TABLE OF CONTENTS HEADING PAGE NUMBER 1. Table Of Contents 1 2. Table

TABLE OF CONTENTS HEADING PAGE NUMBER 1. Table of Contents 1 2. Table of Illustrations 2 3. Introduction 3 4. Body of work 4 to 8 5. Conclusion 9 6. Illustrations 10 to 12 7. Bibliography 13 8. Glossary 14 to 16 9. Index 17 to 19 TABLE OF ILLUSTRATIONS HEADING PAGE NUMBER 1. Inside the Head 10 2. Inside the Brain 11 3. Areas and Jobs 12 INTRODUCTION NOTE: All words in bold print will be found in the glossary. The human body is divided into many different parts called organs. All of the parts are controlled by an organ called the brain, which is located in the head. The brain weighs about 2.75 pounds, and has a whitish-pink appearance. The brain is made up of many cells, and is the control ce ntre of the body. The brain flashes messages out to all the other parts of the body. The messages travel in very fine threads called nerves. The nerves and the brain make up a system somewhat like telephone poles carrying wires across the city. This is called the nervous system. The nerves in the body don't just send messages from the brain to the organs, but also send messages from the eyes, ears, skin and other organs back to your brain. Some nerves are linked directly to the brain. Others have to reach the brain through a sort of power line down the back, called the spinal cord. The brain and spinal cord make up the central nervous system. The brain doesn't just control your organs, but also can think and remember. That part of the brain is called the mind. PROTECTING THE BRAIN Twenty-eight bones make up the skull. Eight of these bones are interlocking plates. These plates form the cranium. The cranium provides maximum protection with minimum weight, the ideal com bination. The other twenty bones make up the face, jaw and other parts of the skull. Another way the brain keeps it self safe is by keeping itself in liquid. Nearly one fifth of the blood pumped by the heart is sent to the brain. The brain then sends the blood through an intricate network of blood vessels to where the blood is needed. Specialized blood vessels called choroid plexuses produce a protective cerebrospinal fluid. This fluid is what the brain literally floats in. A third protective measure taken by the brain is called the blood brain barrier. This barrier consists of a network of unique capillaries. These capillaries are filters for harmful chemicals carried by the blood, but do allow oxygen, water and glucose to enter the brain. THE DIFFERENT SECTIONS OF THE BRAIN The brain is divided into three main sections. The area at the front of the brain is the largest. Most of it is known as the cerebrum. It controls all of the movements that you have to think about, thought and memory. The cerebrum is split in two different sections, the right half and the left half. The outer layer of the cerebrum is called the cortex. It is mainly made up of cell bodies of neurons called grey matter. Most of the work the brain does is done in the cortex. It is very wrinkled and has many folds. The wrinkles and folds give the cortex a large surface area, even though it is squeezed up to fit in the skull. The extra surface area gives the cerebrum more area to work. Inside the cortex, the cerebrum is largely made up of white matter. White matter is tissue made only of nerve fibres. The middle region is deep inside the brain. It's chief purpose is to connect the front and the back of the brain together. It acts as a "switchboard", keeping the parts of your brain in touch with each other. The back area of the brain is divided into three different parts. The pons is a band of nerve fibres which link the back of the brain to the middle. The cerebellum sees to it that a ll the parts of your body work as a team. It also makes sure you keep your balance. The medulla is low down at the back of your head. It links the

Oedipus - The Tragic Hero Essays - Ancient Greek Theatre

Oedipus - The Tragic Hero Essays - Ancient Greek Theatre Oedipus - The Tragic Hero In the play Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, Oedipus is a classic tragic hero. According to Aristotle's definition, Oedipus is a tragic hero because he is a king whose life falls apart when he finds out his life story. There are a number of characteristics described by Aristotle that identify a tragic hero. For example, a tragic hero must cause his own downfall; his fate is not deserved, and his punishment exceeds the crime; he also must be of noble stature and have greatness. Oedipus is in love with his idealized self, but neither the grandiose nor the depressive Narcissus can really love himself (Miller 67). All of the above characteristics make Oedipus a tragic hero according to Aristotle's ideas about tragedy, and a narcissist. Using Oedipus as an ideal model, Aristotle says that a tragic hero must be an important or influential man who makes an error in judgment, and who must then suffer the consequences of his actions. Those actions are seen when Oedipus forces Teiresias to reveal his destiny and his father's name. When Teiresias tries to warn him by saying I say that you and your most dearly loved are wrapped together in a hideous sin, blind to the horror of it (Sophocles 428). Oedipus still does not care and proceeds with his questioning as if he did not understand what Teiresias was talking about. The tragic hero must learn a lesson from his errors in judgment and become an example to the audience of what happens when great men fall from their lofty social or political positions. According to Miller, a person who is great, who is admired everywhere, and needs this admiration to survive, has one of the extreme forms of narcissism, which is grandiosity. Grandiosity can be seen when a person admires himself, his qualities, such as beauty, cleverness, and talents, and his success and achievements greatly. If one of these happens to fail, then the catastrophe of a severe depression is near (Miller 34). Those actions happen when the Herdsman tells Oedipus who his mother is, and Oedipus replies Oh, oh, then everything has come out true. Light, I shall not look on you Again. I have been born where I should not be born, I have been married where I should not marry, I have killed whom I should not kill; now all is clear (Sophocles 1144). Oedipus's decision to pursue his questioning is wrong; his grandiosity blinded him and, therefore, his fate is not deserved, but it is far beyond his control. A prophecy is foretold to Laius, the father of Oedipus, that the destiny of Oedipus is a terrible one beyond his control. But when it is prophesized to Oedipus, he sets forth from the city of his foster parents in order to prevent this terrible fate from occurring. Oedipus's destiny is not deserved because he is being punished for his parent's actions. His birth parents seek the advice of the Delphi Oracle, who recommends that they should not have any children. When the boy is born, Laius is overcome with terror when he remembers the oracle. Oedipus is abandoned by his birth parents and is denied their love, which is what results in what Miller calls Depression as Denial of the Self. Depression results from a denial of one's own emotional reactions, and we cannot really love if we deny our truth, the truth about our parents and caregivers as, well as about ourselves (Miller 43). The birth of Oedipus presets his destiny to result in tragedy even though he is of noble birth. In tragedies, protagonists are usually of the nobility that makes their falls seem greater. Oedipus just happens to be born a prince, and he has saved a kingdom that is rightfully his from the Sphinx. His destiny is to be of noble stature from birth, which is denied to him by his parents, but given back by the Sphinx. His nobility deceived him as well as his reflection, since it shows only his perfect, wonderful face and not his inner world, his pain, his history (Miller 66). When he relies on his status, he is blind, not physically, but emotionally. He is

