Impact upon the Merger Case between BRITIVIC and AG Barr Essay

Effect upon the Merger Case among BRITIVIC and AG Barr - Essay Example The fundamental point of this article is to break down the instance of the merger of Britvic as a procedure to rival Coca-Cola and the different issues that emerged post-merger. In the UK, carbonated soda pop market can be distinguished as close oligopolistic showcase structure as indicated by Shepherd’s arrangement of business sectors however lion's share overwhelmed by Coca-Cola with a 57% market. Britvic is one of Coca Cola’s rival in a place of the second greatest yet just with 14% piece of the overall industry. Confronted with the a lot more grounded advertise position of Coke Cola Company, in 2013, Britvic declared the expectation to converge with AG Barr, which has the third greatest piece of the pie by 4%, as one method of obtaining enough solidarity to rival the Soft Drinks Giant. Accordingly, the Office of Fair Trade declared the need to make a careful rivalry investigation for the two organizations to recognize the potential effects of the merger in the market. The merger between is a regular horizontals merger as the two organizations produce the homogenous item. As per Britvic, a merger will assist the organization with gaining enough ground to rival Coca-Cola which would diminish their strength since flat reconciliation in the business would have the critical effect after changing of the market structure. In the event that the imposing business model impact in the business can be declined because of two little piece of the overall industry prepared organizations joined to go up against the predominant organization, the shoppers will have a higher haggling power and may have the chance of buying soda pops at a less expensive cost. In any case, the Office of Fair Trade recognizes that the merger will bring about the arrangement of two goliaths, which will decrease finish and the danger of climbed costs after the merger.

The Importance of Drinking Water free essay sample

The Importance of Drinking Water It sounds so basic. H20 two sections hydrogen and one section oxygen. This substance is otherwise called water. Water is imperative to the mechanics of the human body. Water in the human body speak to around 50-60% of body weight in grown-ups and 75% of the body of an infant. The three focuses that we will take a gander at are: 1. What do we need water for? 2. How much water do we have to drink? 3. What occurs on the off chance that we don't drink enough water? Change: First, you will realize why our body needs this significant fluid. 1. What do we need water for? Water is fundamental for the entire body to work: Water controls internal heat level, greases up joints, eyes, nose and mouth, secures body organs and tissues, enables absorption, to forestall constipation,prevents urinary contaminations and bearer supplements and oxygen to cells. We need water for to keep the skin hydrated and our cerebrum attempting to its full limit. We will compose a custom paper test on The Importance of Drinking Water or on the other hand any comparative point explicitly for you Don't WasteYour Time Recruit WRITER Just 13.90/page Change: Now you know why our body needs water. Let’s proceed by talking about how much water we have to drink. 2. How much water do we have to drink? The body needs on normal three liters of fluid daily. Two liters of fluid ought to be comprised of water or different liquids, while one liter of water typically originates from the food that we eat. It is prescribed to drink from 6 to 8 glasses every day for grown-ups and 4 to 6 glasses for every day for Children. Progress: Now you know about how much water our body needs, yet what occurs on the off chance that we don’t drink enough water? Let’s proceed. 3. What occurs in the event that we don't drink enough water? On the off chance that we dont drink enough, drying out outcomes, would which be able to cause interminable illnesses, for example, kidney issues, heart issues or hypertension. The main indication of lack of hydration is the general inclination of being exceptionally parched. As the body keeps on losing water, our every day life can be influenced. The absence of water will influence the manner in which we work including our fixation. We can start to encounter exhaustion and general body shortcoming, the joints start to throb and we experience spasms and stoppage. Without water, we can get bleary eyed and get cerebral pains. Remotely, the skin loses it’s solid sparkle; hair and nails become delicate and drab. In the event that we dont drink enough water, lack of hydration can prompt progressively genuine ailment or demise. Change: We are currently mindful of the significance of drinking water and why our bodies need this crucial fluid. We know the measure of water that our body needs and the outcomes in the event that we don't drink enough water . Taking everything into account, the human body can't work without water, similarly as a vehicle can't run without gas and oil. Truth be told, all the cells and organ works that make up our body rely upon water for their working.

