Articles

International Business Environments and operations

Escogí este libro hace unos días de nuestra biblioteca, no he leído muchas paginas pero es un libro muy interesante, contiene muchos casos de empresas extranjeras reales e informacion sobre diferentes lugares y tipos de mercado. Las imagenes en el libro, hacen de su lectura mas entretenida al igual que las gráficas y los mapas. Al final de cada capítulo, se presenta un caso sobre alguna empresa, para mi, estas partes son las mas interesantes porque muestran casos reales y te redactan la experiencia por la que pasan. Recomiendo este libro para cualquier persona que esté interesada en los negocios, la economia y el mercado.

John D. Daniels and Lee H. Radebaugh  (1994) International Business Environments and operations (Seventh edition) United States of America. Addison-Wesley Publishing Company

(Update in english will come as soon as possible!)

International Control of Investment The Dusseldorf Conference on Multinational Corporations

The Conference of International Control of Investment was held in Düsseldorf, Germany, on January 5 and 6, 1973. It consisted of three panel sessions in which formally prepared papers and comments were presented, followed by a general discussion . The panel papers were distributed prior to the meeting and were only summarized by the speakers at the meeting itself. Commentators evaluated and criticized the papers. The panel sessions were recorded and edited from the transcripts.

Most of the papers are reproduced in this volume with some alterations by the respective authors and the editors. In many cases participants were kind enough to review and revise their comments and discussion at the panel sessions.

Douglas F. Lamont (MANAGING FOREIGN INVESTMENT IN SOUTHERN ITALY)



Aqui les ofrecemos un artículo que nos llamo mucho la atención. se trata de una de las empresas mas grandes y exitosas del mundo. Lo obtuvimos del sitio web www.franchisedirect.com un sitio muy interesante con mucha informacion de franquicias.

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The Success of the McDonald's Franchise

The success of McDonald's is the business equivalent of the American Dream. While McDonald's was not the first franchise business, it has possibly become the premier example of the business model. With roots that trace back to a single drive-in started by a pair of brothers, Dick and Mac McDonald, in Southern California, McDonald's has grown to a network of well over 30,000 locations in more than 100 countries.

So how did the chain grow from a single restaurant into the expansive corporation it is today? It's not a question that can be answered concisely because McDonald's is first-class in every segment of its operation. With that in mind, this article focuses upon three of the characteristics which stand out when speaking about the success of McDonald's: consistency, innovation and resiliency.

Consistency

It doesn't matter if you're visiting a McDonald's in California or Connecticut, America or Australia – you're going to have a similar experience wherever you are. This highlights Ray Kroc's vision for McDonald's from the beginning. Kroc was a salesman from Illinois who ventured to San Bernardino, California in 1954 when he noticed a larger than normal order for the milkshake multi-mixers he was selling came in. When he arrived in Southern California, he was intrigued with what he witnessed – a restaurant that was efficiently serving a large number of customers who seemed pleased with the food they were receiving. Sensing a business opportunity, he made a proposal to the McDonald brothers to begin franchising their restaurant concept, which the brothers eventually accepted. Kroc opened his first McDonald's in 1955 in Des Plaines, Illinois.

“Quality, Service, Cleanliness and Value” was Kroc's motto. His belief in this motto was so strong he went on to found a training school, Hamburger University, in 1961 whose curriculum is based upon the four concepts, as well as lessons he had learned from his initial years in operating the franchise. Consistency, of course, is the lynchpin of any franchise system and Hamburger University has systematically taught future franchisees how to run a McDonald's restaurant the way Ray Kroc envisioned.¹ Customers know what to expect and can take comfort in that knowledge when making a decision on where to eat. These efforts towards process repetition and efficiency not only set the basis for McDonald's success from the standpoint of customers' expectations, but also help McDonald's stay on top in a culture where producing at a quick pace is commonly expected.

Innovation

At first, the characteristics of consistency and innovation seem to contradict one another. But in fact, they work together to allow for McDonald's continued growth. Staying consistent on the core components of your business doesn't mean the products you sell, or even the way you deliver them, have to stay the same. It's a delicate balance. However, if you take the necessary steps, and put the work in ahead of time, you can tweak your product without causing disruptions, and potentially better serve your customers. Innovation stemming from responsiveness to customers and franchisees has played a big role in McDonald's fending off stagnation over the years.