Birth Defects Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Birth Defects - Essay Example The paper aims at exploring some of the potent birth defects that are plaguing the mankind; probable causes behind these birth defects and the measures that can be applied to prevent the birth defects in newborns. Current Scenario in the UK Smith (2011) argues that one in 80 babies suffers some kind of a birth defect in the UK such as Down's syndrome or neural tube defects such as spina bifida or congenital heart disease. The surprising part is that the proportion of birth defects in the newborns has almost doubled from the previous estimate. The rise in numbers is purely attributed to a better data collection system and nothing else. In 2009, there were, as per the researchers’ estimate, 14,500 babies with some sort of birth defects in England and Wales. By the way, London had the highest cases of Down's syndrome (34 per 10,000 children) then among major towns. Heart disorder is found to be the most common birth defect among the newborns in the UK needing surgery. At least si x percent of newborns with heart disease are not likely to survive. Spina bifida or neural tube defects are found in at least one in 1,000 babies and doctors say that the birth defects could have been simply prevented if mothers were given folic acid in adequate quantity during pregnancy. Similarly, cleft lip or palate is found to be in 15.2 babies per 10,000; Edwards’ syndrome in seven per 10,000 and Patau’s syndrome in two per 10,000 babies of England and Wales. At least, 50 percent of the defects were detected during pregnancy itself. It is noteworthy that numbers of birth defects due to Down's syndrome are increasing perhaps due to pregnancy incidents at higher age (Smith, 2011). Birth Defects due to External Agents Chiras (2012) emphasises that most birth defects are caused due to some sort of chemical, physical or biological agents. Dietary deficiency of folic acid also plays a pivotal role in birth defects. The time of exposure to any of these agents play a cruc ial role in causing a birth-defect. Organ systems are the most affected parts due to the exposure to any of harmful agent. The central nervous system is more at risk because it starts developing during the third week of pregnancy – a time when woman is not even aware that she is pregnant. Women in the habit of consuming alcohol or drugs are most likely to harm central nervous system, heart, limbs and eyes of the baby as these organs start developing as early as third week of pregnancy. Birth Defect Classifications Broadly, birth defects can be classified into two kinds: Functional and Structural. Functional birth defect relates with the abnormal functioning of some body part. Mental retardation, learning disabilities, speech difficulties are the brain defects that indicate about the functional impairment. Examples of birth defects pertaining to nervous system include Down’s syndrome, autism, and Fragile X syndrome. Metabolic disorders such as phynylketonuria (PKU) or h ypothyroidism are examples of functional disorder. Cleft lip or palate, spina bifida are the examples of Structural birth defects. Missing heart valve, abnormal limbs such as a club foot also fall in this category. Some of the birth defects that follow will explain how they impair body’s normal functioning and learning abilities. Down’s syndrome Down's syndrome is a congenital disorder impacting physical and mental growth of the child. The children with Down's syndrome are also found to be impacted with high incidence of heart disease, hearing or vision issues, Alzheimer's disease. Down's syndrome is found more in boys (by 15%) than girls. More incidences of Down' syndrome is noticed at the places where mothers give births at higher age. Mother with age 45 or above carries the

BYD Company analyse Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

BYD Company analyse - Essay Example Furthermore, the organisation has also marked its presence in the automobile industry during the year 2003 and since, then this Strategic Business Unit (SBU) has witnessed a robust growth. In the current day context, the organisation has also earned the reputation of being the fastest growing automobile organisation during the last few years. It also has been the global pioneer in manufacturing energy vehicles, which includes pure electric models and Dual Mode electric models (BYD Company Limited 2015). In is also worth mentioning that the organisational growth is largely because of the development of Research and Development (R&D) team of the organisation. The R&D team of the organisation has largely contributed in the development of energy storage system, LED lighting, and solar energy products, amongst others (BYD Company Limited 2015). Contextually, the objective of the current study is to prepare a business report that would guide the organisation in effective expansion in the c ontinent of Europe by targeting the car market operating in Germany. Analysis of the macro and microenvironment of European hybrid-car industry is extremely important for the current study. However, in the study special emphasis is provided to the German market. In order to conduct effective environment analysis, PESTEL and Porter’s Five Forces analysis are considered most suitable to increase the transparency and ensure effective development. Therefore, the underlying subheads address the analyses of the external as well as internal environment using these marketing tools. Alike most of the nations in Europe, Germany is also a democratic nation. It is notable that the political environment of Germany along with other nations of Europe is mostly stable. This considerably encourages investors from different nations to invest in European nations including Germany (Jerez-Mir and Vazquez 2009). Besides these, it is notable that the governments of

Give a rationale for the desin of a retail organisation based on Essay

Give a rationale for the desin of a retail organisation based on marketing principles - Essay Example El Corte Ingles, a retail outlet based in Spain, expanded into Portugal and other EU countries, and signed two home-shopping channels in Spain, besides having introduced the first virtual hypermarket on the Web for that country. Sainsbury, a UK major, entered into alliance with Esselunga of Italy, Docks d’ France and Belgium’s Delhaize. This alliance provided the four companies the â€Å"opportunity to pool their experience and buying power to expand into other European markets and face growing competition† (p.415). The design of a retail organisation entails answering some critical questions regarding customers, competition, suppliers, intermediaries, and stakeholders. A marketing plan-of-action would be the perfect, simplified nuts-and-bolts assessment to leverage an effective strategy. Here, we provide a detailed assessment on what the marketing audit for a Retail design may look like : It is important to classify your customer into demographic groups for the convenience of focused marketing efforts. The main categories being: Age, Sex, Ethnicity, Language, Income-level, Education, Occupation, Material possessions, etc. Most data can be garnered from Census agencies and Market Research firms. Here, the objective is to run deeper into the lifestyle and behavioural pattern of targeted buyers. People have different tastes, prejudices and inclinations towards purchase decisions. The marketer’s efforts should be directed at understanding the â€Å"pulse† of the customer. Amway, e.g., has different strategies for different world markets. In much of Latin America and Asia, for instance, it pushes for direct marketing. In Eastern Europe though,

