Mutli-National Company Entering India Research Paper

Mutli-National Company Entering India - Research Paper Example Gazprom operates in the industry of natural gas. From the demand side the factors affecting sales of the company and its profitability are weather, demographics, economic growth, fuel consumption, storage and exports. From the supply side, the factors affecting sales are pipeline capacity, storage, gas drilling, natural phenomena, technical issues and imports. The demand of natural gas has followed the cyclical pattern. It depends on time and season changes. The peak season of demand is the coldest months while demand is low in the hotter months although demand increases slightly in summer to meet the requirements of electric generators. The price of natural gas can affect demand of particularly those consumers who have the capacity to switch the fuel of their dependence. An expanding economy tends to give rise to more demand for the industrial consumers. The study of the recent activities of Gazprom will reveal whether the company is utilizing its resources. The company in collabora tion with Shell is on the discussion to take joint efforts abroad with Russia as the epicenter. The company is progressing with the joint projects of EDF and Total. The company launched the informatorium website in English (Gazprom, 2012). It recently completed the pre-commissioning of Bovanenkovo. Along with DONG Energy the company is developing investment rationale for the projects of power generation in North Western Europe. Brief Summary of the business A straight forward market structure characterized the market for natural gas prior to deregulation and unbundling of pipeline. The industry has changed dramatically in the present times and exposed to choice and competition. Free market regulates the prices. Interstate pipelines offers on the components of transportation which is under the regulation of the federal. LDCs are continuing to offer bundled products although many states allow the use of distribution network but only for transportation. Producers or LDCs are the suppli er to the end users. Marketers are present in the existing market structure. They serve in the process of mobilizing natural gas from producers to end users. Marketers can have their mark in sale and transport of natural gas. Fluctuations In exchange rate The following chart and the table show the fluctuations in the exchange rate: SDRs per currency unit for the period January 31, 2010 - January 30, 2011 Date Indian rupee(INR) Russian ruble(RUB) 1-Feb-10 0.01393 Â   0.0212344 Â   2-Mar-10 0.0142143 Â   0.0218208 Â   5-Apr-10 0.0147268 Â   0.0225517 Â   4-May-10 0.0149466 Â   0.0227324 Â   1-Jun-10 0.0146398 Â   0.0219997 Â   2-Jul-10 0.0143573 Â   0.0214848 Â   2-Aug-10 0.0142177 Â   0.0217556 Â   1-Sep-10 0.0140855 Â   0.0214345 Â   1-Oct-10 0.0143587 Â   0.0210278 Â   1-Nov-10 0.0142717 Â   0.0206002 Â   1-Dec-10 0.0143023 Â   0.020779 Â   10-Jan-11 0.0144437 Â   0.0216247 Â   1-Feb-11 0.0139117 Â   0.0214905 Â   1-Mar-11 0.0140906 Â   0.0221084 Â   6-A pr-11 0.0142449 Â   0.0223142 Â   3-May-11 0.0139446 Â   0.0226197 Â   1-Jun-11 0.0139248 Â   0.0223499 Â   1-Jul-11 0.0140143 Â   0.0224329 Â   1-Aug-11 0.014103 Â   0.0225737 Â   2-Sep-11 0.0136119 Â   0.0214996 Â   3-Oct-11 0.013013 Â   0.0197337 Â   1-Nov-11 0.0129771 Â   0.0207838 Â   1-Dec-11 0.0124078 Â   0.0207745 Â   9-Jan-12 0.0124032 Â   0.0203137 Â   The factors that contribute to the changes in the exchange

Disaster in the alps Essay Example for Free

Disaster in the alps Essay My coursework is going to be based on a newspaper report called disaster in the alps. The report is taken from 2 different, British, newspapers The Times {a broadsheet} and The Mirror {a tabloid} I am going to be comparing the to news reports. The incident happened on the 3rd February 1998, at 3:25pm in Cavalese, northern Italy, where twenty people plunged to their deaths after an American warplane flew through and cut the wire of a cable car they were travelling in. The two British newspapers can be very different in style. The style of The Times is in the large broadsheet style and has a more formal register whereas The Mirror report is in a tabloid style and has a more informal register. The two reports both have some differences like the layout or arrangement of the two articles and the name and status of the people interviewed are different, but both reports use the same amount of pictures and contain some interesting factual information. Both reports contain factual information, but they both present their information in different ways to give off different but at the same time similar affects. Both reports have collected information that reads: The disaster happened at 3. 25pm, 20 people died, it happened in Cavalese, northern Italy, The incident happened on the 3rd February 1998, the plane in the incident was a Marine Corps EA-6B Prowler Jet and that the cable car fell 300 ft. The two reports both have their own individual factual information. The factual information stated in The Times is: The cable car was bright yellow, there was a steel wire supporting the cable car, the cable car could hold up to 40 people, there was no survivors, and that the plane was about 100 metres from the ground. All this information seems very formal and gives truth and realism of the incident, while the factual information in The Mirror states: The car was ripped apart, the second car was left dangling in the air, the bodies were lying beneath sheets of metal, the victims were 9 women, 10 men and 1 child, at least six were German, two Hungarian and two Polish, and that the people in the incident were killed instantly. This information too gives the truth of the incident and how gruesome it was. The two reports use different language to describe the incident. In both reports the language is very dramatic as both reporters are trying to give the readers a realistic feeling of the incident itself. The language used in the The Times to describe the incident and the plane is very formal as it goes deep into text and pulls out the striking information. In The Times the writer uses powerful words like roaring and Screaming which creates a feel of pain, agony and loud noises, but in The Times it also gives a personification saying screaming through the sky and like a thing in torment which again creates a deep sense of distress and suffering, this would make the reader see the scene at its worst point and become more expressive towards the incident, hence making them want to read on. There are other words the writer uses like Wreckage and Crumbled which also gives an image of how disastrous the incident was. The Mirror creates a similar image to that in The Times in the article it says Warplane Screamed this to makes people see the image of pain and agony also in the article it says It is a terrible scene of carnage which too will give the impression that the incident was very devastating. The Mirror has a pull quote in it that states it opened up like a cardboard box which will make the reader think of violence and devastation so along with the other intense and powerful words in the article it too sets an emotional effect on the reader. The language in The Times is a lot more formal than The Mirror and addresses the reader more directly than the writer in The Mirror does, The Mirror is a lot more gruesome and a lot more intense . The Times gives a much more realistic affect than The Mirror as to how terrible the scene of incident actually was, the writer of the report goes a lot deeper into detail, which gives a more pronounced picture. This report is also biased compared to The Times report, seeing that The Mirror gives a very clear sub-heading stating BRITS TELL OF HORROR IN SNOW subheadings are used in articles to break up the text and make it easier to read so by this sub-heading its giving the impression that the article is biased as the writer seems to emphasize on it, which would show the reader that there were British people at the scene of the incident. This would then catch a British readers attention in particular, as they would stop and think that could have been me so they then want to read on. So the idea of this effect is to catch a British readers attention so they attract more people to the newspaper. Both reports use a range of eye witnesses and interviews to create their own effect and impression on the report, the reporters do this by using different strategies and tactics. The first people to be interviewed in the The Mirror were Neil Harmar and Stacey ODonnell who were British they said Thank God we did referring to missing the cable car just by minutes, the use of this effect was to give a feeling of sympathy to the reader, he creates this influence by using sensitive and sympathetic words like Thank God. These British people were used to help to be bias towards the Americans, so when a British person reads the article they think that any one of their family could have been in that situation, Whereas The Times tends to use a different strategy the article does not try and draw their readers attention by sympathy or by telling the story with a twist and making it seem sad, this article gets straight to the point, they simply base the article on facts and refer to exactly what happen on the day of the incident, But like The Mirror they do try and turn people against the Americans as it says in the article Local residents had complained again and again about the low level of flying by American warplanes showing this was obviously a problem in this part of the country, one angry woman also says Weve had enough of these war games the phrase War games is giving the impression that the Americans are killing the people for fun, so it is also showing us how enraged the people of Cavalese were. The Mirror also makes the Americans seem like they are hiding something from the reporter as it states in the article Base refused to give any details of the incident showing they felt guilty about their actions, so they knew what they had done but REFUSED to give any information on it. The two articles have some major differences and similarities. The style of the two reports differ, for example The Times report has no subheading, for the title of the report it is presented in small font size and lower case letters the article also has a range of diagrams and drawings that show where the incident took place and the type of plane that was involved in the disaster {EA-6B Prowler jet plane}. In the article there is 1 large picture that shows the wreckage of the incident, The Times newspaper also has no pull quote throughout, whereas The Mirrors title consists of; large font size, uppercase letters and bold writing style, The use of captions in the article like Death car and Devastation make it seem a lot more interesting, the article also has a small subheading that is made up of small font size, lower case letters and Bold handwriting style. The Mirror just like the The Times article has a range of pictures and diagrams. There are diagrams showing the incident and how it happened and there are pictures showing blood stains on the snow and the cable car making the scene seem more realistic and directed to the readers, also helping the formality of the report. The Mirror is the most effective article of the two as it has a headline that is very eye catching and attractive, the large font size alone catches the readers attention, but the sub-heading also helps to make the article more informative, by giving the reader that little bit extra information, as it helps to break up the text and make it easier to read. The sub-heading in this article may even be used to attract the reader to the whole article. This sub heading that reads Brits tell of horror in snow which will come across as intriguing to the degree that the reader gives the whole article a chance, the sub-heading is also aimed to appeal directly too British people as it would act like a cliff hanger, so they would see the heading, want too analyse it in order to gain foundation knowledge leading them too read on, whereas in the The Times the headline is a lot more uninteresting and stands out less than The Mirror. The Times also lacks a sub heading which could have given the times a more detailed article, also helping to make it seem a bit more official. The use of no sub-heading in this article means that there is nothing to hook the readers attention to when they first see the article. Therefore the article may come across as informal (colloquial). Out of the two articles I think the one that explains what happened and gives the full effects of how devastating the incident was is The Mirror It achieves its full effectiveness as its a very detailed and progressed article, this article gets it point across, it is very descriptive and lot more attractive. The article also gives off its effectiveness by the presentation of the report, the use of pictures and the language is very realistic and dramatic giving a feel of the incident.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee :: essays research papers

How does Scout and Jem’s perception of Boo Radley change during the novel? How does Boo affect the lives of the Finch household in the novel? Boo Radley is the neighborhood mystery. The Radley place fascinated the children, because it was a popular subject of gossip and superstition in Maycomb. Arthur Radley had gotten into trouble with the law when he was a boy. Instead of being sent to the state industrial school, his father took custody of him within their house. He was not seen again for fifteen years. Many legends grew up about the Radley house and about what went on inside. Miss Stephanie Crawford, added to the stories - which included stories of crime, mutilation, curses and insanity. Dill was fascinated by these stories, and gave Scout and Jem the idea of making Boo Radley come out of seclusion. When Dill, always eager for a new adventure, dares Jem to run up to the house and touch the door. Jem thought things over for a few days. Finally, filled with fear, he accepted the dare. He ran up, touched the house, and ran back. As the three children stared at the old house, they thought they saw an inside shutter move. On the last night that Dill was in Maycomb they decided to go to the Radley place to take a peak in one of the windows. When they were there, they saw a shadow of a man pass, they ran and while they were running they were fired upon by a shotgun, Jem got his pants caught in the fence. He took them off and they ran back to the woods. About 10 minutes later the neighborhood was gathered outside the Radley place. The adults asked Jem, Scout, and Dill where they had been, Jem told them they were playing strip poker and that was how he had lost his pants. Later that night Jem made a run for his pants he found them neatly folded and sew on the fence. Scout and Jem start to find things in a tree right outside the Radley house, they find different trinkets such as a watch, a knife, and some figures that look like them. When they were walking by one day, Mr. Radley was putting cement in the tree’s hole, he said it was sick and that it needed to be filled. So that ended the gifts in the tree.

