The Integration of European Union Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Integration of European Union - Essay Example Also, the abolishment of conflicting laws and uniform rules and regulations will assist businesses to streamline and adopt uniform policies across the EU. This paper will discuss some of the benefits that businesses of the 21st century may acquire due to an integration of EU and will further discuss as to what are such benefits, how they may be of any help for the businesses. The focus of this paper will, therefore, be largely on examining the advantages and challenges of EU integration for businesses. European Union comprises of 27 member States and is serving as a Political as well as Economic Union of European Countries. The basic philosophy behind the integration of Europe is to allow the regional integration by creating a single market for the whole of Europe. The basic theme of EU is despite having differences in the values and cultural aspects of the individual member countries; however such differences shall not be the basis of competition between the Member States. Thus despite the creation of single currency and market, EU Member States have retained their individual characteristics thus creating a fine amalgamation of integration which is advocating the formation of collective identity for EU while at the same time allowing individual member States to keep their own individual characteristics intact. Established in 1993 as a result of Maastricht Treaty, EU is now a region comprising of 500 million people contributing almost 30% of the share in the World Gross Domestic Pr oduct. At the global level, EU is, therefore, operating as a system of super nationalism as well as inter-governmental allowing member States to dominate the world scene in the disguise of an integrated Regional Community. One of the most important aspects of this integration is the fact that establishment of EU has resulted into the creation of a single market which not only allowed the free movement of people but also goods and services thus creating a strong window of opportunity for businesses working within the Region to flourish and prosper at least at the Regional Level.

Ecomerce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ecomerce - Essay Example developed world, there is one upcoming piece of technology which might have a greater effect on the economies of the developing work than anything else in the past. The internet and electronic business might have got their start in America but the expansion and further development of their use will take place in countries like Venezuela, Brazil, India and other countries where the cost of computer equipment still places it out of reach for many people. This is where the $100 laptop and the one laptop per child program comes in, with the market penetration that the low cost laptop brings the number of people who are online will be increased many fold and along with that there will be additional input for e-commerce. In the coming years, EBay could get bids on products from across the world and other discount retailers could find themselves selling to individuals living in places where they wouldn’t even have dreamt of selling their wares. Fundamentally, the $100 laptop is a solution for bringing the internet to the real masses of the world that have till yet remained outside the information loop (Laptop.org, 2006). Since the laptop also functions as a capable internet device the information access and communication technology which is taken as a given by the developed world will also make their way towards the developing countries (Wikipedia, 2006). It may not be the perfect method to bring about equality in the world but it will certainly boost global e-commerce over the coming years. The central characteristic of the project is the cost of the laptop which is expected to start somewhere in the range between $130 and $140 initially when it is launched in 2007 (Zuckerman, 2005). However by the year 2008, when it is delivered in large numbers to distribution centres around the world, the cost is actually expected to be less than $100 (Stecklow, 2005). Additionally, due to the donations expected from large organizations which are supporting this initiative the

Green Technology: Impact and Uses

Green Technology: Impact and Uses As human lives are advancing constantly, the basic needs of human being are increasing tremendously as well. The human intrusion needs have altered the natural environment and arouses problems such as pollution, climate change and global warming. In order to get rid of these problems, Green Technology is introduces to recover the Earth back to a healthy state. Green Technology is a new technology that introduced to protect the Earth against environmental pollution. (Renewable Solar Energy, n.d.) It plays an important role in conserving the natural resources and environment. (Whitney, n.d.) Green technology is known environmental technology or clean technology as well. It produced energy to non-toxic cleaning products by using different methods and materials. (Green Technology, n.d.) Green Technology is introduced to reach five goals which are sustainability by satisfying the societys needs without damaging or depleting the availability of the resources for the future generations, cra dle to cradle design by designing products that are reusable, source reduction by changing the amount of raw materials consumption and ways of production to reduce the waste products, innovation by developing new and alternative technologies and viability by creating economic activity such as new career that associated with technologies and products. (Green Technology, n.d.) Currently, green technology is developing in 5 majors areas which are energy, green building, environmentally preferred purchasing, green chemistry and green nanotechnology. (Green Technology, n.d.) Green Technology has a great impact on the international market. According to the BBC research, the international market of green technologies will grow about 9.2 per cent which is from $200 billion in 2010 up to $311.7 billion by the year of 2015. (Companies Sand Market, 2011) Besides that, the global market for installation and retrofitting of combined heat and power was $55 billion in the year 2009. In 2010, it has grown about 9.1 per cent which is equivalent to $60 billion. Therefore, the BBC estimated that the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) will be maintained around 8.4 per cent until 2015 with a total amount of $90 billion. (Companies Sand Market, 2011) Moreover, the BBC research also predicts that the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of the global market for waste-to-energy installation and retrofitting will be around 6 per cent from the year 2010 to 2015. This means, it will grow from $22.3 billion in 2010 to $30 billion in 2015. (Companies Sand Market, 2011) On the other hand, the Senior Adviser of Environmental Technology and Service (ITC), Nikolai Semine stated that, from the year 1988 to 2008, green technologies have provided a global market the roughly worth about $650 billion. (Semine, 2010) It was the same amount as the aerospace and pharmaceutical revenues of the leader countries such as United States, the European Union and Japan. Moreover, the European Forum on Eco-Innovation predicts that the global market will increase another $1,650 billion by 2020. (Semine, 2010) According to Nikolai Semine, the developments of South-South trade in green technology has brought up the opportunities on the exportation of green technology and increase its revenues, sustainable development and creates green jobs. (Semine, 2010) There are several countries that are successful in the exportation of green technology, such Malaysia, China, India, Pakistan, Philippines and Thailand. Lets take Thailand as an example. In 2007, Thailand has exported pol lution control, water treatment and renewable technologies that generated revenues about US$ 2.3 billion. (Semine, 2010) Green technology also contributes in the expanding of environmental businesses. For examples, the United Kingdoms Joint Environmental Markets Units predicts that the environmental business will expand about 10 per cent which is equivalent to US$ 178 billion. (Semine, 2010) On the other hand, green technology also brings benefits to the environment. It helps to protect the sustainability of natural resources and the environment by removing the threat to the environment. Lets look at one example of the green technology. There are at least 600 million of cars around the world. In addition, the huge amount of cars burn about 120 billion gallons of gas annually and 19 pounds of carbon dioxide is released to the atmosphere by each gallon of gas. (Taheshea, n.d.) According to the United States Transportation Specialists, vehicles that are not energy sufficient have contributed about 45 per cent of the carbon emissions of the world. (Taheshea, n.d.) To overcome these problems, several automobile manufacturers such as Toyota, Honda and Peugeot started to execute green technology by manufacturing hybrid vehicles. Compare to traditional gasoline vehicles, hybrid vehicles emit 97 per cent lesser of carbon, save 169 gallons of gasoline each year and its car batteri es can last about ten years. (Taheshea, n.d.) The lesser amount of carbon dioxide emission can help to prevent acid rain, global warming. Carbon dioxide reacts with rain water to form carbonic acid which causes acid rain to occur. Highly acidity rain can affect the sea life by lowering the pH value of sea water, forest on the world due to the highly acidic soil that is not suitable for the plant to grow and human health by drinking contaminated water. (Oracle, n.d.) By reducing the amount of carbon dioxide emitted to the atmosphere, less carbon dioxide can react with rain water and reduce the acidity of rain water. Thus, it can protect the welfare of the environment as well as human being. Since carbon dioxide is the major type of greenhouse gasses that trapped heat energy within the Earth and cause global warming to occur, according to Global Commons Institutes, if the total carbon dioxide emission decrease about 2.5 per cent per year, it can definitely slow down the process of global warming by 10 years. (Cooper, n.d.) Thus, t he issues such as biodiversity of plants and animals and extinctions of endanger species that cause by global warming can be prevented. (Britannica, n.d.) Hybrid car can save about 169 gallons of gasoline per year. Non-renewable sources of energy such as gasoline and petroleum can be prevented from over exploitation by using hybrid car as an alternative vehicle. (Cars Direct, n.d.) Besides that, hybrid vehicles use lesser amount of gasoline. It emits less gas fumes and carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. (Car Direct, n.d.) Therefore, the air in the atmosphere can be cleaner and contain more breathable oxygen. With a cleaner and breathable air, it can prevent human being from respiratory diseases such as asthma and reducing the death rate due to respiratory diseases. Lastly, hybrid car helps in reducing the noise pollutions in the environment as well. This is because the engine of hybrid cars only churning the amount of horsepower required and without any extra roaring. When it is changed to electric power mode, the cars operate silently compare to traditional gasoline consumption car. (Buzzle, n.d.)Therefore, green technology brings seve ral benefits to the environment such as preventing acid rain and global warming, protecting the plants, animals as well as human being, providing cleaner and breathable air and reducing noise pollution.

