The Vampire Diaries: The Struggle Chapter Two

The police had found Stefan's abandoned car by Old Creek Road. That meant he'd left it somewhere between Drowning Creek and the woods. Elena stumbled on the overgrown path through the graveyard, but she kept moving, head down, arms hugging her light sweater to her. She had known this graveyard all her life, and she could find her way through it blind. By the time she crossed the bridge, her shivering had become painful. It wasn't snowing as hard now, but the wind was even worse. It cut through her clothes as if they were made of tissue paper, and took her breath away. Stefan, she thought, and turned onto Old Creek Road, trudging northward. She didn't believe what Damon had said. If Stefan were dead she wouldknow. He was alive, somewhere, and she had to find him. He could be anywhere out in this swirling whiteness; he could be hurt, freezing. Dimly, Elena sensed that she was no longer rational. All her thoughts had narrowed down to one single idea. Stefan. Find Stefan. It was getting harder to keep to the road. On her right were oak trees, on her left, the swift waters of Drowning Creek. She staggered and slowed. The wind didn't seem quite so bad any more, but she did feel very tired. She needed to sit down and rest, just for a minute. As she sank down beside the road, she suddenly realized how silly she had been to go out searching for Stefan. Stefan would come to her. All she needed to do was sit here and wait. He was probably coming right now. Elena shut her eyes and leaned her head against her drawn-up knees. She felt much warmer now. Her mind drifted and she saw Stefan, saw him smile at her. His arms around her were strong and secure, and she relaxed against him, glad to let go of fear and tension. She was home. She-was where she belonged. Stefan would never let anything hurt her. But then, instead of holding her, Stefan was shaking her. He was ruining the beautiful tranquility of her rest. She saw his face, pale and urgent, his green eyes dark with pain. She tried to tell him to be still, but he wouldn't listen.Elena, get up , he said, and she felt the compelling force of those green eyes willing her to do it.Elena, get up now – â€Å"Elena, get up!† The voice was high and thin and frightened. â€Å"Come on, Elena! Get up! We can't carry you!† Blinking, Elena brought a face into focus. It was small and heart-shaped, with fair, almost translucent skin, framed by masses of soft red curls. Wide brown eyes, with snowflakes caught in the lashes, stared worriedly into hers. â€Å"Bonnie,† she said slowly. â€Å"What are you doing here?† â€Å"Helping me look for you,† said a second, lower voice on Elena's other side. She turned slightly to see elegantly arched eyebrows and an olive complexion. Meredith's dark eyes, usually so ironic, were worried now, too. â€Å"Stand up, Elena, unless you want to become an ice princess for real.† It should have been warmer inside the car, but Elena's nerve endings were coming back to life, making her shake, telling her how cold she really was. Winter is an unforgiving season, she thought as Meredith drove. â€Å"What's going on, Elena?† said Bonnie from the back seat. â€Å"What did you think you were doing, running away from school like that? And how could you come out here?† Elena hesitated, then shook her head. She wanted nothing more than to tell Bonnie and Meredith everything. To tell them the whole terrifying story about Stefan and Damon and what had really happened last night to Mr. Tanner – and about after. But she couldn't. Even if they would believe her, it wasn't her secret to tell. â€Å"Everyone's out looking for you,† Meredith said. â€Å"The whole school's upset, and your aunt was nearly frantic.† â€Å"Sorry,† said Elena dully, trying to stop her violent shivering. They turned onto Maple Street and pulled up to her house. Aunt Judith was waiting inside with heated blankets. â€Å"I knew if they found you, you'd be half-frozen,† she said in a determinedly cheerful voice as she reached for Elena. â€Å"Snow on the day after Halloween! I can hardly believe it. Where did you girls find her?† â€Å"On Old Creek Road, past the bridge,† said Meredith. Aunt Judith's thin face lost color. â€Å"Near the graveyard? Where the attacks were? Elena, howcould you?†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Her voice trailed off as she looked at Elena. â€Å"We won't say anything more about it right now,† she said, trying to regain her cheerful manner. â€Å"Let's get you out of those wet clothes.† â€Å"I have to go back once I'm dry,† said Elena. Her brain was working again, and one thing was clear: she hadn't really seen Stefan out there; it had been a dream. Stefan was still missing. â€Å"You have to do nothing of the kind,† said Robert, Aunt Judith's fianc ¦. Elena had scarcely noticed him standing off to one side until then. But his tone brooked no argument. â€Å"The police are looking for Stefan; you leave them to their job,† he said. â€Å"The police think he killed Mr. Tanner. But he didn't. You know that, don't you?† As Aunt Judith pulled her sodden outer sweater off, Elena looked from one face to another for help, but they were all the same. â€Å"Youknow he didn't do it,† she repeated, almost desperately. There was a silence. â€Å"Elena,† Meredith said at last, â€Å"no one wants to think he did. But – well, it looks bad, his running away like this.