Racism in the Video Skin Deep Essay -- Skin Deep Racism Racist Essays

Racism in the Video Skin Deep In the ideal world everybody is equal. In the real world there is racism. Situations stemming from racist feelings and conflicts between ethnic groups remains a serous problem. The video Skin Deep brought together college students of different races to express their feeling and beliefs about racism. The video supported the idea that the environment you are raised in is an influence on beliefs and feelings you might have towards other races. Dave’s grandfather was a confederate. He grew up listening to his grandfather talk bad about other races. Dave’s best friend is Mexican, and he said he can not bring him around his grandparents. Marc comes from a good Italian family. His father has some strong views about people of other races. Marc adores his father, but he’s not sure if he agrees with him. In fact, Marc loves to sing and when he joined in an all Black gospel choir, he did not tell his father for several months. Most of the other students expressed that they had the same upbringing, to discriminate against other races. Even though it was wrong of our grandparents and parents to raise us in such an environment, I can understand why they did. Some of our grandparents lived in the days of slavery and war and had to deal with the experience first hand. Their experience is all they knew to teach their young. I think our generation can look past how we were brought up and recognize that it is wrong, and teach our children better. Tammy made a point that the black students at her school often did not get involved in events. She said that when she went to school meetings she made an attempt to sit by students of other races, when she tried to make friends with them by sitting next to them and making conversation, she could tell that they did not feel comfortable sitting next to her. This made her feel uncomfortable. The Black students felt that they were often left out of groups and schoolSkin Deep 3 events so they decided to have a graduation ceremony for Black students only. My first thought of this idea was that it was only splitting the races up even more. After listening to other’s thoughts in class I understood more why this was so special to the Black race. One reason was because for most of the students, they were the first to graduate in their family and that is something to take pride in. Judith is th... ...one of another race has the same opportunity as me. I do think I feel this way because I have not had to experience life as a person of a different race. Brian a black student, felt that White people think if one Black person does something bad, then all Black people do it. I also think that the media, movies, and music play a big role in stereotyping. Stereotyping is something that most people do. I don’t think it is done to hurt people intentionally. Overall, I thought the video was good and the students expressed their opinions and feelings openly and honestly. The video is pretty old and I do think that people are more accepting of other cultures, interracial marriages, and biracial people now. I might even say that I am ignorant to racism because I am not racist. Maybe I do not really see racism when it is right in front of me. Being a nurse I have patients of all races and cultures. I see my patients as equal humans. When I look at them, the color of their skin or their appearance is not important to me. What I see is a patient who is sick and needs my care. There is no one solution to racism in this country. We each need to contribute to the solution in our own way.

Power point presentation on racism Essay

Definition of Racism rac*ism n (1936) 1 : a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race 2 : racial prejudice or discrimination Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary Segregation The separation of groups of people by custom or by law. It is often based on differences of race, religion, wealth, or culture. The first major challenges to racial segregation in Canada occurred in 1946 when Viola Desmond, a black businesswoman, refused to sit in the balcony of a New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, theater but instead sat downstairs, an area designated exclusively for whites. Viola Desmond’s action occurred nine years before Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white man on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama Causes of segregation Media examples of racism What is racism? The holding of derogatory social attitudes or cognitive beliefs towards members of a particular group on the account of their membership to that group What is racism? The ICERD (International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination) defines racism as follows: â€Å"Any distinction, exclusion, restriction, or preference based on race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment, or exercise, on equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, or any other field of public life.† Social function of prejudice & racism Prejudice and racism may be a necessary means of creating scapegoats for individual or groups that feel threatened It may be due to socialization (e.g. authoritarian personality) It may be the animal instinct of territoriality and feral restraint. It may be mere bigotry and ignorance It may be egotism and inflexible ethnocentrism Elements of racism an underlying belief in the superiority of one race over another and its right to dominate. generalizing one group of people by believing in simplistic stereotypes of that group. affects every aspect of the lives of communities of colour: social, economic, political, health, etc. Elements of racism Prejudice: A preconceived, unreasonable judgement or opinion of people or situations. Where prejudice is negative it often results in harmful or unfavourable consequences for the victim Prejudice may have social & biological basis Stereotypes and their function Stereotypes are relatively fixed sets of oversimplified beliefs about people or events Stereotypes are often over generalisations about people and their assumed defining characteristics Social cognitive theories of prejudice & stereotyping Prejudice and discrimination may stem from the misuse of: 1)cognitive heuristics 2)categorisation and stereotyping of in-groups and out-groups 3)information processing and the inability to deal with complex data (need for shortcuts) Racism types Individual racism refers to the prejudicial beliefs and discriminatory behavior of individuals. Institutional racism refers to the policies that restrict the opportunities of minorities.

Radioisotopes essays

Radioisotopes essays This research paper was written to discuss the different uses of radioisotopes that have been discovered so far hopefully more uses will be found in the future. RADIOACTIVITY is a special attribute recognized more by its outward effect rather than its cause. That effect is the spontaneous and irrepressible emission of radiation. Inside an atom is made up of electrons orbiting around a central core called the nucleus. The nucleus is made up of protons and neutrons. Atomic nuclei with the same number of protons, but with differing numbers of neutrons, are called ISOTOPES. There are a few chemical elements in the Periodic Table with isotopes in which the arrangement of protons and neutrons is less than ideal. Because of this, these elements exhibit a degree of nuclear instability, which manifests itself as RADIOACTIVITY. Isotopes, which spontaneously emit radiation, are called RADIOISOTOPES. A radioisotope can lose energy by emitting three different types of radiation: 1. Made up of two protons and two neutrons (the same as the nucleus of a Helium atom). 2. Have a mass number of 4 and an atomic number of 2. 1. Electrons that are emitted from the nucleus of a radioisotope. 2. Have almost no mass (the same as an electron). 1. Is high-energy (short wavelength high frequency) electromagnetic radiation. In medicine radiation is painless and safe. It is also cost effective Patient has to be given a dose of radiation Can be man-made or natural Hard to dispose of In NUCLEAR MEDICINE a radioisotope is administered to a patient either to aid the diagnosis of disease or for the treatment of disease. The radioisotopes used in DIAGNOSTIC nuclear medicine are selected on the basis of their ability to provide useful clinical information while exposing the patient to only minimal radiation. For example the radioisotope should - Possess a short half-life (hours) which is commensurate with the duration of the i...

Bastille Day and the French Revolution essays

Bastille Day and the French Revolution essays "Bastille Day, on the Fourteenth of July, is the French symbol of the end of the Monarchy and the beginning of the French Revolution" (www.hightowertrail.com). It is very much like Independence Day in the United States because it is a celebration of the beginning of a new form of government. Several factors led to the Revolution. King Louis XV and King Louis XVI both led extremely extravagant lives. They spent a lot of the government's money on luxuries even while the government had some financial problems. One of the government's primary jobs back then was to protect their country from and manage wars. In the Seven Years War against England, France spent large sums of money on the war effort, but they still lost the war and had to give up their colonies in North America. Many French citizens regarded this loss as a major humiliation. The population was divided into three estates. The Third Estate, also known as the commoners was made up of the bourgeoisie, wage earners and the peasantry. They were the majority of the population. The Second Estate was for the nobility. The First Estate was composed of the clergy. The Upper Clergy were very wealthy and powerful, and therefore they related to the First Estate. The Lower Clergy related more to the Lower Estates. "The first two states enjoyed privileges over the Third Estate. Although they were the richest, they were exempt from taxes. They were also the only members in society who could hold positions of importance such as Officers in the army" (www.members.aol.com). This caused great discontent within the Third Estate. In the 18th Century, the peasant population increased dramatically. This growth in population increased the demand for more land. The land was being divided into smaller and smaller sections to cope with this problem. Eventually, some sections of land were not even enough for a peasant to support his own family. The wars in America left France in huge debt. To try an...

How to Handle Your Job Search During the Holidays

How to Handle Your Job Search During the Holidays while you might think job searching during the holidays is a waste of effort, nothing could be further from the truth. there are fewer job seekers during the holiday season, employers are shorter on applicants and recruiters are less busy. that makes it the perfect time to reach out and find that great job. so get your retail resume ready and start applying to retail jobs. here are a few tips that can get you moving to make a success of your holiday job search. 1. take a temporary jobmany employers add on extra help during the holidays, and this is a good time to pick up a temporary job or part-time job that might lead to something permanent. this is a particularly good time to find sales jobs, retail jobs and customer service jobs. hospitality job availability also picks up during the holidays and has openings in restaurants, hotels and other businesses.2.  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢tis the season to reconnectthe holiday season is a good time to reconnect with former co-workers, friends, family and individuals you know who might have a lead on a job. sending holiday cards or emails with an upbeat notation on how you are job searching may end up with leads or recommendations. if you aren’t sure what holidays these individuals celebrate, a new year’s greeting is always appropriate.3. do volunteer workthe holidays are a time when many charitable organizations are fundraising and need more volunteers. this is an opportunity to meet new people and network. it also looks good on a resume to show that you are active in the community and support worthy causes.4. attend holiday eventspeople who attend holiday get-togethers, events and parties are normally in a good mood because they are enjoying themselves. this can be a good opportunity to take along a few of your business cards and, if someone expresses interest or knows of a good job opening, you can hand them one of your cards. afterward, don’t forget to express appreciation for their help.5. remain flexiblere cruiters are extremely busy people, but less so during the holidays because many people stop looking for jobs this time of year. because competition is less, this may be a good time to talk to a recruiter. try to remain flexible if you can get an interview, because it may be difficult to fit you in at a different time. many recruiters work through the holiday season, so it is a good idea to take advantage of the opportunity.6. check your resumeif you are finding fewer job opportunities during the holidays, this might be a time to take a look at your resume. ensure that all information is up-to-date, and change any parts that could benefit from a fresher approach. don’t forget about your linkedin account. this may be a good time to do some updating, rewriting and have a more flattering photo taken for your profile.7. create your own websitehaving your own personal website is an ideal way to get your skills and accomplishments known. however, it takes some time to create one, a nd fashioning your own website over the holidays may be good timing. by showing this website to hiring managers, you have more opportunity to make a good impression and expand information on your skills.sometimes, adjustments have to be made when you are conducting a job search at certain times of the year. however, being proactive is the best way to find that job you want. thejobnetwork searches for jobs fitting your description around the clock and notifies you of each one by sending you an email alert. you only fill out what your qualifications and job interests are in order to get started. sign up for job match alert, and we do the rest.