How to Conduct a Feasibility Study the Right Way

How to Conduct a Feasibility Study the Right Way All businesses have to critically examine the actions they take, whether the business is just starting out or has been in operation for a while. Establishing the viability of an idea or action can ultimately determine whether a business succeeds or not. The best tool for determining this is by conducting a feasibility study. © Shutterstock.com | Rawpixel.comIn this guide, we will examine what a feasibility study entails and when it should be used. We’ll then outline the five key elements of a feasibility study and provide you with six steps for conducting one within your organization. Lastly, youll see some examples of feasibility studies.WHAT IS A FEASIBILITY STUDY?A feasibility study is a study, which is performed by an organization in order to evaluate whether a specific action makes sense from an economic or operational standpoint. The objective of the study is to test the feasibility of a specific action and to determine and define any issues that would argue against this action.The question a feasibility study essentially tries to answer is: “Should we proceed with the specific action plan?” On top of determining whether the plan is viable, organizations can use a feasibility study for understanding the risks better and preparing for them.It’s important to remember that a feasibility study is not the same as a business plan. A business plan provides a planning function and defines the actions needed to take a business idea into reality, whereas a feasibility study provides an investigation into a specific function and whether it’s viable.While it’s important to conduct both plans before setting up a company, a business plan should only be conducted once the business has been deemed viable by a feasibility study.When should a feasibility study be used?While feasibility studies are typically conducted by business organizations, other organizations can naturally benefit from it as well. Since the study aims to discover whether an action is viable, it can help organizations to avoid costly or operationally exhausting ventures.The study is typically used in situations where an important strategic decision needs to be taken.This can vary and some of the example situations include:Change in business locationPurchase of new equipment or softwareAcquisition of another com panyHiring of additional employeesAs mentioned above, a feasibility study is often at the core of launching a business. It can be the key to launching a successful start-up, as it helps to underline the future pain points and to determine whether the plan is viable in the first place.Overall, a feasibility study is the perfect tool for situations where the impact is likely to be big in terms of operational or economic significance.David E. Gumpert nailed the essential importance of a feasibility study in his book How to Really Create a Successful Business Plan. When discussing the possible failure of a feasibility study (i.e. the negative result), Gumpert wrote, “Although [an unsuccessful feasibility study] may appear to be a failure, it’s not. The failure would have been if you had invested your own and others’ money and then lost it due to barriers you failed to research in advance.”Finally, you can watch the below video to understand the importance of a feasibility study for business success through a simple example: CORE ELEMENTS OF A FEASIBILITY STUDYYou’ll need to study the main elements when conducting a feasibility study. While these are often all required for conducting a study, you might sometimes focus mostly on a single element or a combination of a few of them.#1  Technical feasibilityThe first element deals with technical feasibility of the proposed action plan. If your organization is introducing a new product or a service, the technical feasibility study will determine if it’s a technically viable action.This part of the feasibility study should answer the following questions:What is the proposed product or service?Is the product or service already on sale? If not, how far is it from an existing marketplace and what will the introduction cost?How can you protect the product or service from the competition?What are the strengths of the product or service?What are the main benefits to customers or users?What resources are required for producing or providing it?How capable is the organization to acquire these resources?What are the regulatory standards surrounding the product or service and its use?Remember the above questions can be used when you are introducing a new product or launching a business, but also if you are implementing a new product or service within your organization. For instance, if you are introducing new software, you must understand the strengths of it, as well as the resources required for implementing it.#2  Market feasibilityThe second element focuses on testing the market for the proposed action or idea. It examines issues like whether the product or service can be sold at reasonable prices or if there’s a marketplace for it.Market feasibility should answer the following questions:What market segments are you targeting?Why would people buy the product or service?Who are the potential customers and how many of them are there?What are the buying patterns of these potential customers?How w ill you sell the product or service? Where?Who are your competitors? Including past, current and future competitors.What are the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors?What is your product or service’s competitive edge?The above essentially points out to the importance of conducting market research as part of your feasibility study. Market feasibility is an important part of a feasibility study when the plan of action deals with issues such as business expansion, new product or service launch, product development and starting up a business. #3  Commercial feasibilityCommercial feasibility is an element of the study focused on the probability of commercial success. It’s mainly focused on studying the new business or a new product or service, and whether your organization can create enough profit with it.The questions that require answering as part of the commercial feasibility study include:What are the strengths and weaknesses of your business?What are the potential sales volumes of the product or service?What is the pricing structure you’ll use?What are the sensitivity points for your business in terms of sales?What is the ROI?Furthermore, if you are conducting a feasibility study as part of launching a business, you also need to answer the following questions:How long can your business survive without a sale?How long before you break even with the product or service?How much money is required to start operating?Will your organization require external finance?While the above points are mainly important for new businesses, any organization can benefit from thinking about them when launching a new operation.For example, if you are adding a new product line to your business, you should use the above questions as a guide to understanding the implications to your other operations and the financial viability of the new product.#4 Overall risk assessmentThe fourth element focuses on the major risks the proposed plan can entail. The overall risk assessmen t part of a feasibility study examines the different ways your organization can reduce the risk of embarking on the new action.The overall risk assessment should answer the following questions:What are the major risks associated with the operation?What is the survival outlook for each of the above risks?How sensitive are the profits?What are the best ways to minimize these risks?The aim is to try to cover all the possibilities and create a risk assessment map, which deals with the probability of the risk and the impact it would have on the business. It’s aimed at recognizing the risks that can make or break your business from the smaller, more manageable risks.For instance, consider your business is conducting a feasibility study in order to hire a new employee. One risk might deal with the possibility the hire is an inadequate fit and leaves after six month trial period. But your risk assessment might show that while the risk of this is relatively high, the survivability of your business doesn’t depend on it. For example, the cost of a bad hire could be low due to your recruitment strategy or the position not being essential for operations.This is how you can create your own risk assessment map.[slideshare id=1707548doc=riskmanagementframework-090710200059-phpapp01w=640h=330]In addition, if you are launching a new business, the overall risk assessment should also consider one final question. Answering the question “When can your business be able to support you and itself without extra financing?” is an important part of a feasibility study. Self-sufficiency is crucial for business success, as having to borrow can hinder the long-term survivability of your business.#5 Feasibility of purchasing an existing businessThe final essential element of a feasibility study is not necessarily relevant to every business. Nonetheless, it is an important aspect to keep in mind, as it deals with the impact of acquiring a new business. This is not only relevant to new businesses, as your organization might acquire a new business as part of its growth strategy.The purpose of this final element is to study whether purchasing an existing business is a sound investment to make. It requires your organization to answer questions such as:Why is the current owner selling the business?What is the business’ performance? If it’s poor, what are the reasons behind it?What is the competition like?What is the valuation of the assets included in the sale?What are the advantages and disadvantages of the current business location? Is your organization continuing operations in the same premises or not? Why?STEPS TO CONDUCTING A FEASIBILITY STUDYNow that we’ve examined the different core elements of a feasibility study, we can look at the steps you need to take in order to conduct a feasibility study.Step 1: Conduct preliminary analysisA feasibility study can be a time-consuming process and it doesn’t come without its costs. It’s therefore auspicious to s tart by conducting preliminary analysis. This is essentially a pre-screening of the proposed action and it examines whether a proper feasibility assessment is worth the time and money.For example, before you conduct a feasibility study on the viability of acquiring a business, you want to check quickly the overall attainability of the action. If the acquisition is so risky that it could bankrupt your business, there’s no reason for conducting a proper feasibility study.Preliminary assessment should consist of the following steps:First, you want to outline the planned idea or action. This means looking at what you are looking to achieve and why.Second, you should examine the market space and the commercial viability of the action. You want to get an overall feel of what type of customers are you potentially attracting.Third, you should examine the unique characteristics of the idea and whether they are strength or a weakness. The idea or action might have certain unique characteris tics (i.e. location, price, usability) and these might help your organization.Fourth, you need to determine if there are insurmountable risks to the action. It’s essential to outline any risks that could possibly reduce the viability of the action or idea close to zero.Keep in mind the above is just to get an overall feel of the idea. You don’t need to conduct full market research at this point, but simply understand whether there’s any kind of space for the action within the market.If your preliminary analysis doesn’t find any insurmountable obstacles and the commercial viability is possibly there, you can continue with the proper feasibility study.Step 2: Outlining the project scope and conducting current analysisNext, you should move on to outlining the project scope by defining the area of study for the feasibility study. Do you need to look at all five elements of the study, for example?The scope must be detailed and outline the objectives of the feasibility study clear ly. It’s a good idea to examine the above five elements in terms of your action or idea and create an action plan for each section that applies to the project.It’s essential to study the different parts of your business that might be influenced by the proposed action or idea, even when you aren’t proposing something that impacts the whole business directly (i.e. launching a new product, acquiring a business or starting a business). Actions, such as hiring new personnel to a single department, can sometimes have an impact on sectors that might not immediately seem obvious.The key to outlining the scope is about understanding the different participants and end-users of the proposed idea or action. For instance, if you are moving the business to new premises, you have to understand the impact it’ll have on the workforce (change in commute can an impact on employee morale, etc.) and the customer (will all customers follow your business to a new location, etc.).Finally, you also need to analyze the current situation prior to the implementation of the idea or action. You can do so by describing the weaknesses and strengths of the business. Once you’ve done this, you can study the savings and the operational benefits you are hoping to achieve with the new proposal.Step 3: Comparing your proposal with existing products/servicesYou’ll also need to research the current competitive landscape in order to understand whether the proposed idea or action is viable. Whether you are implementing a new software or equipment or launching your own new product, you need to compare the proposed product or service with other similar items on the market.This might mean you need to compare the feasibility of your chosen software (for example, accounting platform) with other products on the market. What are the benefits of your proposed choice and what are the weaknesses? Are the risks associated with your chosen software smaller or bigger than those of competitive products? The same analysis applies when launching a new product. Part of your feasibility study must then focus on understanding what the customers are looking for and whether your proposed idea answers these needs. You should also compare the proposed product with the existing products or services and focus on the advantages, as well as disadvantages, you might have.Learn more about Porters five forces in this video. Step 4: Examining the market conditionsYou also need to examine the market conditions. There are four specific points when it comes to the analyzing market in terms of feasibility.Defining the target market.Studying the buying habits of the target market.Understanding the sale and market share outlook of the proposal.Outlining the product awareness required for the use of your product or service.The main goal of this part of the feasibility study is to understand the revenue projection for implementing the proposed idea or action. You want to have a realistic understanding of t he kind of sale numbers you can expect and the scope of the promotional activities you are required to undertake.For example, in terms of product or service awareness, you must be able to determine the type of marketing required for potential customers to understand and be able to use the item.Step 5: Understanding the financial costsOne of the most important steps for concluding a feasibility study involves calculating the financial costs related to the proposal. No matter what type of idea or action your organization is considering, the financial cost of it can be the major point in determining its viability.The first rule of any successful business is the need to have income or it goes bust. Therefore, any action your organization takes has to examine the impact it’ll have on the income and profit of the business.The financial costs associated with your proposed idea or action will naturally depend on the proposal. But you have to consider the following points in all instances: The resources required to implement the idea or action.The source for these resources: internal or external financing.The realistic benefits of the idea or action, whether it’s sales figures, boost in productivity, or a cut in operational costs.The break-even schedule for the proposal. This refers to the time it takes to a point when the profits from the idea or action equal the costs associated with it.The financial risks associated with the idea or action. This can refer to risky market conditions, the probability of requiring more resources and so on.The financial cost of failure. You also need to calculate the financial cost of the worst-case scenario. This can determine whether your business has the means of embarking on this new venture or not.The likelihood of having to use estimates in the above calculations is relatively high. It’s important to conduct proper research and to be as realistic with your figures as possible. After all, positive surprises (for example, excee ding sales figures) are not difficult to manage, unlike overly positive calculations that turn out wrong.Step 6: Reviewing and analysing dataFinally, you need to review your feasibility study carefully and examine the findings with time. A good rule of thumb is to simply take a step back and reflect on the research before jumping into conclusions.After your study, look around and consider the following questions:Are there any risks you weren’t aware of previously?Have the market conditions changed?Has the competition changed?Is your business situation still the same, in terms of operations and economic situation?If the conditions have changed, you can review these parts of the feasibility study. Once you’ve reviewed your results, you can go ahead with the final decision. The feasibility study should provide you the answer of either moving ahead with the proposed idea or action, or scrapping the idea and looking for something different.EXAMPLES OF FEASIBILITY STUDIESUse the follo wing examples as inspirations for your own feasibility study.Feasibility study for setting up a bakery.[slideshare id=28843825doc=feasibilitystudy-131203075213-phpapp02type=dw=640h=330]Feasibility study for setting up a water refilling station.[slideshare id=40064756doc=alphaedit-141009073249-conversion-gate02type=dw=640h=330]Feasibility study for setting up a poultry business.[slideshare id=41782939doc=feasibilitystudyaboutchicken-141119201619-conversion-gate02type=dw=640h=330]

An Introduction to Theater

How Gangs And Their Social Meshwork - 1661 Words

When examining and analyzing gangs and their social meshwork, it is without a doubt that gangs are seen by the majority as social pests in the community. As a whole, these numerous gangs throughout the country are more than just a bunch of criminals covered in tattoos, they are people, with feelings, who just need positivity in their lives. Most gang members, living in impoverish conditions, grew up in households were they were abused, unloved, and neglected. They grow up with no positive social support and become accustom to violence and negativity. More often than not, these children grow up in family’s were gang life is the only life they know, because their family members are gang members as well. They witness domestic abuse, and disarray, and a large majority grow up in households were a father figure is nowhere to be found. Mostly raised by single mothers, these children become hyper-masculine, and feel the need to make up for not having a father, and also because gang l ife is masculinized by violence and gang-banging. They come to believe that violence is normal and all of this creates a domino effect of involvement into gang life. With no social support, and no clear direction, children take it amongst themselves to find a connection with anyone willing to show them some sort of family structure. Impressionable children find themselves turning to gang life as a means to have that sense of family they never had. In a gang they feel that they are protected and feel in

