Harley-Davidson faced declining market share in the 1970s due to competition from Japanese motorcycle manufacturers. Under new leadership in the 1980s, Harley-Davidson implemented changes to management, marketing, and manufacturing that led to a turnaround. Management focused on continuous improvement, employee involvement, and open communication. Marketing emphasized brand image and loyalty through customer events. Manufacturing improved quality and efficiency. These changes helped Harley-Davidson regain profitability and market share.
Harley-Davidson struggled in the 1970s due to competition from Japanese motorcycle manufacturers but was able to turn things around through improvements to management, marketing, and manufacturing. Key changes included adopting lean manufacturing techniques from Japan, focusing on quality, emphasizing a strong brand image centered around freedom and individualism, and implementing customer-focused marketing strategies like the Harley Owners Group. These efforts helped Harley-Davidson go from near bankruptcy in the 1980s to major financial success by the mid-1990s through growing sales and market share.
The document discusses job enrichment and job enlargement. It defines job enrichment as making jobs more challenging by reducing repetitive tasks and giving employees more responsibilities and discretion. Job enlargement involves adding similar tasks horizontally to reduce boredom. The document outlines the advantages of each approach for employees and organizations, as well as potential disadvantages, and distinguishes between the two by comparing their focus, purpose, skill requirements and level of direction/control. It concludes that both can be effective tools for motivation but differ in focusing on vertical vs horizontal expansion.
MBA HR PROJECT REPORT ON TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENTSalim Palayi
The document is a project report on studying the effectiveness of training and development at Veekesy Polymers Pvt Ltd. It includes an introduction outlining the objectives and scope of the study. It also includes chapters on the industrial profile of the footwear industry, company profile of Veekesy Polymers, theoretical concepts of training and development, data analysis and interpretations from a study conducted, and conclusions. The report aims to analyze the training methods used, assess effectiveness, understand employee satisfaction with training, and identify need for further training.
Employee counseling provides help and support for dealing with difficult times at work. It helps employees see problems from different perspectives and develop action plans. Counseling is needed in the workplace when employees have issues like unrealistic targets, excessive workload, absenteeism, or personal problems. The counseling process involves identifying the need, preparing for counseling, conducting a session, and following up. Effective counselors use active listening, ask questions, and help employees problem solve and make decisions. Counseling benefits include reduced turnover and absenteeism and improved performance and productivity.
This document appears to be a questionnaire for employees of an Agriculture Department regarding performance appraisals. The questionnaire contains 20 questions to assess employee views on various aspects of performance appraisals including their purpose, how often they are conducted, whether they help change employee behavior or affect pay/promotion decisions, and challenges faced in the agriculture sector. Key information gathered includes years of experience in agriculture, views on the need for and impact of performance appraisals, any issues faced, and what employees want or expect after a performance review.
This document discusses repatriation and career issues faced by expatriates returning to their home country or headquarters. It identifies challenges with effective repatriation including organizational factors like lack of formal repatriation programs, individual factors like career anxiety and work adjustment, and social-cultural factors like difficulty reestablishing social networks. Successful repatriation requires managing the repatriation process, having a repatriation program, and employing repatriation strategies.
It is significant research in the current scenario to investigate into the successful efforts in Recruitment and Promotion.
For complete tools and techniques of innovative Recruitment the reader may like to read Dr. Sibram nisonko's book in Amazon.com/kindle eBooks.
Expatriate training and development is becoming a critical part of human resources for firms competing globally. Many multinational companies have established their own training centers and universities to develop employees' skills and provide cultural awareness programs before international assignments to better assist with adjusting to new cultures abroad. The training focuses on creating cultural awareness, learning the host country's language, and practical assistance to help expatriates and their families rapidly adapt to unexpected events when taking up roles in other countries.
Harley-Davidson struggled in the 1970s due to competition from Japanese motorcycle manufacturers but was able to turn things around through improvements to management, marketing, and manufacturing. Key changes included adopting lean manufacturing techniques from Japan, focusing on quality, emphasizing a strong brand image centered around freedom and individualism, and implementing customer-focused marketing strategies like the Harley Owners Group. These efforts helped Harley-Davidson go from near bankruptcy in the 1980s to major financial success by the mid-1990s through growing sales and market share.
The document discusses job enrichment and job enlargement. It defines job enrichment as making jobs more challenging by reducing repetitive tasks and giving employees more responsibilities and discretion. Job enlargement involves adding similar tasks horizontally to reduce boredom. The document outlines the advantages of each approach for employees and organizations, as well as potential disadvantages, and distinguishes between the two by comparing their focus, purpose, skill requirements and level of direction/control. It concludes that both can be effective tools for motivation but differ in focusing on vertical vs horizontal expansion.
MBA HR PROJECT REPORT ON TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENTSalim Palayi
The document is a project report on studying the effectiveness of training and development at Veekesy Polymers Pvt Ltd. It includes an introduction outlining the objectives and scope of the study. It also includes chapters on the industrial profile of the footwear industry, company profile of Veekesy Polymers, theoretical concepts of training and development, data analysis and interpretations from a study conducted, and conclusions. The report aims to analyze the training methods used, assess effectiveness, understand employee satisfaction with training, and identify need for further training.
Employee counseling provides help and support for dealing with difficult times at work. It helps employees see problems from different perspectives and develop action plans. Counseling is needed in the workplace when employees have issues like unrealistic targets, excessive workload, absenteeism, or personal problems. The counseling process involves identifying the need, preparing for counseling, conducting a session, and following up. Effective counselors use active listening, ask questions, and help employees problem solve and make decisions. Counseling benefits include reduced turnover and absenteeism and improved performance and productivity.
This document appears to be a questionnaire for employees of an Agriculture Department regarding performance appraisals. The questionnaire contains 20 questions to assess employee views on various aspects of performance appraisals including their purpose, how often they are conducted, whether they help change employee behavior or affect pay/promotion decisions, and challenges faced in the agriculture sector. Key information gathered includes years of experience in agriculture, views on the need for and impact of performance appraisals, any issues faced, and what employees want or expect after a performance review.
This document discusses repatriation and career issues faced by expatriates returning to their home country or headquarters. It identifies challenges with effective repatriation including organizational factors like lack of formal repatriation programs, individual factors like career anxiety and work adjustment, and social-cultural factors like difficulty reestablishing social networks. Successful repatriation requires managing the repatriation process, having a repatriation program, and employing repatriation strategies.
It is significant research in the current scenario to investigate into the successful efforts in Recruitment and Promotion.
For complete tools and techniques of innovative Recruitment the reader may like to read Dr. Sibram nisonko's book in Amazon.com/kindle eBooks.
Expatriate training and development is becoming a critical part of human resources for firms competing globally. Many multinational companies have established their own training centers and universities to develop employees' skills and provide cultural awareness programs before international assignments to better assist with adjusting to new cultures abroad. The training focuses on creating cultural awareness, learning the host country's language, and practical assistance to help expatriates and their families rapidly adapt to unexpected events when taking up roles in other countries.
Sensitivity training involves bringing employees together in groups to interact in an unstructured environment. The goals are to help people understand themselves and others better, gain insight into group processes, and develop behavioral skills like communication. It provides face-to-face interaction and freedom for the group to develop interactions without an agenda or predetermined goals. The focus is on gaining sensitivity to one's own and others' feelings, attitudes, and emotions.
Labour unrest at manesar, plant of maruti suzukiSatyam Chauhan
The document summarizes the labor unrest that occurred at Maruti Suzuki's Manesar plant in Haryana, India in 2012. It describes the history of industrial relations issues at Maruti since 1997. In late 2011 and early 2012, unrest began as local labor leaders demanded the right to form alternative unions. In July 2012, violence broke out after workers demanded large pay increases and benefits. The causes of the unrest are analyzed as wage disparities, lack of trust in management, and workers feeling entitled to more profits. The impacts included a month-long shutdown costing Rs. 1,500 crore and changed hiring policies.
This document discusses adopting an investment perspective when managing human resources. It argues that employees should be viewed as human assets or investments rather than variable costs. Viewing employees as investments allows organizations to strategically develop policies to increase the value of employees and gain a competitive advantage. However, investing in human capital also carries more risk than physical assets since employees can leave the organization. The document recommends organizations evaluate and retain valuable employees in order to maximize returns on their human resource investments.
The Toyota Way (Toyota Production System) [Operations Management]Arjun Parekh
1) The document discusses Toyota's production system (TPS) implemented at its Georgetown, Kentucky plant in the 1980s. It focuses on the operations of assembly, production control, quality control, and purchasing using TPS principles like just-in-time, jidoka, heijunka, and kanban.