Research Paper about expensive college tuition 2

About expensive college tuition 2 - Research Paper Example Numerous factors have been attributed to the increasing cost of college tuition, among them being the high demand for higher education. However, the great question is if this cost is worth the value of education that students attain. Bennett and David (199) say that almost every parent says they need their child to join college. Therefore, nearly 68 percent of high school graduates attend college. However, only 54 percent of the total students who join college graduate with full academic year’s attendances, six years to be precise. Hence, with all the students with high dreams and hopes joining college, only about half graduate from college (Bennett and David 200). Lange and Topel (460) outline that according to the College Data, to attend an in-state public college or university students have an average budget of $22,261. While that number seems lower for public colleges and universities, private colleges and universities’ is estimated at $43,289. With this high cost, CNN reported that for 2013 alone each graduate or college student owed the state averagely $35,200 loan debt. According to Lange and Topel (464) in the perspective view, the summary of the average household consumer debt in the United States shows that Americans all owe $31,646 of student loan debt. In total household consumer debts, American consumers or citizens owe the state a debt of $11.15 trillion out of which $994 billion is debt in student loans. This shows a 4 percent debt increase from 2012 (Marc Joseph A16). It is true that the college tuition fee has become too high. Parents get afraid that their children might not be able to attend college (Lange and Topel 480). The lucky who can take their children to colleges pay a lot of money. Americans know that part of the reason for the high college fee is due to the declining state support on education. However, it is also very true that those

A College Degree Should Not Be This Difficult Essay

A College Degree Should Not Be This Difficult - Essay Example Her family, lacking a tradition of higher education, can't help her seek out a college or encourage her in her quest for help. Her situation is further complicated by a high school that has failed to adequately prepare her for the required entrance exams and college level courses. For thousands of seniors like Shelia, college is a dream that will never be realized. The difficulties of access, expense, and preparation have become more than just obstacles, they have become barriers that have left a college education out of reach. To assure that all students have an equal opportunity for a college degree, the process needs to be made less difficult.The most important tools an incoming college student can possess are attitude and motivation. These are only acquired by years of planning by the family for the student's eventual enrollment. Contacting schools, selecting a proper program, and preparing the student to move away and get an education may not be forthcoming from a family who has never experienced attending college. These students will have difficulty when they are faced with a new environment, new experiences, new cultures, and a lack of adequate expectations. Families that fail to encourage college will produce poorly motivated students that won't be able to develop the attitude necessary to succeed in college.

Product Design and Its Impact on Functional Product Information Essay

Product Design and Its Impact on Functional Product Information - Essay Example Marketers and academics agree that product design is important, and there exists a large body of managerial and quantitative research on design as a component of the new product development process. Consumer research on design, however, has been somewhat limited. Consumer behavior investigations into product appearance have included examinations of behavioral responses to product form (Silvera, Josephs, and Giesler 2002; Veryzer and Hutchinson 1998), the interaction of brand strength and design (Page and Herr 2002), the effects of repeated exposure to designs (Cox and Cox 2002), and the role of individual differences in response to design features (Bloch, Brunei and Arnold 2003; Holbrook and Schindler 1994). Bloch (1995) developed a model of consumer response to product form that outlined several stages in the design process from managerial goals through the creation of the products form to the consumer's response. Blochs model addressed the possibility of both cognitive and affectiv e responses to product form but did not speak specifically to how variations in product design might influence the nature of the cognitive or affective reactions. In a discussion of the different roles of product design, Creusen and Schoormans (2005) similarly mentioned the psychological role that product appearance might play but did not offer predictions as to the nature and direction of the influence. The current research contributes to the growing literature on product design by investigating how a product's appearance can influence the processing of functional product information. I examine the extent to which design signals quality, and how such a signal might interfere with the evaluation of more objective product information. Prior consumer research in product design has examined how aesthetics could influence quality evaluations in the absence of other information (Page and Herr 2002).

Mini Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Mini Paper - Essay Example This feeling not only compels us to give back, but also makes us want to be least indebted to others. This principle applies in interpersonal relationships where people feel obliged to each other. One good instance is that between a seller and buyer. Before putting this principle into application, you need to ask yourself two basic questions. First, do your customers feel like you are giving them something of good quality? Secondly, how do you let your customers know the most beneficial way of thanking you for whatever things you provide? These two questions can help you develop strong marketing ideas. When applying this principle, you need to take extra caution- this principle can easily be used to mislead or deceive people. Such instances include when selling product at prices that are unfair, or when intending to exert undue influence on people. Honesty must also be maintained, trying to persuade people into doing things that are wrong is manipulative as well as unethical. Always be the first person to give; do this without the perception of getting something in return. Offers include discounts, bonus points or something that is specially offered to the customer alone, and not the public. Your gift should come first ahead of the buyers’. To make this principle more effective, you can give another offer when the sale has been made to earn mutual friendship with the customer. Try to offer your customers ways of showing their support. This can be achieved by informing them on the various means of contributing to your business growth. Examples include, â€Å"kindly tell your friends about us...etc. Certain companies have gone as far as opening blogs and web forums where happy customers rate and post their experiences with your business. Be the final giver: in the first instance, you gave an incentive and the customer gave you business. You therefore need to give the

Working Capital Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Working Capital - Research Paper Example If the current asset of the firm was less than the current liabilities, this will mean that the firm has a deficit working capital and the firm will not be in a position to convert its asset into cash even if the company is making profits. (Livingstone 2002) It is defined as the company’s ability to meet its short term obligations. These means that the higher the ratio the more liquid is the firm. The current ratio of a firm is calculated as a current asset divided by the current liabilities, the interpretation on these is that if the current asset of a firm is twice the current liabilities, then the firm is considered to have a significant good short term financial strength. But if the firm’s current asset are less than the current liabilities of the firm, then the result will be a firm having a problem in meeting its short term financial problem. Therefore, looking at the balance sheet of superior company the current ratio is as follows 1.97 in 2001, 1.95 in 2002, 1.83 in 2003 these shows that the company is in a position of meeting its short term financial obligation for the ratio is a positive figure and the current asset are approximately twice the current liabilities. These are short term loan and have a short maturity usually one year or less, in the balance sheet these amounts are indicated along the current liabilities section. They are mainly due within a year, if a company has more short term debt than the cash or investment to cover the bed payment then the firm will be forced to apply for more debt and this will be disadvantageous for the firm financially. (Droms 1990) Based on the presented balance sheet of superior company its short term debts are 1,200 in 2001, 1,300 2002 and 1,450 in 2003. Meaning therefore, the firms short term debt are less than the cash of the company and hence, the company has no intention of acquiring more debt for it is able to finance for the debt it has. These are

Mini Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Mini Paper - Essay Example This feeling not only compels us to give back, but also makes us want to be least indebted to others. This principle applies in interpersonal relationships where people feel obliged to each other. One good instance is that between a seller and buyer. Before putting this principle into application, you need to ask yourself two basic questions. First, do your customers feel like you are giving them something of good quality? Secondly, how do you let your customers know the most beneficial way of thanking you for whatever things you provide? These two questions can help you develop strong marketing ideas. When applying this principle, you need to take extra caution- this principle can easily be used to mislead or deceive people. Such instances include when selling product at prices that are unfair, or when intending to exert undue influence on people. Honesty must also be maintained, trying to persuade people into doing things that are wrong is manipulative as well as unethical. Always be the first person to give; do this without the perception of getting something in return. Offers include discounts, bonus points or something that is specially offered to the customer alone, and not the public. Your gift should come first ahead of the buyers’. To make this principle more effective, you can give another offer when the sale has been made to earn mutual friendship with the customer. Try to offer your customers ways of showing their support. This can be achieved by informing them on the various means of contributing to your business growth. Examples include, â€Å"kindly tell your friends about us...etc. Certain companies have gone as far as opening blogs and web forums where happy customers rate and post their experiences with your business. Be the final giver: in the first instance, you gave an incentive and the customer gave you business. You therefore need to give the

Design and security of a small businness network - case study Essay

Design and security of a small businness network - case study - Essay Example The network layout of I.T soft requires an expandable and efficient network that will fulfill the requirements of the company. Advanced security features are also required in order to protect the VoIP traffic and preserve network availability. Project Scope and Objectives As I.T soft has decided to implement a new network. The network will use the latest technology in terms of both hardware and software, however cost considerations cannot be ignored as the company is an SME . The implementation of software technology includes the new innovative network that will support the following: Centralized Database access for sales/customer databases Email Internet access Company Website and Intranet VOIP They intend to run a local DNS server probably on their main domain server. They wish to provide a location for all users to store any company data Accounts and payroll data should only be available to the relevant staff. The customer database should be accessible to all staff, however they o ften have visitors to site who require network access, but the company are concerned about the integrity of their databases. Implementing a wireless environment to provide access to visitors They also require a training room, with networking and access to the internet. protect the integrity of their email and VOIP systems They need to provide access to internal data to staff working off-site. Requirement for tools and Suggestions in order to optimize network performance Requirements for monitoring the provision of their core services such as the availability and performance of their servers and VoIP system Tools to warn of any significant network changes Monitor any attacks on their systems Providing redundancy and failover Network Topology Star topology is recommended for the wired local area network. It is the most widely adopted topology. The star topology supports the centralized provision of network resources and services. The support staff can manage the network administrative and troubleshooting tasks centrally. Star topology helps to implement centralized security architecture for improved and enhanced security of the network. The network implementation cost can be saved by provisioning the core systems located centrally. The security controls and backup systems are also located centrally for better troubleshooting and management. Example of the star topology is available in Fig 1.1. Network Cables For deploying the local network for Camden site, CAT 5 cable is the best option. It supports both voice and data transmission. CAT-5 is in the form of twisted pairs. This cable consists of four copper wire pairs, connecting the network node with RJ 45 connectors.CAT-5 supports up to 100 to 1000 MHz speeds in a ‘full duplex’ mode (Category 5 Cable. 2007). The Camden site will corresponds to request related to internet applications, voice and video transmission, file transfer protocol and Emails. CAT 5 can support these features with ease. However , CAT 5 cable can support up to 300 feet equal to 100 meters in distance. A requirement of the switch is mandatory for every 300 feet. Routers A router is a core computing and packet processing devices in the computer network. Router connects two or more networks with different subnets, enabling the networks to expand on an enterprise level. Logically the router builds a routing table, where it stores all the route addresses. For example, the data packet

