Information Technology - 2 Case Studies - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 19 Words: 5605 Downloads: 4 Date added: 2017/09/21 Category Advertising Essay Type Narrative essay Level High school Topics: Information Essay Did you like this example? INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (80 Marks) NB: 1) There are two major case studies in paper. 2) Each case study is of 40 mark each 3) Solve the questions given below the case study 4) Be analytical in your approach. Google. Com — The World’s Number One Internet Search Engine â€Å"A profitable dot. com is a rare thing. For one founded only in late 1998, and ivorse a dotcom that includes advertising as one half of its business plan, Google’s progress is a feat. But then it could be argued that Google has been flying in the face of conventional wisdom since its launch. Neil McIntosh, ‘Seeking Search Engine Perfection,’ (The Guardian), January 2002. â€Å"Google had not had a single print or television advertisement so far and most people felt that when it was launched there was not a market for another search engine. But with all other search engines developing into portals, Google stuck to the basics and now it is better than every other search en gine. † Matthew Ragas, Consultant, ‘The Cult Runs Deep,’ (The Economic Times), March 2003. THE MOST PREFERRED SEARCH ENGINE’ In early 2003. Googlc. com (Google). he California (US) based company Google Inc. ’s search engine, was named the ‘Best Search Engine’ by Pandecta magazine. Google also received the ‘Outstanding Search Service’ award by Search Engine Watch. 2 The Search Engine Watch newsletter claimed that Google was the most heavily used search site by Internet browsers. These developments were not a major surprise for Google, which had received many such awards and recognitions since its inception in 1998 (Refer Exhibit I). Google was preferred by millions of browsers over search engines such as Alta Vista, Infoseek, Netscape and Lycos. Not only did Google rank much higher than other search engines in terms of efficiency and effectiveness, it also scored over others in terms of layout due to its uncluttered look (Re fer Exhibit II for a comparison of popular search engines). Google searched more than three billion web pages and processed more than 200 million search requests every day. The search engine could search for every possible file type on the World Wide Web, in 36 languages and provided interface in 86 languages. The fact that Google had become a household name (reportedly, even a generic term for search engines) without even spending a penny on print/television advertisements or online banners was regarded as a commendable achievement, Its success was largely attributed to its constant focus on providing the best search services online, both in terms of speed as well as accuracy. Larry Page (Larry), CEO and co-founder of Google commented. ‘It is through our maniac pursuit to offer only the best technology and search experience that Google has earned its reputation. † _________________________________ A search engine is an Internet based utility that helps surfers search fo r specified keywords by displaying a list of documents (web pages) on the World Wide Web that contain those keywords. Different search engines use their on proprietary software to provide faster, more accurate and meaningful search results to their users. Most popular search engines, such as Google and Alta Vista, are free-to-use. 2Pandecta is a monthly c-business magazine for Internet entrepreneurs. Search Engine Watch is a leading Internet technical guide for web developers and search engine users. BACKGROUND NOTE ____________ The founders of Google. Lam Page (Larry) and Sergey Brin (Sergey) graduated in computer science from Stanford University in 1995. By January 1996, the duo began working on extending their summer project work on a search engine. They wanted to develop a technology that would retrieve a relevant set of data from a massive database of information. They named their search engine ‘BackRub’ because of its ability to identify and analyze ‘back li nks’ that pointed to a given website. Larry began creating a new kind of server3 environment that used low-end personal computers (PCs) instead of costly big machines. For this, they needed to buy several low cost PCs. However, due to shortage of cash, they had to borrow PCs from the university. By 1997, BackRub gained a lot of popularity due to its unique approach to solving search problems on the. Internet. Throughout the first half of 1998, Larry and Sergey’ focused on perfecting their technology. To store huge amounts of data, they bought a terabyte of memory disks (one trillion bytes equal one terabyte) at bargain prices. Larry used his dormitory room as a data center, while Sergey used his room to set up a business office. By now they knew that their search technology was superior to any other technology available. They actively started looking for potential partners interested in licensing the same. They contacted many people including friends and family. One of the people whom they got in touch with was David Fib (Fib), the founder of Yahoo, a leading portal. 4 Filo complimented them for the ‘solid technology’ they had built, but did not enter into any agreements with them. Instead, he encouraged them to start their own company. The owners of many other portals also refused to invest in their technology. One such portal’s CEO told them, â€Å"As long as we are 80% as good as our competitors. that is good enough. Our users do not really care about search. † During the late 1990s. the ‘dotcom fever’ was at its peak in the US, and almost everyone was opening a dotcom company. Though Larry and Sergey were not very keen on opening their own company. they decided to set up one since they were unable to attract any partners. 1-however, they had to first clear off the debts they had accumulated to buy the memory disks amid to move out of their ‘dorm office. The duo put their PhD plans on hold, and beg an looking for a prospective investor for their business. Help came in the form of a faculty member who introduced them to Andy Bechtolsheim (Andy), one of the co-founders of Sun Microsystems. Andy saw their presentation and instantly knew that it had a lot of potential. As Andy was in a great hurry to attend a business meeting that day, he ‘closed’ the deal by writing the duo a check for $100,000. However, the check was made out in the name of Google Inc. 5, an entity that did not yet exist. Since Lam’ and Sergey could not deposit the check in their accounts, they decided to set up a corporation named Google Inc. _______________________________ 3Servers are computers or devices that manage the resources rn a network. For instance, users on a file server can store files on the server, which is essentially a storage device dedicated to storing files. In a search engine, database servers are used to process database queries. 4A portal is a website featuring commonl y used services as a starting point and a common gateway to the web (a web portal) or a niche topic (vertical portal/vortal). The services offered by most portals include a search engine, news, email, stock quotes, chat, forums, maps, shopping and customization options. Large portals include many more services apan from the ones mentioned above. 5The name Google was derived from the word Googol, which denotes the number one followed by a hundred zeros. It was coined by Milton Sirotta, nephew of Edward Kasner, an American Mathematician. Larry and Sergey realized that they would have to develop a new kind of server set up to provide a fast and accurate search service. So, Google made use of large clusters (around 10. 000) of Linux9 PCs so that search queries could be quickly answered. The system consisted of three types of servers, a web server, an index server and a doe server. A typical query was answered in the following manner: Google sent the user query to a web server (which act ed as a query processor), which in turn forwarded it to the index servers. The index servers searched for keywords and phrases that matched the search query. Thereafter, the doc server did the job of retrieving the actual documents that contained the search results. These results were then returned to the user (Refer Figure Ito see the life cycle of a query). Figure I: Life Cycle of a Search Query on Google [pic] This innovation helped Google achieve greater scalabilily10 at lower costs and faster response times even during peak loads. At the front end. Google made use of a search technology that carried out a series of simultaneous calculations to process a query. This ensured that the entire search look only a fraction of a second to complete. Google had a comprehensive database of web content running into over three billion web pages. In addition, Google stored a cached copy of even indexed web page so that users could access the web page even when the main server was down or the link was broken. Thus, Google accessed more information on the Internet and presented it in a searchable format than any other search engine (Refer Table I for details regarding the database). _________________________________ 9The Linux operating system was developed by l. inus Torvalds at the University of Helsinki in Finland, to provide PC users with a free or very low cost operating system. Traditional systems like UNIX were very expensive. Linux is reputed for being a very efficient and fast operating system. Google’s setup was one of the biggest commercial Linux server clusters ever. 10Scalability is defined as the ability of a computer (hardware or software application) to perform well even when it is changed in size or volume in order to meet a users need. GOOGLE’S BUSINESS MODEL Most search engine companies spent a lot of money on marketing to build their brands. Google, however, focused solely on building a ‘better’ search engine. Its superior s earch technology was the primary reason for us popularity among Internet surfers and corporate clients. Sergey said, â€Å"We developed our approach to search technology to address the very real challenge of finding information on the Internet. Everything we do — from the development of our advanced technology to the design of our user interface — is focused on delivering the best search experience on the web. We are delighted with the response we have received from Google users around the world who have enthusiastically embraced our approach to search. † Word-of-mouth recommendation became the main force driving traffic to the Google website. Within three years of its launch, the website was answering more than 200 million searches a day. With traffic increasing constantly, it became clear to Google that it could develop its business around two revenue streams, online advertising programs and search services. Half of Google’s revenues came from the two m ain search services it provided to its clients: ‘Google WebSearch’ and ‘Google SiteScarch. ’ GOOGLE SEARCH SERVICES Launched in mid-1999, the WebSearch service enabled clients (destination sites and portals) to offer Google’s search services to their members. The client could use the results page for selling its own advertisements on the web. The WebSearch Service provided many useful features like cached links. directory definitions, file types. I’m feeling lucky (a button that allowed users to bypass all results and go to the first page that was returned for a query) and a spell checker. The Google SiteSearch service provided clients with a fully customizable search on the (client) company extranets and public websites. SiteSearch improved site navigation and usability and also increased site stickiness. 