2) Quality control played an important role in providing instant feedback on assembly quality and preventing problems by working with design and suppliers. Production control coordinated closely with sales and suppliers to deliver the right cars just in time.
3) Through intensive training and coaching, Toyota successfully transplanted its production system principles and culture to its American plant while ramping up production slowly to develop the necessary "human
This document discusses strategic human resource management. It defines HRM and outlines several models of HRM, including the matching model, strategic management model, and control-based model. It also discusses the strategic management process, strategic planning, types of strategies, and strategic HRM. Strategic HRM aims to improve business performance by taking a strategic approach to managing human capital. While strategic HRM can benefit organizations, it also faces some limitations that must be addressed. Overall, managing human resources strategically is important for organizations to gain a competitive advantage.
This document is a project report on training and development at Apple Inc. submitted by Mr. Hitesh Rohra for his M.Com degree. The report provides an introduction to human resource management and training and development. It discusses traditional and modern approaches to training, the importance and objectives of training, models of training like the systems model and instructional systems development model. It also covers learning and training, identifying training needs, developing training programs, and evaluating training impact. The report aims to analyze training and development practices at Apple Inc.
Training and development programme by TATA GroupShrey Kapoor
The Tata Group places strong emphasis on training and development. They have established programs like the Tata Administrative Service (TAS) and Tata Management Training Centre (TMTC) to develop leaders within the organization. TAS is a one-year training program that provides cross-functional rotations, rural exposure, and mentorship. TMTC conducts 250 programs annually using internal and external faculty to disseminate knowledge and skills. The goal is to maximize employee potential and encourage mobility across companies. Training helps employees adapt to changes, new roles, and advances learning.
The document provides information about performance appraisal at Tata Motors. It first discusses Tata Motors, including its history, operations, and products. It then discusses performance appraisal in general terms. Finally, it describes research conducted to evaluate Tata Motors' performance appraisal process, including findings, conclusions, and suggestions.
This document discusses the importance of understanding cultural differences in managing a global workforce. It provides context on how globalization has increased diversity in workplaces and the need for cross-cultural understanding. Several frameworks for analyzing cultural dimensions are introduced, including individualism vs collectivism, power distance, uncertainty avoidance, and masculinity vs femininity. The document emphasizes that respecting different cultures, gaining knowledge of foreign cultures, and managing cultural differences strategically can help organizations overcome obstacles and benefit from diversity.
A questionnaire for training and development 3Rashi Joshi
This document contains a questionnaire for employees about an organization's training and development programs. The questionnaire asks employees their name, age, department, and contact information. It then asks a series of multiple choice questions about topics like whether training is considered part of the organization's strategy, preferred training methods, the effectiveness of induction training, how often training is conducted, and whether training helps improve various outcomes like employee motivation, productivity, and employee relations. The purpose is to gather employee feedback on the organization's current training programs.
Succession planning involves identifying and developing employees who can fill key roles if current staff leave unexpectedly. It is important for organizational stability and sustainability, yet many nonprofits do not engage in systematic succession planning. Reasons for planning include reliance on staff to fulfill missions, impending retirements, and fewer potential candidates available to fill vacancies. Without succession planning, organizations risk disruption if key roles become vacant.
A STUDY ON EFFECTIVENESS OF EMPLOYEE’S TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT IN RANE BRAK...IAEME Publication
This paper deals with “A Study On Effectiveness Of Employee’s Training And Development In Rane Brake Lining Limited, Viralimalai, Trichy” Training is the art of increasing the knowledge for doing a particular job. Training is a planned process to modify the attitude, knowledge skill, behavior etc. Through learning to acquire effective performance on activity on range of activities like investment in plant, machinery, and equipment etc. Employee training is important sub-system of Human Resource Development. Employee training is specialized function and is one of the fundamental operative functions for human resource management. Training is the art of increasing the knowledge for doing a particular job. Training is a planned process to modify the attitude, knowledge skill, etc. Through learning to acquire effective performance on activity on range of activities like investment in plant, machinery, and equipment etc., an organization improves its effectiveness to a large extent by investing in its HR for developing their skill, efficiency and motivation.
This document discusses downsizing strategies and their implications from a labor perspective. It defines downsizing as when management looks for ways to make an organization more efficient by reducing costs and size. There are three main downsizing strategies: workforce reduction through layoffs and buyouts; work redesign by eliminating roles and functions; and systemic changes by analyzing work processes from bottom to top. While downsizing aims to improve productivity, it can increase pressure and workload on surviving employees, potentially causing low morale. The document examines both the advantages, like motivation, and disadvantages, like confusion and hiring unskilled workers, of downsizing strategies from a labor point of view.
Recruitment and selection powerpoint presentationAndrew Schwartz
The document discusses recruitment and selection strategies. It outlines the program objectives which include becoming an expert in the employment process, creating an effective recruitment strategy, employing valuable recruitment methods, selecting the right employees through an objective process, benchmarking against competitors, and attaining higher retention rates. It then defines recruitment as the process of attracting, screening, and selecting candidates, and discusses using competencies to assess candidates. The remainder of the document provides guidance on developing a recruitment strategy including aligning stakeholders, considering market conditions, methods for recruiting, evaluating applications, interviews and references, making a final selection, assessing strategies, addressing legal issues, and next steps.
The document discusses performance appraisal methods used to evaluate employee performance. It describes comparative appraisal methods like ranking, paired comparisons, and forced distribution that compare employees' performance. Behavioral appraisal methods like graphic rating scales, checklists, critical incidents, essays, and behaviorally anchored rating scales evaluate employees based on important job behaviors. Output-based appraisals assess performance based on quantifiable outcomes. The document also introduces a proposed new hybrid appraisal method that combines aspects of comparative, behavioral, and output-based approaches.
This document discusses employee involvement and participation in organizations. It defines employee involvement as creating an environment where employees can impact decisions that affect their jobs. Employee participation means employees are part of teams and can suggest ideas and make decisions about their work. Involving employees can motivate workers and improve productivity, creativity, and commitment. The document outlines several methods for implementing employee participation, such as giving employees responsibility, training, communication, and rewards. It also discusses the objectives and benefits of participative management styles in organizations.
Investment perspective of human resource managementSeredup Maya
This document discusses factors that influence an organization's investment perspective in human resource management. It identifies six key sources of employee value: technical knowledge, ability to learn and grow, decision making capabilities, motivation, commitment, and teamwork. It also outlines a human resource value chain and explains how investments in employees can impact organizational, financial, and market outcomes. Finally, it lists five factors that determine an organization's willingness to invest in its people: management values, attitude toward risk, nature of employee skills, utilitarian perspective, and availability of outsourcing.
HRD refers to helping employees continuously develop their capabilities to perform current and future roles through training, learning, and developing an organizational culture of collaboration. An organization's culture is shaped by the underlying values and assumptions held by its members, while climate refers to the conscious environment as perceived by employees. HRD climate is influenced by how important human resource development is perceived to be, the level of openness, trust, and collaboration fostered, and how well HRD mechanisms like training and performance reviews are implemented. Developing an optimal HRD climate through supportive policies and practices can facilitate employee learning and development.
This document is a questionnaire for employees of Mandovi Motors regarding training and development programs. It contains 20 multiple choice or short answer questions about topics such as how frequently training is conducted, what types of training are provided, whether training has improved work efficiency, and suggestions for improving training programs. The purpose is to collect data from employees for a student's academic project on the effectiveness of training and development.
A project report on training and development with reference to halProjects Kart
This document provides an overview of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), an aerospace and defense company based in India. It outlines HAL's mission to become a globally competitive aerospace industry achieving self-reliance in design, manufacturing and maintenance of aerospace and defense equipment. The values of HAL include customer satisfaction, commitment to quality, cost effectiveness, innovation, trust, respect for individuals and integrity. HAL was formed in 1964 by merging Hindustan Aircraft Limited with two other companies and traces its roots back to the pioneering efforts of an industrialist in the early 20th century.
A case study presentation on the various aspects of Harley Davidson entry into Indian market. The questions answered include organisational readiness, Leadership, Strategy, Marketing & Sales and Segmentation.