Pluto or Neptune Essay Example for Free

Pluto or Neptune Essay Dr. Derik Johnson is highly acclaimed for his knowledge and research in physics. He has done a lot of research on the force of gravitation, and has a very conclusive notion in his mind that if sun’s gravitational pull is so great that it can compel a system of 9 planets to rotate around itself, then objects on earth, which is relatively very near to the sun as compared to Pluto or Neptune, should also fall towards sun, and not down towards the centre of the planet. He defies Newtonian theory on gravitational pull. Years of concentrated research on this notion, enable him to make a device, which can reverse the gravitational pull on any object. His joy does not know any limits, on this achievement. This is a device, which has a flat surface and which can be held in ones hand. Once the flat surface is made to face the Sun for 5 minutes, it gathers enough energy to change the gravitational field acting on any body. So, if he points this device to a person walking on road, it would appear to him as if, the person is getting carried upwards. To a common person, this device appears as if it is a round mirror of 5 inches diameter, and nothing else. Dr.Derik’s close friend John Mathew, is a shrewd businessman with acute sense of business opportunities. It was because of this sense of turning innovations into business, that he was a very wealthy man today. As a close friend, he discusses Dr. Derik discusses his invention with John, who perceives a gigantic business opportunity in this device. Now, tons and tons of load can be lifted upwards, with this small device !!!!! No extra energy no extra efforts !!! His shrewd business mind tells him that cranes and lifting devices could be a thing of past, if this invention could be turned into a working, marketable product. Both work together, incessantly, to bring out a commercially viable product, which can make any object move upward, just by pointing towards it. This product creates as storm in the market, and becomes an outright success. It becomes a minting machine for this duo. This run for minting money through this product, did not last long. Barely within a few months of its existence, reports of varied misuse of the product started flowing in and making headlines in the news channels and papers. While it proved very beneficial to the industry which had real time applications, it became a nuisance for others. Mrs. Alice, the head of an NGO, filed a law suit against this company, on behalf of a young girl, Edwina. It so happened that a boy studying with Edwina was madly in love with her, and wanted to marry her. Edwina was in no mood to agree to his proposal, and had been rejecting this boy consistently. So, this boy, uses this device, to shoot a small clip, with her walking above the surface of the earth. Since she was wearing a skirt at that time, the camera was able to shoot her private parts also. This was obviously very embarrassing to Edwina. Her MMS clips started circulating around the campus, then the town and then to the whole world through the internet. Edwina reported this case to Mrs. Alice, who was very upset at knowing her story. She approached the courts, and filed a law suit against the manufacturers, demanding a very heavy penalty in favor of Edwina, and immediate withdrawal of all the products from the market, and closing down the manufacturing unit. The court, decides to withdraw all the products from the market, pay heavy compensation to Edwina, but does not order closing down of the manufacturing unit. Instead, it issues an order that the product could be marketed to genuine customers only, who have to obtain a license to buy this product. The court also orders Dr. Derik to improvise the design in such a way that only a person with very high technical skills can use it. ( Dear customer : the resemblances are as follows : Dr. Derik – Dr. Frankenstein, the product – the monster, Edwina- William who was the victim, John- Henry, and Mrs. Alice- Elizabeth). Reference: 1) Victor Frankenstein, Wikipedia the free encyclopedia, retrieved on 5 january 2008 from : http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Victor_Frankenstein

UK Alcohol Prevention Programs in Schools: Critique

UK Alcohol Prevention Programs in Schools: Critique A critique of a particular method of prevention or intervention with reference to alcohol Drug and alcohol abuse is a major concern for governments in most Western countries. Each year significant amounts of funds are designated to try and tackle the problems that alcohol abuse causes. In Britain we are constantly reminded of our so called binge drinking culture and the damaging effect this is having on our society. Between 1993 and 2005, mortality rates from alcohol related diseases increased by 99% among males and 67% amongst females. Figures from the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit show that the financial cost to the country of alcohol misuse is somewhere in the region of  £20 billion a year (2004). None of this has been aided by longer opening times, alcohol being more readily available from a variety of sources and for much cheaper than it has ever been before. The UK government is aiming to devolve responsibility for dealing with alcohol related problems to a local level. In a recent white paper entitled Our Health, Our Care, Our Say (2006), there is a clear expectation that local agencies have to work in partnership to tackle the problems caused by alcohol misuse. This means that there is more pressure on local stakeholders such as schools to take on the responsibility of introducing programs to prevent alcohol abuse. This essay will attempt to provide a critique of schools-based intervention programs. It is widely accepted that schools-based intervention programs can lead to a better understanding of substances such as alcohol and can therefore result in better attitudes when it comes to the use of those particular substances. Studies have also shown that well designed programs can lead to reduced usage of alcohol in the long term as well. This essay will provide a rather broad look at schools-based programs and provide a more general critique rather than focussing in one on particular program. It is hoped that by doing this, it will be possible to utilize more of the academic research that exists and provide a more complete picture of the successes and the problems that these particular programs encounter. Because there is such a wealth of academic research in this area, this essay will be broken into 3 separate parts. The first will provide a meta-analyses where different types of programs are compared against each other. The second part of this essay will look very briefly at which mediators or characteristics of the programs are leading to a reduction in alcohol use. The final part of the analysis will look at studies that compare different programs and determine which are the most successful programs. It is important to note that this study will not be location specific because of the wealth of research there is into other countries. The essay will end with a conclusion that will use all the research gathered to form a critique of schools-based intervention programs. Perhaps the most useful meta-analyses comes from Tobler et al (2000) who looked at 144 separate studies involving 207 schools-based programs. They found that the most effective way of reducing substance use was by employing interactive methods which encouraged the participants to exchange ideas and learn refusal skills. Cuijpers (2002) states that, â€Å"receiving feedback and constructive criticism in a no threatening atmosphere enables students to practice newly acquired refusal skills† (p. 1012). The least successful programs according to Tobler et al (2000) were those that used non-interactive methods such as those that looked at the knowledge of the harm alcohol can do. The interactive programs used methods based on social influence. Donaldson et al (2002) state that this is, â€Å"enhancing an adolescents ability to resist passive social pressure†. (p. 291). These particular programs were found to be more effective and superior to programs utilizing non-interactiv e methods. However, Tobler et al (2000) are not able to identify what specific components of the interactive programs are most successful at limiting substance use. Another useful meta-analyses was conducted by White and Pitts (1998). Although they looked at far fewer studies than Tobler et al (2000), they still came up with some interesting findings. They found that the effectiveness of such programs could be improved if there were additional components that weren’t necessarily school related such as a mass media campaign or booster sessions. They go on to argue that another factor that can affect schools-based intervention programs is the intensity of the program. They found that the most effective programs had 10 or more sessions. A final meta-analyses comes from Rooney and Murray (1996). They came to many of the same conclusions as White and Pitts (1998) such as the intensity of the program. They also found that combining lots of different components could have a significant impact on the success of program. For example, the use of booster sessions and using trained teachers side by side with same-age peer leaders. Programs that did this were more likely to have success in limiting alcohol use amongst those young people participating. It would now be useful to look at the particular characteristics, or mediators, of these programs. As Cuijpers (2002) states it is important to know, â€Å"whether drug use is reduced by the intervention, whether the mediating variables are influenced by the intervention, and whether the mediating variables do have a mediating role in the reduction of substance use† (p. 1016). It is possible to identify several key mediators across many of the studies conducted in schools-based intervention programs. Wyn et al (2000) argue that key mediators are based around social influence factors such as those aimed at the acceptability of the use of alcohol, knowledge about how prevalent the misuse of alcohol is and how peers would perceive the use of alcohol. This essay will now focus on three mediators and look at how effective they are in schools-based intervention programs. These mediators will be booster sessions, peer versus adult led programs and the use of community involvement in addition to schools-based intervention programs. Booster sessions are those sessions taken on after the initial program has ended. There seems to be little conclusion in the research if booster sessions are an effective addition to intervention programs. Botvin et al (1983) and Dijkstra et al (1999) argue that they are where as Shope et al (1992) state that they have no effect at all. However, it should be noted that those in agreement state that these booster sessions are only effective if they are peer led rather than teacher led. One has to take into account other mediating factors when considering booster sessions as an effective method of intervention. Cuipers (2002) argues that peer led sessions are more likely to be effective versus adult or teacher led sessions. In her study of the existing research she finds that peer led programs are more effective in the short-term but that after a year the difference in effectiveness between peer and adult led programs is negligible. She goes on to argue that the, â€Å"research suggests that the effectiveness of a prevention  program is determined by several characteristics of the programs. The leader may constitute  one of those characteristics† (p. 1018). Community involvement is a very interesting area of study and one that has been widely covered. In the past few years there has been a realisation that for any form of social change there has to be involvement from more than one source. There is also a realisation that individual communities know how to best deal with their own problems. This is why the UK government has devolved so much to a local level, from the creation of Primary Care Trusts to dealing with the problems that alcohol abuse causes, there is an understanding that communities know best how to tackle their problems. The methods used can vary considerable from community to community but they may include media campaigns, community task forces and parental intervention (Holder, 2004). It might be helpful to look at one such example of a community led intervention program in the UK. The Broad Street Business Improvement District (BID) in Birmingham is one such example of a community led intervention program. This program was initiated in 2005 as a response to anti-social problems caused by the large number of bars and clubs on Broad Street and also the disproportionately high number of alcohol related deaths in the region (Rao and Kemm, 2006). This partnership is made up of many local agencies such as property owners/developers, business representatives, the city council, the police, the leisure forum, and the city centre neighbourhood forum. The BID have undertaken several projects which according to their annual report included, â€Å"(a) street wardens (b) additional street cleansing (c) floral dressing (d) marketing programme (e) communication and public relations (f) safer business area (g) lighting and gateway features (h) a business led partnership†. The results from this community led intervention have been largely positive. Crime has dropped in t he Broad Street area by almost 60% between June 2005 and May 2006. A survey conducted in 2006 found that 78% of respondents felt that safety was good and 27% felt that it was safer than 2005. Although the Broad Street BID doesn’t completely relate to schools-based programs, it would be fair to assume that schools in the area will be benefiting from this improvement. Any sort of community involvement creates a greater sense of responsibility and even though this particular scheme is not directly targeting young people, it is surely having an impact on schools-based intervention programs. This essay has provided a broad look at schools-based intervention programs as a method of prevention of alcohol abuse. There is no doubt that this is an important role that schools play. However, some programs can be ineffective and have little or no impact. This essay has highlighted some of the characteristics of programs that are most likely to succeed. They should use interactive delivery methods, they should be based on the social influence model, they should be supported by the wider community and they should use peer leaders in conjunction with trained teachers. It is clear that in the UK we need to be doing more in our schools. The school is an important battleground when it comes to preventing alcohol and drug based abuse in the future. However, government figures would suggest that not enough is being done or if it is being done, it is being done in the wrong way. What this essay has hopefully demonstrated as well is that we shouldn’t just leave it to the schools to run these programs. Families and the wider community should also share some of the responsibility. All agencies involved need to be working in a co-ordinated fashion to try and support the work that the schools are doing. Although this critique has been rather broad in scope and not specifically related to the UK, it was felt that in order to give a more complete picture of the problems and opportunities encountered by schools-based programs it was best to utilize as much of the research as possible. As has been hopefully demonstrated, the schools-based approach does present with numerous problems, especially if done in the wrong way. However, with the right mix of components, these programs can have a lasting impact on children and young people and their attitudes to alcohol use. Perhaps it should be left to individual communities to decide what mix works best for them. The governments role should be supporting that through funding, training and providing additional components such as a media campaign. Bibliography and References: Botvin, G. J., Renick, N. L., Baker, E. (1983). The effects of scheduling format and booster sessions on a broad spectrum psychosocial approach to smoking prevention. Journal of Behavioural Medicine, 6, pp. 359–379. Broad Street BID, A brighter, safer, cleaner, the story so far, Annual Report, 05-06 Cuijpers, P. (2002). Effective ingredients of school-based drug prevention programs: A systematic review, Addictive Behaviours, 27, pp. 1009-1023. Dijkstra, M., Mesters, I., De Vries, H., van Breukelen, G., Parcel, G. S. (1999). Effectiveness of a social  influence approach and boosters to smoking prevention. Health Education Research, 14, pp. 791–802. Holder, H.D. (2004). Community action from an international perspective. In R. Muller and H. Klingemann (Eds.) From Science to Action? 100 Years Later, Alcohol Policies Revisited, pp. 101-112. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Kluwer Academic. Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit. (2004). Alcohol harm reduction strategy for England.  London: Prime Ministers Strategy Unit Rao, J. Kemm, J. (2006). Alcohol in the West Midlands, a review of alcohol and alcohol services in the West Midlands. West Midlands Public Health Group. Rooney, B. L., Murray, D. M. (1996). A meta-analysis of smoking prevention programs after adjustment for errors in the unit of analysis. Health Education Quarterly, 23, pp. 48–64. Shope, J. T., Dielman, T. E., Butchart, A. T., Campanelli, P. C., Kloska, D. D. (1992). An elementary schoolbased  alcohol misuse prevention program: a follow-up evaluation. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 53,  106–121. Tobler, N. S., Roona, M. R., Ochshorn, P., Marshall, D. G., Streke, A. V., Stackpole, K. M. (2000). Schoolbased adolescent drug prevention programs: 1998 meta-analysis. Journal of Primary Prevention, 20, pp. 275–336. White, D., Pitts, M. (1998). Educating young people about drugs: a systematic review. Addiction, 93, pp. 1475–1487. Wynn, S., Schulenberg, J., Maggs, J. L., Zucker, R. A. (2000). Preventing alcohol misuse: the impact of refusal skills and norms. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 14, pp. 36–47.