For example, in 1975 a group of potential McDonald's customers had a problem: at that time, soldiers in a certain locale weren't permitted to get out of their cars while wearing their fatigues. After learning of this problem, McDonald's came up with a solution: add a drive-thru. The first McDonald's drive-thru was located near military base Fort Huachuca in Sierra Vista, Arizona to serve the soldiers with additional drive-thru locations in Georgia and Oklahoma City soon following.²

In addition, McDonald's product offerings have evolved over the years alongside the tastes of their customers thanks in part to some observant and innovative franchisees. A few examples of products that were introduced after being developed by McDonald's franchisees or owner/operators are:

• Filet-O-Fish
• Big Mac
• Hot Apple Pie
• Egg McMuffin
• McFlurry

These menu innovations (along with items developed in their test kitchen) have allowed for McDonald's to hold product offerings for all meal times, and the snack periods that fall in between, allowing for greater profitability. But McDonald's takes great care not to effect the consumer experience when a new item is introduced. As McDonald's CEO James Skinner said in a 2010 interview with CNBC, “[McDonald's doesn't] put something on the menu until it can be produced at the speed of McDonald's.”³

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Resiliency

Though the trajectory for McDonald's has been primarily upward throughout its existence, the company has had to weather several challenges and controversies. For decades, McDonald's has had many lawsuits directed at them for various issues, and has been the subject of a large amount of negative press. What does McDonald's do combat this negativity? It appears part of their strategy entails acknowledging the concern, and then dedicating resources in-house to staying on top of the issue as the following examples illustrate.

Many of the challenges McDonald's has faced over the years are related to health concerns, particularly related to children. In response to these concerns, McDonald's formed the Global Advisory Council (GAC) in 2004. The GAC is an international team of independent experts assembled by McDonald's to provide us with professional guidance in the areas of nutrition and children's well-being.⁴ Several additions to their menu items have come in answer to critics' and consumers' desire for healthier choices. Some examples of these choices include an increased variety of salads, fruit and maple oatmeal, and the option of being able to order a Happy Meal with apple dippers and apple juice or 1% low-fat milk as the drink. In addition, McDonald's was one of the first fast food restaurants to provide nutrition facts on their packaging, beginning in 2006.

When it comes to sustainable environmental practices, activists have been raising concerns over McDonald's policies for decades. In the mid-1980s, McDonald's began facing one of its staunchest challengers in the activist group London Greenpeace (not affiliated with the international Greenpeace organization). In a leaflet entitled “What's Wrong with McDonald's?” the group alleged that the food that McDonald's served was bad for people's health and that actions used to produce their food products and packaging contributes to the destruction of rainforests, among other things.⁵ In response, McDonald'sy established a Global Environmental Commitment in 1990 that outlines the steps they have taken to reduce solid waste, conserve and protect natural resources, along with encouraging others to be accountable for their actions.⁶ One of results of this commitment is that currently 82% of McDonald's consumer packaging is made from renewable materials.⁷ But, McDonald's did take a big PR hit through the actions of members of the London Greenpeace group that is well documented by the “McLibel” case and subsequent accounts of the litigation.

In spite of these and additional controversies, McDonald's ranked in the top 10 overall, and number one in food services, in CNNMoney.com's survey of the World's Most Admired Companies for 2011.⁸ How can McDonald's turn these tribulations into bumps in the road instead of them have a devastating impact on business? Part of the reason McDonald's can be resilient when they are challenged is an established rapport within the community. When controversies arise, having goodwill with consumers can help any company weather the storm. Ways McDonald's cultivates goodwill with consumers include their involvement in youth sports programs and charity programs such as Ronald McDonald House charities.

Very few companies will ever come near the magnitude of operation McDonald's has achieved. However, the lessons the corporation showcases are on display to be learned by entrepreneurs striving to make their company the best it can be. The success of McDonald's can be attributed to many more factors that have been discussed in this article, but these are three which have contributed heavily to it. Here are some takeaways from the discussed factors that can be applied to virtually all businesses:

• Developing strong, efficient processes and procedures and remaining consistent on them allow for businesses to develop consumer confidence in the brand.
• Having the foundation of consistent processes allow businesses the flexibility to innovate and adapt to consumers' concerns, and improve the brand with minimal disruption.
• Problems and downtimes will happen in business. Having an established rapport with consumers can help businesses be resilient when difficulties arise.
  