Elektrolux :: essays research papers fc

The acquisition of different companies always indicates a change for both the acquiring and the acquired organisation and the people within. To successfully combine and integrate Elektrolux and Zanussi it is essential to consider both organisations ´ formal and informal structures which are heavily influenced by their culture. Culture develops on the one hand nationwide but also specifically in an organisation. Building up trust is important to develop a working informal network, which supports the formal structure. Thus positive influence is taken on the selected behaviour of people within what Breton and Wintrobe call “bureaucracies';. This behaviour is characteristically competitive, especially in such times of major change. This change should be managed step-by-step and is described by Quinn as logical incrementalism. It builds “the seeds of understanding, identity, and commitment into the very processes'; (Quinn, p145) and is the underlying strategy which makes integration successful. After Elektrolux announced the acquisition of Zanussi, both organisations and people within were confronted with many changes which created tensions or misfits that called for new visions.(Normann in Quinn, p99) As a first step, mission values and guiding principles of Zanussi were made public to the employees in the Mission Statement.(Exhibit 3 in Case Study, p914) From the bottom-up they should understand step-by-step in a learning process (Normann in Quinn, p99) what behaviour was generally expected and correct. Bennis and others (in Quinn, p101) also agree that “programs to achieve significant change must be phased and largely undertaken bottom up, but the legitimacy of alternatives must be affirmed by the support of key people at the top.'; Besides the new Mission Statement, education and training programmes were undertaken to diffuse the new philosophy and policy. Thus the rules for building up an effective network are made visible. This network supports the formal structure. Breton and Wintrobe also assume that “relationships between superiors and subordinates in bureaus are generally governed by exchange and trade and not by the giving of orders and directives.'; Exchange can only take place, if property rights are existing and are supported by “trust'; (Breton and Wintrobe, p4) Trust is essential for the functioning of networks and has to be built up incrementally. One effective way of building up trust is by making “symbolic moves'; (q,111). In addition to this, the “most important changes are often those which signal a change in attitude at the top of an organisation.'; (Riccardo and Cafiero in Quinn, p112).

Cleopatra’s dramatic Essay

This request displays Cleopatra’s dramatic, attention seeking and indulgent side. She can be very histrionic which becomes more evident throughout the scene. Cleopatra’s words also portray her as a very manipulative person, able to bend people to her will. Cleopatra’s unexpected actions are what fascinates Antony and keeps him drawn to her. This could partly be the reason why Antony’s Egyptian side has such a strong hold over him. Furthermore, Cleopatra’s dramatic words accuse Antony of being unfaithful: â€Å"O, never was there queen/ So mightily betrayed!† This again shows Cleopatra as being manipulative, jealous and quarrelsome – a difficult aspect of her character. Her statement is very self-pitying and manipulative, she is accusing Antony and there is nothing he could say to please her. He cannot control or deal with her – possible part of what makes her so fascinating and intriguing. Therefore it can once again be seen that Shakespeare’s creation of Cleopatra as a manipulation and captivating character plays some part in Antony’s duality of character. Her hold over her lover is too strong and is making Antony a more Egyptian, hedonistic lover than a true Roman of his past.  The audience are first introduced to Antony through the comments of Philo at the very beginning of the play, and the audience are informed of the duality of character in Antony. Philo begins by describing how he feels that Antony’s love for Cleopatra is out of control and damaging him and his reputation: â€Å"Nay, but this dotage of our general’s/ O’erflows the measure.† Philo continues with: â€Å" His captain’s heart,  Which in the scuffles of great fights hath burst  The buckles on his breast, reneges all temper,  And is become the bellows and the fan  To cool a gypsy’s lust.†Ã‚  This refers to Antony’s past greatness as a soldier – a true Roman hero. Philo feels like Antony’s love for Cleopatra has overpowered him and destroyed what he once was. Philo then describes Antony as one of â€Å"the triple pillar of the world transformed/ Into a strumpet’s fool.† This shows the Roman contempt for Cleopatra, which is conveyed throughout the play. None of the Romans have a good thing to say about her and disregard her. The hugely eminent and powerful, magnificent Antony has been utterly diminished by his infatuation and obsession with Cleopatra. Philo once again makes reference to Antony’s past greatness: â€Å"Sometimes, when he is not Antony,  He comes too short of that great property  Which still should go with Antony.†Ã‚  It reminds the audience how great Antony was as a great roman, a great leader, strong politician and statesman. Through the conversation of Philo and Demetrius, it can therefore be seen that Antony is indeed caught in a tug-of-war between his Roman and Egyptian loyalty ties. He is supposedly loyal to Rome, yet he is loyal to Cleopatra and the inhabitants of her Kingdom in Egypt. In conclusion, it is the differing character’s comments and views that bring out the duality in Antony’s character in Act One. The comments from Antony uncover an underlying battle within himself, a battle fought by both his Egyptian and Roman side. Antony himself acts madly in love with Cleopatra, yet aside, he seems to know that his real loyalty lies with Rome, and his love with the queen can only lead to destruction and danger. Octavius Caesar’s remarks inform the audience of Antony’s past as a great and respected soldier of Rome. This reinforces the audience’s view of Antony’s character division and allows the audience to fully appreciate the difficult choice that Antony will have to make. In addition, Cleopatra’s comments on her lover give the audience her true personality traits of being manipulative and dramatic. These qualities fascinate Antony and encourage his lust and strengthen his Egyptian loyalty ties. Finally, Philo’s own observations of Antony give the notion of Cleopatra being a poison that has transformed Antony from a fully pledged guardian of Rome to an irresponsible and pleasure seeking fool.