12 Visitors to a website using the SiteSearch service could easily locate a specific product or service and find company information. This not only enhanced customer communications, it also reduced the number of customer service calls to the company. This in turn helped clients improve sales opportunities by providing product and service information quickly to the customer. Using SiteSearch thus increased the chances of customer loyalty for the (client) company and also reduced the need for customer support. In 1999, many companies signed up as Google’s clients. The list included Virgilio, an Italian portal: Virgin. net. Britain’s leading online entertainment guide: The Washington Post: Cisco Systems: Son: Procter Gamble; MarthaStewart. om; Hungary Minds. com; eBoodle. comn; Real Names Corporation; New York Times: Ask Jeeves: ATT: Bizrate: Dealtime: and Earthlink. The year 1999 also brought with it a lot of awards for Google. Google was ranked first among 13 search and portal sites13 in a survey conducted by NPD Online Research14 for user satisfaction and loyalty. The company received the Technical Excel lence Award for Innovation in Web Application Development by PC magazine. A high paint was the company’s inclusion in Time magazine’s Top Ten Best Cybertech list for 1999. _______________________________ 2The stickiness of a website refers to its ability o make visitors stay longer and/or return again and again. 13Oilier companies included AltaVista, AOL, Ask Jeeves, Excite, Go Network, Google, GoTo. comn, HotBot, LookSmart, Lycos, Netscape, WebCrawler, and Yahoo. 14The NPD group is an international marketing information company headquartered in Port Washington, New York. The company was the ninth largest market research firm in the US (based on 1998 revenues). with a set of keywords (as many keywords as required), which Google used to create a text-based advertisement. Each keyword was then matched to different creative executions. Advertisers could also purchase predetermined keywords or keyword phrases (from Google), which were used by Google to match a user’ s query to a closely related advertisement. These advertisements appeared as links on top of the search results page (Refer Figure II). Once these advertisements were put in place, the company constantly monitored them to improve their performance (i. e. by selecting more appropriate keywords and rewriting the text of the advertisement). Google charged approximately $10,000 or more per quarter for the premium sponsorship advertisement program. Figure II: Google’s Premium Sponsorship Program [pic] Impressed by the efficiency of the services provided by Google, Yahoo entered into a partnership with it in June 2000. This added to Google’s reputation of being a leading technology provider (by now it was answering 18 million user queries every day). Google entered into partnership deals with companies from other countries as well, including China’s leading portal NetEase arid leading Japanese portal NEC’s BIGLOBE. In mid-2000, Google brought out with a cheaper alternative to Premium Sponsorship in the form of the AdWords program. Under this program, Google allowed its customers to create their own advertisement text or purchase carefully selected key words to target potential customers. The results for Ad Words were highly targeted and advertisements appeared only if a user entered the same keywords or phrases that an advertiser had purchased. For example, if a user entered a query ‘dental insurance’ into the Google search box, it would produce search results and text based advertisements relating to the purchase of dental insurance online. The advertisements brought out under the AdWords program appeared adjacent to the search results (Refer Figure II). Google also faced stiff competition from other search engines like Verity and Overture. Verity had grown to become a leader in the corporate search market while Overture had strengthened its position in the paid search listings business. Overture had signed a series of contr acts with various businesses, the most significant being contracts with CNN and CNN’s various online properties. These developments were a cause for concern for Google as it earned approximately one third of its revenues in 2002 by being a third party search results supplier. However, Google remained confident of its position for a variety of reasons. Google had a strong tie up with AOL and provided most of the portal’s web search capabilities. According to Nielsen NetRatings, a web traffic tracker. AOL and Google together got six times the search traffic of Yahoo in late 2002. Also, Google had a strong user response from its clients including AOL. Yahoo and many media customers who used Google’s services, most importantly its news sections, to draw’ visitors. Analysts were, however, rather skeptical about optimistic projections regarding Google’s future. Analyst Danny Sullivan of Search Engine Watch said. The bulk of 000gle’s business these days is built around Googlc. com. If partners continue to grumble, the pendulum could swing — and Google may end up facing a mutiny and a world full of hostile competitors, each seeking a piece of the king of search. † Google faced another setback in February 2003 when Google Watch website22 nominated it for the Privacy International’s 2003 Big Brother Awards. 23 Google was accused of, among other things, recording all the personal information it could through its cookies. 24 retaining all data indefinitely and not mentioning why it needed such data. Google toolbar was also suspected of being a spyware. 25 However, Google did not make it to the final list because Privacy International did not find the company to be a major threat to Internet privacy. An analyst at Search Engine Watch commented. â€Å"Nevertheless, the nomination has caused some to wonder about the privacy of their search requests at Google. In addition, some allegations made in the nomination h ave been transformed by others as proof of privacy violations without being closely examined. † In spite of these unpleasant developments. Google continued to be popular amoung users. The receipt of Pandecta Magazine Award and the ‘Business People of the car’ award by Wired Magazine in early 2003 indicated that Google had strong growth prospects. Problems and threats notwithstanding, Google continued to be regarded the world over as the perfect search engine. ’ In early 2003, analysts remarked that Google could even go public in the near future like man oilier successful Silicon Valley ventures. Whether or not the company decided in favor of taking on the pressures of stock-market performance, analysts expected Google to continue innovating and developing breakthrough technologies. In line with these expectations, a Google source stated. â€Å"Whatever is to come in the way of search technology, you can be assured that Google is working to make it faster, more accurate and even easier to use. † _______________________________ 22Google Watch was formed by Daniel l3ramht in mid-2002 and is hacked by a non-profit organization named Public Information Research. 23Privacy International’s Big Brother Awards are given to those websites that are found guilty of privacy violations on the Internet. 24Cookies are small text tiles placed on a computer’s hard disk by a website through the web browser. They are used to store information that enables websites to identify users between visits. 25Spyware refers to software that gets installed in a user’s PC and sends information about the user — all without his/her knowledge. The information gathered is typically about the users activities on the internet and is transmitted to the makers of the spyware. This information is used for marketing purposes either by the spyware developers themselves or to third-parties who purchase the information. Questions for Discussion : 1. In what ways were the services offered by Google different from those offered by other search engines? Discuss with specific reference to technology, corporate client servicing and customer friendliness. 2. Most dotcom companies relied heavily on online advertisements as the primary source of revenue, and many also spent a lot of money on advertising their brands. However, Google did not do so — and was still rated as the world’s most preferred search engine. Critically discuss Google’s business model in the light of the above. Was Google’s decision not to use conventional advertising a wise one or not? 3. â€Å"Over the last three years, Google has stolen 40% of the search market directly at the expense of AOL, MSN, and Yahoo. Do you think Googlcs leadership position is going to become a threat to the company’s future growth and survival? What measures should the company take in order to sustain its position as the leading Internet search se rvices provider in the future? Mercedes Benz’s E-Biz Solution: The Factory Delivery Reservation System â€Å"One of our most fundamental goals in developing the system was to strengthen and market the Mercedes-Benz brand in the United States. The fact that we would be one of the first car manufacturers in the United States to have a factory delivery program would be seen as a very positive thing in this regard. William Engelke, Assistant Manager, IT Systems, Mercedes Benz US International, commenting on the FDRS. LINKING CUSTOMERS By 2000, Mercedes Benz United States International (MBUSI), builder of the high-quality M-Class sports utility vehicle (SUV), established itself as a company that also delivered superior customer services. One such service was the delivery option where by the customer could take delivery of the vehicle at the factory in Alabama. US. The program called the Factory Delivery Reservation System (FDRS), enabled MBUSI to create and validate 1800 orders per hour. FDRS also automatically generated material requirements and Bills of Material1 for 35,000 vehicles per hour. The Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solution that made FDRS possible was based on Lotus Domino2 and IBM Netfinity3 server1. Analysts felt that with its innovative use of the new program, MBUSI not only managed to improve its customer relations by providing the best service, but also demonstrated its commitment to customers by making them an integral part of the process. Customers were, in a way linked directly to the factory floor — which was a powerful sales tool. BACKGROUND: MBUSI AND ITS BUSINESS CHALLENGES MBUSI was a wholly-owned subsidiary of Daimler Chrylser AG5 In 1993, Daimler Benz realized that tile ‘Benz brand could be extended to wider market segments Traditionally, Mercedes Benz6 appealed to older and sophisticated customers only. Daimler Benz wanted to attract customers below 40 years of age, who wanted a rugged vehicle with all til e safety and luxury features of a Mercedes. Daimler Benz decided to develop a SUV known as the M-Class. It expected strong demand for the new vehicle and therefore planned to build its first car-manufacturing facility — MEUSI — in the (Tuscaloosa, Alabama) US. The MBUSI facility had many _____________________________ 1Bill of Material keeps track of all raw materials, parts, and subassemblies used to create a finished product. 2A product of 113M Corp. , Lotus Notes and Domino R5 are the industry’s leading client/server combination for collaborative messaging and e-business solutions. 3The IBM Netfinity server offers solutions for file-and-print and application computing needs. 4A computer or device on a network that manages network resources. For example, a file server is a computer and storage device dedicated to storing files. Any user on the network can store files on the server. A print server is a computer that manages one or more printers, and a network se rver is a computer that manages network traffic. A database server is a computer system that processes database queries. 5DaimlerChrysler AG was the result of a merger between two leading car manufacturers — Daimler Benz of Germany and Chrysler Corp. of the US in 1998. 