† â€Å"He didn't run away. He didn't! Hedidn't – â€Å" â€Å"Elena, hush,† said Aunt Judith. â€Å"Don't get yourself worked up. I think you must be getting sick. It was so cold out there, and you got only a few hours of sleep last night†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She laid a hand on Elena's cheek. â€Å"I'm not sick,† she cried, pulling away. â€Å"And I'm not crazy, either – whatever you think. Stefan didn't run away and he didn't kill Mr. Tanner, and I don't care if none of you believes me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She stopped, choking. Aunt Judith was fussing around her, hurrying her upstairs, and she let herself be hurried. But she wouldn't go to bed when Aunt Judith suggested she must be tired. Instead, once she had warmed up, she sat on the living room couch by the fireplace, with blankets heaped around her. The phone rang all afternoon, and she heard Aunt Judith talking to friends, neighbors, the school. She assured all of them that Elena was fine. The†¦ the tragedy last night had unsettled her a bit, that was all, and she seemed a little feverish. But she'd be good as new after a rest. Meredith and Bonnie sat beside her. â€Å"Do you want to talk?† Meredith said in a low voice. Elena shook her head, staring into the fire. They were all against her. And Aunt Judith was wrong; she wasn't fine. She wouldn't be fine until Stefan was found. Matt stopped by, snow dusting his blond hair and his dark blue parka. As he entered the room, Elena looked up at him hopefully. Yesterday Matt had helped save Stefan, when the rest of the school had wanted to lynch him. But today he returned her hopeful look with one of sober regret, and the concern in his blue eyes was only for her. The disappointment was unbearable. â€Å"What are you doing here?† Elena demanded. â€Å"Keeping your promise to ‘take care of me'?† There was a flicker of hurt in his eyes. But Matt's voice was level. â€Å"That's part of it, maybe. But I'd try to take care of you anyway, no matter what I promised. I've been worried about you. Listen, Elena – â€Å" She was in no mood to listen to anyone. â€Å"Well, I'm just fine, thank you. Ask anybody here. So you can stop worrying. Besides, I don't see why you should keep a promise to amurderer. â€Å" Startled, Matt looked at Meredith and Bonnie. Then he shook his head helplessly. â€Å"You're not being fair.† Elena was in no mood to be fair either. â€Å"I told you, you can stop worrying about me, and about my business. I'm fine, thanks.† The implication was obvious. Matt turned to the door just as Aunt Judith appeared with sandwiches. â€Å"Sorry, I've got to go,† he muttered, hurrying to the door. He left without looking back. Meredith and Bonnie and Aunt Judith and Robert tried to make conversation while they ate an early supper by the fire. Elena couldn't eat and wouldn't talk. The only one who wasn't miserable was Elena's little sister, Margaret. With four-year-old optimism, she cuddled up to Elena and offered her some of her Halloween candy. Elena hugged her sister hard, her face pressed into Margaret's white-blond hair for a moment. If Stefan could have called her or gotten a message to her, he would have done it by now. Nothing in the world would have stopped him, unless he were badly hurt, or trapped somewhere, or†¦ But Stefan was in trouble, and she had to find him somehow. She worried about it all through the evening, desperately trying to come up with a plan. One thing was clear; she was on her own. She couldn't trust anyone. It grew dark. Elena shifted on the couch and forced a yawn. â€Å"I'm tired,† she said quietly. â€Å"Maybe I am sick after all. I think I'll go to bed.† Meredith was looking at her keenly. â€Å"I was just thinking, Miss Gilbert,† she said, turning to Aunt Judith, â€Å"that maybe Bonnie and I should stay the night. To keep Elena company.† â€Å"What a good idea,† said Aunt Judith, pleased. â€Å"As long as your parents don't mind, I'd be glad to have you.† â€Å"It's a long drive back to Herron. I think I'll stay, too,† Robert said. â€Å"I can just stretch out on the couch here.† Aunt Judith protested that there were plenty of guest bedrooms upstairs, but Robert was adamant. The couch would do just fine for him, he said. After looking once from the couch to the hall where the front door stood plainly in view, Elena sat stonily. They'd planned this between them, or at least they were all in on it now. They were making sure she didn't leave the house. When she emerged from the bathroom a little while later, wrapped in her red silk kimono, she found Meredith and Bonnie sitting on her bed. â€Å"Well, hello, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern,† she said bitterly. Bonnie, who had been looking depressed, now looked alarmed. She glanced at Meredith doubtfully. â€Å"She knows who we are. She means she thinks we're spies for her aunt,† Meredith interpreted. â€Å"Elena, you should realize that isn't so. Can't you trust us at all?† â€Å"I don't know. Can I?† â€Å"Yes, because we're yourfriends. † Before Elena could move, Meredith jumped off the bed and shut the door. Then she turned to face Elena. â€Å"Now, for once in your life, listen to me, you little idiot. It's true we don't know what to think about Stefan. But, don't you see, that's your own fault. Ever since you and he got together, you've been shutting us out. Things have been happening that you haven't told us about. At least you haven't told us the whole story. But in spite of that, in spite of everything, we still trust you. We still care about you. We're still behind you, Elena, and we want to help. And if you can't see that, then youare an idiot.