Marketing Review Essay

You track sales and profits, and discover that pants are selling better than shirts, apparently because the shirts are too expensive. You will look for a lower-cost supplier for shirts, or consider dropping your prices if you can afford to do so. 2. You realize that your experience as skaters is a plus; however, your lack of experience in selling clothing could hurt you. You find out that a skateboard shop in town wants to branch out into inline skating; however, you also find out that Nike is thinking about expanding its product line to include special inline skating clothes. 3. You decide that you will target college students who enjoy inline skating, and will aim to establish yourself as a company that offers trendy clothes for the student budget. 4. You decide that your business focus will be to offer fashionable yet durable clothing for inline skaters, with built-in protection for knees and elbows. 5. You offer clothing that college students would want to wear, price it for a student budget, sell it online and in sports stores near college campuses, and promote your products on Facebook. 8. As the text explains, Nike, the prominent athletic shoe manufacturer, relies heavily on athlete sponsorships to build demand for its products. Spectators at major sporting events–both those attending in person and those watching at home–frequently see the Nike â€Å"swoosh† logo worn by elite athletes. Given the vast worldwide audience for Olympics broadcasts, an Olympic year gives Nike increased exposure. On a Nike situation analysis in an Olympic year, would you consider this exposure to be a strength or an opportunity? Explain your reasoning; be specific. Nike, the prominent athletic shoe manufacturer, acquired Cole-Haan, a manufacturer of dress and casual street shoes, in 1988. Depending on your interpretation of the products and markets involved, you might be able to argue that this acquisition represented any of the four major growth strategies. For EACH of the four growth strategies, offer a justification that the Cole-Haan acquisition represented that particular strategy. Don’t just define what the growth strategy means; apply the definition to this specific example. Once you have offered a justification for each of the four growth strategies, choose the one you think the Cole-Haan acquisition best represents, and explain why. Subway is a large chain of franchise sandwich shops. Marcia owns three Subway stores in a large city. At the end of the year, she notes that sales rose from two to five percent over last year’s sales at Stores 1 and 2, but fell two percent at Store 3. Marcia decides to give large bonuses to the managers of Stores 1 and 2, and to put Store 3’s manager on probation. Critique Marcia’s evaluation of her stores’ performance. What would you have done differently? Be specific. Question marks: low market share/high growth rate. Candidates for strategic marketing planning, assessing potential for growth. 2. Dogs: low market share/low growth rate. Candidates to be phased out unless they are needed to complement or boost sales of other products. 3. Cash cows: high market share/low growth rate. Sources of funding for other parts of the firm. They typically require modest promotional and production support. 4. Stars: high market share/high growth rate. Usually require continued promotion efforts and expansion of production capacity. 136. The two bases of classification are relative market share (high-low) and market growth rate (high-low). This leads to four quadrants labeled stars, cash cows, dogs, and question marks. 137. Your sales manager wants you to stop selling those products that are in slow growth markets and which the company has a small relative market share. The manager also wants you to spend more time and effort selling products that are in high growth markets and which the company has a high market share. Finally, you should continue to sell but not put additional effort into high relative market share, low market growth products, referred to as cash cows. If Ryan pursues a market development strategy, he will attempt to serve new market segments. Since his product is a restaurant, market development would likely include opening additional locations in other areas, offering the same menu. 138. If Ryan pursues a market penetration strategy, he will likely expand advertising and promotion, maybe adding billboards, promoting specials, adding hours and likely expanding the restaurant to serve more customers. If they pursue a diversification strategy, they would market new products or services to a market segment they are not currently serving. Targeting landscape design or maintenance services for commercial customers would be one type of diversification. 139. If they pursue a product development strategy, they will offer new products or services to the firm’s current target market. A nursery could logically provide a landscape design consulting service, landscape maintenance service, soil and pest testing service or add additional products such as indigenous plants. 140. Many elements might be included, but it is important for students to demonstrate they understand the importance of allocating resources, leveraging competencies, capitalizing on strengths and minimizing weaknesses, coordinating efforts and decisions, and facilitating smooth operations for the firm. 141. Firms operate in a complex environment, and it is easy to overlook critical issues in the overwhelming possibilities. A structured approach will minimize the possibility that important items will be overlooked. It is also a way to ensure the transparency for the rest of the organization who depend on marketing for leadership. 142. Operational excellence, because it focuses on efficiency in its supply chain. 143. Creating and developing customer value. 144. Summer–planning; Fall–implementation; Spring–control. 145. SWOT analyses help a firm evaluate the current situation, both the internal environment and external environment. 146. Opportunities that build on a firm’s strengths relative to those of their competitors. 147. Market penetration, because the companies are trying to sell additional products (marked down) to current customers. 148. Product development, because the CD is a new product (just recorded) and it’s being sold to current customers. Some students might say that it is a market development strategy. For this to be correct, they would have to argue that a different market segment that currently doesn’t drink orange juice is being targeted. 149. The best answer is that this is a market penetration strategy. The slogan seeks to increase sales of a current product (orange juice), which reduces the options to market penetration or market development. â€Å"It isn’t just for breakfast anymore† sounds like the Growers Association wants those who drink orange juice at breakfast time to consider it at other times of the day too. In other words, it focuses on increasing usage among current customers, which is market penetration. 1. Locational excellence: In addition to having a top-notch website, try to get your products into as many retail stores as possible, probably focusing on sporting goods stores. 2. Operational excellence: Develop close relationships with suppliers of fabric and other raw materials and with retailers. 3. Customer excellence: Offer outstanding service, perhaps including live chat on the website as well as no-hassle returns if the customer changes his or her mind about a purchase. 4. Product excellence: Focus on continually improving the products and making them the most advanced ones on the market, perhaps using stylish yet durable fabrics that won’t be damaged in a fall. Then work to develop a clear positioning statement for your brand. 150. There are many correct answers; here is a sample. To make this question easier, you could ask the student to provide an idea for just one or two of the macro strategies. 1. Threats-could include the recession, a glut of graduates in the field, or reduced demand for professionals in the field 2. Opportunities-could include expected growth in the field, a new firm starting up in the area that will be hiring, or a shortage of graduates in the field 3. Weaknesses-possibilities include lack of experience, inability to relocate, or a low GPA 4. Strengths-students might mention internship experience, past work experience, classes taken, personal characteristics, or personal contacts Students will come up with a variety of answers depending on their individual situations. They will probably need to do some speculation for Opportunities and Threats. Here is a sample: 151. In order to make sure the students clearly classify the factors, you might want to provide an answer space with four sections; in each one, include a blank line for the name of the section and additional space for the factor. If you want to make this question more difficult, you can add to the question the following: â€Å"What should Microsoft have done before deciding to discontinue the product?† The answer: Microsoft should have determined the causes for the disappointing sales in order to determine whether or not another action (perhaps a different target market, a price adjustment, or a revised promotion plan) could put sales back on track. Some students might also answer â€Å"Control phase.† Strictly speaking, this is a phase and not a step; however, Step 5 is the only step of the process that fits into the Control phase, so you may want to accept both as correct answers. 152. Step 5–Evaluate performance using marketing metrics. 153. A. Evaluate results; B. Situation analysis; C. STP; D. Business mission; E. Implementation 154. A reasonable argument can be made for this being a strength or an opportunity, so this is about the rationale offered. This could be viewed as a strength in that Nike’s logo is ubiquitous and well-recognized, and customers in Nike’s target markets will be reminded of the many sports for which Nike offers shoes and apparel. It could also be viewed as an opportunity to strengthen Nike’s position overseas (due to international viewership) and to increase awareness of the breadth of Nike’s products (due to increased viewership of niche sports that ordinarily don’t get much attention). This question helps to point out that classifications are rarely black and white–how things are viewed depend on assumptions. Diversification: If you argue that dress/casual street shoes represent a different type of product from athletic shoes, but that different customers would buy Cole-Haan’s dress shoes from those that buy Nike athletic shoes, then the Cole-Haan acquisition enabled Nike to sell new products to new markets. Product development: If you argue that dress/casual street shoes represent a different type of product from athletic shoes, and if you argue that Nike’s customers would also purchase dress/casual street shoes, then the Cole-Haan acquisition enabled Nike to sell new products to its current customers. Market development: If you argue that shoes represent one type of product regardless of the type of shoe, but that different customers would buy Cole-Haan’s dress shoes from those that buy Nike athletic shoes, then the Cole-Haan acquisition enabled Nike to sell its existing product (shoes) to new markets. 155. Market penetration: If you argue that shoes represent one type of product regardless of the type of shoe, and if you argue that Nike’s customers would also purchase dress and casual street shoes, then the Cole-Haan acquisition enabled Nike to sell more of its existing product (shoes) to its current customers. 156. The major problem with Marcia’s evaluation is that her only point of comparison seems to be last year’s sales figures. She should attempt to obtain information on sales trends at other Subway sandwich shops, and if possible, at competing sandwich shops in her city. For example, perhaps her competitors and/or fellow franchisees saw much larger gains, perhaps due to an improving economy. She should also seek to understand whether or not there might be an explanation for the reduction in sales at the third store. Perhaps it is located in a shopping center that has been losing tenants, which would be beyond the manager’s control and therefore shouldn’t factor into a performance evaluation. ch02 Summary Category # of Questions AACSB: Analytic 158 Blooms: Analyze 5 Blooms: Apply 52 Blooms: Evaluate 9 Blooms: Remember 23 Blooms: Understand 69 Difficulty: 1 Easy 23 Difficulty: 2 Medium 82 Difficulty: 3 Hard 53 Grewal – Chapter 02 158 Learning Objective: 02-01 Define a marketing strategy. 40 Learning Objective: 02-02 Describe the elements of a marketing plan. 17 Learning Objective: 02-03 Analyze a marketing situation using SWOT analysis. 14 Learning Objective: 02- 18 04 Describe how a firm chooses which consumer group(s) to pursue with its marketing efforts. Learning Objective: 02-05 Outline the implementation of the marketing mix as a means to increase customer value. 17 Learning Objective: 02-06 Summarize portfolio analysis and its use to evaluate marketing performance. 27 Learning Objective: 02-07 Describe how firms grow their business. 25 Topic: Evaluating Performance 10 Topic: Growth Strategies 25 Topic: Implementing the Marketing Mix 8 Topic: Marketing Mix 6 Topic: Marketing Plan 6 Topic: Marketing Planning Process 11 Topic: Marketing Strategy 40 Topic: Portfolio Analysis 13 Topic: Step 2: Conduct a Situation Analysis 4 Topic: Step 3: Identifying and Evaluating Opportunities Using STP 1 Topic: Step 4: Implement Marketing Mix and Allocate Resources 2 Topic: Step 5: Evaluate Performance Using Marketing Metrics 4 Topic: STP 17 Topic: SWOT Analysis 10 Topic: What is a Marketing Strategy? 1

Internet Censorship Essays

Internet Censorship Essays Internet Censorship Essay Internet Censorship Essay Role of Parents and Government in Protecting Children against Inappropriate Online Content 1.0 Abstract The government and parents have big roles to play in protecting children against inappropriate online content. This research plan attempts to explore these roles extensively to find solutions of controlling the content the children are exposed to in different circumstances. There are myriads of innovations involving information technology, which is included in most school curriculums. Therefore, since they are in constant use of the internet, they are likely to be exposed to explicit sites that can lead to moral decay at early ages. There should be rules and measures to protect them from inappropriate online content so that they can have desirable developments as they mature. The research plan encompasses the methodology, data collection and analysis process and reporting that will be encapsulated in the actual research. It will be based on credibility and realities of the research question. Concisely, the research plan is comprehensive framework that will give the research process direction and make it successful. It encompasses guidelines on the ways of conducting the actual research. The research plan has outlined the processes that will be used in data collection, analysis and reporting. Therefore, for quality outcomes, the research plan should be followed carefully. The goal of the research is to determine the roles that the government and parents should play to protect children from in appropriate online content. If the research is successful, the goal will be achieved and the morality of children in the society will be maintained.

A window of opportunity Essays

A window of opportunity Essays A window of opportunity Paper A window of opportunity Paper The increase in demand for MRI services opens a window of opportunity for putting up a provider-based delivery of such service which will serve as an additional source of revenue for our established orthopedic surgery practice. The fulfillment of such plans equates to addressing the population’s needs with the assurance of having a highly competitive and innovative technology that is the portable Magnetic Resonance Imaging device. A vision of a healthy population who is continually provisioned with the highest quality medical services that are reasonably priced. As the administrator, it lies in your hands to come up with a feasible plan for the business.   Several challenges have been identified which are to be later on discussed.   Due to such, it becomes a primary task at hand to justify and go beyond these challenges to see how this business will make it and flourish eventually.   Pushing through with this project and succeeding greatly lies in the vision that you have with regards to this opportunity.   And such vision would be to provide the highest quality medical services that other providers cannot compete with. The most effective leaders are the ones who are able to cascade their vision down to their subordinates.   Without such influence, the vision could turn awry in the future.   It is of utmost importance that the administrator be able to make all the people involved realize the significance of the opportunity at hand.   From there, he should be able to mobilize them towards achieving the vision through appropriate actions. People, policies, communication and coordination are the structures that will make up this organization. Management.   It is management’s responsibility to handle all administrative concerns of this organization.   As such, the formulation of all policies and guidelines with regards to the operations of this new business is their concern.   Management puts the vision into place and takes charge of executing it.   Management, therefore, makes the greatest impact on how this opportunity will progress. Staff.   As a provider of healthcare services, the business as a whole greatly relies on the skills of its staff.   The staff must therefore understand their role in the realization of the vision.   The failure to offer the highest quality services as envisioned would lead to the demise of this business. Policies and Guidelines.   Appropriate policies and guidelines should be put into place to ensure that measures for only the highest quality are in place.   These are to be strictly followed.   This anchors on the strength of the business as offering only the best of the best. Communication and Coordination.   Effective communication can be achieved with an open environment.   An environment that promotes positive and encouraging communication and coordination will keep the organization strong.   Such will also help identify areas of improvement and growth.   Having a reward system in place will also foster a healthy working experience for all staff that will definitely reflect on business revenue. The challenges at hand and those that lie ahead. As with any new business venture, risks are involved.   But one should be able to see beyond these risks and take them as challenges that need to be overcome.   Let us discuss these challenges one by one. Competition Service cost as a primary patient concern.   It should be noted that the population consists of both managed care and Medicare patients.   Identified as foremost of the challenges, therefore, are the reduced payments for MRI services given by managed care companies and also the increasingly stiff competition from other lower-priced MRI providers.   But we already have an answer for this. Being an established orthopedic surgery practice, it becomes a competitive advantage that only the highest quality medical services are being provided.   This then justifies possibly higher but reasonable costs.   We therefore see this as eliciting a benefit from a challenge.   This is something that the business could and should capitalize on. The Portable MRI A new technology.   Considering the higher demands for MRI services, upgrading the system of executing the treatment for the increasing number of people is necessary to cope.   We now take into consideration the portable MRI.   This becomes an asset since the use of which is not just limited to the hospital.   It is now possible to go directly to the patients who are in need of such service, most of whom do not have the capacity to travel considering the fractures etc.    We can also look at this as an expense reduction on the part of the patient with regards to transportation.   The ability to accommodate emergency cases also becomes an advantage.   It should be noted, however, that there will be a need to invest on such device.   Whether or not revenues will win over costs is for consideration. Employment Recruitment and retention of staff.   The recruitment and hiring process for this new business will need to be studied.   There is a possibility for difficulty with regards to finding an experienced radiologist and other highly-skilled qualified staff. Given that this is a new business on uncertain grounds, management needs to be able to assure applicants of a steady job and make them believe in the vision so as to find the qualified staff they need and then later on be able to retain them.   The reward system that has been mentioned above will also greatly help for employees’ high performance and retention.   Continuous training is also an option for less skilled hires.