6A luxury brand of passenger cars, Sports Utility Vehicles from DaimlerChrysler. advantages. First, labor costs in the US were almost half that of in Germany. Second, the US was the leading geographic market for SUVs. Third, as the vehicles were assembled in the US, they could be distributed to Canada and Mexico more efficiently. In January 1997, the factory started production at partial capacity and by the end of the year, it was producing at full capacity. By 2000, the factory was rolling out around 380 vehicles per day. The new M-Class ‘all-activity’ vehicle represented a new concept for the company. Also, mass customization required that each vehicle be treated as a separate project, with its o wn Bill of Material. To deal with these challenges, Daimler Benz decided to implement an enterprise wide Information Technology (IT) system, with the help of IBM Global Services7. To further strengthen the image of Mercedes Benz in the US. MBUSI planned to deliver vehicles at the factory, becoming the first international automobile manufacturer in the US to do so. MBUSI also wanted to enrich the customers’ experience. Commented William Engelke. â€Å"The factory delivery option gives Mercedes-Benz customers something that they do not get from other automobile manufacturers which is why we think the program will resonate with our customers. We think that having the factory delivery program available to Mercedes customers adds to the overall experience of the customer. † THE DESIGN OF FDRS The FDRS program was proposed in the first quarter of 1998. In the third quarter of 1998. MBUSI entered into a contract with IBM. A development team was constituted with IBM Global Sol utions specialists and IBM c-commerce developers, who worked closely with MBUSI. The program became operational by the first quarter of 1999. The IT team at MBUSI had a clear set of functional specifications for FDRS. However, they relied on IBM to transform the concept into an e-business solution. The FDRS was designed in such a way that customers buying the M-Class SUV could specify that will take delivery of their new vehicle at the factory. They could place the order at an of the 355 Mercedes Benz dealers in the US. An authorized employee at the dealership entered the factory delivery order the web interface. Timing was the most important aspect of the FDRS’ functionality, as it was closely linked with MBUSI’s vehicle production schedule. Mercedes Benz United States of America (MBUSA)8, based in Montvale, NJ, was the first link in the FDRS program. It was (he point where the dealer actually placed the order. MBUSA’s role was to coordinate the distribution of vehicles to dealers across the country. Later, it had to add the order to the company’s Baan Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)9 system, which scheduled the order for production. About three months before the production date, the dealer could schedule in a window, the date and time of arrival of the customer at the factory for delivery. The window was then automatically computed by the FDRS to give the dealer, the possible delivery dates. Apart from the delivery date, the customer could also specify the accessories for the car and also request a factory tour. _________________________________ IBM Global Services is the services and consultancy division of IBM Corp. that offers extensive c-business solutions. MBUSA is the wholly owned US subsidiary of Daimler-Chrylser. ERP attempts to integrate all departments and functions across a company onto a single computer system that can Serve all those different departments particular needs. Figure 1 : System Architecture of FDRS [pi c] FDRS was based on Lotus Domino (Refer Exhibit I). Lotus Enterprise Integrator10 and IBM Netfinity servers. It also interfaced with IBM S/390 Parallel Enterprise Server. Model 9672-R45 located in Montvale. NJ (Refer Figure 1). There were two Domino servers — an IBM Netfinity 5500 and an IBM Netfinity 3000. The former that acted as the â€Å"internal Domino server’ was placed behind a firewall. 11 It replicated databases through the firewall to the external server. The replication. which was encrypted, represented the primary means by which the FDRS system achieved security. Netfinity 3000 acted as an ‘external Domino server. ’ It had public information and was also the primary communication linkage for dealers. The back-end of the FDRS was equipped with an Oracle database that updated the internal Domino server database with order information. The updation was done using Lotus Enterprise Integrator. The data which was replicated to the internal Domino _ ________________________________ 10A server-based data distribution product that enables data exchange between Lotus Domino and a number of host and relational applications. 1A system designed to prevent unauthorized access to or from a private network. Firewalls can be implemented in both hardware and software. Firewalls are frequently used to prevent unauthorized Internet users from accessing private networks connected to the Internet, especially intranets. All messages entering or leaving the intranet pass through the firewall, winch examines each message and blocks those that do not meet the specified security criteria. server included lists of valid dealers and lists of order numbers. When an order was placed by the dealer on the FDRS system, the data as first stored on the external Domino server, after which it was replicated to the internal Domino server. Then it was replicated to the back-end database via the Lotus Enterprise Integrator. Data replication between the Lotus No tes servers happened every 15 minutes and data exchange with the back-end database three times per day. There was also a link between the back end database and an IBM S/39012 mainframe based system located at MBUSA via a T113 line. MBUSA managed the flow of vehicles to Mercedes dealers across (lie United States. This mainframe based system received new vehicle orders (as opposed to factory delivery reservation requests) from individual dealers. The orders were then sent to MBUSIs Baan system and also to the back-end database. The vehicle ordering and factory reservation data were coordinated with each other when the back-end database uploaded the data to the internal Domino server. This coordinated the production and delivery information. FDRS IMPLEMENTATION One of the most challenging aspects of the implementation seemed to be the complexity of the Lotus and Domino scripts. The development tea in had to group all the information from diverse systems. Commented William Engelke. â₠¬Å"There was a substantial amount of very complex coding involved in the FDRS solution. This application involves a lot more than having our dealers fill out a form and submitting it. There are many things the servers have to do for the system to function properly such as looking at calendars and production schedules. We built a solution with some very advanced communication linkages. † IBM faced many technical challenges during time implementation of the program. One of them was the different timing schemes of the Lotus Notes databases and backend databases (ERP). This led to discrepancies in the data. Domino server was a Near Real Time (NRT) Server14, and MBUSI’s backend activities were both real time15 and batch processing16. Also, to get the best results, the Domino server was an optimised subset of the ERP table set How ever, the development team achieved a balance between the two ‘sides’ of the solution b focusing on issues of timing, error detection schemes, and alerts. ___________________________________ 2The IBM S/390 servers offer direct high speed access to the c-business application and are used for Enterprise Computing. 13A dedicated phone connection supporting data rates of 1544 Mbits per second. A T1 Line actually consists of 24 individual channels, each of which supports 64 Kbits per second. Each 64 Kbit per second channel can be configured to voice or data traffic. 14The NRT Server System supports real time distribution of near-real time data. 15Real lime refers to events simulated by a computer at the same speed that they would occur in real life. 16Executing a series of noninteractive jobs all at one time. The term dates back to the days when users entered programs on punch cards. They gave a batch of these programmed cards to the system operator, who fed them into the computer. Usually, batch jobs are stored up during working hours and then executed whenever the computer is idle. Batch processing is particularly us eful for operations that require the computer or a peripheral device for an extended period of time. Once a batch job begins, it continues until it is done or until an error occurs. Note that batch processing implies that there is no interaction with the user while the rogram is being executed. 17The ERP tables are the database tables, (thousands of them), on which the package is built. The programmers and end users must set these tables to match their business processes. Each table has a decision ‘switch’ that leads the software down one decision Path or another. CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: FDRS’ PRIMARY BENEFIT MBUSI seemed to measure FDRS’ success in terms of increased satisfaction of its customers, The company also believed that the marketing and customer satisfaction aspects outweighed the significance of more traditional cost-based benefits. Apart from the factory delivery experience, the program also offered the customer a factory tour and ride on the of f-road course at a low cost. The company also seemed to gain strategic marketing benefits from the FDRS program, as it was able to establish Mercedes-Benz as a premium brand. (Refer Table I for advantages of FDRS in different areas). Customers could also visit the various tourist spots in Alabama after picking up their M-class vehicles. Table 1: Advantages of the FDRS Program AREA |ADVANTAGES | |Strategic Marketing Benefits |FDRS was expected to improve customer satisfaction and brand loyalty, as it enriched Mercedes’ customer’s experience. | | |The program also strengthened the brand image of Mercedes in the US. | |Cost Savings |Development of a web-based solution enabled MBUSI to offer the factory delivery program at substantially lower costs, | | |due to less reliance on administrative personnel. |Regional Economic Development |â€Å"Package Marketing† the FDRS program with a ride to tourist sites, enhanced the image of Alabama as a tourist | | |destination. | |DaimlerChrysler |The creation of a similar — albeit smaller — factory delivery system to the European Customer Delivery Center in | |AG |Sindelfingen, Germany, reflected favorably on the MBUSI business unit. | |Source : MBUSI | FUTURE OF FDRS In 2000, MBUSI planned to leverage FDRS’ platform by adding a range of other services. MBUSI built an advanced platform to create communication links to its suppliers. Through the link, MBUSI provided them feedback on the quality of supplies it received. The dealers and suppliers had a user-ID and password, which the system recognized. It then routed them into the appropriate stage of the FDRS. The company also planned to extend the innovative system to include transactional applications such as ordering materials and checking order status on the Web. The company expected that the new system based on FDRS. would be more cost-effective than the Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)18 system. Q. 1) â€Å"The factory delivery option gives Mercedes-Benz customers something that they do not get from other automobile manufacturers†. Briefly discuss the salient features of the Factory Delivery Reservation System of MBUSI. Q. 2) â€Å"One of the most fundamental goals in developing the FDRS was to strengthen and market the Mercedes-Benz brand in the United States†. Discuss other benefits of the FDRS program. [pic] [pic] Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Information Technology 2 Case Studies" essay for you Create order

