Matsushita and Japan’s Changing Culture Essay

1. What were triggers of cultural change in Japan during the 1990s? How is cultural change starting to affect traditional values in Japan? Cultural change in Japan during the 1990s has a few factors. One of them was the richer society. The society being richer than the previous times made the new generation feel that they had greater opportunities rather than being tied to a company for life and being a â€Å"salary-man†. The western culture was also a big influence in this respect. The laying off of older workers also made them believe that loyalty to a company might not be reciprocated. Cultural change is starting to affect the traditional values in Japan. Values like strong group identification, reciprocal obligations and loyalty to their company are being taken over by individualism and lack of loyalty. People don’t want to be tied to a company for life anymore. 2. How might Japan’s changing culture influence the way Japanese businesses operate in the future? What are the potential implications of such changes for the Japanese economy? Japan’s changing culture will influence the way Japanese businesses operate in the future. Companies might change their benefits and pay structure from traditional retirement plan structure. They might allow employees to choose from different type of employment contracts where they can choose greater salary to forego company housing, lifetime employment guarantee, seniority benefits and retirement bonuses. The potential implications of such changes in the Japanese economy might be the rise of a dynamic workforce with ambitious individuals who would be rational and logical in their thinking. This workforce can be the agent of the economic growth of Japan in the future. 3. How did traditional Japanese culture benefit Matsushita during the 1950s-1980s? Did traditional values become more of a liability during the 1990s and early 2000s? How so? The traditional Japanese culture helped Matsushita achieve its goals during the 1950s – 1980s because in response to all the benefits Matsushita gave to its employees, the employees worked hard for the greater good of the company. The employees were given guaranteed lifetime employment and so the employees never left the company. Matsushita took care of them from â€Å"cradle to the grave† by bestowing â€Å"blessings† on employees. The traditional values did become liability during the 1990s and early 2000s because the company faced financial crisis and its growth slowed down, but it couldn’t lay its  employees off because of the lifetime employment guarantee. 4. What is Matsushita trying to achieve with human resource changes it has announced? What are the impediments to successfully implementing these changes? What are the implications for Matsushita if (a) the changes are made quickly or (b) it takes years or even decades to fully implement the changes? With the human resource changes it has announced, Matsushita is trying to achieve a younger workforce that is encouraged with individuality, initiative taking and risk seeking. It wants its young managers to become rational and logical, ambitious and aggressive, and at the same time to create an organization that can carry out their ambitious plans. One of the impediments to successfully implementing these changes is the lifetime employment commitment, which held Matsushita back from cutting off unnecessary management staffs. Also, the existing managers are performing poorly because of their old way of doing things. Again, since it cannot lay workers off, it has to cut back on its hiring and this is triggered by the slow growth rate. Implications for Matsushita: (a) If changes are made quickly, the company would have a dynamic workforce that would increase the growth rate. But that would lack the loyalty of its employees, which is still a very strong force to keep the company going. (b) If Matsushita takes too much time, it might fall back and become unable to revolutionize its workforce. If old employees do not make way for new employees, the company will have a slower growth rate with an aging workforce. 5. What does the Matsushita case teach you about the relationship between societal culture and business success? The Matsushita case teaches us that societal culture and business success are very closely related. This is because the culture in the organization is a very important driver of its success and this culture is shaped and determined by the existing culture of the society.

Do people travel further to buy comparison goods rather than convenience goods?

My title asks, ‘do people travel further to buy comparison goods rather than convenience goods?' My data collection was carried out in the central business district (CBD) of St Albans. My general aim is to investigate a range of interests of shoppers in the area and also a little on the land use in the CBD. Once sufficient data is collected I will be manipulating it to answer my hypothesis and to draw a conclusion from the relevant results. St Albans was visited on a Market day, which is held in the main street of the city every Wednesday and Saturday. It was a suitable study area as it has many different aspects to it which would suit the needs for different types of data collection for many students with a large variety of hypothesises and questions. St Albans is located in Hertforshire, south-eastern England, on the River Ver, near its confluence with the Colne. St Albans is situated on the northern fringe of Greater London. The district includes the city and the parishes of Colney Heath, Harpenden Rural, Harpenden Town, London Colney, Redbourn, St. Michael, St. Stephen, Sandridge and Wheathampstead. (See figure 3). Nearby places outside the district include Hatfield to the east, Welwyn Garden City to the north-east, Luton and Dunstable to the north-west, Hemel Hempstead to the west, Watford to the south-west and Borehamwood to the south. (See figure 1 and figure 2). The population in mid-1998 was estimated at 131,400. (See figure 6). In the CBD of St Albans, our study included the roads, Market place (where the market is held), Chequer Street, Victoria Street, Peters Street, London Road, Holywell Hill, High Street, Verulam Road, Dagnall Street, Spencer Street, Catherine Street and Hatfield Road. (See figure 4 and figure 5). There are two main train stations. The city station is about 750m east of the city centre and is serviced by Thameslink. The abbey station is about 1km south of the city centre and is serviced by Silverlink. There is also a single train running between St Albans and Watford Junction, starting a new round trip every 45 minutes during most of the day. Housing is expensive relative to England in general, possibly due to the fast commuting to London by train. Notable buildings include St Albans Cathedral. The sphere of influence is the area served by a settlement, sometimes called a catchment area or hinterland. The larger the settlement, the greater the number and variety of shops and services and the wider the area from which people will travel to use the centre. London's sphere of influence is the whole country. Outside London towns such as Plymouth, Newcastle, Leeds and Norwich serve local regions. Market towns serve smaller villages and farms in the area. A village only serves itself and some surrounding farms. Smaller settlements tend to have fewer shops and services than larger settlements. The shops, such as a general store, newsagent, small supermarket and chemist tend to provide low-order or convenience goods such as newspapers, bread and milk. In larger settlements there are more shops and services. They include shops selling convenience goods but there are also department stores and specialist shops selling jewellery, sports equipment and furniture. These are called high-order or comparison goods. The types of goods and services in a settlement are linked to the following: – The threshold population: the minimum number of people required to support a service so that it remains profitable. In the UK this is about 300 for a village shop, 500 for a primary school, 25000 for a shoe shop, 50000 for a medium sized store and 100000 for a large one. – The range of a good: the maximum distance people are prepared to travel to use a shop or service. Most people do not travel great distances to buy a newspaper or do their shopping but they are prepared to travel further to purchase clothes, jewellery or furniture, which are more costly and bought less often. Method: On Wednesday 26th February 2003, geography students of Year 10 St. Helen's School visited St Albans on a market day in order to carry out some geography fieldwork for coursework. During the morning it was sunny and fairly warm, however, as the day went on, although it stayed sunny, it got colder. The CBD land use map (see figure 7) and the shopper's questionnaire (see figure 8) were carried out during the afternoon, when we were in the CBD. We were split into 11 groups of 4-5 people and were sent to one of the 11 sections of the CBD. By being split into groups and then spread to different areas all around the CBD, made data collection easier and quicker. My group and I were appointed to work in area 4, which included Chequer Street, Market Place and a small part of High Street. This area is in the heart of the CBD and was in an area where the market was being held. The CBD land use map was completed at about 14:30. My group and I walked around our area completing our land use map by filling in how each store along the streets was used. E.g. Fast food shop, shoe shop, newsagent etc. By doing this it showed us what proportion of stores were comparison and what proportion were convenience, were present in the CBD. This had to be pointed out as it could well effect whether people would travel further to buy either type of good. For example, if the CBD consisted almost completely of convenience stores, it may not be too likely that a lot of people would travel from very far to shop at the small range of comparison stores. There were a few problems with this method of data collection however. First of all, it was quite difficult to fill in every shop on the map. Some of the stores were hard to find or couldn't be found at all. Also, the map was a little too small to fill in enough detail. The shopper's questionnaire was carried out later on in the day. Each person in each group was advised to ask at least 5 different people who were seen in their particular area of the CBD. By asking the actual shoppers in St Albans, it allowed us to see their interests, whether they came to shop for comparison goods or convenience goods, how far they have travelled to buy what they wanted to buy, where bouts they have come from etc. Each question in the questionnaire had a different purpose, and some had some problems with them: – ‘Are you shopping in St Albans?': this was the first question asked. If the answer was ‘no' to this question, most of the other questions that followed would be completely irrelevant. – ‘Were you held up in any traffic jam?': there was a problem with this question because, if the person being questioned travelled by foot it would not be a relevant. – Some terms in the some of the questions were not understood by everybody. For example, ‘Have you come to use specialist services?', the term ‘specialist services' was not always understood and it had to be explained on many occasions. If the person being questioned was in a rush, they may not have had time to ask what the term meant, consequently giving an inaccurate answer which could effect the results. – ‘Where have you come from today to shop in St Albans?': this question may have caused problems as people were sometimes too vague with their answer because they may not have wanted us to know where they came from or maybe where they lived. E.g. If the person said that they came from London, it would have been too vague as from that, we do not know if they came from the CBD of London or the suburbs etc. Analysis and Interpretation: From studying the desire line maps (see figure 9 and figure 10) that I have drawn for both the distances people are prepared to travel for either comparison or convenience goods, it is fairly obvious that there are more people coming into St Albans from the south than from the north. This may be because of accessibility from these areas in the south and north to St Albans. I can see that there are better motorway links from the south than from the north. From the south there is the M1, A1, A41 etc. However from the north, although there are a few motorway links, it is more limited. Again from looking at the desire line maps, I can see that the results for comparison goods and convenience goods do not differ greatly at all. They both are drawn slightly north from Harpenden, and attracted greatly south-west by people travelling from Greater London. There are not so many people however travelling form the north-east or the south-west. Both desire line maps are very similar to each other, though there is one anomaly on the comparison goods map. This anomaly is the person who had travelled from Enfield which drew the sphere of influence further east. This, again, seems to be due to motorway links. A possible reason as to why the two desire line maps are so similar may be there is not a very large range of comparison goods in St Albans. From the CBD land use map, (see figure 12) even though it shows that there is a greater proportion of comparison stores than convenience stores, it may not mean that there is a large and wide variety of comparison stores. And at the same time, the market may have extended the distance people are willing to travel for convenience goods. Even though the market is of mainly convenience goods, people may still be prepared to travel from fairly far to shop in the market. This may be because people see that St Albans has a different atmosphere to any other market. For example, despite the fact that there is Watford Market in Watford, we can still see that quite a few people have travelled from Watford to shop and to use the market in St Albans. This may be because Watford Market differs greatly from the market in St Albans. Firstly, Watford Market is indoors. On the day we visited St Albans, the weather was very good, so that could have attracted more people. Watford Market is also only open on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, so because of this, people in Watford may have needed to buy something from a market even though the market in their area was closed. So, as the market in St. Albans is open on Wednesdays, and the day we visited the market was on a Wednesday, their may have been more people from Watford on that day, who wanted to use the market in St Albans. St Albans is also a fairly historical area, for example there are prestigious monuments such as St Albans Cathedral and the Clock Tower. This again could be another reason as to why people are attracted to the market in St Albans rather than a market in their own area or one nearer than the one St Albans. Conclusion: My title asked ‘do people travel further to buy comparison goods rather than convenience goods? From my results and interpretations I have been able to come to a conclusion to answer the question. I was able to see from my interpretations of the two desire line maps that the spheres of influences are of roughly the same shapes. The only factor that makes than a little different is the anomaly of the single person who had travelled from Enfield on that particular day. Also, all the reasons I have given as to why people may have travelled from particular places to buy either of the types of goods, even each other out. For example, the lack of variety of comparison stores lowers the distance people would be willing to travel for comparison goods, but at the same time the distance people would be willing to travel for convenience goods is being extended due to the unique market St Albans has. The results and interpretations don't particularly match text book predictions saying that people travel further to buy comparison goods than convenience goods. The ranges of the goods are very similar in this study and it shows that many factors can effect the distance people would be willing to travel to buy a particular good or to use a particular service. Therefore, one cannot always be grounded on the idea that comparison goods are always travelled further for than convenience goods are. To conclude, people do not travel further to buy comparison goods rather than convenience goods, but they travel about the same distances for either.