Light Rare Earth Elements (LREE)

Light Rare Earth Elements (LREE) The light rare earth elements, light-group rare earths, or LREE are a subset of the lanthanide series of  the rare earth elements, which are themselves a special set of transition metals. Like other metals, the light rare earths have a shiny metallic appearance. They tend to produce colored complexes in solution, conduct heat and electricity, and form numerous compounds. None of these elements occurs in pure form naturally. Although the elements are not that rare in terms of element abundance, they are extremely difficult to isolate from each other. Also, the minerals that bear rare earth elements are not uniformly distributed across the globe, so the elements are uncommon in most countries and must be imported. Elements That Are Light Rare Earth Elements Youll see different sources site slightly different lists of elements classified as LREEs, but the US Department of Energy, US Department of the Interior, US Geological Survey, and national labs use a very specific set of criteria to assign elements to this group. The light-group rare earth elements are based on the configuration of  4f electrons. LREEs have no paired electrons. This makes the LREE group consist of 8 elements with atomic number 57 (lanthanum, with no unpaired 4f electrons) through atomic number 64 (gadolinium, with 7 unpaired 4f electrons): lanthanum (La) - used in high-end optical lenses and in  lanthanum nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) rechargeable batteriescerium (Ce) - the 25th most abundant element in the Earths crust (so not rare at all), used in catalytic converters and the oxide as a polishing powder  praseodymium (Pr) - oxide is used as a catalyst in plastic manufacturing and is combined with zirconium oxide to produce a vivid yellow pigment used in ceramicsneodymium (Nd) - used to make super-strong magnets; neodymium-iron-boron (NeFeB) magnets are used to make cell phones vibratepromethium (Pm) - used to make a phosphorescent pigment and to make the starter switch for fluorescent lampssamarium (Sm) - used in high strength magnets and to make servo-motorseuropium (Eu) - used to make phosphors, notably the reddish-orange color of screens and monitorsgadolinium (Gd) - used in a reactor to control rods to control fission reaction and as a contrast agent to improve magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) Uses of the LREE All of the rare earth metals have great economic importance. There are many practical applications of the light rare earth elements, including: lasermagnetsphosphorsluminous paintscatalystsmetallurgysuperconductorssensorsflat panel displaysmedical tracersmicrophones and speakersrechargeable batteriesfiber opticsnumerous defense applications The Special Case of Scandium The element scandium is considered to be one of the rare earth elements. Although it is the lightest of the rare earths, with atomic number 21, it is not classified as a light rare earth metal. Why is this? Basically, its because an atom of scandium does not have an electron configuration comparable to that of the light rare earths. Like other rare earths, scandium typically exists in a trivalent state, but its chemical and physical properties dont warrant grouping it with either the light rare earths or the heavy rare earths. There are no middle rare earths or other classification, so scandium is in a class by itself.

Asian philosphy Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Asian philosphy - Article Example Ideally, establishing the distinctions between these two aspects enhances the understanding that one has pertaining to Asian philosophy. First, Advaita Vedanta philosophy humans have souls in them and despite the fact that humans live distinct lives physically; the souls are usually never separate. Advaita Vedanta philosophy is usually a key pillar in the study of Hinduism in temples and determines individual behaviors among individuals. Samkhya on its part, provides a different school of thought pertaining to Asian philosophy, as it maintains more realistic metaphysical perspective in the view of occurrences. It does this by the combination of the teachings and doctrines of the Sankhya philosophy and the physical practice of yoga and its significance to humans. In better understanding of the Sankhya philosophy works to provide the theory behind understanding the metaphysical reality of the world, while Yoga allows practicing individuals to actually apply in use all the internalized aspects pertaining to the philosophical teachings themselves. In summary, Sankhya can be termed as the motive power of the universe upon which the soul

The Impact of Location on the History of the Middle East Region Essay

The Impact of Location on the History of the Middle East Region - Essay Example How the middle Eat contributed into the development of civilization is not questionable. According to Goldschmidt Jr., â€Å"many Westerners do not know what they have learned from Islamic culture† (Goldschmidt, 2009). From the clothes that people wear, to the games that people play, to the food that people eat and substances that people drink, the Middle East had given her own share in developing the world’s lifestyle and culture. Take into consideration the root words of cotton, chess, coffee, kebab and pita. (Goldschmidt, 2009). Looking into the Middle East’s physical setting plays a very big impact on this region’s cultural and historical nature. By definition, Middle East as running from the Nile Valley to the Muslim lands of Central Asia (roughly, the valley of the Amu Darya, or Oxus, River), from southeast Europe to the Arabian Sea (Goldschmidt, 2009). Yet, this region had stretched and shrunk complexly throughout the history over dynasty affairs and world wars. This location makes it more natural for the region to be hot and dry which led into a distinction between nomads, who were not able to live up through the challenge of the climate and farmers who were able to turn the climate challenge into productive agriculture. The Middle East is the natural crossroads of the Afro-Eurasian landmass and it is also the "land of the seven seas" (Goldschmidt, 2009). This makes the region readily accessible for all traders making the growth of their civilization even more rapid than the others. But the relative growth of civilization in the Middle East different from those that has become a world power in history like China, United States and Britain, who saw themselves as primarily isolated but were able to develop and grow as a civilized nation as well. But as regards to its natural resources, Middle East’s location, unlike the European Countries and the United States, is not gifted of grassy plains and yet, this location magnified the region’s importance because of the huge petroleum deposits present here. Most importantly, the location of Middle East, as it is, â€Å"has contributed to the diversity of its inhabitants†

Cities and Economic Development Annotated Bibliography - 5

Cities and Economic Development - Annotated Bibliography Example The book A Brief History of the Western World covers some of the most important aspects of Western history, covering each era in some detail. Although the earlier sections do focus on prehistory and the times of the Roman Empire, the latter sections of the book do contain information about the â€Å"Rise of the West† and the influences that other cultures have had on Western history, philosophy and politics. Some of the most interesting sections explore the rise of Christianity, which had several influences beyond the West and still has a hold on Western ideals today. Additionally, much of the information on medieval culture provides information about how important Eastern philosophies (particularly those in the Middle East and from Iberia) were important in defining the new political era. Overall, the book shows that the West held growing importance in world history during this time, despite heavy influences from other cultures. Huntington, Samuel P. â€Å"The Clash of Civil izations?† Foreign affairs (1993): 22–49. Print. This paper was published in an attempt to use world history to outline the differences between civilizations all over the world. This paper is interesting because it shows the differences between the West and other cultures by showing how they evolved over time. It gives insight into the elements that the West â€Å"borrowed† from other cultures by integrating it into their own, including parts of philosophy, language, and culture. Although the paper is short, it does give a lot of insight into the topic of world history. It is useful for my research because it supports the hypothesis that the West has developed into being a strong global entity with a multitude of civilizations. It also supports the hypothesis that there are many different cultural elements in the West that have been developed through interactions with other cultures. Levi, Giovanni, and Schmitt, Jean Claude. A History of Young People in the West: Ancient and Medieval Rites of Passage. Harvard University Press, 1997. Print. This book focuses on how young people have been perceived throughout Western history and the rites of passage that they have gone through. This book is very specific to young people and youth, particularly focusing on how these people have been perceived and treated throughout history. Despite this specificity, this book underlines some of the major transformations the West has been through during the Middle Ages. It provides a useful point of comparison between historical youth and modern youth, and conclusions can be drawn about the evolution of this group of people from the book. Additionally, it is interesting to see how one group of people have affected and been affected by history.