INTERJET

		Descripción: Interjet es una aerolínea mexicana que ofrece viajes nacionales, con un destino  internacional, a través de una flota de 24 aviones. También cuenta con una  división de agencia de viajes y tiene establecido un Centro de Mantenimiento con servicio a aviones propios y de terceros.
Cuerpo directivo: Miguel Alemán Magnani PRESIDENTE EJECUTIVO Francisco Javier Mondragón Alarcón VICEPRESIDENTE EJECUTIVO José Luis Garza Álvarez DIRECTOR GENERAL Luis Alejandro Beristain Mercado DIRECTOR DE FINANZAS Francisco Javier Licea Ventura DIRECTOR DE ADMINISTRACIÓN
		Resumen Financiero al cierre 2010
		-          Ventas:              412.7 mdd
		-          Utilidad neta:  60.9 mdd
		-          Activos:            530.8 mdd -          Deuda:             n.d.
Sede: Toluca, Estado de México.

Distribución de ventas por segmento de negocio (%)		Distribución geográfica de las ventas (%)
Vuelos comerciales: 94.1% Servicios complementarios: 2.7% Carga: 0.8% Otros: 2.4%		n.d.

Empleados (al 31/03/11): 2,348

Datos de contacto: ABC AEROLÍNEAS, S.A. DE C.V. Ignacio Longares 102, Mz 2 Lt 2, Parque Industrial Exportec 1, Toluca, Edo. de México. CP 50200 TEL: (722) 276539

RELEVANCIA DE REUNIÓN

·         N.D.

ANTECEDENTES DE LA EMPRESA

·         La compañía inició en 2005 con 3 aviones Airbus A320, dando servicio a 4 rutas nacionales.

·         En 2006 la empresa obtuvo la certificación de la Auditoría de Seguridad Operacional de la IATA que validó sus niveles de seguridad operacional.

·         Para 2007 ofrecía servicio en 19 rutas y en 2009 cubrió 33 rutas.

·         En marzo de 2011 la empresa adquirió indirectamente el capital social de Inter-Jet Airlines Limited, compañía Irlandesa que ahora funciona como su subsidiaria.

SITUACIÓN ACTUAL DE LA EMPRESA

·         En los primeros tres meses de 2011 y diciembre 2010 operó 140 vuelos diarios a 26 destinos en 34 rutas nacionales. Todos los vuelos tienen como salida o destino los aeropuertos de la Ciudad de México, Toluca, Guadalajara, Monterrey o Tijuana.

·         Durante el primer trimestre de 2011 la empresa tuvo una participación de mercado de 24.4% en términos de número de pasajeros transportados.

·         A partir de mayo de 2007 la empresa instaló su Centro de Mantenimiento para dar soporte y reparaciones mayores a los aviones Airbus A320 y A340.

·         La Familia Alemán es propietaria del 96% del capital  social de la empresa.

PLANES A FUTURO

·         Recientemente se anunció que la empresa empezará a cotizar en bolsa durante la segunda mitad de 2011.

·         Entre 2012 y 2014 la empresa contará con 15 nuevos aviones modelo Sukhoi Superjet 100, fabricados por Superjet International. La transacción de otros 5 aviones del mismo modelo se tramitó a manera de opción.

·         En 2008 la empresa fue autorizada para tener vuelos a los Estados Unidos. Se proyecta que sea posible este servicio internacional cuando ya se cuente con los aviones de Superjet.

PRESENCIA EN EL EXTRANJERO

·         La empresa tiene presencia en el extranjero a través de su subsidiaria Inter-Jet Airlines. Esta empresa filial se dedica al arrendamiento de equipo aéreo de transporte.

SuKarne

CEO: Guadalupe De Jesús Vizcarra Calderón Presidente del Consejo: Guadalupe De Jesús Vizcarra Calderón Consejeros no ejecutivos: N.D.		Descripción: SuKarne es la división de productos cárnicos del Grupo Viz. La empresa se especializa en la cría de ganado y ofrece una línea completa de carnes y productos cárnicos sazonados.
		Resumen Financiero (2007) En millones de dólares.*
		-Ingresos:                $ 895.75
		-Utilidad Neta:       $ 23.25
		-Activos:                  $ 445.33
Sede: Culiacán, México		-Deuda:                   $ 220.34 * Los montos presentados son del Grupo Viz, al que pertenece la marca SuKarne.

