emperor. References1. Nagata, Hidejero. (1921). A Simplified Treatise on the Imperial Houseof Japan. Tokyo: Hakubunkwan. 2. Kuwasaburo, Takatsu. (1893). The History of the Empire of Japan. Tokyo: Dai Nippon Tosho Kabushiki Kwaisha. 3. Reischauer, Edwin O. (1987). Japan Past and Present. Tokyo: TuttlePublishing. 4. McLaren, Walter. (1916). A Political History of Japan During the MeijiEra 1867-1912. New York: Scribner and Sons. 5. Sato, Shusuke. (1916). Some Historical Phases of Modern Japan. NewYork: Japan Society. 6. Allen, Louis. (1971). Japan the Years of Triumph. London: Purnell andSons. 7. Duus, Peter. (1976). The Rise of Modern Japan. Boston: HoughtonMifflin Company. 8. Large, Stephen. (1989). The Japanese Constitutional of 1889. London:Suntory-Toyota International Centre. 9. Best, Ernest. (1966). Christian Faith and Cultural Crisis the JapaneseCase. Leiden: E.J. Brill. 10. Borton, Hugh. (1955). Japans Modern Century. New York: Ronald Press. 11. Murphey, Rhoads. (1997.) East Asia: A New History. New York: AddisonWesley Longman, Inc. Endnotes1 Nagata, Hidejero. (1921). A Simplified Treatise on the Imperial Houseof Japan. Tokyo: Hakubunkwan. p.47. 2 Kuwasaburo, Takatsu. (1893). The History of the Empire of Japan. Tokyo: Dai Nippon Tosho Kabushiki Kwaisha. p.206. 3 Ibid. p.17. 4 Reischauer, Edwin O. (1987). Japan Past and Present. Tokyo: TuttlePublishing. p.112. 5 McLaren, Walter. (1916). A Political History of Japan During the MeijiEra 1867- 1912. New York: Scribner and Sons. p.32. 6 Sato, Shusuke. (1916). Some Historical Phases of Modern Japan.NewYork: Japan Society. p.4. 7 McLaren. A Political History of Japan During the Meiji Era 1867-1912. p.44. 8 Allen, Louis. (1971). Japan the Years of Triumph. London: Purnell andSons. p.8. 9 Duus, Peter. (1976). The Rise of Modern Japan. Boston: HoughtonMifflin Company. p.73. 10 Nagata. A Simplified Treatise on The Imperial House of Japan. p.142. 11 Ibid. p.35. 12 Large, Stephen. (1989). The Japanese Constitutional of 1889.London:Suntory- Toyota International Centre. p.27. 13 McLaren. A Political History of Japan During the Meiji Era 1867-1912. p.70. 14 Murphey, Rhoads. (1997). East Asia: A New History. New York: AddisonWesley Longman, Inc. p.44. 15 Ibid. p.45. 16 Duus. The Rise of Modern Japan. p.116. 17 Best, Ernest. (1966). Christian Faith and Cultural Crisis theJapanese Case. 18 Leiden: E.J. Brill. p.108. 19 Ibid. p.105. 20 Ibid. p.105. 21 Ibid. p.106. 22 Ibid. p.106. 23 Ibid. p.106. 24 Ibid. p.106. 25 Duus. The Rise of Modern Japan. p.117. 26 Borton, Hugh. (1955). Japans Modern Century. New York: RonaldPress. p.524. 27 Duus. The Rise of Modern Japan. p.118. 28 McLaren. A Political History of Japan During the Meiji Era 1867-1912. p.69. 29 Nagata. A Simplified Treatise on The Imperial House of Japan. p.60. 30 Large. The Japanese Constitutional of 1889. p.9. 31 McLaren. A Political History of Japan During the Meiji Era 1867-1912. p.193. 32 Ibid. p.192. 33 Large. The Japanese Constitutional of 1889. p.27. 34 Nagata. A Simplified Treatise on The Imperial House of Japan. p.89. 35 McLaren. A Political History of Japan During the Meiji Era 1867-1912. p.77. 36 Ibid. p.78. 37 Ibid. p.77. 38 Ibid. p.83. 39 Ibid. p.82. 40 Reischauer. Japan Past and Present. p.66. 41 Duus. The Rise of Modern Japan. p.117. 42 Allen. Japan the Years of Triumph. p.41. 43 Duus. The Rise of Modern Japan. p.84. 44 Ibid. p.119. 45 Ibid. p.88. 46 Ibid. p.94-95. 47 Reischauer. Japan Past and Present. p.166. 48 Ibid. p.167. 49 Ibid. p.13. 50 Large. The Japanese Constitutional of 1889. p.20. History

Analysis of Persimmon PLC

Analysis of Persimmon PLC Executive Summary Persimmon PLC is a UK based house building company. It has been in operation since 1972. The company provides housing under three brand names, Westbury Partnerships, Charles Church and Persimmon Homes. The UK housing industry consists of a few dominant firms and many small companies serving small segments of the market.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Analysis of Persimmon PLC specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Persimmon Homes is lucky to be one of the largest dominant firms of this housing industry. For example, according to the last year rates, the company sold close to 10,000 homes; such a result is definitely a huge progress and an immense success. The external factors, which affect the UK housing industry, have a direct impact on Persimmon PLC. These factors include the economic downturn, lack of financing, sustainability and environmental concerns and government intervention. This paper will di scuss those factors in detail. Persimmon PLC has three major competitors, which are Barratt Developments PLC, Anvil Homes and Bellway Limited. We will compare their performance during 2011 in terms of operations, revenue generation, EPS and several other factors. The outcome shows that the strongest competitor of Persimmon PLC is Barratt Developments PLC. However, Persimmon PLC still has the competitive advantage of the large land banks. The company draws its competitive advantage from five major sources. They are the land banks, the government partnerships, the brand equity, the scale of operations and a capable management team. This paper will discuss these sources in detail. The investors have several options open to them if they execute a successful takeover. Michael Porter proposed that companies build competitive advantage using three methods. These are a cost leadership, differentiation and focus. Introduction Persimmon PLC is a UK based house building company. It has been in operation since 1972. The company provides housing using three brand names, Westbury Partnerships, Charles Church and Persimmon Homes. Each of these three subsidiary companies focuses on different market segments.