Othello, By William Shakespeare - 950 Words

Othello is a play about love, hate, jealousy, betrayal, and much more. In Othello, Othello gives a handkerchief to Desdemona, his wife, that he received from his mother as a gift. This sacred cloth was more than a gift for Desdemona; it was their forever. The handkerchief was white with red strawberries. The white portraying purity, and the red strawberries symbolizing beauty (Hasnain, Ahsh p.1). Unfortunately, Othello was so attached to this handkerchief and its â€Å"spell†, that it brought him to kill himself and his lover. This piece of cloth is extremely important to the play, and its significance varies between Othello, Desdemona, and Iago. Othello gave this handkerchief to Desdemona as a symbol of his love for her. When he supposes she has lost it, he begins to tell her the origin of the handkerchief stating, â€Å"A sibyl that had numbered in the world the sun to course two hundred compasses in her prophetic fury sewed the work. The worms were hallowed that did the breed the silk, and it was dyed in mummy which the skillful conserved of maiden’s hearts† (Act III, Scene IV). By Othello saying this, he is really trying to convey the importance of the handkerchief to himself, and in return Desdemona sees her importance, to him. Another importance the handkerchief has to Othello is faithfulness. An Egyptian â€Å"charmer† gave this handkerchief to his mother and by his mother having this, his father would never leave his mother (Arogundade, Ben paragraph 2). So Othello gave it toShow MoreRelatedOthello, By William Shakespeare957 Words   |  4 Pagesinnocent person kills himself while not knowing the truth. The best example of that would be the play Othello by the great William Shakespeare. As little as a handkerchief could make a difference if it is a symbol for something. In the play Othello by Shakespeare, handkerchief is first introduced by Othello to his beautiful mistress, Desdemona, as a sign of their love. At the end of the play what gets Othello to take extreme measures by the location of the handkerchief. As the symbol of the handkerchiefRead MoreOthello, By William Shakespeare1599 Words   |  7 Pages William Shakespeare’s 16th century play Othello is a duplicitous and fraudulent tale set alternatingly between Venice in act 1, and the island of Cyprus thereafter. The play follows the scandalous marriage between protagonist Othello, a Christian moore and the general of the army of Venice, and Desdemona, a respected and intelligent woman who also happens to be the daughter of the Venetian Senator Brabantio. Shakespeare undoubtedly positions the marriage to be viewed as heroic and noble, despiteRead MoreOthello, By William Shakespeare1218 Words   |  5 PagesIn a historical time period where emphasis was shifting from religion to race and ethnicity, key indicators of differences that perpetuated into racial prejudice and racial ideologies are evident in Othello by William Shakespeare. Although racism was not fully formed at this moment in history, Othello can be interpreted as a representation and an exploration of this shift in ideology. In the past, before this change to ward racial differences, religion was the major segretory factor in signifyingRead MoreOthello, By William Shakespeare894 Words   |  4 Pagesthose that which occurred in Othello written by William Shakespeare. Throughout the play Othello, we see the struggles of a marriage that is not accepted by their society. Othello is a extremely cherished black general living in a primarily white community. The play begins with Othello secretly becoming married to a white woman named Desdemona. This reasons others who are white to become angry and excuse to dislike this black man further more than they already do. Othello is a downward spiral from loveRead MoreOthello by William Shakespeare790 Words   |  3 PagesThroughout Othello by William Shakespeare, Othello makes numerous poor decisions due to his jealousy. Hitting Desdemona, trusting Iago, and killing Desdemona are among a few of the poor decisions that he makes. The word jealous can be defined as feeling or showing suspicion of som eones unfaithfulness in a relationship. Othello feels suspicious of Desdemona’s and Cassio’s relationship because of the lies that Iago tells him. Many people try to tell Othello the truth but he only believes the wordsRead MoreOthello, By William Shakespeare1923 Words   |  8 Pagesdissatisfaction or complication is shown. Firstly in Othello love is presented as ephemeral and transient while atonement love is presented as unrequited and finally in cat on a hot tin roof love is presented as painful and troublesome due to unreciprocated feelings. The tragic plot of Othello hinges on the potential of the villain, Iago, to deceive other characters, above all Roderigo and Othello, through encouraging them to misinterpret what they see. Othello is prone to Iago s ploys seeing that he himselfRead MoreOthello, By William Shakespeare941 Words   |  4 Pageswas Williams Shakespeare’s play Othello which depicts the tragedy of Othello, a Morris Captain. What is different about Shakespeare play is that the tragic hero is the black Othello and the villain a white Iago. Therefore, Shakespeare depiction of Othello as a tragic character and Iago as a villain, challenges Elizabethan’s stereotypes regarding individuals of African descent. Shakespeare challenges the stereotypical â€Å"type –casting of the black man† in Elizabethan society by depicting Othello asRead MoreOthello, By William Shakespeare1152 Words   |  5 Pages‘Othello’ was a tragedy of incomprehension at the deepest level of human dealings as no one in the play came to an understanding of himself or any of the surrounding characters. The play ‘Othello’ by William Shakespeare focused on tragedy through the anguish of the main character ‘Othello’ which lead to the suffering and death of numerous characters including himself. Appearance Vs. Reality challenged human dealings within the play ‘Othello’ as no-one came to see anyone’s true self and no-one seesRead MoreOthello, By William Shakespeare1178 Words   |  5 Pagesprofitable in condition of good and immorality. Othello is presented as good and Iago as evil, but Iago and Othello’s relationship also shares a distrust of their wives. The overall logical argument is based on love, jealousy and betrayal between two lovers that ultimately leads to their separation because of Iago’s evil plan. I am using this article to agree with Berry s view on how Iago separates two lovers just so he can take retaliation on Othello by manipulating everyone to unmasking their trueRead MoreOthello, By William Shakespeare1140 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Othello† is a play written by William Shakespeare in 1603. In this play, Shakespeare features three major characters: Othello, Iago, and Desdemona. Othello, a black man, and Desdemona, a white venetian secretly eloped in the play. Iago shows racism and prejudice towards their relationship because of their skin colors. In the play, Iago says: â€Å"Even now, now, very now, an old black ram is tupping your white ewe. Arise, arise! Awake the snorting citizens with the bell, or else the devil will make a

Communication Opinion Free Essays

Kevin Molder Imagine a world with no communication. No way to express feelings of anger or Joy, no longer waving goodbye as someone leaves, communicating via email, text or pen never existed. The mere thought is absurd. We will write a custom essay sample on Communication Opinion or any similar topic only for you Order Now Communicating is key to success in most any situation, whether it is in the work place, personal life or everyday tasks. The basic elements of communication and how they differ from the basic rules of healthcare communication are covered in this paper. Cultural differences and how hey influence communication, as well as how healthcare providers might encourage their patients to be more open and honest about their health will be covered first. The integration of cultural societies has come to be . In cities such as Chicago, New York, and Los Angels, an individual using public transportation is going to encounter people from different cultural backgrounds. With such a diverse society, how is communication influenced? Having the same cultural beliefs does not necessarily mean any two people will react the same in situations (Goanna, 2011). Generalizations an provide clues on what one might encounter and the way communication will be affected (Goanna, 2011). Examples of three generalizations: Cultures are either high- context or low context. The choice of medium used to communicate may have cultural undertones. The United States for instance, favors electronic and written technology while Japan prefers oral or face-to-face communication (Goanna, 2011). Next, cultures are either sequential or synchronicity. If a culture thinks of time sequential-as a linear commodity to spend, save, or waste, whereas asynchronously-as constant flow to be experienced in the moment as a force that cannot be controlled or contained (Goanna, 2011). German and Swedish cultures give full attention to one task at a time, but other parts of the world multi-tasking is the norm (Goanna, 2011). Last, cultures are either affective or neutral. A great example of an affective cultural is Italian. They tend to be very passionate and readily show their emotions. The Dutch are more of a neutral culture-very controlled with emotions and do not telegraph them (Goanna, 2011). Communication among healthcare providers and patient is imperative. Many times an individual is embarrassed to revel symptoms or past medical history in fear they might be rejected or Judged. The thought of another patient getting a glimpse of their medical chart is reason to withhold information or perhaps the medication prescribed makes them feel strange or sick? No matter their reasoning, holding back pertinent information could be costly and in worst cases deadly. There are a plethora of ways healthcare providers can ease the minds of individuals and ensure the line of communication between them stays open and honest. Patients want to believe their healthcare provider truly cares for their well- being. Verbal and non-verbal communication helps providers express interest and concerns to patients. Making eye contact, listening and questioning with thought, demonstrating understanding and compassion are examples of verbal and non- verbal communication. Bridging any social gap that may be present will help establish open communication between provider and patient. Viewing the relationship as a partnership in which each party contributes to maximize the outcome is an essential element in provider/patient relationships. The choice of words a provider uses can affect the line of communication between them and their patients a great deal. If an individual has no knowledge of the medical terms a physician is using they may become embarrassed by it and not ask the proper questions or pretend to know what is being said. Effective communication relies on five basic elements, the sender, the receiver, the medium, the channel, and the feedback. The sender initiates the communication. Verbal and non-verbal techniques are used to properly convey the message and the sender should have an understanding of who is receiving the message. The party in which the sender is transmitting communication is the receiver. To correctly absorb the message the receiver should listen carefully and not get distracted. The medium is most important of the five elements. It can come in many different forms and is what the receiver is trying to communicate to the receiver. The channel is how the communication is being sent, whether it is mail, text, email or oral. Finally, the feedback describes the receiver’s response or reaction to the sender’s message. Feedback may come from skiing questions, body language or facial expressions. Health care communication differs from basic communication because patient care becomes a factor. Peoples confidentially and concerns need to be taken into consideration. How the individual receives and interprets messages and information. The family member’s reaction is important as well. Co-workers need to make sure they are not open with private information. In conclusion, culture differences can be bridged in communication if the sender and receiver are aware of how each party communicates. How to cite Communication Opinion, Papers

Marine benthic sediment analysis Essay Example For Students

Marine benthic sediment analysis Essay We have research on alang ship breking yard, We would like to know about current research papers or bibiliogrphy on sediment as well as sea water analysis and pollution refrances. pls, send me. Alang is about 60 k.m. away from Bhavnagar on way to Talaja on the Southern coast of Saurashtra (Gujarat). A ship breaking yard was started in February 1983 on the coast of Alang and further near Sosiya. The ships were of different types :Oil tankers, cargo ships, war ships, research vessels, containers ships and many other types. During the ship breaking activity, at least some of the scraps in one form or other fall into the seawater and get degraded or remain as such. Some of it is dragged away with every successive tide while other remains on shore or in the intertidal area. There is a need to study the complex coastal processes operating in this region, especially suspended sediment distribution, current pattern and tidal fluxes. Bibliography:

