Managing Innovation

Innovation can be referred to as the â€Å"incorporation of new ideas or new methods used in business with the intention of winning customer loyalty† (Klein). Innovation is an important process in any company since it helps in evaluating the performance the firm (Ettlie 74). For any company to survive in a competitive market, it must have effective strategic management policies. This can be achieved by focusing on innovation within the firm.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Managing Innovation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Managing innovation enables managers to gain the knowledge that will enable them to manage their businesses in a given business environment. The knowledge gained through effective management of innovation facilitates the development of products that meet the expectations of the clients. The level of competition in the modern market is very high (Adam 73). Thus firms should be in a posi tion to identify and take advantage of the weaknesses of their competitors. One of the most important factors to consider when analyzing the level of competition in the market is the level of innovation. All firms need to incorporate new ideas in their operations in order to survive in the competitive market. This is because the level of technology changes everyday and new products are brought into the market on a daily basis. Companies that intend to have the best reputation in the market must upgrade their level of innovation (Adam 82). Innovation is a process of â€Å"thought change since its main intention is to come up with new ideas† (Adam 87) that can be implemented in the market. There are several types of innovation. However, they all focus on the development of the organization through new ideas and strategies (Adam 91). Innovation can be disruptive or sustaining (Adam 97). When analyzing the types of innovation, much emphasis is usually put on disruptive innovation since it is the most important as far as business is concerned. Innovation is a long process that occurs in stages or phases within the organization. For example, the development of a new product begins with the thought process. This is followed by the manufacture of the product and ends with the marketing of the product. The process of innovation thus begins with the thought process. This involves developing a vision of what is to be achieved. Innovation is therefore considered to be â€Å"the incremental or radical changes that take place in an organization† (Bessant 67). The changes relate to the manner in which decisions are made, the production of goods and services and the distribution process. The advancement in technology focuses on improving all aspects of a business in the modern economy through innovation (Klein 101). According to Pixar seminars, managing innovation is a very important process since it facilitates growth and resilience. The second stage of managin g innovation is more advanced and involves the implementation of the new ideas (Harvey 65). Thus at this stage the new ideas are â€Å"transformed into actions that are important for the survival of a firm in the competitive market† (Ranchhod 87). At the implementation stage, the management must provide the necessary resources. This is because lack of adequate resources can undermine the firm’s ability to realize its innovation objectives (Ettlie 89).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Apart from the financial resources, the firm must invest in appropriate technology that will help in the implementation of the innovation plan (Ettlie 90). This can be achieved through an assessment program that aims at identifying the technical weaknesses in the organization. Outdated technologies should therefore be replaced with new ones. Besides, there should be on-the-job train ing programs that aim at improving the competence of the employees. Entrepreneurs who focus on innovation in their businesses are able to increase their rate of production in their respective industries. The increase in production is attributed to the high level of efficiency, cost saving and creativity that is associated with innovation within an organization (Bessant 103). Managing innovation might only be possible if the managers in a given firm have the skills and knowledge that enables them to inspire their employees to be initiative. This means that the process of managing innovation is not only the responsibility of the management team. The process must bring together all members of the organization and the potential clients (Harvey 78). The perspectives of all the concerned parties should be considered. Due to the large number of employees within an organization, the suggestions concerning the expected changes will definitely vary or even contradict each other. Thus the orga nization must develop an evaluation mechanism that will be used to vet the ideas presented by all individuals who are involved in the innovation process. Only the best ideas should be chosen and implemented by the organization (Bessant 114). It is not possible to implement all ideas due to lack of sufficient resources. A company is considered to be the pioneer of innovation if it succeeds in overhauling its production and distribution processes ahead of other firms in the industry. This will enable the firm to improve its competitiveness in the industry (Ranchhod 99). Consequently, the firm’s revenue will increase as it increases its productivity and market share. However, with time other firms in the industry will begin to restructure their operations in order to remain competitive. As firms reposition themselves in the industry, the competition in the market becomes more intense. Thus, firms will begin to focus on product differentiation with the aim of positioning themselv es as the best in the market. The most important tool in managing innovation is research and development. The decisions made at each and every stage of managing innovation must be supported by adequate and relevant research. Engaging in research at every stage of managing innovation will help in making the right decisions that will help the organization to achieve its objectives (Ettlie 100).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Managing Innovation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Reviewing research findings on particular issues concerning innovation can help in solving a dilemma. Decisions that are based on facts are likely to be more effective and will help the organization to achieve its objectives. Works Cited Adam, Jolly. Innovation: harnessing creativity for business growth. New York: Kogan Page, 2003. Print. Bessant, John. Innovation and Entrepreneurship. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 2007. Print. Ettlie, Joh n. Managing Innovation: new technology, new products, and new services in a global economy. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 2007.Print. Harvey, Dershin. â€Å"A framework for managing innovation.† International Journal of Business Innovation and Research 4 (2010): 598-613. Klein, Stefan. Managing dynamic networks: organizational perspectives of technology enabled inter-firm. Frankfourt: Birkhauser Publication, 2006. Print. Ranchhod, Ashok. Marketing Strategies: A Contemporary Approach. New York: Prince Hall, 2007.Print.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This essay on Managing Innovation was written and submitted by user Julissa C. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Essay Topics For the ESL Curriculum