A Short Overview of the Zika Virus

A Short Overview of the Zika Virus Zika is a virus transmitted through mosquito bites. The Zika virus was first detected in Brazil in May of 2015, the virus has traveled to Africa and parts of Asia. Zika has is new to the western hemisphere, spreading through out Latin America and the Caribbean. Since then 1.5 million people have been reported infected in Brazil. In the U.S. there has been many travel related cases 625 cases in the New York, 510 in Florida, and 152 cases in California. Zika doesn’t just have effects now but also has health effects in the long-term. The virus causes a disease in unborn and born infants called Microcephaly. The disease causes children to be born with abnormally small heads and often deformed brains. The U.S is advising pregnant women to not travel anywhere the virus is prevalent. In El Salvador women were asked to wait until 2018 to become pregnant. Sexual transmission has also been reported in 10 countries, including the United States, France, Germany, Italy and New Zealand. In all known cases, transmission has been from a man to a woman or to another man, not from a woman to anyone else. In at least one case, a man who never had Zika symptoms transmitted it sexually. Health authorities recommend that men who have had no symptoms should wait eight weeks. Zika is almost never fatal, but its been known to kill people. The virus has killed a man in Puerto Rico. The man, in his 70s, is the first reported U.S. death from the virus, which is spreading faster across America. The patient who died in Puerto Rico had a very rare complication called immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura. Another patient, who died in Utah, had a Zika virus infection that contributed to her death. There is no vaccine against the Zika virus. Efforts to make one have just begun, and creating and testing a vaccine normally takes years and costs hundreds of millions of dollars. The C.D.C. does not recommend a particular antiviral medication for people infected with the Zika virus. The symptoms are mild – when they appear at all – and usually require only rest, nourishment and other supportive care. Travelers to these countries are advised to avoid or minimize mosquito bites by staying in screened or air-conditioned rooms or sleeping under mosquito nets; wearing insect repellent at all times; and wearing long pants, long sleeves, shoes and hats.

MANAGING PEOPLE AND PRODUCTIVITY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

MANAGING PEOPLE AND PRODUCTIVITY - Essay Example This has given rise to the need for companies to pay a great deal of attention to employee performances on the job and motivate them effectively, in order to improve the productivity of an organization. The recent credit crunch has hit the banking industry particularly hard, turning the spotlight on the manner of functioning of these institutions. The need for quality and accountability in these organizations has become even more evident, especially in a recessionary environment where productivity has become even tougher to attain. The management of human resources has come to play an even more important role in achieving that productivity and motivating employees has become vital, especially for the banking industry. This study therefore proposes to apply a case study approach to examine issues surrounding the motivation of employees in Barclays Bank. The true origins of the crisis can be traced back several years to the late 1990s when, concomitant with financial deregulation in the United States that commenced during the Reagan administration, banks began to change their traditional mortgage arrangements. Earlier, mortgages issued were few and far between, because banks provided them to customers only after intense verification checks on credit and customer income. The customer was then obliged to make regular monthly payments to the bank. Earlier, banks had to finance their mortgages largely from their existing deposits from other customers; as a result this restricted the scope of their lending. With the rise in the mortgage bond market, this situation changed because banks were able to find additional sources of funding for loans through investors in mortgage bonds. Banks began to lump their mortgages together with other kinds of loan assets and sell them off to investors in the bond market, through the process of securitization of loans. In recent years, many of the regulatory measures that were instituted as a part of the New Deal after the Great depression of 1929 have been overturned, including the Steagall Glass Act, which imposed restrictions on speculative activity. (Chossudusky, 2008). Inflation in most developed countries was held down in developed countries such as the U.S. and the U.K. using the cheap imports available from countries such as China. Since inflation rates were low, this also helped to keep interest rates low, pushing up the value of property prices.(Blythe, 2008). Such an atmosphere, where property values appeared to be stable and keep rising, only encouraged banks further to branch into more speculative activity related to mortgage lending, and to lend out more than what they had on deposit from customers.(Blythe, 2008). The model presented below graphically depicts the traditional model of mortgage lending as compared to the current, existing system which involves third party bond investors, with deregulation encouraging speculative activity by banking institutions. Fig 1: The new model of mortgage lending (Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7073131.stm) THE NEW MODEL OF MORTGAGE LENDING Top of Form How it went wrong Bottom of Form As per the new model, the banks rely on additional source

Individual Critique Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Individual Critique - Literature review Example 2.0- SYNOPSIS FROM THE ARTCILE The article pointed to the importance of following factors behind the economies resisting growth: The recovery from recession receive great impact from the social factors Exports of a country has a great role to play in the recovery specifically in the net exports Role of debts and foreign direct investment is also critical. Impact of united currency in the overall recovery of countries (Walker, 2013). 3.0- ACADEMIC ALLIGMENT The article asserting the agreed upon definition of recession that paved way for the economy resisting to recovery. Among large number of factors with economic and financial strategies that play role in the economic recovery, the article highlights the dominant impact of social factor. The importance of the social factor is insisted with fact that despite the high public debt levels of Germany beyond the agreed 3% of GDP (BBC, 2012); the market considers Germany as safe heaven for investment while considering Spain and Italy in tro uble. Exploration of working conditions behind provided evidence that Spain, Italy and France had heightened the private debt (as shown in figure below) during economic growth boom to increase investments and resultantly raised the wages. (BBC, 2012) In the similar duration Germany has maintained the wages level and has developed greater export base. Hence, despite being hit by recession Germany has a positive outlook while consumers in mentioned countries are concerned with paying up debts and increased competitive wage rate has low spending sentiment thereby resisting recovery with social factors (Economou at el., 2012). Moreover, the increased resistance of French economy to recover can also be traced to have a greater contribution from similar factors as given below: (BBC, 2012) Hence unlike the dominant economic notion of high negative impact, public debt only on economic recovery is contrasted with current situation. Moreover, the increased pressure of controlling the public d ebt is also countered with continuing positive outlook of German economy. Strategy of German economy is to increase export with control wage rate developed trade surplus and hence the economy is in better position to attract foreign direct investment while the economies in trouble, in contrast, are facing trouble of huge trade deficit with piled up imports as referred below: (BBC, 2012) The current conditions of France to revisit its growth estimates along with relaxing labor laws also assert the realization of over burdened economy. While deteriorating condition points to the piling up of all factors of trade deficit, extensive government borrowing along with private borrowing as well as the labor law problems. Hence, assessment highlights reasons for controlling the debt in all in a broader context of all mentioned factors; unlike traditional theories that posed all pressure on public spending only. However, this does not refer any relaxation for public debt going beyond the set l imits and due importance of controlled public debt still retains the elementary position in economic betterment. The other highlighted factor that is making exports expensive and costing the economic recovery of countries in trouble is the increased attention to strengthen the united currency. In contrary to foundation stones for Euro that promised growth in jobs and exports, the strengthening Euro has started