Collaborative Planning Forecasting And Replenishment Commerce Essay

Collaborative Planning Forecasting And Replenishment Commerce Essay Consider a company XYZ which produces various automotive parts. One such part is ABC, for which there is a rise in inventory level. The marketing team decides to launch a promotional campaign to boost the sales and ABC and curtail this rising inventory level. This promotional campaign was a great success and there was an increase in the sales of product ABC. The production department noticed this rise in sales of product ABC and they started producing more of ABC in anticipation of rising demand. This again resulted in an increase in inventory level (negated the entire motive of the campaign). This is a perfect example of the importance of information sharing (collaboration and Communication). A similar kind of issue occurs, when we do not share information in a supply Chain, resulting in Bullwhip Effect. In an organization, if different departments have different owners with different views and goals, they all try to maximize their individual profits. In the path of achieving this, they get deviated from their common goal of maximizing the overall profit of the entire Supply Chain. This deviation from the true goal leads to lack of coordination Inappropriate flow of information Due to incomplete sharing of information between stages (inter-organization and intra-organization), information is distorted. Today, for a given organization, there are a thousand of products. This increase in variety of products makes it next to impossible for the companies to exchange all information among all its suppliers Such inappropriate flow of information results in BULLWHIP effect. Here, fluctuations in orders increase as we move up the supply chain from consumer to retailer to wholesalers to manufacturers. Proctor and Gamble was the first to observe the bullwhip effect in its supply chain for Pampers diapers. They found that the raw material replenishment order at the supplier side had huge fluctuations as compared to fluctuation in demand at retail stores. Same way, HP also found that the fluctuations varied significantly with being very little at resellers point and increasing as moving up in the chain towards integrated circuit division (ICD). Here also, while the variation in product demands were very little, replenishment orders placed with ICD saw much more variability. A similar phenomenon can be seen in apparel and grocery industry. Lack of Coordination and its effects on Performance The Bullwhip effect A supply chain is said to be lacking in coordination if each stage (level) is concerned about optimization of its own objective. In doing so, various individual entities get deviated from a common objective or organizational goal to satisfy consumers by satisfying their needs and there by generating maximum profit for the organization. Information distortion is also one of the causes of Lack of Coordination, as in the case of diaper supply chain of PG. Areas affected by Bullwhip effect Manufacturing cost Inventory cost Replenishment lead time Transportation cost Labor cost Levels of product availability ( service level) Relationship across the supply chain Manufacturing Cost As a result of Bullwhip effect, Manufacturing unit of PG have to produce to satisfy the demand of diapers with much more variability. PG can respond to such variability by either holding of excess inventory or by producing more capacity, both of which leads to increase in manufacturing cost. Inventory cost The Bullwhip effect also results in increase in inventory cost. With increased variability in demand, P%G has to carry a higher level of inventory than would actually require in absence of Bullwhip effect. Thus, we can see a major increase in Inventory cost. A higher level of inventory will also mean an increased warehouse space requirement (again an increase in cost). Replenishment Lead Time The Bullwhip effect results in increased replenishment lead time. With the increase in variability in demand due to Bullwhip effect, scheduling at suppliers and PG are much more difficult as compared to a level demand. There are situations when the available resource (inventory) is not enough to meet the demand and there by resulting in higher replenishment lead time. Transportation cost The Bullwhip effect results in higher transportation cost. With the increased fluctuations in demand due to Bullwhip effect, there is a proportional fluctuation in the requirement of transportation. This results in a rise in transportation cost Labor Cost Labor cost increases in presence of Bullwhip effect. Labor cost at PG and its suppliers increase due to fluctuations in demand. Also, labor cost for receiving at retailers end increases due to this increased uncertainty. Now all these stages have option of either operating at excess labor or variable labor, both of which results in increase in labor cost. Level of Product availability One of the major outcomes of Bullwhip effect is the Out Of Stock situations. As we know, with increase in fluctuations in orders, PG is not capable of satisfying the needs of all its retailers on time, which in turn increases the likelihood of retailers going OOS resulting in a sales loss in the supply chain. Relationship across the supply chain The Bullwhip effect, having a negative effect on performance at all levels of supply chain results in bitterness in the relationship between these various stages of supply chain. Since each stage is working independently and is trying to achieve its individual goal, they are under an impression that they are doing it in right way. They start blaming other department of inefficiency and there by resulting in loss of trust. Performance Measure Bullwhip effect Manufacturing cost Increase Inventory Cost Increase Replenishment Lead Time Increase Transportation Cost Increase Shipping and Receiving Cost Increase Level of Product availability Decrease Profitability DecreaseThus, we can say that the Bullwhip effect has a significant effect on the overall profitability of the supply chain. There is an increase in cost and decrease in responsiveness. Obstacles to achieving coordination in Supply Chain Factors leading to local optimization at various stages of supply chain or increase in information delay are the root cause of difficulty in coordination in supply chain. The five major categories of obstacles are Incentive obstacles Information processing obstacles Operational obstacles Pricing obstacles Behavioral obstacles Incentive obstacle When there is a variation in incentive offered at different stages in a supply chain, there is an increase in variability in the productivity and reduction in total supply chain profits. Local Optimization: Suppose that the incentive of a floor manager at a local grocery store depends up on the profit they generate for that particular store. Here, the managers take all their purchasing and inventory decisions to achieve this goal only and not for the benefit of the entire supply chain. Buying and stocking decisions which are based on single stage optimization can never result in over all supply chain profitability. Improper sales force incentive: Very often, sales force incentive are designed in a manner to achieve local goals. Sales force incentive are based on the quantity sold to the distributors and not the end consumers. For example, consider an umbrella manufacturing firm, which offers its sales force an incentive on the sales target achieved in off season. To maximize their bonuses, sales force convinces distributors to buy more umbrellas even though there is no demand. This results in order variability with more demand in off season and less demand when actually there are sales. This kind of sales forces incentive result in order variability more than customer demand variability. Information processing obstacles Information processing obstacles occurs in a situation when there is a distortion in information regarding demand as it moves from customers to retailers to distributors to manufacturers. Forecasting based on orders and not on customer demand When there is a Bullwhip effect is a supply chain, the only communication between different stages is the orders they receive. Each stage sees its responsibility as fulfilling orders to its downstream. In such a scenario, a very small change in customer demand will result in large variability in orders placed by the distributors. The fact that each stage in a supply chain forecasts demand based on the stream of orders received from the downstream stage results in a magnification of fluctuations in demand as we move up the supply chain from the retailer to the manufacturer. Lack of information sharing Suppose a retailer increases the size of order for a particular product due to its planned promotion. Now, if the manufacturer is not aware of this planned promotion, it will see this increase in order as increase in customer demand and place orders with suppliers accordingly. So, when the retailer finishes its promotion, both manufacturer and distributor has a piled up inventory. Operational obstacles Operational obstacles occur at the time of placing and filling of orders. There are a number of fixed costs associated with placing of order, receiving or transportation of an order. Different retailers may prefer orders in lots to minimize such costs. Thus at the suppliers end there is large variability in order as compared to demand variability at retailers end. Now, if there a number of retailers associated with the same supplier, and due to placement of orders in lots, there might be some days when order may be erratically high as compared to other days as compared to demand. Such situations may also lead to large replenishment lead time. Pricing obstacles Lot size based quantity discounts occurs when there are discounts offered on large lots of order placed. These resulting large lots magnify the Bullwhip effect. There are a number of trade promotions and short term discounts. Such offers always boost orders, which are nowhere in sync up with the real demand. Such forward buying result in large orders during promotional activity or special discount rates but very small orders after that. Behavioral Obstacles Behavioral obstacles are problems in learning within organizations which later on contribute to the Bullwhip effect. Each stage of supply chain acts locally and is not aware of the consequences of its action on others. Different stages of the supply chain react to the current situation locally rather than trying to identify the root cause. Due to lack of common understanding and mutual trust, each stage plays a blame game on each other with no one taking the responsibility of these fluctuations. Lack of trust with in supply chain makes them all opportunistic at the expense of the overall supply chain profitability. This also results in duplication of efforts. Since individual entities do not share ideas and work in isolation, many a times they turn up doing the same task. Means to Overcome obstacles of Collaborative information sharing Collaborative Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment Means to overcome these obstacles Improved information accuracy Alignment of goals and incentive across the channel Building strong partnership and mutual trust Improving Operational Performance All these efforts can be achieved by Collaborative Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment. So what exactly is Collaborate Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment (CPFR)? Here, both sellers and buyers at all the levels come together and collaborate along all or few of these activities. Strategy and Planning Demand and Supply Management Execution Analysis At strategy and planning stage, all the partners involved discuss upon the scope of collaboration and assign roles and responsibilities and define checkpoints. They align all their activities including promotions, new product introduction, store opening and closing and inventory policies. Then, at demand and supply management, sales forecast using point of sales data give an accurate picture of demand. Now, as the forecasts become firm, they are converted to actual orders. Then, processes like production, shipping, receiving and stocking are executed. Now the last but most important task is analysis of KPI. There is always a need for identifying exceptions and evaluating metrics that are used to access performance. One successful CPFR implementation has involved Henkel, a German detergent manufacturer, and Eroski, a Spanish food retailer. Prior to CPFR, Eroski saw frequent stock outs of Henkel products, especially during promotions. At the inception of CPFR in December 1999, 70 percent of the sales forecast had an average error of over 50 percent and only 5 percent of the forecasts had an error below 20 percent. But, just within four months of CPFR implementation, the numbers changed drastically. Forecast errors above 50 percent reduced to 5 percent and more than 70 percent of the time, forecast error was below 20 percent. Customer service level also increased to 90% with an average inventory of just 5 days. CPFR implementation Scenarios Mentioned below are the most common CPFR implementation scenarios CPFR scenario Where applied in Supply Chain Industries where applied Retail event collaboration Highly promoted channels All industry other than those that practice EDLP DC replenishment collaboration Retail DC or distributed DC Drugstores, hardware, grocery Store replenishment collaboration Direct store delivery or DC to store delivery Mass merchants, Club stores Collaborative assortment planning Apparel and seasonal goods Specialty retail Common CPFR Scenarios Retail event Collaboration: In any retail supermarket, there are a number of events such as promotional activities and they affect demand very much.OOS and excess inventory, unplanned logistics cost and order placement costs are sometimes very high and may affect the overall profitability in the supply chain. Here the two parties involved identify specific brands that are to be included in collaboration. Each and every minute detail like promotion time and place, display tactics, advertisement are shared. Once, information sharing is done, a demand forecast is prepared and shared with in the two parties. PG is one such example which has implemented Retail event collaboration with many big retail chains including Wal-Mart. DC replenishment Collaboration This is one of the simplest and mostly used collaboration scenarios, where partners need to collaborate for forecasting on demand and DC withdrawals. This collaboration is comparably easy to implement since this collaboration requires aggregate forecast and does not require sharing of point of sales data. And slowly, with due course of time, this collaboration can be moved up to all other storage points in supply chain (from retail shelves to Inventory warehouse) Store Replenishment collaboration Store replenishment collaboration is one step ahead of DC replenishment collaboration. Here, collaboration is on store level point of sale forecast. These forecasts are used placing store orders. Benefits of store Replenishment collaboration is increased replenishment accuracy, improved service level and less Out of Stock situations, reduced inventory and greater visibility of point of sales data. Collaborative Assortment Planning For fashion apparels and seasonal products, demand follows a seasonal pattern. Thus, collaborative planning in these categories follows seasonality Hence, the forecasts rely more on collaborative understanding of industry trends, customer tastes and less on horizontal data. Why is CPFR important? Consider a consumer walking in to a retail grocery outlet to find that the product which he is looking for is not available (out of stock). For the consumer, it is great inconvenience and for the store owner, it is a loss of revenue. Such a situation is not only a plague in retail industry, but also a nightmare for manufacturing sector. Out Of Stock of one particular inventory in the manufacturing line can lead to zero overall production (bottlenecks). Mostly (70% to 75%), out of Stock occur at retailer level. Reasons for Out of Stock at retailer level: Lengthy Ordering Processes/Cycles Underestimated demand Un stocked shelves even though the products are at the store So, what is required to tackle such problems? End to end information channel Point of Sale information coming from retailer to the supplier. CPFR is one such process where we use common tools to capture data at all stages in the supply Chain. Pioneers to this practice are Wal-Mart and Tesco. They first linked their Point of Sale data from Retail stores to their Warehouses. This laid down the bricks to the building of an open information infrastructure. The second and more critical task in implementation of CPFR is managing cultural change. There has to be a willingness to share information. A mutual trust between different stakeholders is a must, since the required information to be shared is confidential most of the time. Benefits of Collaborative Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment Lower inventory levels Increased sales Less overhead Reduced human errors ( data exchange) Better insight in customer demand resulting in better resource utilization, reduced inventory requirements. Improved and direct communication with customers Opportunity to provide category management Reduced replenishment time Less redundancy Increase service level and reduced stock outs Lower Inventory Level By having knowledge of exact inventory status of customer, the supplier has better control on lead time of his inventory. He knows his exact inventory requirements due to lower uncertainty. A better forecasting leads to lowering the need for safety stocks (also termed as buffer stock is the level of extra stock maintained to mitigate the risks of stock outs due to uncertainties in forecasting). All these factors combine to result in lower inventory. Increased Sales CPFR in place ensures the product availability at any given point. This results in a better customer experience and customer satisfaction. A satisfied customer becomes your loyal customers. A loyal, regular customer generates more revenue than a first time customer. Also, less stock outs at outlets result in less customers returning without any purchase. This results in increased sales. Better Resource Utilization Proper knowledge of customer demand due to end to end information sharing, results in a better forecasting. An improved forecasting numbers result in more planned decisions, clarity of mind in terms of inventory requirements and so a better RU plan. Increased Service Level Collaborative Planning, forecasting and Replenishment builds up a better forecasting model. In CPFR system, at each level, a supplier has access to real time sales and inventory data of a customer. As soon as the inventory goes below the safety level, a replenish order call is triggered. It helps customers to operate at higher service levels and lower inventories. Now, these are the benefits every supplier aspires for. Challenges in implementation of CPFR It is a universal truth that no benefit comes without a cost. Same way, with so many benefits associated with Collaborative Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment, there are also few risks and hurdles to its implementation. With sharing of information at such a large scale, its misuse is one such risk. Often, one entity may have relationship with various competitors. Another risk involved is viability of change in technology. If one of the partners in collaboration changes its technology, the other is forced to do so or it may lose its collaboration. Thirdly, with the requirement of close interaction of the partners, a variation in their cultures can also play a very important role in making decisions of CPFR implementation. The inability to foster a collaborative culture across the partner organizations can be a major hurdle to the success of CPFR. However, one of the biggest challenges is that the demand information which is shared between the partners is often not used in an inte grated manner within the organizations. It is imperative to have integrated supply and demand, logistics and corporate planning within the organizations. This will help in maximizing the overall profit generated in the supply chain. Factors affecting Distribution Network design Elements of customer service influenced by network structure: Response time Product variety Product availability Customer experience Order visibility Return ability Supply chain costs affected by network structure: Inventories Transportation Facilities and handling Information Supply Chain Costs affected With a better visibility due to information sharing, the inventory requirement decreases, thereby reducing overall inventory cost. Also, a common supplier may have information (real time) of all its customers and can very easily club in various orders. This can be achieved by using MILK RUN model of distribution One truckload stopping at multiple points to replenish various customers. This helps him to reduce his transportation cost also. Implementation of centralized information systems (ERP, SAP) may eliminate the hassles of manually data entry and transfer. Though, the onetime cost of implementation of such systems might be very high, they reduce the human error probability. Such errors may result in inaccuracy in forecasting which will again result in higher inventory costs and out of stocks (loss of sales). Elements of Customer Services influenced Response time and Product availability CPFR builds up a better forecasting model. The actual demand information is used to generate replenishment orders. This helps vendors to improve their response time and less out of stock situations in the retail outlets. Customer Experience When a customer walks in to a retail store, there is a lesser chance of him finding an out of stock situation. Product availability (right product at right place) helps to increase customer satisfaction. Order Visibility With CPFR in place, the supplier can see the customer demand in actual and can anticipate the orders. This helps in reduction in errors in forecasting. A well informed and collaborated partners increases order visibility. All this is possible only due to Collaborative information sharing in the system.