A Changed Man Essay Example

A Changed Man Essay A Changed Man Christian McDaniel Mrs. Rush English 10 17 October 2013 A Changed man A man trapped in a dystopian world where people are forced to obey certain laws he is told to follow. Some may struggle to get away from what they want to teach while most will follow the leader who tells them what they should be. These people are trapped in a society that forces them to act on the terms that they give. People are basically forced to be a mindless zombie that has not have a say so in what happens in the society. In the book Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury is a perfect xample of a dystopian world with people who follow it and the others who want to escape from it. A man named Montag is the main character or protagonist of the story. In this story it is the twenty-fourth century and books have been banned by the society from ever being read. In this era of time Montag is known as a firemen but not the one most people would think of. Instead of putting out fires the firemen are there to start them. The firemens main Job is to burn all books. We will write a custom essay sample on A Changed Man specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on A Changed Man specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on A Changed Man specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Montag is at first one of the many people who are sucked into a world they dont understand but never ask questions to clear things up. Although Montag undertakes in a callous, apathetic, and weak- minded stage at first, he starts to see the truth behind his world and pushed to recognize the real problems in his world. Montag was a happy man at first. He had a home, a Job that required him to burn books and a wife, Mildred. Montag was about to be promoted after 10 years of firefighting by his captain, Beatty. Clarisse is the first initial spark to set off Montags mind. Do you ever read any of the books you laughed. Thats against the Of course (Bradbury 8). This is what Montag and Clarisse talk about that causes Montag to actually think for once. Clarisse seemed to have different feelings for Montag than the other firefighters she tried to talk to. He found her peculiar but she had a point to what she was saying. She may have looked 17 but to Montag her words made her seem much older. It was Clarisses last question that got Montag really frustrated. Are you happy? (Bradbury 14). This made Montag really think about whether or not he was really providential with not only himself but in his time and way of life. Montag was extremely confused and thought maybe the answers were somewhere he never looked before like a book. This was Montags next big step in many more dangerous ones. After one of his raids to burn some books he took one home and hid it under his pillow. The next day Beatty suddenly appeared to visit Montag at home. A book is a loaded gun in the house next door. Burn it. Take the shot from the weapon (Bradbury 58). This is how Beatty explains to Montag how books are really bad. Beatty feels that the world is better off without the books interrupting and ruining your day. He sees it as a burden to read them. Montag still had a melancholy tendency in him; still not satisfied with himself he keeps searching for answers. Montag then took an even bigger step then before. He showed his wife and explained hat he was unhappy. Mildred did not take this lightly. She was immediately startled and afraid of them and wanted them to be gone. Listen. Give me a second, will you? We cant do anything. We cant burn these. I want to look at them, at least look at them once (Bradbury 70). Without Mildred Montag started reading the books that he had taken. Later in the book Montag meets a man named Faber who he thinks may be the answer to his problems. We have everything we need to be happy, but we arent happy. Somethings missing (Bradbury 82) Faber gives Montag his address. Montag meets Faber at his house to discuss what he should really do. If there were no war, if there was peace in the world, Id say fine, have fun! But, Montag, you mustnt go back to being Just a fireman. All isnt well with the world (Bradbury 87) Faber doesnt tell Montag what he has to do but tells him he has to make the choice himself. He can choose to part of those who know they are alive or be the people who follow what they are told to do. Montag agreed to follow Faber and his ways. Faber gave Montag a seashell-like communication device and said that he would read to him every night. Following this event Montag went home where Mildred had some friends over. Montag went on to read them a book. After awhile and when he was finally done Mildreds friends were deeply disturbed by the book. Mildred was frustrated with Montag and the books and said she wanted them gone but Montag said that he needed them. The worst of Montags misfortune was yet to come. Montag was at work and the alarm to burn some books had gone off. Montag went through the same procedures he always went through. They got on the truck and they were off. Montag had no clue where they were going. When the truck had finally stopped Montag realized where they were. Why, said Montag slowly, weve stopped in front of my house (Bradbury 113). Montag for a long while thought to himself. He couldnt believe that he was in front of his house. He didnt even say a word while Beatty, who seemed to be somewhat satisfied, went on giving a speech on how he messed up. But Montag noticed that Mildred was leaving the house to get into the car. Mildred, you didnt put in the alarm! (Bradbury 116). Mildred left the scene and never returned. Beatty told Montag that he had to burn down his own house and that he would be arrested afterward. Montag proceeded to burn everything down. When he was finished Montag and Beatty got in a little altercation and Montag ended up hooting Beatty with the flamethrower and killing him. Montag knew he had to escape the area before the cops could get to him so he had to flee somewhere. When he was running Montag decided he better go to Fabers house for advice and he was the last person he could trust. Faber told him he had to make it to the forest. Montag was successful in making it to the forest and escaping the cops. Montag began feeling, touching, and overall understanding the area around him and realized something. He walked on the track. OAnd he was surprised to learn how certain he suddenly was of a single fact he could not prove. nce, long ago, Clarisse had walked here, where he was walking now (Bradbury 147). Montag had finally felt different feeling than what he had at the beginning of the book. Montag really has become a changed man. Montag made choices that werent in his best intentions but he was a new and better person. It may seem like he lost everything but he has gained something more important than any item in the world and that is his own logic. His opinion. His ordeal. The choices he made, he made on his own and no one else can take that from him. Montag now knows that he is alive and he is proud to know this.

Role of Man-Maintaining Ecological Balance Essays

Role of Man-Maintaining Ecological Balance Essays Role of Man-Maintaining Ecological Balance Essay Role of Man-Maintaining Ecological Balance Essay Uncertain and Changing seasons, increasing global temperature (Global Warming), Increasing water level of sea, ozone layer problem, melting down of south and North Pole, increasing level of carbon emission in the air and many such alarming and demanding situations are the outcomes of deteriorated ecological balance. Temperature of Globe is increasing in last one or two decades unlike earlier eras. There are different reasons of such result in increasing Global temperature – called Global Warming and these reasons are- 1. Industrial Development and Pollution 2. Increasing vehicular pollution 3. Ozone depletion layer 4. Reducing number of forests 5. Reducing level of ground water 6. Inorganic farming and agriculture 7. Cutting of trees in urban and rural areas 8. Reducing number of animals and birds 9. Increasing population 10. Wrong goals of Economic system (Profit and Money oriented) Though there are different actions needed to correct these problems and achieve ecological balance but moreover it is resulting out of a person and demanding speed of life. If we can control these two things we can save earth from early death. Even controlling speed of life can control the global warming by 50% compared to current speed of deterioration. Simpler Problem, Difficult To Solve There are different problems, which look very simple but are difficult to tackle; one of these problems is Drinking Water Drinking Water There is acute shortage of drinking water in major cities of the world. Other than this the water supplied is not at all drinkable. â€Å"Some people say that there can be a third world war due to non availability of drinking water so you must have to understand the scarcity of the problem. Decreasing Raw Food Grains production Due to uncertain rains and seasons many countries in the world are facing reducing level of production of food grains. SO it is necessary to use food processing to store the raw food for longer periods using natural, semi-natural and un-natural preservatives. Control of Carbon Emission Western and European countries have understood the impact of carbon emissions and present leve l of carbon in the air and they are trying to control carbon emission in many different ways except one, vehicular pollution. Comparing western countries with Asian and Developing countries where the economic growth is faster today or in nearer future, due to the availability of money in hand people are going for cars, vehicles at an increasing number and that too when it is not required for their family for daily usage. Many purchase it as status symbol. And since they have car they go for outing in a car every week. It is better to use public transport to use public transport. Reducing Number of Vehicles Reducing industrial pollution. Sustainable Development The development has to be there, but it must be sustainable, means we will have science and technology for easy life, but the development will sustain longer than today’s approach. It means that we must control use of chemicals, nuclear radiations and carbon emissions in such a way that the effect of these things will be slower or negligible. How to achieve sustainable development The way to achieve it is simple. We must use natural means as far as possible. Renewable energy resources must be used. USE solar Power Solar power is available from sunrays. Sun Rays are available in almost 70% of globe and can be used as electrical and heating energy for water, food, cooking. Rain Water Harvesting Rainwater can be stored and filtered for use of washing and plantation. Vehicle Fuel Solar energy, water or Hydrogen as a fuel. Use  of battery as vehicle energy. Industrial Fuel White Coal (Coal made from grass and wood). Solar energy for water heating and low power electricity. Bio Gas for heating. Bio Diesel Generators for Industrial Electricity. PLASTIC Use as minimum plastic as possible. Solid Waste Towns cities are facing very big problem of solid waste. It is almost impossible to manage the quantity of solid waste. The waste ground provided by the government are insufficient as population of the cities and towns keeps on growing. Organic farming -agriculture We must use natural methods to increase production in farming and agriculture. Earthworm composts are very good for farming and agriculture. Reducing use of wood Wood should be used as minimum as possible. Find Alternative for Cement as Construction Material Cement as a construction material produces more heat and hence is not advisable material for construction. One good alternative is Ciporex. Economy should change Profit and Money being the motive of the present economy it is causing trouble for the world. We must have economy which will have values embedded. Rewards for good work, rewards for honesty. Conclusions The damage due to manmade material is not repairable by money or other manmade material at least today. If today we are not able to control nature by science and technology, do you think, we can do so in future? If we are not able to generate nature with the help of science and technology we must try to protect is honestly. Everything that is born is going to die, but let it be at least a natural death.