Top Choices of What Is Paper Writing

Top Choices of What Is Paper Writing The Fight Against What Is Paper Writing Not all research paper writing services are the exact same, however, therefore it's important you don't simply pick the very first custom writing service firm that appears at the very top of your Google search query. Students utilizing a copywriting service must know about a couple things before employing a service. It's extremely important to read carefully essay services reviews, because you would like to steer clear of low excellent services. The writing service should additionally have a guarantee that all work is original and distinctive from many other content. A theatre term paper has to be written in an official style, in the very first person A short and intriguing title needs to be put on top, enables to deliver the entire significance of the expression paper issue. It's very easy to play around with basic needs of people and the way that they can be satisfied. The main reason is that s ome students have a difficult time seeking to format their papers according to a particular citation style, while some find it impossible to find the crucial sources or only lack the opportunity to make high-quality work. There's not anything wrong with changing your writing style and help it become more academic. Research paper writing is an enormous part of your academic requirements, which might snatch you of your opportunity to acquire your college diploma. Writing term papers isn't always as simple as it sounds. Just describe what you need and want your paper appears like and we'll fulfill your requirements easily. Term paper is just one of the most essential kinds of work you will face. If you order from us, you can find a draft of your paper to make certain your writer is heading in the correct direction. Some will have their writers disappear simply to appear with a minimal high quality paper too near the deadline or following the deadline. Our writers supply the complete selection of academic paper related services. Rumors, Deception and What Is Paper Writing Quite frequently, students do not understand how and where to begin writing. As a rule, they want to seem adult, though few of them can be really considered adult. One of the main reasons why they are constantly stressed out is that they always get too many writing assignments. Though many students need academic assistance, not all of these ask for it. The prices of our very best essay writing service aren't the highest and not the lowest on the marketplace. With the totally free revision option supplied for every one of the clients, you can have your paper revised and improved at zero price tag. So, you may rest assured your term paper service is going to be delivered by means of a pro. The majority of the essay writers online are scam artists who won't provide you value for your wealth. Want to Know More About What Is Paper Writing? All papers are delivered in time in compliance with the deadline you set. Do not be hesitant to get in touch with us every minute prior to your deadline is priceless. However tough your deadlines are, we will assist you. To put it differently, there's no such paper our writers couldn't handle well. When it has to do with writing, distinguishing top excellent work from poorly tackled writing challenges is far from a tough endeavor. You may also specify if you would really like a specific writer if you're a past customer who has built up a prosperous working relationship with one of our writers. You're in the proper place because our professionals are highly qualified to assist you with essay of any type. Only writers that are interested in your topic place will place a bid that will help you. Speaking of uniqueness, it's important to keep originality. As soon as you have chosen the topics, clarify for yourself whether you're able to write an excellent article to help people. You should select a topic you're interested in.

A Case Study of James Healthcare Centre - Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss abouta Case Study of James Healthcare Centre. Answer: Functional and Non-Functional Requirements Functional Requirements The functional requirements that have been identified for JHC's (James Healthcare Centre) new information system are listed as below: Electronic Medical Records (EMR): It is referred to the documentation that is associated with the data of patients to be stored in the information system. The information system will hold personal information of the patient along with the record of their treatment information. The tests, diagnosed diseases along with other information related to health conditions will be stored within the EMR. The storing of such information related to patients will facilitate monitoring of data over the time. This module in the system will help to keep track of the certain parameters on the health of a patient such as blood pressure at a regular interval. Database: The database acts as the backend platform for any system which is required for storage of information. The database for the new information system will comprise every record starting from EMR to payroll of the employee. There will be a centralized database associated with the system so that it can be accessed by the every user according to their predefined roles and authorization. There will be implementation of methods like verification and validation for checking the accuracy and reliability of the data that is being input prior to storing in the database. The encryption of the database is also required for increasing the security of the information residing in the database. Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS): It is referred to as the application that can be used to analyze data such that healthcare providers can make decisions. The decisions will relate to the clinical procedures that must be followed in context to the present health conditions of the patient. This module will be aggregated as a part of decision support system in the new information system. The existing employees such as nurses, physicians along with other healthcare professionals in JHC (James Healthcare Centre) will be able to utilize the CDSS so as to prepare a diagnosis and reviewing that for enhancing the required outcome. Different protocols will be used by CDSS for utilizing the data of patients with the help of an interface engine. The system will display only the information that is authorized according to the user access level. Data Mining: This is an essential concept related to big data sets or large databases in context to the any information system. The mining of data will be processed by information system of the organization so as to evaluate the medical history of patients and associated clinical research that is relevant for the present context. Data mining will be used by the organization for recognition of possible events ranging from symptoms identified for diseases to the application of medicinal drugs. Computerized physician order entry (CPOE): It is considered as the process for entering the order for medicines required by the medical professionals. The organization will be able to eliminate the issues that often occur due to unrecognizable handwriting. Billing: The system must be implemented with functionality such that it will automatically calculate the amount that have to be paid by the patient. There will be automatic generation of bill on behalf of the medicinal services provide to a patient as a discharge procedure. The bill will reflect the entire breakdown and the costs that have been incurred for each treatment process carried out on the patient. Tracking of Attendance: The system will also store the information related to attendance of the employees in the organization. The system must be able to display the stored information as per request of end-user to generate reports. Audit: The system must have the capability to perform audits based on the stored data and generation of audit reports in a well-designed and presentable format for stakeholders associated with the organization. The internal controls used for the development of the information system should be analyzed for creation of an audit planning and the responsibility, authority and accountability should be defined. The analysis of the risk also important and it should be divided into internet risk, control risk and detection risk. The audit is performed after establishment of the internal review and gathering evidence for supporting the findings in the audit. Payroll: The system must have the provision to process information related to the salary of staffs along with other expense and benefits offered by the organization. Appointment: The system should support the process of online appointment so that the patient can schedule their visit for medical checkup as per own convenience. Non-Functional Requirements The non-functional requirements that have been identified for JHC's (James Healthcare Centre) new information system are listed as below: Security: Security is an essential feature that have to be implemented in almost any information system to ensure safety of the stored data. In the new information system of JHC, there will be records on personal information of patients hence proper security measures have to be implemented. The system must be able to protect sensitive information from external threats or unauthorized access. The increase in the cyber-attacks have raised as a major concern related to information systems so the organization can implement third party security applications. There will be application of various protocols on the system of end-users for preventing exploitation attacks. Availability: This feature is significant in context to the new information system as there is a requirement that the system must be accessible 24x7 for business processes. The downtime of the system will result into disruption of all the business process that are running within the organization. There is a requirement to develop an IT team with specialized persons for maintaining the system and retain the functionality. Usability: It is referred to as the feature that will ensure suitable interaction of end users with the system. The system must be easily accessible and have an easy to use interface so that the users are able to easily operate the system. The system will display different interfaces for different users according to predefined roles and authorization level. The development team for the system will conduct feedback analysis by gathering data on the design of the user interface so as to make it simpler for the end users. Scalability: This term relates to the capability of the system in context to management of resources. The management of resources is an essential element for savings on cost incurred due to the information system. The system must be able to provide provisions for making decisions on how to reduce the utilization of resources for running the business processes. Identification of Use Cases and Use Case Diagram: It is also known as the behavior diagram and drawn after analyzing the set of action that the information system should perform in collaboration with the other users for meeting the requirement of the organization. It demonstrates the interaction between the actor and the cases. Domain Model Class Diagram: The above diagram is created by analyzing the classes and identification of its member, it acts as a static diagram for the development team for the identification of the structure of the hospital and relationship of the staffs, patients and the other members of the organization. Event Based Partition System: The above diagram is used in the development of the information system such that the designer and the analysts can find the functionality of the information system and develop the information accordingly. SDLC Phases: The functional requirement suggests that the information system required to be developed is complex and it has different subsystems within it. Hence to omit the complexity SDLC model should be equipped with the considered model is designed to handle complex projects. The model follows a realistic approach towards development of the information system. The agile methodology is selected for the development of the healthcare information system because the agile approach is highly flexible and it can adopt the changes in the information system during the phases of development. The model is also designed to encourage cross-training and team efforts. Non-functional requirement demands usability can be achieved by the partial work solution as it is beneficial in gathering end-users feedback (GUPTA LAXMI, 2015). When compared with other models, the subject requires lesser effort in planning the project hence, enabling the team (project) to manage the processes more accurately and comfortabl y. The agile model offers flexibility to the developers which is required in the considered project. Construction iterations, end game, pre-project planning, production, project initiation and retirement are the phases of the agile model. Insight into the phases mentioned above with consideration to the JHC system development are stated as follows: Pre-project Planning: Pre-project planning or iteration-1 consists of projects success, business process opportunities and feasibility assessment. JHC can build a better future for themselves by implementing IT infrastructure accurately and by enhancing the system processes as it already has a very well-built customer base. JHC can improve their customer satisfaction level as the system will be enabled with the capability of handling the request of the patients quickly and easily (Jamro, 2015). This phase will also assist the organization to build a further stronger customer base by attracting new customers. JHCs stakeholders are hoping for a better environment at the healthcare Centre where their requests process is quick, and the departmental communication is effective. Implementation of the information system is the most suited strategy for the subject of the paper in the current situation (Alshamrani Bahattab, 2015). Business process execution will also get cost-efficient after the implementation of the system. The goodwill of the organization will also get a boost after the implementation. The discussion above can be emphasized to state that implementing the system is viable for the subject when considered socially, economically and technologically. Project Initiation: The fund for the project will be sanctioned after a meeting between the project team manager and the sponsors along with the stakeholders of the firm. A detailed discussion of various factors involved in the project and the validity of the project will be done during the meeting. A decision on the members of the team will also be made by the manager (project) with Jack Carpenters involvement (Karim, Saba Albuolayan, 2017). After receiving the permission to proceed with the project Jayden Greig will be approached to develop the required environment and purchasing of the needed equipment. The project manager will be burdened with estimating the budget. Construction Iterations: The project team will develop high standard applications within this phase. Based on the working application, feedbacks from the end-users will be received. The next step will be to develop the application taking the basis of the data identified by the designers and the analysts. The system developers will pursue the development of the application (Sharma Misra, 2017). The application will receive an upgrade based on the feedback received and hence ensure the quality of the system. Excessive manner testing of the developed application will also be pursued in the ongoing phase. Emily Cox will head the evaluation process for the end-users feedbacks. Transition: Deployment of the project is done during this phase. After receiving all the feedback from the users that have been implemented in the system, the team will proceed with the final testing of the system. This phase also serves the purpose of end-users training and developing documents to assist the end-user in accessing the system (Summers, Joshi Morkos, 2014). The users are engaged in the testing phase and their feedback are documented for application of any improvement in the developed information system. Production: The purpose of this phase is to keep a check on the operations after the deployment of the system in the organization. If any error is found in the product it is resolved for increasing the security of the information system and deliver a quality software application. Retirement: This phases server the purpose of retiring the older systems and on occasions the operational system. At the retirement phase of the project the functionality and the features are analyzed for replacing it with a new information system. Bibliography Adams, K. (2015).Non-functional requirements in systems analysis and design(Vol. 28). Springer. Alshamrani, A., Bahattab, A. (2015). A comparison between three SDLC models waterfall model, spiral model, and Incremental/Iterative model.International Journal of Computer Science Issues (IJCSI),12(1), 106. Coronel, C., Morris, S. (2016).Database systems: design, implementation, management. Cengage Learning. Eckhardt, J., Vogelsang, A., Fernndez, D. M. (2016, May). Are" Non-functional" Requirements really Non-functional? An Investigation of Non-functional Requirements in Practice. InSoftware Engineering (ICSE), 2016 IEEE/ACM 38th International Conference on(pp. 832-842). IEEE. GUPTA, R. S., LAXMI, V. (2015). Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) Implementationin Information Technology Management.International Journal of Recent Advances in Information Technology Management,1(1). Hasan, M. M., Loucopoulos, P., Nikolaidou, M. (2014). Classification and qualitative analysis of non-functional requirements approaches. InEnterprise, Business-Process and Information Systems Modeling(pp. 348-362). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. Jamro, M. (2015). SysML Modeling of Functional and Non-functional Requirements for IEC 61131-3 Control Systems. InProgress in Automation, Robotics and Measuring Techniques(pp. 91-100). Springer International Publishing. Karim, N. S. A., Albuolayan, A., Saba, T., Rehman, A. (2016). The practice of secure software development in SDLC: an investigation through existing model and a case study.Security and Communication Networks,9(18), 5333-5345. Karim, N. S. A., Saba, T., Albuolayan, A. (2017). Analysis of software security model in scenario of Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC).Journal of Engineering Technology (ISSN: 0747-9964),6(2), 304-316. Khan, F., Jan, S. R., Tahir, M., Khan, S., Ullah, F. (2016). Survey: Dealing Non-Functional Requirements at Architecture Level.VFAST Transactions on Software Engineering,9(2), 7-13. Mc Hugh, M., McCaffery, F., Casey, V., Pikkarainen, M. (2017). Integrating agile practices with a medical device software development lifecycle. Rahman, M., Ripon, S. (2014). Elicitation and modeling non-functional requirements-a POS case study.arXiv preprint arXiv:1403.1936. Raturi, A., Penzenstadler, B., Tomlinson, B., Richardson, D. (2014, June). Developing a sustainability non-functional requirements framework. InProceedings of the 3rd International Workshop on Green and Sustainable Software(pp. 1-8). ACM. Sharma, A., Misra, P. K. (2017). Aspects of Enhancing Security in Software Development Life Cycle.Advances in Computational Sciences and Technology,10(2), 203-210. Silva, A., Pinheiro, P. R., Albuquerque, A., Barroso, J. (2016). Approach to Define a Non-Functional Requirements Elicitation Guide Using a Customer Language. InSEKE(pp. 575-578). Summers, J. D., Joshi, S., Morkos, B. (2014, August). Requirements evolution: Relating functional and non-functional requirement change on student project success. InInternational Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference.