Visit www.tas2014.wordpress.com to know more about TAS process
Harley Davidson presentation covers below mentioned aspects:
1)About the brand
2)Decline and improvement
3)Brand history
4)Pricing, place and promotion
5)Road to growth
6)Analytics
Sensitivity training involves bringing employees together in groups to interact in an unstructured environment. The goals are to help people understand themselves and others better, gain insight into group processes, and develop behavioral skills like communication. It provides face-to-face interaction and freedom for the group to develop interactions without an agenda or predetermined goals. The focus is on gaining sensitivity to one's own and others' feelings, attitudes, and emotions.
Labour unrest at manesar, plant of maruti suzukiSatyam Chauhan
The document summarizes the labor unrest that occurred at Maruti Suzuki's Manesar plant in Haryana, India in 2012. It describes the history of industrial relations issues at Maruti since 1997. In late 2011 and early 2012, unrest began as local labor leaders demanded the right to form alternative unions. In July 2012, violence broke out after workers demanded large pay increases and benefits. The causes of the unrest are analyzed as wage disparities, lack of trust in management, and workers feeling entitled to more profits. The impacts included a month-long shutdown costing Rs. 1,500 crore and changed hiring policies.
This document discusses adopting an investment perspective when managing human resources. It argues that employees should be viewed as human assets or investments rather than variable costs. Viewing employees as investments allows organizations to strategically develop policies to increase the value of employees and gain a competitive advantage. However, investing in human capital also carries more risk than physical assets since employees can leave the organization. The document recommends organizations evaluate and retain valuable employees in order to maximize returns on their human resource investments.
The Toyota Way (Toyota Production System) [Operations Management]Arjun Parekh
1) The document discusses Toyota's production system (TPS) implemented at its Georgetown, Kentucky plant in the 1980s. It focuses on the operations of assembly, production control, quality control, and purchasing using TPS principles like just-in-time, jidoka, heijunka, and kanban.
2) Quality control played an important role in providing instant feedback on assembly quality and preventing problems by working with design and suppliers. Production control coordinated closely with sales and suppliers to deliver the right cars just in time.
3) Through intensive training and coaching, Toyota successfully transplanted its production system principles and culture to its American plant while ramping up production slowly to develop the necessary "human
This document discusses strategic human resource management. It defines HRM and outlines several models of HRM, including the matching model, strategic management model, and control-based model. It also discusses the strategic management process, strategic planning, types of strategies, and strategic HRM. Strategic HRM aims to improve business performance by taking a strategic approach to managing human capital. While strategic HRM can benefit organizations, it also faces some limitations that must be addressed. Overall, managing human resources strategically is important for organizations to gain a competitive advantage.
This document is a project report on training and development at Apple Inc. submitted by Mr. Hitesh Rohra for his M.Com degree. The report provides an introduction to human resource management and training and development. It discusses traditional and modern approaches to training, the importance and objectives of training, models of training like the systems model and instructional systems development model. It also covers learning and training, identifying training needs, developing training programs, and evaluating training impact. The report aims to analyze training and development practices at Apple Inc.
Training and development programme by TATA GroupShrey Kapoor
The Tata Group places strong emphasis on training and development. They have established programs like the Tata Administrative Service (TAS) and Tata Management Training Centre (TMTC) to develop leaders within the organization. TAS is a one-year training program that provides cross-functional rotations, rural exposure, and mentorship. TMTC conducts 250 programs annually using internal and external faculty to disseminate knowledge and skills. The goal is to maximize employee potential and encourage mobility across companies. Training helps employees adapt to changes, new roles, and advances learning.
The document provides information about performance appraisal at Tata Motors. It first discusses Tata Motors, including its history, operations, and products. It then discusses performance appraisal in general terms. Finally, it describes research conducted to evaluate Tata Motors' performance appraisal process, including findings, conclusions, and suggestions.
This document discusses the importance of understanding cultural differences in managing a global workforce. It provides context on how globalization has increased diversity in workplaces and the need for cross-cultural understanding. Several frameworks for analyzing cultural dimensions are introduced, including individualism vs collectivism, power distance, uncertainty avoidance, and masculinity vs femininity. The document emphasizes that respecting different cultures, gaining knowledge of foreign cultures, and managing cultural differences strategically can help organizations overcome obstacles and benefit from diversity.
A questionnaire for training and development 3Rashi Joshi
This document contains a questionnaire for employees about an organization's training and development programs. The questionnaire asks employees their name, age, department, and contact information. It then asks a series of multiple choice questions about topics like whether training is considered part of the organization's strategy, preferred training methods, the effectiveness of induction training, how often training is conducted, and whether training helps improve various outcomes like employee motivation, productivity, and employee relations. The purpose is to gather employee feedback on the organization's current training programs.
Succession planning involves identifying and developing employees who can fill key roles if current staff leave unexpectedly. It is important for organizational stability and sustainability, yet many nonprofits do not engage in systematic succession planning. Reasons for planning include reliance on staff to fulfill missions, impending retirements, and fewer potential candidates available to fill vacancies. Without succession planning, organizations risk disruption if key roles become vacant.
A STUDY ON EFFECTIVENESS OF EMPLOYEE’S TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT IN RANE BRAK...IAEME Publication
This paper deals with “A Study On Effectiveness Of Employee’s Training And Development In Rane Brake Lining Limited, Viralimalai, Trichy” Training is the art of increasing the knowledge for doing a particular job. Training is a planned process to modify the attitude, knowledge skill, behavior etc. Through learning to acquire effective performance on activity on range of activities like investment in plant, machinery, and equipment etc. Employee training is important sub-system of Human Resource Development. Employee training is specialized function and is one of the fundamental operative functions for human resource management. Training is the art of increasing the knowledge for doing a particular job. Training is a planned process to modify the attitude, knowledge skill, etc. Through learning to acquire effective performance on activity on range of activities like investment in plant, machinery, and equipment etc., an organization improves its effectiveness to a large extent by investing in its HR for developing their skill, efficiency and motivation.
This document discusses downsizing strategies and their implications from a labor perspective. It defines downsizing as when management looks for ways to make an organization more efficient by reducing costs and size. There are three main downsizing strategies: workforce reduction through layoffs and buyouts; work redesign by eliminating roles and functions; and systemic changes by analyzing work processes from bottom to top. While downsizing aims to improve productivity, it can increase pressure and workload on surviving employees, potentially causing low morale. The document examines both the advantages, like motivation, and disadvantages, like confusion and hiring unskilled workers, of downsizing strategies from a labor point of view.
Recruitment and selection powerpoint presentationAndrew Schwartz
The document discusses recruitment and selection strategies. It outlines the program objectives which include becoming an expert in the employment process, creating an effective recruitment strategy, employing valuable recruitment methods, selecting the right employees through an objective process, benchmarking against competitors, and attaining higher retention rates. It then defines recruitment as the process of attracting, screening, and selecting candidates, and discusses using competencies to assess candidates. The remainder of the document provides guidance on developing a recruitment strategy including aligning stakeholders, considering market conditions, methods for recruiting, evaluating applications, interviews and references, making a final selection, assessing strategies, addressing legal issues, and next steps.
The document discusses performance appraisal methods used to evaluate employee performance. It describes comparative appraisal methods like ranking, paired comparisons, and forced distribution that compare employees' performance. Behavioral appraisal methods like graphic rating scales, checklists, critical incidents, essays, and behaviorally anchored rating scales evaluate employees based on important job behaviors. Output-based appraisals assess performance based on quantifiable outcomes. The document also introduces a proposed new hybrid appraisal method that combines aspects of comparative, behavioral, and output-based approaches.
This document discusses employee involvement and participation in organizations. It defines employee involvement as creating an environment where employees can impact decisions that affect their jobs. Employee participation means employees are part of teams and can suggest ideas and make decisions about their work. Involving employees can motivate workers and improve productivity, creativity, and commitment. The document outlines several methods for implementing employee participation, such as giving employees responsibility, training, communication, and rewards. It also discusses the objectives and benefits of participative management styles in organizations.
Investment perspective of human resource managementSeredup Maya
This document discusses factors that influence an organization's investment perspective in human resource management. It identifies six key sources of employee value: technical knowledge, ability to learn and grow, decision making capabilities, motivation, commitment, and teamwork. It also outlines a human resource value chain and explains how investments in employees can impact organizational, financial, and market outcomes. Finally, it lists five factors that determine an organization's willingness to invest in its people: management values, attitude toward risk, nature of employee skills, utilitarian perspective, and availability of outsourcing.