Vietnam war Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Vietnam war - Essay Example The North Vietnamese forces were supported by the Soviet Union by sending military supplies through its own proxy, communist China. The South Vietnamese were initially supported by the Americans by sending its military advisers but eventually the Americans got involved in the war by fighting directly themselves. The root cause of the Vietnam War is the American belief in the â€Å"domino theory† chain reaction which posits the idea that communism was spreading in Southeast Asia and soon the countries in the region will fall into the communist bloc if America will not intervene forcefully to stop it.1 The result of the Vietnam War was adverse for the United States of America as it lost in a war fought on military terms which was fought mostly as a non-conventional or guerrilla war. It marked the decline of American superpower status as it was defeated by a third-world country. America entered an isolationist and pacifist period as there was a strong anti-war public opinion or sentiment against starting new wars that cost thousands of American lives in foreign lands.2 In retrospect, the Vietnam War made Americans wary of military adventurism

Organisational culture, leadership and ethics in maintaining a Essay

Organisational culture, leadership and ethics in maintaining a successful workplace culture - Essay Example In order to achieve results like this, an organisation will have to understand its culture, evolution, patterns and future requirements. The concept of workplace culture has been evolving overtime. The present workplace no longer comprises of traditional hierarchy system. It is more open and complex. Thus, the personality traits and characteristic strategies required for the management of this workplace also has to change. In the current study, present day work cultures of business organisations will be studied with respect to various topics of organisation behaviour. The purpose of the assignment is to evaluate the influence of various organisational topics in maintaining a successful workplace culture. Topics such as organisational culture, leadership and ethics in business will be studied. Through specific examples, the study will also evaluate whether these topics have helped the workplace in becoming more tolerant and open or not. Since the topic of interest is vast, the study i s not limited to a specific region or country but evaluated in a global context. Looking at the drastic change in business environment, it can be arguably said that workplace has changed in every sense. As a result of globalisation and international alignments, more and more diversity can be found in the workplace. As a result people can easily adapt situation now. Also, the issues and problems arising in case of this culture are also complex. These issues cannot be handled by traditional methods and need new understanding and better techniques. Thus, the overall approach of the study will be to understand the present day work culture with respect to the selected topics and evaluate their affect on overall culture of an organisation. Leadership The competitive environment for business has changed drastically in last two decades due to various reasons like resource contingency, globalization, increase in buyer power etc. Academic scholars have pointed out that organizations need righ t form of leadership in order to survive in the changing competitive environment. Research scholars like Alas, Tafel and Tuulik (2007) have stated that leadership depends on personal traits of an individual such as behaviour, relationship with subordinates, interaction pattern with subordinates, influencing capability, ability to motivate people to perform well, influence on culture of the organization etc. Groves (2007) has proposed that systematic effort is needed in order to develop leadership quality among individuals. Ryan and Deci (2000) have revealed that social-contextual conditions boost psychological development and self-motivation and these two factors increase self efficacy among individuals. According to them self efficacy is an important aspect of leadership. Leadership as a concept has itself evolved over time. As a result of the increasing competition, pressure, managers are expecting much more from these leaders. Modern day leaders are expected to show few definite qualities which will complement the current open and tolerant work culture. Few of these characteristics are extroversion, ability to show respect, decision making capability and ability to take decisions that are ethically responsible. In the next section discussion will be held on how these characteristics have influenced the modern day culture of workplace. Extroversion is an important characteristic for a successful leader. Judge, Heller and Mount (2002) have stated that extroversion is linked with the positive emotions of a leader. Generally extrovert leaders are gregarious and sociable whereas introverts tend to be

How can a post-structuralist Reading of Henrik Ibsens Peer Gynt, Wild Essay

How can a post-structuralist Reading of Henrik Ibsens Peer Gynt, Wild duck, and When We Dead awaken, accentuate the political dimensions of his work - Essay Example ated by reference to Derrida’s play of signifiers; section (3) examines When We Dead Waken as part of progressive statement on the role of the artist; finally, the dissertation concludes by considering the unifying characteristics of the plays, and the broader role of post-structural thought. It’s argued that not only is Ibsen one of the primary fathers of Modern Drama, but that specific elements in his oeuvre – Gynt’s conversation with the Boyg, the signification of the ‘wild duck’ – demand a post-structural lens to approach comprehension. When possible, contemporary post-structural scholarship has been incorporated into the dissertation. These plays have been chosen for their resistance to traditional critical approaches. Less emphasis has been placed on developing an inter-textual framework between the plays, as it’s believed such an approach is better suited to a more comprehensive selection. If there is an underlining theme that emerged in the construction of the dissertation it is that the art object anticipates the critical framework needed to adequately articulate its textual functions. That is, traditional Ibsen scholarship was handicapped by an inability to articulate elements of the plays that the post-structural framework, albeit flawed, contributes newfound insight. In keeping with a great amount of post-structural discursivity the essay establishes a methodological framework that is not restricted to an overarching narrative. In the examination of three seminal texts – Peer Gynt, Wild Duck, and When We Dead Awaken -- a myriad of post-structural lenses, including those of Jacques Derrida, Julia Kristeva, Jacques Lacan, and Paul De Man, are coupled with what Foucault (2006) terms ‘founders of discursivity,’ Sigmund Freud and Karl Marx. In refining a critical understanding of these ideas, this dissertation is highly indebted to Professor of English at Yale University, Paul H. Fry, whose open-access Survey of the Theory of

Union Bank of Norway Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Union Bank of Norway - Essay Example This would enable the bank’s management to investigate past trends in consumers’ behavior towards prediction of possible changes in customers’ behavior and needs. This could identify avenues towards improved sales and revenues. The centralized data bank would also facilitate cheaper, time efficient and procedurally efficient data retrieval and analysis towards understanding customers. The data bank was successful as both top personnel in the organization and customers testified of its significance in improving customer relations towards cost-effective processes and improved revenues. The head of the bank’s customer relations management, for example, testified that the databank became essential to the organization leading to 70 percent response from customers. The customers also appreciated the project’s significance towards meeting their needs. The project, however, faced the challenge of change in organizational structure as it dictated establishment of new offices and roles. Based on the experience from the project, the bank’s customer relations manager noted that organizations should develop a clear goal of what they want to achieve and strive towards it step by step, and customer relations initiatives are a series of continuous process. The study also noted identified an increase in investments in and application of data analysis among organizations. (Dyche, p. 144- 148).

Pol Essay 3 Ma Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Pol 3 Ma - Essay Example A methodical investigation conducted by Gallup aimed at establishing most significant political issues in American politics ranked dissatisfaction with the government as the major problem (Chappell). This dissatisfaction according to Chappell was attributed to "Concerns over the new federal health care system" (para. 8). In fact, results from this methodical investigation showed that 24 percent of Republicans believed that healthcare is the most significant problem affecting Americans today. There is an array of reasons why a huge percentage of Americans have no access to healthcare insurance. As postulated by Bardes, Shelley and Schmidt, inability to access healthcare insurance is exacerbated by high healthcare insurance premiums, unemployment, and preexisting medical conditions such as cancer and diabetes (472). Bardes, Shelley and Schmidt also assert that the existing healthcare problems are projected to worsen in future. To combat this problem, a possible solution by the Federal government is formulation of healthcare policies geared towards universal healthcare. In retrospect, politicians have not been in support of universal healthcare in the past. To illustrate hoe a universal healthcare strategy could work, San Fransisco can be used as a n example. According to Bardes, Shelley and Schmidt, San Francisco initiated a universal healthcare strategy aimed at ensuring both insured and uninsured individuals have access to healthcare (472). In this policy, employers were obligated to pay a monthly fee for each of their employees and the remaining healthcare fees to accommodate the uninsured paid by the State government (Bardes, Shelley and Schmidt 472). In this light, it is important to note that such a policy would ultimately translate to the rich paying more taxes. In essence, it also means that some individuals will be opposed to such a policy. To counter this argument, Bardes, Shelley and Schmidt ar gues that such a policy