The Winter Oak Yuri Nagibin Essay Example For Students

The Winter Oak Yuri Nagibin Essay What are the major themes of The Winter Oak and how does the author use the characters of Anna and Savushkin to develop these themes?There are four major themes in The Winter Oak. There is one obvious, very important theme, which is the huge contrast between both the settings and environments of the classroom and forest, and the ways the two main characters, Anna Vasilevna and Savushkin, behave in these places. Also, there is the theme of education, and how it continues from the classroom into the forest yet changes its ways. There is a less obvious political side to the story, where the classroom atmosphere and events stand for communism in Russia, the forests qualities point to freedom, and the winter oak is seen as a royal, godly protector and single ruler (this idea is very anti-communist). The final theme is one of the more important themes in the story, the role reversal of teacher Anna Vasilevna and pupil Savushkin, and the way Savushkin becomes more of a teacher in the forest. One of several contrasting factors in the story is the way Anna feels towards Savushkin, and how it changes. We will write a custom essay on The Winter Oak Yuri Nagibin specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now When Savushkin arrived late to that mornings English lesson, Anna questions Savushkins lateness, clearly not for the first time, only this time her question sounded plaintive, as if she felt saddened by his repeated lateness, and at how her efforts at changing him were failing. Later, Anna fails to understand Savushkins excitement when he calls out Winter oak, and she finds herself hiding her irritation with difficulty. This suggests she is finding Savushkins behaviour annoying, and she soon snaps and tells him to see her at break. To herself, she thinks him to be a difficult boy. Her attitude towards Savushkin soon changes in the forest. The first sign of Anna appreciating him is that upon being corrected by Savushkin about the current in the stream, she simply bit her tongue, instead of being annoyed at what she might earlier have interpreted as answering back. Her attitude towards Savushkin changes so significantly throughout the events in the forest that as she leaves, she is looking on him as the most amazing thing in all of the forest, a mysterious and wonderful future citizen. The great contrast between this point and the start of the story is there to emphasise the power the forest has on people. Another contrast is the way Annas behaviour differs in the schoolroom to that in the forest. She starts of the morning feeling very self-confident, thinking back on how she used to feel about teaching a lesson. The fact she smiled at this memory suggests she no longer fears her class. Her trail of thought after Savushkins late arrival makes her think of the shrivelled little old geography mistress, and how she had complained about how difficult the first lesson is. It made Anna feel self-assured that it wasnt that difficult for her. As well as confident, Anna Vasilevna also seems authorative and in control. When she said thats enough, the class had fallen silent, showing her power over the class. However, in the forest Anna behaves very differently. She allows herself to be led by Savushkin, and is more relaxed. Have you seen one? asked Anna Vasilevna excitedly. Her excitement was definitely not seen in the schoolroom. This excitement and loss of control increases and she gets enthralled by a creature in the snow. Annas authority can be seen to be lost when she timidly approaches the oak. Until this point she had been looking down on everything and everyone-they were inferior. Again, the forests effect can be seen.The banging of desk lids, squeaking of benches, and the sound of a heavy lorry with a trailer outside make for a noisy, packed atmosphere in the schoolroom. .ubfe53c725aa8f18f3980dbbef31333e8 , .ubfe53c725aa8f18f3980dbbef31333e8 .postImageUrl , .ubfe53c725aa8f18f3980dbbef31333e8 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ubfe53c725aa8f18f3980dbbef31333e8 , .ubfe53c725aa8f18f3980dbbef31333e8:hover , .ubfe53c725aa8f18f3980dbbef31333e8:visited , .ubfe53c725aa8f18f3980dbbef31333e8:active { border:0!important; } .ubfe53c725aa8f18f3980dbbef31333e8 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ubfe53c725aa8f18f3980dbbef31333e8 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ubfe53c725aa8f18f3980dbbef31333e8:active , .ubfe53c725aa8f18f3980dbbef31333e8:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ubfe53c725aa8f18f3980dbbef31333e8 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ubfe53c725aa8f18f3980dbbef31333e8 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ubfe53c725aa8f18f3980dbbef31333e8 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ubfe53c725aa8f18f3980dbbef31333e8 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ubfe53c725aa8f18f3980dbbef31333e8:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ubfe53c725aa8f18f3980dbbef31333e8 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ubfe53c725aa8f18f3980dbbef31333e8 .ubfe53c725aa8f18f3980dbbef31333e8-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ubfe53c725aa8f18f3980dbbef31333e8:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Indian Ethos and Values Essay There is a hint of tension when Anna says Thats enough, and Quiet. In contrast to that, the forest feels serene and tranquil: not a sound could be heard, even though there was the movement of birds above. It is described by the author as an enchanted world of peace and silence. This is a very strong sentence- the word enchanted gives