Charles Eastman: Bridging the Gap Between Cultures Essay -- Native Am

Charles Eastman made great strides to bridge the gap between the Native Americans and the white man. Born a Santee Sioux, Eastman excelled in his assimilated life, thereby gaining the respect of the white man, which he used to assist the Native American. He was able to give a voice to the culture and its people, which was quickly being silenced by a Eurocentric government. Eastman exemplified the abilities of the Native American through his accomplishments as an author, lecturer, physician, and activist. His capacity to live between two diverse cultures furthered his unprecedented endeavors. Charles Alexander Eastman was born Ohiyesa, a Santee Sioux. He is believed to have been born near Redwood Falls, Minnesota, on February 19, 1858. His paternal grandmother, Uncheedah, was responsible for his upbringing after his mother’s death due to complications during childbirth. Uncheedah presented him with tradition Sioux teachings. Following the Great Sioux Uprising of 1862, Ohiyesa and other Santee Sioux were exiled to Manitoba. In Eastman’s Indian Boyhood, he fondly recalls these times of living freely and peacefully by saying, â€Å"What boy would not be an Indian for a while when he thinks of the freest life in the world?† Ohiyesa’s father, Jacob â€Å"Many Lightnings† Eastman was instrumental in his assimilation into the white man’s culture, beginning with his education. Unlike many other Native American children in boarding schools, Charles learned to read and write in his native language. This progressive program of learning was often criticized because of the fear felt among American settlers after the Great Sioux Uprising. The settlers, as well as the government agencies, sought only acculturation of the Indians into the w... ...dian Quarterly 25, no. 4 (2001): 609-613. Eastman, Charles A, From the Deep Woods to Civilization, (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press 1977 [1916]) 195. Eastman, Charles A. Indian Boyhood (New York: Dover Publications, (1971 [1902]), 3. Lopenzia, Drew. â€Å"’Good Indian’: Charles Eastman and the Warrior as Civil Servant,† American Indian Quarterly 27, no.  ¾, Special Issue (2003): 729, 739. Murphy, Nora. â€Å"Starting Children on the Path to the Past: American Indians in Children’s Historical Fiction,† Minnesota History 57, no. 6 (2001): 284,286. Patterson, Michelle Wick. â€Å"’Real’ Indian Songs: The Society of American Indians and the Use of Native American Culture as a Means of Reform,† American Indian Quarterly 26, no. 1 (2002): 54-55. Stensland, Anna Lee. â€Å"Indian Boyhood by Charles A. Eastman’† The English Journal 66, no. 3 (1977): 59.