Essay Topics For the ESL CurriculumWriting essays is difficult enough, but when you have to choose essay topics for the ESL curriculum, it can be even more challenging. When you have not been exposed to the English language in a long time, the task of writing a test or a report can seem daunting. There are a number of things that you should know when you are choosing essay topics for the ESL curriculum.The first thing that you need to do is make sure that the essay topics that you write are based on what you know. This will help you a lot when you are choosing essay topics for the ESL curriculum. It is not good to find an essay topic and then not use the knowledge that you have about the topic.The second thing that you need to do is that you find something that you have already written to use as essay topics for the ESL curriculum. This will help you a lot when you are writing the essay for the examination. Most teachers like to see the things that they themselves wrote.Third, when y ou are writing the essay topics for the ESL curriculum, make sure that you use the concept that you know in a way that is familiar to you. Many students find that the best way to explain something is to use their own words instead of using a vocabulary list that they know very little about. This will help them become familiar with the concepts that they are using.Fourth, when you are writing the essay topics for the ESL curriculum, do not just look at what your teachers are looking for. Make sure that you are writing about topics that you know about and would be useful to your students. This will help you get a feel for what the syllabus is all about.Fifth, when you are writing the essay topics for the ESL curriculum, remember that the purpose of this course is to help you learn to speak English. You should write about topics that you can use as teaching tools for your students. This will help you teach your students to speak English if you do not know how to speak it yourself.Sixth , when you are writing the essay topics for the ESL curriculum, do not be afraid to use your own experiences as a way to make your essay topics for the ESL curriculum. You should take some time to talk about the things that you have seen, heard, and experienced in your life. This will help you get an idea of how other people think and talk.Finally, when you are writing the essay topics for the ESL curriculum, make sure that you ask questions. This will help you become more knowledgeable in the course. This is what makes an ESL instructor's job easier.