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Persimmon Homes main occupation which plays a central role in its business is traditional stand-alone houses; Charles Church provides premium housing, while Westbury Partnerships engages in building low-end affordable houses. This paper will seek to explore the strategic position of Persimmon PLC as well as the options available to a potential investor trying to find the answer to the question if they should be successful in a takeover (De Wit Meyer, 2004). The Industry Status and Competition The UK housing industry consists of a few dominant firms and many small firms serving small segments of the market. Persimmon PLC is lucky one of the largest dominant firms at the market. Such a high position increases its competitive power. The company sold close to 10,000 homes last year. This is quite a high and impressive result in comparison to other market players. As a matter of fact, Persimmon PLC has three major competitors at the market currently, Barratt Developments PLC, Anvil Homes and Bellway PLC. These three competitive firms hold slightly smaller market shares than Persimmon PLC does. They also compete directly with each of the three Persimmon Brands (Persimmon PLC, 2011). Bellway PLC focuses on recycling and reclaiming British land. It competes directly with the Westbury Partnerships. However, Bellway PLC has a competitive advantage of its brand name because it is associated with creating sustainability. It sells approximately 5000 homes in a year. This places it in fourth position in the industry. Anvil Homes pays more attention to rural constructions building their houses. The company is inv olved in converting barns and other farm structures into family homes. This makes it a direct competitor of Persimmon Homes. However, Anvil Homes has already cut a niche for itself in the country. Moreover, the company also focuses on building cottages. Barratt Developments PLC builds family houses and apartments. Like Persimmon PLC, the company collaborates with the government to provide affordable housing for citizens. This company is the biggest competitor of Persimmon PLC. Their leadership in innovation has earned them several awards in the industry.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Analysis of Persimmon PLC specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The company is slightly older than Persimmon PLC. It was established in 1958. Barratt Developments PLC also provides a luxury homes collection to rival Persimmons’ Charles Church homes. To spread its risks, Barratt Developments PLC has diversified into the US (Persimmo n PLC, 2011). Porter’s 5 Forces Analysis Threat of New Entrants The threat of new entrants in an industry is determined by the economies of scale current players are experiencing, the level of product differentiation and the capital required to begin operations in the industry. The UK housing industry has relatively high barriers of entry. The large firms such as Barratt and Persimmon already experience huge economies of scale due to widespread operations. They also have the advantage of experience. House building requires specialized machinery. An established firm spreads the use of such machinery over many projects and hence benefits more than a small entrant with only few projects. Current industry players have employed differentiation to keep out prospective competitors. For example, Persimmon operates under three different brand names, Persimmon homes, Charles Church and Westbury Partnerships. Barratt Plc on the other hand operates under the brand names of Barratt Homes, David Wilson Homes and Ward Homes. Each industry player has differentiated his or her products. This raises the barriers of entry further. There is a high capital requirement for this industry. Thus, the threat of new entrants is made weak by the entry barriers that keep them out. Threat of Substitute Products Substitute products serve almost a similar purpose as the industry product but may not be in the same product line. There are few substitutes for housing in the UK. The major alternative for owning homes is renting apartments. With the economic downturn, consumers have been unable to purchase as many houses as they used to. People are now turning to renting upmarket apartments instead. The industry has recognized this trend and diversified into building these apartments. However, the major customer for such is not the lone homeowner. Usually, large real-estate developers purchase such buildings and rent out units.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The threat of substitute products is low. Apartments may be cheaper than traditional family homes, but those who can afford still prefer to build homes. People have to live somewhere and housing is an essential commodity. Low threat of substitutes increases the industry’s profit potential. Bargaining Power of Buyers The power of buyers is low. There are very many buyers and the market is fragmented. House buyers seldom make collective purchase decisions in order to minimize costs. Usually, individual families decide what house to buy and which firm to purchase from. Commercial buyers have slightly higher power but they are rare. Housing is a critical commodity. This gives the supplier an upper hand and reduces the buyer’s bargaining power. The recent problems with financing have driven housing industry firms to create innovative financing options for prospective buyers. This factor has also contributed to low buyer bargaining power. Bargaining Power of Suppliers The ba rgaining power of suppliers is high if there are few suppliers and many buyers and if the product supplied is critical to the buyer’s business. In the UK construction industry, there are many independent suppliers. Raw materials can be sourced from within or outside the country. Suppliers often have to submit tenders or bids. The lowest and most convenient bid