Pros and Cons of Various HRIS Systems Research Paper

Pros and Cons of Various HRIS Systems - Research Paper Example Traditionally, HRIS is considered as an automated record keeping of employees and computerization of the payroll. However, it is now well established that HR managers with information system can greater role beyond the administrative jobs. Today the organizations are besieged with the cost burden. With increased cost competition, the companies have no option but to transfer the cost burden to the customers. Therefore, to maintain stability in the price of the products, the only option is to look within, i.e. cost minimization. Cost minimization without technology support is difficult (Walker, 2001, p. 135). Background of the report Big Boss Security Limited is a company that provides personal security for business executives and high ranking officials. The company has 150 employees. The human resource department has two HR staffs; one HR manager and one part-time employee. The company is facing some problems due to the small number of staffs in the HR department. However, the company does not have any plans to recruit HR personnel at this point in time. Therefore the company has decided to go for IT enablement of the Hr department by introducing HRIS. The system needs to be installed keeping the company objective and budget constraints in mind.   Therefore there is an existence of budget constraint. However, the company has got plans for future expansion. Therefore it is very important for the company to retain the talent and increase efficiency. HRIS Concepts HRIS is the systems to acquire, store, manipulate, analyze and interpret relevant information on human resources. It is not mere computer hardware or some customized standard HR software. It broadly includes people, policies and procedures and of course data. It does not limit the focus on automation of manual HR jobs like record keeping or payroll preparation. It is a service in the form of information. The nature of the information depends upon the user's needs. Users may not be limited to the HR depa rtment; it may even be an MD/President of an organization. For example, the finance manager of a company has to prepare an annual budget. Hence data on the aggregate compensation cost may be required. However, merely depending upon the headcounts may give an inaccurate result. But simulating this with factors like attrition rate, likely DA increase or decrease, absenteeism, man-days lost due to the IT related problems, increments, incentive, promotion, redundancy, etc. will most certainly ensure better projection. Similarly, even HR people may need that information for different purposes. There are different HRIS modules that are in the product profile of all HRIS vendors. There are products on recruitment and management, training and development, attendance, etc. Different HRIS Modules In this section several HRIS modules would be analyzed. Even though all major HRIS vendors provide manpower planning solutions, there are vendors providing exclusive solutions for the overall human r esource management functions. Based on the key organizational issues and objective some modules have been analyzed.

European Business Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

European Business Environment - Essay Example The UK became a member of the EC (now the EU) in 1973.) (McKean, 2005). The European Union (EU) refers to the 25 nations that have joined together to form an economic community (EC), with some monetary, political, and social aspirations. (Law, 2006). The European Union was created in 1993 from the EC, which itself emerged from the European Coal and Steel Community, the European Atomic Energy Community, and the European Economic Community (EEC). (Law, 2006). The 12 nations of the EC (Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and the UK) were joined by Austria, Sweden, and Finland in 1995 and by (Greek) Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia in May 2004. The Executive Body of the European Union is the European Commission, which was formed in 1967 with the Council of the European Communities. (Law, 2006). EU policy emerges from a dialogue between the Commission, which initiates and implements the policy, and the Council, which takes the major policy decisions. The European Parliament, formed in 1957, exercises democratic control over policy, and the European Court of Justice imposes the rule of law on the EU, as set out in its various treaties. Although a draft EU Constitution, proposing the creation of an EU president and foreign minister, was published in 2004, its future is now uncertain following rejection by the electorates of France and the Netherlands. (Law, 2006). The United Kingdom became a member of the EU on 1st January 1973. (http://www.eurofaq.freeuk.com/#130). According to section 2 of the enabling legislation, the European Communities Act, 1972, established the principle of the European Law would always prevail over British Law in the event of a clash, thereby overthrowing the supremacy of the British Parliament. (http://www.eurofaq.freeuk.com/#130). The issue as to whether The UK continues to be nothing but a hindrance to the process of European Integration, to the disadvantage of business throughout Europe is a controversial one. On the one hand it might be argued that the UK's continuous refusal to join the EMU's single currency the euro makes it difficult for the EU as a whole to eliminate foreign exchange risk in European firms given that the pound continues to fluctuate against the euro and other European currencies such as the Swedish Krona, the Norwegian Krona and the Danish Krona. On the other hand one can also argue that the UK's economy is significantly ahead of many economies in the euro zone, and therefore becoming a member of the EMU can have devastating effects on the UK's economy. In the final analysis, this paper will argue against the above claim that the UK is a hindrance to the progress of European Integration and to the disadvantages of business throughout Europe. The following points can be advanced to refut e these claims. The European Union established a single market, which refers to the concept of a single integrated market that underlies trading in the European Union, as codified in the Single European Act (1986), which was introduced in 1987 with a target date of 31 December 1992 for completion. (Law, 2006). According to Law (2006), The Single Market came into force on 1 January 1993 with between 90% and 95% of the necessary legislation enacted by all member countries. In practice, however, some of its terms

Internationl student life at minnesota stat university Essay

Internationl student life at minnesota stat university - Essay Example The most common is the use of the English language. Although some may understand the language well, the problem is presented when one is required to express his/her own ideas. This is strongly defended by the first interviewee, Bdr, a friend from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Bdr says that coping in a new environment is made more difficult because of the language barrier that exists between him and his professors and classmates. â€Å"Some Americans speak too fast, I cannot understand all that is being said and oftentimes, they use words that are not familiar with me†, Bdr said. He adds that this is a real problem to him because in school, class discussions are required. Since grades are highly important to him, he wants to be involved in class discussions but the fear of making no sense at all prevents him from talking. He also fears that his classmates might make fun of how he talks, how limited his vocabulary is and how he constructs his sentences. Although he has been a con fident student in his own country, his confidence failed him in a new world where he needs to speak a language not his own. Nevertheless, he still has to survive so despite the difficulties, he is trying to learn the language by talking to native speakers on a daily basis. Essa, a second year Aviation Management student who is also from KSA is not a stranger to such dilemma. Even on his second year with the school, he is still finding it difficult to fully adapt to the American education. He says that, â€Å"There are so many activities that really require participation like critical class discussions. Speaking is already a problem and trying to react critically in class makes the task even harder because one has to meditate on the meanings of what is being discussed. Moreover, a lot of reading is also needed because instructors encourage students to get diverse ideas from different authors and other sources. Then there are the written requirements like take home exams, reaction pa pers and essays. However, Essa does not consider this too much of a burden but looks to the brighter side saying the requirements are all necessary because they help students improve their vocabulary and use of the English language. Personally, the challenges I am facing as an international student are not at all different from the experiences of Bdr and Essa. I have difficulty expressing myself in English, too. I am not fluent in English which is the medium of instruction. My sentence constructions are faulty and my vocabulary is limited. In United Arab Emirates, most of the talking is done by the teachers so that participating in class discussions is really a challenge for me and if there were any interaction among students, we used our native tongue. Although we learned English in our country, it is undeniable that the experience is entirely different from what we have in America. Therefore, I strive hard to improve my oral communication skills by imitating native speakers and pr acticing at home. In addition, written communication presents similar problems. The many books required of us to read are already a great task and it even demands more time from me because oftentimes, I have to read slowly in order to understand the texts. Sometimes, I also have to read three or more times before I grasp the subject matter. Written requirements add to the difficulties. Although the activity spares me from expressing my thoughts extemporaneously, writing sentences with the use of a second language is still

European Business Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

European Business Environment - Essay Example The UK became a member of the EC (now the EU) in 1973.) (McKean, 2005). The European Union (EU) refers to the 25 nations that have joined together to form an economic community (EC), with some monetary, political, and social aspirations. (Law, 2006). The European Union was created in 1993 from the EC, which itself emerged from the European Coal and Steel Community, the European Atomic Energy Community, and the European Economic Community (EEC). (Law, 2006). The 12 nations of the EC (Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and the UK) were joined by Austria, Sweden, and Finland in 1995 and by (Greek) Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia in May 2004. The Executive Body of the European Union is the European Commission, which was formed in 1967 with the Council of the European Communities. (Law, 2006). EU policy emerges from a dialogue between the Commission, which initiates and implements the policy, and the Council, which takes the major policy decisions. The European Parliament, formed in 1957, exercises democratic control over policy, and the European Court of Justice imposes the rule of law on the EU, as set out in its various treaties. Although a draft EU Constitution, proposing the creation of an EU president and foreign minister, was published in 2004, its future is now uncertain following rejection by the electorates of France and the Netherlands. (Law, 2006). The United Kingdom became a member of the EU on 1st January 1973. (http://www.eurofaq.freeuk.com/#130). According to section 2 of the enabling legislation, the European Communities Act, 1972, established the principle of the European Law would always prevail over British Law in the event of a clash, thereby overthrowing the supremacy of the British Parliament. (http://www.eurofaq.freeuk.com/#130). The issue as to whether The UK continues to be nothing but a hindrance to the process of European Integration, to the disadvantage of business throughout Europe is a controversial one. On the one hand it might be argued that the UK's continuous refusal to join the EMU's single currency the euro makes it difficult for the EU as a whole to eliminate foreign exchange risk in European firms given that the pound continues to fluctuate against the euro and other European currencies such as the Swedish Krona, the Norwegian Krona and the Danish Krona. On the other hand one can also argue that the UK's economy is significantly ahead of many economies in the euro zone, and therefore becoming a member of the EMU can have devastating effects on the UK's economy. In the final analysis, this paper will argue against the above claim that the UK is a hindrance to the progress of European Integration and to the disadvantages of business throughout Europe. The following points can be advanced to refut e these claims. The European Union established a single market, which refers to the concept of a single integrated market that underlies trading in the European Union, as codified in the Single European Act (1986), which was introduced in 1987 with a target date of 31 December 1992 for completion. (Law, 2006). According to Law (2006), The Single Market came into force on 1 January 1993 with between 90% and 95% of the necessary legislation enacted by all member countries. In practice, however, some of its terms