Holistic Thinking in Management Essay Example

Holistic Thinking in Management Essay Example Holistic Thinking in Management Essay Holistic Thinking in Management Essay Course No. : SMV 795 Systems Thinking Course Coordinator: Prof. Sushil Assignment No. 1 Title of Assignment: Take a sector and map the trends towards holistic thinking in management Date of submission: August 17, 2009 TITLE: Take a sector and map the trends towards holistic thinking in management 1 Introduction Numerous activities and processes must be managed within a company. In order to satisfy the customers and to be commercially successful in the business environment, these activities and processes must be optimally coordinated which involves various kinds of thinking. There are many different ways of thinking, namely, (i) Logical thinking; (ii) Casual thninking; and (iii) Holistic thinking, among others. Although most of these thinking ways can not be applied in isolation with the other thinking patterns, as a much generalized comparison it can be said that the Logic alone is inadequate to deal with complex situations because it deals with simple, timeless cause and effect links between statements. Causal thinking, on the contary, underlies much of science where the tendency is to look at simple cause and effects by isolating components or parts of a whole. However, in the morden management techniques, stress has been laid upon the overall perspective of the problems in order to explore a sytematic and sustainable solution for it. Systems thinking tries to look at the complicated pattern of multiple causes that make up a whole, and to simplify by taking multiple partial views or perspectives. Another method of comparison between the various cognitive style is (i) analytic style; and (ii) holistic styles. While, an analytic thinking involves understanding a system by thinking about its parts and how they work together to produce larger-scale effects; the holistic thinking involves understanding a system by sensing its large-scale patterns and reacting to them. The Holistic thinking is the pattern of thinking in which resources of a particular system are managed in whole units rather than as parts in isolation from their surroundings. Thus, Holistic thinking involves working with and for wholes rather than parts of the system at hand. Consequently, as a process, in order to have a clear description of what is being managed, holistic thinking involves: i) defining of the overall system as a whole, ii) listing of all the decision-makers involved in management and, iii) the resources allocated, or issue Objective of the present case stude is to select a sector and map the trends towards holistic thinking in management of its issues and problems. Methodology adopted In this assignment a sector is selected with a problem in it. The problem is then analysed holistically taking a wholesome view with respect to the problem. Finally, the trends of holistic management thinking are mapped in the sector. The sector selected for the analysis of trends of holistic management in it is the Real Estate construction in modern cities. The holistic view of the concern subject leads to the overall Housing, Construction and Urban plann ing and development which is studied here. Figure 1 presents a post-modern thinking process by emphasizing holistic thinking components that are abstract, in connection with those elements that are in concrete- seen, in the present. The main focus of the pyramid is to explore the Holistic Thinking Pyramid – a five-tier process of integration as a thinking process. [pic] 3 Holistic Management of Housing, Construction and Urban planning and development sector 3. 1 Level 1-Basic Thinking/Background of the Sector Urban planning  and development is the integration of the disciplines of  land use, its planning, and various issues relating to it and the realted ransport activities and explores a very wide range of aspects of the built and social environments of urbanized municipalities and communities. In the modern cities the sustainable development  and  sustainability  have become important concepts for the urban planning, with the recognition that current consumption and living habits may be leading to problems such as the overuse of natural resources,  ecosystem  destruction,  urban heat islands,  pollution, growing  social inequality  and large-scale  climate change. Thus, the holistic management of housing, construction and urban planning and development sector revisits the synergy of the disciplines of urban planning, architecture, ecology, water management, environmental sciences, landscape architecture and sociology forces. 3. 2 Level 2-Critical Thinking/Problems and problem statement The holistic view requires an analysis of the problems associated with the Urban planning and development. The four major issues which impact the most sub important or local issues in urban planning are listed below: 1. Population Growth and migration to large towns. There is an increase in the population density world wide in the twentieth century. A distribution of the world population and its expected growth is shown in Fig. 2. [pic] Figure 2: World Poulation Increase in the Recent decades viz-a-viz previous centuries This led to emergence of the requirement of planned towns, to accommodate large number of people requirements (water, sanitary, movement , social aspects etc. ) , industrial requirements (factories, warehouses, mass goods movement etc. ) most important is these towns are now planned to cater projected growth requirements for future projections. Note that, with the urbanisation, industrialization and the consequent increase in the job opportunities in the cities there is a shift in the population distribution among the cities, villages and sub-urbs. This forms the basis data for the planning of a city wherein the expected population of the city is taken into account. Good planning uses  transit oriented development, which attempts to place higher densities of jobs or residents near high-volume transportation. For example, some cities permit commerce and multi-story apartment buildings only within one block of train stations and ultilane boulevards, and accept single-family dwellings and parks farther away. City authorities may try to encourage lower densities to reduce infrastructure costs, though some observers note that low densities may not accommodate enough population to provide adequate demand or funding for that infrastructure. In the UK, recent years have seen a concerted effort to increase the density of residenti al development in order to better achieve sustainable development. Increasing development density has the advantage of making mass transport systems, district heating and other community facilities (schools, health centres, etc) more viable. However recently, critics of this approach dub the densification of development as town cramming and claim that it lowers quality of life and restricts market-led choice. 