Mr Know All

(for working with Lesson 2 – end) by Adele Raemer – [email  protected] co. il Lesson 2 Workpage 10 points each answer 1. Where does the story take place? In what year? 2. What does the opening paragraph tell us about the speaker and his attitude? 3. In the second paragraph the speaker says that he doesn't like Mr. Kelada. What doesn't he like about him? 4. When Mr. Kelada introduces himself to the narrator, the narrator says that he â€Å"asked if he was right in thinking my name was so and so. † Why doesn't the narrator bother to tell us his own name? 5.In the conversation that follows this introduction, the narrator is surprised to find out that Mr. Kelada is English. Why is he so surprised? Why does the writer describe his question as being asked â€Å"rather tactlessly†? 6. What impression is created by Mr. Kelada's behavior at this first meeting? 7. Where does the narrator suspect that Mr. Kelada was born? How do you know? Vocabulary work: Use the f ollowing words in a sentence to show that you understand them: (5 points for each sentence) 1. accommodation 2. berth 3. port-hole 4. gestures 5. exuberant 6. flask Extra credit question: (10 points) rite down as many words or phrases that you can find that show that the narrator was prejudiced against Mr. Kelada. Explain why they show prejudice. Lesson 3 – Mr. Know-All (for working with ECB Anthology- questions from EMT) Workpage (Answer on a separate page in complete sentences. ) 1. What is special about Mrs. Ramsay? 2. What kind of man is Mr. Ramsay? 3. Write down at least 3 things that Mr. Kelada did that annoyed the narrator. 4. Which of those could be considered cultural difference, and which were just a part of his personality that clashed with that of the narrator's? 5. Describe Mr. and Mrs.Ramsay. How do you think that author feels about them? (Find quotations to support your answer. ) Extra credit: (Answer EITHER 6 OR 7) 1. Why does the narrator call Mr. Kelada :â⠂¬ The best hated man on the ship? † (EMT p. 177; ECB p. 37 line 110) 2. Vocabulary work: Use the following words in a sentence to show that you understand them: 1. airs (EMT p. 176; ECB p. 36 line 72) 2. snub (EMT p. 177; ECB p. 37 line 99) 3. intolerable (EMT p. 177; ECB p. 37 line 113 ) 4. loquacious (EMT p. 177; ECB p. 37 line 115) 5. argumentative (EMT p. 177; ECB p. 37 line 115) Ques. 1-5 are worth 20 points eachExtra credit question is worth an additional 10 points. |Mr. Kelada sees Mrs. Ramsay's chain of pearls. | [pic] | | [pic] | | [pic] | | [pic] | | [pic] | [pic] | | [pic] | | [pic] | | [pic] | | [pic] | [pic] | | [pic] | | [pic] | | [pic] | | [pic] |Mr. Kelada says that he is mistaken. | Lesson 4 1. Using the flow chart, fill in what happens from the point when Kelada sees Mrs.Ramsay's chain of pearls, to the point when he says he is mistaken. 2. Why does Mrs. Ramsay â€Å"retire with a headache†? 3. In the last paragraph the narrator says, â €Å"At that moment I did not entirely dislike Mr. Kelada†. Has the narrator changed at all during the story? What are your feelings towards Mrs. Ramsay, Mr. Kelada and the narrator by the end of the story? 4. Why did Mr. Kelada decide to protect Mrs. Ramsay? What does this tell us about him? 5. What is Mrs. Ramsay's reaction at the end of the story? Why is the name on the envelope written in â€Å"block letters†? How does this make you react to Mrs.Ramsay? Extra credit question (10 points) 6. What do cultured and real pearls symbolize in the story? Lesson 5 1. Look for and list the cultural differences between the narrator, Mr. Ramsay and Mr. Kelada. 2. Discuss cultural differences between you, as Israelis, and those seen in the characters. With whom do you feel closest? Why? 3. Why is the story told in the first person? What effect does it have on us, the readers? 4. The following are very British expressions. Find them in the text, and think of another way to say the same thing (in English). jolly glad – (EMT p. 175; ECB p. 35) ather – (EMT p. 175 ; ECB p. 35) chap – (EMT p. 177, ECB p. 38 ) fetch – (EMT p. 178 , ECB p. 38) rot – (EMT p. 179 , ECB p. 40) had been caught out – (EMT p. 180, ECB p. 41) retire – (EMT p. 180, ECB p. 41) 5. Find examples of sarcasm in the story. Final Assessment (Individual work) Choose ONE of the following 4 questions, and record your answer on a tape. Your answer must cover all of the aspects of the question, and show that you understood the story. It must last between 3 and 5 minutes. 1. Pretend that you are Mr. Kelada, and tell the story to your friend in Japan (from your – Mr.Kelada's – point of view). 2. Answer the following questions orally: a. Why is the story told in the first person, and why aren't we told the narrator's name? b. Why did the narrator decide that he disliked Mr. Kelada even before he met him? What does this tell you about him? Do you think the writer was trying to say something about the British, in general? 3. Describe the 3 different stereotypes that the writer shows in this story. 4. Mr. Kelada / Mrs. Ramsay Why did Mr. Kelada decide to protect Mrs. Ramsay? What does this tell about him? What does Mrs. Ramsay do in return?What do you think about her reaction? Criteria for grade (according to oral bag. scales): show familiarity with the characters and the story discuss the questions fluently discuss the questions with a minimum of grammatical mistakes remain within the given time (1 1/2 – 3 minutes) Evaluation page for group work (Mr. Know All final activity) Name of group observer:__________________ Names of group members: ___________________________________________________________ If the answer is YES – put a check in the box. If it is NO – leave the box empty. In some cases, there may be more than one YES answer. I.Evaluation for answering the questions: 1. My group read, understoo d and followed the instructions. [ ] 2. My group decided together who would answer next- there was no real leader. [ ] 3. One person from my group decided to take charge (be the leader) , and organize the turns. [ ] 4. My group decided together on a leader, who organized the turns. [ ] 5. My group worked more efficiently / the same / less efficiently than they did in the first activity. Explain______________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ II.Evaluation for group discussion My group†¦ 1. . †¦ discussed the question in an organized manner, taking turns. [ ] 2. †¦ discussed the question in an unorganized manner – each person spoke when they felt that had something to say. [ ] 3. †¦ discussed the question in Hebrew. [ ] 4. †¦ discussed the question in English. [ ] 5. How did the group decide who would be the secretary [ ] ___________________________________________________ III. My group discussed the following questions: #1. Thoroughly / Superficially / Didn't have enough time #2.Thoroughly / Superficially / Didn't have enough time #3. Thoroughly / Superficially / Didn't have enough time #4. Thoroughly / Superficially / Didn't have enough time #5. Thoroughly / Superficially / Didn't have enough time IV. Summary: yes no Do you feel that your group worked in an efficient manner? ? ? How could they have been more efficient? _______________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ Do you think they did this activity more efficiently than they did the first time? yes no ? Explain. ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ V. Your opinion I li ked / didn't like being the group evaluator. Why_______________________________________________________ I learned something / nothing about working in groups by being the evaluator. Please write anything else that you have to say here :