† Slowly, Elena looked from Meredith's dark, intense face to Bonnie's pale one. Bonnie nodded. â€Å"It's true,† she said, blinking hard as if to keep back tears. â€Å"Even if you don't like us, we still like you. â€Å" Elena felt her own eyes fill and her stern expression crumple. Then Bonnie was off the bed, and they were all hugging, and Elena found she couldn't help the tears that slid down her face. â€Å"Yangtze?† Bonnie's eyes widened. â€Å"But why would he want to kill a dog?† â€Å"I don't know, but he was there that night, in your house. And he was†¦ angry. I'm sorry, Bonnie.† Bonnie shook her head dazedly. Meredith said, â€Å"Why don't you tell the police?† Elena's laugh was slightly hysterical. â€Å"I can't. It's not something they can deal with. And that's another thing I can't explain. You said you still trusted me; well, you'll just have to trust me about that.† Bonnie and Meredith looked at each other, then at the bedspread, where Elena's nervous fingers were picking a thread out of the embroidery. Finally Meredith said, â€Å"All right. What can we do to help?† â€Å"I don't know. Nothing, unless†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Elena stopped and looked at Bonnie. â€Å"Unless,† she said, in a changed voice, â€Å"you can help me find Stefan.† Bonnie's brown eyes were genuinely bewildered. â€Å"Me? But what can I do?† Then, at Meredith's indrawn breath, she said, â€Å"Oh.Oh.† â€Å"You knew where I was that day I went to the cemetery,† said Elena. â€Å"And you even predicted Stefan's coming to school.† â€Å"I thought you didn't believe in all that psychic stuff,† said Bonnie weakly. â€Å"I've learned a thing or two since then. Anyway, I'm willing to believeanything if it'll help find Stefan. If there's any chance at all it will help.† Bonnie was hunching up, as if trying to make her already tiny form as small as possible. â€Å"Elena, you don't understand,† she said wretchedly. â€Å"I'm not trained; it's not something I can control. And – and it's not a game, not any more. The more you use those powers, the more they useyou. Eventually they can end up using you all the time, whether you want it or not. It'sdangerous. â€Å" Elena got up and walked to the cherry wood dresser, looking down at it without seeing it. At last she turned. â€Å"You're right; it's not a game. And I believe you about how dangerous it can be. But it's not a game for Stefan, either. Bonnie, I think he's out there, somewhere, terribly hurt. And there's nobody to help him; nobody's even looking for him, except his enemies. He may be dying right now. He – he may even be†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Her throat closed. She bowed her head over the dresser and made herself take a deep breath, trying to steady herself. When she looked up, she saw Meredith was looking at Bonnie. Bonnie straightened her shoulders, sitting up as tall as she could. Her chin lifted and her mouth set. And in her normally soft brown eyes, a grim light shone as they met Elena's. The match rasped and threw sparks in the darkness, and then the candle flame burned strong and bright. It lent a golden glow to Bonnie's pale face as she bent over it. â€Å"I'm going to need both of you to help me focus,† she said. â€Å"Look into the flame, and think about Stefan. Picture him in your mind. No matter what happens, keep on looking at the flame. And whatever you do, don't say anything.† Elena nodded, and then the only sound in the room was soft breathing. The flame flickered and danced, throwing patterns of light over the three girls sitting cross-legged around it. Bonnie, eyes closed, was breathing deeply and slowly, like someone drifting into sleep. Stefan, thought Elena, gazing into the flame, trying to pour all her will into the thought. She created him in her mind, using all her senses, conjuring him to her. The roughness of his woolen sweater under her cheek, the smell of his leather jacket, the strength of his arms around her. Oh, Stefan†¦ Bonnie's lashes fluttered and her breathing quickened, like a sleeper having a bad dream. Elena resolutely kept her eyes on the flame, but when Bonnie broke the silence a chill went up her spine. At first it was just a moan, the sound of someone in pain. Then, as Bonnie tossed her head, breath coming in short bursts, it became words. â€Å"Alone†¦Ã¢â‚¬  she said, and stopped. Elena's nails bit into her hand. â€Å"Alone†¦ in the dark,† said Bonnie. Her voice was distant and tortured. There was another silence, and then Bonnie began to speak quickly. â€Å"It's dark and cold. And I'm alone. There's something behind me†¦ jagged and hard. Rocks. They used to hurt – but not now. I'm numb now, from the cold. So cold†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Bonnie twisted, as if trying to get away from something, and then she laughed, a dreadful laugh almost like a sob. â€Å"That's†¦ funny. I never thought I'd want to see the sun so much. But it's always dark here. And cold. Water up to my neck, like ice. That's funny, too. Water everywhere – and me dying of thirst. So thirsty†¦ hurts†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Elena felt something tighten around her heart. Bonnie was inside Stefan's thoughts, and who knew what she might discover there? Stefan, tell us where you are, she thought desperately. Look around; tell me what you see. â€Å"†Thirsty. I need†¦ life?