Leprosy :: Hansens Disease Biology Essays

Leprosy Leprosy, now more commonly referred to as Hansen’s disease, is one of the world’s oldest and most feared maladies. Over the course of thousands of years, it has managed to afflict millions of people in every region of the world. In addition to physical suffering, leprosy patients also faced tremendous psychological distress, due to the fact that, until as recently as last century, the disease was seen as a punishment from God and thought to be highly contagious. As a result, leprosy sufferers faced many indignities and, in some instances, were removed from their communities and relocated to so-called â€Å"Leper Colonies.† However, in recent times, the conditions for people with leprosy have vastly improved in terms of both the treatment of the disease and removal of the stigma attached to it. The origins of leprosy cannot be definitively traced to any particular place or time. The earliest evidence of the disease is provided by the Hindu Vedas, which mention a disease that most believe to have been leprosy, suggesting its existence in India since at least 1400 BCE (Skillicorn). There is more concrete evidence from members of the medical community that the disease existed in China by the fifth-century BCE and in Egypt as early as the second-century BCE. The disease is believed to have spread to Europe in the first-century BCE by Roman soldiers returning from war in Egypt. Its existence in Europe was first documented by Aractus and Galen in approximately 150 CE (Skillicorn). It is believed to have been spread from Europe to the Americas and South Pacific islands by European colonists. The disease became universally known as Hansen’s disease in 1873 after a Norwegian scientist, Dr. Armauer Hansen, discovered the bacterium that causes the disease, whi ch eventually served to end the myth that the disease was a curse of God (Skillicorn). The disease is caused by a slowly multiplying bacillus, called Mycobacterium leprae, which primarily affects the nerves, skin, and mucous membranes (Hansen’s Disease). Scientists are still unable to cultivate the organism in any bacteriological media, although it has been successfully grown on the foot pads of mice.

aphasia Essay -- essays research papers fc

Aphasia is a language disorder that results from damage to portions of the brain that are responsible for language. For most people, these are parts of the left side (hemisphere) of the brain. Aphasia usually occurs suddenly, often as the result of a stroke or head injury, but it may also develop slowly, as in the case of a brain tumor. The disorder impairs the expression and understanding of language as well as reading and writing. â€Å"Aphasia may co-occur with speech disorders such as dysarthria or apraxia of speech, which also result from brain damage†. (Sarno 23) Anyone can acquire aphasia, but most people who have aphasia are in their middle to late years. Men and women are equally affected. â€Å"It is estimated that approximately 80,000 individuals acquire aphasia each year†.(Eiesenson 37) â€Å"About one million persons in the United States currently have aphasia†.(www.aphasia.org) Aphasia is caused by damage to one or more of the language areas of the brain. Many times, the cause of the brain injury is a stroke. A stroke occurs when, for some reason, blood is unable to reach a part of the brain. Brain cells die when they do not receive their normal supply of blood, which carries oxygen and important nutrients. Other causes of brain injury are severe blows to the head, brain tumors, brain infections, and other conditions of the brain. â€Å"Individuals with Broca's aphasia have damage to the frontal lobe of the brain†. (www.aphasia.org) These individuals frequently speak in short, meaningful phrases that are produced with great effort. Broca's aphasia is thus characterized as a nonfluent aphasia. Affected people often omit small words such as "is," "and," and "the." â€Å"For example, a person with Broca's aphasia may say, "Walk dog" meaning, "I will take the dog for a walk." The same sentence could also mean "You take the dog for a walk," or "The dog walked out of the yard," depending on the circumstances†. (Jakobson 43) Individuals with Broca's aphasia are able to understand the speech of others to varying degrees. Because of this, they are often aware of their difficulties and can become easily frustrated by their speaking problems. â€Å"Individuals with Broca's aphasia often have right-sided weakness or paralysis of the arm a nd leg because the frontal lobe is also important for body movement†. (Jakobs... ... the home. Seek out support groups such as stroke clubs. Aphasia research is exploring new ways to evaluate and treat aphasia as well as to further understanding of the function of the brain. Brain imaging techniques are helping to define brain function, determine the severity of brain damage, and predict the severity of the aphasia. â€Å"These procedures include PET (positron emission tomography), CT (computed tomography), and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) as well as the new functional magnetic resonance (FMRI), which identifies areas of the brain that are used during activities such as speaking or listening†. () â€Å"In-depth testing of the language ability of individuals with the various aphasic syndromes is helping to design effective treatment strategies†.() The use of computers in aphasia treatment is being studied. Promising new drugs administered shortly after some types of stroke are being investigated as ways to reduce the severity of aphasia Works Cited Sarno, Martha T. Acquired Aphasia. California. Academic Press. 1998. Eiesenson, Jon. Aphasia in Children. New York. Jakobson, Roman. Child Language Aphasia and Phonological Universals. Texas. 1972 www.aphasia.org

Narrative Essay on Poker

If back then I would have knew how poker was goanna be so big In 2004 period called the â€Å"poker boom†. Time when poker arrived on the TV channel of ESP. and online poker were starting to be introduce to the public, I would have started to learn the game way earlier than I did. Poker is a game where it can only 5 minutes to learn , but a lifetime to master. I was always playing with friends, we were all putting 5 dollars, and the winner took all the money.But back then we all knew the rules and thought we were good at It, But hat's how the human ego perceive the game , we all think we're good at It but In fact we don't have a clue of what we are actually doing, and that was the case for me. When I turn 18 in 2008 , I started to go play at my local casino with a lot of confidence that I was good and very fast found myself losing most of the money that I had , that wasn't fun at all, I didn't want to tell my parents scared that they thought I was getting addicted to gambling. But I loved the game , knew that they were a way to get better but I could not figured out how.I then heard of online poker website were I could play for small amount of money doing tournament and cash game. ‘ Decided that I was goanna start doing that in order to gain experience. What I found that was very dangerous with online poker was how difficult it is to quit playing , and how addictive it can get, I was of course losing a bit of money on the long term due to my lack of experience , I then understood that I needed to really learn the game , so I started looking online to find Information about Poker by watching video and reading on forums.Bankroll Management is a believe what made me understood how poker works when you want to make an income playing it. It mean that I needed to manage my poker money in a way that I was risking a little of two percent of my bankroll to play in a game and by taking good decision over and over I will find myself winning on the long term. And what was so great about playing online is that I was able to play on multi tables at the same time so I was seeing way more hand that I would have had playing live at a casino.And of course after playing most of my day I found myself eating better each day has I was playing , and were able to build a bankroll that would give me enough confidence to know I could do that instead of doing any other part time Job. But what's funny is that I spent more time playing poker than people working from nine to five. I Delves Tanat poker Is a nary way to make an easy living , It asks me Tort a lot AT practice and patience to become a winning poker player.I always learn from my mistake and try to review each hand I play either good or bad one, I try to never let ad play or bad luck interfere in my mind and always looking forward. ‘ know that some night I can lose and it is important to know when to quit if it is not my night, I know I can always come back the next day without being frus trated from the past game, I must never let my ego take over by trying to force the luck to come Just to be a winner that night, that's a bad habit some player does and that is how most of them find themselves going broke. That is why discipline is one of the key to success in this game and in any other field.