Microsoft strategic alliance with Nokia

Abstract Nokia is a very big telecommunications company that has experienced serious brand and financial issues in the recent years, and lately forged an alliance with Microsoft to try and save the situation. This paper is going to examine the strategic alliance between the two giant companies by evaluating their external and internal environments. It will also examine three different growth strategies and then select the most appropriate one. From the evaluation of the growth strategies in the paper, product development has been selected and it is the only way that the company can attempt to come closer to its competitors or even beat them in the market. Introduction and Company Background Nokia, which is a Finish Company that manufactures mobile phones, has been in existence since the creation of the earliest mobile devices, and the corporation has managed to take the world by storm by domination of the mobile industry (Roy, 2011, p. 23). The company has a large market and has been producing the best mobile phones over the years. However, things have not been smooth for the company in the North American market where penetration has been an uphill task. This is particularly bad news for the company because it is a region where smartphones have become a necessary commodity for every individual, regardless of their standards of living. The smartphones market went up by as much as 50 percent in the year 2011 and Google has been in the lead in the industry with their Android, a young operating system. The company is well aware of their problem all over the world, and the United States of America in particular. This forced them to hire Stephen Elop, who became the first person from outside Finland to head the company. This new chief executive officer joined the company from a high-ranking position at the Microsoft Corporation in the year 2010. He had a primary task of increasing company’s market share cap on the Asian and North American markets. Being the first person from outside Finland to head the company, he became under a lot of pressure to ensure that the share losses of the market of the company are reversed. Nokia found it difficult to perform in the market for smartphones and that is why they decided to have an alliance with the Microsoft Corporation to try to save the situation (Saylor, 2012, p39). This was the first major step that the new CEO took. The unexpected cooperation with the Microsoft Corporation elicited several debates regarding Nokia as well as about the general smartphones market (Schwarzinger, 2012, p.53). The IDC (International Data Corporation), which is a company for market analysis, and monitors the smartphones market, predicted that the Windows Phones would become the second largest provider of software for smartphones globally (Grant, R 2010, p. 31). The analysis and prediction is based on the strategic alliance between Nokia and Microsoft Corporation. Combined with the projected growth in the sales of smartphones and the predictions given by the ICD, then why is it that there was negative action by the financial market when he news of the two giant companies collaborating came outThis is one of the questions that many financial analysts have been asking themselves. This paper examines the strategic alliance between the two giant companies by evaluating their external and internal environments. It will also examine three different growth strategies and then select the most appropriate one. External AnalysisThe Five Forces Framework of NokiaThe present competition that Nokia is facing in the phone industry has greatly affected its market share. However, it still holds a considerable share of the market in the industry that is ever changing. The microenvironment is the internal factors that affect the customers, staff, competitors and the shareholders (Henry, 2008, p.24). The five forces model is the most appropriate for the evaluation of the microenvironment of Nokia as it takes into consideration the clients, suppliers, competitors as well as the new entrants.The power of suppliers: moderateAlthough the company relies on its suppliers to provide equipment, there are numerous large manufacturers of equipment that they can turn to (Baron, 2008, p53). Currently, Microsoft is the supplier of software for the company and they have a high bargaining power together. In addition, the company is in a good position to bargain as well as negotiate with any mobile phone hardware p roducer because there are a large number of the suppliers of equipment, which are readily and easily accessible should their current suppliers attempt to ask for more money with them. Moreover, the alliance with the Microsoft Corporation is regarded as a coup for Nokia and not Microsoft. The Microsoft Corporation may have more power in the negotiation of price along with the share as the pact is of more significance to Nokia that the Microsoft Corporation.The power of buyers: highThe customers have an increasing power because of increasing variety of alternatives available in the sector of mobile telecommunication. Majority of Nokia’s competitors also offer the same packages and the sector is very sensitive to matters like the prices with clients seeking the best value for their money. Majority of the customers are also tied into the long-lasting contracts and thus having to change from one mobile phone to another is hard and costly for consumers. The sector has a very compet itive market that has a variety of choices, which makes the customers to have much power as they can choose to go to the various competitors of Nokia if they are not contented with what the company is providing.The threat of new entrants: lowThe market of mobile phone is well-established and a lucrative one, and there is a relatively low threat of new entrants, as the technology that is needed to rival the devices that are already existing is very advanced. This is something that cannot be achieved easily by any company. The barriers to entry into the market are very high, as any potential new entrants need a lot of investment in marketing and technology so that they can be in a position of challenging the companied that are already established (Hill, et al, 2009, p.53). The threat of any potential new entrants is not probable as the initial cost that is required to enter the industry is very high and requires a lot of investment in time to be in a position of competing against the organizations that are already established. Currently, Nokia has a 29 percent of the entire global mobile telecommunications market and for any new entrant to get a little bit of their market needs a long-term scheming or even products that are highly innovative as compared to any other seen in the market (McGuigan, et al 2010, p. 41). For this to be possible, the new competitor needs very high investment for marketing and R&D, in order to get positive result.The threat of substitutes: Very lowIt is beyond reasonable doubt that mobile phones are an everyday essential in human being’s lives presently and they would not find it easy to replace, as consumers will not be in a position of having constant contact when they are not near their houses, family members or even friends (Baron, 2008, p.53). Nonetheless, the consumers may make contacts with individuals through other forms of media like email address, home telephones and social networks. However, it will not be easy for peo ple to keep in contact in their daily lives, as the forms of communication are not convenient. Contrary, smart phones come with several functions and specifications, meaning there are many substitutes offered that focus on just a single function. Presently, mobile phones are an everyday requirement in the lives of human beings because of the fundamental functions they are capable of performing and can all be found in a single handset. Only smart phones have the ability to make phone calls, send messages, and browse the internet in a single device. Another thing that makes them an extremely critical device to human beings is the fact that it enables them to communicate constantly and at any place. Thus, the threat of alternatives is very low because a mobile phone is not only for making calls or for sending messages but many some other functions. Without the mobile phones, people will find it very difficult to have a replacement, since it can provide a lot to them all in one device. People also rely on the mobile phones greatly and might not easily find an alternative that has the whole functions of a mobile handset.Competitive rivalry: lowThe competitors of Nokia turned to smartphones and androids early enough while Nokia delayed in releasing their first smart phones, and hence lagging behind competitors like Apple and HTC (Hahn, and Kibora, 2008, p. 12). Their strategic alliance with Microsoft, though offers some lifeline, still needs some time before catching up with the rest. There is high competition from big corporations like Blackberry, LG and Sony Erickson. The industry of mobile phone has very high rivalry and needs huge amounts of investment in marketing and the R&B to be able to compete with the established companies (Stonehouse, et al, 2007, p.43). Nokia had a slow shift into the market of smartphone, and this has left them trailing their competitors. Therefore, there is extremely high competitive rivalry and the company needs to be alert of their r ivals’ threat on their business especially with the Apple iPhone and RIM Blackberry’s rising popularity. Competitive rivalry in the industry is the principal threat to the Nokia Company because they are seriously behind in the market of Smartphone and it really needs a lot of efforts to raise their market share. Internal AnalysisSWOT AnalysisSWOT analysis is the most appropriate tool for the strategic planning analysis by companies’ management. It is a critical tool to the improvement of business because it embraced or followed the concept that success in the digital economy is the deployment of an incorporated value chain that extends beyond and across the business Saylor (McGuigan, et al 2010, p. 17). Nokia is a leading company in the mobile phones industry and its strategic alliance with Microsoft is expected to be a game changer. It is therefore important to look at the company’s internal environment.StrengthsGrant (2010, p.55) says that Nokia currently enjoying more that 32 percent market share in the mobile phone industry, and this is expected to even increase following the new pact with Microsoft as they will be provided with operating system affordably and sufficiently. Both Nokia and Microsoft are well respected and trusted brands as they have been there since the star t of the mobile phones and have been able to retain the trust of customers. Now in their association with Microsoft, they have regained strength in the market of smartphone, as it is a pact that has brought together two giants in their respective sectors. Having a strong brand name is an advantage since it enhances consistency; however, it is no secret that their brand name has had some wavering and now considered promotion of brand (Grant, 2010, p.43). The alliance between the two companies also means that Nokia has a secure and steady supplier market in Microsoft, where there will be enough time to concentrate on innovation, production and marketing. The company has a strong internal R+D. Nokia became one of the first companies to the market despite not dominating the market of Smartphone, the company became one of the because of their exceptional R+D program. The new chief executive officer has brought some new ideas to the organization and influenced its entire image.WeaknessesN okia has had its market share drop from the end of the last year in the industry of Smartphone. They have not been able to realize that Smartphones are a way of life amongst the users currently, with support software for the mobile phones that are very low. These are in the forms of applications, contrary to Blackberry and Apple that both have their individual App World. Nokia has an insight of only building phones that are brick shaped, which gives them lack of prestige in the present market of (Smartphonen, 2011, p.35). There are weak subdivisions in the company; they own as well as manage the Symbian but have abandoned it and instead gone for the windows 7, meaning than Symbian is now making losses (Saylor, 2012, p.54).OpportunitiesThe corporation has the chance of developing their own version of the App store OVI, since their new mobile phones are being launched and hopefully accepted in the market. The company also has an opportunity of developing more products with the Microso ft Corporation and explores more opportunities that might come up from the deal. Diverse self-sufficient and valuable portfolio; Microsoft could also do diversification of their immense portfolio and dispose parts of it that is not profitable in the probable future.ThreatsIf further loss of the share of market for Nokia continues being lost to the other big producers of Smartphones, they would actually consider withdrawal from the industry of Smartphones. The industry of mobile phones is not different from that of fashion with a quite quick turnaround. Nokia are investing lots of funds in trying to have a successful penetration into the market. By the time they succeed in doing so, the market could possibly have again shifted and had another serious breakthrough into another kind of mobile phone (Saylor, 2012, p.57). With the mobile phones software in the present day industry being as critical as the hardware, it is important