The methods used by Dickens Essay Example for Free

The methods used by Dickens Essay The conditions of the workhouse were awful and they didn’t care about the children much they didn’t give them allot of food. This is implied by ‘It was his ninth birthday†¦ he was kept in the cold cellar†¦ after a sound thrashing†¦ for atrociously presuming to be hungry’. This shows that on Oliver’s ninth birthday he was locked in the cupboard and was starved to death. The word ‘atrociously’ shows us that Mrs Mann was a Cruel and Wicked women. Dickens is using the technique sarcasm because to show that people were treated badly and they wanted children to die. This makes the reader think that children at that time where treated really badly and makes the reader feel sorry for them for what they are going through. Oliver was looked after by Mrs. Mann who wasn’t a good person because she didn’t look after the children properly, she didn’t feed them well. This is implied by ‘it’s very likely it will be troublesome. Give it a little gruel if it is . This quote shows us that Mrs. Mann didn’t care much about the children, she was spiteful and she couldn’t be bothered to look after the children properly, also she didn’t care if the child dies and also she’s a hypocrite. The words ‘troublesome and gruel ’ means if the child starts crying and gruel is a cheap porridge , this shows that if the child is crying just give them some gruel to make it shut up and the child won’t bother them again . Dickens is using the technique sarcasm because to show that children weren’t that important at that time. This makes a modern reader think that people didn’t care much about the child and makes the reader feel sorry for them. The conditions of the workhouse were very bad and dirty. This is implied ‘At last the got so wild and voracious with hunger†¦ He was afraid he might sometime happen to eat the boy who slept next to him. ’ This portrays that the conditions in the workhouse were terrible and filthy. The word â€Å"voracious â€Å"shows us that Oliver was really hungry, he didn’t get feed well. He is using the technique sarcasm because to show people how hungry y he was and that he could eat people next to him. As a reader, I feel extremely sorry for the children in the past because they didn’t get feed well and the people there were really hungry that they could eat another person and also people didn’t care about the children much but they should have cared and the children didn’t have a good life. The conditions of the workhouse were really bad because they make people cry and feel scared and make them feel uncomfortable. This is implied by ‘made him answer in a very low hesitating voice whereupon a gentleman in a white waistcoat said he was a fool. What capital way of raising spirits, putting him quite at ease. ’ This quote shows us that Oliver was scared of the men as it said he trembled and went on to answer in a low and hesitating voice. It also shows us that the gentleman are not nice to children they think that they don’t know anything . The word ‘trembled ‘shows us how frightened he was the fact that he trembles shows just how would approved to the board and how he was feeling inside. He is using the technique sarcasm because to show us how he was feeling, and how the gentleman treats the children there. I feel this is unacceptable because they are making the kid cry and also making them feel frightened for no reason and they shouldn’t be allowed to do that and also the children didn’t have anything good to wear except rags .

Antitrust Practices and Market Power Essay Example for Free

Antitrust Practices and Market Power Essay Apple was investigated, as well as several publishing companies for conspiring to keep e-book prices high. Amazon is the biggest retailer of e-books, and the publishing business has been thrown into chaos by the popularity of e-books. Publishing companies used the old publishing model of selling e-books like print books where the publisher sells the book to the retailer, like Amazon or Apple, at about half the price of the cover price and the retailer can sell the book at whatever price it chooses. (Chen Bosman, 2013) Apple entered into contracts with publishers that use an â€Å"agency model† to price e-books. This meant that publishers would set the price of e-books, and the retailer would get 30% of the sale price as profit. Apple also stipulated that publishers could not set a price lower than the price in Apple’s e-book store. (Chen Bosman, 2013) This action by Apple was investigated because the primary purpose of these contracts was to keep the e-book prices higher, and to reduce competition between booksellers. Amazon, the giant in the market, would not be able to compete on price, and e-books would cost consumers more. Identify some of the costs (pecuniary and nonpecuniary) associated with the antitrust behavior (firms having power in the market). Additionally, note the specific antitrust act (Sherman Act, Clayton Act, etc.) under which the violation was investigated. The pecuniary cost of the actions of Apple is that consumers will pay more money for books, and Apple, as well as other book sellers, will not have to compete on price with Amazon who dominates the market. This will cost Amazon, and booksellers and publishers may make more money at the expense of consumers. The non-pecuniary cost will be that books will not be as available at low prices to consumers who want them, but cannot afford the price. Price fixing is a violation of section 2 of the Clayton Act of 1914. This act prohibits price discrimination that is not based on cost differences that reduces competition. (McConnell, Brue, Flynn, 2012) Given your research and findings, are monopolies and oligopolies (firms demonstrating power) always bad for society? Be sure to provide real world examples of where this may be the case to strengthen your position. Provide at least one example of a case where having a monopoly or oligopoly may actually benefit the society. According to my research in this case, Amazon’s demonstration of oligopoly power is good for society because e-book prices are lower when Amazon tries to block other competitors from entering the e-book market, and more e-books are then available to the public. This is a good real-world example of the positive influence that an oligopoly can have for society, and an example of how regulation is needed, and anti-trust laws, when oligopolies use collusion to compete instead of letting the free-market operate. References Chen, B. X., Bosman, J. (2013, June 2). E-book antitrust trial of Apple to begin. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/ McConnell, C. R., Brue, S. L., Flynn, S. M. (2012). Economics (19th ed.). Retrieved from http://devry.vitalsource.com/#/books/0077587766/pages/50192724