Beginning to Navigate Professor Ramos Blog

Beginning to Navigate Growing up, knowing how to drive has always been a huge responsibility in my eyes. As a little girl, I’ve always wanted to learn because driving could get you places in life and it gave you a type of freedom. Watching my older brother and his experiences in driving gave me motivation to want to learn already. I remember when my brother took his behind the wheel test he was nervous but ready. He passed his first time and that gave me a spark of inspiration to start reading the rules and signs of the road at an early age. I would tell my mom â€Å"I’m going to be ready for that test!† I dont know why I really thought my thirteen year old brain would be prepared for a permit test. My mom explained to me the process into getting my driver’s license and I also remember thinking to myself that it would be a piece of cake and I would have it as soon as possible. Of course though, I procrastinated and got my drivers license a couple of months after I turned eighteen. My older brother got his a month after he turned eighteen. I also procrastinated in studying for my permit test. I was taking practice tests and watching YouTube videos on the questions and answers in while waiting in line. At the time, I didn’t need to know how to drive, just the rules of the road. However, since I passed my permit test, I was able to drive with an adult with a license. In that case, I practiced driving with my mom or dad in the car. My mom expected a lot more from me than my dad did. She was harder on me and her tone of voice would become feisty. I get that she wanted me to take this seriously, she wanted me to be careful, and she didn’t want me to fuck up but I did not enjoy her teaching me. Not following the rules of the road could cause in me or another person being in an accident. She cared too much which isn’t always a bad thing but I wish she had understood that I was learning and was not familiar with some signs and rules. Also, it takes practice to accurately know how much you need to press on the brake and pedal. She always gave me shit for it because I sucked at braking. Learning to drive with my mom was tough love but I did get something from it. She constantly told me â€Å"You need to be careful when you drive because your life and someone else’s is at risk.†Ã‚   Driving with my dad on the other hand was better for my learning experience because he was calm and patient with me and demanding when he needed to be. We would practice in Mentone because the roads were pretty long, there werent many cars, no traffic and very few traffic lights. We mostly practiced on my turning and my parking. When parking, using your mirrors and knowing the dimension of the car was very important. Since I wasn’t used to using my mirrors, that took me the most practice.We drove around some neighborhoods and drove in the REV parking lot. We were driving around pretty slow and for a while in the same neighborhoods. I remember we parked in front of a nice house and this guy came out and was looking at our car so I took action and left. I remember my dad said â€Å"He probably thinks we’re planning to rob him.† but in spanish. He constantly reminded me to check my mirrors and look over my shoulders. Looking over my shoulders was something new to me , which is also known as checking your blind spot. This reduces the chance of hitting a car when I change lanes. Little by little I was progressing and we started going to where there was more cars. Of course I was nervous but since my dad understood what it felt like to be in my place, that was everything to me. It got easier to remember to start the car and check my mirrors. Every now and then I would drive with my mom but most of the time it was with my dad. Now, I just do it without even thinking about it. It just becomes a habit and a lot of drivers can relate to that too. I’ve always considered enrolling in driving school but it was expensive. My mom would always tell me â€Å"You should wait until you are old enough to receive your permit and then get your license at eighteen.† Even though I wish I had my driver’s license, it was nice to have a couple days left without making errands. Times I needed to have my driver’s license the most was when it would be time to get picked up from soccer practice. I played soccer for my highschool and I would feel embarrassed that I didn’t have my license. All the seniors and juniors had their license and â€Å"there I am† just another procrastinator. My friend Karina, who I was always with during soccer, also helped me with driving. She gave me advice on what to do when a certain situation happens and how to parallel park. She told me which DMVs were worth going and which weren’t. It was worth going to the DMV in Redlands rather than the one in Banning because in Ba nning, the streets were difficult to read. Karina said â€Å"You can’t see the lines for shit and the road is so bad.† Even though at the DMV in Redlands always has traffic, it’s better to go there. She had her license for a little over a year and most of my other friends didn’t so she was the go to person about driving anyways. When she told me about parallel parking, she said â€Å"You need to pull up next to the car that will be in front of you and constantly check your rear view mirrors. You need to turn the wheel all the way to the right, if you want to park on the right side, then start going in reverse and adjust whatever you need to start closing in.† She mentioned that it takes a lot of patience and that you need to know the dimension of the car. Exactly what my dad said. To know the dimensions of your car is important because that will help a lot with knowing how much space you have left. The people who have helped me played an important part in my learning experience. Everyday I’m thankful to be able to drive because it gets me to places and I will be able to teach and give advice to someone who needs it.

Critical Review and Future Action Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Critical Review and Future Action Plan - Essay Example Altogether it has 37 retail outlets in UK and online cross channel offering. The company has an annual turnover of $5.2 billion. Critics have given the credit of John Lewis persistent success to its distinctive business model and integrated multimedia retailing which has also enabled the organization to recognize its employees as the company partners. Currently John Lewis is successfully catering to the needs of its customers through its various retail outlets, inexorable pledge and focus on excellence. Ultimately the company has acquired a distinctive position in retail marketing through innovative ideas of reaching to their customers which ultimately leads to increased sales and augmented brand equity (Cisco, 2012). John Lewis welcomes all its customers and makes sure that everyone has an easy access to their products and services and all the customers are catered with equivalent level of services. Their multichannel retailing strategy includes shops, call centers, online shopping, mobile app and home delivery which indicate that their customers have an easy access to their goods and services.In addition to this John Lewis is offering multimedia and multi-platform purchasing experience which is quite evident from the fact that internet facility for customers is available in two-third of all its retail stores (John Lewis, 2013). Challenges of Multimedia Retailing At present the multimedia retailing is facing significant challenges in the corporate world related to brand management on micro and macro level. If we analyze it from a micro perspective then marketers are required to manage all the individual channels and the communication options to enhance their brand equity effect in addition to increasing sales.While on the other hand they also have to maintain indirect brand equity effects which are particularly connected with a specific channel or a communication option. At the macro level marketers are required to formulate and execute communication options a nd multimedia channels in a way that they enables synergy between sales and brand equity (Kevin Lane Keller, 2010). The brand as a whole comprises of four components with respect to multimedia retailing: Direct and interactive channels including mail, telephone, mobile, online shopping and company stores. Indirect channels including discount stores, departmental stores, superstores, catalogue showrooms, specialty stores, super markets and convenience stores. Personal communications include personal selling, word of mouth, direct marketing and interactive marketing. Mass communication includes advertising, sales promotions, public relations, events and experiences. At John Lewis marketers are required to develop clear understanding of all the retail channels and their integration in association with consumer behavior. In addition to this their job is to identify the related multimedia retailing components and to subsequently apply them so as to increase sales and brand equity (Kevin Lane Keller, 2010). It is a fact that in the past few years the concept of multimedia retailing has occupied strength and it is growing with an enormous speed while bringing scope, diversification and sophistication to the overall retail environment. However, research indicates that the consumer behavior regarding multimedia retailing is rather inadequate. The initial challenges faced by a marketer operating in such a retail environment are to

Read the garduition story and after that answer the 3 question of end Essay

Read the garduition story and after that answer the 3 question of end of the story - Essay Example Angelou surprises her reader by relating her thoughts during the course of the graduation ceremony. She explains how the white politician takes the stage and insults the students by implying that the only jobs for which blacks are suited is manual labor and sports. The most jarring moment for the reader occurs at the end of the essay when Angelou describes the class singing the Negro National Anthem as a form of protest. 2. The ancient tragedy Angelou is describing is the tragedy of the slave being sold on the dais during the time of slavery in America. Angelou depicts the disgrace of this event. Professor Parsons is on the stage, but just like the slave being sold at auction, â€Å"his eyes said he was no longer with us.† He is detaching himself from the situation just as his ancestors did. Angelou changes the tragedy by relieving the disgrace at the end of the ceremony. Instead of ending in tragedy as the sale of a slave does, the graduation ceremony ends with a note of hope. As Angelou states, â€Å"we were on top again.† 3. Like Angelou, I was involved in an event in school that I greatly anticipated. I was very active in the drama club in high school. We would always put on three plays a year, and each one was a production that took a tremendous amount of effort to create. The technical crew would spend hours after school making sure that the sound and lighting was perfectly timed. The art classes at school would help paint the sets, and various students would build different sets using the tools from the woodworking class. The mothers of all the drama club students would stitch the costumes. I was always a part of the cast, in minor roles and major roles. One year, we chose a particularly difficult production, Alice in Wonderland. The costumes were very elaborate and took months to create. Because of the psychedelic nature of the play, the sets required bright colors and

