Abstract This paper examines the case of Continental Group, Inc., and assesses the four business divisions it has diversified into to determine what its next course of action should be. Alternatives are proposed and recommendations made.
From the Paper "The Continental Group case presents a number of critical issues for the company. The primary issue is the diversification into four business areas-packaging financial services energy and forest products. "
Abstract This paper looks at the reasons why the Second Continental Congress (1775) was the most significant event in history between 1492 and 1876. Philosophical resonance and political implications are explored. It also examines the enduring basic principles that emanated from the congress.
Tags: second continental congress, constitutional convention, independence, 1775, American Revolution, Thomas Jefferson, Declaration of Independence
Abstract The purpose of this work is to show whether or not Continental Illinois rescue and restructuring efforts were successful and if so, why. The paper also attempts to discover if the decision to restructure was justified and explains why or why not. Furthermore, this work attempts to discover to what extent did the OCC contribute to the management failing of Chairman and CEO, Mr. Roger E. Anderson and the management team of Continental Illinois and what short and long-term benefits were expected from appointing David Taylor as the new CEO and Edward Bottum as President in the run-up to the restructuring of Continental Illinois. Finally, the current status of Continental Illinois is is examined as well the main sectors of banking and how these sectors have changed since the collapse of Continental Illinois National Bank and Trust Company.
Introduction
Background and Overview of Continental Results of the Method used by FDIC in the Rescue
Critics Opinion of the Open Bank Assistance
Summary and Conclusion
From the Paper "Continental employed over 12,000 and held the approximate amount of $40 billion in assets. In May of 1984, at the time of near collapse the company had office in 14 states as well as 29 foreign countries with offices numbering 57. During the years 1976 and 1981 CCI experienced a jump in lending from $5 billion to over $14 billion with the company's total assets increasing from $21.5 billion to $45 billion with the loans-to-assets ration increasing from 57.9 percent to 68.8 percent between 1977 and 1981. The organizations return on assets stayed at 0.5 percent during the same time span and the return on equity was approximately 14.4 percent during those same years. (FDIC, 1997) The problems came under notice during 1982 when the Penn Square Bank, N.A. in Okalahoma City closed. The loans were underwritten poorly and it was clear that Continental had not used due diligence on the purchasing of the loans as well as Continental's loan portfolio beginning to experience problems specifically in the energy sector. It was reported by Continental in the second quarter of 1982 an amount of $1.3 billion in loans and assets that were 'nonperforming.'"
Abstract In this article, the writer points out that Continental Airlines was established in 1934 under the name of "Varney Speed Lines", after Walter T. Varney, its initial owner. The writer then notes that on July 1, 1937, Robert Six, the new owner, changed its name to Continental. The writer relates that the marketing strategy of Continental Airlines is based on emphasizing its strengths, such as the variety and quality of the services offered. The writer looks at Continental's strategies and awards that have been received. The writer concludes that all in all, Continental Airlines is trying to apply a strategy based on establishing deep customer relationships, in order to create customer loyalty and brand affinity.
From the Paper "RewardOne is a free business program designed by Continental in order to reward companies for business travel on Continental Airlines. However, this program does not apply for travel agencies, wholesalers, consolidators or other resellers of travel. Through RewardOne the companies are rewarded valuable points each time its employees travel on business with Continental Airlines. He rewards include: Silver OnePass Elite Status, Presidents Club membership, travel certificates and many others."
"For U.S. residents that want to save some money, Continental offers the Continental Airlines Credit Card from Chase. Customers that apply for this card will receive 15,000 OnePass bonus miles after their first purchase, get a 5% discount on all published Continental fares, two Presidents Club passes every year, two travel discount certificates (up to $200 in savings) every year."
Abstract This paper discusses the current status of The Continental Group, Inc., from strategic viewpoint. It focuses on each of Continental's divisions, financial services, energy, packaging, and forest products is examined vis-a-vis Continental's long-term growth and particularly its 5-year strategic outlook. The paper makes a final recommendation that Continental should sell its packaging and forest products divisions in order to finance the capital investments necessary for its financial services and energy divisions to grow.