In the name of the Father, Death and the Maiden, The Torture Question, Movie Review

In the name of the Father, Death and the Maiden, The Torture Question, The killing Fields, or The Burning Season - Movie Review Example Later after he started to work and settled in the same area he was accused and considered to be responsible for the Guilford bombing. In this case he was not the only one to have been accused, but his family and friends were considered to be responsible either. Thus, the filmmakers began â€Å"to explore their real theme, which is the intimate emotional consequences of oppression and prejudice" (The New Yorker n. p.). The story revolved around an era known as â€Å"The troubles.’’ This era faced conflicts between two forces: the first one was the IRA, that is the Irish Republican Army, and the second one was UVF, that is Ulster Volunteer Force. The reason behind the conflicts that started in 960 was the change or the raise in the trend of bombing, terrorism and riots. The area where our protagonist dwelled was Belfast, the city in Northern Ireland, which was transformed into a battle zone and became a barrier between the two forces. It came to be known as ‘†™the barricaded city’’. The story dealt with a boy named Gerry. The IRA considered that he was the person who spread terror and was the one responsible to plant a bomb, the accident that resulted in killing five innocent people. The people who were suspected for this crime were Paddy, Gerry, Paul and Carol, were literally abused and physically tortured during their seven day interrogation. The worst part was when Gerry Conlon refused to speak up and the agency threatened to kill his father. This got him in a very weird situation when he had to confess, although he had not committed any sort of a crime. Gerry Conlon served 15 years of imprisonment and was eventually released. The Lawyer of Gerry, namely, Gareth Pierse, discovered a proof that the IRA tried to hide from the courts and the media. After these facts of evidence were brought to the authorities the "Guilford four" was released after a period of 15 years in jail. During this time Gerry Conlon lost his father , who died while he was in jail (Kenigsberg n. p.). This story revolves around the life of man, which cannot be called an ordinary one, and depicts his battle against the forces that made him go through a terrible experience. He faces the most brutal and unfair treatment by the British judiciary and casts into question the competence of the system that was being enforced back then. There were lots of people who experienced torture being innocent citizens and could not simply live in peace having become the victims of the unfair system. The protagonist of the story is the embodiment of every individual who experienced brutality and injustice of the said era. This movie has an irresistible and moving plot. The book, which was eventually transformed into a movie, was considered by critics as "thoughtful and thought provoking book that proposes suggestions for fixing society through common sense and faith" (Breckenridge-ayers 48). The movie has a unique style, which is seldom on the big screen. The way it condemns the British system is very brave in its own way. The thing about this movie is that it certainly does not intend to exaggerate the impact of the IRA. Likewise, it is not made with the purpose to promote getting out of the British Government from Northern Ireland or damage the Crown Prosecution Service in any way. The reason behind this movie was to narrate the story of the local masses that are stuck in the wrong place at wrong time and try hard to resist injustice. It also deals with

US Foreign Policy against Terrorism and How Did This Policy Affect US Essay

US Foreign Policy against Terrorism and How Did This Policy Affect US Relation with Saudi Arabia - Essay Example In the background of the US domestic along with foreign policy, the new buzzword i.e. terrorism is regarded as a new threat, affecting the economy and the overall financial performance of the nation to a significant extent. It can be apparently observed that there prevails a rampant debate amid various scholars and politicians concerning what actually terrorism means. Theoretically, terrorism is fundamentally described as the unlawful executions of violence perform by an individual or a group. After acquiring a brief idea about the buzzword of terrorism, it can be affirmed from a broader outlook that this buzzword is not always restricted towards performing violent activities rather it entails threat of violence. The terrorism related victims are often described as non-combatants or civilians1. While determining the US foreign policy, one can find the aspect of terrorism to be rampantly addressed. It can be stated that the significant concern of international terrorism has long been witnessed as a domestic along with a foreign based security threat. It is worth mentioning that the execution of fatal events relating to September 11th in the US have noticeably re-energised the focus of the US government towards adopting effective policies for combating terrorism. ... With this concern, this essay intends to discuss about the foreign policy of the US against terrorism. Moreover, the essay also highlights how this policy has affected the relation of the US with one of the nations belonging to the Middle East i.e. Saudi Arabia. A Background of the US Foreign Policy against Terrorism With regard to analyse the US foreign policy against terrorism, it can be apparently observed that the past administrations of the US have intended towards adopting along with implementing broad assortment of effective measures in order to combat against various crucial concerns. These concerns comprise international terrorism, global cooperation, diplomacy, financial sanctions, military force, covert action and defensive security measures among others. During that particular time period, the application of sanctions was viewed to be one of the tools, which had been executed by the US policy makers for combating against terrorism. The organisations that were supporting t he aspect of international terrorism were forbidden from availing any kind of support from the US military forces. In general, the anti-terrorism policy of the US from 1970s to the mid period of 1990s focussed upon punishing and deterring particularly the state sponsors, as they countered to terrorist groups themselves. It is worth mentioning in this similar concern that the formation of the Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 had made a significant shift in the aforesaid policy. The policy shift was mainly performed by the abovementioned Act in terms of banning the funding, granting visas along with other related material support to Foreign Terrorist

Nephrotoxic and Hepatotoxic Species of Mushrooms Essay

Nephrotoxic and Hepatotoxic Species of Mushrooms - Essay Example Mushrooms create helpful chemicals like amino acids and sugars from the decaying matters and feed on it (Triefeldt 42). In doing so, they enrich the soil and play an important role in the ecosystem (Triefeldt 42). More than 2000 species of mushrooms are known to exist (Pageaux and Larrey 827). However, as approximately 50 species of mushrooms are known to be poisonous for human beings, not all of them are safe to eat (Pageaux and Larrey 827). Hence, it is extremely necessary to distinguish between the mushrooms that are healthy to eat and mushrooms that are lethal for human life.  Ã‚              Human beings can obtain protein and vitamin B from mushrooms (Kemp 173). Benefits like boosting immune system and protection against cancer can be obtained from mushrooms (Kemp 173). However, these benefits can be availed only from those mushrooms that are not poisonous for health. The common varieties among the healthy mushrooms are the ‘button’ and ‘Portobello’ mushrooms (Kemp 173). Also, some of the other varieties of nonpoisonous mushrooms are ‘shitak,’ ‘common mycena,’ ‘parasol,’ ‘shaggy mane,’ ‘Mary russula,’ ‘edible boletus,’ ‘Aspen scaber stalk,’ ‘table mushrooms’ and ‘field mushrooms’ (Triefeldt 42). These are nonpoisonous mushrooms and hence, are not dangerous to health of human beings. However, there are other species of mushrooms which have the potential of not only affecting the human health negatively but also to cause death. Those species are discussed below.               In Western countries, one of the common emergencies in the medical field is the mushroom poisoning (Pageaux and Larry 827). The species of mushroom, known as ‘Amanita’ are the major cause behind most of the cases of mushroom poisoning in human beings (Pageaux and Larrey 827). The fatal phalloidian syndrome is also caused by mushroom species called ‘lepiota’ (Pageaux and Larrey 827). Health hazards like â€Å"abdominal pain, vomiting, weakness, hallucination or even death† can be caused to human beings if they eat mushrooms that contain chemical toxins (Triefeldt 42).