HRD refers to helping employees continuously develop their capabilities to perform current and future roles through training, learning, and developing an organizational culture of collaboration. An organization's culture is shaped by the underlying values and assumptions held by its members, while climate refers to the conscious environment as perceived by employees. HRD climate is influenced by how important human resource development is perceived to be, the level of openness, trust, and collaboration fostered, and how well HRD mechanisms like training and performance reviews are implemented. Developing an optimal HRD climate through supportive policies and practices can facilitate employee learning and development.
This document is a questionnaire for employees of Mandovi Motors regarding training and development programs. It contains 20 multiple choice or short answer questions about topics such as how frequently training is conducted, what types of training are provided, whether training has improved work efficiency, and suggestions for improving training programs. The purpose is to collect data from employees for a student's academic project on the effectiveness of training and development.
A project report on training and development with reference to halProjects Kart
This document provides an overview of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), an aerospace and defense company based in India. It outlines HAL's mission to become a globally competitive aerospace industry achieving self-reliance in design, manufacturing and maintenance of aerospace and defense equipment. The values of HAL include customer satisfaction, commitment to quality, cost effectiveness, innovation, trust, respect for individuals and integrity. HAL was formed in 1964 by merging Hindustan Aircraft Limited with two other companies and traces its roots back to the pioneering efforts of an industrialist in the early 20th century.
A case study presentation on the various aspects of Harley Davidson entry into Indian market. The questions answered include organisational readiness, Leadership, Strategy, Marketing & Sales and Segmentation.
Visit www.tas2014.wordpress.com to know more about TAS process
Harley Davidson presentation covers below mentioned aspects:
1)About the brand
2)Decline and improvement
3)Brand history
4)Pricing, place and promotion
5)Road to growth
6)Analytics
Harley-Davidson has pursued four key business strategies that have led to increased market share and cost savings:
1. Leveraging strong brand loyalty among customers through programs like H.O.G.
2. Expanding their target market to include independent women riders by designing more accessible motorcycles.
3. Increasing plant efficiency by reorganizing production processes and facilities to eliminate bottlenecks.
4. Growing international sales in regions like Latin America through new regional headquarters and cultural marketing.
Harley-Davidson saw decreased revenue, net income, and stock prices in 2008. The company continues to manage its balance sheet effectively with a return on invested capital of 17%. To increase growth, Harley-Davidson recommends expanding into the European and Asian markets, increasing sales of Buell and women's motorcycles, and developing environmentally friendly models. The company will implement these strategies through marketing research, product development, public relations, advertising, and distribution channels.
Harley Davidson ( Strategic Management Report) Mission, VisionIMM Graduate School
Harley Davidson is one of the best known motorcycle producers in the world. It was founded in 1903 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and has since grown to produce not only motorcycles but also various branded merchandise. While it has a very loyal customer base attracted to its promotion of freedom and lifestyle, Harley Davidson also faces challenges such as high costs, overdependence on the US market, and competition from other motorcycle manufacturers. To maintain its strong brand and market position, the company will need to continue innovating, expanding internationally, and attracting new demographic groups to riding.
1) Honda was able to manufacture better quality motorcycles at lower costs through practices like Kaizen (continuous improvement), Just-in-Time (JIT) manufacturing, and extensive quality statistics.
2) While Harley-Davidson initially struggled against foreign competitors like Honda, it was able to bounce back by learning Japanese manufacturing techniques, rebranding its image, and engaging customers through organizations like HOG.
3) It is debatable whether focusing solely on quality improvement without considering costs is the right approach. Harley-Davidson has found success due to strong branding and marketing rather than competing directly on price.
CASE 14 Harley-Davidson Strategic Competitiveness that Spans De.docxtidwellveronique
CASE 14: Harley-Davidson: Strategic Competitiveness that Spans Decades
Guriqbal Cheema
Joel Cunningham
Pallavi Daliparthi
John Klostermann
Brian Rabe
Texas A&M University
(Hitt, 01/2014, p. 176)
Reference
Hitt, M.,Ireland, R., and Hoskisson, R. (2011). Strategic Management: Competitiveness and Globalization. [Vital Source digital version]. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.
The citation provided is a guideline. Please check each citation for accuracy before use.
Introduction
Harley-Davidson is an American cultural and business icon on the level of Levi Strauss and Coca-Cola. Often imitated, but never duplicated, Harley-Davidson has managed to survive, and has, at times, thrived for many decades. Through depression, recessions, world wars, high technology developments, Japanese competition, and increasing government regulation, Harley-Davidson has maintained operations where over a dozen other U.S. motorcycle firms have failed. Harley-Davidson has even survived over a decade as a subsidiary of a bowling alley service firm. It has achieved this by essentially relying on designing, manufacturing, selling, and servicing a relatively static product: two wheels, a 45° V-Twin engine, and a set of handlebars.
How has Harley-Davidson managed to survive through these and other hardships in a motorcycle market that is dominated by leisure riders? How has it kept the doors open while its historic U.S. rival, Indian Motorcycles, is currently in its fourth incarnation? How has it maintained its attractiveness with outlaw bikers, investment bankers, and those who appear to be experiencing a “mid-life crisis” and who sometimes turn to the firm’s products as a result? More importantly, what is this firm selling that keeps it as the industry leader in full-size motorcycles? The answer to these questions is not a 526-pound batch of steel with 250 feet of wiring, but rather the fact that Harley-Davidson is selling the American dream of freedom. How it is able to do this is a fascinating story.
The Challenge
With over 6,000 employees, 1,400 franchises, and nine production facilities, Harley-Davidson has managed to survive the economic downturn that was in full force in late 2007 and for the next few years; but the firm is not out of the woods yet. In fact, Harley-Davidson is struggling with three pivotal issues, the first of which is that the firm’s products are viewed as leisure items. The other two issues are similar in nature in that they deal with the fact that managing the firm’s target market is challenging, particularly as demand for its products is changing. Individually and collectively these issues pose a real challenge to the company’s long-term success. Without addressing these issues, Harley-Davidson may lose its ability to create value for customers and to serve stakeholders’ needs as a result.
As noted, the first issue Harley-Davidson must successfully address is the fact that consumers see the firm’s products primarily as leisure items. ...
Harley davidson harley style and strategy have global reachPRAJWALRASTOGI4
Harley-Davidson was founded in 1903 but nearly went bankrupt in the 1960s-70s due to quality issues and competition from Japanese motorcycles. It was rescued in 1981 by managers who refocused on quality and serving customers. Harley restored its image and expanded production through the 1980s-90s as demand grew. More recently, Harley has increased its global market share, especially in Asia/Pacific, by adapting its marketing and products to local tastes in other countries. It remains the top seller of heavyweight motorcycles in the US but faces ongoing competition internationally from Japanese and European brands.
CASE 14 Harley-Davidson Strategic Competitiveness that Spans Dec.docxwendolynhalbert
CASE 14: Harley-Davidson: Strategic Competitiveness that Spans Decades
Guriqbal Cheema
Joel Cunningham
Pallavi Daliparthi
John Klostermann
Brian Rabe
Texas A&M University
“It’s more than a brand. It’s a culture.”1
Kent Grayson
Professor of Marketing, Northwestern University
Introduction
Harley-Davidson is an American cultural and business icon on the level of Levi Strauss and Coca-Cola. Often imitated, but never duplicated, Harley-Davidson has managed to survive, and has, at times, thrived for many decades. Through depression, recessions, world wars, high technology developments, Japanese competition, and increasing government regulation, Harley-Davidson has maintained operations where over a dozen other U.S. motorcycle firms have failed. Harley-Davidson has even survived over a decade as a subsidiary of a bowling alley service firm. It has achieved this by essentially relying on designing, manufacturing, selling, and servicing a relatively static product: two wheels, a 45° V-Twin engine, and a set of handlebars.
How has Harley-Davidson managed to survive through these and other hardships in a motorcycle market that is dominated by leisure riders? How has it kept the doors open while its historic U.S. rival, Indian Motorcycles, is currently in its fourth incarnation? How has it maintained its attractiveness with outlaw bikers, investment bankers, and those who appear to be experiencing a “mid-life crisis” and who sometimes turn to the firm’s products as a result? More importantly, what is this firm selling that keeps it as the industry leader in full-size motorcycles? The answer to these questions is not a 526-pound batch of steel with 250 feet of wiring, but rather the fact that Harley-Davidson is selling the American dream of freedom. How it is able to do this is a fascinating story.