is chosen. Skilled construction labourers have high bargaining power. They usually work on contract and seek to maximize their benefit from each contract. Their bargaining power is high because of their specialized knowledge. Non-skilled workers have low bargaining power. The company can always lay them off and hire other workers. They try to increase their bargaining power by forming unions. Overall, the bargaining power of suppliers in this industry is low. Competitive Rivalry within the Industry This is the strongest force in operation within the UK housing industry. There are few dominant firms fighting to maintain their market shares. The smaller firms are competing in market growth. Companies have employed extensive product differentiation to crowd out competition. They have also invested heavily in research and development. They compete on first mover advantage and innovation. Those who manage to innovate charge competitive prices on their houses. The green housing initiatives are the best example of innovation within the industry. High competitive rivalry reduces an industry’s profit potential. External Factors and Trends Affecting the UK Housing Industry Economic Downturn The global economy suffered a massive downturn in 2008. Recovery has been painfully slow. The European credit crisis has also greatly affected economic conditions in the UK. Consumers are spending less. Unemployment is on the rise. This has a definite impact on the housing sector. Reduced disposable income means people have less money to spend on housing. This in effect contracts the housing market (Bartlett, Ghos hal Beamish, 2008). Government Schemes The government has tried to encourage home acquisition despite the poor economic conditions. There are several schemes, which have been put in place to facilitate this. They include New Build Home Buy, Open Market Home Buy, Social Home Buy and Cash Incentive Schemes. The government has forged partnerships with home building companies such as Persimmon PLC and Barratt Developments PLC in order to execute these schemes. These partnerships are opportunities for growth that did not previously exist (Bellway PLC, 2011). There has also been a tax holiday for stamp duty on new investments. This enabled investors to save between 1250 and 2500 pounds. This scheme is now ending but it has created increased demand for homes. There are still some buyers rushing to take advantage before it closes in March. Though the housing industry has faced difficult times, it has also received government support to aid its survival and prosperity (Barratt Developments P LC 2011). Environmental and Sustainability Concerns There is a shift in all industries towards environmental friendly operations. The housing industry has also been affected by this trend. People want houses that have the minimum possible negative influence on the environment. Global warming and the resultant climate change have caused consumers to be more conscious in their purchasing (Persimmon PLC, 2011). Companies are now forced to invest heavily in Research and Development to create innovative green housing solutions. Such innovations could reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill, increase recycling, create energy efficient homes and create renewable energy. The current industry leaders are also leaders in innovation and environmental consciousness. There are various certifications and awards issued annually to encourage this trend. Companies literally compete for these since it proves to consumers that they are doing something about the situation. The Code for Sustainable Homes serves this purpose in the UK. Many industry players have adopted this principles based approach (Persimmon PLC, 2011). Financing The Global Financial Crisis in 2008 resulted in the collapse of major banks such as The Lehman Brothers. The banks that survived put a tighter leash on lending to avoid similar pitfalls. This means that consumers today find it harder to obtain mortgages. Very few people can afford to pay cash upfront for investment in housing. Thus, reduction in the availability of mortgages also results in a smaller housing market (Persimmon PLC, 2011). Increased rates of unemployment prevent people from having a constant source of income. Without a payslip or any collateral, it is difficult to obtain a mortgage and thus own a home. The housing industry has to come up with creative solutions to assist their customers purchase houses (Johnson, Whittington Scholes, 2011). Performance of Persimmon PLC Compared to Competitors This section of the essay will compare Per simmon’s performance to two of its major competitors: Bellway PLC and Barratt Developments PLC. The third major competitor, Anvil Homes is a private company. This company’s financial information is not publicly available. The figures all relate to the 2011 financial year. Different aspects of performance will be measured. The Persimmon PLC figures are double the half-year results issued in November 201. These are the most current figures. The assumption is that all revenues and expenses accrue evenly over the year. Performance Measure Persimmon PLC Barratt Developments PLC Bellway PLC Revenue 14,240 M 20,354 M 886.09 M Dividend 8p 5p 12.5p Operating Profit 119.4M 127.3 M 50.144 M Houses completed 8,878 11,171 4,922 Land Bank 62,364 plots 60,083 plots 18,086 plots Earnings Per Share (EPS) 31p 83.47p 41.07p Revenue Revenue measures the amount of income a company is generating, especially from operations. In this measure, Barratt Developments PLC perform ed better than both Persimmon PLC and Bellway. Barratt Developments PLC sold almost 30% more than Persimmon PLC (Persimmon PLC, 2011). This is a huge margin. Barratt Developments PLC has the advantage of innovation and strong brand recognition. It has also diversified greatly. Persimmon PLC should