Orthodontic Tooth Movement: Ideal Rate and Force

Orthodontic Tooth Movement: Ideal Rate and Force Ananth Kadekodi â€Å"Describe and discuss the concept of the ideal rate and force for Orthodontic tooth movement. Provide evidence for and against the claims of this ideal†. Orthodontic tooth movement is a process that combines pathologic, physiologic and biological responses to externally applied forces (Wise, King, 2008). It is explained by the pressure tension theory and bone bending theory. Pressure tension theory states that tooth movement occurs in the periodontal space by creating a pressure side and a tension side (Schwarz, 1932). Conversely, bone bending theory states that force delivered, results in bending of the tooth and its surrounding structure, whilst altering the cellular activity for bone remodelling. Additionally, tooth movement is also comprised of three phases, which include the initial phase, lag phase and post lag phase (Burstone, 1962). Currently, there is being a shift, from the emphasis on force application to the biological and biochemical factors affecting tooth movement (Mayne, 2014). Nevertheless, understanding of the force magnitude and its temporal characteristics is important determining the ideal rate and force of ortho dontic tooth movement. Study conducted by various scientists, showed that variables such as: force magnitude; continuous vs intermittent force; individual variations; tooth variations and different types of tooth movement play a role in determining the ideal and rate and force of tooth movement. Studies by Hixon et al. (1970) showed that higher forces moved teeth farther in 8 weeks than lighter forces. The studies showed an increase in maxillary canine movement in all but one of the subjects. The trials demonstrated that as the force increased from 200 grams to 300 grams, the tooth movement for patient B increased from 0.15 mm/week to 0.25 mm/week. This is a result of the higher forces generating a metabolic response sooner and at a more rapid rate, resulting in an increased tooth movement. Additionally, study conducted by Andreasen, and Johnson (1967) on sixteen females, showed teeth exposed to the 400 grams moved further than 200 gm, at a rate of 2.5 times to that of the lower force. Moreover, heavier force, also cause an increased anchor teeth movement (Storey, 1973). However, studies by Owman-moll, Kurol, and Lundgren (1996) have claimed that maximum tooth movement can be achieved even with light forces. This is also supported by Storey (1973), who stated little differen ces in canine movement between heavy and light forces. Moreover, Ren, Maltha, Kuijpers-Jagtman (2003) support this viewpoint by stating that, there is no specific optimal force but a wide range of forces evoke a biological response in the periodontal tissue for ideal tooth movement. Additionally, Owman-moll et al. (1996) through their studies showed that, while heavy forces increase tooth movement, they can also damage the tooth and increase the rate of root resorption. Storey (1973) observed that some trauma is associated even with applied light orthodontic forces. In order to produce adequate biological response in the periodontium, light forces cause frontal bone resorption but heavy forces can cause PDL necrosis, along with bone and root resorption (Krishnan, Davidovich, 2006). Hence, an optimal force is an extrinsic mechanical stimulus, with the aim of restoring the equilibrium of periodontal supporting tissue remodelling via cellular response. It should lead to a maximum rate of tooth movement, while ensuring minimal irreversible root, PDL and alveolar bone damage. Also, this force should produce a maximum rate of tooth movement, whilst ensuring patient comfort (Proffit, Fields, Sarver, 2013; Ren at al., 2003). Teeth react differently, depending on whether the force is continuous or intermittent. Studies by Oates, Moore, and Caputo (1978) showed tooth movement exposed to low level of intermittent tooth forces were equal to that of continuous forces. But at higher force levels, intermittent forces produce greater tooth movement within a shorter period of time. However, results from study conducted by Owman-Moll, Kurol, and Lundgren (1995) showed continuous forces (4.3mm +/- 1.5mm) were more effective than intermittent forces (2.9 +/- 0.6mm) in achieving tooth movement. Furthermore, the study also showed no significant root resorption differences between the two forces in the end. Proffit et al. (2013) believe that effective tooth movement occurs with longer and continuous forces between 4 – 8 hours. They also believe that light continuous forces produce the best tooth movement and these forces should be light enough to ensure only frontal resorption. However, heavy continuous forces s hould be avoided due to tissue damage but heavy intermittent force is clinically acceptable although it is less efficient. Study conducted by Hixon et al. (1970) showed the role of individual variation affecting tooth movement, with some individuals displaying increased movement than others. These individual variations are in regard with different root areas, metabolic responses and facial growth. The variations resulted in altered time and rate of tooth movement between individuals. Additionally, older patients with lower metabolism and increased facial growth showed less movement, in comparison to a younger patient. The variation is also attributed to differences in tissue characteristics. The younger patients have many celled periodontal membrane; uncalcified osteoid bone crest lining; and loose fibrous marrow space tissue, meaning that they reach the proliferation stage of tissue changes earlier than older adults. This will result in tooth movement (initial phase) starting earlier in younger people (Reitan, 1957). Additionally, Pilon, Kuijpers-Jagtman, and Maltha (1996), stated that individual differ ences in bone density, metabolism and PDL turnover can also be responsible for the variations. Each individual has his/her optimum pressure for tooth movement and that in slow movers; the optimum forces were not applied. Hixon et al. (1970), though his study demonstrated different teeth having different optimal rates and force for tooth movement. The results noted an increased canine movement, in comparison to molars. This is due to the root surface area of the canine being lesserthan molar, with the forces being distributed over a larger area rather than being concentrated (in the case with canines). Moreover, Proffit et al. (2013) also support this theory through their table, which shows a smaller force for anterior teeth and a larger force for posteriors. Additionally, Smith and Storey (1952) stated the optimum range for the maximum rate of movement is 150-200cN for canines with later studies by Lee (1964) increasing the range to 260cN. Through their studies, Lundgren, Ownman-Moll, and Kurol (1996) stated the ideal rate of horizontal tooth crown movement was 0.8 mm during the first week and 3.7mm after 7 weeks. However, intraoral location also makes a difference, with maxillary canines having an i ncreased movement in comparison to their mandibular counterparts (Hixon et al., 1970). However, Ren, Maltha, and Van‘t Hof (2003) stated no differences in movement between the maxillary and mandibular canines. Hence, the implications of intraoral location on tooth movement are still unclear. Proffit et al. (2013) have stated that different types of tooth movement have different optimal forces and these include: tipping movement (35-60 gm); translation (70-120 gm); root uprighting (50-100gm); rotation (35-60 gm); extrusion (35-60gm) and intrusion (10-20 gm). Using results from past studies, along with the consideration of the above variables, Quinn, and Yoshikawa (1985) have developed four hypotheses, related to force application and tooth movement. Hypothesis 1 is a constant relationship and Hypothesis 2, is linear relationship between the rate of tooth movement and stress. Hypothesis 3 states that increasing stress increases the rate of tooth movement to a maximum after which the rate declines with additional stress. Lastly, hypothesis 4 states that tooth movement increases with stress up to a point after which additional stress causes no increase in tooth movement. Quinn and Yoshikawa support hypothesis 4, as it supported by extensive experimental and clinical data. This hypothesis is also supported by Hixon et al., with his results showing a lack of tooth movement after a certain force application. But Ren, Maltha, and Van‘t Hof (2003), challenged this model due to a lock of available data with high forces, and created a new ma thematical model, where shows no tooth movement with no force, but as the force increases, the movement also increases until a certain force, after which the movement stays constant or slightly decreases but will never become negative. This is in contrast to hypothesis 4, which stated the movement as being constant but never decreasing. From the above essay, we can see that there is still a lack of definite answer for an ideal force and rate of tooth movement, and this can attributed to four main reasons. The first reason is due to a lack of ability to calculate stress and strain at the periodontal ligament. Most studies discussed above, were based on the application of the force to the tooth, but not the forces leading to biological reactions. The second reason is due to the lack of tooth movement control, with most studies involving tooth tipping which causes uneven stress distribution in periodontal ligament. Moreover, measurements are made at the crown, and not at the stress areas, resulting in force overestimation. Additionally, many of the studies were conducted during a short period of time, making the data relevant only for the first two phases of tooth movement. Lastly, variation both among and within individuals, makes it difficult to calculate optimal force and rate, as each individual has his/her individ ualised optimal values (Ren, Maltha, Kuijpers-Jagtman, 2003). In conclusion, we can see that more studies need to be conducted to determine the ideal rate and force of orthodontic tooth movement. Tooth movement is affected by factors such as: force magnitude; individual and tooth variation; intermittent or continuous forces and different types of tooth movement. Additionally, Quinn and Yoshikawa believed that tooth movement increases with stress up to a point after which additional increases create no movement. But this was challenged by Maltha, who stated that the movement can also decrease. The above factors, in addition to the four main reasons discussed above show that there is no ideal rate and force of orthodontic tooth movement. REFERENCES Andreasen, G., Johnson, P. (1967). Experimental findings on tooth movements under two conditions of applied force. The Angle orthodontist, 37(1), 9-12. Retrieved from: http://www.angle.org/doi/pdf/10.1043/0003 3219(1967)037%3C0009:EFOTMU%3E2.0.CO%3B2 Burstone, C. J. (1962). The biomechanics of tooth movement. Vistas in orthodontics, Lea Febiger, Philadelphia, 197-213. Farrar, J. N. (1888). A Treatise on the Irregularities of the Teeth and Their Correction:Including, with the Authors Practice, Other Current Methods (Vol. 1). De Vinne Press. Hixon, E. H., Aasen, T. O., Arango, J., Clark, R. A., Klosterman, R., Miller, S. S., Odom, W. M. (1970). On force and tooth movement.American Journal of Orthodontics,57(5), 476-489. doi:10.1016/0002-9416(70)90166-1 Krishnan, V., Davidovitch, Z. E. (2006). Cellular, molecular, and tissue-level reactions to orthodontic force. American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, 129(4), 469-e1. doi: 10.1016/j.ajodo.2005.10.007 Lee, B. W. (1965). Relationship between tooth-movement rate and estimated pressureapplied. Journal of dental research, 44(5), 1053-1053. doi: 10.1177/00220345650440051001 Lundgren, D., Owman-Moll, P., Kurol, J. (1996). Early tooth movement pattern afterapplication of acontrolled continuous orthodontic force. A human experimental model. American journal of orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics, 110(3), 287 295. doi: 10.1016/S0889-5406(96)80013-8 Mayne, R. (2014).DEN2CGD,Lecture 11, Topic 2, Physiology of orthodontic tooth movement [Point slides]. DEN2CGD, Bendigo, Australia: La Trobe University, Department of Health Sciences. Oates, J. C., Moore, R. N., Caputo, A. A. (1978). Pulsating forces in orthodontic treatment. American journal of orthodontics, 74(5), 577-586. doi: 10.1016/0002-9416(78)90033 Owman-Moll, P., Kurol, J., Lundgren, D. (1995). Continuous versus interruptedcontinuous orthodontic force related to early tooth movement and root resorption. The Angle Orthodontist, 65(6), 395-401. Retrieved from: http://www.angle.org/doi/pdf/10.1043/00033219(1995)065 F%3E2.0.CO%3B2 Owman-Moll, P., Kurol, J., Lundgren, D. (1996). The effects of a four-fold increasedorthodontic force magnitude on tooth movement and root resorptions. An intra individual study in adolescents. The European Journal of Orthodontics, 18(3), 287 294. doi: 10.1093/ejo/18.3.287 Pilon, J. J., Kuijpers-Jagtman, A. M., Maltha, J. C. (1996). Magnitude of orthodonticforces and rate of bodily tooth movement. An experimental study. American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, 110(1), 16-23. doi: 10.1016/S0889 5406(96)70082-3 Proffit, W. R., Fields Jr, H. W., Sarver, D. M. (2013). Contemporary orthodontics. StLouis, Missouri: Mosby Quinn, R. S., Ken Yoshikawa, D. (1985). A reassessment of force magnitude inorthodontics. American journal of orthodontics, 88(3), 252-260. doi: 10.1016/S0002 9416(85)90220-9 Reitan, K. (1957). Some factors determining the evaluation of forces in orthodontics.American Journal of Orthodontics, 43(1), 32-45. doi 10.1016/0002-9416(57)90114-8 Ren, Y., Maltha, J. C., Kuijpers-Jagtman, A. M. (2003). Optimum force magnitude fororthodontic tooth movement: a systematic literature review. The Angle orthodontist, 73(1), 86-92. Retrieved from: http://www.angle.org/doi/full/10.1043/0003 3219(2003)073%3C0086:OFMFOT%3E2.0.CO;2 Ren, Y., Maltha, J. C., Vant Hof, M. A., Kuijpers-Jagtman, A. M. (2004). Optimum force magnitude for orthodontic tooth movement: a mathematic model. American journal of orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics, 125(1), 71-77. Doi 10.1016/j.ajodo.2003.02.005 Schwarz, A. M. (1932). Tissue changes incidental to orthodontic tooth movement.International Journal of Orthodontia, Oral Surgery and Radiography, 18(4), 331 352. doi: 10.1016/S00996963(32)80074-8 Storey, E. (1973). The nature of tooth movement. American journal of orthodontics, 63(3), 292-314. doi: 10.1016/0002-9416(73)90353-9 Storey, E., Smith, R. (1952). Force in orthodontics and its relation to tooth movement. Aust Dent,56(1), 11-8. Wise, G. E., King, G. J. (2008). Mechanisms of tooth eruption and orthodontic toothmovement. Journal of dental research, 87(5), 414-434. doi:10.1177/154405910808700509