† Bonnie's voice was doubtful, as if not sure how to translate some concept. â€Å"I'm weak. He said I'll always be the weak one. He's strong†¦ a killer. But that's what I am, too. I killed Katherine; maybe I deserve to die. Why not just let go?†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"No!† said Elena before she could stop herself. In that instant, she forgot everything but Stefan's pain. â€Å"Stefan – â€Å" â€Å"Elena!† Meredith cried sharply at the same time. But Bonnie's head fell forward, the flow of words cut off. Horrified, Elena realized what she had done. â€Å"Bonnie, are you all right? Can you find him again? I didn't mean to†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Bonnie's head lifted. Her eyes were open now, but they looked at neither the candle nor Elena. They â€Å"Elena,† the voice said, â€Å"don't go to the bridge. It's Death, Elena. Your death is waiting there.† Then Bonnie slumped forward. Elena grabbed her shoulders and shook. â€Å"Bonnie!† she almost screamed. â€Å"Bonnie!† â€Å"What†¦ oh, don't. Let go.† Bonnie's voice was weak and shaken, but it was her own. Still bent over, she put a hand to her forehead. â€Å"Bonnie, are you all right?† â€Å"I think so†¦ yes. But it was so strange.† Her tone sharpened and she looked up, blinking. â€Å"What was that, Elena, about being a killer?† â€Å"You remember that?† â€Å"I remember everything. I can't describe it; it was awful. But what did that mean?† â€Å"Nothing,† said Elena. â€Å"He's hallucinating, that's all.† Meredith broke in. â€Å"He? Then you really think she tuned in to Stefan?† Elena nodded, her eyes sore and burning as she looked away. â€Å"Yes. I think that was Stefan. It had to be. And I think she even told us where he is. Under Wickery Bridge, in the water.†

Free Essays on Children In “The Brothers Karamazov

Children in the Brothers Karamazov Children are portrayed in â€Å"The Brothers Karamazov† as being mistreated by adults and by God. Ivan, who is the most troubled by children’s sufferings, doesn’t want to forget them so he keeps articles about the misfortunes dealt upon children. The story also incorporates tales of children that are in the town, and surrounding areas, who become important to the plot of the story. By the end of the book Dostoevsky wants you to feel such grief and sadness for the children that it might even challenge your faith to God. The first child I will mention is discussed in the â€Å"Peasant Women Who Have Faith† chapter. A peasant woman goes to see Father Zosima because she has lost her son. The woman is very distraught and says that she left her husband and the rest of her family because she couldn’t take it anymore. This woman had already lost three other sons and just couldn’t stand to lose another. Father Zosima tells her a story about a saint who comforts a grieving mother, like herself, who had lost her only child. â€Å"Knowest thou not,† said the saint to her, â€Å"how bold these little ones are before the throne of God? Verily there are none bolder than they in the Kingdom of Heaven. Thou didst give us life, oh Lord, they say, and scarcely had we looked upon it when thou didst take it back again. And so boldly they ask and ask again that God gives them at once the rank of angels.† (41). After father Zosima tells her the story he says, â€Å"know that your little one is surely before the throne of God, is rejoicing and happy, and praying to God for you, and therefore weep, but rejoice.† (41). This idea is a polar opposite of Ivan’s view of children. Father Zosima is not interested with what happens in this life but the next. It’s what a monk does. Ivan’s view is more grounded and I shall me... Free Essays on Children In â€Å"The Brothers Karamazov Free Essays on Children In â€Å"The Brothers Karamazov Children in the Brothers Karamazov Children are portrayed in â€Å"The Brothers Karamazov† as being mistreated by adults and by God. Ivan, who is the most troubled by children’s sufferings, doesn’t want to forget them so he keeps articles about the misfortunes dealt upon children. The story also incorporates tales of children that are in the town, and surrounding areas, who become important to the plot of the story. By the end of the book Dostoevsky wants you to feel such grief and sadness for the children that it might even challenge your faith to God. The first child I will mention is discussed in the â€Å"Peasant Women Who Have Faith† chapter. A peasant woman goes to see Father Zosima because she has lost her son. The woman is very distraught and says that she left her husband and the rest of her family because she couldn’t take it anymore. This woman had already lost three other sons and just couldn’t stand to lose another. Father Zosima tells her a story about a saint who comforts a grieving mother, like herself, who had lost her only child. â€Å"Knowest thou not,† said the saint to her, â€Å"how bold these little ones are before the throne of God? Verily there are none bolder than they in the Kingdom of Heaven. Thou didst give us life, oh Lord, they say, and scarcely had we looked upon it when thou didst take it back again. And so boldly they ask and ask again that God gives them at once the rank of angels.† (41). After father Zosima tells her the story he says, â€Å"know that your little one is surely before the throne of God, is rejoicing and happy, and praying to God for you, and therefore weep, but rejoice.† (41). This idea is a polar opposite of Ivan’s view of children. Father Zosima is not interested with what happens in this life but the next. It’s what a monk does. Ivan’s view is more grounded and I shall me...