that the Microsoft Corporation do not have excessive powe r as if the novel devices are a great success. It would not be good for the Nokia Company if Microsoft chose to raise their price on the pact or even walk out of it all together. Issues and challenges facing the company The challenges for Microsoft and Nokia alliance are overwhelming. Microsoft has still not been able to rise above the minuscule share of the market in the United States or even globally, even despite joining forces with Nokia. The Blackberry’s implosion was actually the best chance for Microsoft to get hold of its market share, but that did not happen. The company has to put in a lot of effort to carve out its niche in a world that has been dominated by the Android and iOS (Saylor, 2012, p.59).Missing appsThe Windows Phone still has the same old problem despite now being with more Nokia; that is the lack of a sufficient app ecosystem (Donner, and Steenson, 2008, p.35). Microsoft is not getting anything from Nokia in terms of software that was not already in th e Windows Phone. This is because the strongest mobile software asset of Nokia, which is its maps business, was not part of the agreement. After more than three years into the deal, Windows Phone still does not have table stakes apps as such like the native customers of Instgram and YouTube. The stance in the tablets is excessively bleaker. The Windows RT, which is the version designed for tablets specifically, is a very big flop and the Window 8 applied on tablets has not done any better in the market. The iPhone has successfully turned mobile phones, together with business mobile phones into a wholly consumer business (Saylor, 2012, p.70). This has an implication that the acquisition of Nokia has dragged the Microsoft Corporation into a sector that it should have avoided as much as possible. In other words, Microsoft is not a good consumer organization. Still it is not easy to see what the new CEO who has a good record of accomplishment in the companies he worked before has brought into the Nokia Company.The Xbox ProblemThe Xbox is a one consumer bright spot of Microsoft. Even without taking into account, the Xbox’s sunk cost and the fumbled Xbox One’s release, the segment of Devices and Entertainment is too small, particularly in the profit share that cannot make any significant difference (Goggin, 2011, p.23). With very little expectation for immense growth in the game console and set top box industry, the Xbox is going to make no difference for the company.Reinforce successEvery business requires reinforcement and mobile phone industry is no exception. Another area of power or strength is the web services, especially those serving business and not the ones that are consumer-facing. Although Microsoft is behind Google in several aspects, it is much ahead of Apple, which usually appears as having very little idea about the web services as it is much into the devices (Saylor, 2012, p.73). This is something the two companies have not taken advant age of, and they might realize it a little bit late if the other companies have realized their shortcomings and countered them accordingly.Brand imageFor any business to be successful in the market, brand image must be at its best because it is what consumers will be looking for. This is because everyone wants to consume a product they are well familiar with. For the Nokia Company, its brand image has dwindles constantly to a great deal such that people are no longer comfortable buying and using its products. This is something that might make it difficult for them to regain their initial status as the leading mobile phone maker, despite alliance with Microsoft (Saylor, 2012, p.79). They might pump in a lot of money in an attempt to save the situation but may as well flop if proper marketing and investment in technology is not done to win back its customers. If things do not work out for the company as expected, then it will be a big loss for Microsoft as it entered into a partnershi p with a company that was already going down.Generation of Strategic growth optionsEvery section of an organization is affected by a marketing strategy. It is all about the use of everything at the business’ disposal in creation of value for others. Customers are also included in this but workers as well as shareholders benefit. The marketing strategy’s major purpose is setting out the means by which the marketing objectives that are agreed are to be accomplished. One of the most appropriate ways to analyze the different strategies that can be used by an organization in growing the business is with the ANSOFF Matrix (Schwarzinger, 2012, p. 42). The model takes into account the opportunities of providing available and new products and services within the present and new markets together with the levels of risk that come with them. Below are possible three strategic options that can be employed by the company:Market penetrationThe aim of this strategy is selling products to a market that already exists. This has been proposed because Nokia has an already existing market even though it seems to be losing it at a higher rate. Market development This strategy refers to the completion of market development successfully (Hahn and Kibora, 2008). The method has been proposed because the Nokia Company appears to have lost touch with the huge client base that it enjoyed when it was performing still well. 5.3. Product development This section of the Ansoff matrix aims at being updated as regards the latest technology in the industry. The strategy has been proposed because the company appears to be lagging behind in terms of innovation, and this is where their competitors have fully taken advantage of to win the game (Kovvali, 2011, p.73). Evaluation of strategic growth optionsMarket penetrationThe aim of this strategy is selling products to a market that already exists. Nokia has an already existing market even though it seems to be losing it at a higher rate. For the company to be able to achieve this, there are several things that needs to be done such as: changing the pricing plan; this should be done in a manner such that it is competitor or penetration based. Changing the pricing plan means that they will be reducing prices of their products in an attempt to attract more customers or even maintaining the existing ones. However, in doing so, the quality of the products must also be high as consumers do not only go for the price but they want to enjoy the value for their money. For the prices to be reduced as much as possible and to ensure sustainability, a lot of resources needs to be pumped in, which the company may also not be having, considering the financial crisis that it faced (Kovvali, 2011, p.63). Introduc e discounting; the company can also introduce discounting services whereby customers pay certain amount of money in buying a particular product or quantity. Starting up a different promotion campaign or considering changes on the present one; shifting from one campaign strategy to another or improving on the available one may also help the company in getting the message home, thus attracting more customers. 6.2. Market development This strategy refers to the completion of market development successfully. Nokia Company appears to have lost touch with the huge client base that it enjoyed when it was performing still well. The company has an option of penetrating or developing new markets that its products has not reached. This can be done through targeting a completely new client base and carrying out vigorous product promotions in order to attract them. Some other means through which this can be achieved is researching and selling the products to a different market segment in instances of poor market share and saturation (Kovvali, 2011, p.79). They can also change the periods that adverts are run on television and change the places in which the display of print adverts happen. This is the best way of ensuring that the products appeal to a completely new market. The company can also reduce the present prices of its products to help in attracting a wider range of clients. 6.3. Product development This section of the Ansoff matrix aims at being updated as regards the latest technology in the industry (Bull, 2007). The company appears to be lagging behind in terms of innovation, and this is where their competitors have fully taken advantage of to win the game. The mobile phone industry is just like fashion where trends come up each day and players in the market try to beat each other by being creative and innovation in an attempt to win the customers as much as possible. Companies like Samsung have rose to great heights due to their technological inventions and they are really doing well in the Smartphone market. They have been coming up with new applications that have been appealing to customers and that are why they are really selling (Kovvali, 2011, p. 34) Nokia should pump in a lot of cash and invest heavily in technology because it is the only way to succeed in the business. Description of selected strategyProduct developmentThe selected strategy for at Nokia is product development. Nearly everyone knows that this has been the biggest undoing of the company as they have not been able to keep up with the pace at which technology is growing. Just as said earlier, the mobile phone industry is just like fashion where trends come up each day and players in the market try to beat each other by being creative and innovation in an attempt to win the customers as much as possible. Therefore, the company has no option but to invest in technology if at all they are serious about regaining the lost market share. They should produce some high-tech products with a lot of features that fit specific market segment. With the strategic alliance with Microsoft, the company stands a good chance of recovering as this is an opportunity to get a source of finances that they require to keep up with the new technological development (Saylor, 2012, p.89). Microsoft is also known for its creativity and this alliance puts Nokia in a good position because they will be able to get the best operation systems that are updated to meet the current market requirements. Moreover, the alliance will enable the company to have a pool of new ideas as together two giants that have been leaders in their respective industries for several years. Conclusion It is no doubt that the alliance between Nokia and Microsoft is the best decision ever made by the management because it is a chance of recovering from the fall to try to catch up with the current industry leaders. Pundits see it as a major coup for Nokia, but Microsoft also stands to gain from the pact. Nokia should use this opportunity to venture fully into the Smartphone market by doing product development. They should invest heavily in technology and even employ more staff that can bring meaningful changes. The company has been doing well in the other growth strategies such as market penetration and market development, but has not been doing product development. From the evaluation of the growth strategies above, product development is the only one that has remained and it is the only way that the company can attempt so as to come closer to its competitors or even beat them in the market. The Smartphones market is still growing and there are several opportunities that are yet to be exploited and with Microsoft on board, it only needs proper strategies to conquer the market. However, if proper measures and strategies are not in place then the highly hyped alliance might as well be a waste of time and resources as other companies will continue steadily while Nokia continue to fall steadily. References Baron, N 2008, ‘Adjusting the Volume: Technology and Multitasking in Discourse Control’, in Katz, J. (Ed.) Handbook of Mobile Communication Studies, MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass, pp.177-94 Baron, N 2008, Always on: Language in an Online and Mobile World, Oxford University Press, New York. Batson-Savage, T 2007, ‘†Hol Awn Mek a Answer Mi Cellular†: Sex, Sexuality and the Cellular Phone in Urban Jamaica’, Continuum: Journal of Media and Cultural Studies, Vol.21, No.2, June, pp.239-52. Bull, M 2007, Sound Moves: Ipod Culture and Urban Experience, Routledge, London. Donner, J, and Steenson, M 2008, â€Å"Beyond the Personal and Private: Modes of Mobile Phone Sharing in Urban India.† In The Reconstruction of Space and Time: Mobile Communication Practices, edited by Scott Campbell and Rich Ling, 231–250. Piscataway, NJ: Transaction Publishers. Goggin, G 2011, Global Mobile Media, New York: Routledge. Grant, R 2010, Contemporary Strategy Analysis: Text Only. John Wiley and Sons. Hahn, H and Kibora, L 2008, â€Å"The Domestication of the Mobile Phone: Oral Society and New ICT in Burkina Faso†. Journal of Modern African Studes 46. Henry, A 2008, Understanding Strategic Management. Oxford University Press. Hill C. et al 2009, Strategic Management Theory: An Integrated Approach. Cengage Learning. Kovvali, G 2011, â€Å"Cell phones are as carcinogenic as coffee†. Journal of Carcinogenesis 10 (1): 18. McGuigan, J. et al 2010, Managerial Economics. Cengage Learning. Roy, D, 2011, Strategic Foresight and Porter’s Five Forces: Towards a Synthesis. GRIN Verlag. Saylor, M 2012, The Mobile Wave: How Mobile Intelligence Will Change Everything. Perseus Books/Vanguard Press. Schwarzinger, A 2012, Porter’s Five Forces Framework – An Analysis of the Swiss TV-Broadcasting Industry. GRIN Verlag. Stonehouse, G. et al 2007, Global and Transnational Business: Strategy and Management. John Wiley and Sons.