come up with strategies to close this gap (Barratt Developments PLC, 2011). Dividend The dividend indicates the return shareholders receive for their investment during that period. For shareholders, the higher the dividend, the better. Bellway PLC paid out the highest dividend at 12.5p, followed by Persimmon PLC at 8p, and finally, by Barratt Developments PLC at 5p (Persimmon PLC, 2011). However, some shareholders view non-payment of high dividend as a sign that the company is investing the profits for long-term share price growth. This could be the strategy adopted by both Persimmon PLC and Barratt Developments PLC (Barratt Developments PLC, 2011). Operating Profit This is a clear indicat or of how much the company is profiting from its operations. It is the difference between the revenue and operating costs. Barratt Developments PLC posted the highest operating profit at 127.3 Million Pounds. It was closely followed by Persimmon PLC with 119.4M. Bellway’s operating profit of 50.144M was barely half of Persimmon’s (Persimmon PLC, 2011). The difference in the Persimmons and Barratt Developments PLC operating profit is 8%. The difference in their revenues was 30%. This means that either Barratt Developments PLC has very high operating expenses or Persimmon PLC is more efficient in managing its costs. If the latter is true, then Persimmon PLC has some competitive advantage over Barratt Developments PLC. Houses Legally Completed The number of houses legally completed is a measure of the operational efficiency and productivity of the company. These companies compete based on houses sold. The more houses a company can complete, the more it can sell. The resul t is higher revenues and thus profits (Persimmon PLC, 2011). Barratt Developments PLC is leading with 11,171 houses legally completed. Persimmon PLC is in second place having completed 8,878 houses. This is 80% of the work done by Barratt Developments PLC. This difference could explain the 30% difference in revenue. Persimmon PLC should expand its capacity to enable it complete the same number of houses as Barratt Developments PLC. Technology can be used to speed up the cost of construction (Anvil Homes, 2012). Land Bank The land bank refers to the amount of land a company has that is available for construction. It represents capacity to expand. Land is also an asset, which appreciates. The more land in the land bank, the higher the value of this asset. Persimmon PLC is leading in this department by a very small margin. The company should keep acquiring more land in prime areas to widen the gap between them and their competitors. Bellway PLC is trailing with 18,086 plots. Earnings P er Share The EPS indicates how productive the investment by shareholders has been during the year. It depends on how management has employed such resources. A high EPS indicates more productive the resources. EPS is obtained by dividing the net profit by the total number of shares (Persimmon PLC, 2011). Barratt Developments PLC is leading with a huge margin. All factors constant, this means that it is earning the highest return for its shareholders. Bellway is the second, with an EPS that is almost 50% of Barratt’s EPS. Finally, Persimmon PLC is trailing with an EPS of 31p. A low EPS could be attributed to a high number of shares. If this is the cause, then Persimmon PLC should reduce its use of equity financing and use more debt instead. This will help reduce shareholder dissatisfaction over low EPS. Competitive Advantage Persimmon PLC has several sources of competitive advantage. The first is the large land banks, which the company controls. Currently, Persimmon PLC has the largest land banks among its competitors. These land banks represent expansion capacity. This means that given the right conditions, the company can grow to be much larger than its competitors are. The gap between the competitors and Persimmon PLC in terms of land banks is not very significant. The company should purchase more plots to widen the gap and thereby strengthening their competitive advantage (Bartlett, Ghoshal Beamish, 2008). Secondly, Persimmon PLC has an established brand name. The Charles Church brand is associated with up-market luxury homes. Prospective homeowners seeking luxury homes are likely to hire this company due to its brand name. This name can be enhanced by advertising in exclusive places. The major threat to this brand is the rival Barratt brand. Westbury Partnerships and Persimmon Homes are also well known in the country. They have cut out niches for themselves in the property market. Their major competition is the small industry players. The company sh ould seek to personalize these brands to the consumers in order to increase brand equity (Mintzberg, Lampel Ghoshal, 2003). Thirdly, the company has excellent sustainability policies. If properly implemented, these policies could lead the company to greater heights. They respond to operational, environmental and stakeholder needs. In the operational sector, the company seeks to minimize its operational wastes and recycle where possible (Haberberg Rieple, 2007). This will reduce operational costs and environmental impact. Persimmon PLC also seeks to build sustainable communities. This goal recognizes the human need for social interactions. It also bears in mind that these communities are Persimmon’s customers and therefore revenue sources. Persimmon PLC also tries to build the capacity of its workers. This policy recognizes the fact that people make a company (Hitt, Ireland Hoslisson, 2008). The government is the biggest consumer in any economy. Persimmon PLC has partnershi ps with the government to promote home ownership. In the NewBuy scheme, the Government backs 95% of the mortgage to enable new homeowners acquire houses. This has increased the customer base for the Westbury partnerships division. Such