Artificial System Of Sand Is Also Called The Mechanism Sand Essay Example for Free

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A case study on Inuit environment and resources, and their relationship to Inuit culture and belief system - Research Paper Example They have their own distinct literature, music and arts, most of which are created to praise and worship the spirits that guide them in their everyday lives. The term Inuit refers to the group of aboriginal people that live and occupy the Arctic region from Greenland to the east of Siberia (Park). They arrived in the Arctic from Asia through land bridges, as a matter of fact, it is settled that they are â€Å"the last people to cross from Asia† (King, 9). Needless to state, the Arctic is perhaps the most unlivable place on earth – forever cold and frozen – yet the Inuit have made it home. They lived off of the abundance of the sea and whatever is found on land. They made tools from animal bones and rocks which are then used to make clothing from animal skin and fur. For their fuel which they use for cooking and lighting, they have learned to extract the oils from sea mammals like whales. (King, 9) The land and the sea provide for all their needs, and they return the favor by making offerings to the spirits of nature. With the help and guidance of the spirits, the Inuit was able to develop things that made living in the harsh environment easier. They live in an igloo, travel on water with the kayak and on land with dogsleds, use ulu which is a knife used by women for household chores, and discover the utility of the quilliq which is a small stove made of stone. During the never-ending winter season, the quilliq not only cooks their food but also provide heat and light to the entire household. (The Inuit Way, 8) The Inuit boasts of a very rich and colorful culture which is in stark contrast to the monotony of their natural environment. Despite contact with foreigners, the Inuit have been successful in preserving their cultural heritage and identity, with the preservation of Inuktitut, the Inuit language. To ensure that the younger generations never forget their identity, small children are taught to play the traditional games and

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Position Paper Contrarian's Guide to Leadership - Essay Example Traditionally, leaders have been evaluated on the basis of their charisma, attitude, and ability. That is the "boxed-in", prevailing mindset society harbors when quantifying leadership. However, more contemporary views see leadership as the end result of a dynamic interaction between leader and follower, a "collaborative endeavor" between those embroiled in the process (Rost, 1993:12) However we may define leadership, what is infinitely clear is the fact that society has these preconceived notions about what a "good" leader should be. There are some though, who offer a differing perspective on the concept of leadership. In "The Contrarian's Guide To Leadership", Steven Sample argues that leadership is not necessarily measured in black and white. Better known as the current president of the University of Southern California, Sample dissects traditional leadership "values" and professes that leadership is a dynamic, unpredictable entity that is context-dependent and evolving. In line with today's rapidly changing times, leadership can no longer be limited to the predictability and rigidity of the past. Not to detract anything from past leaders of historical lore, but just because one was successful in a different era does not necessarily translate into success in the current one. The dictates of contemporary society need leaders who are flexible, and are not bound by a certain mode of thinking. These are the individuals who will react to situations objectively and creatively, and will use original ideas in asserting their independence en route to solving relevant problems and issues. The aforementioned constitute the hallmarks of the aptly termed "contrarian" perspective of leadership. According to Sample (2002), the contrarian perspective "doesn't mean counter to all conventional wisdom. Indeed, much of it is true. But, you can't become an effective leader by trying to mimic a famous leader of the past. So, you can't develop your full leadership potential, or even fully appreciate the art of leadership by slavishly adhering to conventional wisdom. The key is to break free, if only fleetingly" (p.1) Adopting a contrarian approach ensures that one is looking at things from a fresh and highly adaptable point of view, one that will bode well for the challenges of today. At the forefront of the contrarian framework lies the concept of "thinking gray". Leaders who adopt this maintain their independence by "thinking free" and refusing to think like the people surrounding them. For instance, conventional wisdom dictates that good, efficient leaders make rash, impulsive, and hopefully brilliant decisions. On the other hand, contrarian wisdom offers that leaders should deliberately weigh all sides to an issue, hence arriving at a highly objective, thorough and carefully thought out decision. By nature, people would usually look at things in binary terms - black and white, right or wrong, true or false, et. al. It must be put into consideration though that there will always be "gray" areas somewhere along the point of contention. Nothing can be truly quantified as being absolutely true or absolutely false; there is always something that can be further perused and dissected in order to

The Bmw As A Manufacturing Company Marketing Essay

The Bmw As A Manufacturing Company Marketing Essay The main headquarters of the BMW group is based in Munich, Germany. It produces premium-class cars in eights of manufacturing plants globally. A successful strategy to target huge market provide huge amount of income for the company.BMW dealerships send trade-ins to wholesale auctions and made all their money from car sale, parts and service. The supply and distribution of finished cars to the global markets provide income to the company. The company determines the investments needed in production departments by using the self-financing strategy, and obtaining operating investments mainly from cash flow. Therefore, its yearly cash flow determines its yearly investment budget, which is the upper limit for investment expenditures. Investments budgets are reduced accordingly in order to replace equipments. Financial services segment focuses on leasing automobiles and financing credit for customers and dealers. BMW Manufacturing opened an onsite pharmacy for its associates.The on-site pharmacy will allow BMW to continue to offer competitive pharmacy benefits for associates and help curtail rising drug prescription costs, stated Bunny Richardson, a spokeswoman for BMW. Costs: The BMW as a manufacturing company made costs when upgrading its plants and other facilities globally. The BMW experience high running costs in keeping with the quality of the craftsmanship of the products, as they have a good reputation known for their better value.Free maintenance costs provided to customers which normally covers everything except tires so as to keep its reputation with regard to cost of ownership.there is high costs in allocating a new product to a certain plant, for buildings, and for expanding equipment that the new product shares with existing products, hence, high levels of automation are not profitable in countries with low labor costs.raw material costs: Natural fiber display excellent mechanical properties are light in weight and nevertheless stable and they reduce the burden on the environment but they are very expensive. What measures of performance are applicable to the industry? Reliability of Delivery: The BMW group introduced an online ordering system in 1998 which gives dealers the