MCI WorldCom Essay Example for Free

MCI WorldCom Essay As noted above, Latin America is and has been ahead of many countries with emerging economies in the development of its telecommunications sectors and the attraction of private investment. Similarly, it has been substantially advanced in its promulgation of rules and regulations, changing as required to keep up with constant change in technology and services. All of the above drives or suppresses competition and growth depending on how the change is effected and how effective enforcement is executed. In Mexico, we have seen investment moratoria declared by MCI WorldCom and ATT based on alleged failure of the Government to enforce the telecommunications regulations against TELMEX, which most affect the economics of service-provision by the competitors. While resolution has commenced of these issues in Mexico, full resolution is not yet a reality, and the sector has suffered a slow-down in investment at a time when investment should have been the most robust in Mexicos history. On the other hand, one sees in Mexico, a reversal of the cross subsidies which previously characterized the service of TELMEX. For example, before privatization, TELMEXs local exchange service failed to cover one third of its costs and was permanently subsidized by TELMEXs dramatically high international tariffs. That has reversed, forced, in part, by the requirements of its Concession and the introduction of competition in long distance and international service. As new international operators can compete on price, without regard to local exchange service, if the incumbent does not lower international prices and remain competitive, it will lose a large portion of its revenue and its best and most lucrative customers. In fact, some of the most vigorous of the complaints of TELMEXs interconnection and access charge practices demonstrated a policy of avoidance of competition in this lucrative market. Currently, ITU reports show dramatically higher local exchange charges than those, which characterized the pre-privatization company. Indeed, TELMEX monthly recurring charge is on par with other countries of Latin America which have rebalanced their tariffs to eliminate the cross subsidies. Thus, it is significantly higher than monthly recurring residential charges of companies in other countries that have not been obligated to rebalance. The latter means that those countries remain largely without formal or effective competition. This is because competition forces rebalancing of tariffs in order for the incumbent to maintain market share in the price-competitive and lucrative markets like long distance, international and commercial. Similarly, Argentina and Peru have monthly recurring charges, which reflect a rebalancing of tariffs and elimination of much of the cross-subsidies that previously characterized the companys finances. This means necessarily, a higher monthly recurring residential charge than countries such as Paraguay, Surinam and others that have not yet eliminated their cross subsidies (again typically revealing a lack of competition which threatens the market share of lucrative and over-charged markets). As noted earlier, the law and the vigorous competition in Chile contributed to the elimination of cross subsidies and the balancing of tariffs with cost of providing the service. Thus, like Argentina, Peru and Mexico, Chile had monthly recurring residential charges, which reflected its cost of providing the service, and operators competed vigorously in long distance and international pricing for market share. At the end of 1999, however, the Government forced a lowering of monthly recurring charges, which substantially impacted the revenue balance of local exchange carriers. That is, with long distance and international tariffs subject to severe competition and thus as marginally low as possible, the monthly recurring charge is one of the few revenue sources available to generate margin. While it cannot create wide margins as monopoly international services once did due to the economy of the market of residential users, it at least covered its costs and generated profit in a rebalanced tariffing environment. Now Chilean local exchange carriers are saying that the new rules no longer allow that. Thus, they have declared a moratorium on the construction of local exchange infrastructure. Perhaps by the time of the PTC conference, we shall have a resolution of the dispute. What all of the above, and current marketing of services in other countries, like the U. S. , cause us to think about is how networks will be paid for in the future. In a technological environment where long distance is virtually the same as local exchange service (eg. ATT advertises its one service which encompasses the entire of the U. S. , local and long distance; Venezuela has reduced its domestic long distance to two regions, all else within them is local exchange; Sprint sells its ten cent minute anywhere in the country, etc); wire line virtually the same as wireless (Ugandas second national operator uses exclusively a GSM cellular network with software distinctions for price-capped services; Canada and U. S. move toward wireless local loop being interchangeable with cellular and fixed line telephony); data equals voice services (GPRS and UMTS provide telephony services with internet access, interactive email and other mixed services features), etc. Thus, technological convergence; global seamless mergers of services and service operators and new means of delivery, like the INTERNET, point toward different measures of financing infrastructure build-out. For example, whereas operators used long distance and international revenues predominantly in the past as a primary revenue stream, which supported financing of build-out, those streams have shrunk substantially in a competitive environment. The same is true for international settlements. Now, as we are seeing in Chile, the same could be true in the future for the monthly recurring charge on local exchange service. Prepaid services and cellular or other wireless substitutes for local exchange service, already threaten this revenue stream.

Role of Nursing Informatics in Health Care

Role of Nursing Informatics in Health Care The Role of Nursing Informatics at Cleveland Clinic Foundation The Informatics system at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation (CCF) plays an essential role in supporting the delivery of quality patient care and to improve patient satisfaction, features that are very important to maintain the Magnet Status achieved by the Clinic. As the CCF mission statement highlights, the goal of the Clinic is to support nursing care and achieve good outcomes along with patient satisfaction. This goal was reached by creating an informatics system that allows an easy access to data information, ensures easy communication between health care providers and promotes nursing and patient education. The mission of CCF is to support evidence-based nursing practice and improved patient outcomes with technology solutions that enhance nursing communication, documentation and efficiency ( Nursing Informatics: Nursing past, present and future section, para. 1). Cleveland Clinics Nursing Informatics implemented an electronic medical record system, called Epic System that is using high technology and considers professional and clinical experience to manage the patients information, to improve work, and to deliver higher quality health care for its clients. Nurses and Physicians have easy access to the system, being able to view data and collect necessary information, provide quality client care and document the patients condition. health care professionals can document through the electronic medical record system the medical care that was provided to the patients and the patients responses to the care given. The Epic System is used not only by nursing professionals, but by a large variety of allied health care departments, too. For example respiratory therapists can document aerosol treatments administered to their patients, adjustments in ventilator settings and the patients response to these interventions. The pharmacy department uses the i nformation system to access patients data such as medical reconciliation, medications profile, including current and home medications , demographics, health history and medical diagnosis. In this way it will be reducing significantly medication errors. The physicians consider Epic System to be very useful for them, because allows them to easily find their patients file in the system, allowing access to the patients prior doctors visits and health information, laboratory results, radiology test results as well as interdisciplinary consult results and recommendations. The physicians orders for medications and treatments can be easily entered into the system through the computerized physician order entry feature of the system (CPOE). This has high significance in reducing medication errors and in delivering care in a timely manner. The CCF website presents a clear explanation about the Informatics systems role in obtaining and maintaining the high standard achieved by the clinic: Nursing Informatics, in collaboration with the Information Technology Division, is  Implementing an electronic medical records system from Epic Systems of Madison,  WI.   Electronic documentation of the patients medical record is transforming  clinical practice for nursing, allied health and medical practitioners at the Cleveland  Clinic. After using Epic Care successfully in ambulatory outpatient services for two  years, the Clinic is currently undergoing a phased implementation of the Epic  system in the inpatient setting-enabling health care providers to examine any  patient record across the entire continuum of care in all Cleveland Clinic facilities  (Nursing Informatics: More information about the Nursing Informatics specialty  section, para. 4). Another important aspect of the Informatics system in the nursing care provided at CCF is that it contributed significantly to the improvement of communication between medical professionals by improving the accuracy and the speed of communication. It comes very convenient for the physicians to access the computer system from any location, either inpatient or outpatient locations, or either from the comfort of his or her home or office or even while on the golf course or at the mall (Hebda, Czar Mascara, 2005, p.126), to enter orders for the patient. By doing so, the system alerts all departments to carry out physician orders. For example when ordering a chest X-ray for the patient, the radiology department will automatically place a transportation order for the patient, to be transported from the nursing floor to the radiology department. Through the nursing communication tool, the physician can communicate to the nursing staff about withholding diet or medications as preparation for specific tests or even surgery. The same way, the physician, can interpret radiological results in a timely manner, by checking the radiography evaluation report placed in the computer system, without the need to walk to the radiology department to read the film. In this way it could be saved precious time that could save another patients life. A different feature of the Informatics System used at the CCF is that provides a large variety of choices for patient and nursing education, offering multiple educational resources at different levels. For patient education purposes, the CCF intranet has a link called patient education that consists of information edited in a simple language, easily comprehensible for non-healthcare personal. This site provides information about specific medications, including their side effects, indications and contraindications; also gives information about diseases or home going discharge instructions, regarding activity, diet, signs and symptoms of complications and many other subjects. The CCF television channel has information about diabetes, advice for smoking cessation, anti-coagulation administration, or techniques to reduce and manage stress, etc. This way patients can be easily educated towards a better understanding of the healing process and can actively participate to their care. At the same time, the CCF Intranet provides valuable information for physicians and nurses that improve their knowledge related to medical diagnoses, policies and procedures as well as giving them the chance of updating themselves with the newest technologies used. The CCFs Alumni Library has commonly used medical sites like Up to Date, Medline that are handy to use when more information are needed about a healthcare related issue. The COMET helps nurses and nursing aids to maintain an updated level of nursing education, reinforcing policies and standards required by the clinic. According to its definition, the Nursing Informatics has a primary role in delivering high quality nursing care,  Nursing Informatics is a specialty that integrates nursing science, computer science,  and information science to manage and communicate data, information, and  knowledge in nursing practice. Nursing informatics facilitates the integration of  data, information and knowledge to support patients, nurses and other providers in  their decision-making in all roles and settings. This support had been accomplished through  the use of information structures, information processes, and information  technology (ANA Scope and Standards of Nursing Informatics Practice, 2001, pg vii). The convenience of the Informatics system of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation is represented, by easy access to patient data, and resources for patient and nursing education. The valuable communication tool between health care providers, contributed tremendously in attaining high standards in patient care and their satisfaction. All these features are essential factors that helped the Cleveland Clinic to achieve the great award of Magnet Hospital.