Five Axioms of Urban Economics

Five Axioms of Urban Economics Economics is a science of scarcity and it is bound by rules and principles like other sciences. Arthur O’Sullivan’s five axioms of urban economics are the guiding principles for urban economic theory. In this essay, the author will define and discuss O’Sullivan’s five axioms of urban economics, and then explain the existence of cities utilizing the five axioms of urban economics. The Five Axioms of Urban Economics The first axiom of Urban Economics is stated as prices adjust to achieve locational equilibrium. What this axiom means is that prices change based on the desirability of the area until individuals no longer desire to leave their current occupied area of residence. Locational equilibrium is what keeps Dallas residents living in Dallas. South Dallas and Oak Cliff may be rough areas to live in, but property values are cheaper because of the perceived value of present characteristics of these areas. Down Town, Dallas is an expensive area in which to live, but wages are higher. Fewer people want to live Oak Cliff or South Dallas when compared to Downtown, so homes are priced lower in Oak Cliff or South Dallas than in Downtown. Prices for housing, land, and wages are always adjusting to make urban areas equally appealing. People will not place the same values on all cities equally, but with a multitude of cities and variance in individual circumstances, cities can reach equilibrium. The second axiom of Urban Economics is self-reinforcing effects generate extreme outcomes. This axiom means that if one type of person or group moves into an area, then that area will become more attractive to the same types of people or groups. Think about places around the Dallas area. Are there areas known for rich people the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area? What about trailer parks or areas specifically known for high poverty in North Texas are there any that come to mind? Is there any certain street where you might find a surplus of car dealerships, gas stations, or restaurants? These are all examples that could be considered extreme outcomes. These outcomes happen because of self-reinforcing effects, or changes that lead to similar changes. When a trailer park locates in a city, for example, the area right around that park becomes an excellent spot for a new trailer park, and this creates even more appeal for a third park, and so on. Soon the area has additional stores and services targeted at people living in trailer parks, adding to the appeal for future expansion. The same outcome is true for any group of people where there is a higher concentration or that group, such as African Americans concentrated in South Dallas. The third axiom is externalities cause inefficiency. An externality is a cost or benefit that is passed on to someone outside of a transaction. There are two types of externalities, positive and negative. A negative externality, or external cost, is an economic activity that imposes a negative effect on an unrelated third party (Urban Economics, 8E). A positive externality, or external benefit, is the positive effect an activity imposes on an unrelated third party (Urban Economics, 8E). For example, if a widget business expanded into a widget factory, then a negative externality of this expansion would be the increase in pollution that a factory would produce. Positive externalities of the expansion would be the improved effect in production of widgets through research and that the laborers’ work became easier and less dangerous. Both positive and negative externalities can occur on either the production or the consumption side (Urban Economics, 8E). Externalities cause ineffi ciency because they incentivize people to do too much or too little of something. The fourth axiom of Urban Economics is that production is subject to economies of scale. The higher the volume of production of a firm, the lower the production cost. If the firm makes only one widget it will incur the total cost of buying the needed supplies, research and development of making a widget, and time cost of producing the widget. The cost would be very high. If a widget factory made millions of widgets, it may receive cost reduction for buying supplies in bulk, and through higher production of widgets the production process could be streamlined and cut costs. By principle of scale of economy, the cost of making the millionth widget will be less than the cost of producing the first widget. The fifth and final axiom of Urban Economics is that competition generates zero economic profit (Urban Economics, 8E). Where there are profits, there are people interested in getting their share (Urban Economics, 8E). This axiom of urban economics says that in real life businesses try to maximize profits by trying to mimic ideal economic model conditions. Firms analyze where to derive profits and wherever profits are found, new businesses with lower prices drive down the prices and the profits for the industry. The result is efficient for consumers, who can buy what they want at optimal prices. Take our hypothetical scenario: you have complete working knowledge of the production of widgets, the market is profitable, and the starting capital was given to you. Therefore, you open your own widget making business. For most people, the answer is easy. Assuming all widgets are created equal, to be competitive in the market, you charge you lower price than your competitors charge. In the wi dget industry where price makes the difference, a competitor might respond by lowering their price as well. You would have no choice but to lower your prices again to remain competitive. Eventually, firms in the widget market will lower price levels to the point where there is no more profit and firms are only covering costs of production. Competition would have created a situation where there is no economic profit and no room for new firms to enter into the marketplace. Why Cities Exist According to the Axioms of Urban Economics Since modern society seems to focus on cities, it may seem strange to the modern Americans that cities actually are very young and a new idea in terms of history. Cities are where we work and live, cities host our governments, and cities are where firms choose to be to do their business. Urban Economics by Arthur OSullivan States cities exist because human technology has created systems of production and exchange that seem to defy the natural order†¦The transformation of a rural society into an urban one occurred because technological advances increased the agricultural surplus, increased the productivity of urban workers, and increased the efficiency of transportation and exchange (Urban Economics, 8E). Recently in history, society has shifted from an agricultural focus to a focus on industrialization. Obviously, we all could not live in cities or there would be no one to raise crops and ranch livestock. According to the first axiom of urbanization, a locational equilibrium has been established by making land cheaper in the country to offset the lower wages of farming and ranching so not everyone will move into the cities. Thus, land and housing would be more expensive the closer you come to the heart of a city to offset the high wages available in the urban setting. According to the second axiom of self-reinforcing effects generating extreme outcomes, industrial firms that produce industrial goods will centralize themselves in the city, and farms and ranches that produce agricultural goods will develop side by side in the countryside. The fifth axiom states that firms will develop near like firms and will do so until there is zero economic profit. This situation means that industrial firms will develop in the city and agricultural firms will develop in the countryside until there is no more profit to be made. The fourth axiom of the scaling effect would allow for specialization in both the countryside and the city. This would set up a comparative advanta ge economy between the countryside and the city where the city can trade their industrial goods for the agricultural goods of the countryside. Cities were born from efficiency, hard work, and ingenuity. Without inventions like the cotton gin or the tractor, Americans might still find themselves living on the farm today. Instead, only 5 percent of the population grows food that feeds the entire country with more to spare; and the rest of us work to produce something worthy of trading for that food or for some other good or service (Urban Economics, 8E). Therefore, cities exist because it is beneficial to produce what you specialize in and use trading firms to lower costs and trade with other cities and areas that may specialize in goods and services desired or needed. Second Essay Starts Marginal costs and benefits are utilized as a form of measurement of costs and benefits at a specific level of production and consumption.Everyday individuals, groups, and institutions make decisions based on our marginal evaluations of the alternatives. They do this by asking questions: â€Å"What will it cost to produce one more unit†, and â€Å"What benefit will be received by acquiring one more unit†? In this essay, the author will define and discuss marginal costs and benefits and their effect on market efficiency in the presence or absence of externalities. What Are Marginal Costs and Marginal Benefits? Marginal benefit is the gain you receive for doing anything one more time (Urban Economics, 8E). Marginal benefit is typically measured in terms of revenue or what price level the free market places on the next unit you produce (Urban Economics, 8E). Imagine you are the proud owner of a widget making shop, and you could sell an unlimited number of widgets for 10 dollars, then your marginal benefit for each additional widget you produced would be 10 dollars. Realistically though, there is a limit on the amount of any item you can sell at a given price. If your market is saturated, to sell another widget you may have to lower your price to 8 dollars. Therefore, your marginal benefit for the next widget you produce will be only 8 dollars. Consumers experience marginal benefits as well, but the value of these benefits are not generally measured by the measurement of revenue. If a customer, values a widget from your store at value laden 20 dollars, based on its perceived value and consumer satisfaction from a purchase of a widget from your shop, then they will buy one. However, once they have one, they will only consider buying a second widget at 20 dollars. If they buy a second widget from your shop, it is based solely on the value-laden perception that the widget’s benefit is worth the 20 dollars. If the consumers do not perceive that the widget has 20 dollars benefit or use, they will not purchase another widget at the 20-dollar price level. Therefore, if your shop wants the consumer to buy widgets, the owner must either lower the price or offer some other promotional benefit. Consumers marginal benefit is also referred to as marginal utility(Urban Economics, 8E). According to the law of diminishing marginal u tility, â€Å"as a person increases consumption of a product, while keeping consumption of other products constant, there is a decline in the marginal utility that person derives from consuming each additional unit of that product† (Urban Economics, 8E). As the marginal benefit for widgets declines among your customer base, so does the price they are willing to pay which in turn affects your marginal benefit as a widget producer. â€Å"Marginal cost is the total cost you incur to produce one more unit† (Urban Economics, 8E). Following the example from the previous paragraph, it is the cost to make one more widget. Since, marginal costs are measured by total cost divided by change in output, marginal cost declines as change in output increases (Urban Economics, 8E). The overhead costs of production gets spread out over the increased change units produced. At some point, though, marginal cost reaches full capacity, and if you want to increase production, you will have to buy more widget machines, hire more employees, keep longer hours, and eventually build another site of production. These changes will increase the total cost for making widgets, so your marginal cost will increase. Now marginal cost is going up while marginal revenue is declining, for reasons already discussed. This situation means you are making less profit for each widget. Market Efficiency without Externalities If there is competition in the market but no significant, the free market result is efficient and benefits both the producer and the buyer (Urban Economics, 8E). It may or may not be fair since it depends on the existing distribution of market ownership (Urban Economics, 8E). This efficiency is achieved because the maximized quantity of output produced by a perfectly competitive firm results in the equality between price and marginal cost (Urban Economics, 8E). The most optimized efficient market without externalities is Perfect completion market. Perfect competition Market is an idealized market structure that achieves an efficient allocation of resources. In the short and long run, this involves the equality between price and marginal cost (Urban Economics, 8E). Market Efficiency with Externalities An externality exists when a third party who is not directly involved in the buying or selling of the goods or service incurs a cost or benefit (Urban Economics, 8E). In other words, an externality arises when a third party to a transaction experiences addition costs which can be either negative or positive due to transactions between buyers and sellers(Urban Economics, 8E). Negative externalities occur when the consumption or production of a good causes a harmful effect to a third party (Urban Economics, 8E). For example, the pollution produced with a sports car, or traffic jams due large number of car owners. If a good has a negative externality, then the cost to society is greater than the cost consumer is paying for it (Urban Economics, 8E). A positive externality exists when the private benefit enjoyed from the production or consumption of goods and services are exceeded by the benefits as a whole to the society. In this scenario, a third party other than the buyer and seller will receive a benefit because of consuming the good (Urban Economics, 8E). An example of positive externalities is the increased value of the neighborhood when you refurbish the outside of your house. Externalities are not usually fully reflected in prices. Externalities are regarded as a form of market failure. The costs and benefits related to externalities are not typically included as part of the decision making process when making market decisions. Negative externalities because too many goods and services are being made available to the market and being consumed at ill efficient amounts (Urban Economics, 8E). Positive externalities cause too little of a good or services to be made available to the market which cause inefficacies in consumption of goods and services by consumers (Urban Economics, 8E). the price for the good and the quantity produced are lower than the market could bear. When positive externalities occur in a free market, consumers pay a lower price for goods and services and consume lesser quantity of those goods and services to socially efficient levels (Urban Economics, 8E). When negative externalities happen in a free market, producers do not pay the additional external costs that exist so the costs are passed on to society (Urban Economics, 8E). Thus, producers have lower marginal costs so more of the products and services are bought than the efficient amount (Urban Economics, 8E). In order to get consumers to consume more of goods and services that have been affected by a positive externality, a government subsidy can be given to the public (Urban Economics, 8E). The subsidy will increase the marginal benefit they receive when they consume the good. All those who receive the external benefits from the consumer goods (Urban Economics, 8E) can pay for the subsidy. The subsidy will increase the marginal benefit they receive when they consume the good and all those who receive benefits from the positive externalities (Urban Economics, 8E) can pay for the subsidy. Negative externalities result in a lower free-market output. In order to make the market produce the optimal amount, we must impose a government regulations or taxes. This is called internalizing the externality, and forces those involved to pay for the negative externalities (Urban Economics, 8E). In conclusion, through this essay the author has learned many things about regulated and unregulated markets. Both have their costs and benefits, and society should be very prudent when entering to the market place because not all the cost is seen.

Bound for Success? :: Journalism Journalistic Essays

Bound for Success? Boston is a city overrun with institutions of higher education. These universities and colleges dictate the way of life in their small areas of the city. But how do these multi-million-dollar universities help students in the area? Not the thousands of college students who flock to Boston for a pricey higher education, but the junior high and high school students who live in the shadows of these great universities? The colleges and universities of Boston are extremely diverse. They range from institutions such as Harvard and MIT, attracting attention from around the globe to the small area of Cambridge, Mass, to small colleges such as Simmons, a woman’s college, and Wentworth Institute of Technology, which tends to be primarily male. So do these universities, big and small, attempt to make higher education a likely possibility in the eyes of local city high school students whose families or financial status may be unfamiliar to the likes of major post secondary schools? Boston College, located in Newton six miles from downtown Boston is ranked 38th in U.S. News and World Report among national universities. Costing roughly $37,000 a year, the price alone is enough to dismay thousands of perspective students from attending the college. BC is located in a residential area surrounded by Boston public schools such as Brighton High School and West Roxbury High, to name a few. Do these students, some of whom come from low –income families, stand a chance of attending Boston College? In 1987 Boston College, in partnership with Boston public schools, started the College Bound program. Its mission is to help urban youth and their families aim to succeed in high school, higher education and beyond. Through mentoring, tutoring and exposure to a college environment, College Bound hopes to send Boston youth, who come from either Brighton or West Roxbury High, on to college. Eighty-five percent of college bound students will be first in their families to pursue a higher education. The program appears organized and on the website it states that all of its students (142 to date) graduate from high school and are admitted to colleges. However, the program requires a minimum G.P.A. of 3.0 in high school to participate. This rules out many students who may also dream of attending college, but haven’t acquired the skills to do better in school. A survey was conducted by Professor George Ladd, director of college bound, in order to assess Boston College’s contribution to the Boston public school system.