A Night at the Opera

A Night at the Opera Analysis Paper A Night at the Opera is a 1935 American comedy film starring the Marx brothers. Groucho Marx, Chico Marx and Harpo Marx. The Marx brothers influence on comedy can still be seen in todays films. There is very few comedians that have ever had as long a lasting influence or been as well-known as they are. It is absolutely astonishing that after over seventy years, it still portrays the same amount of enjoyment and laughter in â€Å"modern† viewers as it did when the film was first distributed.The language of their comedy has not dulled over time, aspects of Marx brother humor can be found throughout sit-coms, movies, comedic acts and especially cartoons. I have been a huge fan of the show called I Love Lucy since I was about 7 years old, but I never knew that the Marx brothers had such an influence on the show and that they based a lot of there comedy scenes from the Marx brothers, and Harpo had actually starred in one of their episodes as well . In the film A Night at the Opera they have a singer names Ricardo Baroni, and in the set of I Love Lucy her husbans name is Ricky Ricardo.I feel as if since A Night at the Opera played such a big influence on their show that maybe they were trying to place that name in there as some type of contribute to them and their film. I also have seen many scenes in the cartoon Tom and Jerry that tie in together from the Marx brothers. This is just proof that from Groucho's wisecracking word play, Chico conning every person he can when he has the chance, to the way Harpo's doesn't speak and frankly comes off really dumb founded. There sense of humor is timeless and forever will be a true classic.

IT Project Implementation Failures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

IT Project Implementation Failures - Essay Example The major indicators of the failure in the project implementation are: a. One of the major reasons that affected the failure of the project could be that the project ran out of budget to be controlled. An initial project plan was designed with the budgeted requirements needed for the implementation of the project. But in course of time while the project was in progress it was observed that there was huge drainage in fund and this caused a major impediment to the progress of the project. One reason for the failure of the CPOE system was that the project overran the budgeted requirement. (Wager, Lee & Glaser, 2009) b. Another most important factor, which literally led to the failure of the project, could be the time overruns. When the initial outlay of the project is designed a time period is also determined which is recognized as the deadline for the implementation of the project. But in case of the CPOE project it was observed that lack of proper system planning and designing led to creeping up of a large number of issues during the progress of the project. This led to severe delay in the implementation plan of the project. The project, which was divided in several modules, started to get delayed when problems started creeping up in implementing each module.

Human resource-staffing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Human resource-staffing - Essay Example The first thing is that it is worth paying these individuals what they are worth or what they demand from you, if you want to attract them to work for you. Quite possibly because of their reputation for producing results, they are being targeted by headhunters and competitor organizations in the industry. So giving them the kind of compensation and benefits they want- of course within reasonable limits- coupled with a free hand in running most things will attract them to the organization (Berger & Berger, 2003, 35). Of course, we do not want a clash between two or more top performers, so budgets and areas of operation and control have to be carefully delineated, with the CEO making decisions if there is an impending conflict. Quite possibly a performance bonus or sweetener has to be offered if they are involved in an organizational turnaround, with stock options in tow. Developing a talent inventory for the most promising individuals in the organization and giving them ample opportunities to be responsible as well as get training, learning and development will help prepare a talent pool from within the enterprise itself. It is best to put such individuals under direct reporting of the top performing individuals, so that a talent pool is developed that could be used in case the top performer resigns, dies or is lured by a competitor. 8. Keeping an eye on the market and the top performing individuals in different areas of the industry can also help in filling important positions from outside if relevant talents are not available within the organization. I think that the best single practice I have learned in this regard is to be prepared and it is always best to have a succession plan or backup plan in place in case an important individual leaves the organization. This is possible if one keeps an eye on what is happening in the industry from time to

Internaotion business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Internaotion business - Essay Example Moreover, I am curious and very determined to understand how a business operates at international levels. I have always wanted to understand how companies operate successfully in different countries. It amazes me how international businesses manage efficiently run various foreign branches from one central headquarter. Studying this course will give me an opportunity to have a clear understanding of business operation at international levels. I have studied a bachelor’s degree in this university and hence I have adapted to various systems of the university. This will be beneficial to me since I will settle down quickly and begin my studies. Studying International business matches my personal desire for traveling. I have a dream of operating an international business in future, and thus this course is relevant to my future career and investment ideas. My motivation to study this course stems from the success stories of friends and acquaintances that are in this field. I am hardworking and very cooperative. I believe that this character will enable me sail through the challenges of this very demanding course. ‘ Besides my academic interests, I am active in extracurricular activities. They help me interact with new people and learn new skills from other people. I look forward to continuing with this while studying masters in international business. I will be grateful if enrolled for this course. I am mentally prepared to face the higher learning challenge and am certain that I will come forth as a victor at the end of the

Strategic Quality And System Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Strategic Quality And System Management - Essay Example Starbucks is a good example of an organization that undertook strategic quality change after heavy failures experienced after the 2008 recession (Miller, 2011). A new product named Sorbetto failed to meet customer expectations but the instant coffee Via, a deviation from the custom-made coffee of Starbucks, met the quality expectations and was successful and helped Starbucks emerge from the poor performance of the recession (Miller, 2011). As the costs and benefits of strategic quality change are illustrated in the case of Starbucks, organizations need to evaluate the outcomes of strategic quality change and implement steps to align strategic quality change measures with strategic objectives. Taking the example of Starbucks, the organization could have avoided the cost of failure of Sorbetto launched in 2008 if it had robust quality change evaluation systems. Smylie (2010, 144) recommends a continuous quality improvement system which balances innovation routines that promote experimentation and risk-taking with generative learning feedback systems that provide continuous feedback from the environment. The outcome of strategic quality change initiatives can be measured by setting measurable outcomes for the change and their communication across the organization. Since the former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz admits that Sorbetto was launched in haste and failed because it was too sweet for customers’ tastes (Miller, 2011), the results from a pilot study or feasibility study would have helped it to modify the product quality or defer the decision to launch it. In addition, Pickett (2010, p. 459) emphasizes the need for a quality assessment system in organizations and also states that quality change should be undertaken at the systems level as opposed to operational levels. Where the outcomes of the strategic quality change indicate a deviation from strategic objectives, the management needs to

The Role of Strategic Entrepreneurship Dissertation

The Role of Strategic Entrepreneurship - Dissertation Example Particular attention would is given to how they are applied in detail. At the end of this chapter, the proponent carefully elaborates the need to use of structural equation modeling, as a tool to put finally everything in detail into a model with valid empirical implications. This research would want to find out more about strategic entrepreneurship in the midst of prevailing tough competition. Concerning this, it is the main goal of the proponent to identify information with empirical evidence if each firm could still consider achieving individual competitive edge even if they would employ relevant competitive strategies. However, in order to identify this point, the proponent should ensure identification of the relevant methodology that would serve the objective of the study while it also would ensure validity of the output of the research study. This research aims to understand more about strategic entrepreneurship in the midst of prevailing dynamic competition. The proponent would want to find out if a firm could still guarantee competitive advantage even if they would employ relevant competitive strategies. Therefore, the following general question should generate answer at the end. When firms engage in strategic entrepreneurship does it establish temporal competitive advantage in a dynamic environment when competing vis-Ã  -vis other competitors in the industry with the objective of creating value for the society as a whole, shareholder of the firms, and the individuals? As already stated, the proponent would want to employ both quantitative and qualitative information from the existing studies linked up with strategic entrepreneurship. Empirical investigation is therefore necessary in order to create substantial empirical evidence based on the existing theoretical concepts linked up with the subject matter that the proponent considers in this research study.

Pakistan lack of energy and water leads to mass terrorist operation Research Paper - 1

Pakistan lack of energy and water leads to mass terrorist operation - Research Paper Example The textile industries, trade and other sectors are at rock bottom in terms of their performances. This is all due to the variables stated above, hence the dependent variables. These variables have a direct impact on the economy of the state and the present day economy stands in a crippled state courtesy the deviances and discrepancies that are on show. People are taking up the unwarranted professions, resorting to means other than the state sanctioned. The ultimate yield of these deprivations is the outcome in form of exploitation and terrorist activities(Malik, I). These can be expressed in form of equation with one side demonstrating the don’t haves while the other side showing the possible repercussions in form of agitation, mental agony, restless, potential popular uprisings and various other factors. Lack of political wisdom, absence of creative mindset and future policies devising are all few of the factors that can be termed as the hypothesis towards the menace that is showing up in form of terrorist operations. envirocivil (2013)Â  Climate Change, Governance and Energy Discourse in Pakistan. [Online] Available at: http://envirocivil.com/climate/climate-change-governance-and-energy-discourse-in-pakistan/ [Accessed: 10 Apr

What makes your workplace work well Essay Example for Free

What makes your workplace work well Essay Nowadays, we live in an extremely large and intricate world which is mainly characterized by a wide variety of continuous and unpredictable changes. With that, there are factors that would affects work in every way, either advantages and disadvantages to people and workplace. No one can deny that whenever a person look for a job, whatever work it is, they think of what the future holds for them . Primarily, financial stability is the most essential of all. If the salary is not adequate to live each day and to meet the demands of the person and be able to prosper and enjoy life, then that individual is not satisfied. Secondarily, the benefits that the employee receive from the organization, the role and responsibility and personal interest of the employee towards work and working environment is also essential. Like for example, the lack of manpower and teamwork that is unfriendly colleagues will result to conflicts, miscommunications and misunderstandings does makes it more exhausting and stressful. . The location of work, where someone lives 100 miles away from home also matters. Weather and Climate changes thus also contribute. The lack of orientation and training to employees will make a difference to how you deliver your skills. Another factor are the employee’s culture and educational background, that has involves several adjustments to work environment. In addition, the heavy workload, long hours and demanding tasks. And, Not getting enough time to spend with friends and family. With the current situation in my workplace, working in a medical field and in the hospital demands my time including my attention and care to patients. Sometimes patient’s care are compromised because of the additional paper works and which is sometimes not necessary. The lack of staffs and the movement to different areas which we are not familiar with. New and changes to policy and procedure introduced and its strict compliance brings stress  to mind. Going home physically and emotionally tired and exhausted, leading to depression, long time sickness from work and not only that, the freezing increase in salary nationwide adds up to stress. However, if problems tackled properly within work, organising task and priorities and got substantial support from each other, working together as a team will ease work difficulties. As well as, support from the people with higher rank who should listens and acknowledges efforts, hard work and appreciates and rewards is very satisfying. Furthermore, good and clear communication within the people in the organization is vital and would make the employees more competent and productive worker. Therefore, as a working individual wherever and whatever things that involves work, it is believed that there a variety of factors the influences work and are extremely important. It is proved that personal interest like having new goals, dreams or simply taking some risk in life and adjust fully to changes, and a organized work environment is will certainly produces productivity and profitability and will have a healthier and better lives.

