July 2009 Archives
On July 14, Goldman Sachs announce its financial profit during period April - June 2009 which is 343.500 billion US (approx 32 billion yen), its 2nd quarter business year`s profit. Compared with previous year financial results March - May 2008, this year profit is increasing dramatically by 65 %.
With the bad financial crisis situation, it has net loss during September - November 2009. However, it has produced profit in January - March 2009 period.
During April - June period as stock price recovering, investment towards company also increasing. As many financial institution raise their capital Stock trading activity becoming favorable recently. Bonds, Currency, and others financial products also in a favorable situation recently
Comment:
As Warren Buffet - Greatest American investor and financial expert predict, It turn to be what he expects to be. He invested approximately 5 billion to bail out Goldman Sachs amid financial crisis. According to his expectation, Goldman Sachs will produce business profit after the financial crisis. And as stated in the news, it happens like that. As college student, there are many things that should be learned in this investment world. What happen with Goldman, is related to investor expectation and confidence. As I learned from this news, I will equip myself with high technical skill and confidence about my own portfolio or financial product investment.
NUGROHO Katarina Marsha Utama
Indonesia
Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, APM 3
On 13th July, Nissan
Automobile, it started selling its newest edition of Skyline - Skyline Cross
over to market. Skyline cross over is a combination of a passenger car (SUV)
and a sport car, this automobile has been sold in North America region and
Europe region. In these regions, Nissan sold it as brand called Infinity. As
for automobile specification, Skyline crossover has 3700 CC exhaustion pipe
engine, and 7 gear - manual transmissions. The price for 370 GT type P is
4.725.000 yen, with selling unit goal for 200 units.
According to interview conducted
in Tokyo metropolitan Area with one of news article writer, he said to the
customer to try this new experience, there is most advance technology of
Skyline.
Comment:
As news stated above, Nissan has started earlier that others main
automobile competitor such as Honda, Suzuki, Toyota and GM Automobile. It will
create a big business opportunities for Nissan. Also, if it can identify which
region around the world that requires more automobile innovation, Nissan will
be able to create stronger brand awareness among worldwide customer rather that
others automobile makers. If it succeeds with this new strategy, new Nissan
With stronger brand and excellent consumer image, Nissan will lead the
automobile market in the next couple years.
NUGROHO Katarina Marsha Utama
Indonesia
Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, APM 3
New York 7th July, Largest searcher company - Google, It
announced that it developed newest operating system (OS). This new OS will
support small size computer called Net-Book and its user as targeted market.
Google plan to launch this product by second half of next year business year.
As Google enter the OS market, it will join competition with Microsoft corp.
- A company that has been monopolizing this OS software industry.
New OS will have similar characteristic like Google chrome - it will have
smooth operation and light size. In addition, it will have the most appropriate
specification for internet browsing, it will start operate within seconds,
[fast, user friendly, safety] are the product characteristic. In 2007, Google
also introduced OS that support mobile phone - Android.
Comment:
As consumer opinion, apart from developing internet browsing software,
Google should start developing many types of software such as office related
software, OS for day to day operation. There will be many business
opportunities that can be caught in this business section due to Google
strength, product, technology know-how, and Also product innovation. As for Microsoft,
unless it develops not only new but user friendly product to wide array of
consumer, the company will not sustain in the long run.
NUGROHO Katarina Marsha Utama
Indonesia
Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, APM 3
On 8th July, JTB -
largest travel agent announced its traveling behavior research to public.
According to the conducted research, compared to last year trend, JTB predicted
that this year has been decreasing approximately 5 - 8% for more than 1 day
holiday package. Also, there are several others factors that affect this trend
such as decreasing bonus and new type influenza.
Moreover, due to unstable political
condition in Thailand, JTB predicted that there will be decreasing travelling
trend approximately 22.4 % (83.000 people). In addition, Due to new type of
influenza, Australia and New Zealand travel demand will have 15% - 26%
decrease.
On the other hand, due to strong position of yen
currency, it increases Korean travelling demand by 7%. However, demand for
resort - Guam Saipan decreased by 2.1 %.
For Domestic travel demand, JTB
predicted to decrease by 1.6% for these 2 years consecutively. Data stated
above are quoted from JTB sales condition and survey.
Comment:
Due to uncertain economic condition, business such as travel agency should
do more regular market research. It is important to conduct this kind of
research regularly. Beside to support business decision, it will help travel
agent companies to identify the most recent market needs. In addition for it,
company will be able to expect their operating expenses / profit to the
condition expected.
NUGROHO Katarina Marsha Utama
Indonesia
Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, APM 3
On 14 July, Sony insurance announced that it lost 320 customer personal
information (it includes name, bank account number) related documents. Sony
insurance also mentioned that there is high possibility of mistakenly disposed.
Documents that have been disposed mistakenly are copy of insurance payment,
contract document, Traffic accident records, hospital check, health check-up
documents. However, Sony insurance found the original document of disposed
documents stated above. Sony insurance apologize for causing this trouble for
the customer.
Comment:
Sony insurance should increase its document management by doing some
alliance with document processing company such as Fujixerox. In addition for
that, It should also increase its internal security and safety by having higher
IT infrastructure. By having these two change in organization, it will regain
its customer confidence and also compete among others insurance related
companies.