2. Energy consumption A qualitative and quantitative study of the enegy consumption required for the construction and development is also eseential. The distribution of fuel and energy is one of the deciding parameters for the land usage and city construction. 3. Environmental issues and pollution: In the last a few decades the Environmental protection  and conservation have become the issues of utmost importance to many planning systems across the world. Not only are the specific effects of development to be mitigated, but attempts are made to minimize the overall effect of development on the local and global environment. This is commonly done through the assessment of  Sustainable urban infrastructure. More recently, the trend is that an urban planner uses a number of quantitative tools to forecast impacts of development on the environmental, including  roadway air dispersion models  to predict air quality impacts of urban highways and  roadway noise  models to predict  noise pollution  effects of urban highways. As early as the 1960s, noise pollution was addressed in the design of urban highways as well as  noise barriers. 4. Social and health issues Heavy urbanisation has put forth the problem of social and health issues because in the recent years basic infrastructure like power, water and sewerage are often severely compromised in urban planning and need to be evaluated to determine what can be salvaged for re-incorporation. The availability of freash water is fundamental decision making parameter for the urban planning. More recently, the trend is that an urban planner uses a number of quantitative tools to forecast impacts of development depending on the following: i. Water shortage related issues. ii. Global warming related issues. iii. Un-equality and human redundancy. 5. Transportation Transport within urbanized areas presents unique problems. The density of an urban environment can create significant levels of road traffic, which can impact businesses and increase pollution. Parking space is another concern, requiring the construction of large parking garages in high density areas which could be better used for other development. Problems can often occur at residential densities between about two and five. [citation needed]  These densities can cause traffic jams for  automobiles, yet are too low to be commercially served by  trains  or  light rail  systems. The conventional solution is to use  buses, but these and light rail systems may fail where automobiles and excess road network capacity are both available, achieving less than 1% ridership The problem statement The Urban planning is the process of analysis of various parameters, like, population density, demographic distribution, energy requirements, ecology and environmental issues, pollution constraints, transporatation and other related social and geographical factors, for the purpose of proper, sustainable and appropriate housing for a population in the area. 3. 3 Level 3-Reflective Thinking Housing, construction, urban planning and development as a field of applied study is composed of a set of ten axioms intended to guide the formulation of city plans and urban designs. They are intended to reconcile and integrate diverse urban planning and management concerns. These axioms include environmental sustainability, heritage conservation, appropriate technology, infrastructure efficiency, placemaking, Social Access, transit oriented development, regional integration, human scale, and institutional integrity. Thus, for example, the rapid expansion following the pattern of rural exodus has resulted in considerable rebuilding in the city centre and mushrooming suburban development elsewhere. . 4 Level 4 and 5-Creative Thinking and Interpretive Thinking The synergy of the various issues required in the Urban planning and development is done here varying upon from the strategic positioning. Since the literature on overall interpretive thinking on the building and housing dvelopment is massive, here a small example of the interpretive thinking on the energy requirements of a house based on the above procedure and listed problem statement are given in detail. Thus, to reduce the energy emissions from buildings, it is necessary to look at a building’s overall qualities, properties and functionality in terms of energy efficiency, healthy indoor climate and renewable energy. Together, these three key areas constitute the core of what is refered in literature as Sustainable Living – the ability to continue improving the quality of our homes and maintaining high living standards while reducing or eliminating energy emissions. Maximum energy efficiency and minimum wastage takes a holistic view of a building and produce a design that incorporates energy efficiency and, i. trategic placing of windows to make the most of heat from the sun’s rays, natural ventilation and daylight; ii. active use of intelligent building components that interact with their surroundings (externally and internally) and thus optimise the building’s overall energy-efficiency; iii. Visionary architecture combined with improved health, more huma n well-being and indoor comfort; iv. visionary architecture that takes into account both materials and surroundings in order to create healthy and comfortable conditions; v. aximum daylight and ventilation to ensure optimal indoor climate that will meet future standards; vi. fresh air and natural ventilation to ensure a healthy indoor climate and minimise the risk of allergies; vii. Sustainable energy sources, especially solar thermal energy; viii. sustainable energy should be an integral part of a building to ensure a future with less dependence on fossil fuels; ix. solar thermal energy for heating and cooling of the building; x. solar thermal energy for heating domestic hot water; 4 Conclusions A systematic and holistic approach to the sector of Housing, construction, urban planning and development is presented. First, the levels of critical and holistic approach are identified. Then the various levels of thinking in the holistic management approach are applied on the Urban development sector. The problems are identified and listed and from them a problem statement is formulated. Finally, through the various levels of holistic approach the interpretive thinking is applied to the problem atatement and as a small example a particular concern area of energy saving in housing development is presented. The advantages of the Holistic thinking are that it has as its focus to integrate those things that are abstract (unseen-past and/or future events) with those things that are in concrete (seen-in the present). Hence, the holistic thinking serves to carefully and expertly examine cultural and societal misunderstandings through introspection and verification. Figure 1: Levels in Holistic Thinking of a system