Alexander The Great Essay -- essays research papers

Alexander The Great was one of the greatest emperors and leaders of the world. In fact, he was the only emperor to be called, "The Great." He had studied under a great Greek Philosopher, Aristotle, who taught Alexander literature, science, medicine, philosophy and to speak and write well. Alexander was the son of Philip of Macedonia. Philip became king of Macedonia in 359 B.C., but died in 336 B.C. He left his kingdom to Alexander. Alexander ruled for only thirteen years but he succeeded far beyond what his father had planned. After his father's death in 336 B.C., Alexander became king of Macedonia. He strengthened his claim of king by quickly stopping revolts by Athens, which tried to break away from Macedonia, by destroying the city of Thebes, and by defeating neighboring lan...

Employee Motivation and Effective Job Performance Essay -- Positive, N

â€Å"It seems that the ethos of â€Å"shared sacrifice† evoked by this past generation has gone by the wayside. In place of the Greatest Generation, we are now in the midst of what might be termed the â€Å"greediest generation,† whose hallmark include an insatiable appetite for the trappings of status and wealth† (Monheit, 2010, p.272). Studies show how effective upbringing can influence the independence of an individual and the roles these characteristics play throughout adulthood (Lekes, Gingras, Phillippe, Koestner & Fang, 2009). In addition to providing structure, consistent rewards and punishments must exist to reinforce that behavior. These traits learned throughout adolescence are detrimental for managers in determining employee motivation methods and effective job performance. For thousands of years, humans have strived for independence. Moses’ people fleeing the Egyptians and Pilgrims escaping Europe’s religious persecution are examples of people seeking freedom from hostile conditions that dampened their free will. For these groups, independence was far from free, the journey was dangerous, but the reward was extraordinary. Their nobility and perseverance is what makes their actions so admirable and memorable hundreds and thousands of years later. Getting something for nothing has not always been the norm, but a learned trait conveyed for many generations. Parental involvement has been linked to a wide variety of outcomes including perceived competence and control according to a study performed by Farkas and Grolnick (2010, p.267). Parental supported child autonomy produce high levels of warmth and involvement along with providing structure, motivation, and persistence (Farkas and Grolnick, 2010, p.266). Structure enables children ... ...e kinds of sacrifices that are essential to promote the common good† (Monheit, 2010, p.272). Receipt of â€Å"something,† whether it be tangible goods or feedback, not contingent on a specific performance will decrease an individual’s motivation and satisfaction as well as future performance (Podaskoff, 2010, p.298). Parents’ influence on adolescents mold the characteristics and behaviors for adulthood. These learned traits are pertinent for managers seeking to validate and administer rewards to reach a specific outcome or goal. With consideration of personality response to feedback, one can determine how rewards not linked to performance can have little effect on the attitudes or behaviors of individuals (Podaskoff, 2010, p.299). People who get something for nothing, become good for nothing through unwarranted honors rewarding unsatisfactory behavior and performance.

A Reaction Paper to the Article “Versioning: a Smart Way to Sell Information” by Carl Shapiro and Hal Varian

â€Å"Information Technology is changing the way companies operate. † Porter, et al. discussed the value of information and how its acquisition, processing, and transmission brought different dimensions of pricing and cost reduction for buyers and sellers around the world. Because information is valuable, diversity in strategies were employed to outperform one business from another. Incorporating IT is not just one way but the best stratagem, so far. IT integration offers wider possibilities on how to facilitate information extensively. Much more opportunities arrived when the web, the greatest source for data transfer and possession began its service through internet. The use of internet has transformed the way information is to be manipulated, acquired, and transferred easily from one user to the next. This concept of transfer became the foundation of businesses to invest more on IT aiming on earning using information shift through the so-called versioning. Versioning is supposed to mean as an upgrade, or a reproduction of an improved copy of product/s. Like books, version or more known as edition defines how valuable a book is judging from reprints it has gone through and the copies sold out from every reprint; and normally the cost of the first edition varies from the value to the strength of requested copies demanded by the public. Digital information versioning however, does not confine to an upgrade only. Because internet has provided several sources of acquiring information, capitalists reengineered the idea of versioning by looking at digital information as valuable goods to sell electronically. The business logic of selling also would not just conform to traditional and manual sides, but also begun pursuing global scale to outrun competitors. This is where strategy comes in. To strategically sell information goods, you need to determine its economic valuable first. According to Shapiro, et al. , there is a distinctive cost structure that first copy is often expensive and subsequent copies become very cheap. We are talking about production costs here – the same perception taken from editions of books also. Because of this, the more information is reproduced, the lower the average of cost production. With the speed of internet aiding the transfer, variable cost of production disappears almost completely. (Shapiro, p 108) Incorporating business strategy has then changed the interpretation of versioning. The basis of its purpose revolves in the possibilities of revenues that it may bring forth to entrepreneurs selling these goods. Now, versioning has several intentions that feature how important information is being sought through the internet. With the correct pricing, customer’s ability to purchase software and downloadable data in the market is determined and assessed. Understanding Strategic Risks in Versioning: A Smarter Way to Sell Digital Goods The objective of versioning is to continuously present an upgrade or development of an earlier adaptation as perceived in the concept of technology innovation which is expounded in the time of its release and use, as presented by International Standard ISO 861. While technology advances, industrialists found a better way of expanding the purpose of versions also. Versioning becomes the idea of goods marketability in the internet. For example, free version is offered for try outs. Most net users are attracted by freeware. The range of website providers is getting larger to offer such promotions. The logic of free version is to offer a â€Å"taste† of the product being sold. These â€Å"teasers† are very common in antivirus software which provides just enough of main service of the item. However, they are also a prelude to buying the higher or upgrade version which provides full service of the merchandise at a certain price. Whether a user will purchase the item remains to be seen on how imperative it is for him to obtain it. AVG 2011 free edition, for instance is antivirus software that offers security components like resident shield, license, identity protection, anti-spyware, email scanner, anti-rootkit, link scanner, update manager, and PC analyzer. After downloading the free edition, the AVG dashboard or dialog box contains an ad pertaining to another type of AVG software that offers larger scope of protection, named AVG Internet Security 2011 and downloading it would mean urchasing at $54. 99 for 1-year subscription. AVG Internet Security 2011 also offers an unlimited and complete virus protection that includes faster scanning (meaning the free version is time-consuming? ), enhanced firewall and system tools support. Taking a tour at their website, another lead does not offer free edition but a regular price of the AVG antivirus at $34. 99, and several other offers like Home Security, Business Secu rity, and Trial versions. Versioning becomes a form of customer and information segmentation. It is easier to classify the customers who need information depending on the coverage (speed, quality, and technical services). The higher the quality and comprehensiveness of a software, the more expensive it becomes and the fewer the chances are of its availability of being downloaded, printed or copied, unless for a biddable price. And so the higher or lower the price a customer is willing to pay for getting the information, the best way of identifying bidder/customers’ â€Å"class†. Categorizing different types of user enable business owners to understand trends, forecast future version launches and expansions that include revenue projectile and cost calculations. Versioning is also business intelligence per se because it is a form of gathering information from customers who reveal how much they are willing to pay for information they sought. Business Intelligence is knowledge about customers, competitors, business partners, competitive environment and internal operations of the organization that gives the ability to make effective important and strategic business decisions. With the knowledge acquired from classes of versions and types of purchases a customer makes, a business can start raising or dropping prices consequently from the analysis that a â€Å"professional† or frequent computer user will value the latest upgrades more than a simple home user. Consequently, once a customer starts bidding or showing interest on a product or information, he/she also willingly gives personal data regarding his work, his contact info (email or phone numbers and sometimes even home addresses) as a form of registration. The truth is the customer’s data goes on into a database as company’s resource for forecast, future product offers and other customer related transactions. While this strategy is good, there is a downbeat side some organizations normally neglect to respond to. For some companies who do not play fair, moral principles are ignored. Whereas, business intelligence through versioning provides competitive edge to the company, the method of acquiring data from customers can sometimes cross the line. The transfer and receipt of information becomes the means of spreading spywares, malwares and adware that are damaging to users and other companies. Whether it may appear harmless to include spoofing (forging of the return address on an email), and key loggers (Trojan horse that records every keystroke and mouse click) as a means to understand their customers better, it is a malicious form of invasion of privacy of an individual – a crime that is also often not apprehended because of the broadness of the scope of the internet. Crossing the lines could lead to mistrust of customers and future clients further damaging the reputation of the establishment. Malwares that are incorporated to version download sometimes cannot be entirely blamed to the organization who seeks competitive advantage. Internet is full of hackers, either a participant of the rival or simply an individual who enjoys making pranks to others. An unprotected website can be easily hacked and integrate viruses to the system even with the assurance of the host’s protection. Ensuring that the website is protected from getting data stolen and damaged can preserve company integrity. Information goods sellers should also not traverse the code of ethics to gain competitive edge. While seemingly technology reacts positively to the interest of the business, businessmen must hang on to not just building trust with their customers but also protecting the trust given to them so as to build long-lasting customer relationships with them. On the other hand, versioning can either upgrade or downgrade the quality impression of information goods, too. While free version clicks in the market, there are risks on premium quality versions of information goods. Oestreicher-Singer, et al stated that technologically savvy customers especially the non ethical, support-independent advanced users) view digital goods as being of higher value, and possibly as better substitutes than physical goods subjecting digital goods to piracy and therefore affecting the demands of emerging ones. Piracy is the unauthorized reproduction of digital goods under copyright, infringing the holder’s exclusive privileges to his property. It happens â€Å"because the copy of a copy typically does not deteriorate in quality† and â€Å"copying products can become a wide-spread phenomenon – as illustrated by the surge of file-sharing networks. (Peitz, 2003) Piracy usually occurs because â€Å"users try to maximize their expected benefit (utility). † (Ozertan, 2008) Peitz, et al. further concluded that non-authorized copy may either leave the seller’s profit unchanged or reduce it, because of limited supplier’s monopoly to the goods. Then again, versioning with segmentation and monitoring can prevent it from happening by adopting copyright protection and employ resale rights (which offers restrictions on copies and reselling) for every version released. Espousing lower price for premium versions also decreases piracy because it curbs the edge of can’t-afford notion, therefore allowing the user to aim for the original rather than the pirated copy. In terms of free version, it can have unlimited reproduction since it does not restrict a user from copying and transferring it to another user; however in effect provides an excuse for a non ethical independent user to sell it to another user at a higher price and misleading it as a premium/professional version. This type of piracy often strikes on software copy sold as physical goods (CD,DVD copies). Information goods versioning, in order to work effectively should be implemented correctly and according to the output of the company. Variable costs may disappear completely (Shapiro, et al. ) upon the reproduction of copies by the seller, but neglecting the end-user assessment of product related to copyright concerns, piracy control, privacy policies and website security can turn these variable costs into steep costs during loss of goods monopoly, corrupted reputations from unsecured websites, and unethical business practices for incorporating malwares in selling information goods. Even if versioning poses great possibilities of gaining competitive advantage against rivalries, it also carries responsibilities and risks for the vendor during its application. Versioning may be a smarter way of selling online goods, but vendor should be smarter by focusing on the economic structure and welfare of digital goods first and understanding its trends and unpredictability caused by the constant technology enhancement. What might have worked 5 years earlier could not simply work today. Rather, there is a need to induce another strategy with a strategy to make it work, or replace it completely with another. To date, versioning still applies at present, however more techniques arrived in the picture such as viral marketing, affiliate programs, SEO, collaboration and virtual teams, etc that is in fact a result of studied digital goods selling methods years ago.