The Challenge
With over 6,000 employees, 1,400 franchises, and nine production facilities, Harley-Davidson has managed to survive the economic downturn that was in full force in late 2007 and for the next few years; but the firm is not out of the woods yet. In fact, Harley-Davidson is struggling with three pivotal issues, the first of which is that the firm’s products are viewed as leisure items. The other two issues are similar in nature in that they deal with the fact that managing the firm’s target market is challenging, particularly as demand for its products is changing. Individually and collectively these issues pose a real challenge to the company’s long-term success. Without addressing these issues, Harley-Davidson may lose its ability to create value for customers and to serve stakeholders’ needs as a result.
As noted, the first issue Harley-Davidson must successfully address is the fact that consumers see the firm’s products primarily as leisure items. This means that in many consumers’ eyes, purchasing motorcycles, performance parts, and high-dollar apparel is a luxury rather than a necessity. Because of this, Harley’s products must compete for funds ...
CASE 14 Harley-Davidson Strategic Competitiveness that Spans.docxtidwellveronique
CASE 14: Harley-Davidson: Strategic Competitiveness that Spans Decades
Joel Cunningham
Pallavi Daliparthi
John Klostermann
Brian Rabe
Texas A&M University
“It’s more than a brand. It’s a culture.”1
Kent Grayson
Professor of Marketing, Northwestern University
Introduction
Harley-Davidson is an American cultural and business icon on the level of Levi Strauss and Coca-Cola. Often imitated, but never duplicated, Harley-Davidson has managed to survive, and has, at times, thrived for many decades. Through depression, recessions, world wars, high technology developments, Japanese competition, and increasing government regulation, Harley-Davidson has maintained operations where over a dozen other U.S. motorcycle firms have failed. Harley-Davidson has even survived over a decade as a subsidiary of a bowling alley service firm. It has achieved this by essentially relying on designing, manufacturing, selling, and servicing a relatively static product: two wheels, a 45° V-Twin engine, and a set of handlebars.
How has Harley-Davidson managed to survive through these and other hardships in a motorcycle market that is dominated by leisure riders? How has it kept the doors open while its historic U.S. rival, Indian Motorcycles, is currently in its fourth incarnation? How has it maintained its attractiveness with outlaw bikers, investment bankers, and those who appear to be experiencing a “mid-life crisis” and who sometimes turn to the firm’s products as a result? More importantly, what is this firm selling that keeps it as the industry leader in full-size motorcycles? The answer to these questions is not a 526-pound batch of steel with 250 feet of wiring, but rather the fact that Harley-Davidson is selling the American dream of freedom. How it is able to do this is a fascinating story.
The Challenge
With over 6,000 employees, 1,400 franchises, and nine production facilities, Harley-Davidson has managed to survive the economic downturn that was in full force in late 2007 and for the next few years; but the firm is not out of the woods yet. In fact, Harley-Davidson is struggling with three pivotal issues, the first of which is that the firm’s products are viewed as leisure items. The other two issues are similar in nature in that they deal with the fact that managing the firm’s target market is challenging, particularly as demand for its products is changing. Individually and collectively these issues pose a real challenge to the company’s long-term success. Without addressing these issues, Harley-Davidson may lose its ability to create value for customers and to serve stakeholders’ needs as a result.
As noted, the first issue Harley-Davidson must successfully address is the fact that consumers see the firm’s products primarily as leisure items. This means that in many consumers’ eyes, purchasing motorcycles, performance parts, and high-dollar apparel is a luxury rather than a necessity. Because of this, Harley’s products must compete for funds f ...
The goal is to increase sales of the Harley Davidson Sportster motorcycle among women ages 35-44. The plan is to use inclusion marketing to promote the Sportster and market the Harley brand directly to this target audience. This will be done through a television, print, and outdoor advertising campaign in top cities like New York and Los Angeles, as well as sponsoring events. The objective is to increase Sportster sales by 3,000 units within one year.
Introduction Harley-Davidson, America’s largest motorcycle produc.docxnormanibarber20063
Introduction
Harley-Davidson, America’s largest motorcycle producer, is an iconic brand worldwide that provides a unique customer experience. The company produces custom, cruiser, and touring motorcycles, and offer parts, accessories, riding gear, apparel, and general merchandise. The latter provides wholesale and retail financing and insurance to Harley-Davidson dealers and riders located in the United States, Canada, and other international markets. (David & David, 2016). The motor cycle industry is an intensely competitive industry with many big competitors, which is why Harley had struggled over the last few years. This report will cover the following; 1) Harley’s vision and mission statements, 2) Internal/external strengths and weaknesses, SWOT Analysis, and lastly, a recommendation on the strategic direction for the company supported by the two Matrices, SPACE Matrix and the SWOT Matrix. Company Background
Harley Davidson is America’s largest motorcycle producer that was first incorporated in 1907 by William S. Harley and Arthur Davidson. It started off in a small shed in Milwaukee, Wilsconsin with its first dealership opening in Chicago, 1904. They targeted customer needs with its unique offerings and earned price premiums. Harley operates in two primary business segments, Motorcycle & Related Products (Harley-Davidson Motor Company), and Financial Services (Harley-Davidson Financial Services). In 2014, Harley’s worldwide retail sales increased by 2.7% versus the prior year. The company has sales in almost 90 countries, with one-third of its sales coming from outside the United States. (David & David, 2016). Today, Harley remains a dominant force in the market but faces challenges in creating products relevant to younger riders and women, as well as developing international sales in countries such as India. (David & David, 2016).Mission and Vision Statement
Many organizations today develop a vision statement that answers the following question, “What do we want to become?” “Developing a vision statement is often considered the first step in strategic planning, preceding even development of a mission statement.” (David & David, 2016). Whereas, a mission statement identifies the scope of a firm’s operations in product and market terms. It addresses the standard question which is, “What is our business?”
Harley-Davidson’s current mission statement is as follows, “We fulfill dreams through the experience of motorcycling, by providing to motorcyclists and to the general public an expanding line of motorcycles and branded products and services in selected market segments.” The company’s vision for sustainability is, “We preserve and renew the freedom to ride.” (David & David).
We know that Harley-Davidson’s goal is to increase company shipments by 4-6% to 282,000-287,000 motorcycles worldwide, and projects its operating margin for all of 2015 from the Motorcycle segment to be 18-19 percent. We also know that the company’s strategic.
Harley Davidson HBR Case analysis- Preparing for the next centuryJibin Joseph
Here are potential responses to the questions:
B1/B2
Q1. Some people tattoo the Harley Davidson logo on their body because the brand has become a lifestyle and a culture. It represents freedom, rebellion and individuality for many riders. Tattooing the logo is a way for super fans to permanently identify with the brand.
Q2. Harley Davidson seems to be trying to balance going back to its roots while also moving into the future. On one hand it is preserving traditions like the V-twin engine, but it is also innovating with new designs, technologies and targeting younger riders. It remains to be seen if this dual approach will be successful long term.
C1/C2
Harley-Davidson was founded in 1903 and has since become an iconic American motorcycle brand. The document discusses Harley-Davidson's history, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats, financial performance, vision, mission, goals, and strategies. It recommends strategies such as increasing market share in Europe and Asia, developing new products targeted at women and younger riders, and focusing on customer retention and referrals through motorcycle clubs and organizations.
The document is a strategic plan submitted by Stacey Wagner for Professor Don Looney's Business Policies and Strategies course. It includes Harley-Davidson's vision, mission, and external and internal assessments. The external assessment examines factors like industry growth rates, competitors, and geographic markets. The internal assessment reviews Harley-Davidson's finances, strengths, weaknesses, and strategies. The plan proposes long-term objectives and annual goals, along with pro-forma financial statements to project future performance.
Harley Davidson was founded in 1903 in Wisconsin and is now the largest motorcycle manufacturer. It has two segments, HDMC for manufacturing and HDFS for financial services. It uses premium pricing and selective distribution aligned with its cult branding. Events like H.O.G rallies and the Riding Academy help build strong brand loyalty among its loyal, primarily older male customer base. Younger customers could be attracted by introducing lighter bikes and targeting them in marketing.
Harley-Davidson was founded in 1903 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin by William Davidson, Walter Davidson, Arthur Davidson and William Harley. It began as the Harley-Davidson Motor Company and produced its first motorcycle with a small engine for a regular pedal bike. Since then, Harley-Davidson has grown to become the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world. It faces challenges attracting new demographics and expanding globally but utilizes strategies like international expansion, new product development, and a focus on its strong brand and culture to maintain its competitive advantage.