Cultural Impact of Technology Transfer :: Exemplification Essays

Cultural Impact of Technology Transfer Human history has demonstrated that the flow of information is inevitable; cultures across the world have been trading ideas for thousands of years. Dick Teresi claims, however, that "a technology evolves within a culture and its particular demands and preoccupations, intertwined with that society’s particular environment.† (Teresi, 356) While this statement holds true for many innovations, not all technologies are direct products of the cultures using them. As human communications increased, technologies were frequently invented in one culture and transferred to another. The cultures that acquired technologies from outside sources oftentimes utilized them in ways originally not intended. Did these external technologies have positive or negative effects on the cultures that accepted them? The consequences of implanted technologies vary from case to case depending on a number of factors, including environmental and lifestyle differences between the two communities. To hig hlight the networking of these factors and weigh the effects of transferring technologies, I will compare two scenarios: the European’s introduction of guns into Inuit culture and the bringing of horses to the Native Americans by the Spaniards. The story of European small arms begins with the cannon. The cannon, first used in the 1346 Battle of Cressey, was gradually reduced in size over the next three centuries until a cannon small enough to attach to the end of a stick emerged (Ferris, 3). This innovation gave birth to the gun, an invention that revolutionalized European warfare. Because the gun was invented for primarily military purposes, Europeans used it more in battlefields than on hunting grounds, where bows and arrows still dominated (Ferris, 3). When the Europeans introduced small arms into Inuit culture, however, they became instruments of seal hunting. The Inuit’s original seal hunting methods involved harpooning the animals through a hole in the ice. Seal carcass retrieval was difficult, so the Inuit designed their harpoons specifically for efficient recovery of seal bodies. Their engineering was so successful that only one seal body sunk out of every twenty (Ehrlich, 216). Unlike the harpoon, however, the gun was not specially designed for seal hunting. Thus, when the Inuit acquired rifles from the Hudson’s Bay Company and started shooting seals, the bodies would sink before they could be harpooned and retrieved. Hunting efficiency plummeted dramatically; nineteen out of every twenty seals hunted with guns sank (Ehrlich 216). Before long, Inuit hunting began depleting seal populations. The introduction of small arms dealt a blow to both the Inuit community, whose hunting efficiency decreased, and their environment, which suffered a loss of mass numbers of animals.

Aristotelian Intellectual Intuition, Basic Beliefs and Naturalistic Epistemology :: Philosophy Philosophical Essays

Aristotelian Intellectual Intuition, Basic Beliefs and Naturalistic Epistemology ABSTRACT: I first argue that Aristotelian intellectual intuition (recognizing archai through epagoge and seeing their truth by recognizing their explanatory power through nous) generates basic beliefs which are not inferred — inductively or deductively — from other beliefs. Both involve synthetic intuitive insight. Epagoge grasps a connection and nous sees its general applicability. I next argue that such beliefs are properly basic by adapting an argument made by Hilary Kornblith. According to Kornblith, the world is objectively divided into natural kinds. We humans perceive the world divided into natural kinds. There is empirical evidence suggesting that we divide the world not only as it is objectively divided, but in making inductive inferences, that is, in inferring that an object will have certain properties on the basis of its having others. This grounds the reliability of (certain) inductive inferences. But the leading principles (in Peirce’s sense) of the se inferences are basic beliefs generated through intellectual intuition. Hence intellectual intuition generates certain properly basic beliefs. For Aristotle science is demonstration from first principles. But how does one arrive at these first principles? We observe particular instances and record those observations in memory. This material generates a logos, a meaning. (1) This is the process of epagoge which frames or formulates the archai. We recognize that archai are true, we come to believe them, by the operation of nous. Through nous we come to recognize the explanatory power of archai. In recognizing this, that the archai are true to the facts, we recognize their truth. Particular experiences suggest a certain arche. But nous lets us see that this arche "is the way in which the facts can be understood." (2) But, as Randall emphasizes, nous does not intuit the explanatory power of these archai independently of, or in abstraction from, the facts they explain. "Nous does not `see' the truth of archai by holding them up, in isolation ..., and just staring at them; it `sees' their truth in the subject matter." (3) Does intellectual intuition generate basic beliefs? Experience suggests archai; nous grasps their truth by seeing that they explain certain facts. Are these archai then inferred beliefs, inferred from the facts they allegedly explain? Are they conclusions of arguments whose premises describe these facts? Aristotle views science as deductive system. The arche of that science would not be deduced from more basic first principles.

Hall High/Low Communication

Hall High/Low Context Communication In this essay I’d like to  express my opinion about Hall’s Context Communication. In general, in today's business relations, it's a small world after all. As more companies turn towards global markets, professionals are finding themselves in foreign locales, wheeling and dealing like never before. However, the key to effective communication between countries is an understanding of each other's culture, especially a working knowledge of how each society conveys meaning.First used by author Edward Hall, the expressions â€Å"high context† and â€Å"low context† are labels denoting inherent cultural differences between societies. High-context and low-context communication refers to how much speakers rely on things other than words to convey meaning. Hall states that in communication, individuals face many more sensory cues than they are able to fully process. In each culture, members have been supplied with specific †Å"filters† that allow them to focus only on what society has deemed important.In general, cultures that favor low-context communication will pay more attention to the literal meanings of words than to the context surrounding them. When individuals from high-context and low-context cultures collaborate, there are often difficulties that occur during the exchange of information. These problems can be separated into differences concerning â€Å"direction†, â€Å"quantity† and â€Å"quality. For example, employees from high-context cultures like China and France share very specific and extensive information with their â€Å"in-group members† (good friends, families, close coworkers, etc). In comparison, low-context cultures like the United States and Germany prefer to limit communication to smaller, more select groups of people, sharing only that information which is necessary. And now I’d like to speak in detail about the main features of each kind of Context Communication. High-Context CommunicationHall: â€Å"Most of the information is either in the physical context or initialized in the person. † * Knowledge is situational, relational * Less is verbally explicit or written or formally expressed * More internalized understandings of what is communicated (ex: â€Å"in-jokes†) * Often used in long term, well-established relationships * Decisions and activities focus around personal face-to-face communication, often around a central, authoritative figure * Strong awareness of who is accepted/belongs vs. outsiders† Low Context Communication Hall: â€Å"The mass of information is vested in the explicit code [message]. † * Rule oriented * More knowledge is public, external, and accessible. * Shorter duration of communications * Knowledge is transferable * Task-centered. Decisions and activities focus around what needs to be done and the division of responsibilities. To draw the conclusion, once can say tha t communication is everything, so make sure you know not only  what  to say, but also  how  to say it!