Exploitation of Workers in Developing Countries

Exploitation of Workers in Developing Countries Since the time, plans were being made to implement free trade we were guaranteed it would be a win/win situation.This was one of the very important step for the pioneering of Globalization. First world consumers, manufacturers,industrialists, farmers, laborers everyone would benefit. Not only the first world countries, the whole world would benefit. It would pull the developing world up because there would be plenty of good, well-paid jobs that would be created . When borders opened to the free flow of goods and services, consumers would have more variety, and at cheper prices. Even agricultural goods could move around the world to new markets, sluggish farm prices would also rise. The farmers in developing countries would now have new markets for their goods, and they would bow out of piteous poverty.It seems like the perfect idea and sounds great too, doesnt it? But like most things that sounded too good to be true, it quiet was. The American/British/European workers who had jobs that paid pretty well in the scheme of things found that their employers could clear up the factories and move to a country where the workers werent so well paid. A country where there are no tariffs, so goods could be shipped back into the First world countries and sold, often cheaper than when they were made in the rich countries. Not only was labor cheaper, but environmental laws were generally more lenient in, say, Mexico, India or China. The companies could use child labor too and there were no laws forcing a 40-hour workweek.Drive your workers to the point of exhaustion and pay them as little as possible. If they complain, replace them-This is the formula adopted by all the third world factory bosses for success. All the consumers care for is low prices from their favorite clothing stores and supermarkets. So is this what Globalization called for ? To exploit the labour in third would countries all for the benefit of the rich countries like America , Europe,etc.Consumers in th e first world countries found goods were economical when they were made overseas. The foreign workers did not have the high-paying jobs as promised. They had poverty-wage jobs and the sweatshop was back. They were under paid and working in poor conditions with masses of eager workers waiting in line for them to quit. My argument in the essay is How Globalization has resulted in Labour Exploitation and Child Labour in many third world countries. An International Confederation of Free Trade Unions report said, MULTINATIONAL corporations remained the main beneficiaries of globalisation as more than 1,3-billion people around the world lived on less than $1 a day.(Globalisation: the plight of billions stressed ,By Reneà © Grawitzky, Business Day, 30 March 2000) The widening inequalities should be addressed as part of a broader strategy by unions in dealing with the effects of globalisation. What does globalization mean to working people? Ask a member of UNITE and shell talk about the thousands of good paying jobs that were taken overseas. Talk to the young woman in Bangladesh who gets 20 cents for making a shirt that sells for $30 at The Gap. Ask the 14- to 16-year-old women in Central America who are forced to swallow birth control pills in front of their bosses so the company can keep them on the job, since it doesnt pay for health care. Ask the laid-off steelworker about the foreign imports, made by U.S. corporations abroad and exported to the U.S. because they make more profits. Or ask Iqbal Masih, the 12-year-old rug maker from Pakistan who was enslaved from age 4 and forced to learn a trade. (What globalization means to working people, John Gallo, Peoples Weekly World, 20 April 2002) .What is the reason for all this wretchedness ? Everywhere, the lives of working people are degenerating. If theyre not working from dawn to dusk,Slogging all day, for not enough to live on, they are made dispossessed and being bombed. Is it due to globalization, or greed, or laziness? Or is there something more fundamental, something less obvious, behind the worlds current problems.(What globalization means to working people, John Gallo, Peoples Weekly World, 20 April 2002). In the name of competition, employers try to produce cheaply in bulk and sell larger volumes. One way to put together cheaper labour and still make greater profits is by keeping salaries as low as possible -by any means necessary. Since all wealth is produced by human labor, the fruits of that labor, or value, go either to the workers or the owners. The less workers get, the more the owners get. That accounts for the long, brutal history workers have faced when trying to form unions or improve their livelihood. (What globalization means to working people, John Gallo, Peoples Weekly World, 20 April 2002) The third world Countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, India and Brazil have become more capitalized. The small farmers in these countries now work in factories and mills. They have become workers and in a number of ways find themselves similar to U.S. workers 70 years ago. As poor as they had been, these new workers now have less. They are concerned in trying to form unions to fight to improve their wages and working conditions.They are no more cut off in their country and continue to making ties of solidarity with their fellowmen all over the world. They are the workers who will change the face and the power of the working p eople in the world. Globalization has impulsed a number of interrelated concerns with respect to its social repercussions. The impact on labour employment, income distribution and labour standards are some of the issues included. Global competition has led to job losses or flexible job arrangements in many countries. Compared to the regular jobs these are often less secure and provide fewer social benefits. Economies all across the globe are more volatile now because of short term capital movements. This has resulted in severe economic and financial crises that further leads to unemployment and poverty. All these have created a sense of diffidence among workers and created resistance to globalization from various quarters. A well designed system for social protection is critical for long term growth prospects in open economies. The extent of social protection remains low in Asia, Africa and Latin America. In terms of social protection, there are increasingly unpredictable and fragmented employment relat ionships that lead to more and more workers not being covered by cash sickness benefits. There has been establishment of global labour standards by organizations like International Labour Organization (ILO) which work to promote rights at work, enhance social protection and encourage decent employment opportunities. But can these regulations actually improve lives of workers in LDCs? Will the anti sweatshop campaigns raise labour standards ? Will WTOs imposing trade sanctions on countries that violate standards actually help ? With economic globalization accelerating in the past few decades these questions have just got more complex and controversial. Trade and investments may not be the best way to pull up and help workers in poor countries. Labour standards and free trade are interdependent rather than competing ways to improve welfare. Unions based in first world countries play a eminent role in the dispute over globalization and labour standards whereas workers in LDCs are rarely heard from. The cause for this gap is that these poor countries, mainly those with non d emocratic governments, do not provide the necessary freedom of association or the legal protections for collective bargaining. If the workers from poor countries had been given little opportunities to protect their own interests and voice their concerns, there would be less need for activists from advanced countries to intercede on their behalf. International labour mobility has also increased due to globalization and the growing economic interdependence of states. This has also resulted in the deregulation and exploitation of labour migration. Even the migrant workmen are devoid of legal protection in the foreign countries. Even though many states have put down strict barriers on the legal entry of labour migrants, there are still a large number of irregular and illegal migrants working in low paid sectors lacking the benefits of a national worker. Most of todays migration presents characteristics that converge with concerns for labor migration policy. In short, most permanent immigrants and refugees as well as migrant workers seek remunerative activity, participate in the labor force, and face discrimination and xenophobia directed at foreigners in host countries. (Globalization, Labor and Migration :Protection is paramount, Patrick Taran Eduardo Geronimi , 22 november 2002) The LDCs face serious social and economic dislo cation associated with persistent poverty, growing unemployment, loss of traditional trading patterns, and what has been termed a growing crisis of economic security. (Globalization,Labor and Migration :Protection is paramount, Patrick Taran Eduardo Geronimi , 22 november 2002) The concerns will only increase because since 1975 the figures have only been doubling, from a 75 million in 1975 to 150 million in 2000, these figures represent the migrants living outside their home countries. The other issue in this article that needs to be focussed on is Child labour in light of Globalization. Apart from labour exploitation, Child labour is a serious concern for the consequence of Globalization. It is a grave and extensive problem in LDCs today. It was revealed in a very recent International Labour Organization (ILO) report (ILO, 2006) that approximately 166 million children in the age group of 5 14 years were classified as child laborers in 2004. That accounts for 14% of all children in that age group. These children are engaged in precarious work which adversely affects their growth, moral development and health. They are concentrated mainly in the developing countries. More than half of these children were from the Asian pacific region . The others being from Latin America and Sub saharan Africa.They work in the carpet marking factories, pornography, glass blowing, fireworks, prostitution,etc. Child labour came under the limelight in the 1990s when the campaigns were started by industrialized worlds on why such large number of children were working when they should be gaining knowledge. In November of 2000, ten children earning around $11 per month burned to death in a garment factory in Bangladesh. The exits from the factory were chained shut. Images of children chained into factories, sold as slaves, or forced into prostitution stain the popular imagination about child labor. Fortunately, while many children work in the developing world, relatively few experience such atrocities.(Globalization and the Economics of Child Labor, Eric V. Edmonds,n.d) Of course the world organizations like UNICEF, ILO and governments initiated policies to check child labour globally. But did it help enough is the big question ? Globalization increases employment opportunities specially in developing countries due to the rapid increase in foreign investment. This therefore surges the demand for local labour and higher wages. These changes in the developing economies springing from globalization could further lead to child labour due to earning opportunities. To illustrate how trade policy and globalization can have an affect on child labour, I would like to take Vietnam as an example on how its increase in the price of rice led to a decline in child labour. Vietnam restricted its exports of rice starting in 1989. These quotas suppressed the domestic price of rice. Between 1993 and 1997, Vietnam gradually relaxed this export quota so that by 1998, Vietnam was completely exposed to the international price of rice. During this period of liberalization, the price of rice increased by 30% relative to the rise in the consumer price index. Rice is an important commodity in Vietnam. It is the primary staple in the V ietnamese diet, the largest single component of household expenditure, and 70% of households produce rice. Moreover, in 1993, before the liberalization of rice prices in Vietnam, 26% of children between 6 and 15 worked in rice production in Vietnam, and rice production was far and away the largest employer of adults. Thus, rice price increases should affect both children and adults.The study finds that rice price increases can account for 45% of the overall decline in child labor that Vietnam experienced in the 1990s. This corresponds to approximately 1 million fewer working children in Vietnam. (Globalization and the Economics of Child Labor, Eric V. Edmonds ,n.d) In India child labour has become an accepted practice. It is believed to be a necessity to overcome poverty. The carpet industry, for example pays these children extremely low wages since adults refuse to do these jobs. Even MNCs exploit child labour in poor countries. Nike is accused of using child labour in countries like pakistan, india, bangladesh, china, etc. These children were all in the age group of 4-5 years. More than 200 children were involved in each production processes. The Nike soccer balls in Pakistan are accused to be stained with the harsh truth of child labour. More than half of the soccer ball production is done in Pakistan and every step of its production has child labour involved. So is a reputed company like Nike helping or exploiting these developing countries? In china, the members of a chinese minority group mainly young girls aged 15-18 were employed in the Longfa Shoe factory in the Guangdong province. Longfa Shoe factory supplies Nike , Inc. These compani es get down to the extent of illegally swapping IDs, making fake birth certificates, illegal migration, etc. Even the chocolate industry is accused of using child labour. In Cà ´te dIvoire,West Africa thousands of children are forced to labour in the production of cocoa. Even the well established companies like Puma, Wal-Mart, Hanes are believed to use child labour. Allegations were made against Harvest Rich factory in Bangladesh, which is a contract supplier to these US and European companies. Young children were found sewing clothes for these companies. There were at least 200 children involved, some as young as 11 years. These children work upto almost 12 hours a day. They were reported to be beaten, slapped and forced to work for 19-20 hours sometimes. They get horribly low wages which could be as low as 6.5 cents per hour. The Firestone Tire and Rubber Company is operating the worlds largest rubber plantation in Harbel, Liberia for the last 80 years. They exploit labour and al so use child labour. The rubber tappers are forced to bring their wives and children, they use toxic pesticides without protection. The children are forced to carry about 70-80 pound buckets of rubber on their shoulders for miles. These laborers live in shacks which exist since 1920s. All these cases, which are just a few to illustrate, include big companies from the developed countries who use child labour only to their benefits. Is this what globalization has called for?