1. HARLEY DAVIDSON CASE STUDY
With the growing global economy, companies are looking for ways to improve their market share. Many
excellent firms have learned how to beat their competitors through the implementation of new
management, marketing, and/or manufacturing techniques. Harley-Davidson is one of those excellent
companies whom has challenged traditional ideas. We intend to show through this case study that any
company can follow Harley-Davidson's techniques and lead themselves to excellence.
Company History
Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Company was established in 1903 by William Harley and Walter, William, and
Arthur Davidson, who built their first three motorcycles in a shed in Milwaukee. In 1909, the company
introduced its trademark bike; a 2 cylinder, v-twin engine (the fastest motorcycle at that time), able to
reach speeds of 60 mph. However, a few years later the competition was becoming stiffer. During World
War I, the demand for United States motorcycles overseas grew tremendously. As a result, Harley-
Davidson became a leader in innovative engineering in the 1920's. With the introduction of the front brake
and "teardrop" gas tanks, Harley was quickly developing its mystic appearance. The industry, which was
thriving after World War I, was diminishing quickly as a result of the Great Depression. As one of only two
remaining motorcycle companies, Harley-Davidson survived because of exports and sales to the police and
military.
Representative of the World War I motorcycle market, Harley-Davidson prospered from military
purchasing during World War II. Over 90,000 cycles were built for the military which elevated their
production to record levels and earned them the coveted Army-Navy "E" award for excellence in war time
production. After the war, Harley went from producing military to recreational bikes. Harley developed and
introduced the K-model (1952), Sportster ("Superbike", 1957), and Duo-Glide (1958) motorcycles. By
1953, Harley-Davidson was the last remaining major motorcycle manufacturer in the US.
Harley-Davidson was taken over by the American Machine and Foundry (AMF) in 1969. AMF put the
company up for sale in the late 1970's due to a gross reduction in sales. The reduction in sales was
representative of a poor level of quality in the Harley bike compared to their Japanese counterpart. In
1981, thirteen members of the Harley-Davidson management team purchased the company from AMF in a
leveraged buy-out. But, within the first year, overall demand for motorcycles dropped dramatically and
Harley's share of this market also continued to drop. This even greater reduction in sales for Harley
resulted in a large inventory of unsold products. Harley was aware they would no longer be able to
continue their business at their current production level and operating cost. Therefore, production was cut
drastically, and more than 1,800 of the 4,000 employees were let go. In a move to help the floundering
United States motorcycle industry in 1983, President Ronald Reagan increased tariffs on large Japanese
motorcycles from 4.4 percent to 49.4 percent. But this increase was only effective for five years and would
decline annually.
Minutes away from bankruptcy in 1985, CEO Richard Teerlink convinced lenders to accept a restructuring
plan. Using management principles adopted from the Japanese, new marketing strategies, and
manufacturing techniques, Harley improved quality and began the long battle to regain its market share.
In 1987, one year before the tariffs on Japanese heavyweight motorcycles were scheduled to end, Harley
announced they no longer needed special tariffs to compete with the Japanese motorcycle giants; showing
confidence in the new system.
Today Harley-Davidson Inc., an employer of 4,694 workers, consists of Harley-Davidson Motor Company
based in Milwaukee and Eagelmark Financial Services Inc. based in Chicago, Illinois. In addition, there are
nearly 600 dealerships throughout the United States. Harley's commitment toward continuous
improvement is exemplified in these contrasting financial statements in the table below.
2. 1985 Corporate Results from Hoover's Company Profile Database
Net Sales - $288 million
Net Income - $3 million
Earnings per Share - $0.09
1995 Corporate Results from 1995 Annual Report
Net Sales - $1.35 billion
Net Income - $112 million
Earnings per Share - $1.50
3. THE THREE M'S OF HARLEY'S SUCCESS
MANAGEMENT
MARKETING
MANUFACTURING
Management
Although Harley was very profitable during World War I and World War II, this status quickly changed
during the 1970's. After the leveraged buy-out, Harley's new owners realized that in order to make the
necessary improvements, they had to determine what went wrong. After careful analysis, the
management team developed the following list of practices which were main contributors to the problems
previously experienced:
Corporate management focused mostly on short term returns.
Management did not listen to its employees or give them responsibility for the quality of what they
made.
High inventories of parts gobbled up cash and reduced productivity.
Belief in quick fixes for problems, such as throwing in computers and state-of-the-art machinery to
improve productivity.
High break-even point that left the company vulnerable to unpredictable market fluctuations.
Management that woke up too late to the threat of foreign competition because of the "it can't
happen here" syndrome.
As with anything in life, recognizing the problems to any given situation is only half the battle. The
development of methods for improvements and gaining company wide support for implementation was the
key. The first accomplishment was for management to learn the importance of relationships. Strong
relationships with workers can aid in the advancement of new company practices. A good example can be
seen in the following conversation between a machinist and the Vice President of the power train plant at
Harley. "You are new here, aren't you?" asked the machinist. "Let me buy you a cup of coffee!" (Filipczak
38). It was a simple gesture which quickly taught the new VP how important "relationships" were in the
workplace; one of the major components of Harley-Davidson's corporate culture.
Harley's new management realized to survive they needed to become a perpetual learning and improving
organization. Open communication between all levels of employees was essential. Everyone needed to
understand their roles and the consequences their roles contributed to the company. But to develop
employees to a greater degree, management had to get them to understand the business environment of
the corporation.
Harley-Davidson wanted the ability to develop processes and people which would ensure employees would
have the capability for rapid, effective change based on an understanding of the whole business
environment in which they operated. In order for that to happen, Harley-Davidson realized that individuals
needed to have a shared vision of the company values: tell the truth, be fair, keep your promises, respect
the individual, and encourage intellectual curiosity. Management needed to earn the respect and trust of
their employees. Incorporating all of these high moral values into the entire company structure and
expecting nothing less from employees, at all levels, helped emphasize Harley's commitment to its team
of workers. Since Harley's workers were unionized, this could have been a major problem. But, because
the unions stuck to Harley-Davidson when times were tough, Harley today sticks to them. The unions
even censure their workers for shoddy performance. This commitment allowed for Harley to switch to
"self-managed" teams. The plan was to create semi-autonomous workgroups, who were cross-trained and
could set their own work schedules. Therefore, Harley-Davidson created the Harley-Davidson Learning
Center. This is a facility dedicated to life-long learning. Its primary role is to serve employees who want to
keep their skills current. In some cases, this means remedial training in basic skills, but mostly the
Learning Center is a place to come with requests for specific job-training courses.
4. Continuous Improvement
Harley-Davidson is driven by a constant vision of what an excellent company should be: one that is never
satisfied with the status quo but is always searching for ways to do things better. This is best exemplified
by a manager's comment, "The day we think we've arrived is the day we should all be replaced by
managers of greater vision" (Reid 38). All companies can and should learn from this position and adopt
the idea of continuous improvement.
Continuous improvement demands involvement from employees. Management's dilemma was how to
align employee motivation with company goals. In Harley-Davidson's case, all employees take part in a
gain-sharing program and are paid cash incentives for attaining and maintaining quality, profitability, and
product delivery goals. In 1995, more than 2,000 of Harley's 4,694 employees took training and education
programs from the Harley-Davidson Learning Center. These courses helped the company to be more
competitive and to foster employees' personal growth and development. Extensive team-building has
taken place at all levels of the company, including team-building for union leaders, negotiation
committees, and stewards. Open communication, at all levels, is used as a major key to achieving
teamwork and employee participation. For example, engineers are located right in the plant, within
walking distance of machine operators. The practice of open communication is also represented in the
relationship between top management and the union.
Harley Davidson has an untypical relationship with the union. Continuous improvement techniques could
have been stopped if the company did not have a good relationship with the union. The union viewed
management as a partner instead of an adversary. Management's good-faith dealing's with the union was
a factor in this special relationship. Harley-Davidson has a history of in-sourcing; it tries to bring as much
work as possible into the plant to forestall any layoffs. The union has considerable control over what kind
of work is outsourced to other companies. So the union is able to create a "job security" by choosing the
work that is done in-house. Bob Klebar, the president of the union stated, "When times are good, we´d
outsource it. But if things get tougher, we´d look at those projects and maybe bring them in-house to
keep the employment" (Filipczak 41). He also mentioned that "instead of focusing on what we think we
have a right to, his people work closely with the production department, and everyone concentrates on
the final customer. It really binds us together and makes us go in the right direction" (Filipczak 41).
Teerlink, Harley-Davidson´s CEO, said that total employee involvement (EI) cannot exist until
management and labor can agree that they have a mutual goal: the long-term success of the company
(Reid 173). In this joint process, joint union-management study groups identify issues or problems and
then research all possible solutions.