option of showing customers their desired car on the screen and confirming the delivery date on the spot. It takes only less than three months to build a car according to user specification including delivery. Delivery leads time: In 2000 BMW strengthens its position as the market leader in the premium segment of automobiles. By 2002, BMW stood second in the premium segment automobile market, next to Lexus. Quality and reliability of product: BMW is USING new ways to give their product a more unique identity and provide to clients products that gives them satisfaction.BMW makes sure that qualified personnel are available in a foreign countries and the positive effect on its image of production in Germany (made in Germany). Capacity to produce required volumes: BMW adopted a product offensive strategy TO flood the automobile market with a new product every three months and use d edicated assembly lines for mass production. Product flexibility: Allocating several products to one plant makes it easier to balance its utilization, and producing large-volume gives the firm the flexibility to cope with varying demand. Price: to achieve good financial status BMW offers prices that are unique from the price offering the competitors offer. Cars are priced very differently in the various national markets. The customers that are in the target group are happy to pay a premium price for what they perceive as a premium product (Thompson, (1996). Value chain for the industry(BMW) Value system for BMW Environmental factors that may influence the industry Political: Politics can have an influence on companies in an industry (Cheverton 2004). One example is the German value added tax increase from 16 to 19.BMW company makes sure they are aware of the political situation of the country so as to get good reputation, and trust .Economic In Germany, challenges such as currency fluctuations, above-average raw material prices AND the increased petrol prices lead to a reduced car demand (Bernhardt and Kinnear 2006, BMW Group 2006). However, The Company can be said to be economically stable for the past years, thats why they try to improve their products to give the best to their clients. Socio-Cultural: on average older population in European countries forces car manufacturers to develop new strategies in relation to their target groups (Cheverton 2004, FTD online 2006b). A generally lower average income may lead to lower demand for cars, especially in the luxury segment Technological: The Company offered new innovations in the technological sector and introduced new concepts with regards to the car engine industry. The company makes sure that the products they have are updated with regards to technology and if new technologies emerge they can compete with these products. Activity 2: Establishing Company Direction (10 marks) How would you describe the Ethos and Aims? The aims of BMW are to sell and make money and be ahead of the competition.BMW company aims to make driving a pleasure. The driver must always be in the loop, thats central to the BMW ethos, people buy an m5 because its fun to drive and those impulses wont change. Our cars must also be safe, stylish and reliable. says Freymann. The marketing plan for the entire company aims to outline and analyses opportunities for the company to be recognized as the automobile market leader globally so as a way of strengthening its competitive position. Based on this, recommendations for the future direction and implementation of the marketing-mix will be given. BMW group aims to support products through financial products and services offered to consumers throughout centers globally. In addition, customer relationship is enhanced by offering comprehensive banking and insurance services tailored for the prospective customers. The aims are very important to BMW because they shape the personality of the organization. They affect the way the company work, provide services and products, and support to the people. There is a clear aim for the BMW organization in providing quality long lasting customer service. Employees and customer are regarded as the first priority in order to continue successful growth and reputation of the company. How would you describe the Strategic Vision? The vision statement of BMW read as follows uniqueness through diversity, leadership, taking risk, courteous. The statement clearly implies that the company has a great commitment by providing professional management by carrying out and aiming to support complicated industrial production systems. The company encourages employees to work professionally and always aiming for the success of the company. The vision clearly shows that employs are trained in a very successful and highly innovative place to maximize the strong relationship to employee and customer satisfaction. What can you deduce from their Mission Statement about what they are seeking to achieve? The mission statement of BMW read as follows to become most successful premium manufacturer in the car industry. This clearly shows that the company has been for many years continued to keep its own reputation as a leader in production of premium cars with high quality. The purpose, mission and future success of the company focuses on the provision of high customer service satisfaction. Employees are very committed and work together as an integrated organization to represent a community that will be able to represent a BMW automobile company with pride and always ahead of the game. Describe the apparent Corporate Strategy for the implementation of that Mission and Vision. In the competitive compact where there is very high customer demands and hope from automobile manufacturers, the BMW proved to customer that it is a premium manufacturer by launching new products such as sports car. The corporate strategy is good but some implementations need to be included such considering adjustments for the marketing needs. The products possess a very good specification but the potential problem can be caused by the prices of the products in relation to what the competitors offer. The mission shows that serious suggestions can be included to increase the sustainability of the company as the premium manufacturer in this highly competitive sector. Hence increasing the long term customer relationship, good opportunities for technical development by the support of research and development measures, an strengthening the development of new distribution and dealership channels Can you identify any Strategic Inflection Points that have affected the sector? As the bigger contributor to the manufacturing sector in German the company achieved its success and trust from a long time but this long tradition was not easy. Dating back to around 1945 the company was doing well in manufacturing and production of aero engines but in later years the market for engines was not good and promising as the company experienced some financial problems. While German recovery form economic recession through the 1950s, the company was not able to be productive as it faced financial problems and it depended on Mercedes Benz company financial recourses in order to keep its sustainably position in the manufacturing sector. The BMW was later helped by Herbert Quant as a strong partner and this finally enabled the company to find a highly productive market such as saloon cars. The saloon cars market almost strengthens the position of BMW as we see, today, the BMW business is structured to maximize its retail margins. Designers continue to use the materials and technologies to improve performance and ensure safe passage BMW is an example of a survivor who stood the test of time and developed from a failing company to one of the most successful firm. Activity 3: Industry and competitive analysis (15 marks) Carry out a competitive analysis of your industry