Racism and Racial Profiling are Better than Political Correctness :: Sociology Racism Prejudice Essays

Racism and Racial Profiling are Preferred Over Political Correctness I am beginning to detest political correctness! Perhaps I just want to know how people really feel. It's not that negative opinions don't hurt - of course they do. But I would take a cross-burning-hate-spouting-hood-wearing Ku Klux Klan member over a person who thought the same things, but never dared to express those thoughts until sometime in the future when it could hurt me more (i.e. job hiring). At least with the KKK member, I know what I am getting. As a black female born and raised in the South, I have dealt with racism and discrimination all of my life. But I expected (or hoped for) a little more from our university. Yet what is the first thing that happens when I come to campus? The "ghetto party!" What followed were anger, discussions and learning. But was anything really learned? Every year, there is another incident of some kind: the "luau party," Jewish hate mail, vandalism on the door of Asian students, and most recently, the incident at the fraternity, just to name a few.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   So I have a new idea. If the university wants to strengthen community, it does not need to just have discussions where people learn what not to say or do. People need to feel the effects of their words and actions. So I propose we build a machine that transforms the "offender" into the "offended." Instead of hearing how their words and actions hurt someone else, let them walk in that person's shoes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Think you know someone who is racist? Put her in the machine and let her know how it feels to be a person of color for a lifetime. As part of the experience, she will be followed in stores as if she's about to steal something. As a child, instead of having teachers help her in school, they will write her off as a lost cause, label her a delinquent, or prematurely put her in a special education class. Or when she does not understand, people will act surprised and say, "Aren't all of you good in math?" When people insult her race, her objections will be judged as over-sensitivity (considered a common attribute of people like her). Her success will be seen as a threat to others. When she tries to show pride in or help others have pride in their race, she will be labeled

Learning Team Internal and External Factors Paper Essay

Amongst today’s societies The McDonalds Corporations is considered one of many; that has successfully in so many ways used a combination of various marketing strategies and skills to become a globally known successful origination. McDonalds a global business in most countries around the world can also face a lot of challenges and issues. The McDonalds Corporations has learned and brought about changes according to the needs of its consumers per hour and should always remain flexible to changes within the environment that deals with current customer trends, government and or legal restrictions, and the development of technology. The McDonalds Corporations technology structural and also its financial assets of the company are perfect marketing positions. McDonalds without a doubt is completely abundant with many aspects in structure, finance and of course technology. To help, identify and implement majority of these assets within the proper directions towards the improvement of the corporations would be all that is needed. The McDonalds Corporations overall is producing their main product, creating items within their own kitchen, and cooking on their own grills. This means the use of equipment, certain control devices, the regulation of temperature, the business point-of sales system, inventory process, financial and communication information are all linked into different technology that impacts the corporation. Now with public awareness of technology and cultures more people are starting to become a little more health conscious, and have access to finding out about certain quality ingredients, and knowing the lack of minerals that may have an overall negative impact on what all fast foods have done to those who consume them. Along with maximizing knowledge on internal and external factors this will have a large impact on the four major function of management within a corporation. The McDonalds Corporations has goals that are reflected in its mission statement to become for some customers a favorite place to eat. There are several internal and external factor’s McDonald’s faces in the decision they made to go Global. External f actors  for the decision to go Global include the following. 1.)The growing heath trends of consumers 2.)The ability to expand into new markets such as India and China 3.)The diversification and purchase of other fast food restaurants 4.)The global growth of the fast food industry 5.)Worldwide deregulation (Salem, Abdullah, 2009) These external factors impacted the four functions of management for McDonald’s managers, by forcing management to adjust the planning function and information to include a mission that was based on a global demand and competition. The organizing function of management with in McDonalds was also affected by the decision to go global. Management now has to organize information, people, and financial resources crossed countries and cultures to achieve one common goal. The function a leading for a management changed also. Now, styles and type of leading and motiving had to be localized and customized around the culture rather than one specialized way of doing things. Controlling or measuring achievements in with in the global industry also changed as franchisees are now faced with measuring success based on others in different markets. Internal factors also played a part in McDonald’s decision to go global and those factors have also affected the four functions of manageme nt for their managers. Some internal factors include: 1.)The desire for a strong brand name, image, and reputation 2.)A large market share 3.)The desire for a global presence 4.)A stronger financial performance and position 5.)Introduction of new products 6.)Customer focus (Salem, Abdullah, 2009) These internal factors also had an effect on the planning, organizing, leading, and controlling functions of management within McDonald’s. Competing in a Global market makes managers think, act, gather and process information on a larger scale to achieve a goal. Diversity The evolution of McDonald’s Corporation toward diversity as a business objective began in the late 1970’s, when the corporation officially  established an Affirmative Action Department, which today is known as the Diversity Initiative Department (Anonymous, 2005). Numerous factors can affect the four major functions of management; this section will focus on how diversity can affect planning, organizing, leading and controlling within the McDonalds Corporation. Diversity in the workplace is more than a person’s race or ethnic background it also includes personality, gender, education, position in the organization, etc. The major obstacle for McDonald’s management continues to be age, gender, ethnic background and education. Diversity management involves a three-stage process: (Tetteh, 2014) †¢Identification Stage †¢Implementation Stage †¢Maintenance Stage McDonald’s management must identify where the diversity mixture is and decided on the appropriate action to ensure workplace harmony and productivity. This will be accomplished through proper training and communication with all employees. Learning to effectively communicate with the various groups within each location will be very important to the success of the team within each restaurant. Implementing effective processes that ensure each diverse group is accommodated is crucial to the process. McDonalds as a corporation does a great job helping and engaging their management and employee’s to ensure proper implementation by offering education and career development seminars, various gender based seminars, second language courses etc. Maintain and improving these processes will ensure that McDonald’s stays current and relevant to the groups each manager has identified within their department. McDonald’s continually re-evaluates its initiatives to ensure they are in line with their business and current employee base. McDonalds ensures diversity is properly managed within their organization by including diversity in the business planning process. This allows the company and its managers to treat diversity as an initiative rather than a program; it’s naturally incorporated into the business plan (Anonymous, 2005). Ethics When it comes the Functions of Management, you must condsider which parts may be corrupted by ethical issues. Two areas that maybe prone to be affected  are the Leading and Organizing Funtions. In building a dynamic organization you must find a diverse group of people, with different ethical baskgrouds, to fill the different postions in it. You would also want to get them up to speed with you organizations ethical views. If you take a company like McDonald’s you can find out what they do to ensure this. Now McDonald’s is committed to conducting business ethically and in compliance with the letter and spirit of the law. This commitment is reflected in McDonald’s Values. Inherent in each value is our commitment to be ethical, truthful and dependable and this is reflected through their Standards of Business Conduct, which serves as a guide to making good decisions and conducting business ethically. Each year McDonald’s employees are required to re-certify that they have read and will abide by the standards that McDonalds has set through the Standards of Business Conduct. Employees complete regular training on the Standards, anti-bribery laws, and various other laws, regulations and company-specific policies. McDonald’s and its employees in all countries must comply with the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (â€Å"McDonalds: Standards Of Business Conduct For Employees†, n.d.). References Salem, F., Abdullah, M., (2009) McDonalds case study. http://www.scribd.com/doc/16050821/McDonalds-Case-Study McDonalds: Standards of Business Conduct for Employees. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/investors/corporate_governance/codes_of_conduct/standards_of_business_conduct.html Bateman, T. S., & Snell, S. A. (2011). Management: Leading & collaborating in a competitive world (9th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Anonymous, . (2005, November). Diversity at McDonald’s: A way of life. Nation’s Restaurant News, 1(), 92, 94-95 Tetteh, Vanessa A. (2014, January 1). Diversity in the Workplace. Research Starters, p. 1.