8th grade graduation speech -- essays research papers

My fellow classmen, as we look back on our years here at school we should remember the meaningful words of a fellow class member of mine when she said, "Dude, where's my iPod?" It's hard for me to think of a better way to describe the many layers of adolescence, because deep down aren?t we all "dudes?" Do we not all have our inner "iPods", and are we not constantly searching for them? Now, we're leaving our childhood behind to study the vast sphere we call planet Earth, into the notorious world of high school, where things will be so much different. Of course we will still have our varied studies, Geometry, Biology, maybe even Forensics or an Accelerated English class here and there. We will still struggle with the daily setbacks formed by peers and strict teachers and principals. But so much of our lives will change. The cars in the parking lot will be driven by, well, students. Our male friends will grow a little fuzzy around the face, and of course, our day will most likely begin with a bell that actually works. As we face our freshman year with excitement and maybe even fear, l...

Franklin Delano Roosevelt: The Labor Leader Essay

Political Background   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Franklin D. Roosevelt was the longest running president of the United States. He was at the helm of the nation from the end of the Great Depression to the end of the Second World War. Spanning 12 years, his administration faced the toughest times in U.S. history. However, his policies and programs must have effectively addressed both foreign and domestic crises as evidenced by the popular will that kept him in the White House.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   FDR entered politics as a democrat and won a seat in the New York Senate in 1910 as well governorship of New York in 1928. He was an advocate of the farmers in New York and an opponent of corruption in government which manifested in the activities of the Tweed Ring (Miller Center, 2008). His style of governance was both progressive and nationalist where he believed in equality among peoples and accountability of government.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   He became assistant secretary to the navy then made his comeback as governor of New York in 1928 after years of battling with polio. His political career culminated in his election as United States president in 1932. He was re-elected thrice after but was unable to finish his last term because of his sudden death. Involvement in Labor Management Relations   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Well before his inauguration and into the first years of his administration, he saw the crisis brought about by overproduction bring agriculture and manufacturing to a standstill into what is known as the Great Depression. Thousands of workers became unemployed and farmers were set to lose their farms and property to creditors. Poverty, hunger, joblessness and uncertainty lurked evidenced everywhere.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   FDR believed that capitalism is the most advanced economy. However, it has its flaws if unregulated so that necessary reforms should be made to enable government to regulate the economy (Miller Center, 2008). At the height of the Great Depression, FDR’s early solution to U.S. industry was encapsulated in the National Industry Recovery Act.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The NIRA sought to stimulate production by creating demand for products through public works construction (Miller Center, 2008). This in turn generated employment for the multitudes of jobless Americans. The Act also gave incentives to industry and at the same time provided protection for workers in terms of wage regulation and the right to collectively bargain and organize (Dubofsky, 1994, p.111). However, the NIRA was largely unsuccessful because it failed to take into account the basic laws that governed capitalism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   FDR tried a new tack through the Workers Progress Administration, the Wagner-Connery National Labor Relations Act and the Social Security Act. The WPA sustained and expanded the earlier efforts of job creation (Miller Center, 2008). Millions of Americans were paid by government to construct schools buildings, hospital facilities and transport infrastructure. It also provided the necessary training in order to be eligible for employment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Wagner-Connery Act was the successful attempt at legislating the worker’s welfare stated in the earlier NIRA. This Act ensured worker’s rights to collective bargain and union organization (Dubofsky, 1994, p.131). It further established a government agency to oversee its implementation – the National Labor Relations Board which became the workers union’s grievance center for the unfair wage and labor practices committed by company management (Dubofsky, 1994, p.128).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In 1938, FDR enacted the Fair Labor Standards Act to complement the Wagner-Connery Act. The FLSA set up a legal minimum working man’s wage and pegged the legal maximum hours of work each day as additional measures against worker exploitation (Miller Center, 2008). As a result, union membership ballooned to more than 10 million by the 1940’s.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Social Security Act instituted welfare benefits for the workers such as assistance and insurance during old age, insurance for the unemployed, assistance to dependent children and the blind (Miller Center, 2008). The funds for this program were subtracted regularly from the worker’s wages. FDR further initiated a socialized tax scheme which aimed to tax the wealthier more and the workers less, though this was largely shot down by Congress.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The major economic problems involving industry during the Great Depression forced FDR to be involved with labor management. Workers formed the bulk of the electorate, and as a liberal reformer, he saw it his responsibility as a public official to improve their conditions. His sensitivity and knowledge regarding the unequal relations between management and workers enabled him to effectively translate workers’ rights into legislation. Contribution to Labor Management Relations   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   FDR has greatly contributed to labor management relations by creating legal mechanisms by which worker’s can exercise their rights and demand fairer wages along with better working conditions and benefits from management. These mechanisms are in due recognition of the fact that workers and management have contradictory interests: the former aims to obtain higher wagers while the latter aims to decrease production costs through lowered wages.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The labor and welfare acts that saw implementation during FDR’s administration are also evidence of the worker being in a disadvantaged position. It recognized that the only manner in which workers can engage management with regards to their remuneration and work environment is through their collective bargaining. In order for workers to be forceful, they must consolidate themselves into a union as their venue for organized action.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Wagner Act and the Fair Labor Standards Act also point to the need for government arbitration in labor disputes with the National Labor Relations Board as the mediating agency between unions and management. List of References Dubofsky, M. (1994). The State and Labor in Modern America. North Carolina: University   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   of North Carolina Press. Retrieved 25 March 2008 from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.questia.com/read Miller Center Public Affairs University of Virginia (2008). American President: An Online   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Reference Resource – Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882-1945). Retrieved 25 March 2008 from http://millercenter.org/academic.

Managers and Leaders in an OrganizationAccording to a study done by the Small Business Administration (SBA), two-thirds of new business survive at least two years (Schaefer, 2010). Patrick Schaefer speaks on about a company's biggest failure begins with failed leadership. A new business lacks management expertise in areas such as purchasing, hiring employees with the right skills, and finance. Among the most successful companies in the world who foster management skills in a positive way is Costco. Businesses should consist of an equal balance of managing, and leading. Differences between leading a company and managing a company are endless.The definition of managing is the act or manner of managing; handling, direction, or control (NA, 2008). Managers are problem solvers who use resources to find a solution and always ask what problem needs to be solved or what is the best way to achieve goals set by upper management.English: Yearly U.S. spending. Direct expenditure ...b. Restatemen t of topicc. Revisitation of introduction and tying all ideas togetherF. ReferencesAnnotated BibliographyKirk, R. (1993). The Meaning of Justice. Retrieved October 9, 2010, fromheritage.org/research/lecture/the-meaning-of-justiceThis is a lecture discussing the meaning of justice and the confusion of that meaning. The author explains that many definitions of this term are different from one another. In this series of four lectures, the author discusses first the signification of this word "justice". In his second lecture the author examines natural law. In his third lecture, the author deals with criminal justice. In his concluding lecture, he quarrels with certain notions of justice that have been much puffed up during recent years.Luna, E. (2003 November/December). Overextending the criminal law. Journal of theCato Policy Report, Vol. XXV No. 6 Retrieved October 10, 2010, fromcato.org/pubs/policy_report/v25n6/luna.pdfThis journal article from Erica Luna explains...

hedging essays

hedging essays Currency and Hedging As business becomes increasingly global more and more firms find it necessary to pay careful attention to foreign exchange exposure and to design and implement appropriate hedging strategies. Exchange rate risk is the unexpected exchange rate changes creating variability in the domestic currency value of current and future cash flows of a company. Foreign exchange risk management begins by identifying what items and amounts a firm has exposed to risk associated with changes in exchange rates. Exchange rate risk thus depends upon how "volatile" exchange rates are and the size of the "exposure" to exchange rate changes meaning the amount of cash flows whose domestic currency value is sensitive to exchange rate changes. Foreign exchange exposure is usually categorized according to whether it falls into one or more of the following categories, for example there are transaction exposure, economic exposure and translation exposure. Transaction exposure is concerned with how changes in exchange rates affect the value of anticipated foreign currency denominated cash flows relating to transactions already entered into. By failing to cover transaction exposure, a firm may incur a vast loss on a single very large receivable or payable denominated in a foreign currency. This may result in an overall loss for the firm in a particular financial period which could in its turn, lead to financial distress. Economic exposure refers to the possibility that the present value of future operating cash flows of a business, expressed in home currency, may be affected by a change in foreign exchange rates. According to purchasing power parity theory, exchange rate changes are associated with different relative rates of inflation. Translation or accounting exposure arises as a result of the process of consolidation of foreign currency items into group financial statements denominate ...