Kale in Kenya- Ag Issue 2012 Essay

Jonathan King Ag 101 September 16, 2012 Current Issues in Horticulture- Kale in Kenya I am going to go into the Horticultural field and one of the issues facing horticulture today is solving world hunger. Kenya is a nation that mostly lives in poverty, The United States and other countries are trying to help the Kenyan poverty problem by researching different food that can grow there along with trying to improve the food that they already have. A big crop in Kenya is kale because it costs so little to produce and the name sakuma wiki the Kenyan name for kale loosely translated means that it can sustain people throughout the week due to its extreme affordability, particularly for those who earn a dollar and below a day. The kale in Kenya is poor quality and it yields easily to diseases like black rot and leaf spot. Through a collaborative research project investigating the poor quality of kale seeds in parts of Kenya a team found that the best kale plants in Kenya originate from Kinale, a forested region north of Nairobi on the edge of the rift valley. The plants were then took to the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute and propagated to obtain clean, disease-free seed. Five lines of kale were developed and two of them did very well once the seed was tested in different parts. The propagated seed flowered later thus making the crop produce longer and had a better color with a sweeter flavored leaf. By using Horticulture the problem of hunger in Kenya is being addressed by diversifying kale to improve food and nutrition and to improve the economy by making a better plant that people would want to buy and eat.

Impact of Facebook Essay

The purpose of this paper is to introduce, discuss, and analyze the topic of social networking. Specifically it will discuss the impact of the social networking site Facebook on today’s society. Facebook has become a phenomenon for the social networking set, and what makes that so amazing is that Facebook did not even exist until 2004. Three college students created it to allow other students to network and meet each other, and it has caught on with young people around the globe. What impact does Facebook have on today’s technologically advanced society? It allows people who probably never would have met each other in person to communicate, it creates new relationships and friendships, and it places distance between people who could communicate in person but instead choose to communicate online, instead. It is just another element of society that is interested in sharing information with the intimacy of a close, personal relationship. see more:social network and our young generation Facebook is nothing more than a medium for communication, and yet, it is so much more than that. At a glance, a user can learn everything from what gender a Facebook member is, to what religion they believe in, what school they attend, and their likes and dislikes, all with the click of a mouse. One writer notes how popular the site has become in a short time. She writes, â€Å"When Facebook launched in February 2004, American college students seized the opportunity to have a new social medium† (Lingg, 2008). Today, millions of new visitors join the site every year, and people find relatives, old friends, new friends, and much more as they surf the entries of neighbors, acquaintances, and classmates. While many believe Facebook is a new, trendy idea, it is actually based on a Victorian university tradition, the â€Å"Freshman Facebook,† that introduced the incoming class to students through their photographs. A researcher notes, â€Å"Like its relative the yearbook, th e Facebook is a photographic document created by a community for the purpose of visually defining community life† (Miller, 2007). Many colleges and universities still utilize the Facebook, and the web site’s creators based their name and idea on that old college tradition, they just updated it for a younger, hipper, techie audience. However, compared to other social networking sites, like My Space, Facebook is far less chaotic, busy, and difficult to understand. The pages are neat, easy to navigate, and offer the information in an uncluttered, neat site that is pleasant to look at. Facebook’s effect on today’s society is not difficult to distinguish. Of  course, Facebook’s success has spawned numerous other sites geared to specific age groups and demographics. Another writer notes, â€Å"There are social networking sites for musicians, for mountain climbers, and for particular political persuasions. And with each site, a new community emerges that presumably satisfies the community needs that the members of such a site are looking for† (Fabian, 2008). Facebook has changed the way people communicate, connect with each other, and meet, and all of that is done virtually now, instead of in person. Users can share photos, buy and sell items, and spend hours online communicating with friends and acquaintances. It has changed the way people connect and communicate, but its affect on society goes far deeper than that, and it says something about our virtual society. Experts estimate that many people now spend at least 50 percent of their waking time online (Fabian, 2008). For many, a large part of this time is spent in social networking sites like Facebook. People give up huge parts of their privacy when they post their feelings, interests, and ideas online, and society seems to be becoming much more open to this lack of privacy, in fact, the users of Facebook seem to relish it, adding very personal items to their profiles that anyone who becomes their friend can view. This seems to say that our society is much more open now, and much more open to posting intimate information online, but it also is rather anonymous in a way, because users never see, meet, or touch the person they communicate with, and so, even though they know intimate details, they do not really know the person at all. Writer Fabian continues, â€Å"Facebook and My Space are virtual experiences. People are free to be someone they aren’t. Peer review doesn’t exist. You don’t literally touch anyone–not even by a smile, to say nothing of a handshake. No one is accountable to anyone else. And so forth† (Fabian, 2008). Thus, Facebook is kind of a â€Å"fantasy land† where people can make up anything they want to command attention, they can live an alternative life if they choose, and no one is the wiser. The fact that people accept these profiles at face value, and choose people as friends based on these profiles says a lot about our society. For all our worries about information and identity theft, people are still seemingly naive when it comes to sites like Facebook, where they post intimate details with no thoughts to the consequences. Facebook opens up other questions about today’s society, too. These young people who spend so much time online  networking are not networking in person. Will they develop the social and interpers onal skills necessary to compete in their chosen careers when they spend so much time alone, networking? Do they understand the realities of everyday life, and how the â€Å"real† world works, so they can function and be a part of it? Many experts believe not so much. Another writer states, â€Å"And yet, as a generation, Rose notes, many may not have much historical perspective, or understand how say, government or economic systems work (outside of those who learn details as part of a specific academic path), or get the fact that success for most people isn’t instant† (Bielski, 2007). Society is becoming increasingly fast paced, today’s young people expect everything to be delivered at the speed of the Internet, and sites like Facebook only enhance that feeling of instant gratification and success. In addition, Facebook poses another interesting aspect of today’s society – marketing. Many companies are realizing they have a captive audience on Facebook that spends a great amount of time there, and so, they market their businesses on Facebook. The Canadian Royal Bank is just one business cultivating college students on the site, so it is changing the way advertisers market their products online, and even changing the age range of ads online, as well. As more companies reach out to college students and others on social networking sites, advertising in print and television media may reduce or disappear, because advertisers want the most bang for their buck, and much of that audience is now spending increasing amounts of time online. There is also another great implication to today’s society when the membership of My Space and Facebook are compared. A Blogger discusses a white paper a friend of his has written regarding how social status is quite segmented between the two sites. He writes, â€Å"Which posits that well-to-do, stable American teens with ‘good prospects’ end up on Facebook, while poor, queer, marginal and non-white teens end up on My Space (even in the military, grunts are on My Space and officers are on Facebook)† (Doctorow, 2009). The implications for this separation in today’s society is staggering. In a time when it seems that the anonymity of the Internet would foster more coming together and breaking down cultural barriers, it seems that is not the case and the implications for society are clear – Facebook is not fostering change and acceptance, it is still fostering class and societal barriers that keep people apart instead of bringing them together. In conclusion, Facebook on the surface is a socially acceptable networking site for college students and others to connect, share experiences, and meet old friends. It does say some disturbing things about how our society views privacy, personal information, and how our society is adjusting to the age of technology, and it brings into question what a generation of Facebookers will deal with the challenges of the real world in person, like career, family, and success. Facebook is a popular phenomenon that attracts millions of users each year, and allows people to post profiles, communicate with others, and even locate old friends. It is extremely popular with college students, but it is used my any number of people for a variety of reasons. It has some serious implications for our society. People on Facebook rarely meet or interact in person, so they do not develop good interpersonal skills. They spend so much time online, giving out extremely personal and sensitive information, they may not be aware of some of the important aspects of society, such as the government and economics that they will need to understand to become successful in their careers. We use the Internet so much now that some users may expect all of life to respond as quickly as online sites like Facebook, and they may have trouble dealing with the realities of a career that takes time to establish and gain success. In addition, Facebook and other networking sites are helping to build barriers to commonality in society, something extremely disturbing and with long-term effects.