From the Paper "Strategic Planning--Continental Situational Overview The Continental Group, Inc. is a company that has been winnowed down to four primary divisions. These divisions form a corporation that is in desperate need of a corporate identity. While Continental has been somewhat successful managing its enterprises in the past, its seeming lack of a unified corporate vision will impede profitability and growth over the next decade unless a cohesive strategy is formulated and a corporate culture founded on a more unified business structure can be instilled in the corporation moving forward. Continental's 4 primary divisions at the present time are: * Financial Services: this division includes American Life Insurance Company which is a network of brokerage agents and representatives. It also contains a mortgage company, mortgage insurance, and real-estate related financial services. "
Abstract This paper examines how the term continental philosophy is related to the philosophical traditions that originated in Europe. It looks at how the historical development and particular philosophical style or styles of continental philosophy emerged most prominently in the works of Marin Heidegger and the existential philosophers such as Jean-Paul Sartre, as well as in the postmodern or post-structuralist thinkers such as Derrida. In particular, this paper discusses how much of the development of modern continental philosophy can be related to the attempt to create a post-Hegelian understanding of reality.
From the Paper "However, there are many aspects of Hegel's thought that are incorporated into modern Continental philosophy. One example of this is philosophy as the production of crisis. This refers to the sense that philosophy is involved with the question of the praxis of being embedded in history and culture. In other words, we are dealing with problems that are of our own making and philosophical inquiry is a critique of our present conditions; as well as a search for emancipation from these conditions. (Critchley, 2001, 72) This mood or trend in Continental thinking can, according to many critics, be traced back to Hegelian thought. "
Abstract This paper is an in-depth analysis of the bankruptcy of Continental Airlines in 1990. It provides at least both long-term and short-terms analysis of the bankruptcy, relying for the former on an analysis of the state of the American airlines industry in 1990 and for the short term specific economic information relevant to Continental at the time. The author discusses what caused the bankruptcy and whether it could have been foreseen.
From the Paper "The major overall economic element affected the entire American transportation industry in 1990 (this included not simply the airlines industry) was the issue of deregulation. For many years, the transportation system of the United States existed within an economic system of a high degree of regulation. That this should have been so should not surprise us if we look only at the legal and not the economic context of the transportation system.
The transportation network of the United States has been, since 1789, subject to a high degree of management by the federal government for the simple reason that this is one of the primary functions of the federal government ? to oversee those activities that cross state borders."
Tags: airline, transport, america, deregulation, company
This paper explores the ins and outs of the airline industry, including marketing and business strategies, by focusing on Continental and Southwest Airlines.
Abstract The writer of this paper details Southwest's low-fare no-frills policy, which is just one of the reasons it's the most profitable airline in the U.S. This paper examines why Southwest was rated #1 in on-time arrivals, departures and overall quality despite the fact that flights are usually overcrowded, seats are crammed together and there's no advance seat reservation system. This paper contains a brief history into Southwest and Continental Airlines as well as the initial goals of both companies. This paper details Continental's less than impressive marketing and business achievements as well as the company's past financial struggles to stay afloat, which eventually paid off when it merged with Air Canada.
From the Paper "In 1990, December 3 was a dark day when Continental slid into its second bankruptcy, but this time a white knight appeared. Continental and Air Canada became "partners", and Air Canada put some $450 million into rescuing Continental, allowing the airline to emerge from bankruptcy by 1993. Its marketing strategy- again concentrating on the business traveler, both domestically and overseas to more than 60 destinations- has made it possible for Continental to be profitable now for the last 24 reporting quarters. Its stock was named, by Business Week, as the "Best New York Stock Exchange Stock of the year in 1995." (Continental.com) The reason was obvious to see, from a low in January that year of $6.50 a share, by the end of December, the stock had risen to $47.50."
This paper discusses the Continental Congress, a vehicle by which the colonies could speak for themselves, which played a pivotal role in the movement toward revolution.
Abstract This paper explains that the first Continental Congress adopted a Declaration of Rights and Grievances, which claimed that Americans could not submit to specific British Acts that were considered intolerable and set up a boycott on British goods. The author relates that the Declaration of Independence, written mainly by Thomas Jefferson, included a list of grievances against England's colonial policy; its preamble was a statement of a political philosophy based on natural rights and was a declaration of war against England. The paper stresses that the formation of the Continental Congress taught the delegates that they could meet and cooperate to further their common aims to defy Parliament's claim to unlimited powers over British America.
From the Paper "One of the keys to understanding the Continental Congress's impact on the future of the colonies and the road to revolution is to understand the core belief system that many of the delegates held to. General Gage, commander of the British troops in America, wrote this about the delegates, "[t]hey are of various characters and opinions, but it's to be feared in general, that the spirit of Democracy, is strong amongst them." An example that illustrates this clearly was their arguments against the Stamp Act. Instead of arguing that the act served a wrong purpose, they argued that it was unconstitutional, and contrary to their rights. This spirit of freedom and liberty that existed in the colonies and the Continental Congress could use this vehicle of assembly to voice these beliefs."