PC Industry in 2007 - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 9 Words: 2588 Downloads: 5 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category IT Essay Type Narrative essay Did you like this example? PC Industry in 2007 The personal computer (PC) market is bifurcated with the top four vendors HP, Dell, Acer and Lenovo commanding 50% of worldwide PC shipments. The next two biggest players Toshiba and Apple capture only 4.1% and 2.6% market share respectively. Using an average of the top four vendors financial performance as a proxy for the PC industry, ROA and ROS on aggregate is 6% and 5% respectively putting them in line and below the overall economic average. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "PC Industry in 2007" essay for you Create order An analysis of the industry forces according to Michael Porters model would indicate that value creation is hampered by high buyer power and high supplier power while value capture is often difficult given the high level of rivalry and the increasing commoditization of PCs. However, Apples line of Macs has been able to buck the trend of falling ASPs (average selling price has fallen 8% since 1999) and consistently been more profitable than its rivals earning 35% gross margins vs. 19% for Dell and 24% for HP. This intra-industry difference is due to consumers higher willingness to pay (almost 40% higher net sales per unit) as further discussed below as well as Apples strategy to not participate in the low-price volume segments of the PC industry. Apple Incs Competitive Advantage (i) Apple Design Apple has been well ahead of the curve from a design perspective, with the company placing a large emphasis on style as far back as the early 90s with the launch of the first generation iMac. Apple figures out what consumers will most want from the devices and engineers the devices to serve those wants and it does so reliably (Apple is well known for the reliability of its Mac OS and customer focus). HP and Dell have both undergone a â€Å"de-commoditization† strategy validating Apples decade long strategy although neither HP nor Dell has been as successful. As consumers gravitate towards notebooks from desktops, Apples design strategy will increasingly pay more dividends with consumers becoming more style conscious as devices become more portable. (ii) Ownership of Software Apples high quality bundled software creates a more inelastic demand for its hardware as those accustomed to Apples ease of use and interfaces are unlikely to purchase another PC when its time for an upgrade which creates a recurring hardware venue for Apple. This is unlike the Microsoft-based PC world, where similar experiences can be found across virtually all vendors. Apples proprietary software is a key differentiator as it is the only major hardware vendor that can provide a fully integrated solution to consumers. As users become more familiar with and accustomed to Apples software (such as Macintosh OS X and iTunes) and user interface, it increases customer loyalty making them less likely to switch to a Dell or HP. (iii) Product ecosystem The strength of Apple is its ability to create Apple-Centric ecosystem where all its products and functionalities are inter-connected. For example, the Mac operating system (OS) is not available on non-Apple PCs, and while iPods can connect to non-Apple PCs, the only software management option is Apples iTunes (i.e. iPods cannot synch with Windows Media Players and iTunes cannot synch with non-Apple mp3 players). Apple has further expanded this strategy into its distribution by launching a network of retail Apple stores that again promote the entire Apple user experience. This tactic of controlling the user experience from hardware design to software applications, services and point of purchase are keys to Apple distinguishing itself from its competitors. (iv) Apple Brand Apple has mastered the technique of using its brand as leverage into new consumer electronic markets witnessed by the interest that surrounds any potential new product launches and the hype is usually all positive. Apple does an outstanding job of integrating new products into the existing ecosystem, where Apple was once a computer company, the release of the iPod has expanded the company into media and entertainment, and the iPhone has done the same into mobile communications. This creates the so-called halo effect where consumers who try one Apple product become more likely to try another. The halo effect can have significant impact on Mac sales if purchases of other Apple products then try Macs instead of PCs. In summary, Apple has managed to buck many of the negative industry forces by positioning itself mostly in the consumer PC market and converging computing with entertainment and communications. Apples tight control of its value chain (hardware, software, applications an d retail distribution) differentiates its user experiences and its ecosystem approach raises the competitive/switch barriers allowing it to charge premium prices relative to the industry. Mac Share of World PC Market While easily forgotten today, with the successes of the iPod and iPhone, Apples history is deeply rooted in personal computers since the companys inception in the mid-1970s. In the 20-plus years since, the Mac has become an accepted member of the PC industry with strong appeal to educational and creative professional markets, but limited adoption in the broader PC market. The primary reason for Apples limited market share is its adherence to using Apple-only products, which limits interoperability with other software programs (although Macs have been able to run Microsoft Office beginning in 1997). However, in recent years, Apple has opened up with the compatibility of iPods and iTunes on Window-based devices and the availability of the Windows operating systems on Macs could be drivers for market share gain. A simple calculation shows that by gaining an additional 1% of the worlds PC market, Apple could add $1.3B to its operating margins (currently at $4.4B at the end of 2007). Industry Change Innovation drives market share in most industries and this is especially salient in the PC industry. Quite often the efforts have revolved around making computer components smaller but more powerful with the ultimate goal of making computing ubiquitous no matter where the user is. With the first PC displacing the â€Å"mini-computer† in the 80s, to the advent of the laptop and now netbooks gaining in popularity, computers marketed today are becoming more compact as soon as the technology and economics allows it. Going forward, the miniaturization and the eventual gutting out of the PC will continue first with more universal adoption of the smart-phone as its functionalities converge with those of the PCs, to the eventual migration of software and application online removing the need for processing and memory hardware that are currently used in PCs. Wireless as a computing platform and digital convergence Consumers bought 1.1 billion handsets in 2007 compared with 269 million PCs worldwide. While tradition wireless users have simply been utilizing their handsets for voice conversations or for SMS, a number of industry dynamics are coming together that have changed consumer usage of wireless handsets. The combination of advanced wireless handsets, advanced 3G and mobile WiFi and numerous mobile applications it allows significant opportunity for wireless and handset providers to drive mobile multimedia content. With decreasing cost of processing power, storage, display technology and battery technology handset, vendors are creating smart-phones that have the computing and storage power similar to a PC just a few short years ago. Additionally smart-phones are equipped with a substantially larger full color screens that enable far superior viewing characteristics relative to traditional wireless handsets. Although wireless networks are slower than many consumers may like, wireless carri ers across the world are upgrading their networks to 2.5G and 3G technologies that allows immense data transfer. A second cross current sweeping the industry is the increasing trend towards digital convergence (the ability to transfer all forms of digital content from the Internet, to home entertainment centers and to portable devices) culminating in cloud computing where all software and application are stored and accessed online. Customers will be willing to pay a premium for the benefit of seamless integration of various products, particularly as devices grow in complexity and the performance benefits become more pronounced. Can Apple shape the change The handset vendors are likely to be the biggest beneficiaries at the early stage of this architectural change similar to how PC vendors were the first obvious beneficiaries of the growth in the personal computing market. Early success stories created from this trend include RIM and Apple. In previous upgrade cycles, consumers chose their wireless phones primarily on the form-factor and price of a mobile handset, software applications and features although important were generally viewed as secondary functions that were nice to have but not critical to the purchase decision. Indifference was largely due to the lack of sophistication as mobile games were limited and music consisted of low quality ringtones. In todays market, the technological architecture underlying mobile handsets is finally catching up to meet the needs of more sophisticated software applications. Consumers and professionals alike can now browse the Internet, e-mail colleagues and friends, play the latest racing g ame and listen to music and watch video all from a single device and there is no device that does it better than the Apple iPhone. The iPhone has changed the dynamics of not only the smart-phone market but also the broader handset industry with its sleek design and intuitive user interface and excellent performance of its touch-screen software. The ability to effectively integrate software applications into mobile handsets in a manner that is intuitive to the end user will provide a critical factor and a huge value propositions for end users. Also while digital convergence is still in an emergent phase Apple is well positioned to capitalize on the trend. Apple already has a number of the pieces in place, including being the sole hardware vendor with a proprietary operating system (Mac OS X), market leading portable video device (iPod) as well as other nascent complementary product offerings (AppleTV). Apples digital environment sets the company apart from its competitors as it can provide hardware and software that is more seamlessly integrated. Apples iTunes will likely be at the epicentre of this convergence as it syncs multiple devices and holds access to Apples enormous customer base. Macs: Beginning of the end? (Maybe not) While the disruptive technologies borne out of smart phones and cloud computing has the potential to change the core assets of the PC industry, it does not necessarily mean PCs are destined for obsolescence at least not anytime soon and not in its entirety. However, it does mean innovation in the PC market that will capitalize on these trends. Apple has been a frontrunner with the release of the ultra subcompact MacBook Air that has minimal hardware requirements perfect for cloud computing as well as the iPhone which is fast becoming the industry standard for smart-phones. Furthermore, the continued proliferation of iPhones creates a ready-made installed base of new Apple consumers who could be converted to Mac purchasers in the short term. If Apple does meet its 10 million target in its first year of sales (highly likely given preliminary sales data) and making an assumption that of the 10 million 50% are non-Mac users, a 30% penetration of this non-Mac iPhone base would turn i nto 1.5 million additional number of Macs sold. Using the simple earnings accretion calculation as above this would lead to an incremental gain of $735 million in pretax income which would surely increase as iPhone adoption accelerates. Macs still drive revenue and GM Although the iPhone garners the most attention from investors and the media given the long term impact on the companys results, Macs continue to be the main growth driver at Apple. Macs still account for 43% of total sales and its gross margin is in line with corporate gross margin (both at 35%). Looking at its suite of products, iPod margins are below the corporate average (30-35%) and the iTunes business is a loss leader used as a reverse razor and blade strategy. While iPhone gross margins are the highest (around +45%) its revenue and margin contribution is minimal given iPhone sales is 1/10 that of Macs. Central to Apples ability to drive above industry growth comes from its reinvestment of â€Å"excess gross margin† into aggressively priced products and emergent technologies such as AppleTV so if Apple divested its PC unit, it would cut off a significant source of funding. In order to succumb the high initial cost curves associated with new product introductions Apple n eeds to retain the steady cash flows generated from Mac sales. Recommendations (i) Short term: Focus on core products Premium products = stable and attractive gross margins. The growth strategy for Macs should continue to be sell well designed and premium products that provide a great user experience. As a premium product provider, Apple maintains a healthy gross margin (30% +) and emphasizes high-quality product design over cost-saving measures. Apple has made necessary trade-offs by eschewing the low-end portion of the market and focuses only on the middle and high end segments. Geographically, Apples market share is strongest in North America. The company still has opportunity for further penetration within the US market and it should continue its retail strategy that broadens the availability of Mac products. However, the low hanging fruit over the next decade may lie in its under penetration in markets abroad offers a significant opportunity (such as non-Japan Asia and Latin America). A more aggressive push into international markets could be a source of growth primarily driven by high vol ume sales of core products (portable computers, desktops, iPod) supplemented by strong-selling new products (i.e. iPhone) which transition over time to become core products. (ii) Medium term: Continue to invest in software and application While Apple generates its earnings and cash flows from selling devices, the software and applications it builds for its devices are crucial. Specifically the unique features of the Mac OS, the simplicity of iTunes, and the innovation of the App Store are all part of what holds together the Apple ecosystem. iTunes is one of the key Apple products for driving the halo effect. It is the software that connects devices within the Apple ecosystem and by controlling software Apple is better able to integrate applications that matter most to its customers. By delivering added value and differentiating itself, Apple may be able to buck the overall decline in PC sales through market share gains. With the technology shift into cloud computing gaining traction and the high capital expenditure required for development, Apple would benefit from alliances with infrastructure cloud companies such as Cisco as well as on the application side with Microsoft and Google. Apple should learn from its mistakes in the early 1980s when it lost significant market share by closing its operating system to outsiders. (iii) Long term: Emphasize culture of risk taking To ensure that it continues to create innovative designs and content, Apple must emphasize its culture of risk taking and be unafraid of expanding new markets even at the risk of cannibalize existing products. While the PC accounts for more than 40% of current sales and overall industry PC sales growth still stand at low single digits, it is not unthinkable that smart-phones can ramp up faster than desktop connection as more users connect to the internet via their phones than the desktop PC within the next decade. The PC cycle is entering its mature phase while mobile computing is still in its early stages and Apple is currently leading the charge in mobile innovation. It must continue to develop its application ecosystem, push the envelope on RD, and enhance user experience even at the expense of cannibalizing PC sales because otherwise new entrants will. Apple has had a history of disrupting markets and creating new ones and this has to continue especially if it transforms itself to a consumer electronic company. Apple Mac Swot Analysis