Challenging Logistics And Supply Chain Management Commerce Essay

Challenging Logistics And Supply Chain Management Commerce Essay The supply chain can be defined as being a group of partners who collectively convert a basic commodity into a finished product that is of value to the end user. In the supply chain each partner must perform a task which adds value to the final product/service (Harrison, Van Hoek, 2008). The supply chain is viewed as a single entity rather than a series of fragmented elements such as procurement, manufacturing and distribution. Logistics management could be seen to include the long-term decisions and plans needed for reform, whereas the supply chain includes the more operational elements. In a supply chain, every partner ought to add value to the finished productservice through some process or procedure (Harrison and Van Hoek, 2008). Elements of Logistics Management: Storage, warehousing, material handling. Packaging and utilization. Inventory. Transport. Information and control. Source: Lecture Slide 1, Logistics strategy M32 SOR. Aim Research the strategic position of Diageo Plc from a logistics context in order to develop a suitable logistics strategy. Objectives: Research analyse a UK based brewerys current strategic position from a logistics perspective. Evaluate the key strategic approaches to logistics management that could be used by a UK based brewery. Identify the management issues caused by implementing a new logistics strategy with consideration for available capital, technical and human resources Outline the strategic significance of new technology developments and business trends on future logistic strategies for a retailer. Prepare and submit the report Diageo Plc- Background Diageo Plc is the leading beer, spirits, and wine company in the world. The company has a well diversified portfolio of alcoholic beverages and stock brands such as Josà © Cuervo, Smirnoff, Captain Morgan, Johnnie Walker, Baileys, JB, Tanqueray, Bushmills Irish, Beaulieu Vineyard, Sterling Vineyards wines and Guinness (www.diageo.com). Diageo is listed both on the London Stock Exchange (DGE) as well as the New York stock Exchange (DEO). Diageo has a wide brand portfolio. The company strives to maintain its leadership position and provide value to the customer. Diageo has manufacturing plants spread across countries and continents including United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, India, Africa, Caribbean, United States of America and Australia.  The company had worldwide sales worth  £8.09 billion in the year 2008. It operates in 180 markets in five continents across the globe (www.diageo.com). Diageo Plc was created when two of the most established breweries- Guiness Plc and Grand Metropolitan Plc- merged to form the present company in 1997. The company was then reorganised in 2004 into three distinct strategic business divisions, namely, Diageo Europe, Diageo North America and Diageo International. In 2005, Diageo acquired the oldest distillery in Ireland called Bushmills Distillery. In 2006, the company expanded into Russia and got a majority stake in Smirnov vodka business (www.diageo.com). Logistics strategy: A logistics strategic framework is aimed at aligning the different partners of a supply chain in a manner so as to meet and match the customers evolving demands. The objectives of such a logistics strategic framework are: Capital reduction: It implies increasing the returns on investments made in logistics assets. Cost reduction: It is to minimiseoptimise the costs associated with storage and movement of goods and supplies. Improvement in Service: it involves processes so as to achieve customer satisfaction. Competitive Structure and Competitors The international drinks and beverages market has players, such as Pernod Ricard, Bacardi, Brown Forman Co-operation, Moet-Hennessey (LVMH), and Fortune Brands (Beam Global). Pernod Ricard is a Paris-based multinational company which in 2008, acquired a Swedish company, V S Group, the makers of Absolut vodka. Brown-Forman Co-operation is one of the largest USA-based manufacturers of alcoholic beverages. In 2007, it acquired a Mexican company, Tequila Herradura, to add tequila drinks to its portfolio (Business Insights, 2009) Bacardi, headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda is well known for its brand of rums. It is a family-owned multinational company operating in over 100 countries. Moet-Hennessey is manufacturer of spirits under the Paris-based parent company, LVMH (the largest retailer of luxury goods in the world). Fortune Brands are America-based manufacturers of wines and spirits and acquired many brands from UK-based Allied Domecq in 2005 (Business Insights, 2009). Diageo: Strategic Positioning An understanding of Diageos overall strategic positioning can help us in designing a logistics management strategy. Evaluation of the overall strategy is a precursor to develop a concurrent logistics strategy aligned with the companys long term vision. Generic Strategies for Diageo using Ansoff Analysis C:UsersuserDesktoprohit gulatibreweryansoff.jpg As is evident from the Ansoff matrix, Diageo has the following strategies: Consolidation of its position and market penetration in mature markets such as USA and Europe where it is well established. It is doing so both by organic as well as inorganic growth strategies. It is looking at newer territories and emerging markets such as Africa and Asia for market development of its existing products. It is developing products in mature markets so as to increase the share of wallet of the consumer. An example is RTD or ready-to-drink beverages, such as Smirnoff Ready-to-Drink beverage. Porters Five Forces Model Michael Porter developed his Five Forces model in 1979 to help businesses understand competition in a more comprehensive manner. Diagrammatically, it can be represented as follows: Source: Johnson Scholes 6th ed, exhibit 3.4 The model, when applied to Diageo Plc, helps understand the company environment and competition as follows: Bargaining Power of Suppliers: this is low as Diageo is an established company with a large market share and strong brand name. To gain advantage over its suppliers, it enters into long term contracts. Bargaining Power of Buyers: this is low as Diageo now positions itself as a manufacturer of premium and super-premium spirits and other alcoholic beverages. The market share of premium and super-premium brands of Diageo increased by 4.5% and 11% respectively. Threat of Competitors: it is high as it has a few international competitors in the form of Pernod Ricard, Brown-Forman and Bacardi. Major mergers and acquisitions have occurred in the alcoholic beverage industry leading to fewer players with extended brand portfolios and cross-border capabilities. Threat of Substitutes: This is low as alcoholic beverages are a socially acceptable form of intoxication that is not acceptable with any other substance. Threat of New Entrants: it is low as entry barriers are high in the form of increased regulation, increasing need of marketing by beverage companies to inform customers and increasing competitive nature of the industry. Please refer to Appendix A for further reading on competitiveness. Development of Existing Logistics Capabilities The environment under which Diageo functions is dynamic and changing rapidly. The characteristics that define its environment that one needs to understand to develop the logistics strategy are as follows: Expectations of service levels are increasing Consumers are becoming more sophisticated. Government regulations are becoming more stringent Commodity price pressures and intense competition cause opposite effects on price, affecting margins. Logistics can be of immense value to a company if approached in a correct and definitive manner. Its importance for various businesses has now increased from merely a cost incurring but necessary function to: An activity to generate significant cost savings. An activity with the potential to increase sales and customer satisfaction. A marketing tool to gain sustainable competitive advantage. The costs incurred by Diageo can be broadly understood as follows: C:UsersuserDesktoprohit gulatibrewerycogs.jpg Source: Gosnell, Investor Relations Conference, 2005 The global supply and logistics strategy also includes people and processes which Diageo classifies as Partners for growth (Gosnell, Investro Relations Conference, 2005). These can be classified as follows: Key Enablers: These are associated with people, processes and attitudes such as collaboration, teamwork, responsiveness and capability development. Qualifiers: These include protecting brand as well as Diageo reputation through maintaining brand quality, brand integrity, corporate citizenship and other such means. It may also include the resolve of the company to deliver competitive service to the customer at the right value. Winners: these include processes to reduce end-to-end supply chain costs, overall costs, driving technology and research and ability to execute the strategy as expected. The various features of this strategy implemented by Diageo in inbound as well as outbound logistics and value creation are as follows: Reducing the overall cost of goods sold: Diageo has set a target of 2% real cost reduction each year. The philosophy here is that savings can come from all components of the supply chain such as procurement, logistics, manufacturing and brand value, each of which will be subsequently looked into. The large scale operations of Diageo provide it with an advantage in all these areas. Procurement: Glass and energy are two largest components of Diageos cost of goods. To control energy costs, it uses forward purchasing; spot purchasing as well as short term tactical purchasing. For glass supply assurance and price control, it entered a strategic relationship with Owens-Illinois and gave it the preferred supplier status. At the same time, it developed alternate supplier relations as well such as with Altajir, based in Europe, with which it entered a 3 to 5 year deal. Also, Diageo also leveraged newer supply sources from Asia and Eastern Europe as these emerging economies are reliable on quality, pricing, service and innovation. As an example, this has led to 40%-50% cost saving on cartons, 20% on crowns and 15%-20% on casings. Manufacturing: Diageo tries to maximise the benefits of economies of scale. It has larger but fewer manufacturing facilities, thus having high fixed costs but low variable costs. It has sold or closed 11 facilities in Europe, 5 in North America and 3 in Asia/Africa. In the rest of the manufacturing plants, it has tried to fully optimise the advantages of the Diageo scale; e.g.: Shieldhall, Scotland is the largest volume spirits packaging plant but still has only 7 lines. Logistics: Diageo uses the pilot principles involving a central hub warehouse that can supply to the surrounding markets. These warehouses are strategically located and use cross-border shipments to meet demand. This model also minimises costs by maximising throughput. This has led to 20% reduction in manpower requirements, 25% reduction in stock and enhanced service performance. An example of the pilot principles model in Europe for Diageo is as follows: C:UsersuserDesktoprohit gulatidIAGEO_brewery_3250warehouse.jpg Source: Gosnell, Investor Relations Conference, 2005 Brand Value and Value Engineering: An example of value engineering would be the Guinness can size that was reduced by 7%, weight reduced by 1% without loss of volume held. JW bottles glass weight was reduced by 22% as another example. This has led to reduction in packaging, hauling and shipping costs. Also, Diageo intends to create value for its customers while preserving its brand image. It intends to do so through Improving existing quality standards Implementing environmental management systems Crisis management simulations for business resilience Optimise supply flexibility Strategic Approaches to Logistics Management There are two motivations suggested for designing a logistics strategy (Whittington 1993). These included the goals of setting the logistics strategy and how deliberate the processes were of setting the logistics strategy. A matrix was hence developed and helped firms evaluate the logistics strategy. Benchmarking Diageo can utilise benchmarking to evaluate its logistics performance in comparison to its competitors or companies from different industries altogether. Benchmarking can be defined as a process of continuously measuring and comparing ones business performance against comparable processes in leading organizations to obtain information that will help the organization identify and implement improvements (Benson 1998). Benchmarking can also be understood as a process for identification of best practices by comparing key performance indicators for a specific activity across organisations and using these performance levels as inputs for corporate goal setting (Gourdin, 2001) Diageo can utilise this to compare its practices with respect to other companies, industries or markets. Benchmarking can be used in a variety of logistic processes such as warehouse operations, mode and carrier selection, order processing, forecasting and packaging. However, certain steps need to be ensured before em barking on benchmarking (Gourdin, 2001). These are as follows: Defining the present performance level of the benchmarked activity. Determining the level of performance desired in this