NUGROHO Katarina Marsha Utama
Indonesia
Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, APM 3
On July 9th, based on Mitsubishi business agreement, it will accept technical employees in a given period. In addition for it, as new tax policy and recovering consumption starts, this business agreement also will assist Mitsubishi to anticipate increasing production demand in the future. Also it will include increasing number of employment. Based on given situation - decreasing demand in automobile industry, Mitsubishi will not do any employment for the time being. Therefore, in order to anticipate increasing future automobile demand, it establishes joint corporation with others automobile companies. However, if production increases in the medium period, there are possibilities to hire some employees.
Comment:
Mitsubishi as a big automobile maker should hold a general meeting with
others automobile maker such as Honda, Toyota, Nissan and others companies.
This meeting should give a big picture and fresh ideas for further movement in
near future. It should also provide some companies` know-how about how to
anticipate demand in the future. At the end, this kind of general meeting will
eventually create a sustainable condition in automobile industry.
NUGROHO Katarina Marsha Utama
Indonesia
Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, APM 3
Largest
Convenience store - 7 / 11 Japan company announced on 18th June that
it will give approximately 20 % consumer discount on these item: Coca-cola,
Fried Noodle - Nissin, and others 70 food and beverage related products.
In convenience,
there are basic fixed price which is sales of food and beverage. Therefore, it
is quite phenomenal for 7 /11 to have discounted price among these products.
Furthermore, this strategy will eventually affects food and beverages products
in others convenience store.
As for one case
example, starting from 22 June, 1 coupon will be distributed for each returning
consumer purchase of any products. There are 12.000 shops under 7 & I
holding Japan. In addition for it, this discount campaign will be conducted
under Ito-Yokado and York Benimall until August 10th.
At the discount
store of Ito-Yokado, starting from 22 June, Apart from general products, there
will be 30-50% discount for private new products. By the middle of this year,
it is planned to expand its product until 350 different products.
Comment:
This
type of strategy called cut-throat strategy. It has will explore many strength
inside particular company to cut the operating cost. However, this kind of
competition cannot be sustained long. There should be some others strategy
which is focusing more into customer expected value. However, product
diversification strategy which is implemented lastly will help companies to
meet the consumer demand.
NUGROHO Katarina Marsha Utama
Indonesia
Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, APM 3
As 23rd June, due to lacking of two pilots and no replacements, Skymark canceled 6 flights from Naha - Haneda. In addition, in previous year July - August period, due to lacking pilots, it cancelled more than 600 flights.
Moreover, after that , it still struggling in unfavorable condition. According to Skymark and others related sources, two foreign pilots have passed the periodic examination conducted. However, while having technical examination, there are some problems occur which requires more examination. Therefore, some technical analyst was conducting simulation to confirm the technical errors. As Skymark finished its simulation and test with those two foreign pilots, it operates in 24 hours as usual.
Comment:
For personal opinion, Skymark should have better operation
management and technical examination. It should conduct this kind of
examination to ensure safe flight. It also needs to have join agreement or
alliance with others companies to share some know-how or improve its condition.
One of largest alliance in airline industry is Star Alliance. If there are some
common ways in corporate culture and goals with Skymark corp., it should
conduct the alliance agreement with it.
NUGROHO Katarina Marsha Utama
Indonesia
Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, APM 3
In Berlin, BMW German announced that it will have partnership
agreement with largest automobile producer. There are two goals behind this partnership
agreement. Those are to respond the decreasing demand trend of new vehicle and
to decrease the production cost. As 1st year policy of this agreement
is to exclude the capital investment in this partnership agreement. Also until
now, both of companies has partnership agreement in hybrid system development,
parts and distribution network. Lastly both companies believe that this joint partnership
agreement will strengthen their position amid the financial crisis condition.
Comment:
During financial crisis period there are many joint agreements
form among companies in any industries. Those are joint venture, merger & acquisition,
strategic alliance and also partnership agreement. These agreements are being
implemented to stabilize companies` financial condition. It is also being utilized
to expand their market. And last but also crucial part is to have a sustainable
competitive advantage over long-term run.
NUGROHO Katarina Marsha Utama
Indonesia
Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, APM 3
On 13th of July, Hayashi
Yoshiyama, Ministry of Economic and Financial Affair of Japan, presented the
economic condition of Japan during Cabinet ministry general meeting. According
to last month economic financial condition report, the sign of economic
recovery has been spreading among individual consumer. However, based on the 3
months economic condition trends, he revised the statement stated previously.
Due to change in tax reduction
policy that has been implemented recently, export volume in eco-related
products and eco-car has been increasing. However, compared to 7 years ago -
economic bubble period during March - May 2002. The employment condition in
Japan is still in deteriorating and uncertainty condition.
According to July economic
report, in general, Japan still in the bad-shape economic condition. However,
there are 4 factors that have been changing which are consumer consumption,
export, import, public service investment.
Consumer
consumption, as results of economic policy, sales in automobile and LCD
television has been increasing. In addition, food industry also is increasing
well. On the other hand, export section also has been improving. It's due to
increasing demand in China semiconductor industry. Also, there is a stable
production condition. On the other hand, there is a decreasing trend in
facility investment and deteriorating situation in Job market.
Lastly,
rather than having a viewpoint of an improvement in global economic condition,
It should be an Economic improvement in Asia region.
Comment:
Due to collapsing biggest US investment bank such as Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers, Washington mutual, Wachovia there are many investment products that losing its value around the world. It eventually affects the global economic condition. On the other hand, there are still many growth opportunities in Asia region. It also includes the economic and investment growth. There many foreign and Japanese companies doing some foreign direct investment to catch this valuable business opportunities.
NUGROHO Katarina Marsha Utama
Indonesia
Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, APM 3