Management Involvement
Management through its words and actions must demonstrate continuous improvement of quality and
efficiency is a way of life, not just another "program". Management must be firmly committed to the
people-building philosophy - the belief that employees are thinking, rational human beings and therefore
should be encouraged to develop and grow. All management must be totally committed to the EI program
and demonstrate that commitment by fostering a mutual trust between employees and management.
Don't let management "Solutions" become the problem: their job isn't to hand down solutions to every
problem. Management's obligation is to communicate the problem. When management and labor develop
solutions together, they both have a stake in making those solutions work (Reid 172).
At Harley-Davidson, they believe being a leader in business includes contributing to the betterment of
society. They support community causes as a corporation, and they encourage employees to get involved
as donors or volunteers. Charitable contributors are investments in the quality of life, benefiting all their
stakeholders: customers, employees, suppliers, shareholders, government, and the community at large.
Eagelmark Financial Services
Eagelmark Financial Services, a majority-owned subsidiary, provides private label financial services
programs, including Harley-Davidson Credit. Harley-Davidson Credit, Eagelmark's largest division provides
wholesale financing and insurance programs, including motorcycle floor-planning, parts and accessories
trade acceptance and commercial insurance brokerage to Harley-Davidson's US dealer network. It also
5. provides the private Harley Card, an exclusive credit card for use in Harley-Davidson dealerships. In
addition, Harley-Davidson offers its domestic dealers from time to time quarterly special discounts and/or
120 day delayed billing terms through Eagelmark in order to carry sufficient parts and accessories
inventories and to counteract the seasonality of the parts and accessories business.
MARKETING
Harley-Davidson enjoyed a monopoly in the motorcycle industry for many decades. In the 1970's,
Japanese manufacturers flooded the market with high quality, low priced bikes. From 1973 - 1983,
Harley's market share went from 77.5% to 23.3% with Honda having 44% of the market by 1983. Harley-
Davidson could not compete on price against the Japanese motorcycle producers, so it had to establish
other market values and improve quality.
Simultaneously, the United States consumer base was undergoing a revolution which mandated consumer
driven products. Harley had to change from a company which dictated what its customers could have to
strategies based on direct input from customers. A marketing philosophy was developed based on the
customers desires, gathered through surveys, interviews and focus groups.
Image
"The real power of Harley-Davidson is the power to market to consumers who love the product" (Executive
Excellence 6). Harley-Davidson's President and CEO, Richard Teerlink says the bike represents to America,
"the adventurous pioneer spirit, the wild west, having your own horse, and going where you want to go -
the motorcycle takes on some attributes of the iron horse. It suggests personal freedom and
independence" (Executive Excellence 6). Brand loyalty for Harley-Davidson is emotional. They are
considered more than motorcycles-they are legends. It is an American icon brand. The Harley-Davidson
symbol is based on a pattern of associations that include the American flag and the eagle; reflective of the
passion and freedom Americans enjoy.
It is difficult to define an average Harley-Davidson buyer. The demographics range from a blue-collar
worker to a high-power executive located all over the world. The common thread is
a desire to escape the routine and become anyone you like. While their competitors base their advertising
on product technology and features, Harley promotes: a mystique appearance, individualism, the feeling
of riding free, and the pride of owning a legend. With Harley, you can live out your fantasies, as well as
experience camaraderie with fellow bikers.
Customer Relations
When a person buys a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, they receive a free 1-year membership to the Harley
Owners Group (HOG), which was developed in 1983 as a program to keep people active with their Harley.
Simultaneously, it keeps the company close to its customer. HOG has 295,000 worldwide members, 900
local chapters and is the largest company-sponsored motorcycle enthusiast group. They conduct four US
national rallies, two touring rallies and 44 state rallies. These rallies encourage people to use their
motorcycles and to share in the excitement of riding. The people are given demonstration rides, have the
opportunity to ask questions, register their bikes and buy merchandise. According to Michael D. Keefe,
director of HOG, these rallies are considered "more like customer bonding. If people use the motorcycle,
they'll stay involved" (Berry, 104 ). " What the Harley management crew, who are masters of marketing,
do well is listen to their customers. The result is that Harley cannot keep up with demand at current
production levels" (Croghan 31). Company executives learn from their customers by maintaining a
database to track consumer desires. Company officers spend almost every weekend from April through
October at motorcycle events and dealerships accumulating this information.
6. Promotion
The primary promotional tool for Harley-Davidson motorcycles are the HOG activities. Not only does it
serves as a customer relations device, but as a way to showcase and demonstrate new products. As
discussed in the image section, Harley develops a strong impression within consumers. In 1983, the
company developed a trademark licensing program which provides income for dealers and the factory
while expanding the total Harley experience. The company program put a stop to bootlegged Harley
Davidson merchandise and offered priceless advertising.
Harley has capitalized on the fact its product/image is chic. There are numerous examples of fashion
models draped over the bikes and wearing company T-shirts. The company is starting to advertise in
magazines geared to the general public. Twice a year, a Fashions and Collectibles catalog is produced with
various Harley merchandise. Clothes sold in stores such as Bloomingdales and J.C. Penny exposes Harley-
Davidson to people who may not have thought about visiting a dealership. Another marketing strategy,
Harley-Davidson Cafes, have been opened in or near many dealerships to lure people into the showroom.
In fact, the Harley-Davidson Cafe in New York City won one of the 1994 Restaurant and Institutions
Interior Design Awards for its American appearance. Also, Harley-Davidson's advertising techniques are so
successful they were one of the 1995 finalists of the Kelly Award for advertising. The company is able to
promote the sale of its motorcycles by the financial services offered by Eagelmark, a wholly owned
subsidiary. The dealerships are becoming a one stop shop for bikes, accessories, clothing and financing.
Product
Harley found its strength was in the heavyweight division. They also identified and exploited mini niches,
such as customized, touring, sport/touring and sport/street motorcycles, in the heavyweight end of the
market. When Harley-Davidson was formed, it only offered one color of motorcycle - gray and three basic
styles. The company learned it needed to give the customers a choice and now offers a variety of models,
including Sportsters, Super Glides, Low Riders, Softails, Sport Glides, Tour Glides and Electra Glides, in
numerous vivid colors. Many of these models and changes were developed when Harley realized their
customers were customizing the bikes and none of the revenue from the work was going to the company.
When a style is changed or developed, Harley always develops it around their signature image to make
sure that the product is not only a high quality piece of equipment but is also charismatic.
Price
Harley-Davidson quickly learned it could not compete with the foreign manufacturers on cost. Not only did
Honda have a low priced product, it was able to defeat Harley in advertising 40-1. Therefore, Harley
developed a strategy of value over price. This was created through the development of mini-niches and
the heavy construction of the parts. Japanese manufacturers used plastic while Harley used steel, which is
able to be rebuilt and rebore. Harley was careful not to exceed demand in production of their motorcycles.
Currently, people must wait six to eighteen months for a new motorcycle and the price for a year-old
Harley is 25% to 30% higher than a new one. By not being able to meet demands, an attitude of must-
have has developed. Therefore, Harley has plans to double capacity to 200,000 motorcycles annually by
2003.
Distribution
Harley-Davidson motorcycles are sold by 1,065 dealers worldwide. The company owns 54 percent of the
market share in the USA, 16 percent in Japan, 10 percent in Europe, and 38 percent in Australia. The
foreign markets could be larger, but the company has an agreement with American dealers not to sell
more than 30 percent of the bikes overseas, if the domestic demand is not met. The company
implemented in 1983 a program to concentrate on helping its dealers develop the up-to-date business
skills they need to sell motorcycles more effectively. The headquarters sponsored training programs are
dubbed "Harley-Davidson University". The dealers are considered to be business partners and the
headquarters plays an active role in developing programs, financing improvements, implementing support
and management consultants. The dealers also invest their own money into these programs which allows
them to feel like apart of the company. Harley-Davidson treats the dealers not only as partners, but also
7. as customers. Harley has developed a very effective marketing strategy, but it is the responsibility of
manufacturing to produce high quality and reliable motorcycles.