associations with the government help to create a positive image for the company and enhance its brand equity (Barney, 2002). Persimmon PLC has a large scale of operations. This is a source of competitive advantage since it allows the company to benefit from economies of scale (Kay, 1993). Persimmon PLC can achieve great efficiencies in construction due to learning curve effect. They can also negotiate for bulk discounts from suppliers. Economies of scale help to reduce costs hence increase operating margin Finally, the company has a capable and experienced management team. The company management is divided into the Northern, Central and Southern Divisions. They each have a regional Chairman, financial Director and Chief Executive. This team meets reg ularly to strategize and plan. The workers on the ground are also well trained. This is one of Persimmon’s sustainability policies. The capability built in these people offers great competitive advantage as noted by Barney (2002). Persimmon Swot Analysis A swot analysis examines both internal and external factors that are critical to a firm’s success. This analysis will aid in making strategic choices. Strengths Persimmon has large land banks that are available for development. It can use this resource to increase market share in the industry. Their brand is also recognized countrywide. This brand equity is an important intangible asset. Persimmon has a highly skilled management team and Board of Directors. They provide leadership to the company. Weaknesses Weaknesses are factors under the company’s control, which can prevent it from achieving corporate goals. Persimmon is underutilizing its land banks. The company may lose market share by failing to develop it s land. The company also constructs houses at a slower rate than its competitor Barratt does. This could be due to internal inefficiencies. Opportunities Persimmon can take advantage of globalization to enter foreign markets. The company can use its experience in UK as leverage. The demand for luxury housing is also increasing. Persimmon has an opportunity to expand its Charles Church division. Threats The macro-economic environment is the greatest threat to Persimmon. Rising interest rates will make it difficult for prospective customers to obtain mortgages. The company may also have trouble accessing credit. Inflation may force consumers to spend less and reduce persimmon’s revenue. Strategic Options The investors have several options open to them if they execute a successful takeover. Michael Porter proposed that companies build competitive advantage using three methods. These are cost leadership, differentiation and focus. Differentiation This is the most appropriate opti on for Persimmon PLC. The company has already started operating along these lines. The investors would seek to create brand loyalty by providing special features in their housing products. This brand loyalty will create repeat purchases and referrals. This will increase Persimmon’s sales and profitability. This strategy is appropriate because the company already has three different established brands. The investors can create other brand s to compete with their current brands. The purpose of such a move will be to crowd out competition. A differentiation strategy also provides options for the company. In case one product line is failing, the company can still profit from the others. Focus The investors can adopt a focus strategy. This means they work to meet the needs of only one specific segment of the market. In Persimmon’s case, they would need to divest in two divisions and retain one, preferably the Charles Church line. This line serves the high-end market, which is less prone to market fluctuations. A focus strategy requires high specialization. The company would have to invest in Research and Development to meet the needs of the chosen target market. Cost Leadership This strategy requires Persimmon PLC to maximize construction and operational efficiency in order to minimize costs. The company will end up selling products at a lower price than competitors sell. Such a strategy will appeal only to low-end consumers and the government. If the investors adopt this strategy, they cannot sell to the high-end homeowners. This may result in reduced revenues. Reference List Anvil Homes 2012, anvilhomes.com/. Barney, J 2002, Gaining and Sustaining Competitive Advantage. Pearson, Upper Saddle River, NJ. Barratt Developments PLC 2011, Annual Report 2011, Barratttdevelopments.co.uk/Barrattt/uploads/results/AR_2011.pdf. Barratt Developments PLC 2011, Sustainability Report 2011, Barratttdevelopments.co.uk/Barrattt/en/csr/csrreports. Bartlett, CA, Ghoshal , S Beamish, P 2008, Trans-national Management: Text, Cases, and Readings in Cross-Border Management, McGraw-Hill, London. Bellway 2011, Annual Report 2011, bellway.co.uk/. De Wit, B Meyer, R 2004, Strategy: Process, Content, Context, Thomson International Business Press, London. Haberberg, A Rieple, A 2007, Strategic Management: Theory and Application, Oxford University Press (SMTA), London. Hitt, MA, Ireland, RD Hoslisson, RE 2008, Strategic Management Competitiveness and Globalization, Thomson, London. Johnson, G, Whittington, R Scholes, K 2011, Exploring Strategy Text Cases, FT Prentice Hall, New York. Kay, J 1993, Foundations Of Corporate Success How Business Strategies Add Value, Oxford University Press, London. Mintzberg, H, Lampel, J Ghoshal, S 2003, The Strategy Process, Concepts Contexts Cases, Oxford University Press, London. Persimmon PLC 2011, Annual Report 2010, http://corporate.persimmonhomes.com/psn/investor/reports/. Persimmon PLC 2011, Annual Report 2011, http://corporate.persimmonhomes.com/psn/investor/presentations/2011/hy2011/hy2011.pdf. Persimmon PLC 2011, Sustainability Report 2010, investis.com/persimmon/csr/sustainability-report2010.pdf.