Cultural Reflection Paper Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Cultural Reflection - Term Paper Example One particular culture that might be particularly relevant today for those in the medical field would be a traditional Muslim man. A traditional Muslim man is going to have different wants, needs, and values than a more moderate Muslim or even another culture altogether. According to an article entitled â€Å"Muslim Medicine and Healthcare,† the Islamic faith does not separate religion and science and instead links the two together (Yousif, 2011). Additionally, Yousif states that in the past few decades â€Å"there has been a renewed interest in reviving traditional Islamic medical knowledge and combining it with the latest advancements in modern medicine†(Yousif, 2011). This should indicate to a nursing professional that such a person will need to be consulted with in terms of the treatment or intervention that they will be comfortable with and also prove effective at the same time. A traditional Muslim man might not have a great desire for medical intervention due to the fact that many of the human ailments that medicine has sought to explain are deemed as â€Å"diseases of the soul† and may be treated by following the Islamic teaching as closely as possible(Yousif, 2011). Another important aspect for this particular patient would be the gender of the nursing practitioner. For a traditional Muslim man, he might exhibit discomfort at dealing with a female nurse.

Utilitarian vs Kantian Views on Hurricane Katrina Doctors and their Essay

Utilitarian vs Kantian Views on Hurricane Katrina Doctors and their Patients - Essay Example In this case, ethical guidelines will be followed; thus, success in providing services for the persons in question. As seen in the work of Rachels & Rachels (2011), Kantian ethics are founded on the thought that human beings are rational beings and have the capability of governing themselves. The authors also indicate that from the Kantian point of view all human beings have the right to be treated with deference and self-respect regardless of their affiliation (Rachels & Rachels, 2011). From this argument, it is evident that equality and freedom are major tenets of the Kantian ethical argument. On the other hand, utilitarianism ethical view argues that actions should be done for the great good of all persons (Rachels & Rachels, 2011). The view also indicates that all choices have consequences and that all actions will evaluated based on their consequences. From this ethical view, it is justified to indicate that the utilitarian view is consequential in nature as it makes sure that all ends are justified by their means (Rachels & Rachels, 2011). The ethical view also ensures that the overall welfare is maximized at all costs. For Hurricane Katrina, the utilitarian and Kantian views are relevant. Most importantly, since disasters present different conflicts of interests, response to disasters such as Hurricane Katrina need to be discussed if the common good has to be achieved. Regarding Hurricane Katrina, there was a general feeling that the greatest good was giving help that will suit the community at large. This is to mean that the benefits were to be maximized for the community. In regard to the utilitarian approach, the healthcare providers were seen to have a challenge of whether to care for the ones that were badly injured or deal with the patients that had the chances of surviving with proper treatment given to them at the required time (Morrison, 2009). In line with the utilitarian argument, the