Manufacturing
"Vroom, Vroom" this was the sound of the first Harley-Davidson motorcycle that came off the assembly
line in 1909. As we have already discussed, Harley-Davidson started off as a family business but was
bought by AMF in 1961. However, during the late 1970's Harley was loosing all of its business to Japanese
competitors. Harley was unsuccessful at making a reliable, quality product. After going public in 1981 and
losing the financial backing of AMF, Harley was forced to make a change. Harley could no longer improve
quality through expensive technology. "The traditional US management view of the relationship between
quality and productivity, as well as the view of many managers throughout the world, was that they were
inversely related" (Mefford 137). However, quality experts such as Deming and Crosby have researched
these principles and learned the important relationship between quality and productivity, "Productivity is a
measure of output divided by the inputs required to produce it.....for every unit of defective output
produced that must be scrapped or reworked inputs are wasted. Labor hours, machine time, material and
energy inputs are wasted on poor quality product" (Mefford 138). Realizing the validity of Deming and
Crosby's theories and the complementary relationship between quality and productivity, Harley had to
learn to simplify and master their production process. With this revelation and through hard work and
intense commitment, Harley's production process has become a source of renowned excellence.
Original Process
Initially, Harley's manufacturing plants were designed to use a batch process in the flow of material on its
plant floor and the frequency of products made. "The batch format has neither inflow or outflow of
materials while the process is running, and has the disadvantage of high labor costs per unit production
and is difficult with large-scale production" (Folger 8,15). Harley's batch operation was illustrated by its
grouping of machinery. "Harley's production system was a huge, maze-like operation in which parts were
tooled in large batches and moved from one machine to another all over the plant" (Reid 156). As
illustrated in figure 1 in appendix (Reid 156), operators had to use forklifts to move the materials around
the facility. There was no straight flow process; therefore, setup times were very high and output rates
were very low causing financial concerns for AMF. With Harley's transition from a privately financed
company into a public company, they were forced to seek an alternative method of production to achieve
quality and productivity. The first step was to determine the specific areas which needed improvements. It
was important for Harley to understand all aspects of the business would need to be examined for flaws in
order to develop an effective flow process. An improved process was determined and implemented,
successfully, only after the synergy of what is known as the productivity triad was conceived.
Just-In-Time
Although all three methods are not new concepts in the business world, just-in-time inventory (JIT),
employee involvement (EI), and statistical operator control (SOC) are the attributes of the productivity
triad. Just-in-time inventory "was the driving force of Harley's quality-improvement program. Very simply,
as you operate with lower and lower inventories, it becomes essential that all your inventory is usable. If
you're only going to get a few parts, they all have to be good ones" (Reid 150). Suppliers of Harley had to
implement JIT into their production process in order to compliment Harley's system. Previously, Harley
utilized a complex, computerized inventory system, Material Requirements Planning, which was based on
maintaining high levels of stock, to offset any manufacturing problems, so the assembly line would not be
halted. This system was inefficient because it did not address the manufacturing process problems,
instead "it was a little like sweeping dirt under the rug" (Reid 151). But with JIT, "as each problem is
exposed, you are forced to identify its cause, fix it, and move on to the next problem that is revealed"
(Reid 151). After being renamed MAN (materials as needed-to differentiate from ineffective JIT's
processes implemented by other companies.) and concentrating on "setup reduction, focus flow
processing, containerization, parts control and operator preventive maintenance" (Reid 151), Harley
recorded impressive improvements:
8. 1. Inventory turns up from 5 to 20.
2. Inventory levels down 75 %.
3. Percentage of motorcycles coming off the line completed up from 76 % to 99 %.
4. Scrap and rework reduced by 68 %.
5. Productivity up by 50 %.
6. Space requirements down by 25 %. (Reid 148)
Although MAN had top management support, without full employee participation in the planning and
implementation, Harley's JIT would not have been effective.
Employee Involvement
Successful implementation of any company program occurs when there is a commitment at all levels of
the organization. Top management must not only direct but take direction from the lower level employees.
In order to feel comfortable with this, top management must encourage education for employees of
company objectives and develop a trust that employees will execute the right decisions. Simultaneously,
employees must learn that their job stability is dependent on the overall health of the company. Their
dedication must be expressed in learning techniques to continuously improve the quality of Harley's
manufacturing processes. Harley has set the following nine guidelines to follow for successful employee
involvement (Reid 163).
Management, through its words and actions, must demonstrate that continuous improvement of
quality and efficiency is a way of life, not just another "program."
Management must be firmly committed to the people-building philosophy-that is, the belief that
employees are thinking, rational human beings and therefore should be encouraged to develop and
grow.
All management must be totally committed to the EI program and by demonstrating that
commitment foster a mutual trust between employees and management.
Employees must be thoroughly trained in specific problem-solving and quality-control techniques.
Managers must encourage participation from everyone.
Employees must be given responsibility and authority for production, quality, preventive
maintenance, and other aspects of their jobs.
Individual employees must help each other develop and grow.
Employees must attack problems, not each other-that is, there must be no finger-pointing when
things go wrong.
Creativity must continuously be encouraged through a free, non-threatening atmosphere.
Statistical Operator Control
In the beginning Harley-Davidson believed that their present machinery was unable to produce quality
products. But, with the implementation of the Statistical Operator Control (SOC) process they soon
realized that it was not their equipment but their methods. "SOC involves using simple statistical
techniques and control charts to monitor the variation in a work process" (Reid 179). Harley realized that
this process would only work if the responsibility of quality was placed upon the persons who had direct
contact with the materials (operators). Therefore, Harley decided to hand the SOC approach down to its
employees on the floor. However, it took some time for Harley to understand that they also needed to
provide their employees with extensive training in mean charts, histograms, and other statistical methods
in order for their efforts to be a success.
With statistical methods , the operator was now able to answer two crucial questions about the process as
it was going on: Is the process in control (operating in a stable, predictable range of variation)? and Is the
process capable (able, consistently, to remain with in the specifications) (Reid 179)?
The employees eagerly took on the "ownership" of quality in order to make improvements they have long
thought necessary. With the combination of Employee Involvement and Statistical Operator Control these
workers were able to successfully monitor the process. If they found problems they could immediately
9. stop the process and fix or quickly inform management about the problem. All of these concepts together
lead to an improved quality in Harley motorcycles. Over time, these old techniques, synergized, led Harley
to a production method that has turned the company around.
Improved Process
Harley's continuous flow process proved wrong the belief that "continuous improvement in quality and
productivity was an attractive concept but likely to be uneconomical" (Mefford 137). Moving from a batch
process to a continuous flow process can be difficult. However, Just-in-time inventory, Employee
Involvement, and Statistical Operator control combined to make it possible. For Harley's continuous flow
process, U-form lines were used as illustrated in figure 2 in appendix (Reid 157). These lines consisted of
1-4 people working together to produce a finished part. The group had containers at the starting end
which held the raw materials/ products and were taken through the "U-line", eliminating a need for a
stock room. In the example shown, you can see how the different stages of machinery are all arranged in
a "U" shape making access easier and taking up less floor space. Each manufacturing department has a
number of these "U-lines" arranged on its manufacturing floor as illustrated in figure 3 in appendix (Reid
157). Therefore, many different types of products can be made at one time. The original "batch" took six
weeks to four months to produce a product, now it can be accomplished in just minutes with the
continuous flow methods. A reduction in lead time, inventory, and defects greatly improves the quality of
the merchandise. The new system also allowed engineers to improve methods more rapidly and
effectively. These new methods have lead to a source of renowned excellence. Harley-Davidson's
techniques were proven to work when their productivity levels rose to record levels. Other companies
realizing "The Story of Harley's Success" wanted to learn these new tactics. Therefore, Harley holds
training seminars to teach other company management personnel their improved manufacturing
techniques which enabled them to overcome stiff Japanese competition and lead themselves to excellence.
Summary
Good relationships, continuous improvement, employee and management involvement, team building or
employee training and empowerment are not just words out of a management book for Harley-Davidson.
Only by adopting those management techniques and building a solid base between the management and
the Unions/employees made it possible for Harley-Davidson to improve its management processes. While
management's responsibility is to build relationships with the employees, marketing's responsibility is to
build relationship with the potential and existing customers. The realization of the importance of customer
feedback led Harley to develop new marketing techniques. But, marketing strategies would not be enough
if quality and reliability did not improve. Therefore, we can clearly see the impact Harley's improved
manufacturing process which consisted of: JIT, EI, and SOC had on their continuously improving
environment.
The three M's to Harley's success (management, marketing, and manufacturing) can be implemented into
any company. The key is to understand that all companies are different and the specifics which may have
worked for Harley may not work for another. However, the concepts will be the same. If management can
grasp the ideals that Harley thrives on, today, any company can learn to compete in this newly developing
global economy.