Justice and Vengeance in The Oresteia

In this paper, I suggest that the themes of justice and vengeance are reflected in a progressive movement throughout the trilogy. The never-ending cycle of revenge and vengeance was between not only mortals like Clytaemnestra and Orestes but also between gods for example Apollo and the Furies. The theme of justice and vengeance are important because the play reflects a movement from a time of savagery and revenge and a movement towards civilization and justice. B. Structure of Paper In this paper, I will examine how the themes of justice and vengeance are treated in the Oresteia.I will examine the progress of the trilogy from the savage cycle of bloodshed to a more civilized and justice oriented society. First I will take a look at the foreshadowing of doom in Agamemnon by the Chorus. Then, I will analyze how the cycle of bloodshed continues in the Libation Bearers. And lastly the change from cyclic bloodshed to peace and justice will be discussed through the last play the Furies. C. Body of Paper In the first play Agamemnon, we get the first glimpse of the oncoming fate in the house of Atreus.The sacrificial death of Iphigenia mentioned in Agamemnon 875 was the first spark that caused this cycle of bloodshed to begin and led to the death of the king. The following passage is the words of the chorus following the unfortunate murder of Agamemnon. â€Å"I dread the drumbeat thunder the heavy rains of blood will crush the house the first light rains are over- Justice brings new acts of agony, yes, on new grindstones Fate is grinding sharp the sword of Justice. † Agamemnon 1561-1565 This passage foreshadows not only the coming doom in the house of Atreus but also the intervention of the gods.The line â€Å"the first light rains are over-Justice brings new acts of agony† reflects that blood will no longer drizzle but pour from this house until justice is served. It is being implied that Agamemnon was only the first casualty and many are to come which w e later in the Libation Bearers realize is no one other than Clytaemestra and Aegisthus. The sharp grinding of the sword of justice by fate reflects the intervention of the gods who will help bring justice to those murdered. Apollo being the divine oracle that helps Orestes avenge his father’s death and the Furies seeking vengeance on maternal murder.This passage provides the best example of the basic theme of the Oresteia, seeking justice through vengeance. The idea of eye for an eye continues to be reflected through the next play the Libation Bearers. This passage also like the previous one can be considered to foreshadow the death of Clytaemestra and Aegisthus. â€Å"And the blood that Mother Earth consumes clots hard, it won’t seep through it breeds revenge and frenzy goes through the guilty, seething like infection, swarming through the brain. † Libation Bearers 66-69 This quote shows that bloodshed is appeased by only more bloodshed.The fact that blood clo ts hard rather than seeps through signifies that death is something that is not easily accepted in human nature it only induces more revenge. The seething like infection also indicates that this feeling of vengeance will only spread like wildfire until the urge is satisfied. Orestes, with the support of Apollo, is the one reflecting this urge of vengeance while his guilty mother and her lover are the ones to lose their blood next. Clytamestra’s death causes the Furies to hunt Orestes and seek justice for her which leads us to the last part of the trilogy.In Eumenides 485, Athena decides that the case between Orestes and the Furies should be judged by a jury of mortal men. The verdict set Orestes free which enraged the Furies but for their appeasement Athena offers a place in Athens for them which they eventually agree to. Thus the following passage helps us understand how the cycle of vengeance was concluded. â€Å"Come and sped beneath the earth by our awesome sacrifices, k eep destruction from the borders, bring prosperity home to Athens, triumph sailing in its wake. † The Eumenides 1015-1020This quote depicts what Aeschylus was advocating at the end of the Furies. This verse spoken by Athena indicates that justice has been served and no longer should cycles of bloodshed and revenge be at the forefront. Rather the people of Athens should focus on bettering their homeland together and live in peace and harmony. The destruction should be put to better use by conquering foreign lands. The alliance between Athena and the Furies is the triumph being referred to in the end and also indicates that similar achievements should continue to prosper.As we can see the themes of justice and vengeance are at the forefront in the play. The trilogy reflects a progressive movement from revenge to justice. The sacrificial death of Iphigenia was the root cause of conflict between Clytaemestra and Agamemnon and eventually the unceasing cycle of bloodshed. However, t he vengeance of Orestes and the Furies led to a final ruling that helped end the cycle. Although the house of Atreus was reduced to almost nothing through all the bloodshed the cycle helped erase the law of blood for blood and in turn peace and harmony were advocated. Justice and Vengeance in The Oresteia In this paper, I suggest that the themes of justice and vengeance are reflected in a progressive movement throughout the trilogy. The never-ending cycle of revenge and vengeance was between not only mortals like Clytaemnestra and Orestes but also between gods for example Apollo and the Furies. The theme of justice and vengeance are important because the play reflects a movement from a time of savagery and revenge and a movement towards civilization and justice.B. Structure of PaperIn this paper, I will examine how the themes of justice and vengeance are treated in the Oresteia. I will examine the progress of the trilogy from the savage cycle of bloodshed to a more civilized and justice oriented society. First I will take a look at the foreshadowing of doom in Agamemnon by the Chorus. Then, I will analyze how the cycle of bloodshed continues in the Libation Bearers. And lastly the change from cyclic bloodshed to peace and justice will be discussed through the last play the Furies.C. B ody of PaperIn the first play Agamemnon, we get the first glimpse of the oncoming fate in the house of Atreus. The sacrificial death of Iphigenia mentioned in Agamemnon 875 was the first spark that caused this cycle of bloodshed to begin and led to the death of the king. The following passage is the words of the chorus following the unfortunate murder of Agamemnon. â€Å"I dread the drumbeat thunder the heavy rains of blood will crush the house the first light rains are over- Justice brings new acts of agony, yes, on new grindstones Fate is grinding sharp the sword of Justice.†Agamemnon 1561-1565This passage foreshadows not only the coming doom in the house of Atreus but also the intervention of the gods. The line â€Å"the first light rains are over-Justice brings new acts of agony† reflects that blood will no longer drizzle but pour from this house until justice is served. It is being implied that Agamemnon was only the first casualty and many are to come which we la ter in the Libation Bearers realize is no one other than Clytaemestra and Aegisthus.The sharp grinding of the sword of justice by  fate reflects the intervention of the gods who will help bring justice to those murdered. Apollo being the divine oracle that helps Orestes avenge his father’s death and the Furies seeking vengeance on maternal murder. This passage provides the best example of the basic theme of the Oresteia, seeking justice through vengeance.The idea of eye for an eye continues to be reflected through the next play the Libation Bearers. This passage also like the previous one can be considered to foreshadow the death of Clytaemestra and Aegisthus. â€Å"And the blood that Mother Earth consumes clots hard, it won’t seep through it breeds revenge and frenzy goes through the guilty, seething like infection, swarming through the brain.†Libation Bearers 66-69This quote shows that bloodshed is appeased by only more bloodshed. The fact that blood clots h ard rather than seeps through signifies that death is something that is not easily accepted in human nature it only induces more revenge. The seething like infection also indicates that this feeling of vengeance will only spread like wildfire until the urge is satisfied. Orestes, with the support of Apollo, is the one reflecting this urge of vengeance while his guilty mother and her lover are the ones to lose their blood next. Clytamestra’s death causes the Furies to hunt Orestes and seek justice for her which leads us to the last part of the trilogy.In Eumenides 485, Athena decides that the case between Orestes and the Furies should be judged by a jury of mortal men. The verdict set Orestes free which enraged the Furies but for their appeasement Athena offers a place in Athens for them which they eventually agree to. Thus the following passage helps us understand how the cycle of vengeance was concluded. â€Å"Come and sped beneath the earth by our awesome sacrifices, keep destruction from the borders, bring prosperity home to Athens, triumph sailing in its wake.†The Eumenides 1015-1020This quote depicts what Aeschylus was advocating at the end of the Furies. This verse spoken by Athena indicates that justice has been served and no longer should cycles of bloodshed and revenge be at the forefront. Rather the people of Athens should focus on bettering their homeland together and live in peace and harmony. The destruction should be put to better use by  conquering foreign lands. The alliance between Athena and the Furies is the triumph being referred to in the end and also indicates that similar achievements should continue to prosper. As we can see the themes of justice and vengeance are at the forefront in the play. The trilogy reflects a progressive movement from revenge to justice.The sacrificial death of Iphigenia was the root cause of conflict between Clytaemestra and Agamemnon and eventually the unceasing cycle of bloodshed. However, the vengeance of Orestes and the Furies led to a final ruling that helped end the cycle. Although the house of Atreus was reduced to almost nothing through all the bloodshed the cycle helped erase the law of blood for blood and in turn peace and harmony were advocated.

The Real Value of “E-Business Models”

Summary Note: The real value of â€Å"e-business models† Research Questions Asked * What is the meaning of e-business model? * Do the e-Business model really matter to create a thriving e-firm? * Can only a good e-business model will give the strength to company to get success? * What are the real key factors determining the survival or failure of e-firm? The e-business model is a model used by the e-commerce company to better be organized for providing a product or service, generating revenues and, especially, creating and adapting to the new market and technologies.Summary This article suggests in a critical way how this important model could be applied to different types of company, distinguishing the model by categories. It pays attention how the particular model is not the only successful key of the company, but it will an important tool if the company understands the linkage between it, its core business and the marketplace environment. The article presents some cases of failure and success, and how it creates a thriving for the firm. Supply chain model Direct sales: the firm provides a product or services directly to a customer ( Dell, Cisco, Aol) * Intermediary: the firm sells goods from a third party (Amazon) * Electronic marketplace: make easier the direct communication between buyers and sellers (Autobytel) Revenue model * Income is generated directly from the customer transaction * â€Å"Free sires where the income is generated through advertising or sponsorship (Napster) Internet business can also be distinguished according to the markets they serve * B2B business to business * B2C business to consumer Click and mortar: relies on offline asset * Pure play model: purely net based Failure and key of success Odds of survival of different business models compared| E-tail vs direct sales | 0. 93:1| Portal vs direct sales| 0. 97:1| Marktplace vs direct sales| 1. 30:1| Pay vs free| 0. 80:1| Clicks/mortar vs pure Net | 11:01| * E-tail and portal si tes are slightly less likely to survive than direct sales sites * Marketplace model are likely to survive that direct sales sites * Free sites are a little more likely to survive than pay sites * Clicks and mortar are 11 times more likely than pure Internet sites.Observation : * Firm that are part of group have a strategic advantages as brands, customers and suppliers relationship and cash * E-models are flexible and they enable rapid growth. Why some company in the same market will get success and some are not? * Logistic strategies – Case of eVineyards and Wine. com: the first decides to set up own retails store in each location generating a quicker and more reliable service. The second decided to outsource by relying on retail partners in various location, but it generated longer delivery times and out-of-stock problems Channel conflict: some firms have to cease trading via the Net owing to conflicts with existing channel partners (Starbucks, Levi Strauss, Reebok) * Free a nd pay web sites: the mass of users is attracted when the service is free * Lack of customer benefits is a common cause for the failure of the company * Network externalities: some firms focus on creating an high numbers of user, reeling in a large enough user base to make it attractive for the other users to join (eBay) * Level of utility and value added: to achieve a high target market penetration it may be necessary to be innovative (Priceline)What to take from it? * Each model raises particular issues * There is not a â€Å"perfect model† * Key factor is understanding and managing the particular problem inherent in their model * The chances to be successful are much higher when the firm is a part of a larger group Critique * It's a bit old. * It does not tell us , how is perfect business model look like? Questions for class * Is necessary to have a business model? * What are the key drivers of success in the business model? * How will these change in the future?