Group Dynamics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

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Development of Ophelia in Hamlet Essay Example for Free

Development of Ophelia in Hamlet Essay William Shakespeare in the play â€Å"Hamlet† develops the character of Ophelia in three unique stages. Initially, Ophelia is portrayed as a normal and obedient character. As the play progresses, she falls madly in love and ultimately goes insane. Ophelia progresses in a negative direction as the plot of the play moves on. In the beginning of the play Ophelia is depicted as the normal, obedient daughter. Laertes explains to Ophelia that even if Hamlet says he loves her, he may not be telling the truth. After Laertes speaks, Ophelia respects the personal knowledge on relationships that he has to offer. Ophelia accepts his speech and â€Å"shall the effect of this good lesson keep as watchman to [her] heart† (I, III, 48-49). Ophelia listened to Laertes’ advice and obediently accepts his guidance. Moment’s later Ophelia’s father, Polonius, requests that Ophelia stop seeing Hamlet. In response, Ophelia says, â€Å"I shall obey, my Lord† (I, III, 140). Polonius’ word appears to be of importance when Ophelia responds in such a compliant manner. Primarily, Ophelia is interpreted as a well-behaved teenage girl, however this depiction soon changes. Although Laertes and Polonius try to steer Ophelia in the right direction, she ends up falling almost irrationally in love with Hamlet. Ophelias utter obedience leaves her vulnerable to the abuse of Hamlet, who accuses her of being unfaithful and deceptive. Ophelia claims that Hamlet â€Å"took [her] by the wrist and held [her] hard† (II, I, 97). Although Hamlet physically abuses Ophelia, her love for him is stronger than him mistreating her. While Hamlet tells Ophelia that his love for her has departed, she is in utter shock and dismay. Ophelia responds with â€Å"O heavenly powers, restore him!† (III, I, 153). Ophelia cannot believe that Hamlet no longer loves her and wishes that he would love her again once more. Her love is clearly consuming her every thought. Although Hamlet no longer loves Ophelia she cannot accept or cope with this reality and the stress ultimately leads to her death. After Ophelia realizes that Hamlet no longer has feelings for her, she goes insane. Ophelia sings a vulgar song about a maiden who is tricked into losing her virginity with a false promise of marriage. While Ophelia is prancing around singing her outrageous song, she relates her song to Hamlet. Ophelia says, â€Å"Quoth she, before you tumbled me, you promised me to wed† (IV,V,62-63). Ophelia felt that they were going to get married and she believed that Hamlet was certainly going to propose to her. Later, Ophelia fell into the water and drowned. The Queen speaks up and says, â€Å"Till that her garments, heavy with their drink, pulled the poor wretch from her melodious lay to muddy death† (IV,VII,196-198). Rather than trying to save herself, she passively let herself drown because she didn’t care to continue living without Hamlet. In the end, Ophelia’s emotions controlled her, and these negative emotions led to her demise. Ophelia develops over the course of the play in a number of ways. Initially she is obedient and normal, and later turns into a girl controlled by love and eventually she commits suicide. Ophelia is a dynamic character that changes throughout the play. Her blind passion for Hamlet causes her to lose the ability to think or act rationally. Life, to her, is meaningless without him, and she chooses death over life. Ophelia surely progressed through the play in a negative manner.

The Treatment of Men and Women in Tess of the DUrbervilles Essay

The Treatment of Men and Women in Tess of the D'Urbervilles Tess now feels he can understand her problem. When she tells him he refuses to accept it, he has placed Tess on a pedestal and is mortified when she falls from it. She begs his forgiveness but he has become very cold towards her and doesn't seem to hear her pleas. Hardy really shows the double standards of the day by making both crimes so similar. We can see how differently men and women were treated. Today both genders are treated the same and Tess is seen as a victim, Angel gave consent and so is now seen as the one in the wrong. Angel is very cold and refers to Tess as a different person not the woman he loved. 'You were one person, now you are another'. Angel is too rational and socially aware of Tess' disgrace to forgive her. Tess is so distraught he cannot forgive her she contemplates taking her life but she can't because it will bring suspicion and shame on Angel. Tess becomes very reserved and says she will do what ever Angel asks. This does make a modern reader mad because she should not be begg...