Abstract The paper examines Continental Airlines' chief executive officer, the services that the company provides, the well-being of its employees and the strategies it uses, in order to learn how the airline's management team successfully brought the airline back to the top of the industry. The paper concludes that Continental Airlines' management team shows great strength by working to implement the Go Forward Plan and trying to apply a strategy based on establishing deep customer relationships, to create customer loyalty and brand attraction.
From the Paper "What does it take to become the fifth largest airline in the world? The answer to this question can only be attained by examining the details of Continental Airlines, currently the fifth largest airline in world. Continental Airlines is a major U.S. air carrier, serving approximately 151 domestic and 120 international destinations worldwide. The airline provides air service to its destinations from four major hubs in Houston, New York/Newark, Cleveland, and Guam. Continental began service in 1934 as Varney Speed Lines (named after one of its initial owners, Walter T. Varney) operating out of El Paso and extending through Las Vegas, Albuquerque, and Santa Fe to Pueblo (Colorado). "It was renamed Continental on 1 July 1937 after a new owner Robert Six had taken a forty percent ownership with Varney's co-founder Louis Mueller" (Sterling, 1974, p.103)."
Tags: employees, customer, satisfaction, environment, Go, Forward, Plan
Abstract This paper presents an examination of the wilderness area of the Continental Divide Trail and takes at look at its history, modern threats to its ecological systems, and efforts that are being made to preserve it.
From the Paper "The Continental Divide Trail is controversial because its construction has touched on issues that were present back in the days of the Old West: it impedes on the territories of some Native American tribes, it has the potential to exploit or destroy delicate ecosystems and animal species that live along the trail, and it paves a path over virgin terrain for white yuppies to exploit previously uninhabited lands. As we will see in this paper, these current events are directly related to the historic settlement of the Old West. "
Abstract This report focuses on the future events and plans of Continental Airlines Inc. for the information of its investors. This report gives investors a fair idea about the future growth and stock position. Some of the key events include the separation of ExpressJet from its parent company plus expansion of its mail and cargo businesses.
Abstract This paper explains that the merger of Continental Paper Company and Great Northwestern Lumber Company is important financially, particularly regarding the ROI forecast, in an industry that is showing an oversupply in the wood products sector. The author points out that the main sources of conflict between Owens and Foster,the two CEOs, revolve around their management styles and their apparent beliefs in the reasons for business. The paper relates that Maslow's hierarchy elements and expectancy theory will work best in motivating virtually everyone in the merged company.
From the Paper "The new organizational chart is, in the main, a functional chart. This will allow each working group from each company to have a direct line to superiors whose interaction will be with those who have oversight of the entire operation. In addition, will provide for upward accountability, which will suit the new CEO's style, and it will allow for minimal upheaval in the operational aspects of the business, although administrative and particularly financial structures will be somewhat more altered."
Abstract This paper begins with an overview of rationalism and empiricism and then takes a look at the three key figures representing Continental rationalism: Descartes, Spinoza and Leibniz. The paper then talks about the differences as well as the similarities in the works of the three philosophers.
From the Paper "Continental rationalism argues essentially that the ultimate source of knowledge can be found within human reason. Further, Continental rationalism argues that truth can be deduced from our innate ideas, and mathematical proof ultimately became the model for rationalist investigation. This philosophical movement began in the 17th century with the work of the philosopher Rene Descartes, and spread through continental Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries. Many of the philosophers who adopted Descartes' theories, or incorporated his ideas into Calvinistic theology, were termed as Cartesians. In contrast, a number of philosophers like Benedict Spinoza, and Gottfried Willhelm Leibniz adopted Descartes' ideas, and developed their own views within Descartes' overarching theme of human reason as ultimate source of knowledge (The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy; Solomon). "
Abstract This paper describes the continental drift and plate tectonic theories and traces their history, discusses the key players who were involved in developing the theories and examines the current state of scientific knowledge about Earth's geology and paleontology.
From the Paper "The idea that the earth's continents have drifted has a long history. As long ago as 1596 the Dutch map maker Abraham Ortelius in his work Thesaurus Geographicus Ortelius suggested that the Americas were "torn away from Europe and Africa . . . by earthquakes and floods." He had been the first (and certainly not the last) to notice the apparent "jig-saw" fit of the bulge of eastern South America into the bight of Africa. (Kious and Tilling, 1999) In around 1850 A.D., a French scientist Antonio Snider-Pellegrini, while researching the similarity of the fossil plants and coal deposits in North American and European and concluded that the phenomenon could only be explained if the two continents had once been connected. In 1908 Frank B. Taylor of the United States invoked the notion of continental collision to explain the formation of some of the world's mountain ranges."