ANTECEDENTES DE LA EMPRESA

Ø  La Empresa pertenece al Grupo Viz, que fue fundado en 1969 por la Familia Vizcarra, iniciándose en la comercialización de bovinos en Sinaloa.

Ø  En la década de los noventa incursionó en el mercado americano.

Ø  Durante 2007, la empresa invirtió 50 millones de dólares para llegar a cuatro plantas productoras en el país, donde tiene 200 mil cabezas de ganado. Con esta cifra la compañía espera mantener un crecimiento en el promedio de ventas mensual.

Ø  De acuerdo con la revista Expansión, entre las 500 empresas más importantes de México en 2007, Grupo Viz ocupa la posición 157.

SITUACIÓN ACTUAL DE LA EMPRESA

Ø  SuKarne es una empresa privada dedicada a la producción y distribución de carne. Sus servicios incluyen el procesamiento y la preservación de los productos alimenticios.

Ø  La empresa se especializa en la cría de ganado y ofrece una línea de carnes frescas, carne molida y en productos cárnicos  sazonados.

Ø  La empresa también participa en la fabricación y el comercio de embutidos y otros productos lácteos.

Ø  Comercializa alimentos al menudeo y ofrece líneas de servicio de alimentos que se utilizan como aperitivos, tales como sandwiches gourmet.

Ø  Cuenta con un sistema de distribución directa a más de 30 ciudades en el norte y centro del país.

Ø  Posee una flota de 210 camiones ligeros y 30 camiones torton que recorren aproximadamente 200 rutas de ventas específicas a nivel nacional. De esta manera los productos se distribuyen a cadenas de mercados, restaurantes, pequeñas carnicerías y cocinas económicas. En total, llegan a más de 10 mil clientes, por medio de 60 puntos de venta en 90 ciudades del país y Estados Unidos (California, Texas, Illinois, Georgia y Florida).

Ø  En 2007 contaba con 80 centros de acopio de ganado y una plantilla de 3,500 trabajadores aproximadamente.

Ø  Sus cuatro ganaderías actuales se ubican en:

o   Culiacán, Sinaloa

o   Vista Hermosa, Michoacán

o   Mexicali, Baja California

o   Monterrey, Nuevo León.

Ø  La empresa posee el 15% de participación en el mercado mexicano de ganado bovino. Para abastecer la demanda de este último, importa carne de Chile, Uruguay y Brasil.

Ø  Todos los productos de SuKarne se encuentran certificados por las autoridades mexicanas, y aprobados por el Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos (United States Department of Agriculture – USDA). Además cuenta con la certificación ISO 9001-2000, TIF y Alta Seguridad Alimentaria (HACCP).

Ø  La empresa cotiza en la Bolsa Mexicana como parte de Grupo VIZ.

DIVISIONES / PRODUCTOS

Ø  Los productos de la empresa se dividen en dos principalmente; los cortes de carne y los productos sazonados.

o   Dentro de los cortes, SuKarne ofrece productos altamente clasificados dentro del sector de la carne:

§  New York Steak

§  Rib Eye Steak

§  Top Sirlion

§  T-Bone

§  Porterhouse

§  Filete Mignon

o   Los productos Sazonados incluyen

§  Jalapeño Nueva York Steak

§  Adobo Sirlion Steak

§  Skirt Steak Sazonada

§  Chipotle Tri Tip

§  Adobo Costillas

§  Carne Para Asar

PLANES A FUTURO

Ø  Actualmente cuenta con planes de penetración hacia los mercados de China, Taiwán y Singapur.

PRESENCIA INTERNACIONAL

Ø  Tiene presencia en Centroamérica, Estados Unidos y Asia.

o   En Centroamérica tiene centros de acopio de ganado, uno en Nicaragua y otro en Costa Rica.

o   Distribuye sus productos al mercado estadounidense desde hace diez años; país al cual, le exporta en promedio, 4 mil toneladas de carne de bovino al mes.

o   Exporta sus productos  al mercado japonés (Un promedio de dos mil toneladas mensuales de carne bovina).

o   Desde el año 2007, se anunció que aumentarían sus volúmenes de exportación de carne de bovino a Corea, de 20 a 400 toneladas mensuales.