Business Model of Amazon Essay

Amazon.com is the pioneering bookstore on the Internet that first opened in July 1995 by Jeff Bezos. The firm offers online shopping services and partnership opportunities such as online search for books, music and video items. The products that they sell include an array of audio, video and book titles. Amazon has one of the widest selections and employs international shipping to virtually every corner of the globe in just a few days. Amazon’s focus is having the biggest selection of free-electronic greeting cards, online auction and millions of books, CDs, videos, DVDs, toys and electronics. They have expanded to different areas of the world, such as Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.de, to service consumers outside of the United States. They aim to be a Cost leader in which their firm has lower costs than the competitors. They have employed different Amazon branches in different parts of the world to lower costs. This allows Amazon to ship their products at a lower price from each po int of shipment to the consumer. In recent years, Amazon.com has expanded from being just an online bookstore to an all around online shopping experience. They have coined the tag line â€Å"Earth’s biggest selection†. Amazon has diversified into different websites. These are the Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com), LiveBid.com, amazon.livebid.com, drugstore.com (an online retail and information about health and wellness), gear.com (online sporting goods company), homegrocer.com (online grocery shopping and delivery), pets.com (largest pet supply online shopping site), ashford.com (online luxury and premium shopping) and eZiba.com (online retailer of handcrafted products). Five Forces Model for Industry Analysis New Entrants The online bookstore industry that Amazon.com has pioneered in was, at first, very hard to penetrate. There were different barriers such as distributing capabilities and the variety of the selection offered that are supposed to be hurdled. Amazon successfully solved the tricky parameters as being the first one to get into the whole idea of online retail. With being the first, they had the luxury to set what were the norms for the industry. Factors that may lower these barrier tactics would be a wider selection and the  ability to go to an actual bookstore to exchange or return books or other products. This network of â€Å"actual† retail spaces makes it easier for the consumer to return or exchange the products they were not satisfied with. These handicaps of Amazon were the basis for the emergence of book retail giants Barnes and Noble and Borders in the online shopping industry. Industry Competitors The major competitors of Amazon are Barnes and Noble and Borders. Barnes and Noble is a retail giant offering books and CDs both in their outlets all over the country. It opened their online industry in 1997 and has become the fourth largest e-commerce sites today. Focused largely on the sale of books, music, software, magazines, prints, posters, and related products, the company has capitalized on the recognized brand value of the Barnes & Noble name to become the second largest, and one of the fastest growing, online distributors of books. Their â€Å"advantage† to Amazon is the brand name and the availability of actual retail outlets in which consumers could go in to exchange or return products easily. They also have an established book selection based in their retail operations. Borders is another multi-media retail store found in major cities around the country. Started out as a small bookshop in the college town of Ann Arbor, Michigan, it has since expanded into one of the finest bookstores. In 1992, Borders was bought by the Kmart group which further flourished the company into a Multi Media Giant with a wide selection of Audio, Video and Books found throughout the United States. The Online Bookstore industry have become a fierce business which involves discounts, varied selections and fast delivery in which all three companies are challenging each other. Buyers The consumers of this industry can be found in every corner of the population. These are mostly people who have had some form of higher education and have access to the Internet and computers. The segment of online shoppers has increased dramatically in recent years due to the convenience of shopping in the comforts of the home and the accessibility of the Internet. These developments have made it easier for consumers to log on and buy on the Internet. Consumers also tend to compare prices among the retail leaders such that buyers are able to buy products with very big  discounts compared to ones bought in â€Å"actual† retail outlets. The bargaining power of the consumer is based on the competitive strategies of each active firm in the industry. Thus, consumers can challenge one firm for charging more than the other one such that the firm will beat the price of the competing firm. Suppliers Amazon’s suppliers range from the publishing and media houses to electronics’ manufacturers. Amazon buys all their books, videos and audio CDs from the multi media houses and publishing giants such as Time Warner, Doubleday etc. Amazon also has alliances with other bookstores to cover orders that they cannot serve. Substitutes The substitutes for Amazon and other online bookstores are the â€Å"actual† book retailers and music stores such as Barnes and Nobles, Virgin Megastore, Tower Records, Sam Goody and other small mom-and-pop outlets. With the rise of online retail, there will be little impact from these substitutes. One impact would be some consumers who would like to hold or listen to their purchases prior to buying and those who are into the whole â€Å"shopping experience†. Barnes and Nobles have jumped into online retail and have succeeded into diversifying into the new e-commerce industry. Industrial Organization Model Degree of Competition Due to the shift of focus for Amazon, it has become the â€Å"Earth’s biggest anything store†. Its competitors have expanded from just online book retailers Barnes