sector from the perspective of your chosen company or organisation: What are the dominant economic factors for the sector? Market size: nowadays, the current car manufacturing sector is so big and there are different main automotive manufacturers such as BMW, Audi, Acura, Mercedes Benz, and Lexus. Other competitors include Volkswagen, Toyota, Ford, and Honda. There was economic recession prior to the world war caused small automobile companies such as Toyota, Honda, Ford to come together and share the market in automobile manufacturing. After the period of war there was a rapid automobile growth as the new infrastructures were being set up such as roads and countries continued to become more developed. Scope of competitive rivalry: in the nineties automobile manufacturing sector increase tremendously to be more globalised because there was new openings of international plants and extensive strong link between big automobile manufacturers such as BMW and Mercedes Benz. It is an industry that encompasses the entire globe, as well as the areas of production and distribution, aftermarket. Rivals and their relative size of rivals: BMWs main competitors are Audi, Acura, Mercedes Benz, and Lexus. BMW has successfully set the benchmark for prestige motoring since the 1980s, creating a standard now fiercely contested by other manufacturers such as Mercedes, Lexus and Audi. Standardised products: all the products produced by BMW, are of the same high standard throughout the world, the opening of international plants provided a good service and support the production of quality automotives similar to those offered by the parent branch in Germany. The company makes sure that it set the standard to all its associated new and existing companies in regard to the manufacturing of car engines.Rapid technological change, technology in the automobile sector is very high so it is the responsibility of manufacturers to keep pace with technical aspects of manufacturing so that their products can be in demand to compete even when new technologies emerge. The automobile manufacturers must adapt the new technologies that are environmentally friendly and does not put society health at risk. Assess the competitive position of the company by reviewing the strength of each of the five competitive forces. Porters five forces Potential entrants: BMW company uses a strategy to respond quickly and flexible to provide customer satisfaction, thus, reducing the influence of potential competitors. The company provide new innovative techniques to serve the clients so that the company can provide a unique product as compared to other competitors, THUS, PREVENTING THEIR INFLUENCE. Competitive rivalry: the competitive rivalry highly influences the company.. The company offer goo d customer relation services, hence, gaining good advantage over rivals. Provision of quality prices prevent client away from competition. The other way to attract customers is to provide promotional services so that customers get a well informed decision about BMW Company. Substitutes: BMW Company proves to clients that they offer quality products and service that is far much better than substitutes so as to prevent substitutes to cause much competition. The company also tries to offer products and services superior than substitutes so that they can attract more clients by offering superior products. Bargaining power of buyers: the company has good customer satisfaction , it keeps customers relationship strong by introducing some new benefits to buyers such seasonal free maintenance where the customer will be assigned with a special employee who will deal together up until the time where the customer is satisfied. the bargaining power of BMW company is very high as it is trusted and tremendously popular among the targeted customers worldwide. Bargaining power of sellers: BMW demonstrate the value of their suppliers so that it can attract other companies to purchase the suppliers products thus their bargaining power increase. This is shown by BMW Company having dealerships, who sell the company cars in wholesales. What is causing the competitive structure and business environment in the sector to change? Technological change: the company offers new technological innovations by introducing new concepts with regards to the car engine industry. It also set the standards for car engine manufacturing so that all products will keep pace with technology and be able to compete with new emerging technologies offered by other competitors in the automotive industry. Changes in societal concerns, attitudes and lifestyles: The Company makes sure that the product they create will emit low emission that can reduce pollution. BMW emphasizes safety among the production of their goods. They make sure that the proper safety standards are followed and there are no hazardous chemicals in the production. Increasing globalization of industry: BMW produce products to meet the global market as it have partner associates and dealerships in all major continents. Regulatory influences and governmental policy changes: BMW makes sure they comply with what the law states in the country; they make sure that they comply with the regulated standards of the country. The company makes sure they are aware of legal needs of the country so as to keep its current reputation to success in the competitive world. Which companies are in the strongest and weakest positions? Companies in the strongest positions: main competitors are BMW, Audi, Acura, Mercedes Benz, and Lexus. Weakest positions: include the like of Toyota, Honda, and Ford. What are the key factors for competitive success in the sector? The automotive industry needs an efficient dealer organization and tight control of manufacturing costs all these are important success factors, using success factors as a filter; the management can then identify the information that is most important to make critical enterprise decisions. Accordingly the decisions made in this manner should be more effective because they are based on data that is specifically linked to the organization linked to the organizations success factors. Activity 4: Evaluating Company Resources (15 marks) Carry out an analysis of the resources and competitive capabilities from the perspective of your chosen company or organisation: How well is the present strategy working? Porters Generic Strategies: The cost leadership strategy of BMW is focused on making sure that the company earns more and spends less. The cost leadership strategy of the company takes a look at how expenses can be minimized without sacrificing the production of the companys product and the quality of product sold to clients. The differentiation strategy of BMW is focused on making sure that the company produces products that are unique. It makes sure that the logo of the company is not only the one that makes products of the company different. It makes sure that the internal and external characteristics of the product make it unique. The segmentation strategy of the company makes sure that it has a selected market that can provide huge amounts of income for the company. What are their resource strengths and weaknesses? Weakness BMWs heavy cost German base might affect the profitability of the company in the long run as more and more competitors shift product development activities to lower cost countries. BMW might be forced to negotiate a way to maintain cost competitiveness and its reputation for German engineering excellence. The planning procedure required a great deal of effort, limiting the comparison of different strategies and the performance of sensitivity analyses with varying data. Planners needed to consider separately capacity for assembling bodies, which is dedicated to single products, and capacity for the paint shop and final assembly line, which all