Your Home Base Online

Your Home Base Online Ah, got a little push back from last weeks post about how writers shouldnt post articles or try to sell books without an online presence. I love pushing those buttons. Some thought writing was about the creativity, not necessarily about the sales. They purported the webpage as almost selling out, and that the artist need not tie himself to an online page. Others just did not feel techie enough to have a site, but they felt okay enough to submit to others. Sorry, but you cant USE the Internet to support yourself then state you dont need it. These days, if you use it, you best have a link to where people can learn more. Otherwise, you wasted your effort. Not having a link means you write for you and nobody else. You want the satisfaction of seeing your work in print, but you dont want to connect with the reader. I wrote an eleven minute podcast on that topic this week, entitled Face-to-Face? Or Face-to-Screen? chopeclark.com/blog Whether you need a home base online is not up for discussion. But you have options if you are HTML/CSS phobic. Lets look at where you can find a home base online. Blogger.com A very simple blog platform that can be used as a simple website. Wordpress.com Same as Blogger with a tad more of a learning curve. Facebook Yes, a fan page can be your home page if you keep it professional. Tumblr If youre a picture fan and prefer brief comments, this is your ba LinkedIn For your resume and experience. Its becoming quite interactive. AboutMe A one-page info sheet about you with a cool way to insert pics. Weebly.com Simple website, but try to avoid making it look like a 1999 template. And heres one you probably never thought of: Pubslush.com. Its a crowdfunding program but also a homebase program if you choose to use that side of the house. Its where you can plant yourself as well as sell your books. I once landed a $750 opportunity because I had my resume online. Someone Googled me and found I was qualified for her magazines assignment. It happens. Not having an online address is like not having a mailing address. When people cannot find you in this technical time and age, they assume you dont need work, dont care to work, or dont have respect for your work. Show them otherwise, and plant yourself a flag on some page online, then tell everyone where you can be found.

Fundraising Through Commercial Social Networks by Non-Profit Assignment

Fundraising Through Commercial Social Networks by Non-Profit Organizations - Assignment Example Following the path set by Facebook, the other industry participants including Twitter, LinkedIn and MySpace are managing to catch attention of people having shares of around 57%, 30% and 7% respectively in the year 2011. All these CSNs except Facebook have shown a sluggish negative growth as compared to the previous year. In terms of community membership, Facebook is well above from Twitter having an average of 6,376 members. Twitter is hardly chasing Facebook in this regard and having an average of 1,822 members in the year 2011. The effort of fund raising through Facebook has been growing but not as enormously as it can be. Groups that are generating funds from Facebook have a range of $1 to $10,000 per year. This statistics has risen from 38% to 46% from 2009 to 2011. The number of organizations which raises funds through Facebook and other commercial social networking operations has doubled from 0.2% to 0.4%. These organizations raise about $10,000 or more annually. But the amoun t and the number of fundraising organization is still a very thin slice of the entire sector. Non profits organizations believe that they see the efforts of commercial social networking as valuable enough. ... The average number of Facebook followers for a fundraising organization named as Master Social Fundraiser has approximately 100,000 members. This number of members is 15 times higher than the average number of members of fundraising organization. It testifies that the raising of large amount of dollars from social networks can have a huge community. Getting appropriate staff is another concern. 30% of the staff of Master Fundraiser dedicates 3+ staff to fundraising and managing for the presence at other social networks. It proves that resourcing is the major criterion to be considered while raising funds through a social network operation like Facebook. In fact, it really does not matter if the size of non-profits is large or small. If the management and staffing is done adequately and in proper manner, then even a small fundraising can generate $100,000 or more through Facebook. Why Nonprofits are not on Commercial Social Networks The late adopters who have establish presence on Fac ebook (10% of nonprofits) has revealed that it is due to lack of strategic goals and it is the only reason they stay off which is true for almost 60% of such organizations. Lack of good planning of budget and staff is another contributing factor towards this failure of such strategies which is about 36% and 57% respectively (lack of expertise). Controls and Privacy concerns also generate issues for fundraising for about 21 and 24% respectively. Hard – ROI Approach In order to get a better idea, regarding the effectiveness of fundraising through CSN, around 869 non-profit organizations are taken into considerations. These non-profit organizations use a hard-ROI approach in assessing the effectiveness of CNSs for their fundraising activity.

Civilization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Civilization - Essay Example Despite this immortality, the gods were subject to demise, loss of power, struggle and emotions. They weren’t neutral but were biased a thousand ways; they weren’t pure but were lust driven. Achilles was chosen by them, because of physical ability and military position. Yet he was full of shortcomings, arrogant, short tempered. But because the gods are nepotistic, he gets chosen. This is how Homer shows that however gods they might be, they were still prone to wrong decisions. He writes â€Å"We everlasting gods†¦ Ah what chilling blows, we suffer; thanks to our own conflicting wills- whenever we show these mortal men some kindness†(Iliad 346-348). There is realization, there is acknowledgement of fallacies yet there is continuity in their vices, their modes of action in the lives of their chosen ones. Yes, the humans are depicted as mere tools subjected to the likes and dislikes of gods. Blinded by their pride they might be, yet they were driven, whipped by gods, Gods who couldn’t stay headstrong themselves. Achilles did feel he was being monitored, driven, yet he continued on his fate. He knew about the divine intervention, but he didn’t settle down, he couldn’t settle down. This shows how deeply gods were into him, how minutely they carried out and observed each of his moves. He wanted to do otherwise but he couldn’t. He was a victim of indomitable power. The part where Achilles battles with and is at the verge of killing Agamemnon but is stopped by Athena who discloses the gods’ fear for the death of one if not both of their favorite humans. Is that not driven enough? Is that not prejudiced enough? The gods are indecisive of their actions but when one thing they seem perfectly in control of; Power Over Mortals. Another one of his nepotistic quotes shows flawless prejudice â€Å"Zeus and all gods: grant that this my son may become, as I am, foremost among Trojans, brave