and Nobles and Borders to top audio retailers CDNOW.com and online auction house EBAY.com. Amazon has an overall lead of 40% market share against the other online retail firms. Their international business has more than doubled over the past 2 years and this growth increased Amazon’s share in the online business market. Life Cycle Amazon, in it’s first years, had negative income but the rise of e-commerce sites and being the pioneer made the succeeding years led to boom time for them. Their growth period was during 1994 to 1995 when they were the first of its kind in the world. They incurred very high costs in terms of  distributions to customers. Still with a negative income, Amazon went public in 1997 and had one of the biggest IPOs of the time. With investors banking on future positive cash flow for this company, Amazon’s market value soared. Many people caught on with the idea of online shopping, thus, Amazon’s success. Amazon’s success as an online retailer prompted bricks-and-mortar rivals Barnes and Noble and Borders to join in. Competition decreased Amazon’s profitability so in the past couple of years, Amazon has expanded to more than books, audio and video to electronics and other retail concepts. Social Relevance Amazon’s products are marketed for every consumer possible. Books, audio, video and electronics are appreciated by majority of the population especially those who have access to the Internet. Amazon is active in pursuing literacy programs for young children by collaborating with the makers of the Dr. Seuss books. They have actively participated in the Dr. Seuss shops, story telling sessions and Dr. Seuss days. Degree of Globalization Amazon’s strength internationally lies within its networks in major ports and cities around the Globe. Amazon first started out in Seattle but as soon as they have established a niche market, they have opened shop all over the nation and in cities such as London, Berlin, The Hague, Paris, Tokyo, Singapore and many more. These branches overseas improves their delivery service to a wide consumer base. Extent of Government Control There has not been many government regulations regarding online retailing. A group of CEOs whose firms that are engaged in such practices have formed an organization called Global Business Dialogue. This GBD group supports the development of a seamless global system that delivers the broadest array of goods and services to the largest number of consumers at the most competitive prices. This work effort will: offer recommendations to the WTO, including making the moratorium on online tariffs permanent; and collaborate with governments to target and eliminate discriminations against, or other non-tariff barriers to global trade in, electronic commerce. This working group will also provide an avenue for the GBDs to consider and promote the  growth of the electronic marketplace in an environment unencumbered by detrimental taxation. Degree of Vertical Integration Amazon’s primary value chain includes purchasing/sourcing, marketing, distribution and after-sales services, which includes returns and exchanges from unsatisfied customers. Their main focus is in the purchasing/sourcing and in the distribution of the products to the consumers. Their investments are therefore, geared towards warehouses in key points of high consumer demand areas and an efficient delivery and distributing system to service all its consumers. Thus, Amazon controls most of its distributing system that spans across borders. Inter Organization of Network Economics Amazon in its efforts to sustain its market leadership in the online retailing industry has tied up with various online organizations. Netscape Navigator and Amazon will offer members of Netscape Netcenter a co-branded storefront where Earth’s Biggest Bookstore will be easily accessed through Netscape Netcenter (home.netscape.com). In addition, Amazon.com has multi-year exclusive and premier bookseller relationships with 5 of the top 6 sites on the World Wide Web: AOL.com, Yahoo!, Netscape, GeoCities, and Excite. These partnerships widen Amazon’s presence in the World Wide Web. Sensitivity to Business Cycles The Online retailing business has a very quick cyclical growth. Amazon being one of the firsts to venture in this type of commerce are all ready in what seems to be in their decline stage where market share is declining. Therefore, Amazon is expanding to different industries within online retailing. Amazon and other online retailing firms are very sensitive to business cycles due to the speed of technology involved in the services they offer. Dynamics of New Knowledge Generation Online retailing relies on the work of an excellent distribution system. Amazon has invested their money into expanding their network of distribution centers around the globe. They also have investments in creating better technology for tracking orders and giving efficient delivery systems for their customers. Amazon.com has remained on top of the online retailing  business despite the entrance of giants such as Barnes and Nobles and Borders. Their success is attributed to two factors; timing and continuing to invest heavily into the inventory and distribution systems. Amazon, by being the first of its kind, has a big lead over the nearest competitors due to their experience and its reputation as the first movers. Their thrust remains on improving efficient delivery systems across borders and to build name recognition as the number one retailing firm in the Internet. They have also ventured into different retail options to keep that lead. Marketing, Innovative inventory and distribution systems, and name recall have helped Amazon build a sustainable competitive advantage. In order for any online retail company to remain prosperous and income generating, they must invest a lot of time and money into research and development of more efficient operations and distributions systems. This proved to be key for the Market Leader in online retailing, Amazon.Com. Mary Grace Velasco,College of Business Administration,Senior, Fordham University,Fall 2000