products share. In allocating products to the global production sites, planners did not consider the effects on the global supply chain, in particular the flow of materials from the suppliers to the plant and the flow of finished cars to the markets. BMW realised the deficiencies of its planning process and research employees worked on the proje ct. In first phase, PETER HENRICH (2002) developed a mixed-integer programming model. In a second phase, Sonja Ferber (2005) extended the model to include investment decisions. Strengths: the BMW Group is one of the most successful multi-brand premium cars manufacturers in the automobile industry. The Rolls-Royce phantom holds the number one position in the super-luxury car segment. Moreover, BMW is the only automobile manufacturer possessing three non-overlapping premium car brands in its portfolio. The BMW group on an average spends part of its revenues on research and development, which is one of the highest in the industry. The keen focus on research and development is evidenced by the number of new models the company has released over the past few years. BMW has also developed an innovative array of engines. A companys strengths is its ability to create unique products and to providing high-level customer service. What are the external opportunities and threats facing them? Opportunities: The expansion of the European Union to foreign countries, has converted the European Union into the worlds biggest trading block with a combined population. This offers ample opportunities for BMW to leverage its strong European position in the premium car segment to garner more market share across new and expanding markets. BMWs concerted forays into the Chinese luxury car market portends to an increase in the earnings of the company over the coming years. China already ranks as the third largest market for BMWs 7 Series luxury limousines. BMW predicts that robust growth will place China among the companys seven largest markets in a few more years. This is a significant improvement over the 12th position held by the Chinese market for BMW in 2002. Threats: The continuing decline of the dollar against the euro threatens to undercut BMWs top line thereby tempering its profitability. The rising price of raw materials such as steel threatens to offset the companys earnings. BMWs Used Cars Help to Sell New Cars. In the meantime, dealer margins on new-car sales are thinner than they used to be because of tougher competition and better-informed customers. Therefore, used cars have become a more  important profit center for luxury-car dealers. From your assessment of the resources and competitive capabilities assess the strength of their competitive position Worldwide, the BMW Group is one of the most successful multi-brand premium car manufacturers in the automobile industry. The Rolls-Royce phantom holds the number one position in the super-luxury car segment. Moreover, BMW is the only automobile manufacturer possessing three non-overlapping premium car brands in its portfolio. The company produce a mass production of quality cars within few consecutive years by coming up with creative innovations to satisfy the customer needs and keeping the pace with technology development. What is your assessment of the culture within the company? Will it be supportive to change or not? Miles and Snow published an early article on the cultural classification of organisations in 1978. They classified companies as either defenders or prospectors: therefore, the culture in BMW Company is described as prospectors because the headquarters is located in Germany with many openings around the world, the managers in Germany are always ready to use ideas suggested by their partners in other foreign companies for the development and future successful profits. The automobile market is characterized high sales and profit potential (Muztagh, 2004. Hence the organization is innovative, values risk in order to succeed. So this shows that the culture and spirit of BMW must be kept to continue in order fully compete in the automotive manufacturing sector. Activity 5: Strategy and Competitive Advantage (10 marks a maximum of 2-3 pages per activity) Review the options facing your chosen company in creating a strategy for the future. Review the generic strategies available to your company. Which would be suitable? Porters Generic Strategies: The cost leadership strategy of BMW is focused on making sure that the company earns more and spends less. The cost leadership strategy of the company takes a look at how expenses can be minimized without sacrificing the production of the companys product and the quality of product sold to clients. The differentiation strategy of BMW is focused on making sure that the company produces products that are unique. It makes sure that the logo of the company is not only the one that makes products of the company different. It makes sure that the internal and external characteristics of the product make it unique. The segmentation strategy of the company makes sure that it has a selected market that can provide huge amounts of income for the company. Looking into the future, how may the company seek to achieve cost competitiveness? On the production front, BMW is all set to vamp up its manufacturing capabilities to aid production of new models over the coming years. Overall, the company is set to invest over million pounds in production facilities in Oxford, UK. Further, the company has decided to invest million Euros in its Steyr engine facility over the coming years .Through the introduction of new models, the Group has gained access to new customer groups. Despite challenging economic conditions, the company is the most successful in its history due to record sales volume and earnings. With respect to the auto industry, while some growth is expected in the traditional markets of Europe and Japan, growth is expected to be flat in the largest luxury car market of USA. However, the major emerging markets of Asia and Latin America are expected to witness a robust growth in terms of total number of vehicles sold. The company predicts that the premium car segment will experience stronger growth than the volume segment over the coming years. In this backdrop, BMW is looking to further expand its presence in both traditional and new markets. The high number of models set to be launched during the years is expected to boost the companys top line. Analyses the current core competencies of the company. Skills in manufacturing a high quality product: One of core competencies is the development of combustion engines. During recent years the company has significantly reduced both fuel consumption and emissions in its engines, while simultaneously increasing performance and torque. The latest milestones from these efforts are the first-ever variable- twin-turbocharger diesel power unit in a road vehicle. After-sale service capability: trained team of after-sales consultants and technicians make up the companys best equipped and most experienced service centre. Our Seasonal Inspection Program With BMWs Value Service Packages pricing program, only original BMW warranted parts are utilized, and all packages include a one-year unlimited mileage warranty on parts and labor. Expertise in gasoline engine technology and small engine design; BMW hydrogen technology has already come a long way. Now, together with politicians and the energy industry, the company turned its vision of sustained mobility into reality. BMWs hydrogen engine for its premium saloon is built for dual mode operation. The company provides superb marketing-distribution skills and Research and Development capabilities. Using the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats identified in Activity 4, develop a SWOT matrix to determine a set of strategic options for the company.