activity to be benchmarked. Determining what improvements can be made and to be made Determining how to make the desired improvements to achieve desired performance levels. Estimate and set a time frame for the completion of the process. Collaboration/Co-operation Collaboration is the most sophisticated form of electronic integration. If electronic integration occurs at all levels, namely strategic, tactical and operational, it is called as collaboration. It helps the supply chain members to come together so as to better forecast future demand and to design plans and implement them to meet these demands. The members can collaborate on new product planning, demand forecasting and replenishment planning. Collaboration allows information to be rapidly exchanged and hence, all participants of the collaboration have access to updated and latest information. It can also help to reduce costs and the data fed into the system can be used for monitoring and feedback activities. The co-operative approach simply refers to the degree of external and internal collaboration among the supply chain members. Partnerships/Alliances Companies now realise the concept of strategic long term relationship with suppliers. The underlying reason for this realisation is the need to improve customer service or add value to the finished product. An alliance is said to be strategic when it is strategic in focus and also directly supports one of the partners distinctive core competencies (Grant et al, 2006). Partnerships not only help the members in sharing information, knowledge and experience but also aid in lowering the risks for any one player. Diageo, as motioned previously, has a long term partnership with Owen-Illinois, a USA-based glass manufacturing company. It has been accorded special supplier status and given a contract for 3 years. It has also increased the scale of Owen-Illinois. Diageo can forge similar partnerships with various other members of its supply chain. Just in time (JIT) A JIT-based program aims at ensuring that the right quantities are produced at the right time and reach the consumer at the right moment of need so that there is no waste. Waste has been defined in JIT programs as anything that does not add value to the end product. One unit more or less than needed is considered as waste. Total Quality Management is a concept whose principle is concurrent with those of JIT and both may need to be implemented simultaneously so as to add value to companys operations. A successful and functional JIT program, however, needs the following to be achieved by the company: Steady production Flexible resources No machine breakdowns Reliable suppliers High quality product/service Rapid machine set-ups Discipline to maintain every of the above functions running over a continuum Implementation of JIT For JIT to be successful in Diageo, adaptation of the JIT concepts in its environmental set up is essential. The main concepts of eliminating waste, quick changeovers, flexibility in resources and partnering with suppliers have to be realised and has been described as a two-stage process (Gourdin, 2001). Establish foundations (this refers to quality, low cost, minimum lead times, flexibility: these can be achieved through Total Quality Management, flexible and trained workforce, reduction in setup time and focus on design). Core Techniques (pull scheduling, multi-functional workforce, JIT purchasing). JIT is a volume and demand driven program. It requires a certain level of stable demand for it to be successful. It cannot be implemented in a business that has unique orders or low volumes of operation. Moreover, companies should strive to improve JIT systems as technology advances. Lean Management First introduced by Toyota Production Systems, lean management is a concept of reducing waste and non-value adding activities from the value chain. The main elements of lean management are small batch size production, pull creation and reduction in variability. It says that a pull is created when a customer demands a product and only that should lead to production, thus reducing stock wastes and large inventories or batch sizes. Two very important principles associated with lean management are kaizen (continuous improvement) and kaikaku (radical improvement). This encourages improvement in the processes on incremental as well as radical levels. Lean management helps in reducing lead times and reduce variability in demand, supply and manufacturing by standardisation of procedures. Value Chain Analysis: Source: Johnson et al, 2008 The concept of a value chain was developed by Michael Porter. He suggested that the functions in an organisation can be split into primary activities concerned with creation and delivery of product and service and supporting activities (Johnson et al, 2008). The value chain analysis helps the company identify its various components of the value chain and what are the activities at which value added can be increased. A fundamental value chain for Diageo can look like this: C:UsersuserDesktoprohit gulatibreweryvaluechain.jpg Issues relevant to the development of strategies Integration of logistics strategy with corporate and business level strategies is essential for success of all these strategic outlooks. Diageo has integrated logistics strategy with the overall corporate strategy to streamline procurement, manufacturing and delivery operations (Gosnell, 2005). It has helped Diageo become the largest player in the international alcohol beverage market. However, scope for further improvement always exists. A Step Model can be used by Diageo to develop and assess its logistics strategy and identify its strengths and loopholes. What Diageo must realise is that there are certain factors in the supply chain that are beyond the control of the company. Trying to manage such factors by the management can lead to waste creation and loss of value. These can include increased competitive pricing and product pressures, unanticipated actions by competitors that can dent Diageos market share or size, legal and regulatory changes and many others. Management Issues Caused by Implementing Newer Strategies New strategy implementation can directly affect the capital, technical and human resources of a company. Good leadership during change as well as effective communication can help implement the change in an efficient manner. During implementation and modification of logistics strategy, due importance should be given to HR management and other organisational issues. Ignorance of HR issues is the most common, yet often ignored cause of failure to implement changes in strategy, even when they denote improvement over previous processes. These issues such as recruitment, training and appraisal, autonomy, flexibility and reward systems are important factors to be taken into consideration to enable smoother transitions. Specific to logistics, the management should review the current staffing and skills, allocation and training of staff, as well as current recruitment criteria and procedures. It should also consider the impact of market pull and technological push on the strategy design and p lan. Likewise, operational issues have to be monitored and requirements in terms of people, capital and equipment resources have to be met. These are necessary for any new tactically significant operations the company plans to undertake. Force field analysis can also be used to help stakeholders accept the change and understand the requirements, implications and resistances to the change in strategy. The model also suggests that there are two forces primarily in the business field, namely, driving force and resistance force. The management should strive to increase the strength of the former and reduce that of the latter while implementing change. Collaboration can play a significant role in the implementation of change. This is so because the companys suppliers and customers are also stakeholders in the company and can resist change. Internal collaboration, intercompany collaboration and electronic collaboration should be implemented while keeping in mind the ECR (efficient consumer response). New Technology Implementation and Future Trends in Logistics Strategy Diageo, due to its international and cross border supply chain should now focus on localised supply chains and distribution systems. This can help reduce haulage and shipping costs. Employment of low cost communications and cost computing technologies can aid in this endeavour and also help in increasing capability to extend product variety. Diageo has to be agile and flexible to incorporate these and any such positive technological advances. This can lead to increased pressure on cost-efficient, strategically beneficial logistics management due to increasing competition. As a result, increased pressures may be felt on supply chain networks viz. replenishment ordering, continuous ordering and supply flows, cross docking and stockless warehousing with product tracking (Harrison, Van Hoek, 2008). Scenario planning is a simulation attempt to generate realistic and plausible situations of the industry. Diageo can use it to simulate various market conditions, future situations and competitor capabilities. Such an uncertainty-based scenario matrix is highle effective in evaluation-based planning over the medium and long term. RFID Radio frequency Identification is used by Diageo wherever plausible. However, Diageo should try and implement the technology in all markets for more efficient product tracking, demand tracking and supply chain flexibility. It also helps in rapidly collecting data about demand levels and consumption patterns in various markets. RFID is a wireless technology that uses radio signalling for electronic identification and object labelling (Harrison, Von Hoek, 2008). This system works in alignment to the organisations information systems. This helps in improving business processes such as supply chain management while relaying significant market data. RFID systems primarily consist of three components: Transponders: These are also called as contactless data carriers or Tags. They can carry information data feeded into them and identify objects to which they are attached. Readers: These devices communicate with the RFID tags and read the information stored in them. Software Applications: These are the applications that feed and retrieve the data from a tag via the readers. RFID vs. Barcodes RFID are a technological advancement over barcode. The RFID tags can store as much information as a barcode can and sometimes more. Information carried by barcodes cannot be edited. In case of RFID tags information can be edited or updated. Moreover, this function can be repeatedly performed without any loss of data or damage to tags memory. The security systems inbuilt in the RFID systems are also better as it uses tags uses authentication and encrypted data transfer methods. ERP Baheshti, 2006 defined an ERP system as a collection of business applications, which links various business units of an organisation such as financial, accounting, manufacturing, sales and marketing and human resources into a tightly integrated single system with a common platform for streamlined flow of information across the entire business. Reengineering of companies is facilitated through ERP systems so that they are in a better position to empower employees, satisfy needs and demands of the customers and create better business value (Willis and Willis-Brown, 2002) ERP systems helps create reenergized companies that are in a position to better serve customers, empower employees, and drive greater business value (Willis and Willis-Brown, 2002). Since Diageo has three separate business units catering to different geographical regions, the task of collecting and analysing data is a daunting one at Diageo. ERP system can integrate these data flows across all the business units and their various divisions so as to better understand the industry events and design and/or modify strategy accordingly. It can thus act as a competitive advantage to the company in the long run by better understanding of the international market place and varied needs and requirements of the consumers across borders. This can thus help in driving Diageos overall operational efficiency and functional effectiveness. References: Presentation by David Gosnell, Managing Director, Diageo Global Supply, Investor Relations Conference, November 2005 Business Insights, The Top 10 Spirits Companies: Industry Trends and Growth Strategies of Leading Players, April 2009 Presentation by Stuart Fletcher, President, Diageo International, April 2009 Baheshti, H. M. (2006) What Managers Should Know About ERP/ERPII: Management Research News. Vol. 29(4) [online] available from Fenn, D. (2005) 10 edn. Key Note. Hampton: Key Note Ltd Gourdin, k. (2001) Global Logistics Management. Oxford: Blackwell Grant, D., Lambert, D., Stock, J., Ellram, L. (2006) Fundamentals of logistics Management. Berkshire: McGraw Hill Education Harrison, A., Van Hoek, A. (2008) 3 edn. Logistics Management and Strategy. Essex: Pearson Education Johnson, G., Scholes, K. and Whittington, R. (2008) 8th edn. Exploring Corporate Strategy. England: Pearson Education Rushton, A., Croucher, P., Baker, P. (2006) 3 edn. The Handbook of Logistics and Distribution Management. London: Kogan Willis, H. Willis-Brown, H. A. (2002) Extending the value of ERP: Journal of Industrial Management Data Systems, [online] Available from www.diageo.com.