Feasibility study Essay Example for Free

Feasibility study Essay 1. A. NAME OF PRODUCT As we all know Guimaras is known as the breeder and export of the sweetest mangoes in the world. Some countries have tried to plant and grow mangoes but no one can ever do the same even with the help of latest technology that we have today and so the city of Guimaras can proudly claim the title of having the sweetest mangoes. Therefore the proponents chose Guimaras as its inspiration, thus, come up with a product that wishes to exhibit their specialty – the mangoes. After series of conceptualizing, the proponents come up with the word â€Å"MANGGAMAZING† as its business name. This name is comprised of two words, MANGGA and AMAZING primarily because the business’ concept is focused on mango itself. The first word Mangga is a vernacular term for mangoes which has been commended in the introduction, while the second word, Amazing means great wonder, surprising and remarkable and so the name Manggamazing is the combination of these words that surely suit the product’s quality. All in all, the name â€Å"MANGGAMAZING† simply describes the product and the outstanding work for excellent and satisfaction the proponents wishes to convey. 1.C. DESCRIPTIVE DEFINITION Manggamazing smoothies are drinks made and served for refreshment. These are mainly made with fresh, ripe mangoes which are antioxidants that protect the body against colon, breast, leukemia, and prostate cancers. Mangoes are rich in vitamin C, pectin, and fibers that help to lower serum cholesterol levels. Mangoes help you unclog your pores and add freshness to the face. These are applicable to any skin type. Mangoes help in promoting good eye sight, fights dry eyes and also prevent night blindness because it is rich in vitamin A. Mangoes also contains enzymes for breaking down protein, and the fiber found in it helps digestion and elimination. Manggamazing offers not only smoothies made with mangoes but it is added  with banana, mango and melon, and pineapple. Bananas are terrific heart-healthy food and good source of potassium, dietary fiber, manganese and vitamins B6 C. Melons on the other hand, help prevent cancer, stroke, and heart disease, also good for digestion, and give boost of energy. Pineapples contain brome lain, an enzyme that may help arthritis pain by reducing inflammation. They are also a good source of vitamin C, which helps strengthen your immune system. The products give a healthy boost and refreshment naturally. Smoothies are also mixed with non-fat milk, 0% fat yogurt, and will use sweeteners instead of sugar.  As a whole the product is a guilt free drink because of all its nutrients and low level of sugar. The proponents are: 1. D. OBJECTIVES Vision Our company â€Å"Manggamazing† bears the vision of providing healthy, fresh mango smoothies with added flavors of other nutritious fruits while maintaining our commitment to uncompromised quality with the heartening purpose to cater to society’s needs and cravings and constant change in life. The business also opted to create guilt-free drinks that will surely rejuvenate your mind and body, hence changing and opening people’s mind on a new side of style to staying healthy and fit. Ultimately, the company’s vision is to be the front-runner in the industry and help social and economic growth. Mission Manggamazing aims to give a high quality, exceptional and reasonably priced products in the beverage industry that provides healthy and nutritious smoothies that will surely satisfy the cravings of every customer. The people behind this product also aim to promote the national fruit of the Philippines – the mangoes to be known worldwide. To the society, the company’s task is making them health conscious in a unique way. Short term objective Manggamazing short term objective is to focus on execution in the  marketplace every day and on needs of our consumers and customers. Have the courage to change course when needed and remain responsive. And after we introduce it and known by everyone, Manggamazing will have a high cost of sales. Improve earnings and yield performance. Long term Objective The Manggamazing long term objective after 3-5 years will invade the malls if the profits are obtained. It will create many job opportunities for the branches that need manpower such as crew, server etc. The product will have a TV commercial and a foundation that will support by manggamazing so that the product will be known and it will be open for franchising. Develop and expand into new market, and they can now produce and manufacture new products. Expand into new overseas markets to tap new sources of growth and to achieve better market diversification. It aims for success and satisfaction of customers.

Blue Agave and Its Importance in the Tequila Industry :: Botany

Blue Agave and Its Importance in the Tequila Industry Tequila, North America's first distilled spirit and first production alcohol, is known to most North Americans as a fiery beverage consumed during week long vacations in Mexico or by inebriated college students. Vast over-commercialization and misinformation concerning the product obscures the economic importance of the Blue agave (Agave tequilana Weber) the tequila-making industry, and their place in Mexican history. There are 136 known species of agave, but only one is used to produce tequila (2,p.4). During their exploration of the New World in the late 1400's and early 1500's, Spanish conquistadors discovered a fermented beverage called pulque that was produced by the Nahuatl. The Nahuatl are the original inhabitants of the area of western Mexico who primarily used pulque in religious ceremonies and for medicinal purposes in their culture. The primary ingredient in the fermentation process of pulque was the agave. As the early Spaniards ran out of brandy, they searched for a source of fermentable sugar for distilling. They experimented with the agave, which was abundant in the volcanic soils in the Sierra Madre region surrounding Guadalajara. The species that produced the most full-bodied taste was the Agave tequilana Weber, the blue agave or agave azul (1, p.1). In 1600, the first tequila factory was established by the "father of tequila," Don Pedro Sanches de Tagle, Marquis of Altamira. Don Pedro also was the first to begin cultivation of the blue agave for distilling (2, p.2) and in 1636, Governor Don Juan Canseco y Quià ±ones authorized the distillation and manufacture of mescal, in order to facilitate tax collection on production. However, Spanish rule suppressed tequila production and in 1785, the production of all native distilled spirits was banned. In 1792, the ban was lifted but tequila production did not flourish again until Mexican independence in 1821. In the early to mid 1800's, many tequila distillers began large-scale production. Some businesses eventually failed but two of the largest are still in business today. The first licensed manufacturer was Jose Antonio Cuervo who began cultivation in 1758. His Casa Cuervo proved very profitable. By the mid-1800's, his families fields had more than 3 million agave plants. Cuervo was also the first distiller to put tequila into bottles. Today Cuervo is the largest manufacturer of tequila, with a huge export market. In 1873, another major distiller, Don Cenobio Sauza, acquired La Antigua, a company founded in the early 1820's.