Customers bank Essay

For Businesses to survive they need to rely on customers buying their goods or services sales can also come from other businesses or members of the public. 1) Goods are what are sold to the customer . For example businesses like wholesalers and retailers sell goods. Goods are tangible things, they are used up. Goods are made up of materials like woods, food and cotton. 2) Services Services are sold also but are not tangible, you can’t see them. A service is a skill which is provided in order to help the customer or business. Services include National Health, Banking, Teaching and the police. 3) Business to business Businesses can offer their goods and service to other business. For example an airline company will purchase the services of a catering company. They do this so they don’t waste time making their own food. 4) Business to customer Business also sell goods and services to customers or individuals. For example banks offer their financial services to individuals who need loans or advice. Sales Documents 1) Order received ( see example 5) This document is produced by the supplier and is sent to the customer. This is used to conform with the customer what they have ordered. Details like the product description and how many they require are written down. 2) Sales Invoice (see Example 6) This document is sent to the customer to tell them how much they owe. Its similar to the purchase invoice and includes things like VAT and discounts. Also it includes the description of the product. The sales invoice is different because its’s only issued when a good has been delivered and has not paid for unless the customer has paid immediately. Delivery Note (see Example 7) A delivery note is given to the customer when the goods are delivered. The documents tells you what has been delivered and how many has been delivered. Also on it is the customers address so its similar to the goods received note. This document is a security measure so the right goods end up in the right place. The delivery note is given to the driver of the truck who deliver the goods and is then passed on to the customer. Sales Credit Note (see Example 8) This document is used by the customer in the event of an error in the supplied goods. For example if you bought a pair of shoes returned home and found a tear in them you can ask for a refund or accept a sales Credit Note. This would allow you to return to the shop in the future and exchange the note for a good or goods of the same value. The credit note is issued by the supplier and is sent to the customer. Statement of Account ( see Example 9) A statement of account is sent by a supplier to a customer. It states all transactions made in the month by the customer, any money outstanding, the total amount of money due on each invoice and the total balance which has to be paid. Remittance Advice (see Example 10) A remittance advice slip will often accompany the statement of account form. It is sent with cheque by the customer. This slip helps the supplier accurately process the payment when it is received. The supplier issues the remittance advice slip and the customer makes use of it by matching it with the invoice or statement of account and then sends it back with the cheque or other payment, this makes it easier for the supplier to match up cheque to invoices When you pay for something in cash you need some sort of proof you’re bought it. The proof you need is to collect a receipt. This is needed if you want to make a refund or if you want to exchange your product for something else. The receipt is written proof of your purchase and should include the following:- The date, Receipt number, Name of company, Description of the product, Amount paid (inc. VAT). A copy of the receipt is kept by the payee for their records and to provide evidence of VAT for recording purposes. Cheque (see Example 12) When you pay for something by cheque the cheque the cheque itself is a proof of purchase so a receipt is not needed. The cheque is similar to the receipt and will include the date and the amount. But the cheque also has the name of the person you are paying. The cheque will then be taken by that person to their bank to be cashed. A cheque is a receipt because when you pay by cheque shows up on your bank statement which acts as a receipt. Paying-in slips (see Example 13) Paying-in slips are used to put money into a bank account. This slip has a detachable section which is given with the cash and cheque the bank who place the money into the account. Left over is a section which is stamped to show that the money will be credited to our your account. On the slip is the amount deposited, the date and the name of the bank. Paying in slips vary from bank to bank. Banking statement (see Example 14 ) If you have a bank account you will also have a Bank statements. These are used to tell how much you have in your account, how much money you deposited and how much you have withdrawn and to see how much you invest you have earned It also tells you where and when you took your money out. Bank statements are basically used to keep track of your money. Cash is the most common way to pay. Its comes in two forms, coins and banknotes. In addition to this there are different note and coins which represent different amounts. Banknotes and coins can be copied or forged so it is wise to check the notes are genuine. Credit Card. Credit Card are alternatives to cash or cheques. They can be used at home and abroad wherever they are accepted. Instead of handing over cash or a transaction voucher by the customer. This voucher is then sent to the bank, who then sent the customer a statement saying hour much they owe. The statement usually takes a long time to arrive so the cardholder has time to come up with the money they owe. This is the interest free period, but interest is changed if the account is not cleared in that period. Debit Card A Debit Card is basically a cheque book and cheque card combined. At the point of purchase the money is debited from the customers bank account, after which a transaction voucher has to be signed by the customer so that company knows the right person has used the right card. Also so the company can keep a record of whom has shopped at their establishment. PC5 Importance of security It is very important that financial transactions are recorded clearly and accurately to protect them from theft, fraud and criminal damage . Security checks are there to prevent fraud, theft and to ensure high standards of honesty. By constantly checking records and by special equipment which can detect security checks.

Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Report - Essay Example SWAT and Porter analysis demonstrates that the strategy of development adopted by the company for the next two decades is fully in line with the key strengths, opportunities, and competitive forces the Corporation is likely to face in the future. The Port of Brisbane Corporation is a Government Owned Corporation that manages and controls the operations of the third busiest container port in Australia. First small exports through Brisbane were made during the early years of European settlement, and only in the second half of the 19th century it emerged as the main commercial centre in Australia. During only 35 years from 1850 to 1885 net tonnage through Brisbane grew from 8,128 tons to 690,883 ton. In 1888 the Port started to trade frozen beef adding it to the dominant exports of coal and rural products (POB 2007). World War II became the next major milestone in the Port's development. Disruption of normal maintenance dredging activities made the main channel's depths unsuitable for further exploitation by 1949. Construction of Cairncross Dockyard to meet the demand for ship repair facilities was only the first step in the long series of developments in the Port. As a result, total tonnage through the port reached 2.6 million ton in 1961 (POB 2007). The 1960s were marked by two other developments that had essential impact on further operation of the Port. Firstly, the discovery of the Moonie oil fields led to construction of two large refineries at the mouth of the Brisbane River. Secondly, the growth of containerized exports led to a modification in cargo handling technology: the Brisbane's first container terminal was constructed in the Hamilton Reach of the river in 1969 (POB 2007). The Port of Brisbane Corporation was established as a statutory authority in 1976. In 1994 it was corporatized under the Government Owned Corporation (GOC) Act 1993, and on the 1st of July this year the Port of Brisbane Corporation changed from a statutory to a company GOC, listed with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. Currently, the PBC is a publicly owned organization that operates on a commercial basis and in a competitive environment and manages Australia's fastest growing container port. The Corporation also leases and manages land for port-related purposes and maintains navigable access to the port for commercial shipping. Currently, the Port of Brisbane is the largest general cargo port in the region of Queensland. Annually, more than 2,600 ships exchange over 26 million tons of cargo over the Port's wharves. The exchange is expected to reach 50 million tons by 2025 (POB 2007). Factors of Success The progress made by the Port of Brisbane over less than a decade is impressive. Rapidly developing infrastructure of the Port provides effective transport networks, logistics options, and ensures convenient location of warehouses and other facilities. Currently, the Port's trade consists of a range of containerized, bulk and break-bulk cargoes: it leads the industry in beef and cotton exports holding approximately 50% of Australia's total market in this section (POB 2007). Financial